> The Eternal Knight
>  by Nerom_Fencer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: A meeting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.


The Eternal Knight
Chapter 0

Prologue: A meeting

A loud thunder echoed over Everfree forest. A startled Fluttershy jumped at the sound and looked east toward the forest. A rainbow coloured streak of lightning lingered in the air.

”Oh my” She said. I hope that the poor family of dears is all right in there, thought Fluttershy. Or it might been Rainbow Dash that crashed again? Ahh I really need to make sure. I only hope it's not something dangerous.

She headed for the forest in a trot. The little bird that she feed looked at her in confusion. This was highly unlike her.

Meanwhile in the forest a man woke up in a clearing looking around with groggy eyes.

What did I drink last night? Must have been one good party if I decided to sleep in a forest.

He noticed that he also wore different clothing than last night. Instead oh his usual jeans and t-shirt, he was wearing a pair of black boots and very dark blue pants with silver embroidery. At least he hoped that it was pants.

A little girly for me. Well at least the arm guards match the boots. WAIT ARM GUARDS?! “Well that´s new” He said while looking at his hands. Bahh what´s next a sword? And like magic he noticed the black scabbard strapped to his hip in the same black color as his boots, ornamented with what looked like silver. He proceeded to pick up the blade from his hip and with a light click the scabbard snapped of from the belt.

"Well that´s convenient." He croaked, throat a bit sore. He swallowed and whispered. "Well I still wonder why I have this. Then again, is it real?" With that last thought he inspected the ornament on the grip. The pommel had an engraved circle  that reminded him of the moon. It was crescent with a sort of crystal in the ''hole'' forming a full circle.

Beautiful surely, I wonder if its sharp?. He touched the now exposed blade. “Ow! Well now I know its real!" While he sucked a little on his finger, he eyed the blade and made a mental note that it was extremely thin for a blade. Its a rapier that's for sure. The blade had a inscription that was unreadable to him.

He stood up leaning against the tree. "Ahh my back!" He groaned and stretched him self. “Ohh that´s better” He mumbled while his back cracked loudly. Done with the stretching he tried to put back the blade on his belt but was interrupted all by a sudden motion in the corner of his eye. Suddenly a pink and yellow horse was staring at him and when it noticed that he looked back at it, it tried to make it self as small as possible. 'The fuck?' He whispered.

Fluttershy observed the creature in the small clearing, it was covered in clothes and a long white mane flowed from its head, a few leafs hung in it. She inched closer for a closer look. I sure hope its friendly, I wonder if its a monkey, well I have never seen a monkey with clothes on before and never this big. She saw that the creature looking at her with curious eyes. She made herself smaller but the creature gave her a small confused smile.

It smiles... I wonder? Taking a small step forward, she spoke.

“Hello?” Fluttershy said with a very tiny voice. No reaction, I wonder if it heard me? “Hello?” She said now in a normal voice. The creature now reacted like it never heard somepony talk before.

Did that pony just talk?! No, that´s impossible, or is it? I have never seen a small pink and yellow horse before... Or have I? it's kinda fuzzy on that part. He realized that he was very tense and his mouth hung open. he relaxed his body a little and gave her another smile.

“My name is Fluttershy, what is your name?” Said the little horse like she talked to a small pet or maybe a kid.

My name? Wait my name, I have one? I don´t remember. Hmm that´s weird. I remember other things... Why no names? He tilted his head. weird. “I don´t know, I think I don´t remember any name,” He said. A surprised pony now I have seen it all. He laughed in his head. “well so far I remember anyhow.” He said. The pony now looking a little less frightened. “Can you tell me where I am? I don´t really know that, you see I'm not from around here.” He smiled a little again, seeing that it made the nervous looking pony at ease, somewhat anyway.

Fluttershy looked in surprise at the creature. He was smiling again, at least it sounded like a he. “We are in the Everfree forest, How do you not know that? Its the scariest place in all of Equestria.”

“Everfree? Equestria? Never heard of that before." He said with a shrug. "And if it is so frightening why are you in it?”  Okey now I am confused! How did I even get here? Well anyway I´M here now so lets not panic over it... Yet.

Fluttershy was just going to say something when a large roar was heard behind her. Like a flash she clinged to the now startled human. “What was that?!” Do I really want to know that?

“M,M Manticore!” Fluttershy Stuttered in a screech.

“Hey, what is a Manticore?! Fluttershy? Ahh great she fainted!” Another roar somewhere in front of them was heard, a great pain came to the human.

With that second roar Fluttershy awoke with a jerk and hit the man with a kick. the man curled in a ball and seemed to be in pain.

"I´m so sorry, did it hurt?!" She cried.

"It's not that bad.. ohhh!" He groaned worst lie ever, but I don´t want to make her more upset. Might kick me again The origin of the rumbling lumbered closer. 'FML' the man hissed.


> Manticore
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.



Luna awoke by a magical disturbance that rippled through the air. Whats the time?... Never mind its too early. Then she felt it again, That tingling sensation that something was using a tremendous amount of magical energy. "I better go and see Tia about this." Yawning and stretched herself in the bed. She got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom door while trying to rub the sleep from her eyes, this was surprisingly easy to do despite walking on three legs."I hope that it not something to serious this time" we don´t want another Discord insident on our necks

She remembered what an hassle the whole ordeal had been. Shortly after the spirits of harmony had left the castle, Discord had altered her elder sisters mind into thinking it was heart and hooves day and that one of the Lunar guards by her door was Twilight Sparkle. Leaving Luna in charge of the kingdom. She shuddered at the shear thought of it.

Well anyway now i need to talk to Tia about this disturbance... After I´m finished with my mane. She giggled at the last thought. When did she starting to care about her mane in front of her sister. Well it was a high chance that she was located in the throne room. When walking out of her chambers two guards was stationed outside. "Where can I find my sister at this hour?" She said to the left guard.

He looked a little nervous and his eyes wandered over to his fellow guardspony. But said with a firm and professional voice, "I believe you can find her in the dining hall at this hour, it is time for her Majesties lunch if I am correct."

Luna gave the guard a light nod and started to head to the dinning hall on the other side of the castle. Of course she just had to be at the other side of this ridiculously big castle, guess I have no choice then.

When Luna rounded the corner her horn lit in a dark blue color and a light but dark blue mist enveloped her.

A small gasp came from behind her when the mist subsided, behind her stood a light brown mare and looked like a mule with her jaw dropped. Luna threw her a glance and a small smile when she noticed who it was. "Tinder Wood what a pleasant surprise."

The mare regained her composure. "May I ask why you are up this early m´lady?"

Luna groaned at the word m´lady never liked it but this time she said nothing of it. "I am looking for Celestia is she having her lunch right now or do i have to scold the guards by my door?" With that a guard ran into Tinder and knocked her over.

"Excuse me miss I´m sorry but have you seen Princess Luna by any chance? She left her chambers and disappeared into thin air."

Timber lifted a hoof gracefully and pointed it at the alicord. "May i present Princess Luna, Princess of the night." Luna couldn't help herself to a small laugh. The guard spun in a half circle.

"Princess i recommend that you don´t go up in smoke next time" the guard looked worried.

Luna silenced her low laugh. "My night guards have no problem with it and you know were i was going so i see no fault in it. and I add that it was you who decided to run here." She said the last part with a low chuckle. "Now miss Tinder is my sister in the dining hall or not?"

"Indeed she is your Majesty" she gave Luna a graceful nod,Luna returned the gesture and proceeded to the door.

The doors to the dining hall swung open on its big hinges. Celestia looked over at her sister standing in the door. "Oh my Luna what are you doing up at a time as this? Its just past noon."

"I was awoken by a magical disturbance sister. a big one!" Luna looked over at her sister with serious eyes.

"Are you certain? If you were sleeping it has to be a strong spell, and I did not feel anything major. Well there was a report that I just got. I haven´t read the report myself yet, Care to join me dear sister?" Luna walked over and sat by her sister, Celestia levitated the scroll in front of them.


Anomaly magical report. It read.

"Ha I knew it!"

"Now now dear sister it seems you were right." They continued to read the Report

To her majesty Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

Numerous reports of students and professors, at the School for gifted unicorns as well as eyewitnesses, Have reported to me in concern about a magical surge that ripped trough the air only ten minutes ago.

I will also add that the majority of these ponies that felt the surge are majoring in shadow magic.

This is the reason why I address this letter to both of princesses and not only to you princess Celestia. The Information that I have gathered on short notice, shows that its likely an extremely powerful transportation spell that have been used and to feel it from here when the surge originated, (known thanks to the eyewitnesses) in the Everfree forest.

The spell was measured to be able to relocate a smaller army of ponies, To be estimated five thousand beings.

I sent this in form of an emergency report because of this matter if an unknown enemy has relocated itself to the Everfree forest, then Ponyville will be its first target. I urge your majesties to send troops to scout out the area of origination.

The rest of the report was a small calculus of were the spell was cast and under that a small map of the Everfree forest with a small red cross roughly ten minutes walk into the forest.

"A pressing matter indeed sister." Luna looked concerned at sister that her eyes closed.

"You are right Luna and no wonder that I did not fell it strongly when I my self govern light magic." she opened her eyes and saw Luna´s concerned face, she gave her sister a quick but gentle nuzzle.

She straitened her neck. "Captain order a scout party to the Everfree forest immediately. to these coordinates" she levitated the report over to captain Silver Charger.

"Yes ma´m said the stallion." After he left the dining hall he was already shouting orders, this wasn't the first day on the job for him.

I better send a letter to Twilight to make sure that she is alri... The thought was interrupted by Luna.

"I think you better send a letter to Twilight Sparkle about this, she is a spirit of harmony after all."

" My thoughts exactly dear sister." Celestia responded when a quill a paper and a bottle of ink materialized before her. I don't know what I will do if she comes to harm. With these thoughts she was not the only one with a concerned frown on her face.





The manticore slowly made its way towards the two smaller beings, to day it wanted lunch and look what had been served. the yellow pony was slowly backing of, the manticore didn't care it was set for the target on the ground. It looked over to the pony again, bad mistake!

The manticore froze were he stood staring into the pony eyes. he wanted to strike but could not move an inch. it fought the stare, inching closer to the ground with its paw. a minute passed and it broke free from the ponies stare.

The manticore screamed in agony when it grounded target drove something through its paw, the blade. It reared backwards making it slice its  own paw more.

"That´s what you get for being greedy!" The man was not amused not only had he been kicked in his private parts by a pony but also assaulted by a beast. "And whatever you did Fluttershy thank you. it did not mangle me." The man got to his feet while saying this. The manticore roared again looking furiusly at the man. "Yet!"

"Don´t hurt it its just an animal and its just a cub." Fluttershy was surprisingly out of breath he noticed.

"I think we are a little to late for that now my little yellow friend, seeing that it already impaled its own paw on my rapier"

"your what? Ohh you mean that knife thing. what an awful thing to do, he is probably just hungry."

"Well I´m not becoming lunch to an over sized lion!"

The manticore lunged at him, he side stepped the charge and got struck by a Bat wing. he grazed the beast in its side, and did not see the scorpion tail that headed and struck his shoulder.

"ouuuuch! that stings!" The tail had retracted as fast it came. the man took his turn in assaulting the beast cutting it in the shoulder and all the down to its knee. The manticore decided that the tall one was to much of a pain to deal with literary, so it jumped on its three remaining legs to towards the pony.

"Fluttershy watch out!" The pony made an eep sound and soared to the sky.

Well thats nice but what about me. I don´t think i can deal with this on my own! Just when he finished that thought he was lifted through the air.

"Hold on I get us out of here its not that long to my cottage, I have some manticore antidote I think" she said rather strained by the weight.

Poisonous lion just my luck! I sure hope she can make it and that this thing don´t follow us there. his consciousnesses started to fade away again.

Rainbow Dash was soaring through the sky towards Fluttershy´s cottage. "whats that? and I wonder what Fluttershy is doing over the Everfree forest?

She soared closer in her usual high speed, but she slowed down when she got closer to Fluttershy. "Hey Fluttershy what are you doing over there? and what is that?" She was referring to the now unconscious human Fluttershy was struggling with.

"Some help over here he is hurt? If you don´t mind that is."

"Course I help you Fluttershy." She grabbed one of the creatures forelegs. "What is this thing anyway? I have never seen anything like it."

"I don´t really know I did not ask it" Fluttershy said now with less strain on her voice. "He got poisoned by a manticore so we must get him back to the cottage, I think I have some there."

Rainbow Dash shock her head a little. "Don´t you remember Fluttershy. You gave that to Zecora the other day you told me that yourself."

"Ohh no i totally forgot that!" she cried "What should we do?!" Rainbow stuck her chest out and proudly pointed to herself.

"After we get to your cottage I will go to Zecora and get that antidote." She proclaimed this plan with great pride.

"Well you Better go then we are here now, thanks for the help Rainbow." Fluttershy said timidly. As they set down the backyard of her cottage.

"No problem what are friends for anyway, and lets say that its payback to you for taking care of Tank while i was of in Cloudsdale. Were is the little bugger anyway?"

"Inside he was playing with Angel last time I saw them. I let him know that you are coming by to pick him up later, I´m sure that he will be happy to see you again."

"No doubt about that, whats is there to not miss!" She proclaimed "Well see you later Fluttershy"

"Be careful Dash" Fluttershy said doubting that rainbow heard her.

Seeing the rainbow maned Pegasus take off she started to drag the male creature to the cottage, she started to blush a little remembering where she had kicked him. Well i didn't mean to do it it just happened. Still i better tend to his wound. If only Rarity was here she always know what to do with clothing

Somewhere in Ponyville a white and purple unicorn sneezed. A pink pony bounced in behind her followed by a orange mare


Dash was speeding through the forest, lucky for her the path to Zecora´s hut was easy enough for her. This is going well I just need not to crash into the hut after this next turn she braked a little to late and crashed trough the door. Shot not again  The zebra looked at her.

"Ya should really star´t looking were ya flying Rainbow Dash" Apple Bloom walked in to the hut. "Hi Zecora, ah have the sup´lies that you wanted" she walked over to the zebra

"Ah Apple bloom you have my shroom I smell and do tell why are you here rainbow dash or are you out and being brash?"

Rainbow got on her hooves

"I need some of the Manticore antidote that Fluttershy gave you, a weird looking creature was poisoned by one according to her. It was unconscious when we got to Fluttershy´s home. She told me that she gave it to you two days ago"

"Sorry I am but the antidote i don´t have."

"So its gone?!" Dash almost yelling now.

"No that was not my intent the holder of the antidote is your friend Twilight."

Apple Bloom intervened here.

"Ah went an gave her it my self earlier."

"Why would twilight want antidote for poison?! never mind i need it. Thank you Zecora see you around Apple Bloom."

Rainbow dash took of again this time she went flew through the leafs of the trees and proceeded to fly to ponyville. This is going to be a long day. Well its always fun to have a reason to fly in high speeds. She speed to ponyville and was soon preparing to land outside the Tree Library. She crashed through the split door again for the forth time this week.

"Rainbow Dash! what have i told you about crashing into the library,  anyway did you need something?" she looked at the pile of books and rainbow mane.

"Yea Fluttershy needs the manticore antidote that Apple Bloom gave you earlier sick patient" Dash scuffled out of the pile

"Oh so she don´t need so much then or is it some big animal?"

"Its pretty big almost a third taller than a pony I´d say. I think it might been almost as tall as Celestia. Well manticore poison is pretty strong so I need to hurry!" A loud burp and flaming noise came from the kitchen. A moment later spike came with a letter.

"Ghee! Twilight not every day Celestia sends you a urgent notice. a blue string was attached to the letter.

"Give me that spike, I wonder what can be so urgent. I have not seen one of these sense discord broke lose."

"Well that´s cool and all but I need that antidote for Fluttershy"

Twilight finished her letter. "Well about that animal I think I need to go and see it for my self. Princess Celestia, and Luna for that matter is worried about an magical anomaly." So that was the magical disturbance earlier today? "I´ll just get that antidote." Her horn lit in a warm lavender, A small gray bag floated down from her room on the second floor loft. "And now let´s go to Fluttershy´s." Her horn glowed brighter and spike was now alone in the library.

"Nice gets left behind agai.." Spike disappeared in a magical flash,

"Sorry spike I almost forgot about you." Said a snorting Twilight

"A little warning next time if you don´t mind. That was a real shocker."

"Sorry again spike" She levitated the small dragon to her back and put the small bag in his hands. "Hold this. . . And don´t drop it" She added.

"Me? dropping something?! Twilight I´m your number one assistant." He said this while almost dropping the small bag.

Before Twilight had the chance to knock on the door, Rarity opened it. "Pinkie said that you were coming and that something big was happening, so she want and got me and Applejack. And now we know why she said that we did not need to go and get you and Dash."

"Well are you going to stand in the door all day or let us in?" Rainbow was inpatient as ever.

Rarity moved from the door "If this wasn't a emergency Rainbow, I would have said. Patient is a virtue."

"You just did! And your right this is an emergency." Dash looked at Rarity with a really smug face and a smile. In the background pinkie was giggling.

Spike was already in the room with Fluttershy and held the now open bag. Fluttershy gave a sigh in relief.

"So this is the animal Dash told me about. quite long if you ask me, is it bipedal?" Twilight entered the room that now served as a sickbay, it was usually Fluttershy´s bedroom

The yellow Pegasus was clearly startled by the sudden question. "Ahh yes it is at least it was when i defended me from that manticore earlier and it has hands with fingers like spike, well it have more fingers than spike ten to be precise. It also wore more clothing before but I removed some so I could tend to the sting wound." She shivered a little

"Must been thought getting it here it quite big, Also i know how you react to blood. Have you already given it the antidote?" She looked at the hairless creature well mostly hairless, it had a silver mane that flowed from its head almost down to the floor from where it laid on the bed.

"Yes, The result was almost instant, but it will keep him sleeping for a while, So all we can do now is wait. A.J said that she didn't want me to stay alone with ''this thing'' in my home, so she suggested that she stayed over to night." She gave Twilight a smile. "So will you stay to, Pinkie want to have a slumber party?! If that is fine with you of course." The Pegasus looked in the ground for a moment. "Rarity said that she will stay to."

"Ah why not!" she rolled her eyes "I want to study this creature anyway, I got a letter from princess Celestia, mentioning a strong magical surge most likely a teleportation spell of enormous caliber. Where did you find him anyway?"

"In a clearing in Everfree forest. it was there the manticore attacked us." and I hugged and kicked him. She blushed a little but looked out the window. Twilight took it for directions to the clearing.

I might check out that place tomorrow, but now this creature is more interesting. It might been a dimensional portal, that is always a plausibility. "Well can i examine, did you say him? now?"

"yes it sounded male when it talked. And it was in pain when i kicked it in the groin. and you can examine it if you like its not much to see anyway. Its things are on the chest in the corner, oh and before i forget that long knife is extremely sharp. ..well all except its jacket rarity had called, its downstairs in the kitchen."

"Thank you Fluttershy I´ll be down in a while. Spike get some writing material I need to take notes for my report to the princess." Her stomach growled lowly.

"Hehe, It looks like somepony is hungry, I will make some lunch then." Fluttershy giggled while she exited the room leaving the lavender pony and the little dragon to their study. "I fetch you when lunch is ready."

"That might take a while came a shout from downstairs A.J has started to make apple-pie!" Rainbow shouted with a happy voice.

"Awesome Apple family pie is the best!" the little dragon was almost jumping with joy.

Twilight shock her head a little and started to focus on the task at head, it was going to be a interesting hour.

Nero... It´s time... Death lingers on you no longer...

The young man woke up panting. What a dream. i swear i don´t ever want to see a manticore again.

He remembered the dream like it was reality, a hell swarm of manticores surrounding him, one after another lunged at him, stinging him allover but he didn't die. He just keep't killing them but they keep't coming with seemingly no end. Then all faded and a dark blue pony stood before him. The pony had a rapier and a crescent moon on his flank, it only stared on him. When he asked what his name was it only smiled and said. "soon." Always smiling.

After what felt like an eternity the pony spoke. chanting rather. "Nero, Nero, Nero." at first it was only that word but soon others followed but it was only a rumble in his head, the man could not understand them. Then he heard it and he awoke in a bed.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The man sat up in the bed. I wonder, am I in the cottage Fluttershy spoke of? A small tingling came from his left shoulder. He looked at it a small puncture wound was located under his left collar bone. He it was not covered by anything from the waist up. something was plastered on his back. He reached for it and grabbed something that felt like a wet cloth.

"Oh this must be the cover for the shoulder wound" Well any way its not like i need it now, and were is my clothes No mater that he never had seen them before, he was not really comfortable without a shirt on when he was awake. That might been because he was so skinny. He was well built anyway but no need to be a D-bag and show it of. He looked around the room and found the clothes, well most of it the jacket... or was it a trench coat it was rather long. Nero started to get dressed.

Nero now is that my name or is it someones else? Never mind that I take what I can get. He clipped the rapier on to the little triangle on his belt with a low click, it was easier this time. I hope that it don't fall of somewhere I don't want that Pegasus to be hurt by it. He had noticed the sharpness of the blade when he ''scratched'' the manticore ripping a large wound down its leg. I wonder if it is alright Fluttershy did not seem to want it harm. animal friend if I'm  not mistaken otherwise she would not be that interested and trusting to me, she seemed rather frighted by me.

Nero took a look out the window and was stunned by the beauty of the night sky even when distorted by window plane, after a moment he decided to go outside. He had always loved the night sky and to be fair he was a night person, even if it was a little chilly outside.

He stepped carefully down the steps on the stairs and heard soft snores from down stairs. Does more then one person live here? I better be quiet then. He continued down the stairs only to see five ponies and a lizard sleeping in a circle. One spot was empty, the lizard mumbled some thing about a beautiful mane and curled up to the lavender unicorn. various magazines and what he presumed to be beauty cosmetics was scatted on the table of the room. Heh colorful bunch all that is missing is some one that is neon pink and they can make a stage performance on Broadway. He spotted his jacket but saw that it was going to be impossible to reach it without waking the white unicorn. Hehe, Pegasi and unicorns. a little girls dream!

He slowly made his way to what he thought was the exit. It swung up slowly and a pink pony with even pinker mane. Was sitting and eating a cupcake, with what smelled like hot sauce. Her eyes growed in size and her mouth opened in a gasp. Nero put a finger to his mouth and hushed and pointed to the room with the sleeping. She did not say anything while he closed the door behind him. immediately the pink pony was by him speaking in a hushed but were quick voice. "Ohmygoshyouareawakeandtheothersareasleep! Ohweneedtohaveaparty! doyoulikeparties? Ilikepartiesand..."

Here he grabbed her muzzle and said in a even lower voice "now now pink one why don't you say that again but slower. We don't want to wake your friends, everyone needs their sleep. also why hot sauce and cupcake?" He let go of the pony after he felt that she tried to nod.

"I'm pinkie Pie. and Fluttershy said that you don't remember your own name, is that true? oh and like you parties? she said the last thing with a great smile. "and hot sauce and cupcake is really good trust me I'm a baker!" the pony silenced herself with another cupcake. and looked at him with eager eyes.

"well its true that I don't remember my own name." well i chose to call myself Nero but no need to tell her that now. "and yes i like parties, but just not now its in the middle of the night and I just woke up. Also i wanted to take a walk outside but I took the wrong door it seems." seeing no door in the kitchen he came to the conclusion that he was forced to sneak out of the building through the living room again.

"Why do you want to go outside its night?" she took another bite of the cupcake.

"To see the stars of course. why else should someone walk out for no reason at night?"

"And so you can disappear without a proper party? well I won't allow that!"

"That white one has my jacket and I think I want it back before I leave. Also I need to thank Fluttershy before I that." he crossed his arms and stared at the pink pony. "And I'm not really from Equestria. So I think i need some help on that aspect to. So may I go and see the night sky now?"

Pinkie looked like she was thinking seriously but that look was ruined by her munching on a cupcake.

"alrightydike you can go but you have to pinkie promise that you come back." Her look was dead serious.

"Alright I promise."

"Oh you don't do a pinkie promise like that, It goes like this. Cross my heart, hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye." she did movements to the chant. "like that see, no its your turn."

" Cross my heart, hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye." This looks ridiculous He did movements to the chant. And rolled his eyes. "May I go now?"

"Jepp, have fun and remember you promised." she gave him a smile. a complete trusting smile. Weird that she trusts me so easily, well never mind.

He turned and opened the door slowly and walked by the wall to the next door this one had a heart sign on it. Must be the toilet. He continued to the door he now thought was the correct door. It opened up to the night sky and he smiled. "Amazing!" he could not help to smile at the crescent moon and the stars that twinkled around it. he walked for a minute and sat down still smiling.

Luna was in eager waiting on daybreak, she had already decided on that she was going to visit ponyville in the morning. In front of her was a very interesting letter levitated.

Dear Princess Luna

It have come to me that it's best to address this letter more personally. This is on the matter of the magical surge that occurred earlier today. It has come to my knowledge that a creature much resembles a primate except minor details, It is hairless for the exception of its head. It also have have the ability to speech and walks on two legs,The creature is very slender with noticeable muscles, and in difference to other primates it has no tail.

It also wear clothing that requires great skill to fabricate. It also wore some pieces that resembled armor of some kind. My good friend Rarity took a great interest in this subject. This is just a quick report him, it's voice indicated that it was a male.

The rest was a report on the creatures autonomy detailing the different parts and aspects of the creature.

A detailed explanation to why she thought that it was a dimensional teleportation spell that was felt trough out Equestria closing in on the subject of shadow magic.

The Creature is housed in Fluttershy's home at the moment due to injuries.

Your faithful subject Twilight Sparkle.

Luna smiled again after she read the letter, it was already known to her that her sister have been given a similar report. Well I want to see this creature for myself so i will go to Fluttershy's home the first thing in the morning She was familiar with the location to the cottage. she closed her eyes going for a quick nap before her visit.
> Dragon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.



chapter 2: .
By Nerom


Nero stood up again, he had laid down after awhile to get a better look at the stars. They were familiar and he could find many of the constellations from home, but he found that the moon had the silhouette of a unicorn on it. He stretched and started to walk back to the cottage, dawn was going to break soon. He opened the door to find the ponies from last night still sleeping with the addition of a pink one. He could not help a smile.

Such weird creatures, the blue one is gone? He silently made it to the kitchen door, was open a little and he peeked inside. inside sat a cyan pony and watched a turtle eat while she herself had a smile in her eyes while eating a cupcake, this time there was no hot sauce on it. the only thing that was of with the picture was the ponies coat. If he did not know better he would have thought that the cyan pony was only a pony and not a Pegasus.

Nero positioned himself in the door and crossed his arms, the Pegasus did not notice him. "Do you like it? It don't look to shabby on you."

The Pegasus turned around and stared at him for a moment. "It's not like I wanted to try it on or anything, I was just cold that's all." It seemed like the knowledge that the man was up and about hadn't hit her yet. "Wait your awake!" 
"Quiet down a little you don't to wake your friends now do you." he gave her a quick smile it seemed to work on the others. 
"No hard feelings right I just wanted to keep warm."

"You can tell that lie to yourself if you want to but I can see that there is plenty of blankets you can use in the living room." He pointed behind his shoulder with his thumb. 
"Well it looked cool and i wanted to try it, but Rarity was hogging it all night, like it was the most precious thing in the world." The cyan pony blushed a little.

"No worries I don´t really need it right now anyway. so that white one is Rarity, the pink one is Pinkie and Fluttershy is.. well Fluttershy. but who is you?" 
"Me? I'm Rainbow Dash. and I'm the fastest flier in all of Equestria." she proclaimed this with great pride. "so whats your name? Fluttershy said that she didn't know."

Nero shrugged his shoulders. "Donno. Don't really remember"

She only gaped "So it's like she said you do not really remember your name. we others just thought that he heard wrong or something. well she did insist on it so the others wanted to give you a name." she tried to hide a giggle. 

"Soo what did you come up with? I bet it's something a pony would have." She just looked at him while he stood there still having a smug grin on his face. It can't be to bad now can it.

"Well Fluttershy wanted to call you Cerill." he raised an eyebrow. "Rarity wanted to call you Silver Fashion, because all the silver on the coat and that you have a white mane." He almost started to laugh at the shear sound of it. "Well I thought that to, well anyway Twilight wanted to call you some scientific name I don´t remember.Spike wanted to call you Big Boy and Applejack wanted to call you Rancher." Hmm six of them maybe that lizard is this spike. 

"and you?" he raised his eyebrow again "what would you call me?" 

"Me.. I only came up with Lancer.. because what you did to the manticore's paw and all. And because it sounded really cool that you single hoofed fought a angry manticore. The only one i have seen taking one on is Fluttershy and it only had a thorn in its paw." Nero rolled his eyes Oldest pun ever! 

"It was only a cub, according to Fluttershy."
He walked closer to dash and extended his hand to her with a small smile. 

"Oh the coat" she started to unbutton the coat.

"No no your hoof, this is how my people great each other while saying their names" 

"Oh" she stopped what she was doing and extended her hoof. Nero took it in his hand a little surprised that is was so soft and warm, like the hand of a woman. 

"I am Rainbow Dash" he shock her hoof a little up and and then rapidly down to the starting point once "I am Lancer, Nero Lancer." He let go of the hoof. "And congratulation on giving me my last name Miss Rainbow Dash." He said that with a smile. 

Outside the sun was rising and they heard low shuffles from the room behind him, at his feet he noticed a big green turtle standing giving him a slow smile when he looked down. "That's Tank my tortoise. Hey its ok buddy hes cool." the last part said to the pet. 

"The fastest flier in Equestria and having a tortoise as a pet: Irony!" He gave the pony a small laugh and she joined him. 

Nero took a seat on the opposite side from dash and reached for a cupcake, Dash did the same while yawning slightly. 

"Late sleeper?" 
"How did you know?" she looked at him with one eye "Coffee?"
"Yes please. I am one myself so I can't blame you." 
"Milk?" Great they have milk at least

"A quarter, no sugar" she placed a cup in front of him a moment later. He watched her make her own cup, no milk five sugar cubes. well that is going to be sweeter than candy floss. Not my concern anyhow. She sat down again and began sipping slowly on her coffee. 



Voices started to murmur from the other room, the door had somehow closed itself after he entered.

"I wonder what the other will say if they walk in now with you out of bed."
"Who knows?" 

loud steps came from the stairs. "He is gone. and all the clothes to!" He did not recognize the voice. "And so is that lovely coat." Nero face-palmed, Dash face-hoofed at the same time. A loud gasp came from pinkie. "HE BROKE A PINKIE PROMISE!" Did not! "Well maybe Dash is with him she is not here to." Fluttershy's voice was not of surprise or anger but of concern. "Well maybe he is in the kitchen." Oh, really? Said the only male voice in the room.   

Nero sipped on his pleasantly warm coffee and took a bite from the cupcake. With that a small lizard opened the door to the kitchen. "Morning Dash and look who is here everypony." Spike looked at Dash and noticed the coat... And her bed head. "Nice jacket Dash." The dragon said smugly. Boow chica bow woow! Ahh look she is blushing. 

"It's not like that!" Dash was still blushing. 

"She only wanted to try it so she took it from Rarity." Nero looked at the young dragon, Spike only stared at him gaping. "Not sure who I will react to a talking lizard myself but you don't see me going around and dropping my jaw for it.

The other ponies had started to gather in the kitchen entrance. To be fair Pinkie was jumping. 
"Are you all going to stand there and stare all day?" Nero had not looked up from his coffee yet and let the cyan Pegasus talk. "He is not going to bite you, you know. Isn't that right Nero?"
"Eyupp" The orange mare burst out in laughter. "Something I said?"
"Ya sound'd just like mah brother Big mac..." The mare now shook her head and stopped laughing still with a wide smile over her muzzle.

Did Pinkie just fall over? Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up behind Dash, Dash did not react to it at all. Nero just stared at her. "Did she jus..." 
"Yes she does that. don't try to think about it." He looked over to the lavender unicorn.
"Twilight I presume."
"How did you.. ahh Dash told you."
"Nope. I figured it out she only mentioned your names a little while ago, when she told me about the names you came up for me. Anyway it was a simple puzzle because I already meet Fluttershy, and I bumped into Pinkie last night. As you noticed by her little outburst. 
"Then you can name all of us?
"Think so, Left to right we have Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Spike. he pointed to the dragon. 

