“Uh, Princess? What did she just say that has ya so worried? Ah couldn't hear what she said for some reason.” Applejack rubbed at her ear as she looked at Princess Celestia as she stood frozen in place and completely pale. All the other younger mare's were doing much the same, though Twilight was mouthing something to herself. Even Luna was partially in shock as her mouth had dropped open, but her eyes showed that she was more excited than terrified which was shown when she started speaking.
“We can not believe it. That name, how does she know it? Does that mean that-?” She was cut of from saying the name as Celestia sprang into action and shoved a hoof into her mouth.
“Don't say it!? He can't get us if we don't say his name!” Luna looked at her sister in annoyance while the others mares watched on in confusion. Those that knew the princess could see that she was shaken as she was using contractions instead of her usual proper form of speech. Twilight was shaken out of her own musing on hearing her mentor's slip and decided to voice herself.
“Um, princess? Just who is this _______ pony anyways? Not only that, what language is that and how do I even know it?” The solar princess froze up before her head slowly turned towards the purple alicorn, making a strange creaking sound. Twilight winced at the wild look on her mentor's face as well as the creepy smile.
“Twilight, why? Why must you betray me like this?” The purple alicorn reared back at the accusation, her eyes wide and darting around at the others.
“What?! What did I do?! Whatever it was I didn't mean to!” Princess Celestia didn't pay any attention to the now panicking purple princess as she paced around in front of the other ponies.
“Wait, maybe he didn't hear her! That's it his deal was only with us, not them so there's no way that he could have heard her.” The heads of the onlooking ponies, barring the freaked out librarian, followed along with her pacing, before they stopped in shock as something appeared out of nowhere behind her. They all thought they were imagining him until they noticed him tickling Celestia's ear with a wing, causing it to twitch in annoyance.
It was only then that they noticed that the silver figure was not only taller than the sun princess, but also an alicorn as well. Yet unlike the two older alicorns, his mane and tail were bone white and didn't have a spectral appearance and was instead looked to be just barely combed being much like how Rainbow Dash's mane and tail were but a bit neater.
“Yes! That must be it! Only me and my sister can call him and allow him into Equestria, that was the deal! That means we are completely and utterly safe from him and there is no way that he can be here.” The stallion leaned his head over to the mentally disturbed princess until his head was next to her ear.
“Oh, I don't know about that. I mean we did agree on the word princess, and not you or Lulu specifically.” The princess froze up at the tenor voice that spoke into her ear before tilting her head upwards until she was looking into the deep gray eyes behind her. Letting out a whinny of fright she scrambled away before turning to get a clear look at who it was and, upon seeing who it was, tried to compose herself though her voice still wavered.
“_______, you're here. How great to see you after all this time. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me I have a very important meeting that I have to get to so bye!” Princess Celestia attempted to leave the room but before she could reach it the door slammed shut in front of her. She froze in place for a moment before lighting up her horn, but that moment was long enough for her to be caught be the stallion as he slung a foreleg around the back of her neck.
“Why the rush, Celly? We haven't seen each other in a very long time. I mean it's not like you agreed to call me whenever something major came up and you needed the help. I'm sure that banishing little Lulu was the only option that you had, right?” The princess' eyes darted around, looking for an escape path as she was pulled closer to the stallion.
“That isn't the only incident either. There was Sombra, and Discord and a whole bunch of others that you could have called me to help with, yet you didn't and they eventually came back once again since you didn't deal with them well enough. So what do you think I'm going to do to you now?” Everyone's eyes widened at those words, Celestia's more than the others. Before any of them could react the stallion's other hoof came up and started roughly rubbing at her head, causing her to begin flailing her hooves.
“No! Stop! Not the noogies! Stop touching me! I am the sun!” The younger ponies stared dumbfounded at what was going on while Luna's eyes started to tear up. Granny Smith herself stood off to the side with a smile as she watched the alicorns interact.
“What the buck is going on!? Just who is this stallion!?” There was no direct answer to Rainbow Dash's question, but it was answered all the same as Luna bounded forward with a yell before pouncing onto the two.
“Big Brother! We have missed you!” Jaws dropped at the moon princess' exclamation.
“Brother!?” The chorus of yells caused the three tussling alicorns to stop and look over at the younger ponies. The stallion blinked at them before lifting a hoof.
“Ahh, just one moment. I still have my other sister to deal with then I'll be right with you.” Luna blinked before looking at her brother with worry. The stallion tossed his other foreleg around her neck to prevent her from running as he began to speak.
“No you aren't getting off easy little Lulu. When your sister ignored you you could have called on me instead of trying to kill everyone in the world. I almost had to step in myself in an official capacity, but luckily for you your punishment was already chosen for you.” Luna gulped audibly at her brother mentioning having to show up professionally but she looked confused about the latter part. Her eyes widened when his horn lit up before she was partially blinded by it flashing, leaving her feeling off.
