> Tale of the Shadow Pony
>  by AtomicShockwave
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a dark and stormy night. Everypony stayed safely indoors and slept the best they could. Some we're restless due to the roaring thunder.

In between dimensions there was a place with nothing but shallow water as far as the eye could see. The water shined in the seemingly setting sun.

A pony as black as night with a mane of dusk with stripes of the redness of dawn. He had deep jade-green eyes. His tail was broad and mostly flat. It matched his mane but besides that there was little to no detail. The pony was laying in the shallow water and he began to regain consciousness, slowing getting to his feet. 

"W-where... am I...?" He questioned as he looked around the desolate water land. 

"Your Sanctuary..." An anonymous voice responded.

"Who's there? What do you mean? Show yourself!" He said back looking around frantically. The voice was easily a female, she sounded young and friendly... 

"You have been granted a chance to redeem yourself... I wish you the best..." She said before a bright flash blinded him.

Within seconds the pony noticed he was falling fast, towards the land under him. He screamed as he fell, and braced himself for what was to come.

[End of Prologue]
> [Chapter One: Awakening]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A cyan pony with a bright and colorful rainbow mane is walking beside a pony with a bubblegum pink mane and a light yellow coat.
The cyan one is known as Rainbow Dash, as the yellow pony is known as Fluttershy, the two of the ponies are both mares.

"Please... I don't want to go without ANY of my friends and you're the only one that can come... You just have to sit in the crowd a cheer.. It's no big deal!" Rainbow Dash said. 

"But it IS a big deal! How about... Derpy? She'll be alot more helpful then me..."  Fluttershy responded. 

"Come on Fluttershy! It'll be easy!"  Rainbow Dash said as Fluttershy let out a sigh. 

"But... I... ACK!! OOF!"

Fluttershy exclaimed as she tripped over something on the trail and upon further inspection... it was a body, It was the midnight black pony, and he was laying in his own blood. Fluttershy screamed and began to cry.

"Ugh.... Hnn..."

The midnight pony muttered as he tried pushing himself up. 

"Hey! D-don't move!" 

Rainbow Dash said as he crashed down and fainted. Rainbow Dash did her best to pick him up. 

"Fluttershy! Pull it together and lets go!" 

Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she flew towards the nearest medical facility. Fluttershy did her best to keep up, but arrived shortly after Rainbow Dash did. 

"Somepony! Anypony! Help! NOW!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she carried the blood dripping pony in. 

The nurse at the front desk immediately called for a doctor. 

"We need a doctor and an ICU prep'd STAT, we have a pony who is losing alot of blood that is caused by a large gash on his side" 

Seconds later a doctor and two nurses appeared with a gurney and Rainbow Dash gently set him upon it. The nurses rushed the injured pony to his ICU room and the doctor walked up to the two ponies.

"Thank you very much for bringing him here. If you'd like you can wait for him outside the room.

"I-is he gonna be ok...?" Fluttershy said in a shaky voice.

"He'll be just fine, don't you worry."  The doctor said back.

"So Doctor, what kind of award do I get for saving this pony?" Rainbow Dash said with a smug look. 

"That can wait, the pony needs my help." The doctor said rolling his eyes as he headed to the ICU room to tend to the midnight pony.

A good two hours passed as the doctor returned. "Come with me..." 

He said guiding them to the ICU room. As they entered they saw the pony laying there with his eyes closed and his hoof resting on his wound. 

"Here are the two ponies who brought you here..." 

The doctor said showing the two ponies. Slowly, the midnight pony opened his eyes, and nodded. 

"Do you have any clue who he is...?" The doctor asked the two ponies. 

"No clue... I haven't seen him since today..."  Rainbow Dash said as Fluttershy nodded along.

"Well, he has yet to say anything... I can't get his name to check if he's registered with any places outside of Ponyville... 
Can you... Maybe talk to him...?" The doctor requested. Rainbow Dash paused and nodded. 

The doctor left the room and the yellow pony took a seat next to the midnight pony. 

"Fluttershy..." Rainbow Dash said as Fluttershy smiled.

"Hey... S-So... What did you do to hurt yourself so bad...?" Fluttershy asked. 

The midnight pony didn't respond.

"Alright... Well... What's your name?" Fluttershy then asked. 

"What's it to you?" The pony said in a rude and somewhat raspy voice.

"W-W-well... I w-wanna know what I should call you. Everypony has a name. Mine is F-Fluttershy and this is my friend Rainbow Dash.." Fluttershy said softly.

"My name is none of your concern." The pony said.

"Alright! Now listen here-"

"Listen to what!?" The midnight pony growled, cutting Rainbow Dash off.

Rainbow looked a bit surprised but then grit her teeth and pulled Fluttershy aside.

The midnight pony noticed that he was connected to an IV. The two ponies started whispering to each other and the pony used this to his advantage. Taking the IV out and gritting his teeth.

The pony got himself out of the hospital bed and nearly fell over.

"Hey! What are you doing??" Rainbow Dash said concerned and surprised.

"I need to use the restroom... if you'd excuse me..." 

The pony eased himself up with a limp and made his way out of the room. The two ponies sat patiently waiting until they noticed that behind the privacy curtain that was all the way to the right... was a private bathroom for the hospital room. 

"Shit..." Rainbow Dash said as she rushed out of the room. The doctor returned to see only Fluttershy remain. 

"What happened to the patient and your friend??" The doctor said in confusion with a bit of anger. 

Fluttershy yelped and gave no response as she ran out of the room.

"Dammit!!" The doctor yelled out  

"Please! Come back!" The doctor yelled as Fluttershy rushed out of the hospital.

{The story will now take place in "The Pony's" POV unless said otherwise} 

I snuck out of the hospital while withstanding the damage I was in as the girl at the front desk was occupied due to talking with a co-worker. 

(Maybe if I find a library or something of the sort, I can shed some light on what's going on) I thought to myself. 

"Hey! You!" I said to a nearby pony to get their attention. 

"Yes, sir?" The pony said in response. 

"Where's the library of this town?" I said back. The pony simply replied by pointing his hoof at a large red tree, with a sign at it's base that read: 'The Golden Oak Library' I nodded and slowly but surely headed to the tree. 

I knocked at the large red door given at the tree's base. 

"SPIIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" 

A female voice yelled. 

"I'm going I'm going..." A young sounding male voice said in response. 

The door slowly opened and there sat a small purple and green dragon with deep jade eyes. 
This dragon is known as Spike and is a loyal friend and assistant of Twilight and Twlight is a studious pony who is a unicorn and studies several magical spells and their history. 

The dragon looked me up and down as he noticed my condition. 

"You're hurt!"

"I'm fine... I need to research some things." I said as I entered on my own. 

"Umm Ok..." The dragon said in response. 

"Hey Twilight! Somepony needs some help here"  The dragon yelled into the next room. Out walked a pony of lavender with a deep purple main with a violet and pink stripe within it, with the tail to follow. 

"Hello. What do you need?"  Said the pony who could of course be Twilight. 

"Research... I need to research..." I said to her. 

"Alright. What do you need to research?" 

"Some... historia of the land... possibly some documents that could explain who I am... and well... Amnesia..." I said to Twilight. 

"Amnesia?? Did you lose your memory?"  She said as I followed up with a simple nod.

"How did that happen?" Twilight said.

"I can't remember..." I said rudely.

"Right... sorry..."  Twilight said as she turned to Spike. 

"Spike, could you help find those things for him as I finish up upstairs?" 

Spike rolls his eyes and nods as he accepts Twilight's order and goes to search for the requested items. Soon enough Spike comes back with 4 books: 1 explaining the historia of the land as asked, another explaining the land itself, 1 on Amnesia and another is basically a National Census on recorded ponies. I nod and take the books and go over to a nearby empty desk to start reading. 

"You're welcome!"

Spike says as he walks out. I shrug and read more. The books told me of Equestria, the home continent of mainly ponies but many other intelligent and civilized types alone, the causes of Amnesia and one way to help retrieve memories in an easy way is to hold mementos of my past. As for the National Census... I found nothing. I nod and get up with a sigh and leave the books on the desk. I go to exit the house with a bit of disappointment. 

"I'm leaving now!" I open the door to see the pony known as Twilight standing before me... covered in debris... 

"W-what the fu..."

[End Of Chapter]
> [Chapter Two: Darkness Rising]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stared at Twilight, completely confused on the situation. I went to turn my head to look back into the house but before I could even move an inch Twilight pushed me to the side and due to my injuries I fell over like it was nothing.

"Get out of here!" Twilight said as she rushed into the house and upstairs.

I got up and I thought of what I should do.... If I should really leave... or if I should stay... Before I could make a choice she showed up... the cyan one, Rainbow Dash.

"There you are!" She said as she stood in front of the door.

"Now is not the time!" I said in anger as I decided to push through the pain and head up the stairs after Twilight, or at least one of them...

"Hey! Don't you go away from me!" Rainbow said as she flew into the house and got in my way.

"Move!" I said rudely as I pushed past her to find a room, it seemed like a robber rummaged through everything in a hurry.

I noticed a broken window at the back of the room.

"Great..." I said as I rushed to it and looked out it to see the two Twilights fighting.

I ease myself out the window and fell to the ground. I grit my teeth in pain and got up. 

I looked down to see a large shard of glass, easy to pick up as well... Of course I picked it up and I went towards the two who were at this point hoof-fighting... It seemed that both of them were in a state where their magic seemed useless...

I did my best to hold myself up. I held onto the shard and stepped close.

"Enough..." I said sternly enough for the both to notice me and stop.

I focused and I noticed that there was only one Twilight covered in debris... I sighed.

"H-hey! B-before you do anything hast-" I stabbed the obvious fake before they could finish talking.

"AHHGG!" The fake groaned out as a strange black liquid flowed from the wound.

"Shut it." I said as I twisted the shard and the fake burst into a black cloud and there ended up being nothing but some of the black liquid and a small black crystal.

The real Twilight watched in slight horror, but more in confusion.

"How'd you... How'd you know...?" Twilight said as she got up and went over to me.

"I just did..." I said hiding the obvious fact as I throw the shard down and reached for the crystal.

"I'll take it... I wanna run some tests... if nothing useful comes up... It's all yours." Twilight said as she placed her hoof on it.

I gave her a glare and shrugged it off.

"Thank you... so much for saving me..." Twilight said with a smile as she picked the strange crystal up.

"Yeah yeah...." I said in response as I looked up at the broken window to see Rainbow Dash carefully fly out of it.

"Wow... You really out done yourself there..." Rainbow Dash said.

I scoffed as Twilight turned her head.

"Do you two know eachother...?"

"Unfortunately..." I said at the same time of Rainbow Dash saying "Sure do."

"Wait? Unfortunately?? If it wasn't for me and my friend you would be dead right now!" Rainbow Dash said in anger.

"Yeah... whatever..." I said rudely back.

"Why I outta!" Rainbow Dash said as Twilight quickly intervened.

"Hey! Both of you stop! We have bigger things to get down to.... Now... Mister would you like to come inside and get yourself patched up better...?" Twilight said as she started to trot around the house, and I sighed.

"I guess so..." I said following straight behind her.

Rainbow Dash sighed and followed right behind. 

We entered the house and Twilight placed the crystal on a desk in the main room.

"Rainbow Dash, can you do me a huge favor and go get Applejack for help...? I would like you two to help fix the window, don't worry I'll clean inside." Twilight said as she looked at Rainbow Dash.

"Fine... I'll be back..." Rainbow Dash said as she darted out of the house and headed out to get said Applejack.

"Who's Applejack?" I said out of curiosity.

"Applejack is one close friend out of 5 others, Rainbow Dash is obviously a close friend as well but Applejack is a farm girl, she helps the town with natural food and desserts and well lots of things apple related. She also helps with construction in many cases as to why I asked Rainbow Dash to get her for me." Twilight said as she left the room for a moment.

"Hmm..." I muttered to myself.

"Hey! Come back here... Mister...?" Twilight said unsure if she got my name correctly.

"What...?" I said as I followed her into the room she entered.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name yet..." Twilight said to me.

"My name is none of your concern..." I said as I turned my head away.

Twilight sighed.

"Here... Take a seat." There was a stool in the middle of the room that Twilight motioned me towards.

I rolled my eyes and eases myself onto the stool and sat there as Twilight came over and started to stitch my stitches tighter. She also wrapped bandage around my body and over the wound. 

"There... How do you feel?" Twilight said as I noticed she used magic through the quick almost painless procedure.

"Better... You can use your magic now...?" I said in confusion.

"Uhh... Oh yeah.... I'm not sure why but none of my magic would work on that... thing... and eventually it was just a waste of time to try anything else and what I went through before was tiring enough..." Twilight said with a sigh.

"What do you mean when you say 'what I went through before'...?" I said still confused.

"Well... I went into the Everfree Forest for an ingredient I needed for a potion and I got ambushed by... well... me.... I was unconscious for a bit and my first instinct was to rush home and it was a good thing for me to do... then again... if you weren't there I don't know what would've happened..." Twilight said with a strange tone to her voice.

I roll my eyes as we hear a knock at the door.

"I'll get it" Twilight says as she gets up and heads towards the front door.

I look around the room and I see a small bottle of red liquid with a little tag on it.

'Anti-Injury Potion. [EXPERIMENTAL] Do Not Consume!'

"Experimental... Huh.... Well here goes nothing..." I said with a grin.

I dart my eyes towards the exit of the room and I quickly open the bottle and drink the potion. I felt a strange tingly feeling in my side where my wound was and within seconds the pain was no more.

"Should I tell her that it works...." I say to myself as I laugh and set the bottle down.

"She'll most likely get it sooner or later..." I say as I exit the room. I smiled, showing teeth and finally feeling good and strong.

"Oh dontcha worry Twi, this is nothing compared to what I've done before alone... Having Dash here will simply just speed it up. No pun intended." I heard a country voice say as I headed up the stairs. My best guess is that it's Applejack.

There was a brand new window, some support ropes, and some other construction supplies within the room.

"Hey...." I said to the three.

"Hey! This is Applejack." Twilight said as she pointed to the orange coated pony.

I nod and don't say anything.

"It's nice to meet you Sugarcube, I hear-"

"Don't... call me sugarcube..." I said cutting off Applejack as the 'cute' nickname angered me.

"Oh... kay... then...." She said in surprise.

"See? Told you he was a douche..." Rainbow Dash whispered not-so quietly into Applejack's ear.

I roll my eyes as shakes are felt and screams are heard from outside. 

"What is it this time..." I said in anger as I rushed down the stairs.

"Hey! Wait!" Twilight said as she rushed after me.

"What in tarnation...." Applejack said as she picked up one of the ropes and coiled it easily, rushing outside with it.

"Hey! Wait up!" Rainbow Dash said as she rushed behind us.

I opened the door to see a large dragon terrorizing the town, it was about the size of the average Ponyville house, and it was heading towards the library. 

Some other ponies were already trying to keep it at bay but with some odd... methods... A pony with a pink coat was firing a cannon at it, but the cannon shot nothing but streamers and confetti. 

The pony known as Fluttershy seemed to be trying to talk to it, and a pony in a white coat was trying to reason with it outside of what could only seem like a store of sorts.

Soon enough the dragon was fed up with Fluttershy flying near him and bugging him and the dragon went to strike her but Rainbow Dash got Fluttershy out of the way, but only to be hit down with her as the dragon swung again.

"Hey! You!" Applejack said as she rushed in and went to lasso the dragon. She lassoed him successfully but she soon learned the cost...

The dragon violently struggled and only caused Applejack to be thrown into a nearby building.

A white coated pony screamed and the dragon's attention was soon focused on her. 

"You leave my friends alone!!" Twilight yelled as she rushed at the dragon while charging a spell. She fired a bright beam at it and it seemed to do a good deal of damage to it's midsection but it only ended up putting the dragon into a rage, picking up Twilight and he started to squeeze her hard.

I stood there in shock but then quickly there was a burst of adrenaline for me and I rushed at the dragon full on. I grabbed the rope hanging from it and planted my feet, I pulled as hard as I could and this irritated the dragon, causing it to drop Twilight to the ground.

Twilight started to gasp for air as I pulled harder, only to be pulled off the ground, but not off the rope.

I held onto the rope tightly as I was jostled around. Finally I saw my opportunity. The dragon swung its head back causing me to go straight up. I stretched my hind legs out and began to fell, the dragon made one motion to make my speed faster. I swung down and went right for the wound in its midsection and I hit it hard. So hard that the dragon fell and I landed upon it.

Within moments the dragon burst. Just like the fake Twilight, but no black liquid and a different type of remains.

I grunted as I went over to what was left, a large ruby colored heart. I picked it up and stared at it as the ponies who put any type of effort in against the dragon approached me.

"I helped!" The pink pony yelled out as she rode her mobile cannon over to the get together.

"I... I'm speechless Darling that was-"

"No Darling.... No Sugarcube... No nothing.... My name... My Name is Leon..." I said rudely cutting off the pony in the white coat in the same fashion that I did to Applejack.

"Leon... I am so grateful to you and all that you have done in your short time here..." Twilight said as she suddenly hugged me.

"Thank you..." She said as I pushed her off of me.

"Yeah... Yeah..." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Thank you Leon..." Rainbow Dash said.

"Thank you so much!" The white pony said.

"Much appreciated!" Applejack said.

"T-thank you..." Fluttershy said.

"Ohhh Super duper buper Thank you Leon!" The pink pony said.

"Thank you... So much Leon..." Twilight said once more with a smile.

"We need to have a party!! A party fit for a hero!!" The pink pony yelled out.

"Umm... No..." I said rudely.

"Oh come on! I insist! And by the way my name is Pinkie Pie! I'm the best party packing pony there is in Ponyville!" Pinkie said hyper-actively.

"Come on Leon... It's the least we can do!" Twilight said.

"Yeah, if a dragon can't kill you then neither will a party!" Rainbow Dash yelled out.

I sighed and thought of my options... I had none....

"Fine..." I said irritated, wanting to just walk away. But where else would I start?

All of them cheered and Pinkie Pie jumped high into the air with excitement.

"Let's go!" Pinkie Pie yelled out as she grabbed me and started guiding me to where ever the party may be.

"I'm gonna regret this..." I thought to myself. 

As I was dragged with the group, I continuously thought to myself. How did I remember my name? And who am I? Why don't I remember who I am or why I'm here? I wanted answers, and I planned to get them.

[End Of Chapter]








> [Chapter Three: Friendships]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soon enough I was taken to a place called Sugarcube Corner. It looked like something out of a child's fairy tale.
A house seemingly made out of candy and pastries and other delectable, I would have been more reluctant if I didn't have a shameful sweet tooth...

"Dashie! Get as many ponies as you can to come to the party!" Pinkie said excitedly.

"On it!" Rainbow Dash said as she zoomed out of the building.

"Oh! Oh! What kind of cake is your favorite Leon??" Pinkie said while bouncing and focusing on me.

I rolled my eyes and sighed as the others were looking at me.

"Marble..." I muttered as I went to a table in the corner and took a seat.

Twilight took a seat with me.

"Who... exactly are you...?" Twilight says bluntly and curiously.

"What's it to...." I paused for a moment.

"I.... I don't know..." I said truthfully.

"You don't know..." Twilight said as the others observed from a distance.

"Yes, I don't know. So what..." I said in anger.

"Well... are you from Ponyville...?" Twilight asked.

"I-" Rainbow Dash opened the door and many ponies of different types started to enter before I could say my next words.

"Alright! Let's get this party started!" Rainbow Dash yelled out in excitement.

I sighed as an oversized, frosted marble cake landed in front of me and my eyes opened widely.

The cake read 'Thanks' in big letters on it.

"Surprise! Double Layer Double Frosting Double Fun Marble Cake! For the hero himself!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly as she waited for my reaction.

I looked Pinkie Pie in the eyes for a moment and then back at the cake.

"Th..." I muttered as Pinkie Pie interrupted me.

"Oh! Oh! We have to show you to everypony first!" Pinkie Pie yelled out as she pulled me up onto a nearby table in front of everypony else.

"Hey! Wait!" I said reluctantly as Pinkie Pie got every ponies' attention.

"Hey everypony! This here is Leon! He is the hero that saved Ponyville and he is the awesome super duper reason for this super duper party!!" Pinkie Pie yelled out as everypony else cheered.

"Alrighty! Let's all get ready for some pumpin wubs of destruction!!" A white pony with aviators yelled out stranding by some large sub-woofers and a set of turntables.

"Who's that...." I said curiously.

"Oh! That's Vinyl Scratch! She's great at parties too!" Pinkie Pie yelled out as the pony known as Vinyl turned some music on and the soundwaves were so strong that the opposing wall was blown outwards straight off of Sugarcube Corner.

"Holy Shit!" I yelled as I held my ears, only for the music to be quickly turned down.

"Oh... hehe... sorry everypony! I still had the wedding settings on...." Vinyl said with a slight chuckle.

I looked at the damage done and sighed.

"It's gonna be a long night...." I said as I got down from the table.

The party went on for hours... In the mean time I had some cake, got pestered a bit with 'Thank yous' and such, and a large construction weather-proof tarp was put in place of the wall for the time being.

As all the other ponies left, only 7 of us remained and the place was cleaned up in no time what-so-ever, well besides the huge wall missing...

"That was such an awesome party!!" Rainbow Dash yelled out.

"Yeah... but it's late, we all need to head home and rest..." Twilight said.

"True. Well, I will see all you later! Cya!" Rainbow Dash said as she flew out.

"Another social event a great success!" Rarity said as she exited Sugarcube Corner.