"Oh you are good! Next do my full name!" Pinkie Skipped around the table. 
"No can do, I have not heard them before" The pink pony stopped skipping.

Nero took another bite on the cupcake. "Can you really eat that? from what my study on you. you should be a carnivore." 
"No wonder then that you all except Pinkie and Rainbow here, are afraid to go close to me." he sipped on his coffee once more. "well for your information I am a omnivore I eat plants as well and have no problems with baked food as long there is no hay or grass in it. and this cupcake tastes like it's made of a flour base." 

"Ohh you are good!" Pinkie was on chair next to him holding a cup of tea. I still wonder how they hold the cups. And when  did she get that tea its only coffee pot here.
"Well i was studying to become a chef."
The others made their way into the room and cups started to levitate to the table in light blue and lavender glows. 

"I really must say that you have good taste in clothing, sir." Nero waved the comment of.
"This is not what I usually ware, the fashion when I come from is different." 
"when you come from? are you implying that you are a time traveler?"  the lavender unicorn looked with disbelieving eyes.

"Nono I don't even know how I got here in the first place, what I am saying is that the clothes I have now except for the fabric  are all at least a hundred and fifty, to three hundred years old."
"Well they certainly did have good taste you look stunning."     

Nero finished his cupcake, it was instantly replaced by a chocolate-chip muffin. "Thank you pinkie." He looked over at the overly happy pony. 
"Your welcome, my pinkie senses told me that you were still hungry." 

He finished his coffee and the pot was levitating in front of him in a blue shimmer. "Let me." Rarity started to pour the coffee.
"Three quarter coffee, one quarter milk" Rainbow was chewing on a muffin on her own while she said that.
"Rainbow my dear its not proper for a lady to speak with food in her mouth." well hurry up and eat something so you can shut up about my clothes. Rarity had chatted about his clothing but he had tuned her out.
"Well can you call her a proper lady when she is wearing a males coat? In my world that would give her the term Tomboy."

All but Nero and Dash laughed in someway now. They just looked at each other. "Whats so funny about that I'm just stating facts." The laughter died out. 
"I'm sorry but that was rater funny." I swear these ponies are insane or something. Well what ever I need to coop with them anyway. "Anyhow it looks good on her don't you think." 
"Must agree on that, it gives all the cute vibe from you ponies a more cool look." And If a girl in my town had rainbow hair and guy clothes she would be called carpet muncher. 

"Maybe you can design one for her that lets her wings out."
"How did you know that I have wings?" 
"Oh that's easy enough to answer, I saw it when I walked outside by I think 3 o'clock. and you claimed that you are the fastest flier in Equestria. " 
"How did you know the time? Its not like you can see the clock in the dark." 
"I have a pretty good sense of time. Like the sun has only been up for 20 minutes now. But i have been awake for at least four and a half ho.." he was interrupted by a knock on the front door. 

Fluttershy raised to take the door. "Wait a little Fluttershy, wouldn't it be funny if you let me take the door" Nero gave her a childish grin. 
"I don´t know what if you scare them or something?" 
"Well that's the point, I Think its a great idea. Think about the fun it can be" 
she looked around a little. "Alright but if you scare them then you must say that your sorry for scaring them."
"I will." He then went to the front door and put on a casual smile. 





In front of her stood a tall being, with a casual smile and closed eyes. "Hello, Good morning." Luna looked into the room. Fluttershy Is not here! This clouded Luna's mind and she did something that was very unfit for a princess, she jumped him. 

Nero just opened his eyes when he was jumped and he fell to the ground, in one flowing moment he put his foot against his assaulter, pressed upwards and used the backwards thrust of his fall to throw the dark pony. From what he saw it was bigger than the rest and had the same weight as the average human teenager. He hit the ground and the pony was thrown into the living room. He rolled backwards and got on his legs, quickly spinning around on the spot. 

"Now why did you have to do that for, ghee first pony to assault me." He scratched the back if his head. "Sorry that I threw you old habits die hard and all." 

The night blue Alicord furiously stared at the man. "Where is Fluttershy, its her home!" I better not jump him like that again.
"I'm here princess." Fluttershy sheepishly got her head out of the kitchen door. "And he meant no harm, we thought that it was going to be a little fun. We didn't know that it was you, your highness." 

"And to be fair you jumped me first." He had walked up to the now staring alicord. she rolled over and noticed the hand he had offered her. she took it and he help her up on her hooves. 
"you are not hurt now are you?" 

"We are fine, thank you. now would you release my hoof?" Luna had closed her eyes and taken on a royal face.
"I have its you that haven't removed your hoof." Nero grined. Oh I did not notice. She felt a small blush on her face. she was thankful for her dark coat. Luna this is un-befitting a princess.

"Feeling a little embarrassed are thou?" Nero said this so only Luna heard. She looked at him.
"thou speak in royal tongues?" he nodded almost unnoticed.
"only a little, it's not that hard. Thus we speak in royal." He gave her a small playful smile.
He took a step back and gave her a graceful bow. "Nero Lancer to your services your majesty." 
When he finished the bow she gave him a equal graceful nod. "We are Princess Luna, Princess of the night and co-ruler of Equestria." She finished her nod. "Let's end the formality's shall we? I am trying to get used to the speech the commoners use lately."

"If you so wish Princess." this time no nod or bow this time. 
"I smell coffee, let's get us a cup and you can tell me a little about you, Mr Lancer." This will be interesting.
The ponies in the kitchen just gaped, surprised that he was not in the least scared by the princess of the night.

All ponies in the door to the kitchen went back to their places by the table except Rainbow Dash. She had not moved from her spot. She was bobbing her head a little, she had not noticed the princess by then. 

"Hey, Nero what is this thing? It's music is great." She said it with a loud voice when Luna and Nero sat by the table. On the table a small black and white devise connected to a pair of earplugs and you could hear some of the drums faintly from the music.

"Ahem!" Luna made the noise, Twilight poked Dash in the side. She opened her eyes. "Hey why di.. Ohh Princess I didn't notice you." She blushed deeply making her cyan face almost purple on her cheeks. 
"So I see you like my music? any good?"
"Oh yes!. what is this thing anyway?" 

"It's a PB.I-Phone X. Stands for Prototype Battery I-phone tenth generation. only a thousand of them ever made. Won it in a competition. Had it for seven years now, never needed to charge it. Thought I lost it when I got here. Was it in my coat?" Luna just watched the device and then Nero.

"Umm when did you remember your name? Nero?" Twilight said "I thought Fluttershy said that you did not remember your name." Twilight stared at him. 

"Well to be fair I don't remember my name... Well sorta anyway it came mostly in a dream I had, and the Lancer part Dash here got me. To be fair that was least silly of them." Luna just watched the human in silence. He don't remember his own name, how sad. 

"This phone they are personal are they not? Should it not have your identity in it?" Luna said wondering. Nero hit his fist loosely in his palm.
"That's right it should have!" He picked up the phone and closed the media player. During these seven years he had customized the OS on the phone. He just looked at the phone and unplugged the headphones. The OS had changed a little most of the colors had swapped to silver and dark blue. He tried to access the personal settings.

"Personal data corrupted... Failed to recreate.. scanning phone for corrupted data...  Phone book data corrupted... Failed to recreate... Map: Photos. corrupted... Failed to recreate... recorded audio corrupted...  Failed to recreate... 86Gigabytes of data lost. Map: Music. corrupted... Recreation successful... 300Megabytes lost in total, erasing corrupted files.. Five files deleted. Free space on memory. 1.258Terabytes of Two Terabytes. Please enter new user data." The phone said.

Nero started to type on the phone in a fast phase. "Welcome, Nero Lancer. this unit is ready for use have a pleasant day."

"That thing spoke" Pinkie was ohhing and awwing the phone. "That's neat. is it some sort of magic?" 
"Pinkie its like them games and radios" Applejack whispered in her ear.
"Technology, and everything I am was lost with that corrupted data.  Well it's not a good thing to cry for sour milk, my grand mother always said." Wise grandmother he have. I wonder whats on his mind now, it's hard to lose who you are. I have been in the same boat after all.

"Did you wish to ask me some questions Princess, you have been mostly silent this whole time." Nero broke the awkward silence that filled the room. A small bunny was stomping on Fluttershy's back. "Oh I'm sorry Angel I forgot. If you can excuse me i have some animals to take care of. With that Pinkie and A.J offered to help help her and Rainbow wanted to stretch her wings for a bit. Taking off the coat, Rarity was immediately on it claiming that she wanted to make a similar one for Rainbow Dash so she was going to check it out in the living room. Only Twilight, Spike and Luna remained.

"Very well then shall we begin?" Nero nodded, Luna marked mentally that Twilight already had quill and paper ready. And so started her questions.





They were now on the topic of mating. something Twilight had brought up and Luna had agreed on discussing. Nero was forced to explain both how it worked and how the female was different to the male, this went so far that he was asked to draw some illustrations. All to his embarrassment. 

"Are we done soon with the whole mating thing. Its starting to get awkward." Payback for earlier little human.
"Getting to personal are we?" Luna grinned at him, she knew of romance and that males did't like to talk feelings. Well to be fair she was a hopeless romantic at heart, Princess of the night and all. 
"Yes, how about we go into the topic of your mating habits. Ehh, Princess how would you like that." He glared at her. 
None of your business, well lets just drop it then. "Very well we drop the subject. We have been at it for almost thirty minutes anyway. Next topic."

A loud roar thundered overhead. "What was that?" Nero looked over to the window.
"I'm not sure it might been a dragon." Nero was now looking out and suddenly turned his head. 
"Its a dragon alright. But it already passed by." Dragons are usually not around here, they keep away from pony settlements.

Applejack crashed into the cottage's living room. "AH DRAGON JUST TOOK FLUTTERSHY!" 
"Calm down and tell us what happened." Rarity had panic in her voice. 
"I't jus swooped down a snatched her, like a falcon do to mice!"
"Well let's not just stand here then we need to do something." Nero looked out the door. A rainbow streaked over the sky in an alarming phase. 
"Rainbow will get herself killed if we don't move it." Twilight had also noted the rainbow heading to the dragon. 

"I'm sorry to leave this rudely your highness but my friends are in danger."
"Think nothing of it Twilight Sparkle. I will to go to help your friend." "But!" "No argument. one of my subjects are in mortal danger in front of my eyes I can't stay idle." 
"I'm coming to I owe her." Nero said with no emotions in his voice. He feels like he is ready to chase that dragon all the way to the sun if he has to. I wonder why.

"Very well we will sett out at once. I can transport us all to it." The dragon just a dot landing on a mountain in the Everfree. "We need to hurry or Fluttershy is lunch!" All now looked at the now clearly enraged human. He put on the knee long coat. 
Luna nodded and a mist started to envelop them. Pinkie had somehow popped out from nowhere behind Rarity. 





They arrived at a cavern big enough to put a smaller house in. From inside the Rainbows voice was heard now mocking the dragon. the rest rushed in to the cave. the cave was empty save for Rainbow, the dragon, Fluttershy and a Small sliver orb laying next to Fluttershy in the back of the cave. A streak of blood was seeping from a wound in Fluttershy's side. 

Rainbow darted around the dragon looking for a chance to grab Fluttershy. "Took you long enough! That bastard was just holding Fluttershy in its mouth when I came by. And no chance in the world that I let it eat one of my friends!"
She kicked the dragon in it's head when she darted by. 

The dragons eyes glowed red, it spat flames again's the newly arrived group. A lavender and night blue bubble surrounded them. Nero flinched back like the rest of them when the shield cracked, the dragon stopped before it burst.
"It cracked my shield" Twilight looked distressed. "Not mine" Luna said calmly. "It's magical penetration is strong. I have never seen a dragon like this before, surely some have magic but like this it's... Odd." 

"Well no time for that we need to get Fluttershy out of there now!" Nero's rage had seemed to calmed. This human is odd, to looking a enraged dragon in the eye and going from a flaming rage into icy and collective in mater of seconds.
Nero looked over at the princess. "Can you make me a shield while I help Rainbow to distract the bastard, Twilight you and Applejack try to get Fluttershy somehow." Willing to risk his life for someone he don't even know And coming up with a sound plan. "what about Rarity and Pinkie?" 

"Be ready to assist in any way possible. and you might want to use this." He took of his coat and the shirt under it, and put the coat on again. The white cotton shirt was thrown to Rarity. "Use it to mend her wounds when we get her out of there. 
It's a sound plan indeed. I don't think magic will bite on this dragon so I will be mostly useless in this fight and Twilight can teleport her out with not to much problem. My shield is stronger anyhow. 

"Ok lets go with it. The plan is sound. Twilight, Applejack don't draw to much attention to yourself" another blast of the dragons flame was spreading out over the ceiling as it tried to get to the Pegasus. 

A light shimmer set around Nero as Luna focused her energy at him instead. and with it he headed to the dragon picking up a rock in the run. "Thunk!" a Cupcake? hit the dragon clean in the face as Nero threw the rock and shifted its attention to the right wall of the cave so it would not notice the already advancing duo of ponies. 

Nero barely dodged an bite from the dragon and struck the dragon in the upper neck with the rapier. The dragon didn't even flinch or recoil when the blade draw blood. A gash as long as Nero's arm was cut up in it's neck and he felt bone trough the blade. Then the dragon did something it was not supposed to do, it turned around to swipe Nero with its tail. 

"Shit! Twilight watch out!" To late the dragon swiped Nero into the wall and stone shattered by the force. Nero got on his feet holding a hand to his sore back. "Ohh great sweet Jesus. Good that I had that shield. Thank you Luna!" 
That got to hurt I felt that impact to! Meanwhile the dragon had picked up Twilight in its mouth a small gash in her flank seeped blood. A lavender aura surrounded her and was slowly growing in strength as she regained her concentration. 

"Twilig't!" The orange mare bucked the dragon in the jaw slipped on its scales and cut a gash in her leg on one of the teeth. 
She spun around a and aimed for the dragons neck. Rainbow at the time was standing in the roof of the cave and took aim. 
The two ponies hit their target at the same time just next to each other. A large crack was heard throughout the cave, the dragon let go of Twilight that was cast away and landed by Luna and Rarity. The dragons neck twisted and landed staring at Nero  

It looked at him with golden eyes. blinked once and its mouth opened.
<"Thank you young one, you have freed me from my rage.> The dragons voice was clearly female.
All looked at the dragon, except A.J that was checking on Fluttershy. 
<"We, freed you how?" we was only trying to free our friend that you took from us"> Nero said this in a tongue he knew well. 
Now every one was staring at the man and dragon. 
< your friend will die, even if you treat her wounds. and so will the orange and purple one.">
<"WHY!"> Nero screamed picking up the rapier that laid next to the wall. The ponies jumped by the sudden out burst.
<"Calm yourself and I will tell you.">





Ten minutes had passed sense Nero and the dragon had begun to talk in a low tone. The dragon was now noticeable weaker. "That dragon will die soon won't it.? Its getting weaker." Twilight looked at the alicord, Luna nodded 
"I think so, It seems to have lost a lot of blood from the wound in its neck." 
"Then if it knows that it will die then why did it not let us heal it. It flat out refused when we asked it. Lancer even told me not to use any magic and had Rarity use hers to heal Fluttershy... and I'm getting.." she Yawned. "tired." Next to them the others was hovering next to the unconscious Pegasus, Rainbow and Pinkie literary hovered.

Nero was sitting on a stone next to the dragons head nodding slowly. I wonder what they are talking about. and why was I not allowed to use my magic. 
He walked around the dragons head and squatted down next to it almost completely covered by the head alone, only some of his head was  showing. Only Luna could see it thanks to her height. 

Twilight fell asleep. 



<I have no choice now do I. very well I will.> Nero gave the ponies by the entrance a quick look and then walked around the dragons head.  
< I knew you would see reason when it was explained to you young human.>
<And this is the only way? are you a hundred percent sure?> Nero looked gown the floor. What he was about to do pained him greatly. 
<Yes, its an honor only bestowed on the greatest of man.>
<Let's begin then.> 

A light enveloped his hand as he touched the dragon, a searing pain flowed trough him. He sucked it up not uttering a sound. 
Luna saw a small light and a tremendous amount of magical energy flow into the man. 

<"Are you ready?"> he drew the rapier. the dragon nodded. A spasm went trough the dragon.

The dragons body started to glow brightly. "What is happening? Is it a party?!" The pink pony jumped and frowned at the same time. "Because I like parties but now is not the time well maybe after Fluttershy and the dragon is better then we can have a getting better party." The pink pony rambled on for a moment.
"I don't think it's a party Pinkie pie." said Rainbow Dash. "But it sure looks cool!" The Pegasus now sounded like she was scared. Luna put up a shield mostly for the light, and for the magical radiation that she had started to feel. 

The light subsided and every one looked into the cavern. The cave now looked darker then before. It took a while for the others too see what had happened. Inside Nero was holding the silver object, and beside him lay the skeleton of a massive beast. he walked slowly to the ponies.

"Wha't happened to tha dragon?" Applejack looked tired. 
"Dead" He responded with a low voice. 
"That is not the usual way something die. what happened to it." 
"That is what happens to a dragon from her world. at least when it chooses to die for others."

He walked up to Rarity. "Hold this please." 
"What is it?" Luna asked. 
"A Phoenix egg." 
"Sure don't look like a phoenix egg to me they are red." Rarity said.
"It's a special phoenix egg and I vowed to take care of it. Was that or Fluttershy, Applejack and Twilight dies before nightfall."

"WHAT!" Pinkies mane and tail was standing straight into the air. "What do you mean by that!" She eyed him carefully. 
"They have been poisoned by the dragons teeth. It only has one cure." Applejack walked over and was going to say something to his face when she fell over, he caught her in the fall.

"Let's begin then" he said and took her right hoof. 
"Begin what?" Luna said. "What is the treatment anyway?"
"This." his hand began to glow gently and so did Applejack's hoof. she shivered and a band of light appeared right above her hoof joint. Luna noticed the same magic that had enveloped the human before. When it faded he gently laid her down on the ground and went over to Fluttershy. 

"What is that? what did you do to them?" Luna said quietly when he was Finished with Twilight. 
"Jea I want to know to it looked cool and all but what was that." 
"She called it the ''Gift''. she gave me the same thing before she died, after she was gone I had the same power to give it to eleven Individuals. That's why she became bone just like that."

He picked up the lavender unicorn. "We better get them out of here, if you want to know about what she told me I can tell you later. And collapse the cave its rude to not bury the dead." He looked at Luna. She nodded and they where gone in a flash, the cave rumbled and collapsed on itself.

> A Gift and a Curse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.





chapter 3: A Gift and a Curse  
By Nerom



Twilight woke up in bed, the sun was high. The old clock in the library kitchen chimed once. 
What a dream. Wait one? was it not a dream? "Spike!" No answer. "Spike!" This time louder, still no answer. 
Where did Spike go? She stepped out of bed and went downstairs, a note that she did not recognize was on her desk. "Well that's convenient." 

Dear Twilight

After the others woke up (Fluttershy and Applejack) and came over. And Nero for the third time told us what he and the dragon was talking about, something about herald's gift. (I got notes for you brought them with me if I needed to add something.) Any way after that we was hungry so we went to Sugar-cube Corner for lunch after a tour of Ponyville, Nero being new and all. We got a table by one o'clock thanks to Pinkie Pie meet us there if you get this note.

Your number one assistant Spike. 

Her stomach growled. "Well I am hungry." Then she noticed a silver object sitting on the round desk in the middle of the room. What's that thing, I think i saw it in the cave. Anyway I better make my way to Sugar-Cube corner so I can get some lunch. She went outside and started to trot to the bakery. 

Outside the bakery was a hoard of ponies, all mumbling about princess Luna and Nero and some even talked about the dragon. I really hope that the wrong types of rumors don't start running around town. The whole thing with Babby Gums still fresh in her memory. "Excuse me, sorry." She made her way throughout the mass of ponies. She saw Pinkie and some of Rainbow Dashes mane. 

Inside every table except the one with the human and princess was full of ponies. Some eating, some looking at the odd table and some both. The cakes was busy serving food to every one. She noticed that in the table closest to Nero sat a mint pony, eating a muffin while trying to stare holes in his back. The noise in the bakery was not that of outside, Twilight silently thanked Celestia for that. 

"Twilight over here!" Pinkie walked over to her and pushed her to a seat. "Soo? Are you hungry and in that case what do you want?" Pinkie was in work/ break mode, something that was rare to see. ether Pinkie worked or she played. She smiled at Twilight. "Well?"
"Yes cherry pie please." Her stomach growled a bit more.

"Tell me about it." spike said while starting to eat on his chocolate cake. "Slept well?"
"Well yes I just wonder why I fell asleep? And why did I wake up last of us?" 

"That I can answer. You had the most energy losses after your were bitten by the dragon. Its teeth was coated in a lethal energy draining poison. Lucky you I had the antidote on me or you would be dead before nightfall." Twilight looked at Nero. "You had the antidote on you? And you just why did you have that? and what happened to the dragon?"

He sighed. It's just a question ghee. "The dragon gave me the antidote and then she ... I don't know how to say this properly, at least in front of bystanders. Especially with her staring holes in my back." He pointed to Lyra and the pony let out a fan girl squee. "How about this if we eat now and I answer your questions afterwards. I'm not going anywhere soon anyway.  deal?"

She looked at him a little and the around the shop. "Okay deal. Spike I want to see those notes." 
"No, eat now answers later like I said. That goes for the notes to, you need to refill on energy and rest more than abuse your body by not eating or sleeping." Nero looked at her with a stern face. The others just gaped except for Luna she was sipping on her tea and had one eye on Nero. 

Pinkie conveniently came with Twilight's pie mere seconds after. "One big slice of cherry pie." Pinkie put a quarter of a pie in front of her.
"Pinkie I don't think I can eat this much." Twilight looked at the pie slice.
"Then eat in till your full and give someone else the rest, never waste good pie." Nero said this while ogling his tea then took a sip. 
"You want more cupcakes Nero?" 
"Nah I don't, I can take some apple pie if you have some or do you have rabarber pie?"
"Nope don't think so, Apple pie it is then?
"Apple pie it is. and don't give me half a pie this time!" 

Twilight looked at him. "You ate half a pie and your still hungry?" 
"And two cupcakes." He looked back with a grin. "I'm just happy Pinkie stands for the tab today, her way of not having a massive party in the town square then again she wants one in the library. Took us ten minutes to make her sip it about it."

"Lance can I borrow that music thing I wants to listen to some." Rainbow looked at him. When did he get a nick name? "sense when did I give someone permission to call me Lance?" She looked at him with sorry eyes and he chuckled giving her the small device."
"Your lucky that it did not brake when the dragon hit you." Twilight said. 
"Did not have it on me. picked it up after we left Fluttershy at her home, not easy to pull off while I was carrying you."

A loud murmur started both outside and inside. "We better not talk about it shall we?" Nero raised an eyebrow. 
"Yea might be for the best." She stared to eat her pie. And surprised herself when she ate the whole thing. Applejack sat and discussed the matter of hats with Rarity. Fluttershy and Pinkie was talking about the party she was planing for later that evening. Spike had fallen asleep on his chair and Rainbow Dash was listening to music.

Luna and Nero was discussing the mater of him visiting Canterlot. "Well we better ask her then." Nero nodded.
"Twilight."
"Yes princess?" 
"We were discussing the mater of a meeting with my sister, for Nero here. I wonder if you could do the honor of accompany him to Canterlot. Also it's the mater of length of the visit. I will say two maybe three days, do you think you have the time? I also think my sister would love to see you again." 

"Well yes of course I can. I will always have time for the royal family. It would be my honor." Twilight was happy for the request. 
"Very well I will see to that a meeting is arrange before the weekend." Luna nodded to herself. "But now I need to excuse myself I have stayed much to long and I need some sleep before nightfall." Nero gave her a nod. 
"I will look forward to see your night again it was most fascinating." 

When Luna left the bakery she was almost skipping, almost Twilight noted.







When Luna left Ponyville she was in a chipper mode. Not that bad mingling with the subjects once in awhile and that human is most intriguing indeed. I hope Tia think the same. She giggled as she flew to the castle town known as Canterlot.  

When she got back to the castle she was greeted by two of her sisters guards. "I believe that my sister is in the throne room at this hour correct?" She was smiling and was in a good mode she would not let some scared guards ruin it. 
"Yes your Majesty." She nodded to the guard and set of to her sister in a high phase she had much to tell her.







After Luna left the bakery, many of the ponies gathered outside and some inside left to go on with their daily business. Rainbow had long ago finished her cake now only bobbing her head to the music and flipping trough the music library. The songs she had been listening to was apparently twenty five years old and added to the PB.I by Nero's father. one picture   had a flowing rainbow on a black background with the tittle Loyalty written in big text on the artwork. 

Hmm that's a weird coincident. She pressed the screen with light hoof. she had gotten better at it, she found herself lost in the music once more. This time not bobbing her head but calmly listening to the song and found a strange connection to it.

"Rainbow?... Dash?.. RAINBOW DASH!!" She was drawn out of her trance with a jolt. A jolt made of the scream of applejack's voice in her ear. 
"What? Did something happen?" Dash had fallen to the floor.
"I's time tha leave sugarcube." Applejack only looked at the pegasus while slowly shaking her head, while the others was laughing while slowly walking to the door. All except Nero that is who stood right behind Applejack. Pinkie was helping the Cake's with the shop.

"I think I need that back now, Twilight wants to question me on what I spoke about to the dragon." He helped her up on her hooves. 
"Sorry I kinda lost myself in the music." 
"Well the old man had good  taste in music, hehe." He picked up the small device from the floor where it had fallen when Dash fell. 
"Old man? Had? What do you mean by that?" Rainbow looked at him confused so did Applejack.

"My father, he added most of the music in the phone that I listens to. My times musicians kinda sucks so I and many others listens to older music. I even have some from seventy years ago if not even longer. And well when I say had I meant that my father has passed away." He looked at the device with fond eyes. 

"Passed away?" Rainbow was still looking at him with confusion, Applejack had her hoof to the face. Now it's Nero's turn to look at Dash. 
"To be blunt that means he died." With that he put the PB.I in his inner pocket and headed for the door, he turned his head to them. "Are you two just going to stand there all day?" He then went out the door where Twilight and Spike was waiting on him. 

"Um I have some work to do now after lunch, there is a light rain scheduled this afternoon." 
"Rainbow you should say that your sorry to h'm even if you did not know." Apple jack eyed Dash with a meaning full look. 
"Yea your right, I'll do it after work it will only take an hour or so. Meet you at the library later, Pinkies party and all." 
"You better say that your sorry to h'm then." Rainbow nodded and headed out to work. Applejack followed her outside in the afternoon sun. Pegasi was flying in the sky gathering clouds. Applejack looked to the south somehow, something was drawing her attention. She shacked of the feeling and headed home to the farm.







Everyone had left for home except the ponies that wanted to get a glimpse of the human, but after a speech from Twilight they to scattered and went ether home or back to work. Well all except Lyra. 

"Is it some thing special you want Lyra?" Twilight said with a clearly annoyed voice. she knew the answer already. And when I finally got him for myself so I can get those answers. 

"Well I.. I have a question. To him." she pointed at Nero I knew it.
"Hit me with your best shot." Nero said hands on his hips. "But don't make it a to long one I'm getting tried and I have somethings to do." He smiled at the mint unicorn.

"Well. Umm.. how is it to have hands?" she smiled up at him
"Very handy." He flexed his hands in front of her. "Also good to grab lift and hold on to things with. and extremely useful for precision work. Happy?" The mint unicorn nodded frantic. 

"Lyra we have somethings to do right now so how about that you talk to him at the party pinkie wants to throw." She intervened before Lyra could ask another question. 
Lyra nodded again this time not as happily. "See you later then." She added before she started to skip away.

"She looked ummm happy..." Nero added when they started to walk back to the library. 
"She has a thing of some sort." Twilight answered quickly. They walked the short way to the tree house, Nero yawned when they reached the door. Twilight had noted the lack of ponies on the way back. I hope not Pinkie wants to start the party early. She opened the door with her magic. 

"Surprise!!!" The room was filled with ponies. PINKIE PIE! She wanted to scream out loud but decided against it. She let out a sigh "Pinkie the party was supposed to start by seven not two thirty." 
"But everypony looked so glum after they leaved Sugarcube. so I decided to throw it now instead, isn't it exciting." She jumped around in the entryway. 
"You could at least have told me pinkie. Also how did yo.. never mind. still you could have told me." Twilight was on a little more collected now.

"And here I hoped on a nap before the party. You know pinkie off all ponies that i have been up sense 3 am in the morning." He gave her a stern look. "Not to mention ''That'' took its toll on me to." 
Pinkie was not discouraged by this in the least. Oh boy is she gonn.. Twilight had not the time to finish her thought before Pinkie had shoved a Pinkie Party cube in is mouth. Great! well now he is going to be hyper all day. 

Ten minutes later and Nero seemed like he never needed that nap. "See now he can party all day you want one to Twilight?"
"NO! I'm fine Pinkie took a nap earlier remember." 
"Yea that's true. Cake?"
"No than.." She felt strangely hungry. "Umm I'll just take that thank you." She grabbed the cake with her magic and took a bite. Pinkie skipped away diving down behind one pony and emerged from another one longer into the room. Twilight did not really care or wonder about it, so did no one else. 






The music from the party had faded when ponies started to walk of from the tree house, seemingly a little tipsy. Nero found this strange. What in the world did those ponies drink. just look at them even the pegasi are walking. not to mention it R.D is going to crash at Fluttershy's place. Rainbow had crashed into the party later on, she had literary crashed into it. 

He let out a sigh, it had been hard to stop the party without getting Pinkie sad but it had to be done. The sun was setting and the party had been going for at least eight hours. And to be fair Twilight had fallen asleep on him when they discussed sarsaparilla. 
I think this stuff is intoxicating to ponies, well I don't like it so I don't know if it has alcohol in it. I know that the cider Applejack had with her had some but she did not have enough to do this to all off  them. And it was mostly me, her and Dash that drank more than one mug off it.

He turned around in the doorway when the last guest had left the library. "A party in a library silly ponies." Twilight was sleeping on the chair she had fallen asleep on fifteen minutes ago give or take. Spike had gone to bed a little earlier, he was a baby dragon after all. Nero picked up the sleeping pony gently in his arms like a cradle. This time he wasn't surprised by the warm soft body. This better not become a habit. He carried her to her bed and gently out her down in it, covering her with the blanket.

"Well if you look at that its twilight and the stars sparkle." He laughed at his joke silently while looking at the night sky and resisted the urge to walk outside. He then went over to the guest bed. The bed was big enough to house two ponies with ease. With a yawn he undressed, only leaving the shirt and his underwear on then he crept into bed. sleep welcomed him. 


"Well this place is familiar. Are you going to hide tonight?" He stood in a room lit only by the stars and moon from above. it was a room none the less, the roof made of glass. The room was a perfect circle, one side in the purest of silver and black marble and the other in gold and ordinary white marble. Perfection in balance. 
"Indeed it is." He turned around right where he just had stood sat a white stallion with night blue mane. on his flank was a split moon and sun also in perfect harmony. On his back however was two incomplete wings. one was missing feathers entirely, the other was small and was missing the last segment.     

"You are not the same as last time." The pony looked at him and nodded.
"And nether are you." He answer. "But that does not matter right now.
"At least I understand you this time." The pony only nodded this time. 
"That also matters some but not much. Even if you did not understand me we should still have meet this night."

Nero walked around the room, while he walked the golden parts seemed to dance in the corner of his eyes. While the part that represent the moon danced and twinkled all the time. It reminded him of Luna's mane a little. 
"This room used to represent your waking hours mostly made in gold and only a little silver. Do you know why it has changed? And why the sun are not shining here?"
"It's night outside that's why the sun is not up. And the room... Well on that I can't answer." The pony now smiled, Nero knew this without looking at it.

