//------------------------------// // 9: Sparring with a Princess Part 2... // Story: An Equestrian Witcher // by OblivionShadow //------------------------------// Oblivion shook his head and looked around him. The black Unicorn looked around to find training dummies, sword racks, and other weaponry at the ready. “Thou were able to teleport the full distance?” A voice that he recognized asked from behind him. He looked over his shoulder and pivoted on his left hind to face the blue mare. “Yes. I did not need to stop in the middle.” He replied to the mare. Luna stood in light armor that matched the blue of her coat. A sword sat at her right shoulder. Her light blue mane was pulled back in a binding high on her head, much like his own. “That is an impressive feat, Oblivion Shadow. We are surprised at thy skill.” ‘Old speech. Its been a long time.’ He nodded at her. “Thank you for your kind words, Luna.” The mare nodded to him and motioned for him to follow her. He put his right hind down and the pain that came from it was minimal so he put it from his mind and focused on the mare in front of him. “We have decided to use our real weapon rather than using a practice sword, we think it is insulting to the skill thou have already shown.” She said to him as she walked. Oblivion walked up to stand beside her instead of following. “I appreciate the consideration, Luna. I agree with your conclusion that it is insulting to both of us.” He looked to the mare who nodded. “I suppose wearing armor then is in my own best interest.” Another nod. “We will take thou to the armorer.” “Not needed. I have my own.” She stopped and looked to him. Oblivion's horn lit and his armor from his element crawled across his body. When it finished Luna nodded and then walked with him to a practice circle. “Thou can lay thee saddlebags there if thou wishes. We shall allow thou time to prepare.” She stepped to the far side and waited for him to be ready. The Unicorn nodded and laid his saddlebags down under the bench. Oblivion closed his eyes and had to remind himself that this was not a life or death fight. His eyes snapped open as his steel sword came out of the scabbard and blocked a strike from his rear. He looked over his shoulder to a grinning Luna. “We apologize for the attack. We wished to see thou's reaction time. We have never seen another draw a blade that swiftly. We missed it entirely. Thee have our admiration.” She said in response to his look. She bowed her head in a silent apology. Oblivion turned to her, their swords still locked. “Forgiven. Though I will not be going as easy on you, Luna. My pride will not allow it any longer after that attack.” She looked up with a smile. “We expect no less.” Luna pulled her blade back and lunged at him. He spun away from her blade and it slid along hers. Sparks flew from their weapons as they clashed. Soldiers stopped to watch as the two ponies fought. Oblivion backflipped away from the mare, his blade pushed her back, the black Unicorn lunged into her as she was pushed back, and her hooves slid along the ground. She looked up and charged after him. Oblivion looked at the mare and a small smile crossed his muzzle. A shine went over his body and a gold light circled him. Uncertainty crossed her eyes for a moment before she continued her assault. Oblivion slammed a hoof down and a wave of force went away from him. Luna yelped and was bowled backward. Oblivion charged forward, his blade knocked hers aside. His blade embedded into the ground next to the mares head, he looked down to find her staring at him. “Well played. We had not agreed to magic use though.” She said with an annoyed glance. He chuckled. “That wasn’t magic, dear Luna.” He backed up and offered a hoof to her. She looked to him and accepted his hoof, as he pulled her back to her hooves. The light still went over him as she looked for her blade. He pulled his sword from the ground and it hovered by his shoulder. She picked her up from where it had fallen. The smaller mare looked at him before continuing. “How was thou able to accomplish that without magic?” “Witcher's have the ability to use what we call Signs. You just saw two of them. The one that is still active is called Quen or shield. The one that I used to push you back is called Aard, basically, push. It's a telekinetic blast that can move an adversary away from the body to make room for a counterattack. Those are two of five that I have access to.” Oblivion informed the curious mare. Luna regarded him before a smile graced her muzzle. “We are even more impressed, Oblivion Shadow. Thou are able to use complex magic and other skills that give thou an impressive edge in battle. We are glad to be sparring with thou.” “The pleasure is mine, Luna. Shall we continue?” The mare brought her blade in front of her muzzle. “Yes.” She said as she ran at him. Oblivion spun once more but then turned his blade to run along hers once more. This time he turned the blade and pushed his shoulder into her and shoved her back away from him. He leaped after her and his sword glanced over her armor, marking it. Luna gave a low grunt as she took the blow and then jumped away from the larger stallion. Oblivion smiled after her as he slammed his hooves down again. Purple runes skittered across the ground in a circle around him. Luna jumped forward. Oblivion smirked as the mare entered the circle. Runes danced across her as Yrden slowed her down. Oblivion leaped at her, the flat of his blade striking several marks across her armor. Luna yelped and was able to jump back. The runes on the ground faded and shattered, having accomplished their task. She blinked at him. “That was more of thous Signs?” “Yes, that one was called Yrden. It has many names but some call it slow or fade. I use it normally to fight wraiths, it forces them to become corporeal so I can strike them down.” He informed the mare. Luna panted and silently seethed at the thrashing she was on the receiving end of. “Thou are full of surprises, Oblivion Shadow. Thou are not from here are thou?” Oblivion barked a laugh. “No, I am not. I am from lands outside of Equestria. Ponies cannot fight monsters where I am from so my kind are trained to do so in their stead. Maybe one day I will tell you about it.” He said to her. “Shall we?” Luna nodded and the sparring match resumed. Soldiers watched as the Moon Princess was pushed back time and again by the black Unicorn. Quen continued to protect Oblivion from any damage and his body danced across the dirt and evaded the mares attacks. Soldiers cringed when her armor took another hit and the pair parted after a thirty-minute battle. Luna panted as her sword wavered in the air. She looked at the stallion who stood silently on his hooves. His shield still in place. She had been trained by the best swordmaster of her time, but she appeared to be little more than a novice in front of him. She had yet to put a mark in his shield or his armor. His Spirit Armor glowed strongly under its shield. She squared her shoulders for one last attack. The blade pointed to him and Oblivion leaned back onto his hind legs and let his blade guard in front of him. Luna roared and charged him. Oblivion lowered his body, then charged as well. The mare kept her blade straight and calculated when to strike. Oblivion was taller but Luna was determined to have that work in her favor. She shifted her blade when they were only a couple of feet apart. Oblivion jumped to the side and pirouetted, Luna, yelped when his blade smacked her across the flank. She rolled forward and came to rest sitting. She jumped up and groaned. The soldiers looked on in shock, several seconds passed before they realized that one of their Princesses had been struck. “How dare you lay your blade on Princess Luna!” One, who wore several medals across his coat, yelled as he and others began to advance. Oblivion turned and looked to them. Their blades began to raise when they heard a sound to the side. Luna had started to laugh and looked to them all. “Tis fine. We admit defeat. Thou are a pony to be reckoned with, Oblivion Shadow. We do not doubt that thou could take on the ponies here and still emerge