"T-that was really fun..." Fluttershy said as she exited.

"That was a darn good time, just make sure not to give me more work in the process of it." Applejack said with a laugh as she left.

"See all you ponies later!" Pinkie said as she showed me and Twilight out of the building.

"That was alot of fun, don't you think Leon?" Twilight said as she looked at me.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Well.... I have to head home now, It'll be nice if you stopped by tomorrow." Twilight said as she looked at me.

I froze... I sat there and sighed as I looked at the ground.

"You... don't have anywhere to go... do you...? Or at least you don't know where it is..." Twilight said with a concerned tone in her voice.

I looked away.

"Don't worry, I have a spare bed. You can stay with me." Twilight said.

"No thanks..." I said quietly.

"Oh come on... after all you've done for me... and my friends... It's the least I could do. I insist." Twilight said to me.

"You said the party was the least you could do..." I said, irritated about the situation.

"I said we... as in me and my friends as a group. As for me, I have yet for paying you back for the... doppelganger situation at my house. So please, let me do this for you." Twilight said as I looked her in the eyes.  

"Fine...." I said with a sigh.

"Lead the way." I said as Twilight nodded and started to walk back to her house.

I followed closely behind and Twilight looked back at me.

"The other bed is in my room, if you don't mind..." She said to me.

"Do I have a choice...?" I said with a slight attitude to my voice.

"Not really." Twilight said with a slight chuckle.

I rolled my eyes as we arrived at her house. She opened the door and I entered. She turned the lights on and headed over to a nearby desk. Which she had placed the large ruby there for inspection.

She grabbed a notebook and pen out from a drawer on the desk.

"Here..." She passed me the notebook and pen.

"If at any moment you remember something, or learn something. here's something to jot it down in." Twilight said with a smile.

I looked at the book and looked at Twilight.

"So... What about the window...?" I said curiously.

"Oh... you're right... Damn.... O-oh excuse me!" Twilight said embarrassed.

"I'm not bothered by it... but seriously... What are we gonna do...?" I said back to her.

"I'll just use my magic I guess... I'm not sure if it will be a permanent fix but it'll be something." She said as she headed upstairs.

I headed up after her and I put the notebook on the end table next to the bed that I guessed was mine, due to the plain guest bed-es feeling to it.

Within moments Twilight was working on the window, removing the broken one, putting the shards in a wastebin and replacing the window temporarily using some tarp that Applejack brought.

"There... That should do for now." Twilight said as a small yawn exited her mouth.

"Well... It's time for bed now, tomorrow we can hopefully shed some light on well... you yourself Leon." Twilight said with a smile as she climbed into her bed.

"Yeah..." I got into my bed and sighed. I laid on my back, looking up at the ceiling. My eyes became heavy as I thought about how my body felt like I haven't slept in too long... Way.... too.... long....

Within moments I drifted into a calm sleep.

"I'm glad to see you're already turning around..." An anonymous voice said as I jolted up and looked around nervously. I noticed that I was in a world of absolute light.

"Who's there!?" I said as I looked around eagerly.

"You'll learn so enough... I just wanted to tell you that your... training will start soon, I expect the best." The voice said.

"Show yourself!" I yelled out as I was soon blinded by a bright flash.

"Good Morning Leon." Twilight said as she opened a pair of thick curtains covering the newly installed window.

I rubbed my eye and took a breath. It felt really good to get some sleep, but the dream left me a bit uneasy.

"I'm going out today, you should go around town and see if any-pony needs your help, or even if they could help you. Pinkie has the wall in Sugarcube Corner and Applejack needs some help with bucking trees. These are just suggestions... Trust me, it'll be alot better than just sitting around here.." Twilight said as she got ready and exited the house.

"Bucking trees...?" I sigh and exit the house.

"Wait a minute.... Dammit! I don't know my way around..." I got back inside and I eventually found a map of Ponyville, and a place labeled "Sweet Apple Acres" stood out like a sore thumb.

"So... down the path... take a right at the tree.... got it." I then left the house and followed the memorized directions.

Eventually I ended up upon the farm, I saw Applejack organizing some large wicker baskets.

"Umm... Hey..." I said to Applejack as she turned around and smiled at me.

"Oh, hey there sugar... L-leon.... It's nice to see ya! What brings ya by?" Applejack said curiously.

"Well... Twilight mentioned something about helping you buck trees... Whatever the hell that means... so... yeah...." I said with a mellow tone.

"Oh, well I'd love some help from ya, that would be just swell!" Applejack said with a smile.

"Yeah Yeah...." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Heh... So have ya ever bucked a tree before...?" Applejack said curiously.

"Yer darn tootun I have" I said mockingly.

"Alright... I can take a hint. Here, follow me." Applejack said as she walked over to the nearest tree.

"Ya jus gonna wanna face away from the tree and just lean a bit forward like this and kick the tree with your hindlegs" Applejack demonstrates this and the apples are shaken off the tree.

"Right... So where do I start...?" I said looking around the huge orchard.

"Hmm... right here, and go down the way. Also, dontcha worry, I'll be sure to make it worth your while." Applejack said pointing out a long string of trees and giving me a smile.

"Alright..." I muttered as I started to buck the trees.

It wasn't hard at all, one by one I was bucking the trees as told, and baskets were conveniently placed under the trees. I kept bucking for a good couple hours, over doing it to the point that I was doing more then told, or well requested. I'm pretty sure she didn't mind the overdoing.

I returned to Applejack and nod my head in the direction of all the trees I bucked.

"W-wow... ya sure outdone yourself Leon, but I can't just leave this work unrewarded. Come this way" Applejack says walking towards a barn, opening it up and entering.

"If it's cattle, I'm not interested." I say as she walks in.

"Very funny... Jus' come in here." Applejack says as I follow her in.

"Now... I know it's not much... my apologies..." Applejack says as she puts a tattered cloth dual bags onto my back.

"There's more to this gift isn't there..." I say as I feel there is some weight to the bag.

"Check when ya get home." Applejack says with a smile and a wink.

I give her a distrustful glare and I roll my eyes.

"I'll be on my way then... Bye." I say as I turn away and head out.

"Come back sometime if ya looking for some more work, I may have more... rewards for ya." Applejack says waving me off.

I roll my eyes and keep walking. Afterwards I decided to pick up my pace and as I walked faster, I heard... jingling?

I looked around and eased the bags off my back and opened the left bag.

There was a small sack of Bits! I want to say there was at least a hundred of them... this made me curious of the other side, so I opened it right away, and what I found surprised me more then the currency oddly enough... They were apples, but they were golden. I took one out and held it up and it shined so bright against the sun. I inspected the apple and bit more and put it back, I then threw the bags back onto my back and headed home.

I go to head into the house but it ends up being locked.

"Just my luck..." I knock on the door, and I Twilight opens the door.

"Hey Leon.... Have you seen Spike...?" Twilight says to me as I enter.

"I can't say I..." I see Spike peaking through a higher window as he then quickly retreats.

"I'll talk to him..." I say as I set the bags down and go back outside and Twilight darts me a confused look.

I go around to the window that I saw him at and I yell up.

"Hey, we need to talk." I say up there as I see him look down at me.

"I'm not coming down..." Spike says with a tone.

"Well if I come up there, I guarantee you will be 20% closer to dead." I say with a glare.

Spike then sighs and makes his way down.

"Why is Twilight looking for you...?" I say curiously.

"Because I ran away..." Spike says as he looks away from me.

"You haven't even left the property." I say back to him.

"Well I have someone helping me, I just have to wait till they come back..." He says back to me.

"Why are you gonna run away?" I say back as I lay down on the grass.

"I'm tired of Twilight using me..." says Spike.

"How does she use you?" I say turning my head.

"She constantly has me running errands or doing itty bitty stuff that she would be able to do on her own and I'm tired of it!" Spike says angered.

"Well she needs you for that kind of stuff... ever hear the term you can't make a pyramid without the base? Well you're her base, you do stuff for her so she can do bigger things that you most likely aren't ready yet, and if she spent so long on the little things,  and tried to do the big things as well, it would be bad for her... She would stay up too long, end up oversleeping... and even skipping meals just to get stuff done... She needs you Spike, to make sure she doesn't fall down." I say as a strange feeling bubbles in my chest.

Spike thought to himself for a moment, and then smiled.

"You're right Leon... Thank you so much." Spike says as he runs up and hugs me.

"Yeah yeah... Now go in there, she's worried about you." I say as I get up, only to feel the feeling get stronger.

"Why do I feel like this..." I say to myself as I simply shake it off for now and I go to head inside, but a strange red pony stopped me.

"Hey, Have you seen a small purple and green dragon...? I have something for him and I was supposed to meet him here." The pony says to me.

"Who are you...?" I say curiously.

"Brian... Now, have you seen him?" He says back.

"Well, Mr. Brian... I'm sorry but the dragon no longer requires your... services. So I recommend you leave." I say as I glare at him.

The pony rolls his eyes but then smirks and strolls off with no other words...

"I have a feeling that's not gonna be the last time I see him..." I say as I walk in the house.


[End of Chapter]



  


> [Chapter Four: Backfire]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day prior went on normally for the remainder of it, but that pony was constantly on my mind... something seemed off with him... but I decided to simply brush it off and get some rest.

The next morning I awoke to some chit chat at the door. I got up to see that Brian was at the door talking with Twilight. 

I threw the tattered bags onto my back.

I then jumped down from the upper layer onto the lower one and glared at Brian, I noticed that he had a horn that he didn't have before and this greatly rose my suspicions of him.

"Right... Thank you." Brian said as he trotted off in a hurry as Twilight shut the door.

"What did he need...?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, he wanted some directions to Sweet Apple Acres." Twilight said.

"Shit..." I sighed and rushed out before more could be said.

I made my way to the orchard, but on the pathway there was a large boulder. And in front of it were Applejack and Brian...

"Hey!" I said as I went over to the two.

"Oh, well hey there Leon" Applejack said.

"What's... going on...?" I said as I looked at the massive boulder in front of me.

"This boulder came from the ridge nearby and rolled right into the path, just my luck huh?" Applejack said with a sigh.

"Why don't you just walk around it...?" I say curiously as Applejack then nods over to a large wooden cart of apples.

"Easier said than done..." Applejack says as Brian butts in.

"I can get rid of this boulder, no problem!" Brian said with a cocky smile as his horn glowed and sparked.... but nothing happened.

Me and Applejack just gave him looks of confusion.

"That... That's odd..." Brian said confused at his own moment of failure.

"Let me try this again!" The red pony said as he charged a spell once more... but the same result... Nothing.

Skeptical about my own skills and strengths. I decided to take matters into my own hands, or at least try to.

"Let me show you how it's done..." I said as I got close to the boulder.

"What's an earth pony like you going to do?" Brian said with a sly smirk.

"How about I show you." I said as the two watched me put all of my force into the boulder, as I began to push the boulder out of the way.

"How..." Brian said as he and Applejack stared in amazement and confusion. 

"Hrgg.... Hnnn Ahh...." I ended up pushing the boulder out of the way and off to the side.

I panted a bit and then I turned and faced the two.

"Voila!" I said motioning the ponies to be on their way.

"Ya really are somethin Leon..." Applejack said as she smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Ya know, I need someone like ya to help me a bit more... If ya don't mind" Applejack said to me.

"I would love to help" Brain said straight away.

"Ehrm.... I..." Applejack sighed.

"What is it you need?" Brian said curiously.

"Leon.. if ya willing to do so, I need the large buckets of apples brought outside of the barn... and Brian.. if ya can manage to do so, the barn needs a new coat-a-paint." Applejack said with a tone of... disappointment..? Something about her were giving obvious vibes that she didn't like Brian one bit.

"I guess I have the time..." I said as I stared walking toward the main area of the large orchard.

"This will be easy!" Brian said with confidence as he trotted towards the barn.

Without another word from Applejack I began to do the work as requested, bringing the large buckets of apples to the front of the barn, and each time I went there Brian was working on it, giving it a nice red coat. He seemed to be working really hard. I felt like something was a bit off about him...  still to this moment.

"What? Like what you see or something?" Brian said to me as I returned to reality from my blank stare towards him.

"Nope, just devising ways to skin to." I said with a devilish giggle as I walked away and went back to my work.

I worked for about an hour, and Brian did the same. He finished the barn, and did quite well.

I noticed from a distance that the both entered the barn together. I decided to eavesdrop on what was going on.

"Wha? Are ya out of ya mind? That's not how payment is! Not here at least!" Applejack said angrily.

"Oh come on... if anything I'll also be helping you~ It will relieve plenty of stress... When was the last time you mated?" Brian said as I peaked in to see him stepping towards Applejack.

"Neva in a million harvesting seasons would I ma-" I cut off Applejack as I entered the barn.

"Oh.... Hey Leon..." Applejack as I started to walk towards Brian.

"Move." I said as I pushed past Applejack.

"What are you gonna-" I headbutted Brian before he could say another word.

Blood came from the point of where I hit as Brian staggered a bit and fell over.

"Argh.... AGG!!" Brian groaned out as I held my hoof down on his neck.

"If you... EVER think about doing such a thing... or trying such a thing... or recommending such a thing to one of my friends I swear... your blood is what I'll use to do the next paint job." I said putting more pressure against him.

Brian stuttered in a mix of panic and fear.

"GOT IT?!?" I said loudly as Applejack stared in shock.

"Ok! Ok! I get it! P-please stop!!" Brian said pleading as he struggled a bit.

I let my hoof up and dragged him towards the entrance of the barn.

"Hey?? What are you doing?" He said as I picked him up and threw him out of the barn.

"Leave... Now." I said as Brian staggered to his hooves and rushed off.

"T-thank you so much Leon..." Applejack said as she stepped towards me.

"Yeah... whatev-" Before I could say more, Applejack hugged me.

"So... I'm ya friend...?" Applejack said as she finished the hug and stood before me.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Yeah... that's what you call them, right?" I said as I began to walk off.

"Hey! Your! ... Pay...." Applejack said a bit too late as I left.

I felt that same strange feeling again... the feeling in my chest... I could not pinpoint what this could be, all I can say is that I hope it isn't going to be another hospital trip.

I headed into town and I noticed that Sugarcube Corner was fixed.

I headed into Sugarcube Corner and went to the mare at the front counter.

"Hello and welcome to Sugarcube Cor.... Wait... You're that fellow that helped out Ponyville, aren't ya?" The mare said as she turned her head a bit.

"Yeah... that would be me..." I said with a sigh.

"I must get something for you! Here." She handed me a large menu full of sweets and pastries off all kinds.

Being a sucker for sweets I couldn't help but take the offer.... I actually think I smiled a bit... It felt off for me so I simply kept a straight face as I browsed the menu.

After looking through a bit I found a cheesecake called the Nightmare.

'Visually it can be deceiving, but on the inside there is much much more. This Nightmare Night treat is a dark chocolate cheesecake with a thin strawberry syrup filling with the slices.' The description read.

"I'll take the Nightmare" I said as my mouth watered a bit.

"Oh... that was for Nightmare Night season but... ahh why not. One Nightmare coming right up." I nodded and passed the menu back as I took a seat.

It didn't take long for the wonderful cheesecake to come out, and I'm pretty sure my mouth watered a bit. It was just as the menu said, a little dark chocolate cheesecake.

I enjoyed the cheesecake, it tasted amazing.

As I finished the cheesecake as got up and headed for the door.

"Have a wonderful day! We hope to see you again soon!" The mare said as she waved me off.

I nodded and headed out.

I decided to look around town for a bit with my extra time and pleased belly.

I then came across the store I saw the other day that the white pony was in front of during the dragon incident.

A sign outside of the store read "Carousel Boutique".

I shrugged and entered the building.

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique!" The white pony says as she then notices me.

"Leon! It's so wonderful to see you! Here, come!" The pony said as she took me to what seemed like a display stage.

"Hello Ms....?" I said unknowing of her name.

"Call me Rarity. Now, I must returned the favor of what you've done for me and my shop." She said pulling out some outfits.

"For... what I've done? For you?" I said in confusion.

"The beast was going to destroy my shop! But thanks to you, it's all in one piece!." Rarity said as she threw a random outfit onto me.

The outfit was a coat for my front half and shorts for my rear half. The overall design contains red about the edges, and a main containment of black and gray.

"Ahh, seems fitting for a hero against heartless monsters." Rarity said with a smile.

"I didn't come here for this..." I said as I looked down at Rarity.

"Oh... Well how about this one?" With her magic this time, Rarity switched the previous outfit with a dark green tunic, and some tight leggings with an odd pointy hat.

"No." I say bluntly.

Rarity sighs and magically takes the outfit off of me. She then looks down at the bag and gains a disgusted look.

"I think I know what I can do that will help us both." She then takes the bag and heads over to a work area.

"Hey! Give that back!" I go to head over there as she cuts me off.

"I'm sprucing it up for you, no need for worry." She begins to work on it and magically brings some fabrics, threads, and even some gems over to her.

I wait there and moments later she shows me the bag. It's appearance has been completely altered. The tattered brown clothes were made to look a smooth light gray color, and I noticed in small lettering with use of the gems read "Hero".

"Wow..." I said in surprise at her skills.

"It may not be much, but I had to do something for you." She then magically brought the bag and placed it over my back.

I nodded and looked at Rarity.

"I'll be on my way now..." I said as I headed for the door.

"Be sure to come back if you change your mind about an outfit!" Rarity said with a smile.

I nodded and headed home. I shook my head a bit on my way back. 

I tried to enter the house but the door was locked. I knocked, but there was no answer. I knocked once more and there was nothing.

I looked down at the mat in front of the door and I moved it a bit, revealing a small key.

"How convenient..." I took the key, unlocked the door and entered.

Twilight wasn't home. I placed the key into my bag, and then went over to her desk.

"I'll hold onto this..." I took the large gem which had been untouched.

I headed upstairs and placed it in the dresser and set my modified bag next to my bed.

"I think I'm going to get a head start on sleep..." I laid in my bed and slowly drifted into sleep.

Moments later I heard a voice again. It was the same voice as before. From my previous dreams...

"Welcome back." The voice said as I jumped up and looked around.

I then turned around to see a large female alicorn with a bright white coat and a mane that flowed beautifully and looked as if it was made of gold.

"Hello, Leon" The mare said.


[End Of Chapter]









> [Chapter Five: Destiny Revealed-Part One]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was in a strange world of absolute light. Nothing but light as far as the eye could see.

"Who are you?" I said as I circled around the mysterious mare.

I noticed that her flank was plain... Just.. like.. mine.

I looked back at my plain flank and looked back at the Mare.

"That is not important at this moment." The Mare said.

"You bet your ass that it isn't important!" I went to take a step toward the Mare and a mysterious force picked me up and slammed me into the ground.

The Mare sighs.

"I see the stubborn personality still remains." The Mare said as held her hoof out to me.

I quickly kip up'd and took a step back.

"Leon, the time will come for me to explain everything. I promise. Just hear me out." The mysterious Mare said.

"Our time here is limited. On top of that I am on borrowed power. For me to gain more power I need you to do several... challenges for me." The Mare said as her face contained a more serious look.

"Why should I do that?" I stepped towards the Mare with slight aggression.

"Give me one good damn reason!" I said loudly.

"Limited Time. Limited Power. Upon the next full moon the towns fountain will absorb the power from the moon. Drink it." The mare started to walk away.

"Hey!" I want to go after the Mare but next thing I knew I was falling.

"AHHHH!!!" I next saw that I was out of the mysterious world and falling towards Twilight's House.

I screamed as I fell and I noticed that the roof was completely gone, and I was falling towards my bed.

A split second before I hit the bed I awoke in a cold sweat and a slight yelp escaped my mouth.

Twilight, who had already been awake, turned to me.

"Leon, are you alright?" She said with concern as she trotted over to me.

"Yeah... I'm fine. Just an odd dream." I said as I got up.

Something felt different about me. As if my body was, lighter?

"They're called nightmares" Twilight said with a giggled as she trotted off, and came back with a bottle of water. The bottle was familiar.

"Here." I took the bottle and noticed a tag on it.

It read: 'Anti-Injury Potion. [EXPERIMENTAL] Do Not Consume!'

I slowly looked up at Twilight as she gave me a look.

I decided to be Honest with her.

"Yeah, I drank it..." I said with a sigh as I placed the bottle down.

"And it worked?" Twilight said curiously. 

I nodded.

"I'm glad! But still angry. I wish you at least told me afterwards. But no matter... You did save our lives, AND you confirmed that the potion works. Problem is that the ingredients are hard to get, rare, AND expensive." Twilight said with a sigh.

"No worries, I'll just go out later and look for more..." Twilight says as a loud crash is heard outside.

Me and Twilight gasped and headed outside quickly.

Nearby a house collapsed and was aflame.

"Pipsqueak!? Where's Pipsqueak!!?? H-he must be stuck in there!!" The panicking mare went to try and squeeze herself into the smallest space left for entry, but another pony came and started holding her back.

"Let me go!! I need to save him!! Stop!!" The mare in tears was trying to struggle from the stallion holding her back.

"Damn coward..." I said as I rushed for the house.

"Leon! No!!" Twilight yelled.

I managed to slip into the small space and I began to crawl through the remains, avoiding what fire I could. Faint cries came from under some rumble and I could make out the face of the young colt.

I moved the rumble and made an opening for the colt, and managed to pull him close. 

"I got you. Don't worry." I managed to crawl back keeping the colt under me to protect him from anything falling. I found a small crack leading outside and I pushed the colt through the opening. I slowly crawled out behind him and stood up. I took a stretch and shook off the soot and ash that I caught on me.