"This room for many persons or ponies for that matter is never perfect, Never! But for you it is, for one reason only." 
"The Gift." Nero answered.

"Yes the Gift, even for that great gift you was reluctant to pay the price so you see it as a curse instead." The pony was now standing. "It did not just change yourself or me for that matter, but also those three. How will they take it when you drop the news what you gave them is not something to give lightly. And you know the price of taking it back before its to late anyway."
Nero looked at the pony now. 

"I would never do that even if it cost me my own life, the agony they would suffer is to great." Nero stared at the pony now a frown on his face was clearly showing.
"Exactly but will not the pain also come with time? You yourself know that very pain! And now you and them will suffer it."
"It was the only way to save them!" He had started to become angry.
"Being angry with your own subconsciousness won't help them or you." The pony said coldly. "It's your fault that you are not mine, remember that. And I know that it was the only way to save them. More so than you." The pony looked at the sky.

Nero turned around and looked out the wall it was a dream after all. "So my on subconsciousness is representing the moon and sun. I thought that it was the princesses jobs." 
"No, in here I represent your waking hours to. My true form is something else or rather its you."
"In pony form?" He laughed softly.    
"Apparently, but that is not why I'm here you are not fully controlling yourself yet. Talimara said that you will change. Some things you can control and other things that you won't be. This is one you can take whenever you like." Nero was still looking out the window that now had appeared.

"It's your choice when."
"How do I make that choice?" He already knew. Grab the rapier. He turned around to the middle of the room and saw the rapier he was carrying in the world outside his head. The ornament was now a full moon. 
"It's your choice Nero, but be warned you will not leave in till you pass." The voice faded to a whisper and to nothingness. 

Nero looked at the blade for a moment. "Not today I don't feel like it." He smiled a little when he faded from his dream. being a lucid dreamer had its advantages. He woke in bed and the sun was slowly rising. He groaned as every bone in his body seemed to burn like when you sit close to a flame, It was not pleasant but bearable. Time to go up, no use staying in bed if I try to sleep I will only come there anyway. With that he got out of bed and dressed himself. Every one of his movements made his bones scream a little. especially his back. 


He slowly made his way to the first floor. Spike had made tea yesterday so he walked to the kitchen. "Now where can I get some of that jasmine tea." He mumbled, eyes searching the various shelf's and cupboards. Then it hit him, the counter. He looked over by the sink and there it was a sizable box labeled ''Tea''. He hit himself in the face I'm so stupid! 
The burning in his hand intensified. "ouch! Why did I do that." 

He ignored it and it mostly went away. The burning now was like a hot shower, quite pleasant. He got water from the sink. Hehe mostly medieval Tec and they have running water and other pleasantries powered by magic. This is so cool sometimes.
The water-boiler had Spike explained had a small magical fire core and had a hundred charges before it went bad. Well he had commented that a unicorn easily could charge it by themselves if they knew what they were doing. Twilight clearly was. 

He looked trough the box of teas and picked a cinnamon one after some thinking. He heard a yawn behind him and a groggy looking pony stepped into the kitchen. 
"Good morning you are up early." Twilight yawned again. "How much did i drink at the party? I feel like I slept like a child." She smiled at him.
"To much you fell asleep on me, and when I meant on me a say it literary!" He gave her a faint smile. "But to be fair I feel I like my bones are burning." He noticed that the unicorn's horn had started to glow a little. "What are you doing?" 
"Fixing your hangover. There, any better?" He shock his head back and forth and then up and down. 
"Well the headache is gone and all but my bones still ache a little." He turned around to fix his tea. 







Twilight could only stare at the humans back. "Is that coat feeling a little stuffy on you?" Still staring at his back. Something is different about it today. 
"Now when you mention it it does." He rolled his shoulders. "Did not notice." He sipped at his tea. He also did not have his Gloves on she noted. 
"No gloves today?"
"They are arm guards and no did not feel like it for the moment, wearing armor in a world with almost no threats are also a little silly." He had raised an eyebrow. another sip. Twilight felt the need for something to drink. 

"There is more water on right?" 
"Eeyup, it in the boiler"
"Well obviously where else should it be?" 
"In a cauldron, on a fire, in a cave, in a jungle." He laughed lightly it looked like he was struggling with it. 

"Ha Ha very funny." She made some tea, still noting that his back looked stuffy. 
"Are you sure that you don't have anything under there? Maybe your shirt it out of place, your back looks weird." He sat down on one of the chairs and rose quickly. 
"That was not nice." 
"Sorry if i said someth.." She began
"No No not you my back. It felt like something was pressing on it and now it itches." He smirked a little "A lot!"

The human began to undress in front of her. She could not help the heat on her cheeks as he did. They had been talking about human relations just the day before and she knew that some people was not pleased to undress in front of others they did not know.

She could not help to gasp when she saw his back it had clearly bled and two wings spanning from his shoulder blades up to the shoulders them self, down his back and neatly ended at the pants. The feathers looked like those on a newborn chicken. all wet, then some had begun to dry revealing sliver white feathers. 

"HOW DID YOU NOT FEEL THAT BEFORE NOW!" She cried. He tried to look at his back over his shoulder.
"Feel what?" he looked some more and caught a gimps of them. "What is it? Tell me I can't see my own back you know!"
"Don't feel alarmed but you have wings on your back." He froze. He stood there for a moment and mumbled something.

"What?" she asked. 
"I said already?" Came the answer his voice was clearly shocked. "I need to sit down." And then he sat down again, careful not to lean on his back. 
"Already what?" she walked closer to him. 

"you know the dragon. What me and her talked about. She said that some changes was going to happen to me if I accepted. I never thought." He shacked his head again. 

"What did you and the dragon talk about anyway?" 
"The ''Gift'' she called it"
"The Gift? Like a gift?" Twilight sat down in the chair next to him. 
"Well I can begin with what I told the others." He drew a breath.

"Talimara the dragon that was her name. She said that the only way to cure you and the others, was to give them my part of the gift. Something I can't give if she lives. that's why she died, she choose that."
"The dragon is dead?" Twilight looked at him in confusion "Why did you not tell me sooner?!" 
"The party got in the way. Anyway let me continue. She made me a herald she called it, it's something from her world dragons can do. You see in her world dragons are all eternal beings and only a few are born every hundred years or so. If I heard correct. anyway one dragon may choose one herald and because dragons live forever so do the heralds. that's the Gift well most part of it anyway another thing is to cure dragon poison but its limited to how many times. He paused a little. 

But that does not mean a dragon can't be killed or die. But its hard extremely hard to achieve, not only do you need twelve other dragons to do or twelve heralds. anyway it goes the same for heralds. Except and here is the big thing. A dragon can kill its own herald like any other mortal and gain his or hers power to its own and the other way around." Twilight gasped at this. 
"So you killed her?"

"At her own request if I might add and not without a heavy heart. I.. It took me at least five minutes to even reconsider it and I only did it because she said that you only had a couple of hours left in you." He fell silent again. 
"This is what I told the others. And one more thing Luna asked me if I wanted to go home to my world. 
I said that I can't do that for one reason well there is two. First as I told the others. A being eternal may only jump in dimensions once every hundred years, a mortal one once a lifetime. Secondly and I add again if I leave this world before ten years from tomorrow. Then you, Applejack and Fluttershy will die after a year in complete agony. that's the price of taking back the gift from someone." Twilight listened in silence  

"Now to the part I did not tell them. As a herald chooses companions after their dragons death they to will become immortal as well and this is why dragons in her world was reluctant to choose a herald in the first place. A herald could act as a small army and is he or she  had for say ten friends that was the same they could easily takeover a city big as Canterlot."  
"you can't be serious who would do that?" 

"Power hungry humans perhaps. anyway she said that most of the heralds change a little. Never expected wings tho. Anyway there will be some changes I can control and others I can't. This one it seems I could not." 

"But you will not become a power hungry human will you? Right?" Twilight gave him a smile. This is some big things to take in.

"Never I hope. I don't want power over others the only thing I wanted was freedom and I got that as soon as I came here."
He smiled back "These wings really itch you know. like you shouted earlier I don't know how I did not feel them earlier. Is it really that bad?" He grinned at her. I think you need to take a bath to clean those and ask Rarity to make some modifications to your clothing.

"Well there is some blood on them you might want to take a bath. While you do that I can go and get Rarity she is usually free in the morning to make some adjustments to your shirt." She laughed at him. 
"Thank you. now how do these work?" He looked like he was focusing and one of the wings moved slightly with an unpleasant cracking of something with a crust on it. "EEUWW that sound nasty! You are right i need a bath and a shower now." 

"The bathroom is upstairs to the right the tub should be big enough for you." She rose from her chair and walked to the stairs. "I'll just get you a towel. and I need to comb my mane before I go to Rarity or she will fix it for me and that will take at least half an hour. 
"Great I think that might be the time it takes me to wash up and get this thing of the wings." 

After she had showed him the bathroom and comb her mane, she left the loft. Spike was still sleeping. I swear that dragon can sleep trough anything. When she got outside she set off to Carousel boutique. This is going to be a long day. 







Nero walked out of the bathroom finally had he gotten rid of the crust on his wings. That was remarkably easy to do and I got to wash my hair. He had taken a string from his shirt arms and used it to tie up his hair in a horse tail. Letting some of his hair to hang freely in his face he felt like the hair was not in the way for the wings anymore well as long as it was damp anyway. I have to ask Twilight about a proper hairband or something like that. 

A loud burp was heard from the bedroom. "Aww and I was having such a good dream." The small dragon walked out the room and continued down the stairs.
"Twilight is not home she went over to Rarity's place." Nero tested to flap his wings twice, he felt the force in them. Damn I think these can fly already. 

Spike was muttering about something. Nero looked at the dragon. Where did he get that scroll any way?
Looks like you, me and Twilight are meeting the princesses this weekend he said not looking at Nero. 
"How did you get that anyway?"
"Magic flames sends and receives mail, and other things." He looked up and jumped in shear shock. "you. you.. you got wings!" This was the second time he saw the dragons jaw drop. 

"Well if you did not sleep when Twilight made a fuss about it maybe you should have known! Also this is new to me to." He made the wings fit snugly against his body. And here I though that they was going to be bulky.
"I wonder what Rainbow Dash says when she see those babies? I can't wait until I get my wings." He looked at his back. "But that will not happen before my first hibernation and that will take a year to finish." He looked at Nero "whats the matter?"

"I knew it was something I forgot to tell her. Talimara was very specific on that part." 
"She was? What did she tell you.. That you didn't tell us." He gave Nero a grim look. 
"It only matters to you and Twilight well mostly so I was going to tell you when you were both present. I can tell you while Rarity fixes my shirt."
"Now then." Spike pointed at the door that was opening and Twilight came in with Rarity in haul.


"If you say it that way. Then yes." He added to the dragon. 
"Twilight we got a letter from the princesses they want us three in Canterlot this weekend. We will be picked up by flying chariot."
"That's great spi.." She was interrupted by Rarity
"Those look marvelous darling and here Twilight got them to look horrid." she was ogling his wings. 

"I did wash them Rarity I just stepped out of the shower. Do you think you can fit my shirt for me? So I don't need to run around half naked. please?" He gave her a begging smile. 
"Anytime! I have wanted to work on your clothes sense i first saw them." I noticed. 
"Thank you. your a pearl." He smiled again. Rarity beamed.

"Also Twilight I have something I need to tell you and Spike." 
"Can you do that while I fit your clothing? He nodded "Good then lets begin."


> CmC on Wings.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.




Chapter 4: CmC on wings.

By Nerom



Nero sat on a stool. Rarity was measuring his back and wing. 
"Talimara wanted me to tell you something, as soon as she saw you Twilight she could see and feel a bond. And that bond was with a dragon I could confirm this. She could also felt Spike somehow when she concentrated on you, so this mostly has to do with him anyhow."
"With me?" The dragon was clearly exited.
"Yes Talimara told me that she have a friend that has visited this world before, but that was thousands of years ago. Anyway she knew about the hibernation habits a dragon have here. This bond you and Twilight share will enable you to not go into hibernation."
"What?" She said,
Nero sighed. "This means that Spike don't need to go into a hibernation as long as this bond is in place and you know how long that will be Twilight. Also she said something that goes like this. If the young will change and grow that's is his will only he will change when he commands. Now I see it like this as Spike grows bigger he will be able to control his own size and so forth. That will say if I'm correct when Spike hit dragon teenage years he will begin to learn how to control his own body structure."
Now it was Rarity's time to say "What? What do you mean and you know how long that will be?"
"It means that as long Twilight lives this bond will be in effect. Now I don't know how long a pony or unicorn for that maters live. thus the word choice, happy?
"Yes. for that mater you have not told us how long a human live." she was making precise cuts in the shirt.
"If you tell me first I tell you. How about that?" 
"A pony of any kind except alicorns usually lives between two hundred to tree hundred years." Twilight answered. 
"That long? Wow humans only live a roughly a hundred years. Well not me, but hey I cheated and got Immortal." He gave them a big grin.
"Well we know about that darling. Finished! Well with the shirt at least its simple yet fashionable." The shirt levitated in front of him and he took it. 
"Thank you Rarity really I mean it. don't want to strut around town naked." 
"My pleasure now let me get to work on that jacket of yours, I will need to borrow it for the time being if its layered I won't be able to do much here anyway." 
"Take it Rarity I don't need it now anyway. and now it will only serve as a hiding place for them anyway." He tested the wings with the shirt on, it was a perfect fit. he folded the wings close to his body. 
"Rarity it fits perfectly I could not found a better unicorn for the job." He walked up from the stool and tested the wings some more. 
"It's a long day why not take it outside?" Twilight said she looked at him eagerly I bet that she wants to run tests on me now. He nodded as a answer. 
"Why not and we can walk Rarity to her boutique. It's the least we can do." 

The four of them walked out of the library. The day was still young but pleasantly warm, Nero let out his hair from the horsetail. It fell loosely down beyond his newly acquired wing base. He corrected his hair a little and looked at the others. "Shall we?" They all nodded and started walking, Spike was riding on Twilight's back. 







When they reached the boutique, they had attracted some eyes and even some ohh and aww's along the way.
"It's fun getting some attention once in a while but this is just plain stalking." Nero said letting out a sigh. 
"What do you mean? Oh those ponies eyeing us earlier? Don't worry about them."
"No not them I meant the little yellow / red one and orange / purple one that have been following us sens shortly after we left the library. They are in that bush over there." He pointed to a bush slightly behind them to the left. A short red tail was sticking out of it. 
"Apple bloom is that you? Twilight grabbed the tail with some telekinesis and tugged. Out came a small filly with a read bow in her mane.
"Apple bloom why are you creeping in bushes for? The filly blushed.
Nero was suppressing a laugh. That looks so silly, never seen such a tiny horse before. I wonder what babies look like?
"You know stalking someone in my world is illegal.. if its severe enough." He could now not help his smile. 

The orange one jumped out of the bush and rushed up to him. "Are you really a hu-maw?"
"No I'm a human, not a hu-maw. to be fair that sounds like some monster. Well technically I'm an Angel AKA a human with wings. But that's just my worlds term for it."
"Here an angel is a spirit of pure good." Twiligh said.
"Same in my world but the bodily form of that spirit is a human with wings." 
"So a angel in your world is the same thing as a Pegasus in this world?"
"Well yes but we had Pegasus and unicorns in older lore then again it has been proved that they only exist in fantasy in my world. Here I can't deny anything like that. Heck I have even meet a alicord and those are rarely mentioned ever. I think I have heard the term once before coming to Equestria." 
A white, purple and pink unicorn filly came out of the boutique. 
"Before I go Mr.Nero I want to introduce you to my little sister Sweetie Belle and the other two here is her friends Apple bloom and Scootaloo. Now I have work to do ta ta."
"Rarity wait second I need something from my jacket." He walked over to her and reached into the inner pocket and fished up his phone. "Now I know you will do a splendid job on this one to." She beamed again and walked inside. 

"Now Twilight you wanted to go outside so what do you want to do?" He asked while looking at the fillies that had gathered by his legs, He backed a little by instinct he had unpleasant and physiological scars from small children that had lit his pant of fire. they walked closer. "Is this normal?" He pointed down at the small ponies.
"For them yes. They do that sometimes. And I wanted to see if those things let you fly or at least hoover there is a field on the other side of Ponyville close to Rainbows house that we can use. who knows maybe we are lucky and she can bring a cloud. One thing pegasi can do is walk on clouds." 

"Yea she did tell me about Pegasi work here in ponyville and that stuff to. Hey Cloudsdale seems cool and if I can walk on clouds then I can visit city in the sky and all." They begun walking to the field in question with the fillies in tow. He noted that none of them had a mark on their flanks. He chuckled in his head. Even I have a mark now. He looked at his arm. and knew that under the thin cloth a imprint of a dragon biting its own tail was slithering around his wrist. no one else noticed as he had taken on his arm guards after the bath. 

When they reached the field it was empty save to a rainbow coming from a tree. "Is that Dash?" He pointed at the tree.
"Yes is she napping already?" Twilight answered. They walked past the tree and Rainbow Dash was indeed in it. Scootaloo was just going to wake her with a shout when Nero stopped her.
"No wait. I wanna scare her." Twilight looked at him with gaping mouth.
"Remember what happened last time you tried to scare someone?"
"Yea It was yesterday and it was funny to certain degree, this will be to." 
Nero jumped and flapped his wings once gaining more altitude reaching the rainbow maned mare.
"BOO" He and the scared pony was hoovering by the three branches. He did not notice that he did not fall. 
"Why did you do.. WHOOAH! Sweet when did you get wings?!" 
"This morning. Also got ya!" He smiled and slowly started do descend to the ground, the cyan pony did the same.
"Ha good one Lancer. So wooh wings? How? It's awesome!"
"Strange dream and had them when I woke up well I did not notice them in till Twilight here shouted it out. Now she wants me to test them." She smirked. 
"Of course its not everyday some one sprouts wings now is it. 
"And seeing that they can lift you why don't we test some basic hovering for now." Dash said before Twilight could continue. 
"Her plans exactly." He added and pointed at Twilight. 
"Yes, now lets see if you can stay in the same spot for longer period of time why don't you make him company Rainbow." 
"Sure If you say so Twi but its kinda easy for me to stay in the air." she said smugly. 

"Then lets make it interesting for you you have to carry Apple Bloom here.. and Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo looked disappointed, Nero noticed. Idol or what?
"Scootaloo why don't you join us it be fun." She looked down in the grass. I knew it! "Well?" He squatted down so he came closer to the ground and the filly.
"Can't fly ehhy? Nothing to be ashamed of." He whispered. "How about trying at least. It can't be that bad? Also you have someone that can help you if you want to." Still whispering, she nodded and lifted her head. 

"Lets begin then." He stood up again and gave Scoot a quick smile. Rainbow took to the air with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle in her forelegs. He noted that she was almost one point six meter in length. Luna should be around two meters if she stood on her hind legs then.  
Scootaloo tried hard, Nero saw the problem rather quickly. "Try flapping your wings slower, hard down lose up. that's how I do it at least." He took to the air and hovered a feet of the ground, slowly flapping his wings but not slow enough to fall. "Like this. You try now." 
Scootaloo tried again with minor results she lifted a few inches and then fell to the ground. "See all you need now is rhythm. and a little more force downwards." 
"How did you know so much about flying? It's not like you have done much of it before." Twilight looked at him skeptical. 
"Well we did have basic physics in school so knowing things about flying is not that hard. We do have things that fly in my world to." He left the part out with giant flying machinery. 
"And knowing how to fly is basic?" She asked.
"Yes it is, if you want something to fly you need something that folds you up in this case air, now you need somethings that control the air flow. Wings! wings flap and you go up. What Scootaloo here did wrong is very simple, she had the same forces in both directions neglecting each other. Happy?"
"Well it was not the most scientific approach but it will do." she said and nodded.

"And look someone else got it to." Rainbow remarked. They looked down at Scootaloo that was now in full concentration to just hover an inch or two from the ground.
"Well if she can keep that up for an ten minutes or so, she'll get a hang of it in no time." Nero said. "Well should we continue with my practice or do you want me to hang here all day?" He looked at Twilight from the corner of his eyes. 
"If you want to, seeing that you have no problem with hovering. you don't feel tired or anything?"
"Nope. It feels almost like walking slowly and I know that I can keep that up for hours." 
"Then we can move around a little?" Rainbow still held the two fillies. 
"Well yes Dash but slowly in the beginning we don't want him to crash and brake his neck now do we? Did you forget that I'm immortal already?  
"That's no fun!" She said glumly. 
"But that's the way we do it Dash. you can go and take a nap or go get a cloud for us Twilight want to test if I can walk on clouds." 
"That would be AWESOME! Then you can visit my place I live in a cloud house you know!" 
"I know you told me at the party." He rolled his eyes. 
"I'll go and get that cloud." she let down the two fillies on the ground. 
"No need to rush it." He said when she darted away. 






When Rainbow Dash returned with the cloud ten minutes later Nero was doing laps around the field at a moderate phase, Apple Bloom was on his back. Why is he doing that?
"Twilight umm why is he carrying Apple Bloom on his back?"
"To test his strength of course silly, he said that flying normally was easy enough at that speed. He is pretty quick for someone that have never flown before don't you think?" 

"So that's not his top speed then is it?" 
"Not so far I know." Nero was getting close to pass them again. 
"Nero! I brought the cloud! you can stop now!" Dash shouted. Nero came to a halt close to them and Apple Bloom jumped of in the go. not wanting to fall backwards. 

"Great then I can stop mindlessly going in circles then." He did not sound to bored.
"Well lets test this cloud then." she gave him a raspberry. 
"Haha very funny. lets do this already, Twilight here won't let me fly in high speed without anyone to be there. First time flying and all."  He grinned at Rainbow. 

"That I can help with."
"Not before he test that cloud you don't." she said with closed eyes and donned a quill and paper.
"Twilight not to ruin your fun, I'm already on the cloud." Rainbow snickered at his remark.
"What! when?" She stared the man that was sitting on the cloud together with Scootaloo, Apple bloom tried to get on his back again pulling his wing down. He gave her a raspberry this time. 
"Sorry to ruin your fun." He said. "Ouch! Hey quit it!" He turned around to the filly that tried to climb on his shoulders. It looked funny for the human could not turn to see his own back. "Watch the hair will ya."

"Ah'm sorry." The filly said. Those three is always causing some kind of trouble.
"Can we go flying now or do he have to sit on that cloud all day Twilight?" The purple mare facehoofed. 
"Alright but don't do anything drastic we don't want him to brake anything before he meets Princess Celestia."
"Don't worry he will be in safe hoofs... Mostly." She said the last part in a mumble. Nero put down Apple bloom on the ground next to the cloud much to the fillies disappointment. 
While Nero put one of the yet black plugs in his ear he mumbled something unheard. A red dot was speeding at them. Rainbow saw the pegasus first.
"We better fly now Lancer." 
"Why the haste all of a sudden?" 
"Well you see I borrowed the cloud from someone."
"And?" He looked at her. 
"And I did not really tell him that I took it." She let out one of those 'I'm guilty laughs'.
"Smart really smart." He said shaking his head. The red dot was now upon them.

"Rainbow Dash! You should really stop taking clouds from me when you want to take a nap I know my house is closer to the town and all, but that don't mean you have the right to take my favorite napping cloud!"
"I'm sorry Storm Chaser, but you see Nero here just got his wings and we though that we test if he could walk on them." 
She looked over at Nero and Twilight looking for some help.
"You may take your cloud back. It was comfortable but we don't need it any longer." Nero added. 
"Well of course it is. Also how do one sprout wings overnight? I saw you yesterday in town and you had none but this morning you did." He eyed Nero and then Twilight. Nero shrugged his shoulders. 
"Donno just happened and now we are testing them so I got to now." He lifted his behind from the cloud he had sat on. "Dash you coming?" he added.
"Yea and sorry again Storm. I was going to ask but you was not home."
"Yea yea next time don't take it. I don't live in a cloud house like you. unlike you my paycheck is not the greatest in the world." Well I am the local chief of weather control.
"It has been nice meeting you Storm Chaser." He gave the pegasus a casual salute and took to the air Rainbow Dash followed suit. When she turned her head around Storm Chaser was talking to Scootaloo that was still perched on his cloud. 





Two hours of high speed chases and tricks mostly on rainbows part later. She and Nero was sitting on a cloud that put out for shade in ponyville, well rainbow was laying down on her back front hoofs behind her head. 
"Hey I have been meaning to ask you. Why did yo not just take a cloud from up here? instead of taking Storm Chaser's I meant."
"They was not here then some of the other weather ponies put them out forty minutes ago."
"And how exactly do you know that?" She looked at the sky. 
"I'm kinda the boss of the Ponyville weather team. so its my job to know what's going around in the sky around here. Pay is good to especially when you don't need to tax for your house."
"Sounds like you are pretty good of then." He chuckled. "Well this is good and all but I'm starting to get hungry and it's lunch time." he stretched his arms into the air. "I better get back to the library to get some." 
"Why not just head to the sugar cube or the restaurant." She lifted her head to look on him. 
"No money you know, new here and no job and so forth." He said glumly. 
"Then I pay for lunch today. I'll just fly down and get a pie or two seeing how much you eat and something to drink it will only be like twenty bits for all. We can eat here where its sunny." He was the one looking at her now a eye brow was raised. 
"And whats the catch?" He added with a grin. 
"Easy I get to borrow the music player for the rest of the day." If he wants a catch then he gets it.
"Deal! But it better be a good lunch and get a ribbon or some kind of band. I have an idea." He nodded.
"I'll be back in a jiffy."

She speed down to the Sugar cube corner. Lucky me no line. 
"Hello Rainbow Dash what can I get you today?" Mr Cake asked when she walked up to the counter. 
"Two whole pies. one apple and one blackberry please and two bottles of soda."
"I'm sorry Rainbow but the blackberry pie might take ten minutes before its done Pinkie just put them in the oven a while ago."
"That's no problem I need to go get some things from home can you keep my order in till I get back?" she asked Now I can get that blanket. We don't want the food to fall trough the cloud. "I pay when I come back it will not take long." 
"I will Rainbow Dash." He wrote a note and placed it on a big cake box. Rainbow was gone when he looked up. 

Back at her place she packed a saddlebag with two plates and a blanket. All she needed for now. she hit herself in the face lightly when she reached the door. Bits! how stupid can I be! She went inside and got her wallet. There should be enough. She went outside and headed back to the Sugacube. 

This time Pinkie was behind the counter. "Hey Dash what can i get you? or are you here to play?" The perky pony said with enthusiasm. 
"Here to pick up my order pinkie that's all." Pinkie looked down to the order band. One apple and one blackberry pie. she read out loud. 
"Are you going to eat all that alone?" 
"No Pinkie. can I get the pies now?" 
"Sure you can I just took out the blackberry ones so they are a little hot."
"And don't forget the soda I ordered." Dash added. 

Pinkie was soon back. "I added some muffins no extra charge, hope you like it and say hey to Nero from me."
"Thanks Pinkie see you soon." she payed the pink pony and walked out of the shop. and flew back to the clouds where Nero was waiting now laying on his back and he had unstrung his shirt a little.

"Hey lazy move it!" She said before she landed beside him on the cloud. "I got Lunch." she noticed the little orange filly that had burrowed herself into the cloud next to him. "Scoot how did you get up here?" she looked at the filly that rose her head and smiled at her. 
"I flew" she smiled brightly and got a poke on the muzzle from Nero. "some of the way." She corrected shyly. 
"The other two went to have lunch with their sisters at the restaurant and Scootaloo here was trying to get my attention for a good minute or two before I noticed her. Thought that she could eat some lunch with us."
Rainbow laughed softly. "Of course she can eat with us now that she is here, but I only have two plates with me." she started to spread the cloud blanket next to them. "And not to mention two sodas."
"There is three sodas in here." Scootaloo added while getting out the bottles and putting them on the blanket. 
"pinkie must have gotten the wrong number. Well good for us then." Dash but the apple pie in front of them. "Lets dig in!"







Twilight was on her way home after lunch with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie at the Sugar cube corner. She had noticed that Rainbow had left right before they had arrived. She had also asked Pinkie where dash had headed. And got the answer that she was going to eat lunch with Nero and Scootaloo. she had also slipped that Dash had not said with who she was going to eat with. I still wonder how she does it. Well its Pinkie so it's no idea of figuring it out.

"Spike I'm home. I need you to to take a letter to the Princesses." She called. The purple dragon came out from the study munching on a garnet. 
"On it" He had already a quill and a scroll. She told him what to write and he sent the letter. "We better start packing some things then." 
"Ohh spike we don't need so much I only need my pillow, journal and some of my other books. We have everything else we need in Canterlot and the cleaning team we ordered was going to clean the tower today so there is nothing to worry about."
"Yea If you say so Twilight." He said and blowed a green flame into the air, a letter materialized before him.
"That was quick." 
Twilight read the letter out loud.

To Twilight Sparkle.

My dear student it is wonderful that you are coming early to Canterlot I will inform Luna when she awakes. I will see you at the competition.

Your Teacher and Princess Celestia.


"Good then she approves that we all come to Canterlot tomorrow." Spike remarked and she nodded in approval.
"We need to tell Nero of the change of plan, I know that Pinkie will tell Rarity and Applejack and Fluttershy will of course tell Rainbow Dash. Lets get to backing."







An hour after lunch was finished and Rainbow, Scootaloo and Nero was just done watching an comedy act from his world.
"Ah Jeff Dunham, Praised for his skill at ventriloquism. I'm glad my films and movies did not get deleted." He was still laughing 
"The Guy was funny but I did not understand some of his jokes." That's understandable they are old human jokes. "Don't matter now does it? It was still funny." He said
"Shot I need to work soon, there is a rain due for the evening." Rainbow said.
"Define soon."
"A couple of hours before I need to start i think." He looked at her with a sour look.
"And here i thought twenty minutes of so bahh you have plenty of time."
"Right lets do some thing else I just need to leave this stuff at my place." He nodded at the comment. 
"Then i come with you." He added.

Three hours later they decided to take Scoot home. Rainbow needed to get to work and there was much to be done.
"That was fun." Nero let out a deep breath. They had not only been flying but played pranks others and played games like cloud tag. 
"Yes it was can we do it sometime again?" Scootaloo seemed happy with it. 
"Sure kid but now it's time to say quits for today. Common don't looks so glum we take you home." Rainbow gave her a nodfull agree. 
Nero stood by the edge of the cloud they had been playing on and was looking out over ponyville. Scootaloo was securing herself on Dashes back. With a nod from Nero, Rainbow Dash took of and headed for town. Nero jumped from the cloud in a small back flip, dived to gain speed and soared a little under and to the left of of Rainbow. I'm getting better at this.

After a minute or so they came in to the edge of town and rainbow dived closer to a building with cloud house that rested on top of it. It looked like that anyway but when he soared by he saw that the building was merged with the cloud home. well that looks funny.
"That's Storm Chasers house." Dash added to him. Good to know and now I know why he was complaining on you. your house is huge compare to his cloud loft.
"Well that explains why he was grumpy when you took his cloud." He chuckled, they landed by the next house over.
"I can go from here." Scootaloo said a little unhappy. 
"Bye Scootaloo it was fun playing with ya." Nero gave her a quick wave and started to turn away. He felt something on his leg, when he looked up he had a orange lump on his leg. 
"Hey Scoot." The lump looked up from his leg, he reached down and picked her up and gave her a hug. "Sorry Scoot need to go." He said softly and let her down. "And its not like we are disappearing from Ponyville right." He smirked at Dash and then gave them a soft salute, jumped over Scootaloo and took to the sky. 
From behind him he heard. "Show off!" he turned in the air. 
"Should you say!" He called back and turned again. 