victoriously. Thou were still going easy on us we think.” She said as she laughed. Oblivion bowed his head with a smirk. “Perhaps.” The soldiers all stared at the spectacle before them. Luna reached back and rubbed a hoof over her smarting flank. She turned to look at him and smiled once more. “Please come with us. We will treat thou to a strong coffee after a bath. We do not know about thee, but we could use a cool bath.” “I appreciate your consideration, Luna. And just Oblivion is fine.” He told her as he walked over to her. His horn lit and his saddlebags appeared around his barrel. “Return to your duties.” She shouted to the soldiers in the yard. Oblivion pinned his ears at the volume. “Follow us.” She led him across the yard and into the castle. Oblivion looked around him at the stone walls, they were smooth and gave off a light shine. He looked around and his Spirit Sight showed him many ponies as they passed by them. Ponies bowed their heads to the Moon Princess. He followed her in silence. His hooves making no sound as he walked through the halls. She paused in front of a tall white door. “Here is the room that thou can use while thee are here. It has a private bath adjoining it. A servant will guide thee to the room where we can sit and discuss matters.” The mare pushed the door open. Oblivion walked through it and nodded to her. “Thank you, Luna.” The Unicorn walked inside and the door closed behind him. He gaped at the room itself. It was easily the size of the entire first floor of Applejack's house, if not larger. That did not include the bathroom. The bed had four posts and had dark gray and blue bedding. It appeared that it had been redesigned recently. ‘She can’t have had this prepared for my visit. Why go to the trouble? I do not intend to stay long.’ He walked into the room and saw a large chest at the foot of the bed. The dark wood gave off a slight gleam, indicating it had recently been stained a new shade. The drapes hung to the floor and were bunched to pull away from the window to the sides. They were a deep gray in color. He looked to the right and saw another door. He opened the door and was greeted with a long room that had bars across it. He backed out of it and closed the door. He looked to the other door and opened it to find the bathroom. He walked in and set his saddlebags onto the floor. His swords were removed from his back and leaned up against the side of the counter. The tub was huge and he looked at it for a moment. He recognized the knobs on the top of it. The stallion had watched Apple Bloom use them to fill the one back at the farmhouse. He turned them and filled the tub with clear water. His armor crawled back into its place on his medallion. He stepped into the water and laid in it for a few minutes. Letting the warmth soothe his tired muscles and a still injured leg. He was glad that his leg had held out. He had needed to adjust his normal movements to accommodate using his left leg instead of his dominant right. He stood up and used the provided soap to wash his fur off. He released his mane from the binding and cleaned that as well. His pride would not allow him to sit with Luna filthy. The black Alicorn cleaned off his right wing and he was careful to handle his left wing. He avoided getting it wet but removed the bandages on it to let it air as he had coffee with Luna. He drained the tub and stepped out of it. The blue flame flared around him to dry his mane, tail, and fur. He combed out his mane with the offered brush and ran it through his tail. He put his mane back up in it’s binding and watched as his wings vanished. He placed his swords back in place, and they also vanished. Upon walking out of the bathroom he placed his saddlebags inside the chest at the foot of the bed and locked it with his own magic. He could sense that there was a pony outside the door. He opened the door to confront the pony. The cream-colored pony looked to him and turned to face him. Her eyes reminded him of Derpy’s coloring. They were a yellow gold color. Her cutie mark was a scroll and quill. “Oblivion Shadow. Princess Luna has asked that I lead you to the balcony outside of her quarters for tea. Please follow me, sir.” The mare turned and waited for him to follow. He nodded and followed the cream colored mare. His Spirit Sight locked onto Luna’s signature, but he followed the mare instead of teleporting straight to her. She opened a dark blue door for him and he walked in. She trotted inside to guide him once more and opened a door out onto a spacious balcony. A table with various snacks greeted him, he could smell coffee and various other drinks on the table. There was a mix of sweets and he could smell other treats as well that lacked a fair amount of sugar. The mare motioned for him to sit on the black pillow. He sat down and waited patiently. She left him to wait and the stallion closed his eyes. His ears caught the mare informing Luna that he was waiting. He sat in silence and waited for his host to arrive. “Thank thee for waiting.” The Moon Princess said to him as she came through the doorway. “We apologize for the wait.” “No apology needed, Luna. I did not wait long.” He amended her. She sat down across from him. “It is nice to hear a pony address us with our name. It has been a long time since we were addressed casually by another.” She said as she poured a cup of tea for herself. She looked at him. “Coffee, thank you.” He said to her. She nodded and poured a cup for him. He held the cup in his magic when she finished and took a sip, the mare did the same. “I have no reason to address you with anything besides your name. If it pleases you I shall continue doing so, unless you object.” The mare jolted. “Not at all. We are pleased by the casual greeting.” “Very well. How are you faring, after being cleansed of Nightmare Moon?” She paused and set down her teacup. “It has been an...adjustment. We are not sure how to act around ponies. Our behavior is how we acted from before we were imprisoned in the moon. So it seems dated to most ponies. Though thou, appear to take it in stride.” “Old speech is something that I have heard many times and does not surprise me. It is a formal greeting to most and may seem a bit...” He paused as he searched for the right word. “Dated to others. Though so long as you are comfortable with it I see no reason why you should change yourself unless that is your wish.” The mare stared at him. “Thou speak as though thee have been through a similar experience or have known others like us.” Oblivion shook his head. “I do not know another that is like you Luna. As I have said to another, you are a pony unto yourself with no equal. As I understand the story of what happened to you, you were not looking to harm ponies if I remember correctly. You were simply looking to be known for your traits.” Luna nodded. “That in itself is not a flaw. It is a simple desire for any pony. To be seen as yourself and known for the good you have done. Just because you were overwhelmed by that desire does not make you evil. I am a Witcher by trade and the medallion I wear alerts me to the presence of illusions among other things. When I faced you it spoke of illusions, not direct evil.” Luna gaped at him as he finished speaking. “Thou are very wise. Thou have seen much of this world and have learned much. We are thankful for your knowledge and also thank you for speaking so plainly with us.” She said. “I have no reason to do otherwise.” She put her head down. “We have a question for thee." Oblivion nodded and made a go-ahead motion with his hoof. “How doth thee see us? Thou knows the beginning and the end of our story.” She stopped when he barked a laugh. “Your story has not ended Luna. It has merely opened a new chapter. Nightmare Moon has ended, but Luna has not. You have done what many ponies cannot. You have seen your darkness and have moved on to become a better mare for it. It is now your decision how the story progresses.” Luna gaped at him once more. He started when tears filled her eyes. “Thou are truly more wise than any other pony we have met. We have been told many things since our return. But none rang as truth. Most were pretty