The mare, presumably the mother was holding Pipsqueak with tears of joy.

Suddenly cheers overcame the sound of the fire.

The mare gently set down the colt and approached me.

"I... T-t... You..." The mare hugged me tightly.

"I owe you my life! Thank y-you so much!!" The mare was filled with teary-joy.

I slowly eased her off of me and patted her.

"Anything, I'll give you anything. What do I owe you." The mare said to me.

I started to head back towards Twilight's.

"There has to be something!" The mare said.

I stopped for a moment.

"Just don't play with matches." I said as I then entered Twilight's house.

Twilight then quickly entered and smiled at me.

"That was so amazing Leon!" Twilight said.

"It was nothing, but listen. I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back." I headed upstairs and put my bag on my back and headed out.

"Where are you headed to?" Twilight said in curiosity.

"I'll tell you later." I left and made my way to Applejack's Farm.

I came across Applejack who was resting under a tree.

"I need your help." I said to her as she peaked up at me from under her hat.

"Uhh... Sure. What is it?" Applejack said back to me.

"A young mare's house burned down in town. I would like to build her a new one" I said to her.

"Oh my, that's quite serious. I'm pretty sure we have the stuff for that though. Listen, there's a pub in town. Go there and a few of the stallions there can help us. I'll gather the construction supplies." Applejack said as she got up and started heading to the other side of barn.

"Alright, will do." I headed to the pub in the town and entered it. Upon entry I noticed a table of stallions playing poker. I headed over to them and took a seat.

"Deal me in." I said to the dealer.

"A newbie... heh. This should be interesting." The dealer dealt me in and we started off.

I had a 2 and a 4. I kept a straight face. 

"10." The first one, also being the dealer, said, setting down 10 bits.

"Call" Another said putting down 10 bits.

"I'll raise to 20" The third said as he placed 20 bits down.

"The two ponies before matched it, adding 10 to their original placements"

"Call" I said, placing 20 of my bits down.

Three cards were then set down. A King, a Queen, and a 5.

"20" The first pony said with a slight curving in his facial expression, he's holding back a smile.

"Call" The second pony said, placing 20 bits down.

"Call" The third pony said setting his 20 bits down as well.

"All in" I said with a slight smirk and a dart of my eyes as I put my last 80 bits in the pot.

"I fold" The first one said setting his cards down and putting another out.

"Me too" The second one said placing his cards down.

"Beginners luck" The last said slamming his cards down.

With a mischievous giggle I took the 220 bits and placed them into my wallet, making a whopping profit of 120 bits.

"Would you guys like to get this money back and more?" I said to them.

"Sure, are we going for another one?" The first said.

"Nope, I need you three to help me with something." I said to them.

"And that is...?" The 2nd said to me.

"A young mare's house burnt down. I need some manpower to help me build a new one for her." I said to them.

"I'm in." The third one said.

"Same here." The first one said.

"I'm in as well" The second one said.

"Alright, follow me then." I headed to an open plot in the town and Applejack was there with the same idea as I.

"How bout here?" Applejack said with a large amount of construction supplies.

"Just what I was thinking" I said.

"These are the ponies ya found? Perfect, lets get started then" Applejack said as she started to set thing up.

We began to work on the house. It had to taken us a good few hours, it was nothing major. Closing into sunset, we finished.

I searched the town for the mare and colt and I came across them taking refuge in the Town Hall.

"Follow me." I said to the two as I lead them to their new home.

"This is your new home. With the help of Applejack, these three ponies, and myself."

The mare broke into tears of joy and hugged everypony.

"I-I owe all of you... S-so much...." She said with a smile on her face.

The same sensation was in my chest. Something I could not describe. It was almost like butterflies in my stomach, except with my chest. I shuddered a bit from the weird feeling and looked at the horizon.

The sun began to set.

"I must make my leave, I will see all of you tomorrow." I headed to the town fountain and waited until the moon rose high.

"Have yerself a good one Leon!" Applejack said waving me off as the mare and her colt waved me off as well.

The full moon sat high in the sky, and a beautiful clear bottle with a cork sat by the fountain. I took it and scooped the water up.

It had a mysterious glow to it. I shrugged and drank half of it. My body felt heavy, and I suddenly hit the ground.

Mere seconds later I awoke to the mysterious world of light once more.

"Welcome Leon" The mare said as I turned around.

"Care to explain?" I said as I stood there.

"I need to test you, to see if I can truly tell you what you need, or want to know..." The mare said as she raised her hoof and several dark black ponies appeared with mysterious yellow eyes.

"I know it won't be a problem for you though" The pony said as she vanished.

"Hey!" I said looking at my opponents.

They then charged me.

"Son of a..." I said as I prepared myself for battle.

[End of Chapter. Part One]



> [Chapter Five: Destiny Revealed-Part Two]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One charged at me and I quickly dodged it. As it ran past me I grabbed it's tail and swung it over me and slammed the creature into the ground. Another came at me and I did a 180° spin and bucked it right in the face. 3 charged at me at once and I swiftly began to take them out one by one. 

There were only two more standing.

I grabbed one in a headlock and slammed it into the ground. The last I tackled and beat it severely.

The mysterious creatures started to fade away and the mysterious mare appeared as if from nowhere.

"Leon... Your fighting does seem a bit rusty, but it will make do." The glowing mare said with a smile.

"Speak" I said sternly.

"My name is Arklida. I am the goddess of Light and Shadow." The mare said with a serious tone.

"All of this is light, surely you don't control both." I said looking around.

"That is right. My power is 90 percent light. Only 10 percent of it controls the Shadow." She said back to me.

"This information is not why I brought you here though." She said to me.

"Listen carefully, a grand disaster is soon to face the land you know as Equestria." The mare said with a heavy sigh.

"You... Are the one who needs to make sure it never comes, but you can't do it as is." Arklida said.

"Well, how can I do it? You can't just expect you can just pick me up and throw me at a world saving mission here!" I said to her.

"We have time to prepare, don't worry." Arklida said to me.

"Well...? Where do 'we' start?" I said to her.

"Mysterious counterparts of the land contain immense amounts of power, you will need to get into those dimensions and harvest the power within. Silent Realms they are called... And they are horrifying things beyond even a demon's imagination. What you see in there you must not be deceived by what lies inside of them." She said to me.

"Well how do I get into these Silent Realms?" I asked her.

"You're friend, if that is what you like to say, Rainbow Dash has a special... ability. A skill called the Sonic Rainboom. At noon tomorrow sprinkle some of the special fountain water you still have onto her and have her do it above the fountain and make sure to fall through the circle. You will be the the only one able to enter." Arklida said to me.

"Right... and how do I harvest the power...?" I asked.

"With this." She said as she handed me a mysterious tablet with indentations to them. The tablet seemed to be ancient.

"You'll know how to do it when it comes to it." She said to me as I inspected the tablet.

"Any more questions?" She said to me as she turned away.

"... ... Why... me...?" I said with a sudden heaviness in my chest.

"Because, you are the one blessed with the power you have. I am not able to explain it more than that." She looked back at me and gave me a strong smile.

She raised her hoof up and I was blinded by a bright light, and soon I heard many ponies talking.

"Is he alright?"

"Why is he laying here?"

"This is the hero isn't it?"

I soon awoke to a crowd of ponies around me.

"Move." I said as I charged past them and ran to Twilight's house. When I got there I swung the door open.

"Twilight! Gather Applejack and the others. And meet me at the town. Where's Rainbow Dash?" I yelled to her.

"She's right here..." Twilight said as I then noticed Rainbow Dash on the other side of the room.

"That works. Follow Me" I said as I headed to the fountain.

"What is this all about?" Rainbow Dash asked me.

"Does Sonic Rainboom mean anything to you?." I asked Rainbow Dash.

"How do you know what that is?" Rainbow Dash asked back.

"I don't. Now tell me what it is, or what it means." I asked as Rainbow Dash sighed.

"Most people believe it to be an old mare's tale..." Rainbow Dash said.

"I need you to do it for me." I said to her, looking her in the eyes.

"The day... The day that I discovered racing... the adrenaline... the thrill... I proved that tale to be true. I was the one that made the impossible happen! And I will do it again!" Rainbow Dash said with a triumphant tone in her voice.

"Perfect" I said as the others ran up and stood around me and Rainbow Dash.

"So, we're all here. What is this about?" Twilight asked me.

"I can't explain it all now but it's something I have to do." I said to the group.

"And the point of this is...?" Rarity asked me.

"It has a great purpose, I will explain it to you guys when...." I paused for a moment.

"If... I return." I said.

"Do be careful Leon." Rarity said.

"Don't go leaving us that quickly" Applejack said.

"Whatever it is, you will do it Leon." Twilight said to me.

"You will do it super duperly!" Pinkie Pie said.

Everypony looked at Fluttershy. As she just sat there.

"U-uhmm..." Fluttershy then walked up to me and hugged me.

"Do be careful" I slowly pushed Fluttershy off.

"I will, don't worry." I then looked at Rainbow Dash and then up at the sun. Which was high in the sky.

"Let's do this." I said to Rainbow Dash.

I went over to her and scratched behind my head nervously.

"What is it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't want to hurt you..." I said.

"I'm the one who rushed you to the hospital, don't worry. I can handle it" She said to me.

I nodded and carefully got onto her back, and I also strapped my bag on tightly.

"Ready." I said as Rainbow Dash nodded and got ready.

"Wait! One more thing." I took the bottle of Magical Water and poured it into Rainbow Dash's mane.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I was told to do it, now let's hurry." I said to her.

She sighed and took off high in the and I held on carefully.

We got pretty high up and she stopped.

"Ready...?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ready." I said as I carefully stood on her back.

"Let's do this!" I flipped off her and she dived down towards the fountain.

I fell fast, and within moments Rainbow Dash pulled off the Sonic Rainboom, and it opened a mysterious black portal.

I went through it and for a moment I heard Arklida.

"You can succeed." Arklida said to me.

I nodded as if she could see me and I started to slowly drift... it was so peaceful. I then passed out.

I awoke in Ponyville, but it wasn't the same. It was dark... a strange aura covered the land. And strange howls and woos of corporeal beings filled the air. The sky was blood red. All the nature life seemed eradicated.

I was in a place that no Pony should ever witness.

[End Of Chapter]

> [Chapter Six: Ponyville's Silent Realm]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Slowly I got onto my hooves and took a look around. The first thing that caught my eye was Sugarcube Corner, it looked morbid. As if someone dumped unimaginable amounts of blood on it.

From the distance I was at, I noticed the door slowly opened.

"Well... here's a start..." I headed there and slowly peaked inside.

I heard strange laughter come from inside. I started to tread carefully inside, as I then noticed a door was open.

I headed over to it and lead to a staircase, I went down them and peaked around the corner and saw Pinkie Pie... Or at least a monster in her form. She was dissecting somepony. There was a pool of blood covering the entire floor. The Pinkie Pie there was completely different... her mane was straight and not as poofy and crazy as the real one.

"Hey!" I said to her as I charged in and took a stance.

"Hey!" She said back to me with a mischievous giggle.

We began to circle around  each other and she quickly threw a knife at me.

I dodge it and charged at her. I jumped, locked her head in my hindlegs, rolled forward and kicked her towards the wall.

She then hit the wall and was upside down, she fell quickly and broke her neck under her own weight.

"P-pinkie..." I said to myself and I then tried to shake it out of my mind.

I looked over at the pony that was strapped to a table... It was Rainbow Dash, she was dead.

I stared for a good 30 seconds until I came back to my senses. The morbid smell of the room hit me at that moment and I noticed that Rainbow Dash's wings were sawed off, and put on a table.

I then looked at the body of Pinkie as her remains then started to fade away.

What was left was a strange Pink Crystal. I picked it up and then something in my bag started to hum.

I took it out and placed the Crystal in one of the slots.

"5 more empty slots..." I looked at Rainbow Dash's body.

"This is all fake. I need to understand that." I sighed and headed up the stairs.

"Ooof!" Something ran into me and I fell to the ground.

"L-l-leon!!" Rainbow Dash said to me as I looked up.

"W-what...?" I said as I got up.

"W-what is this place!" Rainbow Dash said in a panic.

"This is the Silent Realm... Rainbow! How did you get here?!" I asked.

"Everything went black and the next thing I knew is that I woke up outside." She said as she looked me up and down.

"Why are your hooves covered in blood...? What's down there?" She asked and peaked past me at the stairs.

"Nothing.... It's nothing." I said as I thought about the blood on the floor, and the body...

"Just stay close, I'll protect you." I said to Rainbow Dash as I walked outside with her.

A bright beacon glowed above Sweet Apple Acres.

"Let's go." I said running to the farm.

Rainbow Dash flew close beside me, and we made it to the farm. We saw Applejack, or at least what we believed to be Applejack.

Rainbow Dash went to step towards her, but I held my hoof out in front of her.

The fake Applejack started to laugh uncontrollably.

"What's so funny!?" I said stepping towards her.

She then turned towards me, revealed black eyes dripping with strange black liquid.

Rainbow Dash gasped and took a step back.

"Applejack..." Rainbow Dash said in horror.

"Clear your head Rainbow, this isn't Applejack. This is nothing but a monster..." I said ready to strike.

"You think you're so grand, so strong, so fast...." The fake said and she then laughed.

"Well... Let's see how fast you really are" With a clap of her hoofs, Rainbow Dash was gone.

"Hey! Where is she!" I started to look around frantically.

"Leon!! Help!!" I heard Rainbow Dash scream from the direction of the Everfree.

"You bastard!" I said to the fake Applejack as I rushed towards the scream.

I made it to the edge of the Everfree and noticed Rainbow Dash tied to a tree, and the fake Applejack was kicking her.

"You kick her one more time... And your time will come to an end..." I said with a deep growl.

"Hehehe...." The fake giggled giving Rainbow Dash another swift kick.

A sudden smell of blood filled my nostrils and I charged at the fake. She then quickly turned and went to kick me, but I grabbed her hind hooves and flipped her over me and slammed her into the ground.

"You shall never hurt my friends!!" With a loss of composure I screamed out and then I got on top of her and brutally bit out her neck, the raw taste of blood filled my mouth and I got up to see the fake as dead.

As I came back to my senses I was disgusted, I spit out all the blood I could. I even spit out some flesh.

With a heavy head I went over to Rainbow Dash and released her from her bind.

"L-leon... You're eyes were blood red... What was that?" She said in a bit of shock.

"That.... never happened." I said as I wiped any remaining blood off my muzzle.

I went over to the body that faded away and I picked up an Orange Crystal. 

I took it and placed it in another indentation in the tablet.

"What... that for?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I need to collect these for my... purpose." I said as I put the tablet back into my bag.

Another beacon glowed, it wasn't that far. The beacon was yellow.

Without a word I started to head there and Rainbow Dash followed close behind.

The beacon lead to a small wooden shack. Like a tool shed of sorts.

I went over to it and slowly pushed the door open.

"Come here!!" Something yelled as it grabbed me and dragged me inside. 

"Leon!!" I head Rainbow Dash yell as the door was slammed shut.

It was pitch black and I could not see my attacker.

I was thrown to the floor and I soon heard a chainsaw rev from my left.

I rolled right and I saw the chainsaw make sparks on the ground. It provided enough light for me to see that my attacker was a demented and distorted version of Fluttershy.

"Stay still!!" She yelled and she took another swing.

I rolled to my left and I quickly got up and pushed her forward.

A morbid sound of flesh, and bones being destroyed filled the shed as I felt a thick warm liquid hit me, I successfully pushed her into the chainsaw's blade.

The chainsaw jammed, or stopped on it's own and the body faded away, revealing a Yellow Crystal and the glow of the gem filled the room.

I picked it up and headed outside.

"L-leon! What the hell is going on??" Rainbow Dash said to me as I pulled the tablet out and placed the mysterious gem inside.

"Wish I could answer myself that... Now let's go." I said as I headed back towards the town, on my way I noticed a purple beacon.

"I hope this is over really soon..." I said as I went to the beacon.

The beacon lead me to Twilight's house... Our house...

"Let's get this over with." I kicked the door open and entered, and there was Twilight sitting on the floor crying.

"Leon wait.." Rainbow Dash said to me putting her hoof out in front of me.

"What....?" I asked her as she then smiled an approached the fake Twilight.

She then started to whisper to her, and eventually they started to whisper amongst each other.

Rainbow Dash then came over to me.

"Turn around." She said to me as she faced away from Twilight.

"Alright..." I turned slowly around and I focused on the faint reflection in the door's window.

The fake Twilight got up and headed to a nearby desk. She grabbed a knife that was sitting on it and sat back down.

"Thank you..." The fake muttered as she drove the knife into her chest and winced. She then fell over and her body began to fade away.

I sighed and went over to the crystal that was left behind. I picked up the Purple Crystal. I then took it and placed it in the tablet.

"Just two more to go." I said as I headed outside.

I started to look around for the next beacon.

"There!" Rainbow Dash said pointing out a white beacon.

"Let's go" I rushed there along with Rainbow Dash.

I went to open the door but Rainbow Dash stopped me and pressed her ear against the door.

"Listen..." Rainbow Dash said in a low voice.

I listened and heard what sounded like Rarity talking.

"Stitch... by... stitch..." The voice said beyond the door.

"Stay here." I said as I busted down the door and took my stance.

"It's about time you showed up, you have such lovely fur~ I would love to wear it...." Rarity said as she started to step towards me.

With her magic she bought several knives up and started hurling them at me.

With swift dodges the knives were stabbed into the floor. 

I quickly dashed towards one of them and I pulled it out of the floor.

Even with her magic the fake was having troubles pulling the knives out of the floor.

I dashed towards her, knocked her down, and quickly stabbed the knife towards her.

I missed, stabbing the knife into the floor as she rolled out from under me.

I quickly pulled the knife out from the floor and swung at her. She dodged quickly as a knife flew straight at me, I moved quickly enough for in to merely slice the side of my face. I charged once more and stabbed her right in the chest.

I twisted the knife quickly, strange goo flowing from the wound as the body began to fade away.

A bright White Crystal. I took it and placed it into the tablet.

"Finally, just one mo- Ahh!!!!" I yelled out and fell to the floor as I felt myself get stabbed from behind.

I look behind me to see Rainbow Dash with a demonic smile on her face and her eyes deep red.

"Ignorance is what lead you to your death..." The fake Rainbow Dash said to me.

"You will be the the only one able to enter" Arklida's words replayed in my mind.

Another knife stabbed into my hoof, pinning me to the ground as I screamed out in pain. The same happening to the rest of my hooves.

She stood above me and leaned down.

"You will not stop us..." She said as she raised a knife and went to stab into me. I pulled one of my hooves up and screamed in pain the knife went all the way through my hoof while still in the ground. I quickly grabbed the one pinning my other hoof down and ripped it out. I slashed at the fake's throat and blood quickly flowed out as I pushed her off of me.

"I... w-will not give up... t-that easily..." I said as I removed the other knives and eased myself up. Groaning in pain.

"T-this... I-isn't the end f-for you.... L-leon..." She was able to mutter these last words before fading away.

A Sky Blue Crystal remained on the ground.

I pushed through my pain as I was quickly losing blood.

I then picked the crystal up and placed it into the final slot on the tablet.

The tablet glowed with a bright light. I then placed it in my bag and headed outside.

There was a bright beacon in the middle of the town. I headed to it and a grand portal opened on the ground.

The tablet then floated out of my bag and into the air. It then vanished and I heard Arklida speak to me.

"You did extraordinarily Leon! I am absolutely grateful to you for this!" Arklida said to me.

"Yeah Yeah.... Now what?" I asked her in a panting voice as my own blood dripped to the ground.

"Now, for your end of the deal." She said with an odd laugh.

"And that may be...?" I said as I took a step back.

My body then began to float into the air. I was blinded by a bright light, the pain from the wound was gone and I was set back onto the ground and I regained my vision.

"This is only the beginning Leon, but this is a wonderful start!" Arklida said to me.

I felt something new... something weird... I managed to stretch them out a bit. I looked on my back and I now have wings!

"W-what...??" I said in surprise.

"We will have our time to talk again, but for now. Your friends are waiting for you." Arklida said to me as I then looked down into the portal to see a Pegasus' eye view of Ponyville.

"Right!" I stretched my new wings out and took a dive into the portal.

[End Of Chapter]




> [Chapter Seven: A Sticky Situation]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I flew through the air with my new wings. I flew over Ponyville and looked down upon it.

The wind flowed through my mane and I felt a great rush of Adrenaline.

I saw the Mane Six hanging out in a field on Sweet Apple Acres.

I dived down to them and did a quick landing.

I looked at each of them as they all had their jaws dropped.

"W-wow..." Fluttershy said to me.

"I survived. And I was gifted with these amazing things." I said as I stretched out my wings.

"Awesome! That means I have a new flying buddy!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"So, what was that grand endeavor all about? Surely it couldn't have been just for wings." Twilight asked.

Spike walked up to me and said nothing as he examined my wings.

Everypony gave focus to me and had a serious expression on their face.

I took a deep breath and thought to myself for a moment.

"Equestria is faced with a horrible fate... A fate that will envelope the world in a shroud of Darkness." I said to the group.

"My, you can't be serious darling... Is this true?" Rarity said.

"It's true. Unfortunately..." I said.

"What was the purpose of the portal?" Twilight asked.

"They will prepare me for preventing this tragedy." I said.

"What did it look like there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

A flashback of what I went through in the Silent Realm sat in my head for a moment.