Later he arrived at the library, and went in inside only to find Twilight's saddlebags by the door when he fell over them. "Smart place to leave your bags Twilight." He mumbled, Twilight came out from her study with Spike.
"Ohh good your back, why are you on the floor?" She blinked
"It might be the bags by the door, it might be that I want to or maybe its because some one put bags behind the door and a bipedal creature will easily fall over on them if he is not careful. Your choice." He said while getting back on his feet. 
"That's only two choices to choose from." She said a little confused.
"Exactly its a hint to the right answer It's one and three if you want to know. Soo why packed bags by the door?" He did not sound that angry anymore.
"We are going to Canterlot tomorrow with Pinkie and the others, she want us to go to a cake competition." His stomach turned. Please no more pie for awhile. 
"As long I don't need to eat pie again!" 
"Tired of pie already?" 
"Yes I have eaten three pies the past two days. I don't want more right now or tomorrow."
she laughed at him a little. 
"Rarity is finished with the jacket you know I put it on your bed. seeing that you don't have any possessions you don't really don't need to pack."
"Yea True." He looked out the window and the sky was getting dark with clouds.


Night had fallen and Nero was still not tired enough to sleep, to be fair he was not tired at all. the past two hours he had passed the time with origami. Something he had always been good at, doing things with his hands.
Twilight had fallen asleep on him again. This time she rested her head on a pillow that he had fetched, the pony was to awake to lift to her bed but he did not want to wake her. 
He had gained something similar to... He could not describe it. Well he could not see himself hurting these creatures ever. They were to adorable and amazing. 
He continued on with his creations ten of them stood out from the rest. 
They were bigger and had more paper in them then the rest except four of them of ten so far. All of them in a distinct color, when he was done he stood up and decided to take a walk after getting the jacket from his bed, and he noticed a new one under it. This one was in the same style but longer and had a hood on it, he put it on.Fits like a glove again Rarity, you are to generous.

While he was walking he was humming on a song that always had moved him Rue's lullaby sung by Adrisaurus. The clouds was gone and showed a one again stunning night. He noticed that the coat was warmer than the jacket but not thicker, it was also not as detailed as the other one. He looked to the mountains that Canterlot rested on. 
"If you look at that a blue Canterlot." He looked at the city for a minute and once again walked.







Twilight stretched on the floor and let out a yawn. 
"Morning sleepy head is the floor comfortable?" She looked up to see Nero sitting on the couch two small birds was perched on him one on his shoulder and on in his hand.
"Is that?" She began.
"One silver phoenix newly hatched, can already fly the little bugger. Beautiful isn't she?" The small silver bird was not bulky like Pee Wee had been just a few weeks before surely it was smaller but more regal than the young phoenix.  
"When?" She stammered.
"An hour ago." He bobbed a finger on the small birds beak and it chirped in a happy response.
Spike came out with a small cart covered in food. "Oh Twilight good that your up I just finished making breakfast." The small dragon was covered in a apron. 
"I hope you don't have flowers in all of it or hay." Nero added.
"Not all of it and we do have eggs." Spike replied 
"Lets eat then. Nero said 


"The train will leave in 10 minutes right? Will big mac get the wall up in time?" Nero asked the dragon. It looked like the man was talking to a child as the dragon only reached to his hip in height. Twilight called on them from the cart. 
"Time to move it then, and boy did cake look good." Spike started to walk to the train. 
"Yes. Yes it did but look at that." He followed the dragon and pointed over at a mule carting a chocolate moose. "I thought it was a cake competition." The small red bird on his shoulder chirped in unison to the motion eyeing the dessert.
"Yea I like chocolate to Pee Wee. Would be real nice to get some of it."

They got on the train and Nero let out a yawn, the small sliver bird on Spikes head did the same and fluttered up and sat down on Nero's instead. He and Spike went to the room they was chairing for the trip. 
"Hey Spike what about some cards? It's only 7pm after all." The little dragon shacked his head. 
"Nah I'm going to take a nap we will be in Canterlot by the morning anyway." Nero only nodded in response as they walked out of the dessert cart. Twilight's focus was shifted to the door and in came a griffin. 





Writers notes I have changed the writing style in this chapter if you don't like it let me know in the comments below. 
If you do, comment so I can go and change the other chapters to this style. 
If you don't like this style this chapter will be edited. Also all grammar and wrongs in the text comments are appreciated. 
> A forest Eclipse.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.




Chapter 5: A forest Eclipse.

By Nerom



The train ride had been more than interesting to say in the least. The ''crime'' was easily solved by Twilight. Then again he had already figured out the culprits before it was proven, he had been awake during the trip and so seen two of them and one had left for a ''toilet break'' while she, applejack and him was watching a concert while playing cards.
"Then again even I wanted to eat some." The dragon continued. "All we got was leftovers from them making that amazing cake."
"True but they were tasty and all but I want to get to Twilight's penthouse now, those ponies are starting to look at me funny." Some ponies was looking at him and whispering. He had put the wings on the inside of the new coat that Rarity had made him and the same coat that she had been working on most of the trip. It now had more vivid details and was now only similar to the old one. She had fuzzed over the length of it but Nero had insisted on that it was fine. She had also explained in detail about the enchantment of the cloth it was made of, the color changed with the day and so was lighter in the day than night. Something that he hand noticed that his wings undertone did to and decided that it was fitting. Twilight had been astonished by the revelation and had nicked some of his feathers noticed by a surprising pain in his right wing. She had explained something about a natural clock and Nero had confirmed that he had an almost perfect sense of time after he came to this world, even before the dragon. 
"To bad we could not go to the competition to." Spike sighed while he was carrying Twilight's and Fluttershy's bags. Nero himself was carrying the rest of them except Rarity's, they had horded them on a cart and hired a pony to get them to the tower. The rest of the bags did not fit on the cart. 
"Rarity really needs to learn what light packing is, just look at it! Filling a whole cart herself, I know that she is a lady and all but there must be a limit to how much you can pack for a weekend." He looked back at the brown pegasus stallion behind them and got an agreeing nod from him. "Last time I was taking a trip I hardly had a third of that and I did not need to wash my clothes once! And human's where clothes all the time." 
"And you no longer need to think about washing your clothes thanks to that stone Rarity gave you, those are rare you know." He was talking about the amethyst/sapphire mix of crystal that was used to make cleansing amulets they are supposedly expensive to get because that the stone was an anomaly and then the right mix of the stone was even rarer. 
"Never said that I'm not grateful towards her you know I only mentioned the bags she has. I know you like her and all but that's not a reason to throw a fit."
"Who told you that?!" The little dragon stopped dead in his tracks and stared at him.
"It was not to hard to find out you know. I might not been the best of charmers back where I come from but I'm not blind." He made a gesture with his head to make the dragon move and woke the small silver bird on his head, It chirped angrily at him. "Sorry." He said and the grumpy bird settled to sleep on his head again. "But why you are sleeping on my head I still don't understand." The dragon laughed at him and started walking again. 

"It's not that long now." the dragon said after a ten minute walk. I hope so I have already heard rumors about what I presume is me. on his way trough town he had heard numerous rumors about a gigantic Diamond dog clad in all black carrying bags made of pony hides and one where he presumably was a pony that lost his coat and walked on two legs and this was only two of them, some was really ridiculous. The only one that was somewhat correct was the one with a singing monkey that followed the dragon pet of Twilight Stars an Alicorn and student of the royal sisters. He thought this was partly true because well first of all his species was a type of ape, Twilight was the student of Celestia and he was humming but the rest was bulls***. They got closer to the richer ponies houses and it was not longer crowded in the streets like in the main city. In the outskirt of this part was a tower that they was closing in to. I lay only a few hundred meters from what Spike had called The school for gifted unicorns and where Twilight had studied most of her magic. 
"There it is the tower of the sun and moon, home sweet home." Spike pointed at the tower. 
"Is that whole tower Twilight's?" Was the only answer to that. 
"Yes it have belonged to Celestia's personal student for the last thousand years that was when Canterlot became to house the resident palace of Equestria. So far only three others ponies have lived there and that includes the servant of the first one." 
"That's nice and all but if Twilight lives for say three hundred years and Celestia gets another student will Twilight be forced to move or will the new student get another place to live?"
"Now that I can answer for sure, Twilight will still own the tower and live in it. There is a penthouse in the dorm for the unicorns staying further away from the academy and that will become the next students home in till the owner of the tower passes away or resigns their claim on it." So Twilight will own this tower forever then. He raised an eyebrow. 
"Alright then why are we standing here all day instead of going in?" While Spike had talked they had reached the door. For some reason the door was on the second or the third floor. Spike opened the door and walked an to leave his bags on the hall table. Nero desided to put the rest on the floor by it instead. 
"Next on the list get the bird of my head." He said this while picking up the small bird from his head while looking for a place for it to sit on. and settled for an unlit lamp. "You stay here while I go and help with the rest of the bags." 





When the others returned three hours later Nero was sitting in the couch with a pen in his hand and sketched something on the paper he had on a clip board listening to music playing in the room from his PB.i. The others became silent when they heard it, the music was sung in a language they could not understand but it was not the tongue that the dragon spoke and suddenly a line in Equestrian came. Are they going to stand there all day? 
"Did you six have fun?" He asked not looking to the ponies that had entered the room earlier while eating a emerald green grape and gave one to the small birds sitting on a ornamental twig that was on the table. Twilight was the first to break the silence.
"Yes we won and meet the princess then we looked around the town a little after that Joe treated us to donuts."
"That's good oh and before I forget Spike is planing dinner for tonight so don't go and plan to go and eat out.. That is so long that the princess didn't invite you all to dinner." He added while sketching on the paper, glancing to the ponies and then back to his work. The drawing was a collaboration of a tree and various creatures in black, hues of gray and of course white all of them detailed with extreme precision. Some was human and some was not, only three was ponies.
"This place is amazing! Twilight why have you not showed us this before?" Rarity's voice was littered with amazement. Maybe to not be seen as a showoff? This broke the trance of the others. 
"Yea Twi thi's here is really fancy." Applejack said. Twilight got a hue of pink in her face. 
"Well you know that I don't like to showoff." Twilight said ashamed. she only got giggles as a response. 
"What's you listening to? it's really beautiful even if I don't understand some of the words." Fluttershy said this quietly while scratching Pee Wee on the head. The others did not seem to have heard and so was surprised when Nero answered.
"Celtic Women, it's an old concert that they sung when my dad was in his teens. It helps me concentrate and makes me calm it's good even if it's old." On the phones screen was a woman singing together with a orchestra behind her. 
"Oh my is that humans? All of them? There is so many." The video had zoomed out over the audience. and this startled her apparently. He laughed quietly and let down his work in the table. 
"Yes and that is a small crowd to be fair. The play we had in the school play had more people in attendance. Roughly I think there was ten thousand there at the time, that on the screen however was only around five thousands."
"Five thousands that's more than it lives in most of the bigger towns in around here. How many humans are there in your world?" Twilight had not asked this question before and agreed with Rainbows question.
"I also want to know." She added. all of the ponies was staring at him except Pinkie that had mysteriously disappeared. 
"Around seven billion I think." Twilight fainted when she heard the number, the others just looked confused. while she fell Applejack caught her.  
"It's high enough for Twilight to faint and you don't even know it? I better not say the word Gogol before her." 
"How much is ah billion really?" Applejack asked. 
"hmm a one with nine zeros after." This time it was Rarity's time to faint. "Oh god I think I'm going to regret this." The others just stared at him. all of them was somewhat good with numbers. Nero covered half of his face with his palm, three of his fingers bent over his nose. This is going to be a long day! 

Two minutes later and the two ponies was on their legs. Twilight was stuttering something incomprehensible and Rarity sat quiet on the couch. Nero just sat there and scratched his pet on the head. 
"Around seven billion. That many? how is that even possible?" Twilight broke her mumbling. "The resources to maintain it all must be tremendous." Nero nodded.
"We human's have done much things both good and bad to be able to maintain our people. our farming is extremely advanced and manipulated and don't get me going on the hmm... Meat production. It's not really a pleasant topic in the least. We have driven most of our planet to the max but we are getting better at maintaining the planets welfare." Nero looked in the ground while he said all that. 
"Meat production?" Fluttershy asked. 
"Yes. My people eat meat, as I have said before we are omnivorous." He said this knowing that Fluttershy is an animal friend.  He also knew that she already had knowledge of this fact. 
"Well let's drop that dreadful topic it's sullying the mood. We are in Canterlot after all." Rarity had finally spoken. "And where did Pinkie go off to?" No one knew where she had gone but seeing that the only place in the tower that was secluded was the bedrooms, the observatory and the kitchen chances were high that she was in the kitchen with Spike. Right after the question was asked the small dragon came out with a trolley with tea and coffee on and the pink pony followed suit skipping. 
"That answers that don't ya think."  Applejack said. They all sat down by the table and had some while a new topic in form of the drawing Nero had been working on and a suitable name for the phoenix was discussed. 





Applejack was sitting on the balcony it had a great view of the land mostly forest and plains. Applejack had always had a knack for knowing how the earth around her was but lately this feeling had changed from a knack to a genuine feeling. The small feeling she had felt some days ago had been at the time of a smaller landslide in the outskirts on Everfree forest right where a lumber mill was located. five ponies had been in the area luckily no one was hurt. Now she felt that the land around Canterlot was calm and happy, why she felt happy for it was also a mystery to her. 
"A.J its time for dinner Spike have made a feast, he seems happy about getting to work in the tower again." Twilight was walking out on the balcony beside her and looked at the view to their right Canterlot castle was visible and Applejack noticed that she had fixed at one point on the castle. No doubt that it's the princess chambers. Well she is awe'fully happy to meet her tomorrow morning. Twilight turned to the door again.
"Common now dinnertime." She smiled happily and walked inside. Maybe a little to happy. Applejack smiled back and walked in to dinner. During dinner she noticed that Nero did not eat much of the dishes presented and when she asked he had simply said that he can't digest most flowers and other plants that are not seeds, roots and what his people considered vegetables or fruit. he was fine with spices when pinkie asked about it. When Applejack had mentioned the pie Nero had turned down the offer and Twilight said to not force him to eat it if he did not want to. The biggest discussion around the table was the ethics about eating eggs and drinking deary products. When she had given him a solid argument about the milk he accepted it but he pressed them harder on the topic of eggs. This was in time dropped to and other topics came to mind and idle chatter was spread among the eight of them. While dessert was being served this time Ice cream and Cinnamon, something that Nero wanted to eat and surprisingly it tasted like apple pie something she appreciated greatly for the lack of apples at the dinner table. After dinner Nero had gone out on the balcony still wearing that coat that Rarity had made him, he had talked to her about the heat changing qualities it had being pleasant enough to have on even indoors as well at night. And this pleased Rarity very much apparently she had worked hard to get the two spells to work in the cloth together. 
"Well it's soon time to hit the hay or what do you guys think." Applejack yawned. The others agreed on this but not before Rarity made a speech about them all needed a bath, an argument she won when Pinkie began to furiously scratch her ear.
"Then it's settled then Spike fill up the big tub. I think all of us can fit in there at the same time, It is after all as big as the spa tub in Ponyville." The others gaped while Spike only chuckled at the sight of them. 
"Alright then we all take a bath and then we can some other sleep over thing like a pillow fight." Applejack's idea was highly appreciated but not necessarily the pillow fight was on the mind of the others. After five minutes spike was back and the tub was filled and the others walked to the bath included Spike. All except Nero who was still on the balcony. When he noticed Applejack and Rarity behind him he only said. "Have fun in there." and gave them a quick wave.
"I don't think so you are coming in to Mr the tub can fit us all and so it will." Rarity used her magic to pull his ear much to Applejack's amusement. After that Rarity had shoved him into the bathroom or what they had been thinking was the bathroom anyway. "A dressing room how fabulous." Rarity said happily. 
"Why would ponies need a dressing room anyway it's not like you all wear clothes all the time." Nero added amused.
"It is a fancy pony thing don't worry about it." Applejack walked trough the room and put her hat and ribbons on a low shelf. Nero shook his head and got behind a dressing screen after that he picked up a sizable towel. It looked like he wanted it to be higher as from shoulders and up he was completely visible. Rarity walked past her on the way into the bath and Nero stepped out from behind the screen, wrapped by the towel from the hip down to his knees holding a bundle of clothes. With this Applejack also went into the bath. 





When Nero had folded his clothes he headed into the bath. surprised to only find Rainbow Dash in the room. "I thought that the others where in here and I know for certain that Applejack and Rarity just went in." Nero went over to the bath and helt on the temperature with a finger. 
"They are in there." Rainbow pointed at a blurry glass door. "Twilight suggested hooficures, I don't do that stuff." She added. Nero lowered himself into the bathtub. The Temperature was good but not as hot as he wanted it to. 
"Could be warmer." He sighed. "And one thing, I got dragged here by Rarity, but if you guys start to talk what i consider girl talk I'm out of here." he jabbed a thumb at the door. 
"No girl talk from me I promise." she crossed her heart. 
"You better. There is nothing worse than sitting in a hot tub or a sauna and having females talk about female problems. I don't know how it works here but I really don't want to sit here and listen to awkward conversations... No offence." 
"None taken I usually never go to places like spa's and stuff like that anyway. That is more Rarity's thing, she even go with Fluttershy once a week." Nero laughed a little inside and shook his head. 
"That's fine I know of people that can't take a shower at home because it might damage their hair or something like that. Silly if you ask me." This time Rainbow laughed. 
After a while the others came back all of them with manicured hoofs and one dragon with shiny claws. "Twilight i don't know why you wanted me to get my claws done to." The dragon whined while walking to the bath, dipping a claw in the water. "It's a little cold... For water." Nero answered this with a "Eeyup." That once again made Applejack giggle. the rest of the group felt on the water and thought it was a little chilly so Twilight used some magic to heat it. 
"Ohh" both of the occupants of the tub said in unison by the shock from the temperature change. 
"To hot?" she asked and the two of them once again said in unison "It's fine." And then they burst out in laughter. Pinkie laughed to and then said "I don't get it." 
"Pinkie it's really simple..." He was still laughing "But funny!" Dash added also laughing. The rest of the group one after another lowered them self into the big tub and to his surprise it was still room for more. Once again time passed in flash, Nero was standing on the balcony again looking out over the lands. He looked back inside and he knew that six ponies, a dragon and two birds where sleeping inside. He got his coat on again this time wings out and jumped. The night was young No one will miss me for a couple of hours. 





He was running, running as fast as his little hooves could carry him. It was faster, it still chased him just like it had chased him and his mother before,just like it had chased him and his mother and father before that. The small cloaked colt was running for his life and had been for the past ten minutes. He could see Canterlot between the leafs of the trees. The moon in the sky had a red tint on it. A shadow played in the moon light. A pegasus? Maybe it can help me! He screamed not a word but just a scream, he knew that the scream was going to make the monster comeback, he still screamed. The shadow shifted, the monster was soon behind him. He screamed again and everything faded to darkness. 
"Cocky bastard ain't ya" The young colt woke up by a tree root. standing tall over him was a pegasus with silver mane but he stood on his hind legs. "Not that big are ya, you cocky lizard." He mocked to the monster.
"Bigger than you ga'hrock." The monster said his voice young and cocky. 
"No need for such words you G'reckfelas!" The pegasus once again mocked the monster. It took a deep breath, the young colt closed his eyes and concentrated and the fire did not reach the pegasus. A thump was herd and the monster staggered backwards. Somehow the monster was bruised where the punch had connected. The front hoofs on the pegasi was lighting in magical energy but it was strange somehow. Pegasi can't use magic! mommy told me so. His mother had been a pegasus but had been crippled for the last ten years and so could not fly very good, that's was why the monster had gotten to her. "Mister how do you do that? Whit your hooves?" The colt stared at the pegasus it was hard to see in the dark the moons rays did not reach here. 
"Magic... I think." He answered the monster had a furious look on his face now. 
"Stupid ga'hrock!" It roared "Spoiling my fun! It took time to get it back here just to see it suffer!" It charged at the pegasus to swipe it. The pegasus side stepped the monster and got a grip on its wing and got a grip on it's wing and the monster charged gown into the ground. It gave him a kick and the pegasi was pushed hard into a tree, a small cracking noise was heard. Ouch! Is he hurting? The pegasus had not yet face to the colt but now it did and he saw that it was not a pegasus at all. "Ga'hrock!" The monster roared again while it got on its feet. 
"I'm just wondering if you can stop calling me monkey in Dragon its starting to annoy me. how many times is it now seven sense I landed." The other monster now said. The dragon lunged at him again and flew into the tree. "How old are you anyway kid? Not really mature going around hurting kids now is it." The nice monster said mockingly to the dragon.
"Sixty and i'm still young for that matter no more than a teenager in pony terms not that it says much to you ga'hrock!" The dragon snarled 
"Ohh sixty means you have gone trough one of four hibernation's that one on forty years so in reality you are not much younger than me. In your head that is!" The nice monster said bluntly. 
"How do you know that!" The dragon snarled while lunging at him again. 
"Easy Spike and Luna told me when I asked about dragons." He answered. The dragon snorted at the first name. 
"You mean that pansy purple pony lover for a dragon." The Dragon was staring at the other one now. The colt just sat there staring at them both. 
"Yes him. Small purple, green and has a phoenix as a pet." He answered. 
"I have unfinished affairs with that one. Now where is he!" The dragon roared once again. 
"I'm not telling you." The nice monster had more magic around his hands now and did a upward movement with one of its arms. A gust of air swept the dragon back making it fall over. The dragon eyes glowed and a rock lifted and shot against the other monster. The energy around the other one had changed to a aura of faint energy and he punched the rock shattering it on impact turning it to pebbles and dust that harmlessly fell to the ground. 
"Pfft please I have been experimenting with the elements for two nights now I don't think a pebble will hurt me." A small cyclone was forming around the startled dragon clearly a novice in the arts of magic. While the dragon was distracted with the magic the nice one closed in on it and gave it a punch straight in the jaw and once again the dragon fell to the ground.
"Ohh screw this I'm out off here!" The dragon took to the air and after it had cleared the treetops it shouted "I will get you for this!" The other monster called back. "Come back when you are an adult and can take your beating like one!" After this the monster turned around and walked slowly over to the colt. He could only stare at it. "Are you alright little one?" He squatted down by the colt frozen by fear. "I will not hurt you. Why did that dragon chase you anyway?" 
The colt started to shiver and sniffed in the air. I will not cry. I Will Not Cry! Then he cried. The taller being looked over at a clearing next to them. Head hung low when he said "Sorry bad question. Do you have anywhere to go?" The colt still cried while he shook his head. "It's alright to cry. I know for I to have done so for the same reason." The colt looked up at the creature it could not be a monster he was to nice for that. He lost his parents? The colt stopped crying and sniveled and sobbed, looking down in the ground he felt something picking him up. He did not care he only cried and darkness once again fell upon him. 

When he woke up again he was in a clearing. The clearing! Mother! The colt sat up in his makeshift bed made of the creatures coat. The creature was raising a small boulder like stone over by a patch of clear earth. The sun was starting to raise. The creature had a white piece of clothing on him and a bandage on his right arm. The colt made his way to him. 
"Ut mortuis requiem in pacem. Ego pro tua anima ad beatitudinem." The creature said before standing up before the grave. 
"What does that mean?" The colt asked, the creature looked down on him his face was sad. 
"Was it you parents in this clearing? The blue unicorn and the black pegasus with the white mane?" The colt nodded.
"They were dead, nothing I can do to help them, I'm sorry." The creature looked at the colt with sad eyes. 
"I know that dragon and his friends did it. When I ran away he chased me down he toyed with me I think. I thought that i was long away in till I saw the tree you bumped into." He said. 
"More then a bump if you ask me, dislocated my left wing that did. can't fly back to Canterlot now darn dragon should have more than that whopping for what he have done!" The creature was ice cold in his voice, he turned to the stone again.
"What was your parents names?" He asked.
"Mom's name is Lightning Charger and dad's name is Night Charger. My name is Eclipse. Whats yours?" The creature place an hand on the stone. "My name is Nero Lancer." He said while magic channeled trough the stone, it cracked and pebbles fell around it forming a square with inscriptions on it. the pebbles rolled around the base of the stone and formed a new base for it. It was simple but a nice grave. Nero stood up. "That's all i can do for your parents" He walked over to the makeshift bed, picked it up and put on his coat again. wings under and started to walk away. 
"Where are you going?!" Eclipse trotted over to Nero. "You can't just leave me here!" Eclipse did not want to be alone for as he had said he had nowhere to go. 
"Canterlot. I have friends staying there and I think I have worried them somewhat. You can come with me if you want to."  Nero said and muttered something about a blood stain. 
"but you are walking so fast!" Nero stopped when he heard this. looking at the small cloaked pony. He walked over to the pony and lifted him up and put him in his hood. " Sitting nicely?" He asked. Eclipse shifted around a little and then answered. "Yes" and he nodded. Nero nodded himself and set of towards Canterlot in a jog. 
"Tell me if I'm going the wrong way." He said to Eclipse. "Ok." Was all he got for an answer. "And before I forget what did you say by the grave?"  
"In order that the dead rest in peace. I pray your soul to happiness." 

"How long have you run already this is getting boring." Eclipse whined they had been silent for a while now and it bored him. 
"Around two hours now I think we will get there in another if we keep to this road. During the run they had talked about various things, mostly he asked and Nero answered and the other way around. apparently the blood stain had been from a wound in his flank that Eclipse did not notice he had and Nero had fixed it somehow but when he asked about healing magic he said that he did not use it for he did not know any. Eclipse tried to ask more about it but Nero said no more about it. They had agreed on not telling the others about the magic thing yet for Nero wished it to be a secret. 
"You are awfully chipper for some one that lost both his parents." Nero said out of the blue halfway up the mountain. 
"When granny died she said. Live in the now and not in the past to cling to the dead to hard is to lose yourself like you lost them remember but cherish don't mourn them for long. And so I don't need to worry about them mom and dad is gone and there is nothing I can do about it." He said still in the same happy tone. 
"Wise grandmother. And you are smart to how old are you anyway? I forgot to ask." Nero said
"Three this summer." Nero came to an halt. "Whoa that young?" The human was clearly startled he looked over his shoulder and on the small pony. "Granny died when I was two." He said. 
"How old was your grandmother anyway?" Nero asked he was now walking. "Around three hundred if I remember. dad was old when he meet mom, and moms family died when she was little." He said now not that happy anymore.
"Let's drop that topic it makes me gloomy." Nero added, he had gotten into a jog again. A big gilded chariot was speeding overhead. 
Around forty minutes later the gates to Canterlot loomed and Nero slowed down to a walk. When they approached the gate a guard flanked by two more trotted over to him. 
"Halt!" Nero came to a stop "shit" He mumbled. "Are you a Nero Lancer?" The guard asked. 
"Yes I am is there any problem?" Nero asked the guard. 
"A order for your immediate presence at the royal castle have been issued this night. We have orders to escort you there." The guard eyed Eclipse. "The young one who is he?" The guard asked after a moment. 
"His name is Eclipse and he is coming with me. or do you want to tell the princesses yourself that I refused to come?" Nero added sharply. The guards got big eyes. They had been instructed to bring him peacefully to the princesses and not to use force. Luna had told them about him being able to take on a dragon that no magic could not touch. 
"Yes of course he is welcome to, we have no orders not to bring anyone else. But we just got the notice that it's urgent so we must make haste." The guard behind the first one said. 
"This is fine mess I gotten into." Nero mumbled while they guards walked over to the city. Sorry that's my fault. 
"Its not that bad now is it?" Eclipse asked. "Not at all I'm just late to a meeting with the royal sisters. Very late." He added. 
> Dreams of change 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.




Chapter 6: Dreams of change.

By Nerom




Nero was storming down the main street together with the guards. He had put his wings outside of the coat shortly after they had entered the city almost trowing Eclipse off. They reached the palace in less then five minutes and was presented to the palace guards. There a new guard patrol had escorted him into it. They passed the main hall and into the hallways longer into the castle. Nero was fuming. Where the hell are they taking me? And if that guard told the truth I don't know what I will do. Nero was approached by a familiar sight. "NERO!" Luna's voice was booming, Nero, Eclipse and the guard all raised hands and hooves to their ears. "Sorry old habit you are needed in the sickbay now!... And those do look good on you." Luna continued she nodded to the guard and she fell back letting the princess show the way. 
"What's the matter Princess Luna?" He asked as seriously as he could without sounding arrogant.
"We do not know where to begin really." She said, she shook her head and continued. "Sometime after you left Canterlot tonight and urgent matter raised to our knowledge. We sent for the six and you but you where nowhere to be found. so a search of the city commenced. My sister and I informed them about the mission we needed them for and around an hour ago we got a letter by pegasi that they where on their way back and three of them needed imminent treatment for a predicament unknown." She paused. 
"What was the mission?" Nero asked still serious. 
"To investigate the tomb of Ra'liken. A griffon king of old. it was unearthed in a landslide yesterday. We sent scholars and some guards to the site. But one of the guard returned saying that all of the ponies going inside somehow fell under a spell that made them sleep. My sister thought it was a good idea to sent twilight and her friends, they are the elements of harmony after all." She said a hint of regret was in her voice.
"Let me guess it only made it worse." He stated. Luna nodded, they turned left and into a new buildning.
"When they got there all of the scientists had left the ruins except one and when they went to get him a roar of immense caliber was heard, according to Applejack and Fluttershy that is. As they went further into the grave is apparently got harder for Rarity and Rainbow Dash to keep up. and shortly after they found." She paused and swallowed. "The body of the scientist. The two of them collapsed and soon Pinkie Pie also fainted. They got out of the ruins thanks to Twilight but here is the urgency. Twilight cast a spell to keep her friends alive when she noticed that they where slipping onto the doors of death, but that spell is extremely craving and if she let's it go the three of them will die." She paused again. "And me or my sister can't take it's bounds the spell can't be passed over and if I or her were to give magical energy to Twilight Sparkle directly the link will be broken, as only one spirit bound of that caliber can be active at one time." She paused and breathed heavily after this. 
"So you wan't the ''Gift'' then? you know the consequences that comes with it." Nero was not happy in the least. Better than dead but I'm not happy about this at all. The first time I repaid Fluttershy and her friends. He sighed. The doors to a big hospital room opened. 

Inside the room was three beds with monitors by them. Standard medicinal equipment good. In the middle of the room sat Twilight in deep concentration her horn enveloped thickly with magical energy. 
"Luna good that you are here dear sister. Twilight can't hold this up for much longer." The white Alicorn had a deeply concerned expression. The other ponies in the room did not move a muscle to concerned with their friends. "And you must be Nero I heard you can help them, Luna have spoke highly of you." She gave him a royal look and then a startled one. "And who is that?" Eclipse had put his head on Nero's shoulder. 
"This is Eclipse he is one of the reasons why I was not here earlier that and a dislocated wing, Princess." he said less than formal. "Are you sure you want me to do this? Have Luna told you the Consequences?" Nero asked still in a informal tone it was sharp even. 
"She has and I'm ready to face them all in that matter even the three that came before." She said calmly, he could see that she was experienced in leading. 
"Four there are four more five if you count spikes bond to Twilight. But that is another matter. Who of them is weakest?" He said this time more calmly. 
"That would be Rainbow dash then Rarity and then lastly Pinkie." She had not finished the sentence before Nero had put down Eclipse and the coat on a chair and walked over to Rainbow. He sat down by her in the bed on her left side and picked her right hoof up with his right hand. A light enveloped it and her hoof, shortly there after it stopped. Nero stood and nodded. The princesses stood in awe still Luna had witnessed it before but this time is was much more controlled not as primal. He finished with Rarity and walked over to Pinkie Pie. Luna looked at Rainbow Dash, the pegasus had just a minute before looked gray and weak but now was already looking much better. 
"Fascinating." Said Celestia. "I will need to talk with this what did you call him.. Man that's it. Yes I will certainly do that." Celestia had not take her focus of the man for a moment. "Just look how well Rainbow Dash looks already and the strain on Twilight have lessen to." Luna only looked at her sister when she had said that. Celestia noticed that much while staring holes in his back said a lot about the alicorn. Nero stapled over to the chair with Eclipse on it he looked tired more so than after the dragon. He moved the colt and coat and put them in his lap. "..ur in one day is t. mu.h after all." He mumbled, he himself almost did not hear him. Celestia walked up to the man. "I need to speak to you." she said in a low voice somehow knowing how tierd them man was
"Go ahead I'm sure you have questions for me." He sounded tired. 
"I will but we will not talk like this." Celestia's horn glowed and lowered towards his head. 
"No..." He was to late and he fell asleep, his protest cut short. For a moment his eyes had been staring in fear.