words meant to placate us. But thou speaks truth from thou own experience and does not seek to placate us. We are grateful.” Oblivion nodded and waited for the mare to pull herself together. She levitated her teacup and looked to him. He held up his coffee and she tapped the cups together and sipped her drink. She waited till he finished as well before speaking again. “Thou said that thee are a Witcher. May we ask what that entails?” Oblivion nodded and set his cup down. “A Witcher is a pony that is meant to stand between the monsters and ponies of this world. We stand between them and rid this world of the monsters that harm others. If possible we remove those that cause harm so that the others can continue to live in peace. We also have the ability to remove curses if we are able. There are many ways to deal with a monster. The challenge is finding out which way is the right one. Either their death or salvation.” He told her. Luna looked on with interest. “We have never heard of a Witcher.” “There are not many of us. I am of the School of the Wolf. Including myself, there are five of us remaining. There are other schools as well but none are creating new Witchers. We are a dying breed.” “What other Schools remain?” Oblivion paused. “There are none that teach Witchers anymore. But other Schools are the Manticore, Bear, Griffin, Viper, and Cat to name a few.” “Thou speak with some sorrow in thy voice. We are sorry that so few remain. This world will be lacking when they are gone.” Oblivion shrugged. “In time yes, we will all vanish. But for now, we continue on our purpose. We have to as it is what we are made for. But that is a discussion for another time. I believe we have a visitor.” Luna started and looked around. “Where?” “Just inside the front door. Isn’t that right, Celestia?” Luna started and glared into the room. The Sun Princess came forward, looking sheepish. Luna glared at her elder sister as she stood by the table. “Shame, dear sister. Thou art interrupting.” “I’m sorry, little sister. I had forgotten that you were going to have a guest today. While I’m here, how was your sparring match?” Luna looked to Oblivion who shrugged. The mare chuckled. “Our match was quite the sight to watch, judging by the crowd that gathered. Though we were thoroughly thrashed by Oblivion.” She informed her elder sister who looked shocked. “Really? You have no equal Luna.” Celestia responded to the information. “We have met our superior, dear sister.” Celestia looked to Oblivion who raised his cup and sipped his coffee. “Congratulations Oblivion. Perhaps we should ask you to train our guards.” She replied. “I think not.” He replied. Both Princesses stared. “I have trained Witcher's when I was younger. My training tactics are meant to break ponies and rebuild them into a Witcher, not a guard. Those that cannot survive my training are rendered useless. That is why I must decline.” He said as he took another drink. Luna smiled at him and suppressed a laugh. Celestia stared at him for a moment before nodding. “Your training tactics must be extreme indeed then.” “Those who see them from an outside point of view would call them that. Another Witcher would see them for what they are. They are meant to weed out those that will not survive and those that will.” He responded. Luna smiled. “Reminds us of our dear teacher, Starswirl.” She said and looked to her sister, who cringed and nodded. “Oh?” Oblivion looked at them. “Oh, yes. Starswirl was a taskmaster in his own right. It never seemed to be good enough but he made us into the mares we are today.” Celestia said as she sat down. Luna nodded. “Our dear teacher accepted nothing but the best from us both. We remember many sleepless nights trying to accomplish our tasks. We learned much under his tutelage.” “That is where Luna learned her swordplay. Starswirl was a pony of many trades.” Celestia said. “I had wondered who had taught you,” Oblivion replied. “He taught Tia as well,” Luna said. “He did, though I did not excel in the art as Luna did. If you are able to best her then I stand no chance against you.” Celestia commented. Oblivion chuckled. “Your student would be horrified to hear that you are not perfect.” He jabbed at the monarch. Luna giggled as Celestia sighed. “Twilight thinks too highly of me I think. I am not perfect and have made my fair share of mistakes.” The Sun Princess sighed again and looked to Luna. “Your greatest regret is one I can already guess.” He said to her, his voice flat. “You would be right. But thanks to you and the others I have my sister back by my side.” She said with a glance to Luna, who smiled. “Well, I have interrupted your visit enough. I would also like to say that I was surprised to hear that you wished no recognition for your creation of new magic.” “I have no need for recognition for something trivial,” Oblivion said to her. “Trivial?” Luna leaned forward. “It takes a Unicorn of great power and focuses to create a magic that has not been known before.” “It's not that great. I have yet to test it on a pony beside a Unicorn. The true test of its effectiveness is if it can work on a Pegasus or an Earth Pony as well. A Unicorn has its horn to focus their magic. From what I have read the other magic is used through their whole body. So focusing it is a different matter. I have no desire to test it as of yet.” He said to them while explaining. The black stallion held his coffee by his muzzle as he spoke. “That is true. But still, I have no doubt a clever Unicorn such as yourself could find a way around that if you wish.” Celestia said to him. “Of that, I have no doubt. I simply have not decided on a course of action.” He said in reply. “Well, on that note I will excuse myself. Enjoy your picnic.” Celestia left the balcony and went through the door, closing it behind her. Luna watched her. “Our sister can be very nosy at times.” Oblivion laughed. “I’m sure. I’m certain she had already heard of our match and was checking to see if you were injured.” “We are fine. Our dignity is a bit bruised but… Oh. Thou art jesting.” She said, giving him a bland look. He gave a laugh and nodded. “Maybe, a bit. Would you rather, I didn’t?” She shook her head. “Not at all. We like being treated as another pony by thee. It is a pleasant change. Thou do not act as thou were are a Princess.” “That is because I do not see you as such.” She stared at him. “Pardon?” “As I said before I do not even bow my knee to Emperors. I respect that you have moved beyond your past for the most part. But treating you differently from any other pony is not what I think you desire.” “Thou are right. We are glad to be another pony, if only to one pony. Thy is a good-hearted pony, Oblivion Shadow. Thy speech is refreshing and we are glad we invited thee here. Please try a few of the treats I have discovered. Many things have changed since our banishment. We were glad to see that some of our favorite treats had not. Though thy choice of coffee shows that thou are not fond of sweets?” “That is true. Though there are a few here that I think I will try. So long as the sugar is not overwhelming I will certainly try them. Thank you for the offer.” He replied to her. The mare smiled and nodded. The next couple of hours went by with them both sampling some of the treats that Luna had asked for. She called for a servant to bring them more of a few so that they could try them again. Soon both of them were full and turned to gaze at the sky. “Tis growing late and we must raise the moon for the night. Would thou like to see us raise the moon?” She asked him. Hope in her voice. “I would like to see that. Thank you for the offer.” Luna walked to the edge of the balcony and spread her wings. His medallion trembled as blue magic surrounded Luna’s horn. He watched as the sun finished falling below the horizon and the crest of the moon raised instead. She slowly lifted up as her wings slowly beat. He felt Luna’s magic surge as she lifted the moon higher into the sky. The stars coming with it as it began to rest in the night sky. His medallion trembled violently against his chest as he watched. He lifted a hoof to stop the medallion from making any noise on