"Not much..." I said with a sigh.

Suddenly a pink could came out of nowhere and covered Rainbow Dash.

"What the hell!?" Rainbow Dash yelled as she popped her head out of the cloud.

More clouds started to fill the sky. 

"What's going on?" I said as I looked around.

A storm of brown rain began.

"It's not suppose to rain today!!" Rainbow Dash said with a rage as she burst out from the cloud.

"My beautiful mane!!" Rarity whined out.

The scent of chocolate milk filled my nostrils.

I hesitantly lifted my head up and opened my mouth and caught some. It was in fact chocolate milk.

"So... Leon's revealing his silly side... huh?" Twilight said looking at me.

I quickly gulped the chocolate milk down.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said as I looked over at Pinkie and noticed that she was doing the same.

Suddenly the apples on the trees grew enormous and weighed so much that the trees started to tip over.

Many wildlife animals were eating the grand apples.

"Angel, you know you shouldn't be eating this much before dinner." Fluttershy said as she picked up the white rabbit.

Suddenly the wildlife gained strange stick-thin legs that were at least 10 feet tall.

"What the hell is happening??" I yelled in confusion.

"Well anyway, don't everypony worry! I have a spell that will surely fix everything!" Twilight said as she got into a stance and charged a strong magical spell.

I covered my eyes from the blinding light, and when I uncovered them. Nothing was changed.

"W-what?? That was supposed to help with everything!! Spike! What should we do now?" Twilight said with a sudden panic.

"Give up?" Spike said with a shrug.

"There has to be something we can do." Twilight said thinking to herself.

Suddenly the corn in the field started to pop into popcorn.

I looked around at the chaos set before us.

"I got it!" Twilight said, attracting everyone's attention.

"Rainbow! Corral the clouds in one part of the sky! Applejack, you will then lasso them and bring them down to the land!" Twilight said.

"Got it!" Rainbow Dash said with a salute and a quick fly away.
Rainbow Dash gathered the strange pink clouds tightly together and Applejack promptly wrapped them in a lasso and pulled them down to the field.

"Fluttershy, you know what to do!" Twilight said.

"Oh my, look at all this cotton candy cloud goodness, I hope no one comes along and takes it." Fluttershy said.

"You and me both sister!" Pinkie Pie said as she rushed to it and started to eat the bundle of strange clouds.

Frantically the warped wildlife rushed to the cloud and knocked Pinkie Pie out of the way. They than began to proceed on devouring the bundle of clouds.

"And when all of you are done with that, there will be plenty of popcorn for dessert!" Applejack said to them.

"Another problem solved! See Spike, you should never give up when things hit a climatic moment." Twilight said.

"What is the source of all this?" I asked.

"I'm not sure... It's nothing I've ever seen before. Let's head back to my house and put some research into it." Twilight said.

Spike suddenly seemed like he was having chest pains.

"Spike! Are you alright?" Twilight asked?

With two hits to his own chest, he belched a green flame and a scroll tied with a red ribbon popped out of Spike himself.

"That doesn't look like any heartburn I've ever seen." I said.

"A letter from Princess Celestia?" Twilight said as she picked up and unraveled the scroll.

Twilight took a moment to read the letter and she then closed it and looked at us all.

"Princess Celestia needs to see us in Canterlot as soon as possible!" Twilight said to us.

"Princess Celestia?" I said out of curiosity.

"How do you not know about the Princess?!" Twilight said with a confused... almost angered tone.

I tapped my head and gave her a dirty look.

"Right... Sorry. She rules over all of Equestria and controls the setting and rising of the sun. There's also Princess Luna who controls the rising and setting of the moon." Twilight explained.

"Right... Well then lets get going" I said.

"We'll take the train." Twilight said.

"Everypony! Follow me!" Twilight said as she ran towards the train station.

The other 7 of us followed closely.

As we arrived at the Train station an announcement came over the loud speakers.

"Departure for Canterlot in 60 seconds!" It said as Twilight ran to the ticket booth.

"8 Please! For Canterlot!" Twilight said.

"That will be 240. 30 for Each." The ticket vendor said.

I pulled out 30 bits and placed them down. As did everypony else. Everypony was in such a rush that no one got Spike a ticket.

"I got it" I placed another 30 bits down and passed Spike a ticket.

"Wow, Thanks Leon!" Spike said.

"Yep..." I said as my heart contained a familiar feeling.

We headed to one of the cars and it was perfect for the 8 of us.

I sat at one booth with Twilight, Spike, and Rainbow Dash.

Nothing was said for the first few minutes of our departure.

Suddenly I felt a strange burning in my chest.

"Hnn... What the..." I held my chest for a moment.

"You alright?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Y-yeah..." I said as I looked at me hoof. A strange dark aura was emitting from it.

The strange ponies of darkness started to rise from the floor of the car. The same ones that Arklida manifested.

"Everypony get down!" I said as I started to fight one of them.

"Not a chance!" Rainbow said as she took one to fight for herself.

"Count me in!" Applejack said as she began her own fight.

"I'll help too!" Twilight said as she started to fight with her magic.

"Woo! A party!" Pinkie Pie said as she started to bounce on top of one of them.

"Stay away from me you creepy and plain imitation!" Rarity exclaimed.

I picked up the one I was fighting and threw it at the one stepping towards Rarity.

The two faded away and I then quickly jumped between another and Fluttershy.

I put it in a headlock and slammed it into the ground.

The rest of the ponies finished their respective battles and then all looked at me.

"Did you create those things??" Twilight said.

"No, I didn't. At least I don't think so.." I said as Spike slowly came out from underneath one of the booth's benches.

"What were those things?" Spike asked.

"Enemies" I said as I sat on the bench.

"Well where did they come from?" Twilight said.

"I don't know." I said as I sighed.

"Will they come back?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know." I said.

"Well why did they attack us?? I want some answers!" Twilight asked.

I slammed my hoof down on the booth table.

"I don't fucking know! Alright! Back off!" I snapped back.

Twilight didn't respond and sat at a different bench.

No other pony sat by me. Whether it be out of fear, or out of just being uncomfortable.

I slid over to the window and watched outside of it.

Nothing else was said during the trip.

The constant thought of those questions lingered over me though, but I was unsure of any answers I could provide.

We arrived at Canterlot and I headed out of the Train Car. I looked around at the grand city that was placed before me.

"Let's go Everypony, the Princess needs us." Twilight said as she headed towards the castle.

Every other pony looked at each other and nodded as we followed Twilight.

We headed through a couple side roads of the city and got onto one large main one.

"This way." Twilight said as she headed straight down the road, at the end of the road was a large castle.

We ran up the stairs at the front of it and without questioning or hesitation the guards took one look at Twilight and let her and the 6 others in, except for me. The guards immediately stood in front of me.

"Halt, who may you be." The guards asked.

"The stallion that's going to kick your!"

"He's with me, back down." Twilight said as the guards stepped out of the way and back to their spots.

Twilight looked at me, and gave me a soft smile. She then nodded to me to follow them.

We headed into a grand foyer with a large staircase at its back wall.

"We're here Princess Celestia!" Twilight said aloud as a bright flash occurred and before our eyes a large white mare with a flowing blue pink and green mane appeared on the top of the stairs. She was slightly smaller than Arklida though.

"Thank you for coming Twilight... Thank you all." The Princess said as she had a serious look about her.

"Is this about the weird weather? Or the crops changing inordinately? What about the animals behavior and transformations! My magic isn't even doing anything! What's going on Princess!? Is there-" Twilight seemed to go silent immediately after her ramble as the Princess raised a hoof. This seemed to be a sign to request silence, and/or a moment to speak.

"Come, I have plenty of answers to those questions." The Princess said as she trotted up the left flight of stairs a couple of levels. The castle looked alot smaller on the outside. The Princess remained quiet as we entered a hallway filled with windows of stained glass.

"I've called you all here for a matter of great importance... A mission. One that I'm sure the six of you could handle." The Princess said, not bothering to look back.

"But Princess-" Twilight said before being cut off again.

"Don't worry, I believe you girls will have the strength to pull this off no problem." The Princess said as Twilight looked back at me. I shrugged and waved my hoof. I didn't really mind not being noticed. In fact I was a bit busy looking at the windows made of stained glass.

"An old foe of mine... One who I believed to have defeated alongside my sister long ago. Has returned..." The Princess said as she stopped.

I walked over to one of the windows which had a strange creature on it. I was dwarfed compared to the large display. It looked like a child creation from it's imagination. Or a jungle puzzle that got swapped around.

"His name was... Is...-"

"Discord...." I said before the Princess could as I looked up at the creature still. I wasn't even sure how that name got into my head. But as it popped into my head, more information came in fast. As if someone was feeding it into my mind.

"The spirit... Or as he likes to call himself... God of Chaos..." I said aloud, but it was almost recited... or automated.
I involuntarily pushed this information out in the form of words from my mouth. But I could still not understand how I knew such a thing.

"Yes... That's correct... Mister...?" Princess Celestia said looking at me with a confused look. Whether she was confused on where I came from, or how I knew so much about this Discord... Creature, was beyond me.

"Leon..." I said turning back and facing Princess Celestia.

"L-Leon...?" The Princess said, almost in a worried tone. I could feel our eyes meet. There was silence, no pony said a thing. It got to the point where it felt like time had stopped, and the Princess was no longer looking into my eyes. She was looking deeper... As if she was looking into my soul.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Leon! Sorry that the girls here dragged you on a more business related trip." She said cheerily with a soft smile as a strange sensation of snapping back into reality took me over.

"Now, back onto track. Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony... Before me and my sister stood up to him, he ruled over Equestria in an eternal state of chaos, unrest and unhappiness." Princess Celestia said with a sigh as she looked up at a stained window depicting the creature known as Discord being a puppeteer towards an Earth Pony, a Pegasus and a Unicorn.

"He made life miserable for all kinds of ponies alike. After me and my sister saw this, we discovered the Elements of Harmony. Using the Elements we stood up against Discord and used their powers... Turning Discord to stone." Princess said as she looked over to another image which seemed to be her, and who could only be her sister, smiting Discord and transforming him to stone.

"Alright Princess!" Rainbow Dash said with a cheer as this returned her smile.

"This... This is Canterlot Tower. The place where the Elements are kept ever since you six have retrieved them. I need you all to team up and use the Elements of Harmony once more to take down our foe known as Discord!" The Princess said as she stood in front of large door decorated with gems the size of large watermelons. She was standing before us, filling the group with a sense of intentness. A grand mission given to us.

"Alright... Don't get me wrong here. I love kicking the ass of bad... things as much as the next stallion. Even though I'm not going to be involved I have to say something for the ponies who will be." I said stepping in front of the Princess.

"Leon no..." Twilight said to me as she seemed to get a bit embarrassed.

"Don't worry, I got it. I'm pretty sure this question is in the mind of at least one of you." I said looking back as I looked up at the Princess afterwards.

"Why them? You said it yourself, you and your sister used these Elements to defeat Discord! Or well, At least turn him into some ugly lawn decoration. So... the main question is why can't you and your sister do it once again." I said standing before her.

She seemed angered for no more than a second. But then she smiled.

"I'm glad to see that you care for your friends. And you have a great question and I have a... well not so great answer... Me and my sister are no longer connected to the Elements. When that connection faded... that's how Discord was able to break free. We lost that connection when the six here we're chosen as the new bearers of the Elements and joined as one to defeat a powerful foe and save Equestria in the past." Princess Celestia.

I slowly looked back at Twilight and turned my head a bit.

"Well that would've been nice to know... "I'm Twilight, I like reading, studying magic, star gazing Oh! And I SAVED the world this one time!" Damn, giving me so much praise for saving a town while you all saved everyone!" I said as Pinkie Pie spoke out.

"We sure did! Lookie Lookie! It's right here!" Pinkie said bouncing up and down as she looked at yet another window showing the six ponies going up against a large dark mare.

"You six wielded the Elements and were able to bring out their full potential. I need you six to wield them once more... Harness the power of your friendship and love between one another and although it was I and Luna who once wielded the Elements it is you that are connected and now control their power. And it is you that must use them and put an end to Discord!" She said, more assertively then before as she stretched out her wings. Filling the room with grace and vigor.

Twilight smiled and looked at the other five of her friends. Then at me as I was leaning against the wall on my hind legs. I gave her a nod and she looked back at her other friends. Who nodded back.

"Princess Celestia, We'd be honored to use the Elements once again in your favor!" Twilight said stepping closer to Celestia.

The Princess smiled and turned around. Facing the large door which had a small hole in the center. She stuck her horn into it and using magic she had unlocked the gem covered door. Stepping back a bit she let the door open on it's own. And within it was a blue chest covered in gems upon a stone altar.

"Forget the Elements! Just look at the wonderful case!" Rarity said practically ready to grab the case and run off with it.

"With these..." The Princess picked up the chest with her magic and lifted it in front of the group.

"There is not a single doubt in my mind that you all won't be able to take down Discord!" She said as she opened the chest. Within in the lining of it was a pink velvet fabric. But nothing else.

There were no Elements of Harmony with the chest.

I stared and got off the wall, going back onto all fours.

The entire group, excluding myself gasped as the Princess dropped the chest. Which only caused Rarity to throw in another gasp.

"Welp, I'ma go outside with my large squiggly straw and have at it with the chocolate puddles!" Pinkie Pie said eager to trot away without any concern. 


[End Of Chapter]










 




> [Chapter Eight: Chaos Has Another Name]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"T-This is impossible! That door has been sealed with a spell that only I can break! Not even Luna has access to the Elements of Harmony! This doesn't make any sense!" The Princess said as she started to pace back and forth. As a sudden guttural laughter was heard as if from no where. But at the same time it sounded as if it was coming from every direction possible. It also seemed to echo throughout the entire hallway.

"Sense... What fun is there in making sense?" The voice said, echoing through once more while following up with a bit of it's crazed laughter.

"Discord! Show yourself!" The Princess yelled looking around for the chaotic creature. All was heard was it's laugh once more. As everypony was now looking around to try and locate Discord.

"Did you miss me Celestia...? I know I certainly missed you..." The voice said as one of the windows flashed, and the picture of Discord being a puppeteer for the ponies was now animated. He then swiftly flew between that windows and to the one in which the mane six were shown around the Elements of Harmony.

"It gets quite lonely being encased in stone. Not to mention it's sooo uncomfortable. But you wouldn't know that, now would you? No. Because I don't turn ponies into stone. I'm not that chaotic." Discord said as he knocked on the image of Fluttershy, making a sound as if it was a pickaxe connecting a hit to a rock.

"Enough! What have you done with the Elements of Harmony!?" The Princess yelled as she gave Discord a spiteful look, only causing him to smile and have a laugh.

"Well, you know. I just decided to borrow them for a teensy little while." Discord said as he snapped his fingers and the image of the Elements of Harmony within the stained glass vanished before our eyes.

"You're not going to get away with this Discord!" The Princess said as she stomped her hoof and grind'd  it into the ground.

"I almost forgot how grim you can be Celestia. That makes you so boring..." Discord said with another echoing and maniacal laugh.

"Nopony insults the Princess!" Rainbow Dash said as she got ready to fly straight at the image of Discord. I quickly grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Don't even try it. That's not Discord. Not physically at least. When he laughs it echos through and when he talks it looks as if he's lip syncing. This is just a display made by Discord. So attacking a mere window is going to do nothing but injure yourself. Isn't that right Discord? You may not even be in this room, nothing but your voice is. Correct?" I said, still focused on the animation he made within the window.

"Ahh Leon, long time no see. I see that you're still perceptive as always. Although it baffles even me that she actually managed to pull off her plan..." Discord said closing his eyes and thinking to himself.

"W-what...? What do you mean!?" I said stepping forward as Applejack stopped me.

"Leon, He's jus' tryin' to get to ya." Applejack said as the image of Discord switched between windows. He appeared behind us and was now as large as the window itself, towering over us in his two-dimensional form.

"Ahh Applejack. Famed for her honesty, the Element of Harmony in which you represent." Discord said as Rarity then chimed in.

"Why are we listening to some tacky window? Leon said it himself, this is a fake. Arguing with it is going to do us no good" Rarity said as Discord chuckled.

"Ahh, the beautiful Rarity. The one who bears the Element of Generosity, if I'm not mistaken." Discord said as he gave out another crazed laugh.

"You know who we are... And you seem to know our strengths and weaknesses." Twilight said as Discord nodded.

"That right! You sure do catch on quick, Magical Twilight Sparkle. But we can't leave out your friends. We have a personal favorite. Pinkie Pie! The Element of Laughter!" Discord said as he began to juggle the Elements while balancing upon the image of Twilight. Causing Pinkie Pie to burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Of course we also have Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness and the easiest to break. Loyalty, the Element which Rainbow Dash holds." Discord said as he broke the image of a red gem, presumably representing the Element of Loyalty, into two.

"I will always be loyal to my friends and the Princess!" Rainbow Dash yelled out as  Discord gave her a sly smirk.

"We'll see about that, now won't we? And finally, Leon. The Element of... Oh, That's right! You don't have one. But I know your fear. The thing that can manage to horrify even you..." Discord said as I felt a sudden chill go down my spine as I began to grit my teeth.

"Enough stalling Discord! Where are the Elements of Harmony!?" Celestia demanded as Discord let out a sigh. I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved that he didn't say what he was going to, or under suspense that I didn't know what he was going to say. I soon felt an odd chill and I looked over my shoulder behind all of us. I had the strange feeling I was being watched. I turned back to face Discord.

"Always so boring.. Fine, Fine! I'll tell you where they are, but I'll only tell you my way. To retrieve your precious Elements, Just make sense of these change of events. Twists and Turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements, back where you began." Discord said with his voice in a fading echo before returning the animated image to it's rightful place upon the window. Only for his maniacal laugh to fill the hall for one last time.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked looking at everypony. Twilight trying to decipher the riddle.

"Well what do ya reckon he meant, when he said "Twists and Turns" and us ending back where we began?" Applejack asked aloud.

"Twists and Turns... Twists and Turns..." Twilight said as she looked outside the window, noticing a large hedge maze.

"Twists and Turns! That's it! Discord must've hid the Elements within the Palace Labyrinth!" She said as she looked back at all of us.

"Great thinking Twilight. Now, My Little Ponies. Best of luck, the fate of Equestria now lies within your hooves." Princess Celestia said as the mane six bowed. I merely stood there looking at the others.

"Thanks, Princess! We won't let you down! Now let's go!" Twilight said as she lead the us out of the castle and to the hedge labyrinth right beside it.

The Labyrinth was alot more intimidating while being right in front of it. It had to be at least 15 meters tall.

"Celestia must have one insane gardener for something like this. Hell, that gardener must have one hell of a paycheck." I said looking over the enormous structure.

"This'll take months for us to scan every inch of it!" Applejack said aloud as Rainbow Dash grinned and flapped her wings.

"It's a good thing dopey Discord forgot about these babies!" Rainbow Dash said as she flew up and was higher than the top of the hedges.

"I'll just do a swift fly over and we'll have the Elements in no time!" She said as she went to start flying over the maze, but before she even made it within it's perimeter. Her wings vanished and she began to fall.

"Rainbow!" I yelled out as I quickly stretched out my own wings and flew for her. My wings soon vanished as well and I crashed face first into the ground, only for Rainbow Dash to land right on top of me.

"My wings!!" Rainbow Dash yelled out in horror as she got off of me.

"My back..." I said as I got up slowly and looked to both my sides to see my wings missing as well.

With each a flash. One by one, everyponies wings and horns we're vanishing. Fluttershy squealed in horror. As Rarity and Twilight looked at each other and screamed.

"Your horn! My horn! No!!" The two screamed out as there was a bright flash of light.

There appeared before our eyes. Discord.

He gave out another burst of his guttural maniacal laughter.

"The looks on your faces are absolutely Priceless!" Discord said as he laughed once more.

"Your bastard! Give us our wings and horns back!" I said as I charged at him. He quickly flew into the air and smiled.

"You'll get them back in due time. I simply took them to ensure that an honest game is played. No cheating, that's the first rule of this game!" Discord said as he glowed white for a couple of seconds and then teleported over to Applejack and patted her on the head. He then teleported in the same manner over to Rainbow Dash and wrapped his arm around her as he grabbed Twilight, pulled her close, and wrapped his arm around her as well.

"No Flying. And No Magic." Discord said before flying up and above us.

"What are the other rules?" Rainbow Dash said as small leaf landed on Discord when he began to glow white. He then brushed the leaf off and then successfully teleported over to her.

"The second and final rule is that everypony has to participate or I win by default! Good luck Everypony! And have fun!" Discord said before disappearing right before our eyes.

"That bastard... I guess I have my own official business in this now. So let's go." I said before looking back at everypony.

"Don't worry everypony, as long as we have each other. We've already won!" Twilight said as everypony got a sense of hope within them.

"Twilight is right! We can overcome anything as long as we stick together!" Rainbow Dash said as we lined up as one. We walked towards the labyrinth entrance and looked at eachother.

"Alright everypony, Let's do this! Together!" Everypony but myself said in unison. I rolled my eyes as we took a step in, only for us to be separated one by one by walls of hedges that emerged from the ground instantly. Everypony screamed and nearly panicked. 

"Everypony! Keep it together! We all should head to the middle and regroup there!" I yelled out to them past the walls of shrubbery.

"Leon's right! Everypony stay calm!" Twilight said as I already began to make my way towards the middle.

Behind my I heard their cheers and also heard the rushing hooves through the hedges.