Celestia found herself in a room made of the purest gold and silver mirroring the sun and moon. Blended in perfect harmony. She looked around spinning in a circle and after a full one she stopped Nero stood before her anger painted on his face, a weapon gleamed in his hand. 
"This is your fault all of it. This is not what i wanted not NOW!" Nero faded into mist. Celestia looked around her nothing but when she once again looked where Nero had stood now sat a alicorn and looked at her calmly. 
"What he said is true, Can you guess what this room is? Can you Celestia?" The alicorn tilted his head to the side and his mane shifted from brown to purple. 
"A dream of course that way we could talk undisturbed." The alicorn sighed and shook his head. 
"I thought better of you. This is not a ordinary dream my dear, this room represent the pattern when a person or pony is awake everyone has one. Every being capable of dreams have one. And I am not the one you want to talk to, for I am Nero's subconsciousness."
"But this room is both day and night how come? Should the room not be mostly day?" She said wondering. 
"Correct, it should. But! Nero is special in a way. He don't need sleep like others anymore he can of course sleep but last time he tried that he almost drew the sword. And now thanks to you he needs to do the tests of power and knowledge. This will not only affect us but also your student and her friends... Not to mention him." The alicorn said tilting his head to the other shoulder, his coat became white. 
"How will it affect them?" She simply asked. "I already know about the long lives thing and I have no problem with that." she added before the alicorn could answer the first question.
"Long indeed longer than most indeed. do you know how long? did your sister tell you that? Or was she reluctant to tell you because you should have refused it directly?" The alicorn righted his head and turned into Luna. "Or did I? I don't know."
"She never told my how long exactly no, but that don't matter for now. What about the other changes?" She asked the being in front of her started to annoy her with his riddles.
"Twilight will change and you knew that almost at the moment you saw her powers. You saw that she is destined to become an alicorn just like you. That or she burn herself out like a candle. This was confirmed when she got the element of magic. yes she told Nero about the elements and of Nightmare Moon and of course Discord. But this change will not happen for at least fifty more years right?" Luna said or the alicorn that looked and sounded like Luna anyway. Celestia nodded. 
"Wrong you are, after the gift this came to be twenty years and now, Now the change in all of them have already started. The elements will all change over time thanks to the gift. The test was only a measure to speed up the process and to think you will have six newly changed ponies to tangle with instead of one in twenty years." Luna's face became dead serious. "And Eclipse he had nothing to do with this change and you drew him into it. He was not part of it but he will be and only because you could not wait in till he was out of range for it, Nero did not even give it to him. I DID NOT NERO!" Luna screamed. "Poor fella natural born and everything and gets thrown into the mix of this whole mess thanks to you."
"What do you mean natural born? And why did he take the test if he did not want to!" Celestia had lost her calmness. 
"Did you not listen he was forced to by you here and now. or to be correct for two and a half hour ago. The first of the tests are soon over. I need to leave soon, he needs me." The alicorn had changed once again this time he was the same colors as Eclipse. "When they wake up they will need to eat. A LOT! And Celestia when he wakes up he will still be angry at you, make sure he vents that anger at something or you will not have a pleasant day that day or week for that matter. He will also need to eat of course." The adult Eclipse said. 
"When will he wake up? and they?" Celestia asked once again regained her calm self. 
"In a few days I think and for your student and her friends and Eclipse for that matter will be a week I think." The alicorn said now also calm. "And before I go. He knows everything you and I said here today." He started to fade. "If you try to return here again you will only find an empty room Princess but we will hear you." He bowed gracefully.
"Do not worry about your little friend he will be taken care of that I promise." She returned the gestured and faded.

Celestia woke up in the same room as the others was in eight beds was placed in it. She looked around and saw the elements in a bed each and the young colt was in one still wearing his tan cloak. She looked around and could not find Nero. Where is he? Luna sat and read a book by the window a small black device plugged into her ears. Celestia looked down when she felt a lump beside her. As she had only moved her head she had not noticed the human by her side. she was apparently hugging him with a for leg and her wing. The man had been partly undressed and completely naked from the waist and up. only his pants was on his legs. she had only seen nobleponys with pants before and that had been a dead trend for a time now. She carefully made it out of the bed and walked over to Luna. 
"That took much longer than usual." Luna said when Celestia reached her. Magic grasped one of the things in Luna's ear and it loosen from her ear. "What did you talk about? What happened? suddenly everypony was fine except you and Nero that was asleep and then suddenly every one collapsed. Even that sweet little colt." She said sadly, she had apparently taken a liking to the young pony. 
"I did something really stupid apparently. How long has I been out?" She answered. 
"It's time for lunch. We can have the guard outside get some if you want to dine here." Luna said raising from her seat. 
"No need we can dine in the dining hall dear, they will merely sleep for now. I will tell you what happened over lunch." Celestia said calmly. Her sister shook her head.
"Let's eat in privacy your or mine chambers will be the best place I believe." She walked to the room's door. Celestia was right behind her. 
"I believe your right Luna." The door closed behind her.





"This dreams go on for fucking EVER!" Nero had been running for what he felt like a month and while doing this fighting for his life and doing trivial tasks like light a candle, levitate a rock for a day and other things that annoyed him greatly. "I mean COMMON I have been at this already." Another troll like creature tried to bash his skull in. one up ward movement and the trolls skull was cleaved in two. He was tired of this place already, a light manifested before him. "Finally!" The light grew and he stepped into it. "The Final test of Power is imminent. Knowledge is the key!" Said a deep bellowing voice. Nero found himself trapped in a room, a single crystal was connected to a door. He looked around some more the tests had tried to trick him before seeing nothing out of the ordinary he taped the crystal and a small puncture wound appeared on his finger. The crystal shattered and the door swung open. The next room was littered with a dark mist on the floor. Nero knew that there was no floor under it and that his wings was useless in here. Well mostly he could glide on them he felt around the room with magic and found what he was looking for, a small crystal dead in its socket. He jolted it with his mind. Platforms raised out of the mist and to his usual luck a number of monsters crawled up for pitch black holes. "Just my luck and look I can't just smash them all." These monsters all had tactics to them making him use all of his knowledge he had gathered to defeat them all. "Better get to work then." He sighed. The room just have to be freaking enormous! And so he stepped onto the first platform to begin his menacing task. 





"Luna my dear stop worrying so much. He will wake up in a moment." Celestia and Luna sat in Nero's room. They had been forced to separate the unconscious ponies and man for their own safety. All of them except Eclipse had begun to emit strange phenomenon in their sleep. Twilight had emitted herself into a magical cocoon making her barely visible. Pinkie Pie had made everypony going near her to giggle of cry or basically act on their emotions and strangely making no one able to get a clear look at her. Applejack had been mysteriously surrounded by earth and stones levitated around her forming yet a shield that made the pony barely visible. Rainbow Dash had a storm cloud surrounding her and Fluttershy had plants growing all over her bed. all attempts to remove the shields had failed. Rarity's had been the most confusing at first. It was just a cover like a four corner bed but when somepony tried so remove it they was cleaned and pushed back from the covers. 
"It's been three days sense the strange phenomenons began Tia. and now Nero's just stopped and he is sprawled on his bed like he is sleeping like a log." The man snorted when he heard his name, one wing stretched and loosely fell over the edge of the bed and touched the floor. The orbs of energy that had surrounded the human had disappeared earlier this morning. "Do you think he will wake up soon Tia?" Luna asked her sister she had been worried about the human most of the time. Celestia nodded.
"I think so Lu I think so." The man snorted again when she talked and rubbed his eye. 
"Finally... Freaking tests and then make me rest after them." The human mumbled almost unheard by the two alicorn's no normal pony would have heard it. He heaved up on his arms and stretched hes back a loud cracking was heard. "Ahh that's better." He stretched his wings and turned around in bed looking down and rolling his shoulder. 
"Good morning." Luna said, he looked up and threw her a smile then he saw Celestia and the smile disappeared from his face. "You have been sleeping for almost four days." He nodded and a cart was rolled into the room by magic by Celestia. 
"I bet your hungry. We have some griffon cuisine I think you will like." Celestia said when she rolled the cart over to the bed. Nero's stomach growled. one of the lids lifted from the plates. Nero's face lit up. After eating nothing but cake and pony food for a while, Celestia thought that he was going to lighten up a bit but this was a little much. The human had tears in his eyes.
"Does it please you?" She asked. 
"Does it. YES!" He grabbed a fork and twirled it between his fingers and got a plate, he grinned. he stopped before eating and looked up at Celestia. "Thank you Princess." Then he ate. After a few plates of food he slowed down the eating. "Is it really that fun to see me eat?" He picked up a pitcher and drank from it. "Excuse my manners but I'm high maintenance right now." He finished of his forth plate and got to the salad. 
"You told me that he said that he needed much food but this is kinda umm." Luna started.
"I know. I just hope there is enough, the chefs don't like to make this sort of food." Celestia said in a low voice to her sister. "Was he like this when you dined with him?" She asked her.
"Not at all. He must be really hungry." she answered. Nero sighed after he finished the last plate. 
"That was good. Now how are the others? they are shielded somehow yes?" He asked and looked like he was trying to keep something in. Celestia and Luna nodded.
"Need to burp don't ya?" She asked the human. He nodded while patting his chest. "How about this we use a sound blocker and you can do your thing." He nodded again at the idea and when Celestia's horn glowed and magic blocked their ears he opened his mouth and burped into a napkin that he found on the cart. The magic faded from their ears. 
"Where are my clothes, I feel kinda naked. only wearing pants... Scratch that I need a bath of a shower before that." He made a disgusted grimace. 
"I sent Spike to get your things he though that you needed. And also Aviadria he mentioned, Is that you phoenix he called it?" Celestia said. "He should be back by now." And like a signal had been sounded the baby dragon was walking into the room carrying his clothing and a silver bird has on his head with a pendant in its beak. The bird flew over to Nero and dropped the medallion in his lap. 
"That one will come in handy." He picked up the medallion and added some of his own magic and cleaned himself in a magical flame. "Very handy indeed." He added, he laughed a little and then put the medallion on. The rest of the clothing soon followed. 





"Now the others won't wake up for awhile or to be exact three days." Nero said he looked out the window while adjusting his arm guard he also had his old jacket on. 
"That's good news right? Right?!" The dragon said his voice was sounding distressed. 
"More or less. The six of them will be a little confused at the beginning that's all. I'm pretty sure their families will be a little distressed." Nero turned to the others in the room. "Celestia I want a chariot to the grave site. It's to dangerous to leave something that can suck the life out of ponies in the open." Might tell her about that dragon to. He thought. 
"We sealed of the grave shortly after I talked to you, me or Luna are the only ones that can open it... But you are right the magic in that place is seeping out of every crack in that tomb. And I know that you still are angry at me for what happened." Celestia nodded to her own comment. "A chariot will be at your command. Luna do you want to go? I feel bad about leaving the castle with them still in this state and royal duties can't wait ether." She was concerned he could see that. He was still angry, in fact he wanted to punch something at least this would give him a vent for that anger. He nodded as an answer. "Alright. Lets do it!" Spike said Nero looked at the dragon.
"I'm sorry spike but you can't come... into the tomb anyway. We can't risk your life for that." The dragons mood soured but he nodded.
"Alright then but I'm still going with to it even if I can't go inside. I can always keep Avia company." He muttered. Nero nodded and headed for the door. "That means that i can't go inside ether right." Luna asked when he passed. "No I go inside alone." 

When they reached the castle courtyard a black chariot drawn by two pegasi with bat wing was presented. "Flashy don't you think?" He said to Luna, then added. "Fitting but flashy." 
"Something wrong with flashy?" Luna said smugly bumping him as he got on.
"No nothing wrong with it." She got one his smiles again, he could not help smiling while near these creatures. The chariot took of when the three of them was on. 
"So when did you learn to control magic?" Luna asked skeptically to him. 
"Hmmm. To be fair I think it began shortly after the things with Talimara. I noticed it myself um.. six days ago now? or is it seven? Anyway it began small, I noticed magical energies in my fingertips when I was twirling my thumbs." He wiggled his fingers at them. "So I tried to make a pebble move and it worked after some concentration. I trained it by night time as I don't need to sleep much. After Celestia made me sleep however i was thrown into some dream world and was forced to learn more about magic and other things... I still have much to learn but I think I know whats down in that tomb and if I'm right it won't be any problem." He said wind rustling his hair. I hope I'm right anyway. 
"Then what do you think it is." Luna said calmly. She had her hunches to and some of them was not pleasant. 
He scratched his head a little and looked down grinning. "It might be a lacrima or it might be a Lich. But there must be something that keeps the spell in place. Now if is a lacrima this will be a dance on roses but if it is a lich then it won't. Ether way I know how to handle both... I hope."
"You hope. I also had the idea about a lich but those have not been around for at least two thousand years and that grave is five hundred yeas to late for a lich to be hiding in it." She said confident.
"Ahh is see but something like that it is anyway who knows there might be an old enchantment from something to resurrect the king. best case senario is the lacrima anyway. My only wish is that there are no undead's roming that tomb. And yes I know that it sounds silly." He looked down to Spike that was holding in a laugh with a clawed hand. 
"There is a possibility of that yes." Luna added and Spike suddenly did not need to silence himself. Nero nodded. As I thought then. 
The rest of the trip Luna, Spike and Nero was talking other things and the occasional laugh was present. They closed in on a forest and descended to a lower altitude, circling a hill and landed by a dig site mostly abandoned. Only three ponies was present at it before they landed. Two of them was unicorn guards and the last one was wearing a lab coat. Nero presumed that he was a scientist or an archaeologist, he was wrong. 
"Nero this is Magnet Signet, professor and expert in the art of magical seals and enchantments." Luna presented the professor. He trotted over to them and bowed before the princess. 
"Your majesty what owes us this visit." He raised from his bow. Nero more or less ignored him. He walked past the Pony and looked at the magical seal that lingered before the opening. "As you can see the seal is intact and of course unbreakable save from yourself and Princess Celestia." The professor said in a loud voice while he slowly walked up to the human. Nero looked at the seal and then at the professor and smiled smugly. 
"Not really it can be broken by others if they know that they are doing." He looked back at the slowly turning circles of magical seals. The professor snorted
"I'm a Professional at seals I think I know a Swirlseal with a Magical identification enchantment on it when I see.." The professors sentence was cut slightly before Nero had planed it. For the seal shattered and dissipated when Nero touched the seal with his finger. The Professor stared at him and then looked back at Luna only to see her speechless he stared at the human yaw dropped.
"To be fair I have seen better it had been sloppy made. Did you make it Luna? or was it Celestia?" He scratched himself behind his ear and looked back at the Professor and Luna. 
"I did that seal and it was perfect nothing except the princesses could have opened it! IT WAS PERFECT!" The professor blurted out. 
"Still sloppy I say. The magical identification was wrongly place and could be bypassed. It could even be forced open without magic. I only took some residue from the Identification and fed it though it and woop it was open." The professor only stared at him. And I did open seals like this at least five times during the tests. Nero walked to the maw of the tomb. "This should not take to long." After that he walked in and a baby blue seal on his own covered the opening, it was simple but very effective. Professor Magnet was never able to replicate it or unlock it. 

The insides of the tomb was like an old cave but markings and prof of work still lingered on the stone. The hallway tilted down and he could see that it was a old stair. He heard something move ahead. If I did not know better i would have thought that it was a rat or something. He lit a orb of energy for light, he was now glad for one thing that Celestia had forced on him. A lamp hanged from a new and bright big nail that was hammered into the wall, he put a flame in it. It was always a good idea to have a guide back of some sort. He walked to the right and stopped dead in his track. Oh I fucking knew it! Before him stood the old bones and some hide and feathers of an griffin. The corpse tilted its head and its jaw snapped. It's head shattered as Nero had crushed it skull with magic. The rattling of bone echoed trough the tomb, then it rose again. Nero backed a step and used his light orb to burn the bones in light from within it and is slumped to the ground rattling again. "Okay sun based magic it is then." He had learned two things about magic in Equestria, first: Magic comes in three forms. elemental, sun and moon magic. easily translated to Light and Dark but they had no necessarily evil or good side. light magic could be just as sinister as dark. He was of course not limited to these three aspects of magic as he had some more to his arsenal, that he had already used before. And secondly: If you knew the spell and how it worked you did not need an incantation. This he had learned by looking at Twilight when she levitated objects with ease and no spell at all. While Rarity had strung a spell together, this was done with incredible speed and precision and taken awhile to notice he only did it when she had pulled his ear and opened a door at the same time. The next undead was a pony the corpse looked like a mummy of sorts but the clothes was newer much never. It wore a prospectors belt that had new but now dusty tools on and a hat much like the one Applejack wore. he tried to burn it with light magic this time directly but it did nothing. He poured shadow magic into the creature instead and it fell to the ground dead as a mummy. Is it.. great. Nero smiled this would be easier now. After two more skeletons of griffins he reached a room filled with one valuable pottery and gems. The gems would have been useful if they were not dead. Gems in Equestria was made mostly of magic bound to the earth and so new gems grew overtime in the ground. Spike and Rarity had been most talkative about this subject. The magical binds in these gems however was more or less dead, drained of their magic and so the rocks was just like old glass pretty to look at but very fragile. All except one in the room. It shined and radiated traces of both sun and moon magic. "Bingo." He said that to soon. A shadow moved behind him.  
> Dragon Trials.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.




Chapter 7: Dragon Trials.

By Nerom



Nero Took a step longer into the chamber moving slowly to the lacrima crystal's pedestal. Only a click of talons against the stone warned him and he did a roll to this left and rolled further into the room. A swipe of razor sharp talons missed him barely. "Oh.." He gagged when he saw the griffin. only some part of it had flesh on its body and where it had it was oozing with a slimy substance. It reeked of magic from it. He suddenly noticed the lining of the dead gem. It was a battery and it was using the others as ones to... And now its using me as a power source! SHIT! The only way to deal with this creature now when he was in this room or for in fact the entire tomb was to get to that lacrima. The griffon kings corpse had moved itself to between him and the crystal. Fuck I need to touch it to destroy it! The menacing corpse had a crown or maybe a tiara on its head. At least I hope that this is the King. If this was not the king and only another servant he was not going to have an almost indestructible griffon corpse on his neck but two. He drew the rapier, he had to use it. He noticed the text made some sense now but he dismissed it, other things was at the center of attention here. as he had drawn the weapon the griffon lunged at him. He pushed the beast back with a blast of telekinesis and threw the sword, Running at the lacrima Stupid big room! Stupid one shot move! The corpse was nailed to the wall by the sword. Well he had aimed with magic after all. The griffon pushed up on the sword with tremendous force and split its own skull in the process. At the same time Nero reached the crystal and jammed a index finger on it. The small peck of blood he expected did not come instead his whole finger exploded into a fine red mist. The crystal shattered to. The magical hum from it disappeared, Nero felt a small force on a his head. It hurt a little but not as much as his finger, he was at the verge of crying, tears forming in his eyes. He channeled magic into the wound and it felt like somethings was pulling on his nerves out of the finger. When the tickling subdued he opened an eye. The finger that had been regenerated was not a new finger but his old, no scar around the base where the index finger had been severed and the old small scar that he had partly below the left part of his nail was present. When he made his hand into a fist the finger tingled a little like when a leg or an arm was asleep. He repeated the motion a few times until it felt like normal. He stared at his fist for a moment and kissed his finger. With the lacrima destroyed the griffon had not stood up after it's self inflicted damage. Nero got up, there was no use in laying around in the dirt all day. He felt on his head and found the griffon kings crown. It was a exquisite piece of art but it was this that had made him wonder. When he healed his finger he had apparently also used magic to fix the crown. He could only see the crown in a big black gem acting like a mirror in the light from his little orb of light. Stupid crown how the hell does it tangle with my hair! He could not remove the crown without pulling out his hair in the process. "Fuck that I might be able to regenerate limbs but I'm not hurting myself over this thing! better just ask Spike or maybe Luna to help me get it out." He got his rapier from the floor where it had fallen and made his way out of the tomb. 

Nero had let go of the magical light and had picked up the lantern that still was burning with a light blue flame. making his way to the exit he felt the ward he put on the exit. Showy? Yes a little but it was an necessarily so the draining magic did not affect the ponies outside. When he came close to the seal it dissolved like it's magical commands had been written to do. 
"That was quick found anything funny? Like gems?" The little dragon was on him and Avia decided that it was time to sit on Nero's head instead and to her despise she found the crown. The bird landed on his shoulder instead with a grumpy expression, how a bird can do that he did not know but she did. A loud. "Twii!" Came from the bird.
"Sorry but it's stuck in my hair and I don't want to rip it out." Nero said apologetic to the bird. 
"Not stuck, Magic." Luna had stop the conversation with professor Magnet and walked over to them. "You did not have to lock us out now did you? What was that seal anyway? I have never seen anything like it. Programming a seal only to open when you are close enough, clever." 
"I locked the tomb for everypony's safety. Draining spell and all, also Magic? How will I get this off my head then?!" He pointed at his head. Luna chuckled. Well it is a little humorous, a guy with a crown looking like a freaking spiderweb of gold and silver... or is it a Tiara! He hoped not.
"That is a crown made of gold and platinum rare metal that one, any way the king buried here had a crown of war. Or to be correct. The Crown of Milito. An old crown that chooses it's bearer and only leaves the head of it's master when. First:  this is when the former master is bested in combat or when the master dies. Now Gilloner the king that was the crown's last owner, somehow got the crown to stay on his head even after death, we do not know how but he did it. Secondly: accept the yourself as the crowns master and it should be able to take of. there is umm rules to this. Mine and Celestia's are similar " Luna explained, Nero plucked of the crown of his head. 
"That was easy." He said. He held the crown in his right hand inspecting it. It was a marvel of spiderwebs made of gold an platinum. it looked like it had thorns on it placed to look menacing but still elegant and simple. There was an diamond in bedded into the web.  
"Ahem. There is rules to the crown. Don't decide not to wear it and don't leave it off for more than few days or it will teleport onto your head again. This will also happen when or if you try to throw it away." She added looking at him through narrow eyes. 
"Good to know." He placed the crown on his head but this time it looked like it was growing out of his hair instead of being tangled. He did not sound reassured but was happy that at least it was removable. "Well our job is done here should we return to Canterlot?" He asked and looked around, he could not see the chariot drivers.
"We will when the pegasi return, they went to ponyville to get lunch just after you went into the tomb. They should be back soon." Luna said and added. "If you don't want to fly there it will only take us an 20 minutes or so and waiting on the guard will take more. or I could teleport us there. Me and Celestia have a room in the castle for long range teleportation." 
Nero thought about it for a moment. "I rather fly there." I did fly longer when I found Eclipse. "I have not taken to the sky sense the night you and Celestia called on the Elements of harmony." He stretched his wings, Spike opened his mouth. 
"Sorry to burst you bubble but I can't fly, how will I come back to Canterlot?" That was a stupid question both Nero and Luna could agree on that.
"Take the chariot? Or what do you think Luna?" He asked.
"I could always teleport him to the palace." She answered. Spike nodded at this idea. 
"Yea I like that idea better." Spike said and nodded again, Nero placed the phoenix on Spikes head again. 
"And you better go with him." The bird chirped angrily. "And can you fly as fast as a pegasus?" The bird lowered its head. "I thought so." 
Luna began her spell and with a flash the dragon and bird was gone. "One bird and dragon ordered and delivered." She said. 
"I did not know that you made jokes like that." He chuckled a little. 
"Not a year ago I did not but I learned to have fun when I can. It really helps. Should we?" Luna pointed a wing at the sky in a manner like he uses hes hands. 
"Indeed we should." Wonder if the crown will stay on if I make a aileron roll

While they flew Luna explained more about the crown, The Crown of Milito was forged from a dragon warlord's horn ornament. He had sworn to protect the inhabitants of his lands, when he fell in battle the ornament strangely had appeared in front of the one slaying him days later. This warrior soon became the sworn protectors of the king of griffins. Later on this crown was conquered by ponykind and later on the griffon know as Gilloner got possesion over it. The one thing that the masters of the crown had in common was that they had all been strong tacticians and even greater in battle, they all uphold justice and protected the royal families of their lands. All except Gillioner that was the first king to posses it. This was the useful information about the crown Nero got from the trip. The rest of it they once again talked about other things, mostly about a hobby they both liked. Painting, drawing and art. Even about politics in Equestria. 
"So there are two kinds of diamond dog. good to know. Whats the difference?" Nero asked, apparently the dogs lived in tribes and smaller towns. 
"The Diamond dogs are a collected name of them, there is those who call them self Gahul and then there are the ones that call them self Diamond dogs. The difference is that Gahuls are smarter, have the ability of magic and are much more sophisticated. So one kind is morons and the others are not then. "Lets land on the courtyard it looks like we have guards welcoming us." Why do I get a bad feeling of this. They landed, Luna much more gracefully than Nero who almost tripped on a cobblestone. 
"Milady. Your sister awaits you in the throne room, a dragon is issuing a duel of rights." The guard said 
"And why does this concern me?" Luna asked the guard her chipper mood seemed to have soured a little. 
"The incident happened during the night Princess." The guard sounded distressed and frankly scared. 
"Well that changes things. Nero do you wish to go back to your room or come with? She asked. 
"If it is a dragon and it happened by night time I might know something about it." He said "I will go with you."
"You might know something about it?" Luna asked. Shit I said that out loud!
"It might involve the dragon that attacked me some nights ago." The answer came quick and Luna seemed to accept it. She nodded and walked over to the rest of the escort. Nero was right behind her. I will need to explain things now. Damn I wanted to wait in till Eclipse woke up.
They arrived at the throne room though the front door making a apparently dramatic entry for ponies in the room gasped loudly at the sight. In the middle of the hall sat a big red unicorn and by his side a smaller reddish unicorn. They was different somehow. then is hit him they where looking at them with catlike eyes and the horns was jagged. Must be dragon magic. Luna and Nero walked past them and up the stairs to where Celestia and Spike was. 
"We was told by Spike here that you was coming this way and so we stalled the court a bit." Celestia told them in a low voice. Luna nodded. "Lets begin then." She said in a strong voice that echoed out over the hall. The Dragon pony gave them a deep nod. 
"Five nights ago my brother here." The older one said and pointed a hoof. "Came to me after a hunt. When I asked him about the game, for his friends had mentioned that they fell two. He became silent and said that it was none. But as his brother I could see that he was trying to pull my tail so I of course pressed him to tell the truth. The two he fell by his own claws where of ponykind." Most in the room gasped. "I took him to the council and they decided to let me come here with him, as slaying ponies are against our treaties. My brother here mentioned what I only can see as a Gor'losha. There is only one aspect that I see that not fits. For they have been dead for a long time, Extinct. The dragons was partly involved in this. Yet here one stands with only one difference. You have wings." He bored his eyes in Nero's. "Now I see that my brother speak truth and must issue a duel of rights." The dragon went silent.
Celestia was the one to speak. "This is the first time I have heard of the Gor'losha, for how long have they been dead?"
"At least the last two and a half thousands years. Your majesty." The dragon answered. Celestia looked at Nero that now looked at the dragon pony or more or less stared. "I ask you Gor'losha. Is this as my brother has confessed true did you meet him in that forest?" The dragon continued. 
"Yes I did meet a dragon in a forest some nights ago and there was two dead in a clearing just next to the place I meet him." The little one stared angrily at Nero. "And I'm not a Gor'losha. I am a human. If I did not intervene at that clearing when I did a third victim was sure to be dead by now." Nero said also in a high voice." The dragon nodded. 
"I have not heard the term Human before where do your people live now? Dragons have not seen your kind for a long time. you have to excuse me for going off topic." The dragon said. 
"I see that it can be relevant in some ways as I'm the one that stopped your brothers little." Nero coughed in his hand then said. "Fun. And for one other matter what is this duel you speak of?" He added.
The dragon looked at the princesses and got a nod from Luna. "The duel is between pony and dragon ten ponies against one dragon to be precise. The duels are non lethal mostly. The winner gets to decide the trialed's fate." 
"And you are doing this for your brother so the punishment would not be as severe?" Nero asked. 
"In one way yes. Our punishment is strong and effective but not the same." Nero looked over at Luna and Celestia. they both gave him a glance somehow it told him to continue.
"Tell me about the rules in this duel. as I don't know these." After a confirming nod from Celestia the dragon spoke again. 
"As stated ten ponies will be in the duel, less if requested. To the minimum of the one prosecuting the crime. That for this matter seems to be you as you here are the only one witnessing the crime scene. Everything goes in the duel even killing your opponent." Fine then I'll fight you. "In this case however I ask that if I lose that your punishment will go to me and not my brother, He will of course be punished by the council in Wyrmwroth. That is out closest meeting place and the seat of the eastern council members."
Nero had closed his eyes and thought after a moment he leaned over to Luna and whispered. "I wish to see to his punishment if this duel is won." She looked at him and blinked two times then turned to Celestia and had a low discussion with her. 
"Very well Nero I can grant that as long as you don't kill him." Celestia said nodding. 
"Thank you princess." He turned to the dragon and began to take slow steps down the stairs. "If you lose you will be punished by me. Now you seems like a intelligent individual so I will not announce a punishment now but take that part after the duel. It will be just you and me. does that seem fair?" Nero had reached to bottom of the stairs. The dragon tilted his head. 
"Yes this seems fair. If I win you had not said nor done something that will tarnish anyone's pride. I accept." The dragon nodded to himself. 
"It's settled then. The dragon trials will be held at the fields in one hour." Celestia stated before she nodded to the hall. "Dismissed, I have matters to discus with my sister and Nero that will take our side in this." The nobles and politicians in the hall began to move to the door, the dragon where the first to leave. 

When most had left Celestia waked and made a gesture for them to follow. when they reached the next hall she said. "Well now we know some of what happened on that night, care to explain the rest?" 
"Yes that is more than reasonable." He explained the whole story to Celestia, Luna and Spike. They all looked dreaded by the revelations. "and that's when we returned. That's all. Except one thing but I will not break a promise to Eclipse." He finished his explanation. 
"Will you be able to beat this dragon? alone?" Luna asked him. she was clearly angry at the young dragon that had murdered and in the process spoiled her beautiful night. 
"I think so yes something in the back of my head tells me how to best beat it right now to be fair. It won't be as easy as the tomb but its more than plausible to do." He answered. 
"Good to see that the crown already have gotten to work." Luna said nodding, happy that he had gotten it earlier.
"Yes I have been meaning to ask if that is the Crown of Milito. but this confirms it then?" Celestia asked.
"Indeed sister it is." Luna eyed the crown. Great it feeds me information now to?