its chain. He was surprised when he felt his armor start to move on the medallion. He focused on it and pushed it back into place. Luna’s hooves came back to the stone balcony and he stood up when the magic faded. Luna panted for a moment and suddenly swayed a bit. Oblivion went to her side and she leaned on his shoulder. “Thank thee. It has been a long time since we commanded the moon. It is tiring after such a long period. Thank thee for thy support.” She said as he helped her back to her pillow. “Of course. It was quite a sight. Where I am from none control the moon or sun. They move on their own. I had wondered how such a feat was accomplished.” He said as he sat back down as well. Luna looked to him, her eyes wide. “They move of their own power?” “Yes. They move through the skies on their own, the stars come out with the moon and then fade with the sun. Some remain to be seen in the light but they are harder to see.” He told her of the skies. She leaned forward, intent on what he said, so he continued. “I must admit I was shocked to hear that they did not do the same here.” “So the moon answers to none but itself?” “True. Same with the sun. But one thing is not different. Both are as loved there as they are here. Where I am from some only work in the day and others only in the light of the moon.” “And Witcher's?” “We work in all light. Our eyes are meant to show us tracks and clues in all lightning. We are as active during the day as we are at night. Some of the monsters we hunt are only seen at night while others during the middle of the day. We do not choose, we simply follow our eyes and ears.” Luna was silent as she considered what he had said. “It is good to hear that there are those who view the day and night as equal. We thank thee for telling us.” “Of course. I have no reason to tell you a lie.” She smiled and stood up. “We will show you back to your room for the night. We insist that thee stay.” She added when he started to speak. “We admit that we had that room prepared for your visit.” “I was going to ask about that.” Oblivion laughed as he stood up. “One moment.” He said to her and she waited. His horn conjured a scroll and quill. After writing a quick note it vanished in a flare of blue flame. “Thank you for waiting.” Luna nodded and led him through the room and into the hall. She led him back to his room and opened the door for him. “Good night, Oblivion. We have enjoyed thy visit.” “The pleasure has been mine, Luna. Thank you.” He said as he went through the open door. She closed it and left him alone. His magic alerted him that there was a reply to his message. His horn lit as he gripped it in his hoof. He read it aloud to himself. “Enjoy yer sleepover. Applejack.” He looked around for a moment before regarding the message with a curious look. “My what now? Oh to the Hells with it. She’s most likely trying to tease.” He incinerated the note and laid his swords in the bed. He pulled the blankets back and climbed under them. He pulled his mane free of the tie and let his wings spread out. He checked the injured wing before allowing it to extend more. He folded his legs under him and let his eyes close. Sleep was slow to come to him as his mind wandered. ‘How long will I be here? This world is leagues different from my own. Though I must admit it has its own charm. I have found a pony that I can spar with. Twilight is there for magic practice. Even though I have no idea how I came to even have magic. I would not have been surprised to end up as an Earth Pony, so long as my abilities were still intact.’ The Alicorn paused. ‘Perhaps that is why? Ever since the Conjunction of the Spheres magic has become a constant in my world. Everything within it has become saturated to an extent. Maybe a Witcher is not so different from a Unicorn in this world. But that still leaves the fact that I became an Alicorn upon arriving here.’ His musings paused as he yawned and pushed his head back into the pillow. The Alicorn stopped his thoughts and let himself start to sleep. His medallion shook against him and he sat up swiftly. This was different from when Luna had raised the moon. It was violently shaking. The chain rattled slightly under the constant movement. He started to get up when a side of the room shuddered. It looked like an illusion. His horn lit up and he snarled at the corner. His mane was pulled up, his swords were on his back, and his wings disappeared. He slid off the bed and leveled his horn at the corner. He lunged forward and a wave of red flame tore across the ground. A shriek went through the room as the illusion vanished. The Unicorn looked to the flames caused by Igni and used Aard to calm them. A scorching pattern was left on the floor but that did not concern him in the slightest. His magic pulled open the door and he ran out of it. He turned to face the corridor and looked around. The intensity of the illusion meant that whoever it was could not be far. His cat eyes narrowed and he looked around the wall and the doors. A scent caught his attention. It was not one he immediately recognized and he let his nose guide him. After a few strides, he recognized the scent. Something had been burnt when he had attacked. Most likely the pony or being that had been using the spell had actually been in the room behind the illusion. They had most likely teleported out and were now running. As he went down the hallway a set of tracks made themselves visible due to the small amount of blood that was mixed in. He kept his head up as a guard looked at him as he passed by. “Sir, are you lost?” The pony in armor asked him. Oblivion looked up and watched as the guard started. His eyes were narrowed and all that remained of their color was a thin line around the enlarged iris. Though they still glowed with orange light. “No.” He started to trot as the tracks picked up speed. He stopped when his ears pricked. His quarry was running and he could hear them. He broke into a hard gallop and veered around a corner, startling several ponies into dropping their parcels. He jumped over them and continued his gallop. He passed by several guards, who yelled at him, he ignored them. His eyes saw the tracks in front of him veer to the left. He dug in, cut the corner and found himself in front of a row of guards. He slid to a stop. “Stop where you are!” One yelled at him. “Get out of the way, peasants!” He roared at them, furious at being stopped. “A reliable source has said that you are planning some kind of attack. You will come with us.” They started advancing on him. From their posture, he could see that they were not going to move. They expected him to run the other way. He charged them and they stopped in shock. He gathered himself and leaped over them. His eyes found the tracks once more and he plunged after them. His ear flicked back and he could hear the Pegasus guards following him. His horn lit up as he wanted to vanish. He looked back to see them coming at him. He pressed against the wall, hoping they went past him. They went past and didn’t even glance at him. He pulled away from the wall and looked down at his hooves. He could see them but they were concealed. He grinned. ‘Perfect. Seems this magic is going to be more useful than I thought. Now I can track without them seeing me.’ Oblivion followed the tracks with his ears listening for the guards while his eyes were trained on the ground. It took a few turns but he found a door that the tracks disappeared into. He stood outside of it and pressed an ear to the door. “I know he is going to attack.” “How? Did he say anything?” “Well, no. But anypony that well trained cannot be peaceful to our Princesses. I will inform them of the vicious attack in the morning. He is no doubt in the dungeon now. I told the guards on my way here that he...Ow!” “Hold still, you burned your forelegs. We have to treat them. How in Equestria did you get burnt anyway?” “He did it. I don’t know how though. His horn was inactive. I knew there was something wrong about him. He made a noise and then the fire went across the floor. I don’t know how he knew I was there. My spell was perfect.” She said to the other mares. “Apparently it wasn’t. Second Sight your a clerk, not a guard. What made you think this whole thing was a good idea? You’ve been reading to many detective novels.” Another commented. “I have not… Okay, maybe I have read a few. But that’s not the point. He’s a violent pony and he’s going to go after the Princesses. No pony with that much power is harmless.” She said to them. “Don’t tell me I'm wrong. He will hurt somepony. He already has and he will do it again.” Oblivion stood outside the door for a moment before rage boiled in him. His horn lit, he pulled out a scroll and inkwell, wrote a note, and then it flared, sending a note away. He waited till he was certain that it was read before he acted further. He stepped away, turned around, and bucked the door off the hinges. He spun around and walked into the doorway. Three mares were cringing away and coughing. “What in Celestia's name? Oh no!” One of them looked up to find him in the doorway. He recognized one as the mare that had led him around today. The other was a pale blue Earth Pony, with green eyes, a white mane, and tail and a pot and pan for a cutie mark. The third was staring at him. He knew that she was the one who tried to spy on him by the burns on her legs. The rest of her body was green with a magnifying glass cutie mark. He lowered his head and a growl tore from him. The mares huddled together at the sight before them. He had no doubt that they were terrified, he could smell it. That did not excuse their transgressions. “Get away from that door!” He listened, recognizing the guards that he had been evading. “You are going to the dungeons!” Oblivion pulled his head back out of the doorway. “Try me.” He said and vanished. He walked silently into the room and listened. “What in Equestria? Where is he? Lock down the hallway!” The mares looked to the door and started to get up. The two that were not injured started for the door. “I think he’s gone. Come on, Second Sight. Let's get you treated.” “You're not going anywhere, little pony.” Oblivion snarled as his magic revealed him in between them. The mare screamed and tried to get away. His magic held her still as he walked up to her. “Who are you to try to get me arrested?” “You're going to hurt the Princess!” She screamed at him. She thrashed against his magic, to no avail. Her own horn lit up with her aura, but Oblivion's own aura enveloped her horn and snuffed out her green aura. Her eyes narrowed to pinpricks and she stared at him. “Why would you think that I have any desire to harm either of them?” The stallion questioned “You're a warrior. You're not here for a peaceful reason. Princess Luna must have taken pity on you to allow you to win. Then you humiliated her.” He stomped his hooves, cracking the tiles. “So you are angry because I defeated her and smacked her across the tail with the blunt side of my blade?” “Yes. Well...not just that! You don't belong here. There is something wrong with you as a pony!” “That is enough!” A voice thundered through the room. Oblivion had pinned his ears when he heard Luna’s hooves galloping over the floor. The enraged mare stormed into the room. She looked from Oblivion to the captive mare. “Thou have my deepest apologies Oblivion Shadow. We had no idea that thous visit could be taken so badly. We are deeply troubled by this development and beg thy forgiveness for this situation.” The Alicorn mare looked to him, her head lowered. “There is nothing to forgive you for Luna. Not even you can foresee all the things that happen. I did not anticipate another being upset at our sparring match. I will be honest that I was enjoying myself too much to think of my actions at the time.” He regarded the Alicorn beside him. “Its been a very long time since I met a pony that could battle against me.” Luna laughed. “Despite thou still going easy on us!” She gave a hearty laugh and bumped his shoulder with her own. “Even still.” He chuckled in response. “So what will you do with this one?” His horn was still lit as he held the offending mare. Luna turned an angry gaze to the mare. “What indeed. Thou have shamed us before a dear friend. One of the ponies that were responsible for freeing us and returning us to thee.” The mare looked horrified. “If thou would not mind?” Oblivion caught her glance at his medallion. He nodded in understanding. His Spirit Armor slid across his fur and into its normal place. The mare looked in greater horror at the realization of who he was. “This is the stallion who represents the Element of Spirit. One of the Elements of Harmony. And thou tried to have him thrown into our dungeon as a traitor!” Luna thundered. Oblivion felt the ground shiver at the mares yell. “Oblivion Shadow. My friend, thrown into our dungeon. I will not hear of such a travesty.” “What is going on, little sister? I can hear your Royal Canterlot voice on the other side of the castle. Good evening, Oblivion. I thought you would be asleep by now.” Celestia walked into the room through the ruined door. “Oh my. What happened in here? Second Sight! What happened to you?” Oblivion looked over his shoulder at the white Alicorn. “I happened. I am the one that caused the burns.” Celestia looked at him. “She teleported into my room with the intent to have me thrown in the dungeons. I sent a note to Luna alerting her to the fact that I was outside the room they were hiding in. This one tried to have me arrested by the astounded group of guards outside.” Celestia looked to the door and saw the soldiers outside the door. She turned to look back to the captive mare. “By the Goddess, what could they accuse you of?” “They believed that because I was able to defeat Luna in a sparring match that my true intent was to harm the two of you.” “He would never harm us, sister. Thou know this as well.” Luna interjected, anger bubbling below the surface. Celestia nodded to her sister. “You are right, little sister.” “He is our friend and the only pony who treats us as a pony rather than a monarch. We will...” Luna started to say more but her sisters giggle stopped her. “Calm down, Luna. Of course, I believe in him as well. The Element of Spirit would not have gone to him otherwise. He is in no danger of being put in the dungeon. I don’t think an inhibitor ring would even work on a Unicorn of his level anyway.” Celestia said to the younger Alicorn. Luna huffed and looked back to the mare, Second Sight. Oblivion looked to Luna. “What is an inhibitor ring?” Luna looked at him. “It is a device that prevents a Unicorn from using their magic. It can only be removed by specific ponies.” Celestia informed him. Oblivion looked at her. “Ah, that will not happen.” “Oh, we would not allow one to be placed on thee. Thou are our friend and thee have shown thyself to be a powerful Unicorn. Our sister is right in thinking it would not work on thee. We would have great doubt as to its effectiveness.” The blue Alicorn said with a faint smile. Celestia looked over to the Black Unicorn. “You can release her Oblivion. I think my sister and I can handle it from here. Please go back to your room and get some rest.” Oblivion snorted. “Very well. Though I will tell you that it is a bit scorched.” Both mares spun their heads to look at him. Celestia suddenly laughed. “I should have known. You used fire to attack Second Sight so it makes sense that the room is in poor shape. Please let me have a new one prepared for you.” “It's not that important. The damage is minimal at best.” He replied to her. Celestia and Luna both shook their heads. “We insist,” Celestia replied. Oblivion sighed and lowered his head for a moment. “Very well. I will wait.” Celestia nodded, pleased. “Thank you for understanding.” She looked back at the door. “Treats?” A mare with a light brown coat, a cream-colored mane and tail and a cake on her flank stepped forward. “Can you show him to the Royal wing and have his things moved from his current room in the guest lane to room eighty-four?” The mare's eyes widened and after a beat, she nodded. She turned back to server ponies with her. “You, go to his room and check for his personal effects.” She spun to a Unicorn stallion. “You, move the bedding and other items to the room that the Princess