"Now what was that fail-proof maze thing...? Keep left or... Maybe it was Keep right..." I said as I was riding the right wall to hopefully find my way to the middle. 

I decided to pick up the pace as seconds later I heard what sounded like Applejack scream. I ran in the direction of it and I soon ran into Twilight, literally. We both fell back and began to rub our heads. We soon got up and out of the daze and looked at each other.

"Leon! I'm so glad to see you!" Twilight said as a wall opened up next to us, revealing Applejack in a corner talking to herself. Her fur was gray and she was shaking. I soon had a horrid flashback of the fake Applejack within the Silent Realm.

"Applejack! Good, we have three of us ponies together so far." Twilight said as she headed over and as I snapped back into reality.

"Twilight wait!" I said before Twilight nudged Applejack.

"Are you alright? Who are you talking to Applejack?" Twilight asked as Applejack turned around. Her eyes we're normal. I gave out a sigh of relief as Applejack snapped at Twilight.

"Nopony! I'm talking to nopony what so ever! We best be on our way!" Applejack said before darting her eyes around and heading towards a turn in the maze.

"Applejack.... Leon, do you think...?" Twilight said giving me a concerned look.

"I'm not sure... We need to find the others. Quickly." I said as I rushed after Applejack, Twilight making sure to follow close behind.

We followed close behind Applejack, and moments later we heard what sounded like arguing and hoof fighting.

We followed the sounds and soon we came across Rarity and Pinkie Pie hoof fighting as Fluttershy was egging them on. Everypony had that mysterious gray tone to their fur.

I stepped between the two and separated them apart.

"What the hell is going on here?" I yelled as I had to push Rarity back a bit more.

"This bitch was looking at my diamond!" Rarity yelled out, obviously talking about Pinkie Pie.

"It's just a stupid rock!" Pinkie Pie said as she started to laugh at Rarity. But not a normal happy laugh, it was more of a mocking laugh.

"Enough! What the hell has gotten into you two?!" I yelled out as Fluttershy stepped to me.

"Just let them go, it's fun to see them hurt each other..." Fluttershy said with a disturbing grin.

"What the-"

"Fucking Rainbow Dash! That two timing rat is flying away!" Applejack said cutting me off as Twilight laughed.

"Now that is undoubtedly a lie." Twilight said before we all turned around and looked up to see Rainbow Dash flying away.

"No... This can't be! Rainbow!!" Twilight yelled out as the walls of hedges around us began to submerge into the ground. Thunder began to roar around us as soon we we're in nothing but a barren crater where the labyrinth once stood.

Discord then appeared before us and began to laugh maniacally.

"That's it My Little Ponies! You've lost and I have won! All because you're 'loyal' friend decided to break the no wings no magic rule!" Discord said before snapping his fingers, returning all of our wings and horns to us respectively.

"You bastard! You've done this! This is all your fault!" I said stepping forward towards Discord.

"Obviously, I mean I am the winner. And the winner calls for a good ol' storm of chaos!" Discord said with a crazed laugh as he pulled an umbrella out from thin air and opened it up.

"Discord! You're not playing fair!" Twilight said and even I couldn't help seeing as if she was acting like a girl in grade school.

"Fair? Excuse me but maybe we haven't met. I am Discord, the God of Chaos and Disharmony. Nice to make your acquaintance!" Discord said with a small chuckle.

"Well how do you expect us to find the elements when you've made the entire maze disappear!"  Twilight said as Discord turned his head and began to laugh hysterically.

"Do you really think that they we're in the maze? You're such a laugh Twilight!" Discord said before Pinkie Pie got in his face.

"What's so funny, huh? You better not be laughing around the Pink-E Pie!" She yelled as Fluttershy went over and began to laugh at her. Causing the two to burst into a hoof fight.

"I'll recite it one more time for you as... collateral for the maze." Discord said as he snapped his fingers, bringing me and Twilight back to where he said his riddle, we we're looking at ourselves in that exact moment. At the moment I looked over my should, directly at myself and Twilight in the current time.

"What the..." I said confused as Discord said his riddle.

"Twists and Turns are my master plan. You'll find your elements back where you began..." Discord said as there was a bright flash and we we're back in the large crater where every other pony was arguing.

"I never said that they we're within the labyrinth, now did I?" Discord said with a chuckle. 

"But..." Twilight said as Discord began to walk off.

"Keep trying, Twilight! Maybe the magic of 'friendship' will help you" Discord said with another laugh.

"Now, if you don't mind. I have some chaos to wreak! Ta ta!" Discord said before snapping his fingers.

"Not so fast!" I said picking up a small branch and whipping it at Discord, hitting him not a moment too late. 

"Hey, now what was that for?" Discord said crossing his arms.

"Our game isn't over." I said I went over and whispered to Twilight.

"Take the others and find the Elements, I'll stall Discord." I told Twilight as I stood in front of Discord. Picking up a pile of rocks and placing them in my bag.

"You have a delay before you teleport. And to prevent harmful fusing of worldly items with your body, Teleportation is canceled if something or somepony connects to you." I said with a smirk as I head one rock in my hoof and tossed it up and caught it.

"Clever... Like I said, you've always been perceptive... But I've always been quicker!" Discord said as he flew to me, making it right in front of me in a split second.

"You know, I guess I can spare some time to play with you... Seven Minutes. Seven minutes is all the time we have to play together." Discord said with a snap of his finger, creating a large countdown time with seven minutes on it.

"So, what do you want? Is it fame? Fortune? Or is it what you always wanted... acceptance?" Discord said as I grit my teeth and rammed my head into him.

"Enough!" I stood, ready to strike once more as Discord grinned.

"Thought so... Now me and you Leon... We had sooo much. But was I not enough?" He said, and of course I let this get to me as I was caught off guard. He quickly struck me down with a swift swing of his tail.

"You see with those girls, they're easy to manipulate. All I need is a little psychological  warfare and I've defeated them. As for you, it takes both. Getting into your head, and brute force." Discord said as he swung down. I quickly rolled out of the way and got up as his tail crashed into the ground. His body glowed for a second and I quickly wailed a rock at him, preventing him from going anywhere.

"You know, you're just a puppet. Arklida is tugging at those strings right now because she can. Because she is your puppeteer, but it was different with us..." Discord said as he snapped his fingers. And I was quickly enveloped in something large and sticky. I popped my head out and it was one of those mysterious bubblegum clouds.

"You weren't necessarily in control... But you weren't controlled either. Here, take a look for yourself." Discord said as he pressed a finger against the top of my head. Soon flashing images of me standing by Discord and causing havoc for the ponies of the world filled my head.

"No... No! These are just more of your lies!" I said as I began to struggling. The images faded and I heard Discord's crazy laugh as he teleported away. Presumably to where the others were. I was sitting there in this sticky cloud, and I began to over think everything. Soon I was teleported out of the cloud and was perfectly clean. I turned around to see Princess Celestia standing before me.

"Your friends need you." She said to me with a serious stare.

"Right..." I nodded and rushed in the direction of Ponyville. I found a nearby cliff and jumped off and opened up my wings and began to flew in the direction of Ponyville. Within minutes I managed to get there and I began to scan over the entire town. Soon I spotted him, Discord. He was sitting on a throne in the center of Ponyville. Or at least, what was formerly Ponyville. It was changed to his own chaotic design. Houses floating upside-down and morphed animals rampaging the roads.

Now was my time to strike. I dived down at Discord and he quickly moved out of his throne for me to only crash into it. I picked up the entire thrown and threw it at him, only for him to dodge it and laugh at me.

"So after all that you still don't dare to tug at the puppet strings?" Discord said with a sly smirk. This creature has caused nothing but hatred and chaos between my... friends. Twilight's given me a place to stay and Arklida has turned me into a pegasus. I guess my loyalty has an odd price.

"No matter what you show me, whether it be true and lies you created, You've pissed me off way too much, and it pisses me off even more that you've been doing it on purpose. So, I'm putting an end to you myself!" I said as I flew at him, grabbing him and crashing into the ground with him. I swung swiftly and hit him in the face and his head was knocked off clean. 

"What the hell??" I said in confusion and mild horror as he quickly struck me off of him. I looked up to see him pick up his head and screw it back onto himself.

"Now that I have my head screwed on straight, maybe you need to do the same?" Discord said with a chuckle as he stepped towards me. I quickly got up as I heard familiar voices behind me.

"It's time to finish this Discord!" Twilight said as she had the other five of her friends around her. They we're all wearing what could only be the Elements of Harmony. A red lightning bolt on Rainbow Dash. A orange Apple on Applejack...

"Why is the Apple orange...?" I said looking at the Element with a confused look.

"Is now really the time for that?" Twilight said looking at me as the others we're looking at Applejack's Element.

"He's right, I didn't notice that the first time." Rainbow Dash said looking at it.

"That's an atrocity of a mistake right there. I wonder if the Princess would condone me fixing that.." Rarity said looking at it.

"I bet that's such a thing! Apples that taste like oranges! Or... Maybe oranges that taste like apples!" Pinkie Pie said with a cheer.

"Hello!? Are you all forgetting about something? God of Chaos here! Literally turning your hometown upside down!" Discord said as we we're all examining Applejack's element.

"Yeah... That's really strange, isn't it..?" Fluttershy said looking it over.

"That's certainly gonna irk me.. I've never seen an orange apple in all of my work on the farm." Applejack said now baffled herself about the Element's color.

"That's it!!" Discord yelled out as he grabbed my by the leg and threw me in the opposite direction. I managed to land on my feet and I charged for him. I head butting him in the back as he swiftly swung his tail and knocked me down.

"Twilight! Hurry!" I said as Discord went to charge at the mane six. I quickly got up and grabbed his tail and pulled him towards me and hit him down.

As I was striking Discord, Twilight and her friends began to glow and float into the air. And soon a bright orb surrounded them as I took a quick step back from Discord. A bright flash of light blinded us all for a second as a large rainbow beam erupted from the mane six. Going high into the air and coming down at an arc towards Discord. But before I could even react, the beam split. Hitting both Discord and myself. I was blinded and a horrible burning pain filled me. As if my bones we're being broken one by one. I flew back from the hit and landed on the ground. I was groaning in horrible pain. Everything was white, I couldn't even see the effect it had against Discord.

Everypony was cheering for the first moment, but then there was a scream.

"Leon!!" I heard Rainbow Dash yell as she flew over to me.

"Leon! Stay with me! What happened?!" Rainbow Dash said as she picked me up a bit, only causing more pain. I could barely speak but my groans of pain were enough for her to put me back down.

"W-why..." Was all I could manage to say before everything went black. 

[End Of Chapter]




















 


> [Chapter Nine: Leon's Lament]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It seems that my sister was quick to forget that I was involved in Discord's first defeat... 'You need to stay and watch the castle' She says... What's the point of having guards if one of us has to stay inside all the time!" Luna whined as she sat on the throne. Her sister, Princess Celestia, had gone to Ponyville to personally congratulate everypony who put a hoof in to stop Discord.

Soon the doors swung open and there came Princess Celestia and the Mane Six rushing in. Along with two royal guardstallions who we're carrying an unconscious stallion in a carriage. It was Leon. His coat was no longer the usual midnight black that it was. His coat was now a ghostly white along with a dark blue and it seemed to move around, as if it was a mysterious type of aura.

Princess Luna quickly got off her throne and headed over to everypony.

"What happened? Is Discord not defeated?" Princess Luna said confused about the situation. Twilight and the others began to ramble. All trying to explain what had happened.

"Relax, I shall tell her." Princess Celestia said as she waved the guards off, leaving Leon in the small carriage.

"It seemed that Leon here was affected by the Elements of Harmony..." Princess Celestia said with a sigh.

"Wait... then that means-" Princess Luna said as Celestia gave her a stern look.

"What does that mean??" Twilight said looking at the two Princesses.

"Nothing. It's fine. Now, Luna. Do you think you'll be able to help him?" Celestia said looking Luna in the eyes.

"Well you brought him to me for a reason, haven't you?" Luna said with a smile.

"I will need to go into the Catacombs though... And unfortunately I do have to bring him with me." Princess Luna said as she headed over to the throne room doors and stuck her head out.

"Can one of you fetch me my saddle?" She said to one of the guards as the others we're staring at Leon with a concerned look. He was shaking and still unconscious.

"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own sister?" Princess Celestia said to Luna as she approached Leon.

"That's not up for question, now is it?" Luna said as her horn began to glow. She connected her horn to the top of Leon's head. She was sitting there, focused with her eyes close for the moment as she quickly brought her head back and held it in pain.

"Luna! What happened!?" Twilight asked as the glow in Luna's horn went away. Luna looked at Leon's unconscious body and then back at the others.

"For some reason I cannot see into his dreams... I was prevented from doing so..." Luna said as she gave a look to Celestia and then back at Leon.

"There's no time for playing around. I need to go now." Luna said as one of the guards came in holding a beautiful saddle using his magic.

The guard equipped Luna with the saddle and tightened it. As he finished he bowed before her and she smiled.

"Thank you. You can go back to your post now." Luna said as she used her magic to carefully place Leon onto her back. Even as careful as she was, Leon was still experiencing horrible pain.

"Huh... Odd..." Luna said as she was carrying Leon with nothing but her back.

"What is it?" Celestia asked as Luna giggled.

"He's oddly light for his size, that makes things a whole lot easier." Luna said as she shot Celestia a wink and began to head out of the throne room.

"Now... If I'm not mistaken, the Catacombs are all the way down from the south tower..." Luna said as she began to make her way to the south tower stairs.

As she descended the stairs she looked outside the windows of the tower to see several ponies celebrating in the nearby streets as the effect of Discord's defeat.

"Wonder what they did with that piece of stone this time..." Luna said with a sigh as she descended further the beautiful scheme of the tower got darker and darker. Soon she had entered the level in which the Catacombs lie and it almost seemed like a medieval dungeon of sorts.

Luna had gone into a small corner where a bunch of barrels were located, some on their side with taps sticking out of them.

"Wow, I wonder if these actually have aged cider in them.... If so I'm gonna have one hell of a time laughter." Luna said with a giggle as she looked back at Leon.

"Poor thing... Don't worry. Drinks are on me if you survive." Luna said as she moved a few barrels to the side. There was one brick that was sticking out. Luna removed it and clicked a button that was lying behind it as she then put the brick back, but making sure that it was sticking out a bit.

A small opening appeared and Luna was barely able to fit through. Through the opening the area was alot more open and spread out. It was a large room in fact. A couple candles and torches lying around but Luna didn't need them. It seemed she didn't even need a magic spell. She was seeing in the pitch black caves perfectly. There were a few hallways connecting to the huge room. Two next to each other at the far back wall and one to the left wall along with another to the right.

She entered the hall on the back left of the room.

She soon entered a room with a large door. There were too panels in the floor on each side of the room. She went over to one of the panels and pressed her hoof on it. The panel went into the floor and then came up when she picked her hoof up. She looked around the room and found a small box in the corner. With her magic she picked up the box and placed it on the panel. She then headed over to the other panel and stood on it. The large door opened up slowly. With that, she headed through the door into another narrow hallway. 

"It shouldn't be far now... I hope. It's been so long since I've been down here." Luna said with a sigh as she continued down the hall. Soon Luna came across a small flight of stairs that led into another room. The room had a dark feeling to it, as if something bad was going to happen. Luna soon heard an odd groan and froze up for a bit. Afterwards she felt a slight bit of movement on her back as she gave out a sigh of relief.

"W-where... W-where...?" The injured pony said as he couldn't even lift his head up to look around. His head stay rested on Luna as he darted his eyes around at what he could barely see.

"Relax, don't spend any energy on talking." Luna said as she continued forward into another small hallway. The hallway lead to a large room with a strange altar in the middle. A book was on a podium in front of the altar along with many tall candles.

"Here we are..." Luna said with a sigh as she carefully set down the wounded pony onto the altar.

With a spell she lit all of the candles at once and headed over to the book on the podium. Leon was unsure of what was about to happen. He tried to move but his body was in too much pain to let him. Luna took a deep breath and began to read out of the book. It was some type of ritual

"Gods from above. Equestrian Deities. And the holy beings from the other worlds alike. Lend your power to this diminishing soul as he clenches so hard onto what little life he has left... Tenebres. Infundante." Luna said as she looked over to Leon. He soon began to float into the air and a mysterious dark smokey aura surrounded him. The strange aura was then absorbed into his body and he was set on all fours on the altar. There was a small pause and then Leon gave a spine chilling toothy grin followed by a disturbing laugh.

"Oh it was too dreadful being nothing but a husk. But this... Being alive has never felt better!" Leon said, still laughing a bit.

"Arkanodos" Luna said out of the blue giving Leon a firm look.

"What?" Leon asked giving Luna a confused look.

"Does that name mean anything to you." Luna said staring into Leon's eyes.

"Should it?" Leon said as he hopped off the strange altar.

"I guess not." Luna said giving out another sigh of relief.

"So... Let's do a bit of a walk and talk. Follow me." Luna said as she headed into the hall and made her way back towards the castle.

"When you were struck. What did you see?" Luna said looking at Leon as he walked at her side.

"When I was struck...." Leon said thinking to himself as the two came across the ominous room from before.

"Oh yeah... those bastards decided to have some friendly fire!" Leon said gritting his teeth as he rushed towards the second doorway. Only for it to shut suddenly, as well as the one they just came from.

"What the..." Leon said as he looked around the room. Soon the strange dark smokey aura was emitting off his hooves.

He picked his hoof up and began to examine it. It was somehow familiar to him... Too familiar.

"Shit... Get ready!" Leon said as he was soon tackled down by one of the mysterious creatures of darkness.

"What are these things?!" Luna said as she took a step back and charged up a spell. Then she fired a bolt of magic at the one assaulting Leon and then at another which was charging her.

Leon quickly got up and charged at one of them, tackling it and then striking it in the face a couple of times. Defeating that one as he grabbed another that was charging at him. Luna was taking out several on the other side of the room but then got grabbed from behind. It didn't have her long though as another's body slammed into it and the two both were defeated. She then shot another bolt of magic behind Leon and got one that was coming from behind him.

That seemed to be all of them for now. Leon looked at his hoof and the strange aura was gone. He sighed as the door leading at swung open. Leon nodded and headed out of it with Luna.

"Darkness..." Leon said walking alongside Luna.

"Darkness...?" Luna repeated curiously.

"Yeah... I saw nothing but darkness. I was walking for what seemed like hundreds and thousands of years..." Leon said as he began to laugh.

"Death... or well.. Near death is alot more boring then I thought it would be." Leon said as he continued walking.

"Well... what do you expect it to be...?" Luna said curiously.

"Sorta like a movie.... You're the only one watching. And you see your life play before you. Step by step, minute by minute... Like that thing they say about your life flashing before your eyes. Except longer" Leon said as he looked over at Luna.

"One thing that is good though. I know I'll have a huge movie." Leon said with a laugh.

"What do you mean by that?" Luna asked, giving him a curious look.

"Because I don't plan on dying anytime soon." Leon said with a smirk as they came across the exit of the Catacombs.

Luna sealed the entrance and looked the barrels used for covering it.

"Oh yeah, lend me a hand and carry one of these." Luna said as she picked up one herself.

"What for?" Leon said as he picked it up with ease and held it on his back.

"We're gonna celebrate." Luna said with a giggle as she began to head up the stairs.

"Celebrate what?" Leon said as he followed her closely.

"Many things" Luna said as she headed up to the top level and began to head down the hall way.

"This way." Luna said in a quiet voice as she opened a door and headed in. Leon followed close behind. It seemed to be a heavily night-themed bedroom. It was Luna's bedroom.

"Set the barrel down in the corner." Luna said as she set her own there and headed out onto the nearby balcony. She used her magic and brought up the moon. She was a little late to this due to Leon, but she didn't mind. She then came in and gave Leon a smile.

"Let us begin." Luna said as she got a couple of fancy mugs and filled them up.

"What to celebrate first..." Luna said with a giggle as Leon took his mug of cider.

"How about we go in order. To the defeat of Discord." Leon said holding his mug up.

Luna giggled and held up hers as well. The two then took a drink. Leon having a sudden shudder.

"Whoa... That's strong... How old is this?" Leon said looking into his mug.

"Hmm... 6... 7...." 

"That's not that bad."

"...Thousand years..."

As Luna said this Leon resisted spitting the drink out in shock. Instead her forcefully gulped it down and looked at Luna in amazement.

"That's insane..." Leon said as he took another drink. Luna did as well.

It was surprisingly sweet but had an insane kick to it afterwards.

As the two finished their mugs Luna smiled and filled them once more.

"Now what do we celebrate...?" Luna said with a giggle as Leon thought to himself.

"You saving my ass?" Leon said with a chuckle as he held his mug up.

"Seems fair enough." Luna said with a laugh as she held hers up and the two began to drink.

"You know... Ever since I returned. Ponies seemed to have been keeping their distance from me... Even my own sister at times." Luna said with a sigh as Leon gulped some more cider down and took a peak at Luna.

"How so?" Leon said heading over to Luna.

"I made a huge mistake that's put a scar on my past... And ponies have been looking at me funny ever since. And you don't really mind. You're the first pony to treat me like another in so long." Luna said as her head sunk and she stared at the ground.

"Hey. We all fuck up sometimes. Some in bigger ways then others. But nopony is perfect. The thing that differs is how you deal with the mistake... If you learn from it... If you understand it... And what you can do to make up for it. That's what makes you better. But if you sulk and loath over it and let it eat you up. It'll just make things worse. Not only for yourself, but the ponies around you." Leon said as he picked up Luna's head and looked into her eyes.