The hour was up and Nero stood on a field in front of the red dragon that now had taken on his true form, he was truly huge compared to her small friend. Oh dear I hope that he don't go and dies because of this.
"You look worried Luna, don't you think he is up to the task? We can always call it of. " Celestia said her and gave her a gentle nuzzle. 
"No I believe that he will be angry if we do. He did not like to tell us what happened to Eclipse. Calling this off will only sour what he thinks of you to sister." She still sounded concerned, Celestia nodded stood up and amplified her voice. 
"The duel will commence!" And she sat down again. It had been a hundred years sense the last dragon trial. Dragons was normally only seen fighting ponies in the Sun and moon tournament held every three years, none lethal of course. The two bodies moved, the dragon swiped at the human who nimbly evaded and a sliver flash was seen and the dragon retracted its leg. Its eyes glowed with magic and the land around them erupted shooting rocks and earth into the air. Nero was nowhere to be seen. A wheel of flame came up with the last of the earth barely missing the dragon. Nero's magic was surely impressive for many. "Manipulating the elements like that it's like he has years of training." She said low. Luna heard her.
"He was in that dream for almost a year on his part but he don't remember much of the things that was not training or magic." Luna said she was almost as into the battle as Nero it seemed she had not taken her eyes of it sense it began.
"I wonder." she mumbled, Luna ignored it. Celestia's horned flashed briefly and she spied on Nero's thoughts for a moment. Damn! Damn! Damn! My body can't keep up as I want it to, well I have other thing up my sleeve. She broke the spell. Nero had taken of his coat before the battle and you could see where the dragon that just had spewed fire at him had hit. Parts of his shirt was singed by the fire. Nero did a flowing movement with his hand and water sprung from the earth and hit the dragon like a harpoon piercing the right wing. Luna and Celestia knew that the battle was far from over. 
The battle between dragon and man had raged for over ten minutes now. both the dragon and the man was clearly tired to some degree. Nero had just taken of a bandage from his arm and hung on the dragons head tying it firmly. The piece of cloth must be enchanted somehow or it would had snapped already. The dragon tried to use magic again but Nero canceled it out, something that they had been at for sometime now. No magic had been seen on the field for the last six minutes or so but that did not mean that they did not try it. Magic had been somehow both of them's turf as the two of them was mostly unable to get a good strike in. The dragon swiped at him and missed as Nero deliberate fell of the dragons head. and cut it in the neck and by the base of the for leg but just narrowly. The dragon would not feel it in the morning. The dragon hit Nero with the backside of his other clawed hand. As Nero got up from the blow the dragon was chanting a spell. A great flash erupted from the dragon just as Nero charged at it. When the flash was over there was no longer a dragon on the field but Nero was sitting on something his sword was sticking out of its chest and his fist was in the by the creatures head. He was kicked off it and grabbed the sword in the process. The dragon roared but not as loudly as it used to, when it stood up it had a more human form than pony. Many from the on looking crowd gasped. The creature was a reddish human with short mane and instead of eyebrows it had two small rows of horns and two bigger under the eyes pointing to the sides. On its chin it had a similar cluster of horns pointing down and its head was adorned by two big but slender curved horns that formed a wave on the sides of its head. Draconic wings adorned his back. A wound poured blood from its chest. The dragon lunged at Nero again and the battle continued like before all attempts of magic was canceled out and the advantage of a weapon was not much for Nero but the wound on the dragon was. Nero dodged the dragons forth charge and pulled the bandage that now was around the dragons neck and it was yet again to the ground and Nero dropped in a fall and put his elbow in the dragons head and when he rose the dragon did not follow. Nero backed and sat down on a boulder next to them. Magical energy raised from his hands and he healed the cuts and burns he had gotten and then redirected the energy to the dragon. Celestia rose from her seat. 
"This duel is concluded. The winner is Nero." When she had said this she looked at her sister, she was looking back at her. Luna rose from her own seat and walked down the small stairs to the royal seats and trough the short tunnel to the field. 
Nero was talking to the dragon. They conversed in a low voices and stopped when Luna came over to them.
"Agreed?" Was the only thing she heard Nero say, the dragon grabbed Nero's hand in his from where he laid. 
"Deal. This will be interes.." The dragons voice died out and he fell unconscious, Nero had done likewise. Luna ran the last bit to catch the falling human.  





Nero looked at the ceiling. His head was sluggish, his body more so and something pressed down on his abdomen. Can someone please kill me? Ahh my head. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, at least the headache was clearing away.
"That took you long enough." Luna was standing by the window looking out into the night. "You know the others are starting to wake up to as you can notice." She said still looking out the window. This drew his attention to weight on him, a sleeping Eclipse was snuggling up to him. 
"How long?" Last time I battle a dragon of that caliber.
"Soon three days. Only Eclipse here and Twilight is up yet tho. The others are just starting to show the signs of waking." She still looked out the window and giggled a little. Whats so funny about the window? it's only a courtyard there.  Then he noticed that he had been moved and was not in fact in the same room as when he awoke in the sickbay. Similar but not exactly the same.
"Great. how did she take it?" Pissed at me i'm sure.
"Pretty good to be fair Especially after that Celestia told her that it would happen anyway in time... And another thing." She giggled again. 
"You look happy tonight." And it's starting to creep me out a little. "Something special happened?"
"Maybe. We are not sure but it looks that way. Cely was so shy when she talked to me about it." She was absolutely giddy now and smiled widely. Nero carefully removed the sleeping colt from him and slumped over to the window. It overlooked the royal gardens and in the distance he saw two ponies walking almost hip against hip, one was considerably larger than the other but not the size of Celestia compared to Twilight. He looked around a little more and found nothing more that looked like ponies. The two unicorns walked closer to the light from a lantern and one of them flared a wing. No Fucking Way! And now he could see the faint colors of them in the light. 
"I had no idea, I knew that she talked fondly about her but this?" He blurted as Celestia and Twilight seated them self under a tree and shared a quick kiss. And then he noticed the extra beautiful night. "And you are pushing things in the right directions ain't ya." He nudged Luna's neck lightly the movement was still hard to do. 
"We do not know what thou is speaking about." She looked at him and had a small blush on her face and quickly faced the window. "Cely has been speaking fondly about her to so we had our suspicions. But it went better than expected for a first date don't you think?" He noticed the change in speech pattern.
"And you are nervous about it? should not she be the one that does that?" He leaned against the window frame, he was tiered again.  
"Ever since Twilight Sparkle moved to Ponyville Cely has been lonely to some degree and it only became worse overtime. This week made her decide on what to do... After she talked to me that is." She talked in a fond voice chiming like gentle bells. Luna was more relaxed now when she had seen that her sisters dilemma was over. "That mark on your arm is that?" 
"Yes it's prof of what I have become. Funny thing is that I can move it around and even make it fade. The others have yet to see it."
Luna and Nero was looking out from the window and small talked for most of the night, observing the two ponies outside while doing so. When Nero's stomach growled loudly he noticed that he was no longer leaning solely against the wall next to the window.
"I go and order up some food for you. Rest in the meantime." Her voice chimed once again, gave him a smile and she was swinging her hips when she walked out of the room looking as regal and gracious as possible. Is she trying to seduce me? He tried not to stare. It's flattering and mildly disturbing at the same time. When she cleared out of the room he shook his head and some of the sluggishness returned when he slowly walked over to the bed and seated himself beside the young pony. He slowly stroked a streak of mane out of Eclipse face, the young pony snuggled up against him. Sorry that I have been asleep all day and I'm sorry that you had to be dragged into this to. Looking at the small pony sadden him at the same time as he saw himself in the young pony. Losing both of his parents in a young age he could relate to. Still this young being made him feel happy somehow. He scratched Eclipse behind his ear gently and the cloaked pony snuggled up to him even more. 





Luna was practically skipping down the hall. Cely had finally acted on her feelings and she had helped and it made her feel happy, but something else was building inside her. She could not explain this giddy feeling exactly, but somehow she knew what it was. She was the princess of night, romance and art after all. No that's impossible. My mind must be playing tricks. She tried to shake of the feeling but it did not help. 
She reached the kitchens and steeled herself somewhat. The night chefs looked up and quickly bowed their heads when she entered the room. "Food for two and a lot of it." She said and the chefs scoured to work. They usually had most things prepared and the meal was quickly prepared. "We will be dining at the guest quarters." She said and all the food was lifted over to a cart in her usual style set. She and a unicorn walked the relatively long way to their destination and when they reached the quarters Luna told the servant that she would take it from here and instantly got a protest from her. Luna gave her a grim look and told her again this time wielding result. Luna pushed the cart with magical ease to the room and opened it carefully. Once again she felt the giddy feeling in her stomach. Once again they talked and ate, shortly before sun rise and time for Luna to lower the moon Nero fell asleep again. Luna fondly tucked him in into bed. Funny how things work like this.
> Children's Eyes 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.




Chapter 8: Children's Eyes.

By Nerom


He yawned, the bed was comfy. One more minute. Something moved below him, he sat up and hit his head against something soft and fluffy. Mumbling murmured around him and suddenly the world spun. He fell over and landed on the mattress. He blinked two times and looked to the left and right. Nero sat at one end of the bed startled, Luna at the other.
"Why are you in my bed?" Nero pointed at Luna, He was not angry but more curios about it.
"I must have fell asleep after I lowered the moon this morning. Not sleeping for two days can do that to you... If you forget the rejuvenation spell." She looked away shyly. Eclipse tilted his head. What's wrong? Are they angry? 
"Alright No need to get worked up over it." Nero got out of the bed reaching for the small stack of clothing on the chair next to the bed. Eclipse's stomach growled lightly. "Looks like somepony is hungry." Luna smiled at Eclipse when he looked at her. 
"A little." His stomach growled again Nero chucked to himself while he was securing his boots. 
"Well it's to late for breakfast but maybe we can get some brunch." He said while getting the cleansing pendant on. 
"The others are up and about so they want to talk to you first Nero." Celestia walked in, Twilight followed suit. "I thought about waking you up but decided against it."
"Good, we did not disturb you last night so that seems fair." Celestia blushed when Nero said that. 
"You looked so cute together tho, but Celestia ordered me and the others to not to wake you three up. Something about repaying a favor." Twilight mumbled the last bit.
"I can say the same about you last night." He grinned smugly to Twilight. She gave him a raspberry. She suddenly reared back as a small flash on Nero's head startled and blinded her. The crown of Milito had appeared from nowhere. "Forgot that one. sorry about that. Also Twilight i did not know that you where into that kind of stuff." The grin was back on his face. 
"Can we drop that topic?" The lavender pony said. "We have other matter to discuss. Such as the transformation we have been through and that Rarity wants to make you a Tux and you to for that matter." She lowered her head towards Eclipse. What's a tux?
"Why do I need a tuxedo?" Nero said he did not look to happy about it. Celestia and Luna was conversing lowly to themselves. 
"My brother is getting married next week." Twilight said this while she looked a little grim. "To somepony I don't know."
"Harsh. But why do I have to go?" He sighed. 
"Because we say so." Luna said to him. Celestia and Luna was finished with their little talk. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza have requested your presence." Luna said formally, Nero was trying not to laugh his hat off. "What's so funny"
"Her name silly. Anyway why request me for it?
"Your name has become quite the sensation in these past days. You clobbered that dragon really good." Spike promptly walked up to him from under Twilight. Eclipse backed a step away from him bumping into Nero. 
"I'm not some kind of accessory you know! Never liked fancy stuff like that anyway, might just skip it." Nero said flicking his head away from the group. Luna and Celsetia was the first to stare on him together with Twilight that was begining her protest.  
"But..." Twilight began before she was flicked on the horn by him and give her a smile. 
"I'm kidding. Don't throw a fuzz over it... The accessory thing was true tho." The others gaped at him, Eclipse thought it looked funny. "By the way Does she know that I'm... Not a pony?" Luna was the first to get over the shock.
"She was at the trial, she was furious at you for ruining some alone time Shining Armor could spare." Luna said after shaking her head. 
"Lone time I gave him... And recalled." Celestia said before she headed to the hallway. "We can't just stand here all day now can we? Let's get you three something to eat, I want some tea for myself to be fair." Nero nodded and so did Luna, Eclipse's stomach just growled. 





"I AM SO BORED!" Sweetie Belle said out loud. She was laying on the floor in the clubhouse. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo was both laying on their backs hooves to the air. 
"We know" They said in unison. "I wish tha A.J was back home it has been a more than a week already." She flipped over and walked to the door. "Let's go somewhere. It's better than doing nothing in here." She disappeared thought the door and down the ramp. Scootaloo and Sweetie got up and followed. 
They came into town and almost every pony living in town was cramped around Sugarcube Corner and the plaza. Guards was standing outside the door. Scootaloo halted the scooter and little wagon that the others sat on. 
"Hey Storm Chaser what is going on?" She yelled over to a low flying pegasi close to them. He turned around. He looked concerned. 
"The princesses is here. They are having lunch." He pointed to the bakery/restaurant. "Your sisters is there to apparently I saw Rarity's tail when they walked in. But it was to cramped to take a closer look." He yelled down to them. 
"Thanks Storm." She yelled back. he nodded at them and faced the other way again. "Lets take the back door I'm sure that the Cakes will let us in if Rarity and Apple Jack is in there." She whispered the others nodded eagerly.
The back door was to their surprise empty save to two guards. "Excuse us but can we go in? Mah Sister is in there." The two Lunar guards looked at each other and then down to the fillies. They scared them a little by their looks. The mare then spoke. 
"Then you are Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. your two sister told us to let you in if you came by. Lucky for you that she gave us descriptions on you three." The lunar guard said with a silk voice. An excellent singer probably. thought Sweetie. 
"Thank you Miss." They said when they passed. "That was easy said Scootaloo after they passed in a low voice.
"I heard that." Came from outside and the fillies jumped by surprise. The stallion out side laughed lowly. 
They walked to through the kitchen when Mr Cake came in. "Hey there girls. Umm you better brace yourself before going in there. To say the least it's a little shocking at first." He said he looked faint hearted. 
"Is there something wrong? Celestia have been here before and so have Luna and that was not so much a problem was it?" Scootaloo asked. He nodded.
"Yes that is true but this is a little different.. You will see but I warned you. There is still room at the table so don't worry about that and everything is on the house for the moment. Courtesy of Princess Celestia." He nodded to the door that was opening  up in the far end. all they could see though it was the counter and some of the wall. They walked out of the kitchen and was behind the counter. 
"You know this is harder that it looks like." Said Rainbow Dash "And this thing itches sometimes." She complained. The fillies stopped. 
"It's not that hard even I can do it and for your record no one forced you to have that on Dash. It's not like mine that jumps on my head if I don't have it on!" Nero said he sounded somewhat grumpy about the last subject. "At least I can take it off now." A small ping was heard like when someone flicks a piece of metal. The fillies looked around the corner and Apple Bloom that was the one on ''Top'' fell on the others when she laid eyes on the table. Every one in the room looked at the fillies when they lay there in a heap, rambling like some mad pony. 
"Now it's not ladylike to lay on the floor rambling Sweetie Belle." Rarity said looking down at her sister. "I know that we look stellar but it's no reason to stare like a foal." She said when they now only stared at them. All three of them oppened their mouths at the same time. 
"Awesome! That so amazing how did you get that?." That was the only thing comprehensible that the others heard before the three fillies voices mixed together. A loud whistle was heard and the chaos that was three ponies mouths silenced. They stopped an stared at the source of the sound. Nero looked at them and removed his hands from the ears from a young colt that was sitting in his lap. 
"That's better now. One question at a time. Your sisters and their friends have been through a little sleep and have just woken up. They are as new to this as you are save a few hours. Sit down and have something to eat while they answer your questions." The fillies just nodded.





Twenty minutes later most of the crowd out side had gone away and the only ones still eating was Applejack and Nero. Sweetie Belle had taken mental notes about the alicorns around the table. 
Applejack was surely the one that had changed the most of them all. She had grown to be as large as Luna and far more muscular than before she still seemed to have troubles to control her wings at times, but she was not the only one. Her mane was set in a loose braid that started to form after almost half oh the length and on her head her usual hat adorned the horned head. 
Pinkie was far smaller but still bigger than the typical stallion. Her mane was still as bubbly as ever if not even more. Her wings was the ones that flared the most. otherwise she was her old self. She had a pinkish tiara on her head that had a babyblue gem in it. 
Rainbow Dash was in the same size as pinkie. To be fair only Twilight and Applejack was considerably larger than before. But her wings was larger and like the others her mane had grown a bit. Hers was the only one that seemed to flow a bit by itself save for the princesses, but it was almost not noticeable. She wore a Golden Laurel-Crown like the one she had to the gala.
Fluttershy was the smallest of them all and it looked like she had barely changed at all save for the horn on her head. Her mane had one long curl in it with what looked like vines in it that spread a little to the rest of the mane. 
Twilight was almost as big as Applejack but much more slender. She wore a golden necklace with an amethyst in it shaped like a star. Much similar to the one that Celestia carries.
Her own sister was the one that had made the accessories for the others and she herself was had he usual stilled mane whit a crown mush similar to the one she wore during the gala to only more grand and glimmering. Her mane had an unsual glimmer to it. all of them had the elements of harmony on. Everypony around the table save from them self and the colt that was talking to Nero had a crown. Heck even he has a crown. The thin circlet was not resting on his head but on the table for the moment. 
"Sweetie  Belle? Are you listening?" Her sister said to her. 
"Um yes." She answered. 
"As I was saying Celestia wants the six of us to move to Canterlot after the royal wedding next week. And you need to come with me, in till mother and father comes back from their cruse."
"But that will take them a year more! I don't want to be gone from my friends for a year." 
"I know sweetie but this is a decision we all made. I will open up a new shop in Canterlot and you are coming with me for the time being." She tried to cheer up her little sister. It did not work.
"How about this." Celestia pitched in. "During your stay in Canterlot with your sister. I get you a private flying chariot to take you to and from school." Sweetie did not like the idea very much and still looked sour. "And you may stay in Ponyville during the day to play with your friends. It will be available during the weekend and your friends are welcome to come to Canterlot with you. With their caretakers approval of course." Sweetie shined up by this idea and nodded. 
"Then you are moving to?" Apple Bloom asked A.J. She was not happy about it. 
"I'm afraid ah am sugarcube There is an old apple farm that has been untended for six months now and Celestia is willing to give me the deed. It's nothing big as Sweet Apple Acres. How about this you can come and live with me on the weekends so long that it's okay with Granny Smith and Big mac. Ah'm sure that Sweetie Belle will give you a ride in her chariot." Sweetie nodded at them.
"Of course I will. We can spend our weekends in Canterlot and the rest of the weeks here in ponyville." She bounced in place. 
"I'm full. Finally." Nero said. "Now to something else." He stood up and sat down the colt on his seat between Luna and Rainbow. he crossed the room and took a seat by the piano that the cakes had in the shop. "Is this tuned?" He asked to Mrs Cake. 
"Indeed.. do you know how to play?" She asked. 
"Indeed." He said and smiled at her. He opened the lid and cracked his fingers, soft piano music filled the room. It was chipper and fast phased. then went over to a more serous melody. His fingers danced over the keys. The melody ended with a slam and he paused before beginning anew on a even softer melody unlike the other before this one was more mysterious. When he was finished with that song he said. "Shame that it's not a grand piano the effect would have been much better." He begun anew first slow and then into a powerful chorus. He had closed his eyes when he played. Seemingly playing by heart thought Sweetie Belle. After a powerful ending to the song he opened his eyes. 
"That was Incredible. Most ponies would have have problem playing that without magic." Luna was standing up and walked up to him. 
"No magic I ensures you. No this is with magic." The air around him shifted a bit and suddenly the small wall piano was a  grand piano on top of a cliff. a ponyless cello was standing closeby and a Zebra standing on two legs was standing with its back from them hooves in front of him and sand was running from them. An invisible drum was playing to the music. When the scene faded none of the others spoke they only gaped. Luna and Sweetie Belle had tears in their eyes. "Hey whats with the long faces?" He asked.
"H..How? How did you do that?" Stammered Twilight. 
"Basic Illusion. Light and sound manipulation mostly. If you know how they behave its not that hard, basic physics. If you have worked in layers of art its easy to paint the scene and I have the original music in my phone I just borrowed the sound from there and removed the piano as I wanted to play that part for myself. Splicing up the music to the different sources was the hardest to do. I really should be in coma less I get far to much practice in my sleep." He scratched his nose with a finger. "If you think that was good you should see the orchestra version of The Lord of The Rings now that is breathtaking." 
"You learned that in a dream?" Twilight blurted. "That's impossible." she added after a pause. Nero nodded and looked skeptical at the same time. 
"Well I don't really sleep anymore. The only time i have been sleeping these past two weeks is when I was forced to and to say that was the majority of last week just like you guys." He said and glanced down int the ground. He had played a low song on the piano while they talked. 
"Well that was certainly interesting but I think the kids here is starting to bore. Why don't you three show Eclipse here around Ponyville." Celestia said down to Scootaloo and the others. They all opened their mouths to protest. Nero played the song again this time it played in equestrian. No special effects. Silently adding it to the background not the disturb the ponies.





"I can't believe that they talk us into leaving you guys have not seen your sisters in a week and now this?" Scootaloo said. after they had come a bit down the street. "No offence." She quickly added to Eclipse. 
"None taken. Well They are going to stay for the rest of the week... Well in till they need to leave to prepare for the wedding next Saturday. But you all will go to. Luna did say that you were invited as flower fillies." He said. 
"True but still." Sweetie sighed when she was cut of by Apple Bloom. 
"So why was ya sitting in Nero's lap and all that while you ate?" She asked. Eclipse was not comfortable with the question but answered anyway. 
"He saved me from a monster that killed my parents last week. And I have no living relatives to stay with so I'm staying with him now... I think." He said. After a while Scootaloo talked.
"Sorry I should not have asked that. But what do you mean by think?" She said she was no longer angry that they had to leave. 
"I don't know that's all. But I wanna stay, Nero is fun and Luna, Celestia and Twilight is nice to me." He said then added. "And don't worry about my parents or my feelings about it. My grandma passed last year and she gave me some good advise, I do miss them tho. But hey let's not that sour the mode." I think I just did. Whops? 
"Look the Blank Flanks are moping around." A pink and white filly and her  gray and white friend was laughing at them. 
"Friends of yours?" Eclipse asked. The young colt did not like where this headed. He may be young but he was clever. 
"Not likely. They make fun of us because they have their cutie marks and we don't." Sweetie said mostly ignoring the two ponies, Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at them. 
"That's not nice. all ponies get one eventually it only takes time for some. That's what mum said anyway." Eclipse had lived in Hoofington, he knew the type of ponies that mocked others for no good reason. His mother always spoke of ponies born with silver spoons in their mouths but this was the first time he had seen a cutie mark of it. "Any way we don't have time. I want to see Ponyville and then take a nap those two is boring me." He started to head in the direction they was headed before the interruption. 
"So you are bossed around by a foal now to? How old are you anyway four?" The pink pony mocked. 
"I'm three. I'm in a foul mood and I don't want to argue with some spoiled ponies right now." He was sadden before now he was beginning to feel annoyed. 
"You sure don't act like a three year old are you sure that you not just small?" The one with the silvers spoon mocked. Wow going on like that to a three year old? way to go Silver Spoon. Scootaloo thought angrily
"Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon we just want to show him around so we can do something else. He probably don't want to play right now anyway he has been though a lot." Sweetie said.
"Ohh did he lose his blanky? Oh wait he has it on him." That's the last drop! "Why so angry did you lose your mommy?" Eclipse was no longer annoyed he only felt pity for this sad sad pony. 
"Yes I did and my dad one week ago. They was killed by a dragon in front of my eyes and he then started to hunt me down. Worst day of my life. And do you know what you might call that sad or hard, But in front of me I see a Pony with low self esteem that only wants others to notice her and another that is so spoiled that it even is her talent to be Spoiled! Have you ever said to anypony how you got your cutie marks that you are so proud of?" No answer. "Did not think so." He spat on the ground. "I don't see the big fuss about it anyway I have had mine sense I was two and it was no big deal for me." He took a deep breath when he was finished with his rant. Did not take much to stop them from babbling around.
"So you are saying that you got a cutie mark? For what?" Silver Spoon tried to get the upper hoof. 
"I'm sorry but I can't say or show you what it is for but I can show the mark. He flicked up a corner of his cloak and showed a sun covered by a dark moon. "See nothing fancy" Eclipse said. 
"Ya got your cute mark when you was two? How?" Apple Bloom blurted. 
"Secret." He smiled widely and then started to walk off. 
"Why did you do that for? Give it back I told you!" Luna was following Nero that was walking very weirdly backwards down the street. It looked like he was walking normally while he was gliding backwards 
"What are yah doing? Apple Bloom asked. Nero did not top his weird walk but answered. 
"A bet. So now I'm apparently winning this don't you say Princess?" He flicked Luna's tiara that rested on his head. 
"We said give it back." Luna said again. She was sounding angry but she had a smile on her face.
"Only if you say that I win." He taunted. He now changed his steps still gliding but making the walk more humerus. It looked rather silly. 
"So ah bet to take her Tiara?" Apple Bloom asked. They followed the two down the street. 
"More or less she was supposed to take my crown but that did not happen." He danced around another attempt from Luna to take back her tiara. 
"Argh.. You win just give it back!" She said. He flicked of the tiara from his head and seemingly produced from nowhere his own crown and put that on his head and gave back hers. 
"I win." He grinned. "Looks like Pinkie are going to be happy. Knowing her she probably already decorated." He laughed some more while Luna grumbled some. 
"I was letting her do it anyway." She snapped her head in his opposite direction. He rolled his eyes while doing a I don't know gesture. The two of them made their way back to Sugarcube corner. Eclipse looked at the others. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara had sneaked away.
"Pinkie throwing another party. Wonder if we are invited?" Apple bloom said happily. 
"I think we isn't. Remember what she said last time. Pinkies late parties are not for fillies. And I don't think they are going to have one now right after lunch." Sweetie said. 
"Well then lets get this town looking over with, standing in the middle of the street all day is no fun." Eclipse said. 
"Oh yea that and can you tell us how you got your cutie mark." Scootaloo said the others nodded furiously. 
"I played with magic it was an accident. But it was kinda cool and all. I can show you later when its dark... If I'm allowed to stay up that late." He said. Sweetie looked at her two friends. They looked back. 
"I think that can be arranged. She smiled a smug smile at her friends  Right girls?" She added. 
"We can use the club house." Apple Bloom said. What are they talking about? He tilted his head again like he used to when he thought about things. 
"Well to show it to others we need some stuff." He said.





The kids was back in the club house. A tree house in the acres that Applejack's family owned.
"Finished." He held up three pairs of goggles. His father had made them before so he knew how to and he had also tested the lenses. They was not perfect but would do great for the job he had in mind for them. He gave them to Sweetie Belle. 
"Need some work but I think I can do something about them. Don't you need some to?" Eclipse shock his head to her question. 
"But you do." He added. 

An hour later all prep was done and the show begun after they put on their goggles.





Party lasted trough the evening and into the night. Once again Pinkie had proven herself capable of throwing one. Nero was happy that Applejack had gotten some of that excellent cider and by some he meant a lot. Not everyday you get the opportunity to ''Party'' with royalty. Celestia went back home to Canterlot because of duties. Luna had stayed for the evening  and to be fair the drinks had started to get to her but she was not an easy drunk. No it took fifteen drinks and a bathroom break to get where they was now. The break had been awkward for he was first in and forgot to lock the door. Luckily he had pulled up his pants before she stumbled into the room. But was promptly locked in by her in the same room and it had not been easy to ignore the pony while she pulled his wings with magic and hooves. 
The party had raged on late into the night and only ended after Luna and Nero had defeated Pinkie and Applejack in a shot competition. Applejack Daniels, brewed in Fillydelphia by Applejack's cousins. Apple flavored whiskey! Pull me backwards whats next Cherryblossom sake? 
"You sure can..hic. Take your drinks." R.D said and patted him on his back hard.
"Yea i'm not a lightweight like ya self Dash, Only took five shots or so for Twi to beat ya. Hehe." He said from his seat to the pegasi. 
"Well atleast I'm not like Fluttershy. Fhhive drinks in all, alnighthh. And... And she still passses out before Twilighhth." She smirked. "Anywayss Ihh'm TAkIng her hhome now." She looked around and found that they where only them and three ponies left. "Did Twi leave withhout yohhuu?" He looked around the barn.
"Looks like it Fluttershy looks ready to go home. Soo of with ya. She waved her hoof as a goodbye and left the barn with Fluttershy. Nero counted that three ponies where left in the barn. Pinkie who had passes out somehow, A.J that's was talking to the last one, Luna. She glimpsed over at him when he walked over. "Sooo. What do we do with the pink party monster overthere?" He asked. 
"Ahh will take care of that one. Not thaa first time that happened ah give her the guset room for the nighht. Yah twho should be going back tha town Luna has a room at the Shhleeping Mare. and. and Twi had a roon for ya." She jabbed him in the chest. He nodded. I know I was there when she got the room.
"Better get going then?" He asked pointing with a flowing movement to the door with his whole hand. Luna nodded and walked away. He got a hoof on his shoulders. 
"Who knows maybe ya don't get that far." A.J winked at him and sent him off with a slap on his ass. He once again looked at Luna. Again?

The sun shone in his eyes when he woke from his drunken sleep. He felt like he had a fist full of feathers in his mouth. He tried to lift his wings from his mouth but felt only resistance from his right side as it was lodged under him and the left was stuck under something. His mind was suddenly clear. He had never been one to forget what he did when he was drunk. Oh SHIT! I'm So FUCKED! He used his hand to move the wing on his upper body from his mouth. Indeed it was the wing he remembered it to be. It dragged from his body as she rolled over and laid an arm on him, Four digits. the arm was covered in a short velvety fur. The transformation spell she had used was not perfect but it was close enough for him. Well I was drunk. Would have probably done it without the spell to. She rolled over more and pressed against him. He used some magic to cover the window and checked if the room was locked, it was. He once again drifted of to a drunken dreamless sleep. 

He once again woke up to the sun shining. "Morning sleepy or rather good afternoon." He sat up and looked at the now Alicorn Luna. She was brushing her mane. How now that worked he did not know but it did. 
"Morning. Hmm.. Two in the afternoon not bad for being up to around five or six." He mumbled. He looked around for his pants and underwear for that matter. "Were is my clothing?" Luna gave him a innocent smile. I have heard that Celestia is a prankster but this? "Funny. I'm not going to run around naked you know." He sat on the side of the bed looking over at her. She still played innocent "They are under the bed ain't it?" He saw the small confirmation on her muzzle. 
Clothing found and mostly put on, Pants down anyway. Luna finished her mane. "Your turn." She levitated the startled human over to the mirror. 
"Hey some warning before you do that next time." She only giggled at him and Started to brush out his hair. Women!
"It's not me with a bed head." She was silent for a moment. "About this night. We maybe should not tell the others about the events." She said and paused. 
"If that's what you want then that's what we do." He said. "Or do you have another plan?" He looked at her trough the mirror. "You do don't you?" He smiled at her through it. 
"Yes, We simply tell them at another time, a more suitable time and not in detail." She answered. 
"What we do is our concern not theirs." And it's not like I can shove it to the side like a one nightstand I like you to much for that.
"I'm supposed you are right." She murmured and muzzled the side of his neck. 

Back in Canterlot trouble brewed inform of two scrolls. Six days left to the wedding.
> A Paradox
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia phased back and forth in her study. The scrolls she had been sent was most disturbing. The first was a report from one of the small towns just passed the dragon borders. This small town, Catersville had been attacked yesterday. The other one was a threat from an unknown source. connections between the two had yet to be made. A knock on her door made her stop her phasing. "Who is it?" 

"It's me I'm sorry to bother you." A voice called from outside.

"Cadenza dear you do not bother come in please." She called back Did I sound that harsh? The princess of love and compassion entered the room. "Whats on your mind dear? Have something troubled you?" 

"Not at all aunt Celestia. But I do worry about you tho. You seemed to get really upset about that rapport. But when you got the other one you just stormed out." She said. That's Cadenza for you always thinking about others.

"Yes dear but that is something you don't need to worry about right now. Just some bad new. Terrible even, I just needed to summon Luna here. And I think if we ask, he will aid to" She said as an answer. 

"Who?" Cadenza asked.

"Nero of course. I can't really command him to do anything seeing that he is not a pony and not employed as a guard." Yet But I think Lu want to give him some sort of position, She has yet to choose an honorguard.

"Why do you need his assistance? Another dragon?" 

"No dear. We got a threat sent to the castle. That was the second message I got. Seeing that he is capable I want him to guard you."

"So you think this might be about my wedding?" She said and Celestia gave her a nod. 

"That is a possibility. Luna should arrive shortly if she have gotten the message I sent to Twilight." 

"I better go then." She said with a slight giggle. Still going on? "I know it's silly but that's something I want to do. Good day aunt Celestia. Oh and fill me in on the bad news later." 

"I can do that now, but you won't like it. Catersville have been attacked by demons that escaped from Tartarus yesterday. The attackers have been dealt with, but there was no survivors among the noble family that lived there that we know of." Celestia said grimly 

"That means, oh no! The Rose family was all visiting there for.." She stopped. 