requested. Now hurry.” She barked out her orders and the two ponies galloped away from them. She turned back and waited for Oblivion to reach her. Oblivion released the mare from his magic and turned to follow the mare. The brown mare led him out of the hallway and back the way he had run originally. They reached the hallway that housed the room he had been in originally, but the mare veered to the right walked led toward an ornate purple and white door. She used the key to open the door. “Normally a spell is used by the unicorns to open this door. Most of the royal family live here or individuals that the Princesses deem worthy.” She said to him. Her voice was quiet but held authority. She let him walk in first then turned back to lock the door again. He waited, then followed her down the hall. Passing by several doors. He stopped next to one that was a bright white with blue accents. Each door was different from the others. Oblivion guessed that each one was colored due to the inhabitant. “Here we are. This will be the room you use.” She stopped in front of the door. One of the doors was open as the Unicorn from earlier set up the decor in the same fashion as before. The door itself was a bright silver with black borders. He saw that his cutie mark was on the door as well, the wolf symbol and the swords were in the center of the doors and were cut down the middle of the doors. None of the others had a design on the front of them. ‘That was quick. Must be done by the magic of some kind.’ “Please wait for a moment while I check that this room is ready for you.” Treats spoke to him as she went inside. Oblivion stood outside the door in silence. His hearing picked up on the mare scolding the two ponies to hurry, since he, the princesses guest, was waiting. He heard the two ponies pick up their pace under her scrutiny and soon were running out the door with the mare on their heels. “It is ready. We will finish it up completely in the morning. Kindly excuse the lack of character and personalization for the moment. Please rest well.” Treats said as they left him by the door. Oblivion said nothing and went inside. His saddlebags sat on the bed. The bedding and the rest of the decor were the same as what he had from the original room. It looked fine to him, but he guessed they had more to do. His saddlebags were moved to sit on top of the chest at the foot of the bed. His horn lit up as he reached out to see if there was any pony or magic in the room besides himself. His magic faded out as he confirmed that he was alone. The blankets were pulled back and he slid his swords into place, then got under the blankets himself. His head lowered to the pillow and his wings fell to the sheets as well. His mind went blank as he fell asleep. He awoke to the sun coming through the windows. He grumbled and turned his head the other way, pulling the blanket over his head. After a few minutes, he snarled and brought his head up, exasperated. Once he had awoken it was nearly impossible for him to go back to sleep, he knew that fact about himself but that didn’t mean he would not still attempt it. He got out of bed, after throwing the blanket back. The stallion crawled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He combed out his mane, having removed the tie from it. Once it was cleaned up he replaced the tie and then combed his tail free of knots. He laid the comb back on the counter and walked out into the room once more. He decided that staying in the room all day was out of the question. The Alicorn would check with Luna to see if he was needed or if he could teleport back to the farm. His horn lit and he was going to send her a note but thought better of it. That seemed rude to the mare and, after strapping his swords back on his back, he left the room and started down the hallway. He saw that one of the doors was open a foot and he paused when he heard an angry yell. “Damned leeches. That's all they are! I’m simply a stepping platform to them.” A male voice hit Oblivion's ears. “They don't see the pony behind the title. All they see is a chance for them to improve their social standing. All I want is some pony to treat me like a pony and not a prince. I’m adopted by Auntie Celestia, so I'm not a blood relative. All they want is to take.” His voice pitched as he mimicked. ”Oh, Blue Blood when can I meet the Princess? Will you take me to her, I would so love to meet her.” He snorted as he finished. Oblivion could hear the anger in his voice. The Unicorn looked around the door jam, his Spirit Sight showed him a torrent of emotions. But the one that stood out among all the anger, pain, and malice, was sorrow. The white stallion had blond hair and had a golden four-point star on top of a dark blue four-point star. He wore a collar around his neck that appeared to be formal attire. Oblivion had never seen such a collar so he was not sure what to call it. After a moment he chose to ignore it. He felt his medallion shudder. He backed up and looked down. His medallion itself was not shuddering it was his armor. He stepped back for a moment. ‘Perhaps the armor has more of a purpose than just as protection. Let's see what happens.’ The black Unicorn let the armor slide over his fur when it finished, he looked back around the door. The white pony’s head had lowered until it was barely above the ground. Oblivion’s eyes widened at what he saw. Standing, or hovering, beside the pony was a dark shape. It reminded Oblivion of some of the wraiths that he had fought before. Though its current appearance was not immediately familiar to him. His eyes narrowed and his vision focused on the wraith. Its body was tall and thin and resembled a human up to its arms, which were unnaturally long and ended in wicked long claws. Its shoulders were narrow and its head was thin and gaunt. A pair of horns rose up from the top of its head and curved back till they looked like they were touching the back of its head. Oblivion suddenly realized that he knew of a creature that was similar to this one. It was called a Hym, which feeds on the guilt and pain of its victim. Oblivion himself had only seen one once. The victim had to have committed a crime and even then, the Hym is only visible to the victim. They will whisper and talk to the victim, slowly driving them to insanity. Oblivion had done battle with one once and it was a long fight. Oblivion was just unsure what it was feeding off. As if sensing his uncertainty his armor tightened around him. The crown came forward and a piece of it covered his eyes. He pulled his head back and reached a hoof up to try to pull it out of his eyes. Everything around him went black. His head went forward as he tried to shake it off his head, and a bright light off to the side caught his attention. The aura around the white pony was pulsing. Oblivion turned his head as the colors brightened then faded out. He watched as the Wraith fed off the pony's emotions. ‘His sorrow and pain. That's what it’s feeding off. Interesting so this armor can see more clearly when needed. That pony is in danger. That thing feeds off him too much and it could prove fatal. Though if it is anything like a Hym it won’t kill it’s host, it might just plunge him into a constant depression to keep that food source going. Hmm. There has to be an emotion that can drive that back. Maybe not destroy it completely but slow it down. I’ve seen love do incredible things but I can’t think of a good way to bring that about. I don’t even know who this pony is. There has to be something else… Maybe a friend could help. But who in this castle would be suitable? They can’t know that they are trying to help him.’ Oblivion paused and brought his head back. His magic pulled the armor back into its normal place, as he tried to consider his options. He suddenly sighed. “I suppose I am the best option. Though this will prove difficult since I am a novice in this aspect as well. But perhaps that is exactly what is needed.” Oblivion put his head back into the doorway and slowly stepped forward. “Pardon me.” The white pony jumped and bumped the window sill. He turned an outraged eye to the black stallion. “How dare you invade my space! You uncouth foal! Do you know who I am?” Oblivion looked at him with a blank look. “Actually, I have no idea who you are.” The stallion stared back at him. “By Equestria, your serious.” “Indeed. Now I do apologize for overhearing your ranting. But I could not help but hear that you seem to be upset, very upset. I may not be a normal pony for you to converse with but I will listen if you would like.” Oblivion responded to him. The white pony stared at him. “You overheard..how much of what I said?” “Damned leeches was what I heard first.” The pony stared and lowered his head. “So almost all of it.” He stared at the ground. Oblivion saw the figure bend over the white stallion. He walked forward and put a hoof, hesitantly, on the other shoulder. “I will keep my silence. I require nothing in return. Each of us has our demons, I will not begrudge you yours.” He said to him. The stallion brought his head up in response. “Who are you?” “My name is Oblivion Shadow. I apologize for not introducing myself.” The pony gaped at him for a moment. “The stallion that Aunt Luna brought here?” “She didn’t bring me here. She asked that I come to the castle yesterday and I agreed. She asked that I spar with her for fun and then join her for coffee. You are?” “My apologies. I am Prince Blue Blood.” He gave a slight bow and looked back to the other stallion. “You still seem troubled. If you would like we can walk, and I will listen or you can wallow longer?” Blue Blood balked for a moment before considering. “I.. think I would like to take you up on that offer.” The white pony stepped forward and Oblivion led him into the hallway, closing the door behind them. The two stallions walked into the hallway and Oblivion waited for him to speak. “I suppose that explaining why I was so upset is a good start?” Oblivion smiled at him for a moment. “Or I could guess.” Blue Blood slowed for a moment then hopped to catch up. “That will not be necessary.” He paused and looked to the other. “But what do you think is the issue?” “You wish for a pony to treat you as they do anypony else. Somepony that sees past the Prince and is willing to ignore it. You have created a shield around yourself as an effort to keep ponies away, but at the same time you desire a true relationship.” He started to continue but he stopped when he realized that Blue Blood was not with him. “How close was I?” Blue Blood stared at the ground. Oblivion backed up and prodded the stallion with his hoof. “Your good. I had thought I was hiding everything well. How could you see all of that? We have known each other for less than five minutes.” “I know because I can tell. I am a lot of things Blue. But I am not a fool. I understand what it is like to hide who and what you truly are. You fear ponies knowing what is under your mask because you fear their rejection. Whether you like it or not, I am certain that is true.” He said more at Blue Bloods attempt to argue. The white stallion went silent as he looked at the taller black Unicorn. “I have spent all my life looking beyond what ponies want me to see. I look behind the mask for the truth. Since that's the only place you will find it.” Blue Blood looked at him and watched as the other Unicorn started forward once more and motioned for Blue Blood to keep walking with him. He walked forward and brought his head back up as they continued. “You were right. I use my Prince mask to try to keep ponies that would use me away. It works most of the time but sometimes it's not enough.” Oblivion nodded. “Sometimes ponies don’t get the message and still persist?” Blue Blood nodded sadly. “I do not enjoy shunning them but I am so tired of being used and thrown away when they can’t get what they want.” The stallion sighed and Oblivion looked to him. He could see the creature leaning down to the pony once more. “Well, if it helps, I see the pony behind it all. I am aware that I am only one pony, but I am willing to see beyond, perhaps that is a start?” The creature fell back at the sudden change in its host. His head came up and he stopped once more. Oblivion stopped and looked back at him. “You most likely have better things to do than listen to my...” “You're what? Foolishness? Blue, it is not a foolish notion to want to be understood by another. In fact, I know several mares… By the Gods now I recognize your name.” Oblivion snorted at his own stupidity. Blue Blood looked confused at the other stallion. “You knew my name?” “Well to be specific I heard it once in passing. A mare that I know has expressed a desire to meet you.” Oblivion paused at the other's look. “Calm down. It's not for your title. If I know anything about that mare its that she doesn’t have a selfish bone in her. She is the embodiment of the Element of Generosity. Her name is Rarity.” Blue Blood looked to him, desire in his eyes. Oblivion gave a low grin. “I truly have your attention now.” The white stallion gave a slight flush before looking away. “Do you know her well?” Oblivion shrugged. “Well enough. I have only recently come to this area. But she is easily one of the most giving ponies I have ever met and I have spent all my life traveling. I’m not certain of the whole reason behind her desire to meet you but if I have learned anything about her and others it’s not for a selfish reason. She is a mare with class and is a business pony in her own right. Her intelligence is clear when you speak with her.” Oblivion looked to Blue Blood who was listening intently. “She might be the one to give you what you desire most. Don’t look at me like I'm wrong, Blue.” Blue Blood looked down as they walked. He looked to the other for a moment before he spoke. “You have mentioned her and I must admit I do wish to meet her. But I get the feeling that she does not live in Canterlot.” “No, she does not. She is in Ponyville.” Oblivion admitted. Blue looked disappointed but stayed silent. “But that is not so far away considering.” He stopped talking when the figure righted itself once more. “But if you wish to send her a letter I’m sure she would respond in moments. I can also send the letter personally if you wish.” “How can you do that?” “A spell I developed that uses my magic to send a letter to any pony I wish it to. Which reminds me I need to send a note to Applejack.” Blue Blood looked at him. “My employer.” Oblivion's horn lit up and a scroll and quill and inkwell appeared. Blue Blood watched as Oblivion scrawled a note, and the scroll rolled up and vanished a small burst of blue flame. “See? I can send it instantly. Don’t worry about me reading it when it is sent. Once I receive it I will forward it to Rarity.” “How would I send it to you? I do not have that ability.” “Hmm. Give me some time to think about that. I need to confirm a couple of things before I give a definitive reply.” He paused when a letter appeared in a blue flame. His magic held it and unrolled the note. He knew it was from Applejack. “What about Apple Bloom's school at noon?” He stopped in his tracks. “Shit.” He looked around. Blue looked at him as he stopped. “I may have to send Luna a letter anyway. I forgot that I had given Apple Bloom my word. Damn it all. Okay. I’m going to need your help. Do you know where Luna or Celestia might be?” Blue looked thoughtful before he responded. “Auntie Celestia should be at court and Aunt Luna should be asleep.” “Could I trouble you to lead me to Celestia?” “Its no problem. You only have an hour to get back to Ponyville that's impossible by train.” “I’m aware. But I won’t be using the train. I’ll teleport as I did yesterday.” Blue Blood stopped and stared at the Black Unicorn. “Can’t stop Blue, keep up.” “That is impossible.” He said as he trotted to catch up the Unicorn. “I have never heard of anypony teleporting that far, successfully. Turn left there.” They moved through the corridors. “I have been told that as well. Twilight said it many times to me the day before and yesterday. That does not change the fact that I did yesterday morning.” Blue Blood looked at him and blinked. “What kind of Unicorn are you? I don’t think even my Aunts can port that far.” “I’m a different kind of Unicorn it seems.” He let Blue Blood take