"You're the last pony I expected such words from..." Luna said with a laugh as Leon rolled his eyes and walked away.

"Fuck you too" Leon said heading over to the cider and getting himself another mug full.

Most of the night went normally. The two had a few more drinks and laughs. But unfortunately the two began to hit there limit.

"Heh What... do you call *hic* a boring pony who can move the sun...?" Leon managed to say to Luna. Luna had no comment on the cheesy joke and began to laugh a little.

"What would t-that be..." Luna said as she continued to giggle. Leon beginning to laugh a bit as he tried to push the punchline out.

"S-s... *hic* Sun butt..." Leon said as the two broke out in hysterical laughter. Moments later the door flung open and there stood Celestia with a little bit of bed head.

"Ayy! It's sun butt!" Leon said aloud as Luna punched him in the side.

"S-shush!! She'll hear you!" Luna said as she gave Celestia a gentle smile.

"Why are you too drunk? HOW are you two drunk!?" Princess Celestia said looking at the two as Leon began to laugh once more.

"Hey... We're not drunk.... *hic* I'm drunk!" Leon said with more hard laughter and nearly falling over.

"Thanks Luna. You prevented him from dying and now you're going to kill him with alcohol... Classic." Celestia said as she face-hoofed.

"We're fine... Right beautiful?" Luna said looking at Leon. Then grabbing his face and looking him in the eyes.

"I'm beautiful... You're drunk. Go home." Leon said laughing once more as Luna nodded and got up. She then headed towards the doorway of her room.

"Where are you going?" Celestia asked looking at her.

"I'm drunk, I gotta go home.." Luna said as she headed out of her room and down the hallway. Moments later she began to yell out.

"Celestia!! I'm home!!" Luna said as she did a 180 degree turn and headed back to her room.

Luna headed into her room and climbed onto Leon's back.

"I'm tired..." Luna said as Leon fell over.

"Me too..." Leon said as the two were now laying down. Luna wrapping her hooves around Leon as if he was a teddy bear.

"Ugh..." Celestia sighed as she left the room, coming back moments later with an ice pack.

"Sorry for this..." Celestia said as she used her magic to pick up Leon and bring him to her.

Leon said nothing as he stared into her eyes. Moments later and he began to laugh.

"S-sun butt...." Leon said as him and Luna began to laugh hysterically.

Celestia hit Leon on top of the head with the ice pack and knocked him out. Cold.

Celestia set his unconscious body with the ice pack outside of Luna's room and left Luna to sleep on the floor with little reaction to what happened.

The next morning Luna was sitting on her throne rubbing her head and groaning a bit.

"That's what seven thousand years of barrel-age will do to you." Celestia said with a chuckle.

"I barely remember anything after the fifth drink..." Luna said with another groan.

"I'm surprised you were able to survive three of them." Celestia said looking over at Luna.

"But, back to the serious business..." Celestia said giving Luna a serious look.

"He didn't have a reaction to his name... But I know it's him..." Luna said with a sigh.

"Are you sure?" Celestia said as Luna looked her in the eyes.

"I'm sure..." Luna said as she gave out another heavy sigh.

[End Of Chapter]

 






> [Chapter Ten: An Empty Welcome] 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I soon began to regain consciousness. As I opened my eyes the room was spinning around me. On top of that I had a splitting headache and a bit of nausea.

"What... The hell happened..?" I said to myself as an ice pack fell off my head.

"Cool... Literally." I said as I picked up the ice pack and held it against my head.

"Ugh... I feel horrible..." I said as I headed sluggishly down the hall I was in.

"Am I... still in the castle..." I said with a groan as I held the ice pack against my head.

"Oh... right... Luna saved me and then we had that cider..." I said as my stomach began to churn just thinking about it.

I gasped and had a sudden realization. I had to head back to Ponyville as soon as possible. I pushed through the horrid hangover and made my way out of the castle. 

I was at the home stretch. I was right at the doors when two guards stepped in front of me.

"Halt! Princess Luna requests to see you immediately!" Said the guard on the left as I went to push between the two.

"Tell her that I'm busy." I say as the two stop me and I sigh closing my eyes.

"I'll just give her the message myself..." I said as my eyes shot open and I grabbed one guard and slammed him into the ground. As with the other I bucked him. Kicking him square in the face as rushed out of the castle. As soon as I was outside I took off flying using my wings and headed in the direction of Ponyville. I took a glimpse back to see a couple more guards rushing out of the castle.

I managed to get back to Ponyville as my hangover began to finally fade away. Luckily nopony was in pursuit of me I swiftly landed in the center of Ponyville. The air was calm and stagnant. The area was silent and empty. There was nopony what so ever around. I was confused and I quickly made my way to Twilight's house. I knocked at the door and waited a moment. There was no answer. I let out a sigh and reached for my bag... but I didn't have it on me.

I peaked into the window of the house and nopony was in sight, but I did see my bag on Twilight's desk. And in it was the key to the house was in that bag.

"Well that's my luck..." I sighed and grinded my hoof into the ground a bit.

"Maybe Rarity knows where she is..." I said as I made my way over to Carousel Boutique.

I went to Rarity's shop and it had a big closed sign on it. I knocked anyway but I had no answer what-so-ever.

"Pinkie it is..." I said as I rolled my eyes and headed over to Sugarcube Corner.

I got to Sugarcube corner which had a huge closed sign on it. Along with that all the curtains we're closed but I figured I would try knocking anyway.

"Hello?" I said as I began to bang on the door.

"Any pony home?!" I said as I went to knock on the door once more, but the door opened and I stopped my hoof as somepony grabbed it and pulled me in. The door shutting quickly.

"Leon!!" I heard a familiar voice yell out as a bunch of ponies began to surround me and hug me. It was extremely dark and I looked right in front of me. I could barely make out Twilight's face.

"What the hell is going on?" I said as I struggled away from the group hug.

"Why do ya reek like funky cider?" Applejack said coming closer and sniffing a bit.

I turned my head away and sighed.

"I asked the question first." I said as I looked around. My eyesight adjusting to the darkness.

"There's some mysterious pony roaming around in a cloak." Twilight said as she motioned me over to the window. She gingerly moved the curtain as I peaked out of it. I noticed a pony in a cloak as she described a little bit down the way from Sugarcube Corner.

"So... About that cider..." Applejack said raising an eyebrow at me.

"This is nothing... We've taken on dragons and gods. Haven't we? I can take care of one mere pony." I said as I headed for the door. 

"Are you crazy!? You can't just go out there!" Rainbow Dash said. I ignored her and headed right out. Shutting the door behind me. I peaked over my shoulder to see everypony carefully peaking out of the curtain.

"Cowards..." I said as I approached the mysterious pony.

"Hey!" I said as I kept a reasonable distance from them.

The pony turned around and looked at me. The cloak showed most of their legs and on their front right one they had a set of bangles on them. As for the rest of them, they had noticeable stripes about them. They were undoubtedly a zebra. I kept myself ready and took a couple more steps forward.

"May I ask what you are doing in Ponyville?" I said looking at the pony as they then looked me in the eyes.

I could tell that it was a female as they put the hood to the cloak down.

"I came looking for a place to shop. But it seems so empty as if time had come to a stop." The mysterious zebra said to me. She had a thick tribal accent as she talked.

"That's it? You came to shop." I said looking over the zebra.

"That is all I needed to do. Now young one, what is the duty of you" The zebra said giving me a gentle smile.

"I was merely visiting some friends in town... So... Who exactly are you?" I said as she began to approach me.

"Some call me Shaman, others call me Zecora. Now what is yours pony with a dark aura." She said as I took a step back.

"What do you mean 'dark aura'?" I asked as I got into a stance.

"You have yet to answer me confused pony." Zecora said looking me in the eyes.

"Leon... I'm Leon. Now answer me." I said giving her a stern look back.

"If you can find me a place to shop, then at my hut we will surely make a stop" Zecora said giving me another smile.

"That's the second time you said that rhyme...." Leon said as Zecora giggled a bit.

"What...? Oh dammit!" Leon said as he realized what just happened.

"Fine... Follow me." I said heading back to Sugarcube Corner. I knocked at the door and there was no answer.

"She's all fine there's nothing to be scared of. Now if you don't open up you'll have to deal with something much much scarier." I said as I began banging on the door harder.

The door slowly creaked open and out peaked Twilight.

"She's looking for a place to shop and all you paranoid fucks closed every thing around." I said giving Twilight a stern look.

"Oh.. right.." Twilight said with a nervous giggle.

"So is she evil?" I heard Pinkie Pie ask from inside.

"No... Now can you all tell everypony that everything is fine and she's just a simple pony looking to shop?" I asked Twilight as I stomped my hoof.

"Yeah... alright. Rainbow Dash, can you fly around Ponyville and tell everypony that everything is fine?" Twilight asked looking back into Sugarcube Corner.

"Fine... I guess." Rainbow Dash said as she flew out of Sugarcube Corner, giving Zecora an odd look as she began to go around Ponyville.

"Alright, Follow me. I'll lead you to the market." I told Zecora, leading her to the market area that was near by.

With worried looks several ponies were returning to their shops. Focusing on myself and Zecora.

"So... What do you need?" I asked Zecora as she headed over to one of the more odd shops. It displayed seemingly pointless herbs and other plants.

"Fascinating." I said sarcastically as I watched her pick a couple out and purchase them.

"Now you shall follow me. For my hut is the place we need to be." Zecora said as she began to walk off. I walked by her side and looked at her. For some reason there was a part of me that knew this pony was harmless.

She led me out of Ponyville and to a nearby eerie looking forest.

"This is the Everfree... Correct?" I said looking up at the towering tree.

"That is right, deep within this forest my hut is hidden from the light." Zecora said as she went onto a small trail and began to lead me to her hut. As we entered about 500 meters it was already extremely dark. Mysterious noises surrounded me and I began to feel as if something bad was going to happen. I stayed walking by Zecora as we soon came upon a small hut in the middle of the forest.

Zecora slowly opened the door and motioned me to enter. I entered and there was a large cauldron in the dead center on the room. Many mysterious plants were on a counter against the right wall. While on the back wall there were several masks displayed about.

"Please take a seat as I prepare the cauldron's heat." Zecora said as she began to heat the cauldron. I took a seat and began to observe the room more. There was a small table in front of me with another chair at it. Along with a small cot in the corner of the room.

Zecora went over to the counter and began to prepare something for the cauldron. She started grinding some plants using a mortar and pestle. She then had a bowl of grinded herbs and plants. She tossed these into the cauldron and begin to mix them.

"So... what exactly are you...?" I asked looking at the young zebra.

"I am a zebra as you can see. What do you suspect me to be?" Zecora said without making eye contact.

"No like... What do you do. What's with the plants and such." I asked as Zecora finished mixing the contents of the cauldron. She began to recite a mysterious chant. I couldn't understand a single thing she was saying.

"Herbalist... Apothecary... The names of my occupation vary." Zecora said as she scooped up a small bowl of the cauldrons contents.

"Now forgive me for this, and please sit still so I do not miss." Zecora said as she approached me with the bowl.

"Excuse me...?" I said before I could even react. Zecora had splashed me with the water. It was burning hot... But not from the heated cauldron. Whatever the liquid was it was giving me a strange burning sensation.

"Look at yourself pony, for the source of the dark aura you can see" Zecora said as I looked where she had hit me with the liquid. It seemed that the smoky dark aura from before was evaporating off of me. Soon the horrible burning sensation began to dissipate. 

"That dose will contain the darkness for a bit but that does not mean it shall quit." Zecora said as she went over to her counter.

"I will soon bring you home, for the forest is a dangerous place to roam." Zecora said as she began to concoct something else using the plants.

"I can handle myself..." I said as I got up and headed for the door.

"Please wait patiently for a bit. I will be finished shortly, just go and sit." Zecora said as I headed out the door with no further hesitation.

I began to make my way back home to Ponyville. As I was walking there were mysterious sounds from all directions, but at one point I seemed to heard a mare singing...

I looked to my right, the direction of the singing, and saw a strange light.

"Beware! Stallions who stare will soon join the mare!" I heard Zecora's voice yell in the distance. I rolled my eyes and began to make my way home. Soon I felt as if my face was morphed and I got a sudden headache. I held my head in pain as I felt a sudden burning sensation inside of me. I felt a bit off at this point and I quickly made my way home.

I made it to Twilight's house and knocked on the door. She opened the door and looked at me as her jaw dropped.

"L-Leon... Is that you?" Twilight asked as I entered the house.

"Of course it-" I gasped as I heard a voice that was not my own exit my mouth.

"Leon... You need to see this..." Twilight said as she brought a small portable mirror over to me.

"This can't be happening..." I said as I looked in the mirror and saw a mare version of myself.

[End Of Chapter]






> [Chapter Eleven: Mending a Gender Bending]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Twilight! Change me back!" I demanded as I gave her a stern look.

"I-It's not that easy! I don't even know anything about gender changing magic or anything even close! Not even the Princesses know anything like that!" Twilight said as she set the mirror down.

"There has to be something! I can't just be stuck like this!" I said as there was a knock at the door.

"We'll figure this out. Just relax..." Twilight said as she headed for the door. She turned the knob and before Twilight could pull the door open the rest of the mane six pushed through the door.

"Welcome home Le-" The five said in unison, pausing mid sentence as they saw the state I was in.

"Uhh... Either of ya care you explain?" Applejack said to try and break the ice.

"Well... We believe Zecora transformed Leon somehow... Into a mare..." Twilight said rubbing her head.

"Is Leon really a mare like us now? How neat!" Pinkie Pie said as I felt her grab my tail and begin to slowly raise it.

Out of 'instinct' I  bucked a hoof back quickly and knocked her back.

"Oops..." I said as everypony was giving me a dirty look.

"Blame Applejack, she taught me that." I said as I began to whistle casually.

"Well I'm going to head back there and rip her limb by limb until she changes me back." I said as I went for the door.

"Leon! You can't go back there! There's no telling what else she'd do to you!" Twilight said stepping in front of me.

"Twilight is right. That's why we're going with you!" Rainbow Dash said with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, get us all cursed in the process why don't we." Applejack said giving Rainbow Dash a stern look.

"I'm not screwing around anymore. You want to come with me and watch me amputate somepony, be my guest. But without you or not I'm going back there." I said as I pushed past Twilight and started heading towards the start of the path into the Everfree.

"Here we go..." I said looking up at the towering trees.

"Wait!" Twilight said as she rushed up to me.

"We're going together..." Twilight said to me as the others smiled at me.

"Darling, we're all your friends and your friends will be by your side when you need them." Rarity said with a smile.

"Y-yeah! E-even if it means g-going into that big... s-scary... m-monster filled forest!" Fluttershy said with a small scream as she hid behind Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks Everypony." I said with a soft smile as I heard the mane six gasp.

"You... said thanks... And you smiled!" Twilight said as the others stared in amazement.

My smile quickly faded and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't get too teary-eyed. It just slipped out, must be part of the curse..." I said as I began to take my first steps into the Everfree. The mane six followed close behind.

We continued treading on the path. The mysterious sounds of the forest surrounded us. Some sounds not even sounding close to normal wildlife.

Besides the occasional fear filled scream from Fluttershy. Everything seemed calm, more or less. Everypony barely said anything to each other.

We arrived at Zecora's hut. It was lit inside and I knew she was still there.

I went and to the door and turned around, ready to buck it down.

"Leon!" Twilight said as she quickly stopped me.

"What?!" I said angered at Twilight as she then calmly knocked on the door.

Zecora opened up and smiled.

"So many ponies as a guest, there's enough of you to fill a nest!" Zecora said with a laugh.

I moved Twilight out of the way and looked at Zecora.

"Change me back or so help me I'm going to slice you piece by piece!" I said as I was ready to assault Zecora.

"No need to fret, you are still Leon I bet." Zecora said as I began stepping towards her.

"No shit sherlock! Not turn me back into a stallion!" I said gritting my teeth in anger. My mare voice still contained the strong tone of anger and hatred.

"Young pony, you must see that the one that has changed you wasn't me." Zecora said giving me a serious look.

"Then who the hell could it have been!?" I said as I got to the point in which I was backing her into her house. While everypony just watched calmly.

"It is not a who, but it is a what that changed you!" Zecora said as she turned around and headed towards a small bookshelf.

"Oh yeah! And what would that be!?" I said as the group of us entered Zecora's hut.

"I told you not to stare, you are lucky that you are here as a mare." Zecora said as she opened up an old book and began to search through it.

"Take a look, for the truth is in this book." Zecora said as she pointed to a spot on the page.

"Parlerigator, a spirit in the form of a elegantly dressed mare. She sings to lure in men, once close enough she changes them to take the appearance that of a mare. Before long the mare is captured and made into a slave to serve the spirit's will." I said aloud as nothing but questions filled my mind.

"If that's the case... Why am I here and not some little puppet right now?" I said looking back at Zecora.

"You did not listen for long, for transformation was the only effect of the song." Zecora said looking at me.

"How do we break the curse and change me back then." I asked giving Zecora a stern look.

"Wait till her voice is still, that is when you shall go for the kill. A stake made with an ancient wood will put her to an end for good." Zecora said as she went to a nearby cabinet.

Zecora pulled out a large wooden stake. It had to be at least half a meter long.  She tossed to me and as I caught it I looked over it.

"This is really long.." I said as Rainbow Dash had a chuckle.

"Ahh it's been a while since I've said those words." Rarity said with an odd smile.

"Ok seriously, what the fuck?" Rainbow Dash said as everypony had disturbed looks on their faces.

"You ponies can stay here and have dick talk all you want but I'm going out to get mine back" I said as I headed for the door, Twilight putting a hoof on my back and smiling.

"Let's go get your normal form back." Twilight said as she patted me. I nodded and headed out of the door, leading the charge towards where I came across the mysterious singing.

"Here it is... It came from this way." I said as I went to get off the path and go blindly in the direction that I remembered.

"Leon wait! This forest is huge, we can easily get lost if we go off the trail too far." Twilight said trying to stop me.

"If that happens me and Rainbow can fly..." I said as I started heading blindly into the forest.

"Well so can Fluttershy dear don't you forget that." Rarity said as I looked over Fluttershy and up at the thick shroud of tree branches and leaves above.

"She wouldn't last." I said as Fluttershy gulped. The others looking at me confused as I continued forward.

We trotted on for a bit and eventually we came across a young mare wearing a white dress. She had elegantly braided black hair and a warm smile. She began to approach me.

"You have such wonderful eyes~" She said with a soft smile as she put a hoof on my shoulder.

I gave her a smile and drove the stake into her.

"L-Leon!!" Twilight said as she went to stop me.

"Stay back!!" I said as the mare groan out and soon a ghostly howl came from her voice.

She shattered like glass and seemed to disappear within seconds. After that I soon felt a burning sensation within me and I felt my head being morphed like before. Along with the splitting headache to go with it.

"It worked! You're back to normal!" Twilight said with a cheer as everypony hugged me.

"No... Too close... let go." I said sternly as everypony backed off a bit.

"Leon... How did ya know it was her?" Applejack said looking at me.

"Who the hell roams around this place with a smile on their face and in a dress?" I said looking at the others.

"Good point darling... I have no clue who would waste a beautiful dress walking around this scum of a forest." Rarity said as the others nodded in agreement.

"Now let's head back, I'm tired of this place." I said heading back in the direction of the path.

I continued walking a bit but something felt off. It was like the feeling of being watched. Except the complete opposite... It felt as if I was completely alone. I turned around quickly to see all six of the girls gone without be noticing where they went, it was as if they had disappeared into thin air.

"Twilight...? Rainbow Dash?? Hello!?" I yelled out in the forest as I quickly ran back in the direction I came from.

"Hello!? Anypony!? If this is some joke you're all dead meat! I swear on it!" I yelled out as I continued moving, eventually running back from where we came.

"There you all are... What the hell happened?" I asked as the six had their backs facing me, not turning around.

"Hello...?" I said as all six of them turned around at once. They we're all turned into stallions.

"Oh you have to be shitting me..." I said as a stallion stepped into view and smirked at me.

"That was my wife you know... Granted she could've been a bitch at times... But well... so is karma..." The stallion said as it raised it's hoof.

Rainbow Dash charged at me first and took a swing. I move to the right as she barely missed my face.

"Sorry bout this Dashie..." I said as I flipped the stake in my hand and swung hard at Rainbow Dash, hitting her in the back leg with brute force. Causing her to fall down. Before I could react Twilight teleported to me and picked me up with her magic. Soon slamming me into the ground hard.

Fluttershy did a loud whistle. Soon causing a large bear like creature to emerge from the woods.

"Sorry... I'm in a bit of a rush... So let's cut to the chase..." I said as I quickly got up. I pushed my way past Twilight and for the main stallion. I went for a quick stab but he moved out of the way, not hesitating a second to strike me down as well.

"So pathetic... You know... You're supposed to be their protector and now they serve as my protectors..." The stallion said with a maniacal laugh as I grit my teeth.

"Not a chance!" I said as I charged for the stallion, right before I was inches within him I stepped back as he swung. Missing me and giving me the most open opportunity.  I lunged forward quickly, impaling the stake into the stallion. He screamed in pain and shattered into pieces just like his partner did. I sat there panting for a bit as the six began to slowly turn back to normal. They looked over at me and screamed.

"Leon! Watch out!" They all said in unison as I turned around to see the large bear like creature that Fluttershy had summoned.