"Yes it looks like one of our noble houses have been wiped out mostly. The only living member I know of is locked in Tartarus itself on the longest sentence possible." Cadenza knew the story and only said almost unheard. 

"Nocturne." 

"Yes dear. I told you that it was terrible. They might had been distant but they were still family. Luna will not take this news well. She was overjoyed when Crystal got.." She had no time to finish before she was interrupted by Cadenza.

"No more. I knew them to. I should think of happy moments like that myself, not what can happen if something like that happens. Excuse me." With that she left the study the quick nod she gave Celestia was filled with tears. Poor girl to hear this news now. Must be unbearable but she should know.

Minutes passed before the door to her study abruptly opened. "Sister what are these dire news you speak of?" Luna said stressed.

"You look worried to the bone. Did I scare you by any chance?" Celestia asked her sister.

"No but just after we got your message Nero vanished into what I think was a portal of some sort. No location spell have been able to find him. Not even the starswirl one." She said stressed but calming herself. Celestia could read her sister like a book. 

"And the girls how are they? No pains no agony?" Celestia asked. 

"No. Why do you wonder that?" Was all she got. Celestia let out a sigh of relief.

"Good that means that he is still here in our world then. Now the question is where? And maybe when?" She said. 

"And what makes you so certain?" Luna said sharply. You are getting mighty upset about this Lu.

"For Twilight and the others can't survive without him for at least the next hundred years." She said with a pained sigh, nasty thoughts. "I'll try to find him, I have other means to do so than Starswirls spells."

"Like what? Nothing that I know about." 

"Come dear sister and I will show you." She said gracefully and so the sisters set out to another part of the castle.





Nero rubbed his face with his hand as he got back on his legs. The misty area was riddled with stars, in front of him stood a stallion almost entirely made of stars. Smiling at him with a crooked grin, Nero thought that he was the smuggest bastard he had ever seen. 

"You finally answered my summon." He said in a regal tone. "The girls giving you a hard time?"

"What summon? How the fuck did I get here?" Nero said in a harsh but somewhat confused tone. He felt that something was off, really off. 

"Mine of course. Who else is here?" The stallion said. 

"ME!" A females voice boomed. The stallion turned in place as Nero moved around to see.

"Who are you? How can you be in my ethereal realm!?" The stallion boomed. Nero was stunned by her appearance. It was just not possible, it just couldn't be. 

"Mom?" He whispered. That was impossible his mother had been dead since he was young. No she only resembles her, yes that's it. This red haired woman in dusty, tattered clothing could not be his mother.

"I'm here to kill you! That's all!" She raised a gloved hand to the stallion.

"Not going to happen." The stallion laughed. "Goodbye." His horn flashed and the woman vanished. "Now. Let's get back to business." He turned to Nero. Problem was Nero was standing with a knife at his throat, arm twisted behind his back.

"Might be a problem." He swallowed.

"Not for me. Twenty years! I have searched for a way to get here!" She hissed. "You made me like this, sending him back would not be a wise move."

"Who are yo... I see." The stallion said.

"Yes I'm a paradox. something that can't exist." She whispered into Nero's ear. The knife moved slowly from his throat upwards graced his cheek. He could not help staring at the tip as it hoovered before his eye. "I'm you." her breath blew in his ear. 

"Your me?"

"Don't trust Cosmos. He's corrupted. Galaxia will show the way." She whispered.

"Let him go and no one gets hurt." Cosmos said reassuring.

"You do realize that if I kill him I die to right." She snapped. "He's not a hostage." Then she whispered into his ear again.  "You won't like this. I'm sorry Arty." Then she plunged the knife into his eye and slashed down.





Nero found himself in a bed, he layed on on his back half naked. Instantly he tried to open his eyes, the left could not see. 'Oh Fuck.' He ran a finger down the straight line that had formed, it ran halfway down his face. Already healed. As he got up he noticed that his wings was gone. "Oh that's bloody fantastic." He sighed and scanned the room. Everything except the grand bed was covered by a thin layer of dust. His remaining clothing was neatly folded by the foot end of the bed. Once dressed he slowly opened the door. The thin layer of dust was now much more prominent, the once deep red carpet was bleached and worn by time. "No one has been here for a long time." The dirt stained windows were all whole in the fist corridor, all to dirty to get a proper look trough. "Some kind of castle or palace. judging from the size of it." He mumbled as he tried to look trough the third corridors windows.

He continued walking the grand corridors until he came across a ball room. 'What the--?' Finding a ball room was not a big thing, especially in a palace or a big mansion. Finding one full of statues was. All of then was so realistic, just standing there in full color. "Those can't be made out of stone. Wax maybe?" He grumbled. In the ball room he also found the first damage to the place, in the opposite from where he had came from, a hole was in the wall. 

"Not wax, ashes. poor thing didn't stand a chance." Nero spun around to come face to face with another ethereal pony. 

"Gahh!" He took a step back. "Don't do that again." She stood proud and tall her entire being radiated the gentle colors from space, the radiant glory of stars. 

"Ponies, Humans, orcha and worgs." She looked out over the ball room. "No dragon kin." She walked past him going towards the far end of the room.

"What happened to them?" He followed her.

"Light-mass bomb. Massive damage to living creatures. The result is them." She flared a wing at the statues. "Horrible thing. Only good thing was that the only known maker of the bomb has been dead for a long time." 

Nero snorted. "Well that's a relief." They walked down to the main floor and waded trough the statues. Seeing that she evaded the statues, Nero decided to do the same. They where made of ash after all, he noticed when they came to the damaged area.

"The first bomb breached their defenses there" She nodded to the hole. "and many more exploded all over the surrounding town, leveling it" They walked into the throne room, grand as it was it was riddled with statues.

"so it's rubble now?" She nodded. "Must be horrible to lose your people like that." They walked by the side of the mass of bodies.

"Not my people." She said as they ascended. "Do you remember your birth-name?"

"That's a odd question to ask." He said as they looked over the hall. He remembered what the woman from before had said. "But no, Why do you ask?" 

"Because I know. Question was if you did, has it occurred to you that you can't recall any of the names of the people you knew." She circled around, so did he. "Sit." She pushed him with a playful giggle, Nero stumbled backwards into the old throne. She looked over the crowd again Nero tried to get up. "I said sit." She herself took the seat in the other throne. 

"So we are just going to sit here around dead people?" She looked at him again, her eyes where empty now.

"These people lived once, they where led by a woman and later co-ruled this city with her husband. Ten years she sat here alone. She built this city from the ground, when she came to grow older the people wanted a successor."

"But the woman had no heir."

"Correct, she asked for more time in this world. Cosmos granted her more time here but only to get an heir. 

"And when she did, she died." 

"Yes, the father, the king. had passed only days before in a battle. They hadn't told the queen yet and in in fear of the child's safety the people asked once again to the heaven for help. This time I answered the call. I have children of my own, which I love very much. I sent the child to where it was safe.

"Then this happened?" He motioned to the lifeless crowd. "No kingdom to return to."

"No, she returned. Mere moments after she left, aged almost 25 years." 

"And this has to do with me remembering no names?" 

"Nothing, all I needed you to do was sit in that throne. You have passed your first test, Trust." She smiled at him her eyes still felt empty. "You trusted a complete stranger, in a place you don't know where."

"Then who are you?" He tried to sound curious but he had already work it out. 

"I think you know that."

"Galaxia. That's who I think you are." She nodded slowly.

"Only fair for me to tell you something you didn't know." She stood up and walked past him again. "Diana, that was one of your mothers names."

"So?" He followed the mare. "It's not like I can say that I remember much about them. I barely remember my mothers looks and the little I do know is only because I met myself as a woman." He said calmly. "She called me Arty." He added like he just remembered it; They now walked a hallway much similar to the ones in Canterlot. 

"I know. You would not be here if she hadn't done what she did. You would have followed another path, one of war and strife. While there will be battles to be fought for you soon, they will not change the future like his influence did."

"Meaning that this whole thing is a paradox?"

"Essentially, yes. However that path would have destroyed everything you have come to know in Equestria." 

"Doesn't explain why my eye got gorged out and I lost the wings." 

"When Cosmos pulled you into that realm he put a spell on you, seeing that he had more power than Celestia when he was still 'alive' so we saw no other option than to pull you out of there. The other you created a paradox. You'll get the wings back when you leave, ether you like it or not."

"This place is one of those realms right." 

"Yes; I, just as Cosmos can't walk the corporeal plane anymore. But it's a accurate copy of the Dawning Isles for the most part. Anyhow the spell Cosmos put on you will break. You have no more powers than a child right now, I'll break some of it when you leave. You'll get some magical abilities back, primarily telekinetic powers. Ready for use when you leave this realm."

"So your not strong enough to break it entirely?" He asked skeptically as they passed the statues of lovers doing what they could in their last moments. 

"I am strong enough. But! Letting a mortal or semi-immortal into a sacred realm has it's consequences. That's how other immortals primarily are made, rare as it is. Even some of my own children has gone trough it. Cosmos and I only came here after deaths grasp had long taken us. Far before the world Equestria is in was created."

"Let me guess Celestia and Luna have been in these realms?"

She lifted her head proudly. "Yes. The story called; Lullaby for a Princess." She touched his forehead with wing, images
flashed before his eyes.

"Luna was corrupted." 

"And killed Celestia, allowing her to pass trough the realms, reborn as they are today; mostly. That was the second time they passed trough the realms. Now I believe we are off topic."

"We are; But why are we even talking about that?" They walked briskly trough out the palace as they once again rounded a corner a brilliant light enveloped them and Nero no longer found himself in that castle. 





"So what are we doing again?" RD asked as she hoovered above them.

"Planing our move to Canterlot, making sure that everypony is ready and so forth." Twilight said, it was her idea to plan and make sure everything was ready into the smallest detail; Much to the other ponies annoyment. She had gathered everypony in The golden oaks for a debrief on their current problem, the fact that their newest friend had gone missing not only an hour before and what they should do about it. 

"And why are they here?" She pointed at the foals in the room, three fillies and a colt gleamed at her. 

"So far I know Eclipse is going with Nero for the time being, who have been offered a suite in the palace. Sweetie Belle is going with Rarity. The others are here for support, or they have nothing else to do. Your pick Rainbow." She said almost as she had trained it in all day.

"Ah have things tha do at the farm so could we hurry up with this, Granny is pondering me with chores that needs to be done before ah leave." AJ didn't sound like she was in a direct hurry.

"An I think you can stay a while." Said the new member of the group that just walked into the library. They gasped at her. Another human and from what Nero had said, a female to boot. She had high boots ending just a few inches before the knee; in a leathery brown and under that, stockings spanning even higher. A green skirt that was higher in the front than the back was joint by an empty tool-belt to the brown and green corset she had on, Over that she had a brown aviator coat and a pair of goggles hang around her neck. Her hair hung like playful locks of scarlet, her eyes was milky white. Twilight deduced that she might be blind.

"And who are you?" Rainbow quickly said.

"Artemis; I'm sorry for this." She raised an amber orb at the ponies, a shockwave came from it causing seven of the ten ponies in the room to crash to the floor. The names of close and beloved was shouted in unison. Then something unsuspected happened, something outside Artemis plans. The tree ponies and Spike the dragon launched themselves at her.





Nero found himself sitting in something that felt like a lukewarm spring once again out of clothing. "What's whit these ponies and undressing me. I'm in my bloody pants again." He muttered as he pulled the weight that had emerged on his head, as he did his shoulder burned a little it clinked as he set it down next to him. He let his head fall backwards as he tried to relax in the now warmer water. "Blood an ashes my body aches. Ah, what in the name of Lucifer did they do to me." He stretched a wing, he mentally noted that he might need a massage. He rubbed his eyes as he tried to remember after that flash of light. 

"Is the water to your liking?" A female voice asked. She did not seem to wait for an answer as he felt the water rise. He looked at his hand. The golden dragon that was once in an lying eight was now circling a black 9 pointed star. He then looked at the female, he was not in luck today. The mare looked back at him like this was nothing special. The light charcoal unicorn looked at him with her rose eyes. Her red mane floated on the water as she laid in the water.

"Could be warmer. Does good for aching muscles." He noticed the filly that peddled next, she tried to settle by the mares forelegs. This one also had the same red mane, but instead had piercing green eyes and a white coat. "Dis you head what I said before you got in the water?" 

"I have heard worse. Don't do it again." She said smugly to which he groaned. "So what happened to your eye." She asked as she willed some water over her head. He touched his bad eye, still a scar there. He grunted. "Like normal you won't talk about anything. Here you comes saves everyponies hides and don't want to take credit for it." She let out a loud Pfft. "Stallions! What's with you?" He looked confused at the mare, somewhere in his mind he knew her and somewhere he did not.

"Maybe I don't want your bits for driving of some monsters." He said as the notion that he had done just that came over him. Then he 'remembered' something else. "Didn't I tell you that not to follow me? I'm in the bath for gods sake." 

She just laughed at him "Hehehe! I heated the water for you so why are you complaining." She continued to giggle. Nero groaned again, she abruptly stopped. "Am I'm that annoying?!" She snapped. 

He groaned again and rubbed his eyes. "No, It's just my head." He looked at the lump he had put down on the tiles. The crown looked darker than it had before. He payed it no more mind and yawned.

"That orb that redhead gave you did something to you. Didn't it?" She moved her filly to her back when she stretched out more in the water, resting her head next to his hand. He muttered something under his breath, she could not hear. Not like she cared about that when he gently stroked the base of her skull and neck. Nero did not notice what he was doing as he was deep in thought, he lowered himself into the water and let his mind wander. Into something he had known and will know again. He lay there for a while in his own memories. "Brother? Don't sleep in the bath." He wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. He no longer felt the mare next to him. He rubbed his good eye, blinking he scanned the bath room. The charcoal mare stood in the door draped in a robe and towel, looking at him concerned. 

"Sorry Rosie, must have dosed off." 'Rosie?' He got out of the shallow bath. 'I don't even know these ponies.' "I'll be there in a minute. Just let me dress." As he put his shirt on a image flashed before his mind. 
Before him stood some kind of reptile, the creature lunged at him and Nero retaliated. Only to defend the ponies behind him. 

He but his boots on. 

He held one of the only ponies that had helped him ward of the demons in his arms. She once alive and well. He had one shot. She had given her life for a filly by the use of magic so the filly may live instead. He had one shot, her last words echoed in his head. ,Take care of her, brother.' He held a very precious crystal in his hand, one of two. He had one shot, a single tear fell to the crystal star. "No, that won't be needed." He whispered. 

He walked out the door and met up with the mare. Rose, her name is Rose. She finished running a brush trough Prim's mane. The town ponies had come together to make a feast for them. 

He watched the crystal shatter in his open palm, a feint mist swirled around the ponies before him. A sliver of gold mixed in it.  The mare took a deep breath, coughed and opened her eyes. She felt the little filly pushing against her shoulder. She tried to smile and failed doing so, instead she just looked at him.

'Nocturne Rose' in his eyes a hero. To others? The black hermit, the mare in the woods, The night watcher. Etc. Him? The White Wanderer, The demon slayer, The blind knight. Etc. The town ponies had not a single way to send for help. save for the mail mare, now when the nobles that had direct communication with Canterlot had died. The letter took five days after the attacks were over to reach Canterlot, the mare must had to gotten lost or something. He and the others sat down and ate and had a merry time.

Nero felt his rage course trough him. He had never been this angry, he roared as he slashed the next reptilian demon's head off. The last of them fell, others where coming his way. He dropped the scythe and it became dust before it hit the ground. As he heard the next wave scamper his way a Claymore manifested in his hands. Nocturnes weapon spell still running strong. Rocks vibrated in a dark aura and lifted to eye level. The first few of them borrowed themselves into the skulls of birdlike, reptile-like and ponylike demons. He felt no remorse as they fell before him, as they they tasted his naked blade.

He lay on his back in the evening sun, He raised the amber orb that he had given himself. Inside it a blue mist swirled. Memories, a short story of who he was. In Equestria anyway, and in there together with it, power. To create balance again he needed to know. Right now all he knew was who he used to be, before Equestria. All the shit that he seen, he felt cold inside, Nero sighed. "I'm a paradox. Fucking hell." He looked trough the crystal, sighed and touched the orb with his forehead.  
> Insert catchy title here!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight and the other ponies in the library explained once again to the princesses what had happened. This human calling herself Artemis had just stormed in, said she was sorry and raised an orb then everything went dark.

"How's that even possible? Another human, that somehow sucked the magic that made you all Alicorns right out of you. A process that took almost a week I might add. In less than a minute? All that power had to go somewhere." Exclaimed Luna. "It makes no sense!"

Celestia seemed almost calm about something, but intervened. Something was still wrong after all. "Maybe not all of it, remember what I told you at the castle earlier Luna."

It looked as the moon goddess had been struck with something out of nowhere. "I forgot that part. But still if somepony or something has that kind of power then it's probably extremely dangerous."

"It didn't mind me taking a sweep at it." Grunted Spike. "I maybe little but canines still hurts. Alot!" 

"And you should not bite anypony ever again Spike." Said Twilight She was clearly irritated. 

"I won't if you stop being grumpy." He said smugly. 

"Not easy as I'm trying to recall what happened for the last eight days save for the moment before we were assaulted." The others quickly started to agree with her. "I can't remember anything after we went to sleep that night at the tower in Canterlot, to five seconds before that human stormed in."

Celestia mumbled to herself softly, again. So Luna took word. "That's one more thing that's strange." She tapped the floor. "I tested all the memory recalling spells I know and none of them works. It's like the memories wasn't there. Thus there is nothing we can do get them back." She mused.

Celestia's horn lit again for the third time since they came, an adding the ones on the way here made it five. She looked more and more concerned with each since they arrived. Luna knew that she connected to the scryer orb that Tia kept in the palace. 

"Something bothering thy dear sister?" 

Celestia slowly nodded. "I think I found Artemis and Nero." She said slowly. "But you won't like it." 

"Why not? He better be alright." Rainbow said. "Especially after him." She pointed to Eclipse. "He remembers more than us but still not much." 

"As I said I found Artemis, but Also Nero. I tried multiple times and it goes to the same place." 

"Is he in trouble?" Twilight asked. "He's immortal but that don't means he's invincible." she added. 

"Not from what I can tell. It's just as I searched for Nero before I found nothing. Now I do, but here is the thing. I found Nero as I first searched for Artemis. Now if I search for ether of them I get just him."

"An' what's that suppose' tha mean?" AJ asked and the others added in. Making a small ruckus. 

"Girls calm down!" Celestia commanded; Dead silence. "It means that from every angle possible. As so far I can see it. Is that Nero and Artemis is the same." She paused again letting the confused ponies regain some sense. 

"The same?" Twilight said almost dumb folded. "That would take a transformation spell on par to." 

"Me." Said Luna. "Or Starswirl the bearded. So long it was not a illusion that is." Celestia cleared her throat. "And Celestia of course." 

"Yes, I believe we need to pay our bipedal friend a visit. Hmm. Then again, Luna I need you to." She leaned in to her sister an whispered in her ear. "Do you think that's possible?" 

"I think I can manage, the perception filter would been strong enough." Luna nodded to herself. "Okay, you get Nero back and I see what I can do in the meantime."

"I count on it, Twilight and Applejack. I need you two to come with me, the rest of you are to do what Luna commands." All of them looked around for a bit but came to a confused agreement. It was Celestias orders after all. 





The last memory flashed before Nero's eyes as he lay looking into the clear sky, with a sigh he sat up. His armored hands clinked lightly in the joints. He looked down on the trimmed steel. He felt the mark move again, fading and reappearing to his shoulder. The tattered white robes rustled lightly in the breeze, he pulled the cloak over his head. "I... Did all that? Ouch." He  headed east. "I might have some explaining to do." Then something hit him. "Why am I talking out loud?" 'I'll sound like a crazy person if I continue to do that.' He quickly traversed the forest between the hill and the town. A green blue pony ran on the trail towards him. Nero recognized him as River Skipper.  

River skidded to a halt before him. "White! The major wanna see you, it's important. Majorly dude!" The pony took back to the town of before Nero had time to ask why. Nero just shock his head. 'Just great.' He thought. A few minutes later he heard much mumbling and a few stomping hoofs. He didn't notice the orange blur that speed towards him before it was to late and before he knew it he laid on the ground, tied up. The orange blur reveling to be Applejack promptly sat down on his chest. She adjusted her seating as he huffed for air. 

"Howdy partner. W'at's up? How do ya do and  so forth." She said smugly. 

"Ha Ha very funny Jack. Did you really need to hog tie me?" Nero wheezed.

"I think it's appropriate 'Artemis'. Enjoying Catersville?" Twilight looked down on him. 

"Hard to breath, was gonna call you know." He took a deep breath. "Then I remembered that I didn't have my phone." He joked as casually as he could. 

"You mean this one?" She levitated the black device by her head. "It was on the guest nightstand. You can thank me later. AJ." Applejack jumped of him and almost bumped into River that thought it was a great time to disturb the ponies, one of the only local pony not admiring the princess for the moment. 

"What the buck are you doing!" He sharply said. 

Nero saw the great opportunity to casually joke again. "Ah you know, just laying around." 

"Could you please stop joking!" Twilight snapped. He had never seen Twilight annoyed before. Taking the hint and knowing that he was no match against Twilight, without the backing of Nocturne anyway he decided to stop. 

"Yes, mam." He almost squeaked. 

River who still didn't know why one of the towns hero's was laying on the ground asked. "I thought you was friends. Why tie him up?" 

"He's not up to speed. Better tell him," Nero glanced at the crowd. "or he might make a fuzz."

Twilight turned to River. "Due to matters not concerning you, this individual has to be restrained until said matter is resolved." She then added. "Orders from the princess." 

"So you just going to let him be there? on the ground?"

Twilight looked at him then to Nero then back. "Fine." She propped the human against a nearby wall around the corner. 

"Thanks." Nero said. 

"Now to business." She said as she lowered her horn towards him, she noted that he tried to repel backwards. "Don't worry I just have to make sure your not possessed." 

"Can't you just take my word for it?" The look on her face said one word. Nope!

Twilight went in for the spell, both of their eyes lit up with an eerie light. After a minute her breath suddenly became raged and she torn away from him. "What in Celestia's sun was that?" She said in bewildered confusion.

Nero looked like he wanted to vomit, he even gagged a few times. "Never try to search my memories again please." He said sickly. 

"Agreed. What the buck was that?"

"Psycho killer. I really did't need to relive that." He groaned. "Hunted the sick fuck for a week." 

"What happened to him?" she gagged to

"Her, it was a her. And shes six feet under by now. GOD! I did not need to see that again. I might need therapy again."

AJ and River Just stood there watching their friends squirm and gag. "Wanna show me around town while they finish?" AJ asked. 

"Sure." Said River and the two ponies left as quickly as they could, afraid if they stayed longer they might catch the crazies.

"What happened to your eye?" Asked Twilight when her stomach and mind stopped revolting. 

"Got stabbed for no reason." He now just wanted to rub his temples to nurse the pounding headache that the spell gave him. "Mind letting me go now? I'll tell you all about it." Twilight pondered for a few seconds and then let him go. 

"Try not to disappear, you apparently did that earlier." She said threatening with the rope. 

"Oh yea the memory erase. Sorry bout that, side effect." He rubbed his temples blissfully. 

"Side effect? From attacking us? And who is Artemis?!"

"I am, and it was no attack also for me it happened over a week ago. Fucking headache, I was sent to do that." Twilight looked at him confused.

"Why?" She flopped down beside him leaning against the wall.

"Balance of the world. I then gave my future self the orb I used, then suddenly I was sent to that forest over there." He pointed west ward. "Then boom! This big mansion on the hill over there." He pointed to a ruin on a nearby hill. "goes out in a massive explosion and all hell breaks lose. Heck! I think the ponies would have attacked me if I didn't already fought the monsters off with Nocturne." 

"Balance of the world and fighting monsters, sounds like a cliche story to me." Twilight said also rubbing her head.

"You tell me! I had to live the damn thing. Oh and I remember most of my life back on earth. Hence the name Artemis."

"That was your real name?" She said in her Oh Interesting voice. 

"Yea apparently I was part of the ghost program for two years. They wiped my identity when I was in that and when I left it stuck. It was that or Jr and I didn't even know what that was short for." He said. 

"What did you do after that?" 

"I picked up my dads work as a chef. Heck I trained to do that stuff since I was thirteen. That and music, mom apparently loved music." He made a circle in the dirt with his finger.

"And what was that? The ghost program?" She wondered.

"They picked out orphans, homeless. etc. As long as you wasn't missed. Wiped your mind, your records and trained you to be a sniper. If you didn't fit the bill they got rid off you. Nasty place. Anyway after a month or so I began to remember things." 

"That's horrible! Who would do that?" 

"A government that need less homeless, jobless people that also need soldiers in a highly secret program to wage their pity little wars. Anyway my mindwipe failed and I played along, then after my third mission; I saw the opportunity to leave, so I took it. During that time I also remembered that my dad was training me to be a chef. Still this way I still got paid and got a normal life back. Alas no official past. Then after a year of cooking and odd jobs as a Civil consultant I ended up here." 

"They took children and made them into mindless killers?" She cried with something he recognized as shock. 

"Not mindless, just not... I donno how to phrase it. Had no other past. That was what they was meant to do." He looked at the clouds in the sky. "That's why I was reluctant to return so soon, I only now remember of what I did back on earth and I hate me for it." 

"But your not like that right? A mindless killer? Right?" 

He looked at the unicorn "I don't know. What would you feel if you suddenly wake up and are completely different?" Her eyes of pity changed to annoyance. 

"I was a Alicorn I remember that. But I don't remember what it was like, that's your fault you know." She frowned at him

"I'm sorry about that. But it had to be done, I saw what I become and I was shown what might happen to Equestria." He sighed. "Then again I have been told if I take back the excessive power I gave you all and you don't try to force it back, Equestria will be fine." He said as sympathetic as he could to her. 

"Really? That's all you have to say? I thought we were friends."

"Ain't we? I did what I did for Equestria, your home. I had the choice to go home!  Also if you or the others had somehow would have came to harm I would have stepped down. If a fight would break out then I would step down. I pinned the girls and Spike to the wall as gently as I could but only after Spike bit me. God! Did that hurt! I was lucky I transformed back into a guy after that." He rubbed his thigh.   "Thanks for the phone by the way." He spun the black lump in his hand.

"Your welcome, but I still haven't forgiven you." Nero whimpered and did puppyeyes with little effect. Twilight managed a chuckle. "Nope still not forgiving you."

"Is it only you that know all this? The Artemis thing I mean." He asked. 

"All know the name and what happened so far, AJ know that your not possessed or controlled. I.. I guess I can give them all a quick version." Twilight pondered, she respected her friends privacy. Breaking Nero's was just as bad. Still she needed to explain something to them.

"I'll tell them if you want me to, the princesses deserve a explanation anyway."

"You do! Your really do. Celestia won't be happy with you if you don't. Even if I tell her what you told me."

"That's true." He chuckled, then sudenly stopped. "Or Luna might banish me." He swallowed and his eye twitched. 

"What? Why?" Twilight could not possible know, not after the memory wipe. Nero decided to use the slight confusion in his advantage. 

Nero got up. "Anyway, we can't sit here all day." He gestured to the more populated area of the town. "It's a wonder that it looks as good as it does now really." He said grimly as he watched the ponies now walkabout like nothing had happened except the hammer strikes from the reconstruction. It worked. 

"How so. I heard that there was an attack, not about property damage." 

"Yea five days ago. Like I told ya I time looped a little." As they walked ponies cheerfully greeted him and Twilight. They bee-lined towards the townhall and was interrupted by the occasional pony wishing White or Artemis good luck on his journey.

"Journey? You where going somewhere?" Twilight wondered. 

"Of course I was. I needed to get back to you guys after all, I just stuck around this long not to create a moment in time where I meet a alternative version of myself and such creating a time paradox." He shuddered. "Last time that happened." He pointed to his blind eye.

"Oh that I was meaning to ask you but was you blind as Artemis?" 

"Umm I am Artemis right now, Twilight. That's how most of these ponies know me. It's my name. One of them anyway." 

"That makes sense in someway." She pondered. How was that not clear by now. 

"And to answer you question, No I was not blind. I did on the other hand only see magical radiation. Lucky for me this world is full of it."

"Oh, interesting. Can you see that now? Your blind eye I mean."

He shook his head. "No and due to my regenerative abilities it won't stay blind for much longer. Especially if a healer steps in." 

"So why have you not fixed it yet? There must be some doctor here that can preform that kind of magic." She almost snapped. 

"Hey why are you getting angry for? It's my eye." 

"Oh! So I have no opinion on my friends health, if there is something I can do about it? Your half blind for Celestias sake." She had by this point stopped him and stood in front of him baring the way. 

"Ah common. Please don't make a fuzz over it here. I bet Celestia can fix this in a matter of seconds, she has been in the business of being immortal for thousands of years and I certainly have not seen a scar on her. I admit it's harder to notice on ponies. But I think I can make my point clear. There is absolutely no idea to fuzz about it." He made appropriate gestures to everything as he spoke.

"But." She tried to protest but Nero would have nothing of that. 

"I'll be fine, the scar on my face has almost already faded. The injuries I got from the fighting earlier are mostly gone to thanks to said healers in this town. I have just not gotten to the part to fuzz over my eye. It's not like it's very important like gee, my lung?" 

"You injured your lung?" She asked with a terrified squeak.

"Nah just an example on a vital organ. Most of my injuries was superficial, quickly healed. Also I have some armor." He showed his hands. They clicked gently as he wiggled his fingers.

"But gloves aren't enough." 

"The local smith threw some more together. I gave it back now when I don't need it, and what can I say they needed nails." He shot a thumb towards the construction site. "A quarter of this town is still damaged after that attack. So you have to have priorities. Not everypony got out as lucky as I did." The gloves made some more noise and the fingers retracted. "Also the armor pieces that I got when I came here to equestria is awesome." 

"That's the same ones?" She asked dumbstruck. "They didn't look like that."

"Yeah.. Upgrade and we are attracting a crowd, oh look there's the Princess. Lets go." He slipped past her and quickly continued the relatively short walk to where the town major swooned over the presence of the royal, leaving Twilight to wrestle with the local ponies. Perks of fame. When he came closer he was immediately noticed by the princess. Not a hard feet considering that the average pony only went up to about his rib. "Sorry that we was not here earlier. Twilight made a fuzz." He bowed lightly as he approached, looked back as he did. "seems like shes stuck in the crowd."

"she usually do that when she worries, especially about her friends. And thick crowds can be tough." Celestia scanned him up and down for a bit. "Are you alright?" He was just going to answer when she added. "And speak truthfully, Luna won't go easy on me if you are." 

"So you know?" He now silently dreaded the wrath of Celestia. How bad that now could be. Then again when he thought about, it he resisted to gulp. 

"I know most I need to know about my subjects. Especially if they are close to my ward." He sighed, not one of the annoyed sighed that he usually did but a tired one. 

"No, I'm not." He shook his head. "I remember everything I lost before and truth to be told it have taken a toll. Emotionally I'm a wreck, I have a pounding headache and I have not slept more than four hours the last week. Which in itself can't be good for my mental state. I'm also in dire need of a massage and a sauna. Because good lord am I tense. Last time I spend almost a week scouting for stragglers in the woods." He took a deep breath. "I need some time off, just saying."

Celestia whiffed the air. "You are in the need of a bath now when I think about it, add some TLC while we are at it." Celestia said to which Nero fully agreed. "But's that's not all. Is it?" He nodded and looked around. 

"That's not something I want every one to know." He pointed behind himself to the now re-crowded town square. "We are quite the spectacle are we not? One of the town saviors and the Princess, something you on normal occasions don't want to miss."

"Yea I heard the general story from the mayor, are you ready to leave for some R&R? The others are worried about you too; you know."

He let out a sighed "Yea." Nodded a few times. "That I am. Is the town to get any kind of help?" 