the lead and followed him through the long hallways. They reached a set of large doors. “Okay, now I’m not sure who is in the court right now. So we should probably wait... What are you doing? You know Twilight as well?” “Yes. She moved to Ponyville recently. I’ve been helping her with her magic and she has allowed me to question her about Equestria.” Oblivion looked to the door before turning to it. “I apologize but I do not have time to wait for them to finish blathering at their monarch. I will apologize inside.” “No wait, you can’t.” Blue grabbed at the other's fur but Oblivion slid from his grasp as Blue Blood stood agape at him. Oblivion's magic grabbed the doors and pushed them open. The room went silent as the black stallion walked inside. Celestia even looked stunned at his intrusion. “My apologies, but I have a simple request that will take but a moment of your Princesses time.” He started forward as the room erupted. Oblivion paid them no attention at all as he reached Celestia. “My apologies once more.” He stopped and looked to the rows of yelling council members. His horn lit up and they went silent. Each one had a ring of blue flame around their jaws, silencing them. “Gods below. How do you put up with that? Anyway. Please tell Luna that I greatly enjoyed my time here but I have a prior engagement in Ponyville that I simply cannot miss. Can you pass that along to her? I do not wish to wake her if she is resting.” Celestia broke out of her stupor and nodded. “Yes, I will inform her when she wakes.” She leaned forward. “You must show me that spell. I have been trying to silence them for half an hour.” She snickered behind a hoof. Oblivion chuckled. “I’ll make note of it. Thank you for your aid. Enjoy your council.” He turned and as he closed the door he released his magic and let the others speak once more. Blue Blood still stood in amazed silence. “How did you? Why? What just happened?” Oblivion chuckled as he regarded the other. “You will be pleased to know that I believe I have an idea of how you can send the letters to Rarity through me. Hold still for a moment.” Oblivion tipped his horn till it tapped against Blue Blood. Blue Blood jolted as a spell went into him. Oblivion pulled back and waited for the other to steady. “Simply hold the letter in your own magic and focus on me. My own magic will connect to yours and it should catch hold of the letter on its own. Here.” A scroll appeared in front of them. “Try it.” Blue Blood focused and held the scroll in his golden aura. “Can I have a quill and ink as well?” He looked sheepish to the other stallion. Oblivion shrugged as he conjured the requested items. Blue Blood took them and began writing. He paused suddenly and looked to the other Unicorn. “Follow me. I’m finding myself at a loss for words.” Oblivion nodded after giving him a look. They walked off to the side and outside into a sprawling garden. “What's wrong?” “I am trying to write something to Miss Rarity, but I am finding myself lacking. “ Oblivion barked a laugh. “Just tell her the truth. She will appreciate it. Tell her what you have told me. You will feel better if another is ready and willing to hear from you. You keep letting yourself fall back into the Prince facade you have. I can understand that you need it to deal with some ponies. But, being yourself is often harder than hiding. Try her and you’ll be surprised.” Blue Blood seemed to take heart from his words as the stallion focused on the scroll and wrote. Oblivion walked away from him to give him some privacy. He was surprised to see animals that normally would avoid him coming closer. A very large cat with tawny fur and paws as large as his hooves walked slowly up to him. It was easily as large as most dogs that he had dealt with that weighed a few stones at the lightest. He remained still due to the impressive size of the cat. Normally cats hissed and backed away, their backs arched. He watched as it came up and started nosing his right foreleg. The cat sat in silence and Oblivion moved his claws out of his right hoof and scratched the cat's chin. He was even more surprised when it began to grumble a purr at the scratching. He saw Blue Blood out of the corner of his eye and he sheathed his claws just in case. The big cat rumbled still and grabbed his hoof when he stopped. The cat saw the other Unicorn and growled as it ran off. “None of the animals here are used to ponies. I’m amazed she took a liking to you.” Blue Blood observed as he approached. “As am I. Cats usually hate me,” Oblivion commented. “Have you finished?” “Yes. But I am nervous that it will not be enough. I hope she can see that I do not wish to be known as just a Prince.” He replied. Oblivion put a hoof on his shoulder. “Rarity is not a foolish mare. I will not ask what you said to her as that is personal and meant for her.” His horn lit up as his saddlebags appeared around his body. Blue Blood stared but shook it off. “Alright. Let's see if I did that spell transfer correctly.” Blue Blood focused his magic and thought of the black stallion. The letter vanished in a flash of flame and appeared in Oblivion’s magic. “Perfect. I will deliver it to her when I get back to Ponyville.” The letter disappeared into his saddlebags. “When you send one, put Rarity’s name on the outside so I know who to give it to.” “Perfect, I was going to ask how you will be able to tell if I send you one or her.” Blue Blood looked relieved. Oblivion was pleased to see that the Wraith seemed a bit weaker. The fog that came off of it seemed weaker. “That reminds me. Rarity will be at the Gala as well. I can’t remember its exact name only that it sounded foolish to say.” “The Grand Galloping Gala?” “Yes, that one.” “You truly are not from around here.” “I thought I told you as such. Anyway. It has been a pleasure to meet you Blue Blood. I look forward to our next conversation. But until then I must head back and see to my other obligations.” The black stallion commented. “The pleasure has been mine. I feel better than I have in quite some time. I must admit I was not sure about you when you walked in the door of my quarters. But I am glad that you did. Till next time, my friend.” Blue Blood held out his hoof. Oblivion took his offered hoof and shook it. “Till next time.” “Send me a note when you arrive. I know you said you can make the teleport but I have never heard of it before.” “Sure. That spell will make it simple.” Oblivion focused his magic once more and waited till the pressure was equal to what it was the last time he used it. In a flash of azure flame, he vanished. Blue Blood stared at the place where the black Unicorn had been and he could see that there was no mark left on the grass. He shook his head in amazement. “Quite the feat is it not, nephew?” He spun to see Luna walking to him. “Yes, it is. I was not certain that he was telling the truth when he told me.” A blue flame burst in front of him. A scroll hovered and Blue Blood opened it. “I made it just fine.” Blue Blood laughed at the short note from the Unicorn. “Well, least he made it.” “Are you alright nephew?” The Moon Princess asked. “Yes, why?” “Thou seem lighter. Not that we are not glad to see this change. It is nice to see you smiling. Our sister had commented that thou seemed melancholy and unwilling to be around anypony. Any reason for the pleasant change?” Blue Blood was quiet for a minute. “Well, I think I actually made a friend who has no desire to use me for his own gain and is honest instead of telling me what I want to hear. He did also put me in contact with a mare that sounds like she could be what I have been looking for.” Luna smiled. “He is full of surprises that one. He is the Element of Spirit for a reason.” Blue Blood whirled to look at her. “He’s one of the Elements of Harmony?” Luna blinked and nodded. “Indeed. He is the Element of Spirit. He is the only one who kept the Element with them. Perhaps when next thee meet thou can ask him to show you the armor he received. Tis quite the sight to behold.” She replied with a smile. “He is also our first friend as well.” Blue Blood looked to her and gave a small smile. “I guess he is. Thank you, Aunt Luna.”