Before I could react the large creature swung at me, sending me flying. I hit a tree, back first, really hard and had the wind knocked out of me. I dropped the stake and fell to the ground. I was struggling for air as Twilight tried holding it off with her magic, but it seemed unaffected.

"R-Rainbow..." I groaned out as I managed to pick up the stake and toss it to her.

"Rainbow Dash! Y-You can't kill it!" Fluttershy yelled out.

"What am I supposed to do!? Let it kill us!?" Rainbow said, beginning to argue with Rainbow Dash.

As the two were arguing the bear charged at Twilight. The bear swung once and Twilight dodged, but with it's second swing she wasn't so fortunate. As it struck her down.

"R-RAINBOW!" I yelled out as I forced myself up.

I saw the bear ready to smash down onto Twilight before she could get up. I quickly rushed over to her and grabbed it's paw before it hit her. As I was resisting against the force of the strong creature I looked down at Twilight trying to get up.

"Applej-jack! H-help!" I said groaning as she quickly pulled Twilight away and helped her up.

As I felt my legs about to give out I heard Fluttershy cry out as Rainbow Dash flew at the beast, stabbing it with the stake. It roared out in pain and flailed around for a bit before falling over.

I limped over to it and ripped the stake out and began to pant.

"Let's get the fuck out of here now... Please..." I said as I looked at the others.

"I can agree with that. Let's head out." Twilight said as she leaned some of her weight onto Applejack.

"I'm pretty sure I may have torn something or possibly broke something..." I said with a groan as we continued forward.

"Don't ya worry, Me and Dash will fix ya both up in no time!" Applejack said with a smile.

"Right... Well I'll hold onto this stake for now..." I said looking at the thing, half of it covered in blood.

I looked over to see Fluttershy with her head down, I rolled my eyes and looked at the others.

"At least we're all back to normal... More or less..." I said as Applejack and a few of the others laughed.

We soon managed to get back onto the path and head towards Ponyville. In no time at all, we finally emerged from the hellish forest and it seemed we all took a deep breath. 

"Ahh It's great to be back!" Rainbow Dash said stretching her legs and wings.

"I need to check up on Spike... Hopefully he's not overloaded with the pets." Twilight said with a slight laugh.

"I'll bring him back to your house..." Fluttershy said with a sad tone as she flew off.

"Do you think she's...?"

"She'll live, thanks to us that is. Just look at it like that." I said before Rarity could finish her sentence.

[End Of Chapter]

 




> [Chapter Twelve: A Cutie Catastrophe]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

We headed into Twilight's house and up to our room. Twilight got onto her bed and laid stomach down, Applejack then got on top of her and began to give her a back rub.

"Where's it hurt Sugarcube?" Applejack said as Twilight calmly closed her eyes.

"A bit in the middle, thanks alot for this Applejack." Twilight said as I noticed Rainbow Dash looking at me out of the corner of my eye. I looked over at her with a quizzical look.

"You don't expect me to..." I said looking at Rainbow Dash.

"Yes I do, or you know... You could just pay the 250 bits out of pocket for one at the salon... Either way you're getting fixed up." Rainbow Dash said tapping her hoof.

"On top of that, I want to go flying. And you're not coming with me if you're all busted up." Rainbow Dash said.

I rolled my eyes and climbed onto my bed and laid stomach down like Twilight. We were directly across from each other and I looked back at Rainbow Dash.

"Wait, Why am I going flying with you?" I asked confused as she got on top of me more.

"You have wings now! And the conditions of having wings is you have to fly with me and race me and so on! Unless your chicken..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to rub her hooves into my back.

"I don't have to do shit." I said rolling my eyes.

"Bok bok!" Rainbow Dash said as everypony but myself giggled.

Rainbow Dash began to go a bit harder with the massage. But it didn't hurt, it was helping the pain that I had sustained away. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Looks like somepony is finally beginning to enjoy himself." Twilight said with a laugh as I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah... what ever you think..." I said as I slowly closed my eyes again.

"The apple red in ya face says otherwise Sugarcube." Applejack said with a chuckle.

"I'm not red and don't call me Sugarcube!" I said with a growl.

The others laughed a bit as I groaned, irritated as all hell.

Rainbow Dash then applied a large amount of pressure into my upper back as I heard a crack. It hurt for a split second, but after that the pain began to melt away.

"How's that?" Rainbow Dash said as she got off of me and gave me a smirk.

I got up and stretched myself out.

"A lot better." I said as I cracked my neck and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, you're lucky you got the better one." Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle.

"That's only because I would do ya first Dash, remember that!" Applejack said as the sound of Twilight's back cracking was heard.

"Whatever you say AJ." Rainbow Dash said with a smug look.

"Am I missing something?" I asked, confused as to what was happening.

"Well when work gets to worky for AJ and when I end up being too awesome in the sky we massage each other. So the each of us literally has one another's back." Rainbow Dash said as Twilight began to stretch out.

"So for that, you owe me a race." Rainbow Dash said as she headed outside.

"Fine! I'll leave you miles behind!" I said rushing out of the house behind her.

I looked around but she was no where in site.

"Up here hot head!" Rainbow Dash said with a laugh.

I looked up to see her flying high in the air. Her body nearly blended in the the clear sky, as her colorful hair was making her stick out like a sore thumb.

I flew up quickly to her and she smirked.

"Three two one go!" Rainbow Dash said quickly as she flew off quickly.

"You bitch..." I said as I quickly flew after her. I managed to catch up to her in no time at all.

She looked to her side and was surprised to see me. She was obviously not going all out considering she was able to rush ahead even faster. I grit my teeth as I continued forward. Catching up to her slowly but surely. We were easily far from Ponyville as this point as we were in some large ridge.

We we're flying side by side. I peaked up to the top left of the ridge... And it seemed that two small dots began to fall. A yellow one... And a white one... I squinted my eyes a bit and noticed it was a couple of fillies. My jaw dropped.

"Dash!" I managed to force out pointing to the fillies.

"On it!" Rainbow Dash yelled out as she swooped down. I was right behind her as she caught one of the fillies. I managed to catch the other and the two of us landed safely.

"Are you fillies out of your mind! What were you thinking?!" Rainbow Dash yelled, scolding them.

"We were tryin to get our Cliff Jumpin cutie marks!" The little yellow filly said as horror filled Rainbow Dash's face.

"WHERE'S SCOOTALOO!?" Rainbow Dash yelled, asking the two fillies.

"S-she's on a higher cliff..." The small yellow one said. I looked at Rainbow Dash.

"Stay here!" I said as I flew up out of the ridge a bit. I landed on the cliff that the two fillies jumped from.

"Oh no..." I said as I felt my heart sink. A small orange filly, just lying there. Lifeless.

I gulped and went over to the body. I gently laid my hoof on her neck. There was no pulse but she was still warm. We we're minutes, maybe even seconds too late.

"Leon! Did you find-" Rainbow Dash said before she sat there in shock.

My heart only sank more as I heard the deafening scream of the young mare. She rushed over to the filly's body and began to shake her.

"Get up Scootaloo... come on... You're b-big sister is here... I-It's me... R-r-rainbow Dash..." Rainbow Dash said as her voice was getting more and more shaky. I went over to her and laid a hoof on her back.

"I'll go get the others home and go get help." I said after I gave her a gentle pat. I flew down to the fillies and they were sitting there. They weren't crying. Not yet at least.

"I-Is she... Is she going to be ok...?" The young filly asked. Unaware of her friend's fate.

I leaned down and put a hoof on the filly's head.

"She'll be just fine. Dash has got her. Come. I'm going to take you two home." I said as I began walking back towards Ponyville.

"So... you're Leon?" Asked the small white one as I looked back at her.

"Yeah... That's right. And you two are?" I asked as the yellow one jumped in front of her friend.

"You're really Leon!? Oh my gosh oh my gosh you're so cool!!" The yellow one said ecstatically, ignoring my question.

"I'm Sweetie Belle, and this is my friend Apple Bloom."  The white one said as she pointed over to the yellow one.

"Yeah... I'm Leon. You heard of me?" I asked as Apple Bloom began to run ahead a bit.

"Of course! My sister told me all about you! You're the handsome fella who saved her from a creepy red monster!

"Brian...?" I muttered to myself as I began to think hard. 

"Who and a what now?" Apple Bloom said as I shook my head a bit.

"Handsome you say?" I said with a slight chuckle.

"That is what she said..." Apple Bloom said as she trotted forward.

"Your sister is Applejack? Right?" I said following close behind.

"Yep! Applejack's my big sis!" Apple Bloom said cheerily as I looked over at Sweetie Belle.

"Then you must be Rarity's sister." I said as I looked at her.

"That's right!" Sweetie Belle said with a smile.

"That means... Scootaloo is Rainbow Dash's sister..." I said with a heavy tone as Sweetie Belle shook her head.

"Not quite... Scootaloo is.. well.. an orphan. She had no family that she knew of and long story short. Rainbow Dash took her in." Sweetie Belle said as my heart sunk even further.

The fillies stayed behind me most of the time. Occasionally getting distracted by some strange plant or even each other.

"Apple Bloom, where do you live?" I asked as I looked back at her.

"I live at the Sweet Apple Acres!" Apple Bloom said looking at me.

"I'll bring you home first. And how about you Sweetie Belle?" I said looking over at the young white filly.

"I live with Rarity." Sweetie Belle said as I rolled my eyes.

"Where does Rarity live...?" I asked afterwords as Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.

"In her shop...." Sweetie Belle said as I looked at her confused.

"The first floor is the shop, the second is where we live." Sweetie Belle explained.

"Ahh Makes sense." I said as I walked to Sweet Apple Acres. I knocked on the door and there answered a kind old green pony.

"Hi. I was just bringing Apple Bloom here home. Do you know if Applejack is home?" I asked as the old pony smiled. Apple Bloom rushed in without hesitation.

"She's uhhh over at her Twilight's house...." The old pony said with a smile.

I nodded and looked over at Sweetie Belle.

"Alright, you're next. Let's go." I said as I headed into Ponyville. I went to Rarity's Boutique and went to go into the front door but Sweetie Belle stopped me.

"Follow me." Sweetie Belle said going around the back of the house. With a confused look I followed her as she lead me to another door.

"Customers in the front, Family and friends in the back." Sweetie Belle said as she knocked on the door.

Rarity opened up and smiled.

"Welcome Home Darling! Did you have fun?" Rarity said patting Sweetie Belle.

"Still no cutie mark..." Sweetie Belle said with a sigh. That's what was bothering her this whole time. I had a feeling she knew. But I couldn't tell her...

"Leon? What do I owe this visit for." Rarity said with a soft smile.

"It's nothing. Just this little one was a bit a ways from town and I figured I'd bring her back." I said with a nod as I began to walk off.

"Well you're welcome here anytime! Especially if you're looking for a wonderful outfit!" Rarity said as I nodded. As Rarity shut the door I rushed to Twilight's house. I opened the door and rushed in. Twilight and Applejack seemed to stop mid conversation to look over at me.

"Oh Leon. Welcome back! ... Is... Everything alright?" Twilight asked looking at me, a concerned look on her face.

"It's... I... I need you two... Applejack.. wait outside." I said with a gulp.

"S-sure thing..." Applejack said as she went out of the house.

I sighed and I still couldn't push my words out.

"I... Do... do you have anything that well... would hold a pony..." I said with a sigh.

"Umm.. Yeah yeah... I think I have a stretcher... Did something happen to Rainbow Dash??" Twilight said concerned.

"More or less... We need to hurry though." I said looking at Twilight. 

Twilight then rushed in the back and with her magic she carried out a folded up stretcher.

"Good.... Now let's go." I said with a sigh as I headed outside.

"What's going on now Leon?" Applejack said a concerned look.

"I'll explain when we get there.." I said trying to hold my head up.

The walk was silent. Nopony said a thing. I managed to find a path that lead up the cliff in which Rainbow Dash and the poor filly's body was.

We walked for a bit and I felt as if something wasn't right. It was here. But where? I began looking around as I noticed a small blood puddle where the filly's body once was.

"What the...." I said confused as Applejack and Twilight looked at each other.

"What's wrong?" Twilight said looking at me.

"Too many things..." I said as I was confused as to what happened. Did Rainbow Dash move her?

"Where's Rainbow Dash live?" I said looking at them with a stern look.

"She uh- uh." Twilight said with a shaky stutter.

"WHERE??" I yelled, looking deep into her eyes.

"It's a cloud house in the air, east from Ponyville." Twilight said as I hesitated none to fly straight there. As I got there I knocked on the door. There was no answer. I forced my way in and began to look around frantically. I soon came across a room with the door wide open. I peaked in and saw Rainbow Dash holding Scootaloo with a smile on her face. 

"R-Rainbow..." I managed to get out as there was a bit of a choke in my throat.

Her head snapped right to me. And even scarier then that. So did Scootaloo's.

I gasped and looked at Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow Dash... W-what did you do..." I said giving her a stern look.

End Of Chapter




> [Chapter Thirteen: Dashie's Deadly Deal]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"DASH! What did you do!" I yelled as the mare snapped back into reality.

"I... I..." Rainbow Dash began muttering, not able to get words out.

"I-I couldn't just let her die..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to tear up.

"Tell me what happened. From the beginning." I asked as I saw the filly within the room happily bouncing on the bed.

"W-When you left... there was this pony that showed up.. i-in a black coat..." Rainbow Dash described as she began to recover some composure.

"He approached me and asked me if I wanted him to bring her back... He said that he could bring her back... I didn't believe him. I called him insane and he laughed. 'Then watch me' he said as he went over to a little rabbit..." Rainbow Dash said as she sniffled a bit, tears coming to her eyes.

"He broke it's neck right there... and then threw it towards me. He told me how similar it was now to Scootaloo. This only made me yell at him more. But then he went over to the rabbit... He waved his hoof over it, then the rabbit... it got up like it was nothing and hopped off happily... At this point I was desperate." Rainbow Dash took a deep breath.

"I asked him to bring her back... I was desperate... 'It's going to cost you...' He said to me in an eerie voice... I told him I would do anything, to just bring her back. And well... he bought her back... She got up... opened her eyes and saw me. And gave me such a sweet smile and hugged me. She thought I caught her from falling.." Rainbow Dash said with a mix of happiness and sadness.

"What did it cost...?" I said to her curiously.

She looked at me in shock and then slowly looked down.

"Dash.. What... did.. it... COST!" I said in anger.

"M-my life..." Rainbow Dash said shaking her head.

"He said 5 years... I get 5 years..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to tear up.

"Great! That's smart! You do realize that in 5 years now that filly will have nothing! NOTHING! That's a fate worse then hell!" I said looking at Rainbow Dash.

I sighed and rubbed my hoof against my head.

"I'll get you out of this... Don't worry." I said as Rainbow Dash's head shot up.

"You can't!" Rainbow Dash said with a worried tone.

"Yeah? Why's that." I said tapping my hoof.

"He... He said he knew you... And that if you came after him. He'd kill you and then kill Scootaloo... And let me live for the sole purpose of what I would have to deal with for the rest of my life..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to shake a bit.

I took a deep breath and slammed my hoof against the wall.

"Dammit Dash!" I groaned in frustration as I began to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I'm going to talk to Zecora. Maybe she knows something." I said as I continued on.

"You can't! You and Scootaloo will die!!" Rainbow Dash said angrily.

"I'm not going after the pony so it doesn't count. Now if you stop me, I will personally put you out of your misery." I said as I left her home.

I headed back to Twilight's to receive my bag. It was already dark out and most of the town was going to sleep at this time. I opened the door slowly and peaked in to see all the lights were out. I went in and slowly shut the door. I headed up to the room to see Twilight and Spike sleeping soundly. It's been a long day for Twilight... Unfortunately it wasn't over. Not for me at least. I headed over to my bed and got my bags out from under it and threw them over onto my back. I then reached into the drawer next to my bed and got the stake out of it. I sighed and slipped it into the bag.

"Leon...?" Twilight said as she slowly sat up, rubbing her hooves in her eyes a bit.

"Where are you going?" Twilight asked innocently, she seemed to be half awake almost.

"It's a nice night. I'm going to go for a walk." I said as I began to descend the stairs.

"That's nice..." Twilight said as she slowly set her head back onto her pillow and slipped back into sleep. I carefully left the house, locking the door behind me. I looked up in the sky. The bright beautiful moon shining down. I thought to myself for a moment then sighed. I rushed over to the Everfree path and began to make my way towards Zecora's hut.

As I entered the forest. No moonlight manages to seep through the forest treetops as the path was pitch black. I could only see about 3 feet in front of me. For any creatures within this forest that are used to the darkness, I am at are large disadvantage. I decided to continue forward carefully. Listening to the sounds around me. Soon I heard something stepping close as the sound of rustling leaves and branches grew louder. I carefully crouched down and picked up a small rock, I then hurled it into the woods. It hit a tree in which I heard the creature quickly scurry off.

Besides that occurrence, nothing else happened. After a bit of walking I came upon Zecora's hut. I knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked once more and I saw Zecora's head look out a nearby window.

"Your friendly door-to-door salespony here." I said as Zecora headed over to the door and opened it for me.

"I lied, I'm not a salespony. Nor am I friendly." I said as I pushed past Zecora and entered the hut.

"I expected it to be long overdue before I got another visit from you." Zecora said looking at me.

"Well unfortunately more shit is going down. And this time it means lives." I said as I pulled the stake out from my bag and threw it onto a nearby counter.

"They must not be a stranger if a pony like you is willing to be in danger." Zecora said going over to me.

I sighed and gave no response.

"A pony that can bring others back to life. Ring a bell?" I asked as Zecora shook her head.

"There's plenty of creatures with an ability as such, so information as so doesn't tell me much." Zecora said as she went over to one of her bookshelves.

"A stallion. Wears a black coat. He would bring somepony to life in exchange for another ponies'." I said as Zecora thought to herself for a moment.

"Selephotsiphem, a powerful demon... That must be him." Zecora said as she pulled an ancient book off the shelf.

"That's a mouthful..." I said while Zecora was flipping through the book.

"Once a pony takes a deal, years go by till the soul is what he will steal." Zecora said with a sigh.

"Alright, what do we kill him with?" I said looking into Zecora's eyes as she shot me a concerned look.

"You mustn't engage in this, your mission is something that you shall dismiss!" Zecora said looking into my eyes.

"Alright... Listen here... Either you tell me how to kill him. Or I will slowly peel off your skin like a god damn striped banana peel." I said sternly, with a bit of anger in my voice.

"You wouldn't do such to me, you have a strong heart you see..." Zecora said stepping back a bit.

"Well look at me and look at me hard, do these eyes say that I won't? Does the tone in my voice say that I won't!? CAUSE I VERY MUCH WILL." I said as I slammed my hoof on the counter.

"So you're going to tell me... what makes this thing tick... and what I can do to make it stop ticking..." I said angrily as Zecora sighed.

"Lamina Primus... or the touch of an Angel's Kiss..." Zecora said looking at me.

"Explain." I said as I took a seat and laid my bags down.

"Lamina Primus, The First Blade... The Blade of the Angel... The Sword of Light... All of these names of one ancient weapon able to defeat a demon with one strong smite..." Zecora said walking over to the window.

"Where do I find this blade?" I said in confusion as Zecora shook her head.

"Within the catacombs of the tallest spire, in a place that goes by The Crystal Empire." Zecora said, pulling a map out of a drawer. I headed over to her as she opened it up. She pointed out Ponyville, a little south from the center of the map. Then she pointed out a place called 'Crystal Empire' all the way at the top of the map.

"I've got an even longer journey ahead of me... I'm going to stay here for the night and leave the morning. I'd rather not explain myself on why I'm leaving and going so far." I said as I headed over to the chair and took a seat.

"This is a bit late, but there is one detail I forgot to state..." Zecora said as she sighed.

"What..." I said looking at her sternly.

"The Sword is the light of the city, if it is gone for too long the place will fall into despair and pity." Zecora said with a heavy sigh.

"Don't worry. I'll handle things just fine..." I said as I laid my head back and closed my eyes. In what seemed like no time at all. I was already out. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep right on the spot.

I felt myself laying on the ground as I slowly got up and opened my eyes. Nothing but white light. I was within the realm of light again, or at least the dream figment of it.

"I'll be damned..." I stretched out and yawned.

"I don't get a good night's sleep for about a week and the closest chance I get, this happens? Thanks Arklida!" I yelled out as I began to look around for her.

"Literally going to the edge of the world to save another ponies life..." Arklida said softly as I turned around to see her giving me a warm smile.

"Yeah yeah... What is this all about?" I said sternly as I began tapping my hoof.

"Cloudsdale's Rainbow Falls... Just as you did with Ponyville's Central Fountain." Arklida said with a soft smile.

"The water and the full moon?" I said curiously as Arklida nodded.

I thought to myself for a moment and then nodded.

"When's the next full moon?" I asked as Arklida closed her eyes and thought to herself a bit.

"Tomorrow Night..." Arklida said as she slowly opened up her eyes and gave me an odd smile.

"Hope your skills haven't dulled.. And do make sure you're prepared." Arklida said as she began to walk off.

"Prepared for what?" I asked as there was a bright flash.

My eyes shot open and I looked around a bit. Zecora was not in sight. I got up out of the awkward position that I was sleeping in. I took a deep breath of air as I turned and looked out the window. The slight bit of light illuminating the forest gave me an indication that it was daylight outside. I headed over to the counter nearby where she had left the map out and I had began to examine it.

Cloudsdale. A city in the sky north of Ponyville. The main residence of most pegasi and the creators of the weather.

"Looks like I'm going sight seeing." I said as I headed out of Zecora's hut.