"I have already set up for a supply run and extra guards, the few I can spare for now. We have... A situation to discuss with you. Privately." Twilight had finally gotten herself past all the ponies after she remembered her nifty teleport spell. Applejack had also managed to find herself back, somehow she lost River in the process. Twilight gave AJ a quick update and Celestia took point in their leave after giving her subjects some more comforting words in their tough time, riddled with sweet smiles. Nero was just happy to get out of the town. He had never wanted that many persons, no matter species; Ponies nor humans to be on his back. Standing on the edge on the royal carriage he lightly waved and smiled to the ponies of Caters, knowing that he would not be back for a long time. As the small town shrunk in the distance he slumped down, exhausted and somewhat hungry. He heard the Princess order something to her pegasi, Twilight and AJ casually chat as he let himself drift off to dreamland. Dreams filled with odd, distant times; Things he was not old enough to remember.
> Wrath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

He felt his mind slipping closer and closer to the chamber of Souls. The entrance to the deepest part of someones mind, Their memories, their morals and most important of all. Their soul. The mental ward cracked and repaired itself when he struck it with his mind. He struck again. "You will not escape me, Brat!"

And again.

"We can't stay here boy or we both will be prisoners in your mind." Talimara said, her large body covered surprisingly little in the circular room. 

"I know but what can we do? He's stronger than any I ever fought." Nero clasped his left arm and a red stream of blood flowed from a gash running from his eye to his jaw.

"There is only one thing to do." 

"And that is?" 

"This." Talimara descended on Nero quicker than he could react, knocking Nero's soul unconscious. "I'm sorry but you would never had approved of what I'm about to do." She gritted her teeth as she tore out his soul from his body and then escaped Nero's body. All while they pounding struck again.

And again. 

Until after what finally had felt for hours he entered the perfectly circular room. He cracked a wicked smile. "And so falls this body to me. I am Wrath, This realm is now mine!" The room usually made of silver gold and marble twisted and groaned as it slowly warped. His smile suddenly warped into a scowl. "NO reply? No struggle? Aah, clever girl! His soul is not here." He tilted his head as he looked around the room. "Never mind, his body is still mine and two lone sould won't live long without a medium." A sword manifested in Wraths hand, with a single step he reached the center of the room and plunged it into the ground. Red runes spread out over the floor. He took a deep breath as a thick dark miasma rose from the corrupted floor. "Aah, much better," said Wrath, as he pondered where the soul of the ancient dragon had taken Nero. Not that it was of much importance any longer.

Then all of a sudden the room begun to shake violently and the rattling of chains came from the wall. Wrath spun around on the spot looking to where he had blasted in before, the wall was already back and outside he could see the soul shackles tighten. "Fuck." He spat annoyed but not angered, this was but a minor setback.

Talimara weaved the chains over and over before being satisfied that Wrath would be contained for now. Just as she was done the pounding begun anew. She then mustered powers from her own soul and did something anyone sane never should do, summon you own Chamber of souls into another body as this could in worst cases rip your soul apart. 


Nero, who had so far been sleeping peace fully since they had departed Catersville. Stirred in his sleep moaning painfully. Twilight buffed him in the shoulder to wake him up, Celestia watched her student getting no response except more painful moans. When He started coughing She sharply ordered. "Land the chariot! Now!" The guards quickly did as told and the chariot was in deep descent. After they landed Celestia, Twilight and Applejack left to chariot to help, Nero to rest more comfortably. When she tried to cast a scan spell to see what was wrong with him, he suddenly grabbed her and pulled his face close. Eyes glowing, the one previously sealed, golden and red. The other black and sickly green. He stared deep into hers 

"Run, Muster what power you can from the elements and blast us." He said with a gruff female sounding voice. "Let him  not get to you." Celestia started to rear back as she was for the first time struck with fear from Nero. This had been completely uncalled for.

"Girls, get away from him..." Her guards quickly reacted to Nero's warning and was already getting in position between him and the girls. "Twilight summon whatever power you can from the Elements of harmony and relay them to me."

"I. I don't kno." Twilight hesitated.

"You can do it Twilight, we don't need much. only enough to stunn him so we can get him back to the others."

"But." 

"No but's it's for his own good!" Celestia erected a barrier around Nero. His struggled movement forward was quickening. The currupted magic that seeped from his black eye, gathering around his fist. As he struck her barrier the golden light faded to black, then back again to golden light just not as quick. The corrupted magic hammered against her shield and it begun to fade. "Quickly, that strange magic is canceling my own."  She looked back to see Twilight in deep concentration, she had manage to summon the crown and Applejack had her necklace, the others hovered in the air. They pulsated gently with power. Not the blinding light that Twilight or Applejack radiated with. 

"The sun is nothing to the rage I feel!" Nero roared. 

"Princess!" Twilight called. Celestia let her barrier go and a rainbow beam dominated by magenta and orange shot forth and mixed with the light that emanated from Celestias horn. With the power of some of the elements mixed with her own she shot Nero who had charged into and now stood on top of one of her guards, in the chest. With a Gah. He fell back as the power of the Elements surrounded him.

There was a clash of metal against metal. The golden rainbow subsided and as it did they all saw three humans locking swords. One of them had a small golden dragon lashed on her back, she had something looking like a battle dress on, plates of crude iron armor covering parts of her. They watched as the golden blonde twirled away from the two men and dived back in to attack.

The redheaded man dressed in blue and gold robes vaulted away and lashed lightning from his halberd as he did. He parried a rock that had been kicked at him by the man black plate armor. the corruption slowly seeped out of the joints, he laughed "You really think you have a chance against me, mage?" He swatted away the blade of the female and leaped at the mage.

The mage swung his halberd pommel side into the black knights chest and lifted him into the air, he sailed over the chariot and landed with a crash. "So you think you can take me that easily?" He commented back.

"Great one! Now zap him with some of that nifty lightning thingy." The female giggled. 

"you mean this?" He swung at her, a arc of electricity flew toward her, the miniature dragon sailed away from her just before it struck her and landed safely on Lance's shoulder. "Tali sits on the strongest of us remember. Don't get cocky Artemis Ohh and call me Lance. His blue eyes flashed of gold as the dragon landed. 

"Twilight, Applejack. Let's get to a safer distance. The same goes for you four." Celestia addressed her guards. They gave a confirming nod while AJ and Twilight stood their ground.

"Why can't we help him. What ever happened to him is our fault!" She said rather loudly. 

"Heck yea it is!" Artemis called to them, she was getting up from the lightning strike by doing a handstand so she faced them upside down. "Now stay out of it!" She called, flipped back upright and charged Lance.

"But we can help you!" AJ called back. 

"No you can't!" Lance called back as he grabbed Artemis in a red aura of magic and tossed her away to the bushes of the forest they landed next to. She flew sailed away with a scream. The knight jumped up on the chariot and kicked Lance in the back. Lance quickly spun around in his fall and used the halberd to straighten himself kicking back at the knight. "Wrath!" He screamed. 

"Boy!" Wrath called back, 

"Can't we do nothing to help?" Twilight pleaded. 

"I don't know dear, they say no." Celestia stomped the ground. "That, Wrath character is dangerous and must be subdued. then again we don't know what will happen to Nero if we do. Always causing me trouble that man, if it comes to it... Then I will fight him of." 

"But princess."

"I said no but's. I have fought evil before and that thing is not friendly and I will not tolerate it harming my subjects." She then turned to her guards. "If that happens take the girls to safety."

"Yes ma'm!" They all called.

Wrath and Lance exchanged blows, knuckles against a halberd, still Wrath seemed to have no problem keeping up with Lance who used both spells and a longer range weapon. They could only watch in horror as the little dragon ascended from Lance to flee Wrath, as he grabbed his neck and pressed him down to a kneeling stance. Power seemed to flow from Lance to Wrath.

"Your power! Your knowledge! Shall be mine!" He laughed as Lance become paler and paler, his short red hair becoming gray as he was drained. Barely breathing Lance slumped to the ground emptied almost completely of magic he was in a daze. "And now to fully gain your power." Wrath swung down with the halberd. Iron clashed against hardened wood as Artemis, who had rushed back to the battle when Tali had woken her up. Blocked the attack.

"Missed me?"  She agilely spun around and struck Wrath in one of the weakpoints of an plate armor. Under a plate. Her sword struck his abdomen, the chainmail was not nearly enough to shield fully from the blow. Wrath staggered off laughing. "Does it look like am joking to you!" Artemis swung at Wrath again, paying no mind to the small wound he dodged easily. The small dragon flashed cyan for a second and Artemis whispered under her breath. Suddenly she picked up a blinding speed slashing away, kicking and plain right punching Wrath in the face. 

"Insolent brat!" He hissed as he once staggered away from Artemis. She took her chance to get the upper hand and found it. Sweeping a low kick from the right, Wrath fell back. Artemis grabbed his arm and locked him down hunching over him. "Let me go, wench!" 

"In your dreams." Her eyes lit up and Wrath could feel himself being drained as Lance had been minutes before. 

"Yes, corrupt yourself!" He said with glee.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" She twisted his arm some more. "I'm just sending all that power to the nether, burning your mana circuits in the process." Wrath looked at her in horror before he began to trash around trying to get free from her grasp. With a sickening crunch he broke his own arm, screaming on top of his lungs he kicked out at her. She tried to dodge but got hit in the throat instead. Coughing she stumbled back. 

"Don't think this is the last time you see me boy," Wrath started to draw power beyond his current measure.

"Is it really a good idea to burn yourself out like that, just to get away." 

"Better than death. Everything is better than death." He disappeared in a flash of light.

"Ah, Fuck it." Artemis coughed up blood. "That dude can kick." She turned around to the chariot, the ponies was starting to come closer from the forest again, she didn't care much. Her target was on the chariot itself. Lance. Striding up to him she saw that he had pulled a new weapon from his robes. He aimed at her, "Fuck!" she dove down. Lance barely missed her as the Gun silently spat out a round. 

"Only one *Cough* of us can survive, Arty!" He called. 

"Yea, so? Because of that the magician starts relying on cheap tricks? How many rounds do you think you can handle conjuring up without breaking down? Two? Three?" She called from her hiding place. 

"More than enough Arty. As I said only one of us can live" He coughed a few times again. Artemis started to crawl closer. "And I know who." The sound of a cocking gun was heard and then a pop. The splatter echoed around her, From afar she could hear the shocked gasps of the ponies who had personally witnessed the act. 

Artemis ruched up to the chariot. "NO!" She screamed, she grabbed Lance's collar and started to shake the lifeless body. "Oh, no no no no NO! You! You fool!" Something pulled from Lance into Artemis. Soon a pained wheezing came from her shoulder. She snapped her head to see, the Miniature dragon, Tali, she looked gray and weak, with a last wheeze she suddenly split into a array of tiny golden lights. The lights quickly faded. "Fuck you!" She snapped back to Lances life less body, only to see that to gone together with the blood and brains splatered over the chariot. The last of what was pulled from him entered Artemis. Blinding lights flashed before her eyes.

Everyone else saw the lights too. When they died down, Nero stood on the chariot holding his white mantle in his hands. he sported the same blonde hair as Artemis. Twilight and Celestia walked closer. "Ahh I'm so stupid! What was I thinking!" To their surprise Nero was still female. "Of course, killing off my male side was Bloody Brilliant!" Nero pulled her fingers through her hair. "I know it was the only way to get back to normal with out properly resurrecting Talimara. But Suicide? I am stupid ain't I? Now healing the male side then blowing off my head as a girl now that would have been much better." 

"How is killing yourself in anyway the answer?" Twilight deadpanned.

"Oh I didn't want to revive Tali. You know big mean, mostly immortal rampaging dragon."

"Oh her... Wait back up a minute! What in the name of Equestria was that fighting about. That, Wrath character?" Twilight said.

"you know how I have been away for two weeks and not even a single day has passed for you?" Nero said.

"Yea. So?" 

"Well I kinda was infested by this ancient spirit that kinda wanted my body. Only now he got one for himself." He turned to Celestia, "that's kinda what I wanted to tell you earlier." He chuckled awkwardly 

"Did this happen happen beacause of the Elements or was it something that we just hurried the process of." Celestia said, she rose to Nero's height. 

Nero let herself fall into a sitting position "I don't think it was the Elements at all, I mean if you didn't blast me at all I would have probably just been taken over by him instead. But atleast we don't have to worry about him for now. He burnt up most of the magic circuits he possessed...  rather I stole them and burnt them for him. Bad thing is so did most of mine"

"What does that mean for you, and him." Twilight asked, taking a seat next to Nero. 

"I'll need to relearn all the magical knowledge I had, Wrath stole it when he drained me. Actually he only retook what was his, you see it was, Talimara that brought, Wrath to me. The first time we met, he latched into my soul. I didn't even know he was there. That time in the cave you know. All I learned was mixture of magic from Talimaras homeworld and Wrath, they seemed to hail from the same kingdom. But the good thing is, I burnt away most of what he knew too. He won't be a problem for a long time."

"How can you be so sure?" Twilight asked, Celestia had ordered over her pegasi and Applejack had silently joined them on the chariot. 

"Because I will have the same problem, normally one can not regenerate magical circuits alone." The chariot was now once again moving and soon they way flying back towards Ponyville. "But Wrath got away with a part of my body, my almost Immortal body. Although not, 'ahem' probably not properly immortal, still he might regenerate them in time."

"And you being a... Woman was it? Will that just regenerate?" Celestia asked. 

"That was... Not something I wanted to do, looks like the side effect is this." She gestured to herself. "I'll probably need a bit of help to get back to normal." Nero said grimly

"Spirit magic, a rare type indeed. I can't help you with that. Maybe Twilight or her friends know one?" Celestia said, hinting to Twilight. 

"I do know one. Question is I willing to ask her." Twilight teased. 

"Yea Ah recon Ah know one too. Did wonder with tha' Poison joke. Also yer shorter now." AJ added.

"Hardy hardy har." Nero said. "Like you would not ask for help in my situation? And did you think I didn't notice that." 

The ponies around her giggled like little foals for a moment, then Twilight said. "Well just don't think she's a miracle worker, because she's not."

"Nah a miracle worker would make me mortal again. Not just this semi-mortal thing I managed." 

"Semi-mortal? What do you mean?" Celestia now asked.

"I made it so, well, I'm more like an ordinary person, like I used to be. That said you could probably tare my arm of and it'll regrow. But who am I to complain."

"Sounds like me and, Luna then. Ageless, but bound to the needs of mortals. But we do pay a price for it." She nodded

Nero nodded in agreement. "Then again price we pay is well worth it. I feel if I don't, I'll grow arrogant, I'll rather do things this way, atleast my immortality is mostly on my terms. The need to sleep, relearn magic the proper way. The fear of death again."

Celestia reacted a little on the last one. "The fear of death? You do mean temporally... Right." Nero nodded.

"There are only two forces in this world that can kill me properly. Wrath, for he is now essentially carrying a part of me, although he will need some help to do so. And me, still I can feel the taste of death even if it's only temporary. Today taught me that more than anything else, I am not indestructible and I'll never be." Celestia settled to a more comfortable position and agreed. "Also I don't have a death-wish, I'm twenty for god’s sake." ‘So he´s four years older than me then.’ Twilight thought

"It looks like you learnt a lesson today." Twilight and AJ followed the conversation idly.

"Yea, never trust an old grumpy dragon, she'll smack you in the soul and make you fight against yourself."

"That happened? Interesting. What will you do now, Nero? Or is it, Artemis?"

"Nero. Definitely, Nero. And I don't honestly know, not after what just happened." Nero decided to lean back against the big rear section of the chariot, Twilight had carefully joined AJ on the other side of him. 

"You still have the ability to channel mana right? Magic?" Twilight asked, Nero felt around a bit. Still finding that spark of life that was called mana.

She nodded. "Would not pose a problem. A bit weaker than before." She snapped her finders twice. "Still need re-training or I might hurt myself" She gulped. "or worse.

"Then might I suggest that Twilight teach you the basics, I can only see the benefit in that experience for both of you, as for your circuits, what do you think can help you there?" Celestia said, looking straight ahead not looking on ether of them. Twilight opened her mouth to say something several times before finally. 

"Me? Teaching? I d."

"It would do you great in your own studies to teach, not only about magic" She looked back on Nero who stared out in the distance not even listening to them anymore. "It looks like he might need it." Nero snapped back to reality when she noticed Celestia looking at her. 

"Ohh sorry, you said something? Ohh yea the circuits, I don't know really." 

"Nothing at all, I just told Twilight that because she has the most experience about humans she would be an excellent teacher. Don't you think?"

"Hmm, maybe so." Nero answered as she once again slipped back into her own thoughts.

"I see. Alright I'll do it! You won't be disappointed Princess!" Twilight said cheerfully. Hiding her concern about what had happened only ten minutes ago back on the ground, she could not help looking at Nero and her tattered clothing. Had he really been gone only for two weeks?



They touched down before Twilight's Library only a few minutes after they had left AJ at her farm. The sun was soon to be gone on the horizon. The Princess excused herself for a moment and lowered the sun, the moon gently rose in it's place. When she rejoined them she spoke to Nero. "Are you sure you want to stay, there are more than ample space in Canterlot."

"There is no direct need for me to be in Canterlot right?" 

"Not really, but Twilight was more than willing to stay until the Wedding." All of the Elements had been 're-invited' to the wedding before Twilight and AJ had first departed Ponyville. "I thought that Twilight might want to use main library in Cantelot  to help you progress." 

Nero let out a 'thss' sound. "Baby-steps Princess, Baby-steps. And I like the freedom that Ponyville gives. Less of that stuffy city. So I'm sorry to decline your invitation to your palace at this moment, your highness." Nero said and lightly bowed, Celestia giggled lightly again. 

"Then I will be off for now, I will see you both two days before the festivities. And don't worry about Wrath for now, I will have him tracked down and captured until we decide what to do with him." Nero and Twilight said their goodbyes to the Princess and waved her off as she flew away in the night sky. Nero let out a relived sigh. 

"What was that for?" Twilight asked curiously

"I don'no Celestia makes me feel... Well.. I have this feeling of unease for some reason." She said with a shudder.

"I have never sensed something like that, I was admittedly a little scared of her at first, but since then I have seen what a gentle and kind ruler she really is." 

"Still you fear her judgement." Nero inquired.

"I have not grown arrogant just because I'm her personal student and now your mine, so you better be a good student." She said quite seriously. 

"Yes Miss Twilight." Nero said jokingly, granting her a cold stare from Twilight, Nero just laughed it off. "Why so serious?" 

Twilight suddenly shined a smile. "Let's just be super serious during the lessons." She took a long look at Nero properly. "AJ was right you are shorter., also don't show those damaged clothes to Rarity she will freak out like never before." She said as she opened the door. 

"You Give That Back Now!" A young colt cried, Spike ran around the library holding a dark gray mantle followed by a unicorn colt around the crusaders age age. The young colt tried to charge a spell but failed. "Common Spike! I need that!" Twilight and Nero shared a glance, then they looked back to the two kids. 

"You know that kid... Don't you." Twilight said bluntly.

"Yea that's Eclipse." She said, looking at the two.

"Eclipse was blue gray and smaller when I saw him earlier today."

"That cape of his is enchanted to alter his appearance and the jewel that keeps it in place is a weak amplifying crystal... He told me about it when I first took him to Canterlot." Twilight looked confused at her. "How about I tell you later when they are not wrecking your home?" He said when another loud crash was heard.
> Away from home (end of book one)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"How did I get here?" She put her hand on the window, it rained outside and she saw her own reflection in it. She looked sad, a scar marring the otherwise smooth face straight across her eye. The room was large, spacious and spartan. The few pieces of furniture that was in the room was simply elegant in their simple design, a bouquet of Purple roses was the only real color in the room. She moved slowly trough the room as not to disturb it. A bathroom was connected to the bedroom, a thin dust layer told her that no-one had been cleaning it regularly, the bedroom was connected to a large room that was furnished to be a living room, the kitchen was just divided by a counter that was most likely the dining area. These places was clean from dust. The kitchen counter was made of smooth black stone. She brushed her fingers against the smooth surface, coming off free of dust and grime. The lingering scent of food came from a unwashed pan. "Where am I?" She asked herself. she slumped down in the sofa, there was a blanket and a pillow neatly pilled on one end of it. There was an alarm-clock on the TV-table. "Well someone else is living here. Question is who?" 
"It's time." A voice came from behind her. "It's time to leave." A older man stood beside her. She had only met him once before, but that was in real life. Martin a man that came to Equestria to restore the timelines. Timelines that Nero had messed up. (In the unseen part of the story)
"You! No this can't be. Not yet!" Nero pleaded. Suddenly everything started to shake. Cabinets swung open, glasses and plates fell to the floor. She flinched and she jolted awake. She was meet with a familiar face, Twilight. 

"It's time for breakfast." she said with a smile." Nero still shocked from her awakening and who she had seen in her dream, just responded with a confused "Huh?" Twilight walked of towards the door just turned her head. "Breakfast. Now." she demanded, when she was outside Nero head "We are on a schedule you know." She head her call.
"...Yea, yea." Nero mumbled as she lazily climbed out of bed and dragged on her clothes. She stretched her left wing and then looked at the right one. It had gotten itself stuck in her shirt arm.
"Nero!" Twilight called from below. 
Nero wrestled with the piece of fabric and her wing to get it loose. "Just a moment." The last two days had been a blast for her... Not really. It had taken her little less than three hours of talking to Rarity to not make her a dress. Letting Rainbow laugh at her little predicament until she had snapped and yelled at her, the most understanding was Fluttershy and Pinkie pie, who didn't go and made a fuzz about it. Spike and even Eclipse had laughed their asses off for a good minute, until they needed to breathe that is. Nowhere close to Rainbow. Twilight had on the other hand gone on and on about the cape that Eclipse had worn before. It had hidden the colts true age from the others and Nero had known this for a while, but went with it as a courtesy to the boy. He had reveled himself to be seven, almost an entire year younger than the crusaders. it had also dulled away his true colors, his mane white with gray streaks through it, his dull blue coat had been restored to it's more lighter self. all of it had been to stay hidden. from what he had not said, it didn't matter anymore he claimed. Nero was inclined to believe him. 

She smelled eggs on her way down the stairs, she looked out over the library. their bags was packed and ready to go. "Mornin.." She mumbled when she entered the kitchen. She slumped down on the chair next to Eclipse, rustled his mane and took a sip at the coffee that Spike had prepared for her. She sat there in blissful silence, lazily drinking her coffee and eating the food Spike, prepared for them.
"So I talked to Cheerile, and she said that Eclipse can begin to attend her classes next Monday." Twilight mentioned casually from the blue.
"Really? When? I'ts like seven thirty." Nero said into her mug. Eclipse looked at her horror struck. 
He then looked at Twilight. "Do I really have to?" He began.
"Yes!" Both Nero and Twilight said at the same time. "it's not only a good platform to learn from but also a good environment to build friendships with ponies your own age." 
"And 'nopony'." Nero forced the word. "well most anyhow will know what you looked like before you took off the cape." Nero said. Somehow Luna had wiped the memories of the resent alicorn lunch from everyone that had been present or heard of it. Somehow she and Celestia had predicted something like this might have happened and put some sort of perception spell on the group. Not even the crusaders know what had happened or even remembered what Eclipse had looked like exactly. They had just accepted his new look at first glance without question. Nero on the other foot had been a rampart fire of gossip and his resent transformation had made it even worse. "It's so convenient that they had that spell up that it's like someone told them what would happen in beforehand." She mumbled through some toast.
"Actually I told Celestia that a perception filter might be a good idea at the time. Even our transformations was kept to the barest of minimum attention. For our safety you know." she paused momentarily. "That's what she told me anyhow." 
"oh she did now did she?" Nero asked.
"yea on our way to Caters, and the others helped too... Somehow." She shock her head, "Anyhow that's no longer an issue."
"That's great to know." She gulped down the last of the coffee. "Hope nothing weird happens during this. Looks like all of us are adept in finding trouble." The others agreed, not knowing how hard they had just jinxed that day. Not knowing that this would be the last time they sat down for breakfast together for a long time.





"Alright class, tomorrow is an important time for all the magi in year two, the summoning ritual." Principal Khadgar, said to his students. "A familiar is sometime a friend coming for a visit, in which they help and assist us, often they are lifelong partners who help us define who we are as magicians." He said fondly out to the group of young mages before him. "But know this, if you don't summon a familiar before midnight  fail, then you will be expelled. A young girl of short stature gulped and chuckled to herself.
"Don't worry Maria, you'll summon something for sure." One of her friends whispered. "You have studied this more than anyone." He whispered.
"I-I know that I'll mess it up like always. It's like they said it's a wonder that they bumped me up to year to at all." Maria shook nervously in her chair. "I study the most and I fail the most, Adrian. I- I know that I'll go home in a few days." She was almost breaking down in tears. 
"You need more confidence in yourself. Master Kiebel, says so too. And for the sake of the burning one don't let Remra and her friends get you down." Maria took a deep breath at Adrian's words and visibly calmed down but she was nervous all the same. This day was dedicated to studying and coming up with your own variation of the summoning spell: Familiaris. The familiar summon. Later that night. Maria was yawned greatly as she for the fortieth time looked over her spell. Sighing she closed the tome and dragged herself to bed. She as normally had a nightmare, like always before a test.

She jolted awake a good hour before she normally got up and as in normal fashion got out of bed and went down to the grand bath that the girls shared at the academy. She soaked for an hour to calm herself down not thinking about the test. She was probably going to do just fine. She could do magic after all. She was just not that good at it. But at times she had a breakthrough and nowadays basic manipulation was easier than before, but still quite much harder than for others. 

An hour later: Maria gulped as it was her turn to summon a creature to become her familiar, she shyly looked around to her classmates and the familiars they had summoned. Adrian stood proudly next to a draconic girl, a proud warrior of her realm now sworn to his service. _The scales on her face and her scaled elven ears and draconic eyes made her all the more fearsome. She smirked at Maria with a sharp toothed grin.  Another had summoned a snow white Grand Owl, reaching half the girls size. Another girl had summoned a giant firesalamander. But most impressive of all was the young emerald dragon that Felicia Dawnstar had called upon. Maria readied her spell and stood with her wand pointing into the air, much like the others had done not to long before her, power was gathering in wast quantities and she preformed the spell not knowing what would come forth. A great explosion sounded through out the courtyard and the students and Maria herself shielded her eyes.



 

Packed and ready to go Nero slung her light travel bag on her back and donned her white travel mantle. "I'll meet you all at the train!" She called back into the house when she left. 
"Okay!" Twilight replied. "Train leaves in half an hours so be there!" 
"I know, I know." Nero muttered scratching her head and then dragging her fingers through her hair. "Just going to the sugar cube, ghee she is paranoid." She sighed heavily. "Not even letting me out for two days without a chaperon." She muttered a while later when she entered the sweets store. The telltale bell of Sugacube Corner rang happily besides her as she ducked into the store.
"Hello Nero. Good morning" Miss Pie said with a cheerful smile.
"Good morning, Miss Pie." Nero answered in kind. "The usual please."
"Two cinnamon doughnuts and a chili cupcake coming right up." She said and ducked behind the glass monitor that held the delectible treats. "Big day to day! Pinkie already left for the train, made a big hassle about this and that. Nearly took half the kitchen with her after she got the know about Applejack making all the cooking." She laughed to her self. "You know Pinkie wanting to help out her friends." She said as she hoofed Nero a paper bag with the corners sign on it.
"Pinkie will always be Pinkie. That's why we love her so much." Nero said and handed her four bits. 
"That we do." Miss Pie said fondly. "You have a safe trip now." 
"I will." Nero said cheerily over her shoulder, only to turn more sullen as she turned back towards the exit. She headed out towards a lonely tree on  a hill. 
"You're late." He said. The same man from her dream stood leaning against the tree, he was short, gruff and seemed to bear a permanent scowl on his face. "Time is an issue here." 
"I know but this is to soon." Nero said in defiance. 
"To soon?" He growled. "You messed with time for months and say that it's to soon? Girl you need to learn everything has it's time and place. It's not to be tampered with, you know the outcome of you staying at that wedding." 
"Things are different this time." She interupted.
"Like what? That your a girl this time around?" He spat on the ground between them, "That changes nothing. Time is split, here and now. I fucked up, you fucked up, then you fucked up again." He crossed his arms.
"Martin, I" She began
"No pleading. Please, Last time an alternative you went to that wedding many died, it sparked a war on such a scale that Celestia, you and Luna reversed time. Creating the first paradox in the first place." He sighed. "This time won't go much differently. If you attend Chrysalis will strike early, and given your nature." 
"I'll fight her and cause some other fuck up."
"Now you get it." 
"And if I don't go?" 
"I was coming to that. If you don't go it would go much to the stream of times intent. With one major difference, the death of Celestia and Chrysalis, Celestia while immortal would return with the passage of time could not change the fate of Miss Sparkle. We have seen this fate and it's not pretty." 
"She dies?"
"In a sense, Miss Sparkles mind would not be how to say... Intact." 
Nero sighed. "So with me we spark a war, without all of whom I care for is forever scarred for life."
"And would cause the new queen of the changelings to try again while Equestria is weak. Seeing how it's not the full force of the changelings that are attacking but just one swarm."
"And if we leave? What happens then?" 
"Our influense will leave this world. Time would compensate for what we had done with some slight alterations, The hero of Caters would be solely Nocturne, Eclipse would somehow escape the Garble and end up in Twilight's care. Your 'blessing' as it is called would become a bond that always existed between the girls and time would fix this to become what it would be in turn. That's how Arthur." 
"That's not my name." She growled.
"It was, is and always will be, your name. Nero. Make it a female form for all I care but it is your name." He said her chosen name with slight disgust. "Now make a decision! Leave with me and g our separate ways while we are at it, or stay here and doom this world." 
"Will I ever be able to return here?" She said her head hanging She was fighting back tears both in rage and sorrow.
"One day... Maybe  when time have repaired itself and become stable again. But I won't be there to get you here." He fiddled with a device on his arm. "Ready?" He asked. 
"Just a moment." She looked over the town as she stifled back the tears that wanted to swell forth. An indescribable noise came from behind her. She swiveled around to see a green looking portal next to Martin. 
"This is it." He offered her a pendant. "To keep the curse of transportation of you, portals that erase you from time isn't the most stable."
"An Immortal can only travel every hundred years through unstable means of transport between worlds." Nero said. He agreed and then offed her to go first, reluctantly she did after putting the pendant on.

Beyond the portal was simply a rock floating in space, a flat surface large enough for a maybe ten of so people. The portal closed behind Martin as he entered into the purple void that surrounded them. "The neatherrealm. A place between planes. Your next deastination is comming soon." He gestured forward just as another portal emerged this one a blue doorway. "This is where our paths in time split." 
"Just one more question?" She asked.
"Go ahead." 
"What about Wrath? What will happen to him?"
"He won't be a problem for Equestria for a long time, and when he does. Well you know what happens." He gestured to himself. 
"You'll take care of it and time will correct itself yet once again."
"It already have, the mending of time has begun. Fixed points has been restored to their former selves." A faint beeping rang in the void. "The job of a fixer is never done." He sighed. "Now be off with ya before the portal closes and gets you stuck here. I'll think you will enjoy Azerthia. It's a vast world. And remember no time traveling this time." 
"I don't know the spells for it anyway." She said a little mellow, sad that she had to leave her friends behind. Friends, family, love. All that she truly cared for in the world. 
"True, but now you know what happens if you mess with time if you're not careful or trained to do so." 
"Or happens to own a tardis." Nero joked. 
"Bah Timelords, bossy bunch if you ask me. And use your real name this time." He called back as she went through the portal and faded away. The older man stroked his stubby beard, "That boy of mine, always such a pain in the ass." Martin said fondly. "Take care Arthur Artemis Fordring."



 

The dust settled around her and blurry shaped of people became clearer. There stood people all around her, not that she cared much. 
"A human?" A female voice asked out loud. "My familiar is a human?" The cloud had now cleared thanks to the wind, that was now fading away. Nero looked up in the sky. Seeing an unfamiliar moon in the day sky.
"So this is the new world I get to explore." She murmured in a language no one would understand in this world. "Wait? Familiar?" She said as she looked down on the girl and was greeted with a kiss.