I decided to do my best to make it there as quick as possible. I hesitated none to get off the ground and begin flying. I forced myself through the forest roof, catching little debris on my coat and mane as I began to fly high into the sky.

I fly up and above the clouds and began to soar straight north.

Sooner than expected I came upon a colossal floating structure that I could only guess was Cloudsdale.

I carefully landed on the fortified cloud path and looked around at the grand place I was now in.

"If that face doesn't scream 'I'm new here' I don't know what does." I heard a young mare say behind me as I quickly turned around to face her. The mare had a white coat and a bright yellow mane with deep amethyst eyes. Her wings were carefully sticking out of the sides of a strange jumpsuit. She reminded me of somepony... But my mind was a bit hazy for some reason whenever I tried to think of her.

"Who are you?" I said in confusion as she gave me a warm smile.

"Surprise." She said as I began looking around in confusion. She began to laugh.

"That never gets old, my name is Surprise." The mare said as she began to step a bit closer.

"Interesting name..." I said as the mare began to circle me and observe me.

"Interesting body..." The mare said with a chuckle as I quickly tensed up.

"Excuse me?" I said as I quickly turned a faced her.

"You have the body of an earth pony... yet you seem to have wings like a pegasus." The mare said giving me a peculiar look.

"Yeah... so what?" I said sternly. She gave me a shrug and smiled.

"Just a rare thing to see is all." The mare said with a laugh as she walked up to me.

"Would you like a tour?" The mare said to me while I began to take a step back a bit.

"Alright, what's your deal..." I said sternly, causing the mare to turn her head in confusion.

"Excuse me?" She said as I rolled my eyes and scoffed.

"You mean to tell me that you just waltz up to any newcomer of the city in the sky and offer them a tour? What's the cost? What's the catch?" I said sternly. She walked up to me and put a hoof on the side of my face and smirked.

"You want to know the truth?" The mare said looking me in the eyes.

"Correct. Now care to share?" I said as the mare smiled.

"Because you're the first stallion in a while who well... isn't like that..." The mare said darting her eyes to the right of her. I looked over her shoulder to see a few stallions looking over her. Like a severely obese pony to food or a lion to it's prey.

"I think I know how to pay for that tour." I said with a smirk as I patted her and walked towards the stallions.

"What! No-" She said as I simply ignored her.

"Hey there fellas. Have any of you seen an eye doctor today?" I asked as I approached the small group of stallions. In total there was five of them. Only one of them seemed to be the bar-fight aggressor type though. The rest were presumably followers of his in one way or another.

"Excuse me?" The bigger stallion said out of the group as the others just sat there.

"Answer the question." I said sternly as he looked at his friends and back at me.

"No... we haven't. The hell is that suppose to mean?" The stallion said as I smirked.

"You seem to have a bit of a staring problem." I said as the stallion scoffed and looked at his friends. Before even looking back at me he quickly swung. I stopped his hoof with mine and smirked.

"I agree, alot better to talk with your hooves." I said as I twisted his hoof and slammed him into the ground. Another quickly came to his aid, charging me. I fell onto my back as he jumped at me. I used my hooves to kick him up and over me and cause him to land on his back.

I quickly go up and so did the bigger stallion. He swung one and I quickly dodged and struck him hard in the back of the neck, causing him to clench up and fall down onto his friend who was about to get up. He was groaning in pain along with his friend who was just landed on as I turned to the three remaining stallions.

"You bastard!" One of them yelled out as they charged at me. I smirked and tripped him. He fell and landed onto his friends. I looked at the last two. They looked at each other and ran off quickly.

"Smart." I said as I climbed onto the pile of injured stallions.

"Anypony else next!?" I said looking around as most of the stallions in the area were looking at me in horror.

"Then I recommend that you treat this kind mare with respect! And not like a piece of meat!" I said as I hopped off the small hill and approached the mare.

"So, about that tour." I said with a chuckle as she seemed to still be in shock.

"U-Um.. yeah.. sure thing." The mare said as she flew up a bit. I flew with her and she began to show me around.

"Over here we have the Cloudeseum. A place where we hold competitions and theatrical bits alike." The mare said as she flew to another site.

"Over here we have the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. As the name suggests this is where we make the weather." She said, continuing onto another spot of Cloudsdale.

"Here we have the Cloudsdale Summer Flight Camp along with Cloudsdale Flight Academy. The camp is for the young ones and the Academy is for ponies of our age. What's taught can range from simple altitude stability to doing tricks or even landing with a broken wing." The mare said as I thought to myself.

"Interesting..." I said aloud as she flew over to a large rainbow Waterfall.

"And finally, here we have Cloudsdale's Rainbow Falls." She said as I looked at the amazing view.

"Most tourists come to take a look at this. After all it is certainly the prettiest." Surprise said as she looked over at me.

"Yeah... It certainly is." I said as I carefully descended. She descended along with me. I sighed a bit, she noticed this and went up to me.

"Is something wrong?" She asked sweetly, I looked at her and smiled.

"Everything's fine... It's just I have alot of work to do..." I said as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I do too... I'll leave you to it then since I gave you the tour after all." She said with a smile as she began to walk off.

"Oh... I don't think you've told me your name..." She said looking back at me.

"I'm Leon." I said as I turned away and went to walk off.

"Thank you for helping me Leon..." Surprise said before flying off in the direction of the Flight Academy.

"Yeah..." I said as I looked up at the tremendous Rainbow Fall.

I found a bench nearby and took a seat on it. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. It felt like it was only for a second as I opened my eyes and it was dark. The full moon was high in the sky and no pony was out at this time.

"After this... I'm finding myself the most secluded hotel and sleeping the days away." I said as I got up and stretched out a bit.

Without hesitation I went over to the Rainbow Falls and placed down my bags. I grabbed the small jar out of it and looked at the flowing Rainbow.

"Wonder if I'll ever be doing anything more strange." I said as I held the jar under the Rainbow.

The jar filled up in no time at all and the colors seemed to balance out. Showing the entire spectrum of the rainbow in one area. It also had a mysterious glow just as before.

"Bottoms up..." I exhaled and drank some of it and soon my body had a familiar heaviness to it.

I fell to the ground and within minutes I found myself back inside the Realm Of Light.

I looked around for a bit and saw nothing. I then felt something as I slowly turned around.

"Nice to see you Leon." Arklida said with a warm smile.

"So... What the hell is it now." I asked sternly.

"The next silent realm, tomorrow morning is your opportunity." Arklida said to me as the gentle kindness in her face turned to a grim serious expression.

"And it takes place right here in Cloudsdale." I said as Arklida turned around and began to walk.

"Correct. And you need to convince your friend to help you out. Otherwise there will be no saving her." Arklida said looking back, giving me a stern look.

"And If you're not strong enough to take this on, given that you manage to have her help you out. You'll have no chance." She said to me as she turned to face me.

"Are you ready to take this on Leon?" Arklida said, looking deep into my eyes.

I did nothing but nod and soon her gentle smile returned.

"Best of Luck." She said as there was a bright flash of light. Blinding me as I awoke suddenly.

"Some more homeless scum making his bed where ever he sees fit." Said a random stallion as I soon got up on all hooves.

"You have 10 seconds to leave before I break one of your limbs." I said sternly as he turned his head and smirked.

"Ohh, so scared of a bottom of the barrel pony." The stallion said sarcastically with a laugh.

I smirked and slowly turned around, then coming back quickly with a strike to his front right leg. He yelled out in pain as a audible crack was heard. He fell to the ground and a couple of ponies around began to give me dirty looks.

"Be careful who you mess with. Let this pony be a lesson to you all." I said sternly as I through my bags onto my back and headed straight to Rainbow Dash's

I knocked on her door a bit and soon enough she opened the door and gave me a dirty look.

"What the hell do you want..." Rainbow Dash said, as if she was irritated.

"Another Silent Realm. In Cloudsdale I need you to open the portal." I said as I began to fly off.

"Why should I help?" Rainbow Dash yelled out as I looked back and smiled.

"Hey, you may have dug yourself six feet under in five years but I'd be damned if you're going to drag everypony else down with you. And if that still doesn't convince you I'll kill that filly myself." I said sternly as Rainbow Dash grit her teeth.

"I'll kill you before you do bastard!" Rainbow Dash said as she flew at me and went to struck me. I grabbed her hoof and looked into her eyes.

"I already broke somepony's leg this morning for pissing me off, want me to go two for two?" I said sternly as she looked back at me, pulling her hoof away quickly.

"I hope you die in there..." Rainbow Dash said grimly before beginning to fly with me.

"It'll take five short years for you to catch up with me if that's the case." I said to her, making my way to Cloudsdale.

Nothing else was said as we both made it to the Cloudsdale Rainbow Falls.

"Sonic Rainboom, right?" Rainbow Dash said as I began reaching into my bag.

"And this." I said before splashing Rainbow Dash with some of the glowing rainbow liquid.

"Dick!" Rainbow Dash said as she shook herself a bit.

"Bitch." I said before flying up in the air.

She quickly followed and zoomed past me. Climbing high into the air. Within moments she shot back down and began to fly down with blazing speed. I flew up a bit more before stopping. I didn't bother to fly down. I just let my body be pulled down. In a split second I heard a loud boom and I felt my body shake. I looked below me to see the menacing portal opening before me.

It was time to experience some horrors once again.


[End Of Chapter]






> [Chapter Fourteen: Silent Realm In The Sky]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Within moments I found myself waking up on the ground of Cloudsdale. Or at least, it's dark and twisted brother.

The paths seemed barricaded all around. There was only one open path that lead to a enormous building. I started to head down it, looking around a bit at the horrible state of the realm. The grim blood red skies. The gloomy looking clouds and even strange dark anomalies floating about. I headed over to the edge and looked down. I couldn't see the ground at all, just a pitch black void.

I looked back at the large building and began to head towards it. Something was attracting me there, but I couldn't put my hoof on what it was.

I continued down the path and finally made it to the front doors of the building. The doors were large enough to push a small house into, and there was a neon sign above them flickering on and off. Dispersing some sparks from time to time.

The sign read 'Rainbow Factory'.

"Well isn't that comforting..." I said as I began to push open the large doors. They creaked loudly and were incredibly heavy. I opened them a bit and slipped through the small space that I managed to make between the doors. Before me there was a large corridor with a door at the end. It was open a crack. I began to make my way down the corridor. It seemed like something that would be in a castle. A tattered rug upon the ground at it's center. I walked around it as I looked over it and kept heading towards the open door.

As I approached the large door I slowly peaked through, seeing a large room covered with strange machinery. Nopony, or should I say no monsters, were in site. I slipped through the crack in the door and began to look around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first. Some conveyor belts, gear and pistons along with many other mechanical things. Until I noticed the beginning of the assembly line. A crane with an empty cage on the end, with four holes on the bottom and two slits on the sides. It was meant to hold a pony's body it seemed. Letting the wings, legs and even the head hang free.

Blades coated in blood attached to some strange mechanical arm were staying motionless by the cage.

"It looks alot better with a pony inside." A familiar voice said behind me. I quickly turned around. It was Surprise.

"Surprise! Literally." She said with a menacing laugh. 

"You're not her. Not even close." I said before swiftly swinging at her. My hoof being stopped, not by her, but somepony else.

"It's not classy to hit a mare you know." Said a pale blue stallion with a darker blue mane. He quickly twisted my hoof and struck me once before throwing me back.

"NOW B!" The stallion said before I looked up to see one of the mechanical knives coming down at me. I quickly grabbed it with my hooves and it began to push harder and harder against me. Inches away from me as there was a large screech and one of the joints shot some sparks out. Soon I felt no pressure against me and I was able to move it away from me.

"The little rat managed to jam it!" I heard a mare yell out from above. I quickly looked around and saw a bright yellow mare with fiery orange hair atop a ledge in front of a strange looking control panel.

I ran from the stallion and grabbed him. I headbutted him and then quickly tossed him at Surprise, or at least her impostor.

With the small window of opportunity I decided for fly straight towards the last mare. Before I could even react I was struck with something and everything went black.

I later found myself waking up on a freezing cold metal floor. I began to slowly get up. I noticed several other ponies were in the cage with me. About 20 of them. Unfortunately there was only one more alive besides myself. The door to the cage swung open and I quickly got down and went limp. It seemed the other pony didn't notice I moved at all. It was a bit stocky, brown coat with a dark blue mane.

The cage door opened and a mechanical hand quickly reached in and grabbed him. He screamed out.

"LET ME GO!!" He said over and over before you could hear what sounded like him struggling for air.

The cage door began to slowly close. I quickly dashed for it and hopped out. It was 10 meters off the ground and I quickly softened my landing with help of my wings.

"Looks like you're still kicking..." Said the mare with a bright yellow coat.

I quickly flew for her before being grabbed my one of the machines arms. I began to struggle. I put in all of my strength that I could to push the claws of the machine open before falling. Before I could even react I was grabbed again, but not by the mechanical arm. But my the strange cage. I felt my wings get grabbed by their tips and pulled so they were fully stretched out.

I began to struggle, but my hooves could reach anything for leverage.

"Don't move so much, it'll only cause more pain." The mare said with a toothy... devilish smile.

I soon became bombarded with more small mechanical claws. They began to pluck the feathers from my wings one by one brutally. I grit my teeth through most of it until there was nothing but pinkish white flesh for my wings.

"You see the feathers have many uses, plus removing them makes the next process alot cleaner." The mare said before hitting a couple of switches and gaining another evil smirk.

I scream out in pain as I felt my wings being slowly torn off of my body. It stung, it burned, it felt horrid. My nerves at the base of my wings were in shock and caused the pain to be tremendous. The sound added to the horror, the ripping of cloth is all that could be heard along with my screams. As it was over, I groaned with pain as I watched the crimson red liquid from my wounds begin to drip down.

I soon felt something surging through my veins. I began to breathe heavily and I stretched out, causing the cage to open up enough to drop me down. After I landed, I looked up at the mare as she looked back in horror. She ran off as I quickly chased after her. She had gotten a head start considering the flight of stairs up to the control panel I had to climb.

There was a door in the back and I quickly rushed into it. It was full of shelves with clothes, jumpsuits and accessories alike. These must belong to the victims. I decided to start looking for my bag. After looking through about 50 shelves I found my bag and through it onto my back.

I quickly began looking around the rest of the room until I came across a small door. I opened it and found the mare cowering within it. I smiled and quickly grabbed her before slamming her head into the wall, knocking her unconscious. I began to laugh as I grabbed her and began to drag her back to the control panel area. Along the way I came across a cracked mirror on the wall. I looked into it. I seemed exhausted, but worst of all my pupils seemed to be blood red. I shrugged this off and dragged the mare to the control panel.

I looked over the control panel a bit and smirked. After a few switched and the move of a level I had one of the blades come towards me. I stopped it right in front of me and reached for it before getting attacked from behind. My head was grabbed and I was slammed into the control panel. I quickly reached for the lever controlling the mechanical blade and pushed it forward before ducking down. Causing the blade to be stabbed into the pony behind me.

I quickly turned around to see that it was the pale blue stallion. The knife caused him to start bleeding a mysterious black liquid before fading away, leaving a mysterious pale blue crystal on the ground. It was shaped like a diamond as the other ones. I broke the blade off the machinery and leaned down to pick up the crystal. I placed it in my bag and looked over at the yellow mare, unconscious on the ground. 

Without hesitation I stabbed down into her and twisted the blade. In the same manner, she bled a mysterious black liquid and faded away. Like mysterious black dust. She left another strange crystal on the ground. This one was bright yellow. I picked it up and placed it in my bag.

I looked to my sides and at the ground, I've been losing a decent amount of blood and I need to act quickly.

I placed the blade in my teeth and began to descend down to the main area of the factory. I looked around for a bit, seeing the large door I entered through before, now closed and locked. And another door on the other side of the room.

I headed to the door and slowly pushed it open. It opened up to a small metal bridge between two parts of the factory. As I walked across the bridge I looked around at the horrible state everything was in. The worst part being it was absolutely silent, all that could be heard was my own heavy breathing and the occasional drip of blood that would hit the metallic surface of the bridge floor. 

I looked to my right to see the open blood red sky and I looked to my left to see the factory. The factory seemed to be in a C shape.

I was about halfway across the bridge when I felt the bridge shake a bit along with a loud metallic crash. I quickly turned around to see that the bridge was collapsing. I turned back around to burst into a sprint as the collapsing bridge began to catch up with me in a domino-like effect. I made it to the door at the other end not a second too late and pushed it open. I entered the room and dropped the blade out of my teeth to began taking deep breaths.

I looked up to see Surprise sitting there in shock next to a control panel. I looked around to see a factory room in the same manner as the last. Blades and cages connected to similar machinery.

"Sorry, going to have act a bit faster than that..." I said with a smirk as I quickly picked up the blade and lunged at her. She dodged and flew up, she began to laugh.

"Too bad you can't chase me up here." She said with a smirk. I smiled right back and went over to the control panel.

"No need." I said as I flipped a switch and controlled one of the blades. I had it slice right at her, but instead of hitting her. I managed to cleanly slice her wing off. She screamed in pain and crashed down, landing on her other wing.

I went over to her with blade in hand, she began to scoot backwards.

"Pathetic." I said before quickly stabbing down into her and twisting the blade. She screamed out in pain once more before slowly fading away, leaving behind another crystal. A white one that I picked up and placed into my bag. I then placed my bag down and looked through it. I pulled out the three crystals that I had collected along with the tablet that I had used in the previous Silent Realm. Except something about it was different. There were only 4 indentations instead of 6. I placed the crystals in each of the spots and there was one spot left, one a bit bigger from all the others.

I reached into my bag and pulled out one of the golden apples and looked over it. It had a mysterious glow to it. I went to take a bit out of it before getting struck from behind, causing me to fly forward and drop the apple.

I quickly got up to face my attacker and I dropped my jaw.

"What's the matter? Did expect to see me again?" Said Rainbow Dash right before my eyes.

She was wearing what seemed to be a white lab coat, along with several blood stains on it.

"You're not Rainbow Dash... Not even close." I said getting into a stance.

"Of course I am, after all I helped you get in here." She said before I charged at her. 

I swung quickly, she jumped back and I quickly placed my items into their bag. I threw the bag onto my back and picked up the blade. Before I could turn to face her she struck me once more. She swung again and I moved my head back, barely dodging the hit. I swung at her, slicing into her chest. She jumped back and held her wound. I quickly charged at her and sliced at her a couple of times. I couldn't land a single hit, she was moving too swiftly. She gave a strong swing towards me once more, I dodged and quickly spun around. I stabbed straight into her chest.

She was looking into my eyes as some of the strange black liquid began to discrete from the corners of her mouth.

"Why... would you... kill your friend...?" She said as I looked back and pulled the blade from her.

"I have no friends..." I said before she collapsed to the floor, fading away like all of the others. Leaving behind a large sky blue crystal. And the lab coat she was wearing. I picked the crystal up and pulled the tablet out of my bag, placing it within its spot. I searched through the lab coat, finding a key that could let me out of here.

I searched around the room and soon found a door leading around and back to the first factory room. It was a large hallway, with doors labeled to what could only be inside. 'Spare Parts' , 'Janitorial' , 'Cadavers' .

I shook my head and kept moving forward, eventually finding myself upon the first factory room I was in. I quickly rushed to the door and placed the key in and turned it. The lock popping open as I pulled the chains out of the handles and dropped them to the floor. I pushed the heavy door open and entered the large corridor, and what I saw made my heart sink. It was the mane six, along with the pegasi that I had killed in this silent realm. Except all of their eyes were pitch black and running with the strange black liquid. They were on opposite sides of the wall, staring at me with large smiled. Carefully holding onto the blade I began to walk forward as their eyes were locked onto me.

In front of me was Rainbow Dash, or at least the twisted fake version. It's eyes pitch black and running with the liquid as well. She smiled and slowly stepped out of my way. As I walked past all of them I looked back and kept walking backwards as they did nothing but stare.

I turned around and rushed for the door, pushing it open and slowly squeezing out. I looked back in to see them all lined up right in front of the doorway before I quickly shut the door. I headed towards where I awoke in the Silent Realm, a large portal on the ground.

As I approached it I heard Arklida's voice.

"You did amazingly Leon." She said to me before the tablet rose out of my bag, giving off a mysterious glow before the it vanished.

"Now prepare yourself for I will bestow upon you a grand power." Arklida said as I began to glow. My wings soon returned and my wounds were healed, but the feeling of no pain did not last long as I felt as if my head was about to split.

I was screaming in pain as it felt like somepony was slowly and painfully drilling into my skull.

Soon most of the pain faded away and all that was left was a minor headache.

"There was no easy way of doing that, but still it will take some time to use it efficiently." Arklida said before I began to rub my head, feeling a hard object protruding out of it.

"I... have a horn...?" I asked out loud, poking at it a bit.

"Yes, but like I said it will take some time. Refrain from using it as best you can. Your mind has to adjust to it. Along with that, it's better if it stays hidden. Here, take this." Arklida said before I felt something upon my back. It was a black coat with a hood on it.

I placed my bag down and put the coat on. I put the hood over my head and it covered the horn perfectly.

"I like it." I said with a smirk before I threw my bags onto my bag. I went to dive into the portal before Arklida spoke to me once more.

"Leon... Do you feel, different at all?" Arklida said with a concerned tone in her voice.

I thought to myself a bit and shook my head.

"Not at all, I feel great!" I said before taking the dive into the portal.

A worse mission was ahead of me and I wasn't about to get distracted from it.

[End Of Chapter]