“Wh-what did you do to me?” Luna tilted her head as she registered the sound of her own voice before her hooves darted up to her throat.
“Mirror! I need a mirror!” The watching mares only nodded in shock as Rarity levitated over a nearby mirror in front of the princess. Her mouth dropped open in shock as she beheld the image before her. Gone was her regal stature and flowing mane to be replaced with the view she had seen after she had been cleansed of the effects of Nightmare Moon. In fact she was no taller than Twilight was at this moment and she lifted a hoof up towards her limp mane before turning towards her brother with a pout.
“Oh come on! Do you know how long it took for me to get that illusion to work!?” Luna lit her horn up for a moment before frowning and stomping her hoof. “Oh come on! I can't even put it back up?” As she glared at her brother he just smirked before ruffling at her mane.
“Now Lulu, you should know better than to try and get out of your punishments. You know we agreed not to do that anymore. Besides, you look cute like this, little Loony.” The blue princess frowned at her brother before she leapt at him with a growl. The elder alicorn only smirked as he lifted a hoof to her forehead and held her back as Luna windmilled her front hoofs at him as she yelled in anger at him.
“Hold it! Just what the buck is going on here?! Who is this stallion and how does he even know the princesses?! And why can't we hear his name?!” Rainbow Dash stomped aggressively towards the male alicorn with her wings spread aggressively. Celestia just sighed before speaking in the most deadpan voice possible.
“Everypony, this is our elder brother, _______. _______, this is everypony, you can go away now.” The sun princess' dry tone caused a few eyebrows to rise, though the ponies with siblings could tell that they really were related as the could recognize the response as they had done it at one time or other. The stallion just chuckled as he ruffled his sister's mane with a wing.
“Oh Celly, you're so silly. That's not how you do an introduction. You know that Aspects can't hear our true names unless it is gifted to them. Besides, I have a new name I go by now.” The stallion cleared his throat before flinging his wings wide, knocking his sisters back to the walls.
“Behold! For before you the One Who Watches! The One Who Guides Lost Souls to the Afterlife! The Alicorn of Death! For I am-!” For as impressive as his introduction was, it was easily interrupted as a pair of pony projectiles plowed through the portcullis of the room and pounced the proud pegacorn.
“Grandpa Morty!”
“What!? No!? That's not my name, it's-!” The stallion was stopped again by a green hoof covering his muzzle and he looked down into the eyes of Granny Smith.
“Ah just let them have this sweetie. Ya know that our foals could never say yer name so why even bother trying ta stop them?” The stallion pouted before the old mare pulled his head down and planted a deep kiss on his lips. Jaws all around the room dropped at the sight of the two snogging and when they stopped the stallion just sighed.
“But just once I want to use the name I picked. It took me months to come up with Manchioneel Apple.” The stallion pouted for a moment more before sighing and looking down at the two limpets attached to his legs. One of them he recognized easily enough, but the other was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
“Well, hello to you little Applebloom. My have you grown. But you? You I don't remember at all.” The pink pony attached to his leg looked up at him with a giant smile.
“Of course not silly. This is the first time we've met. But my Granny Pie used to tell me stories about my great great great great...” This continued on for a while, causing his eyes to glaze over. “... great great grandfather who was an alicorn that just abandoned his daughter when she married into the Pie family.” The stallion frowned for a moment before a memory came to him causing him to wince and look at Granny Smith.
“My little sweet apple pie? You remember our third daughter, right? Apple Dumpling? Well, Apple Pie after she left us.” Granny Smith looked thoughtful for a moment before her eyes widened.
“Wait. Ya mean tha one that married that Discordian fella? Aye, ah still regret not talking ta her after she left with that odd fella.” She stopped as her eyes widened in realization as she looked at the pink baker pony wrapped around the stallion's leg.
“Wait, wait, wait! You?! And her?! When did this happen?!” The two looked over at Celestia as she stared at them in confusion. While the stallion was amused at her look, the green mare just sighed and shook her head in realization.
“Well ah guess tha cat is outta tha bag. Just give me a moment.” Jaws dropped once more as the earth pony closed her eyes and started to glow. The years began to melt away from Granny Smith as her wrinkles started to smooth away and her mane began to brighten to a pale yellow. Soon the transformation had finished, leaving her looking not much older than any of the other ponies. Once the glow faded, Celestia turned a glare on her brother as she now recognized the mare as one she had met a long time ago.
“You have a lot of explaining to do, buster! I can't believe that I didn't recognize her before, but she is the exact same pony that is the daughter of the one I gifted the land of Ponyville to in the past! The only way she could still be alive is if you had something to do with this and you know the rules regarding the abuse of an Aspects talents!” The stallion just snorted as he draped a wing over the mare.
“Oh fie on the rules! There was no way I was going to let my wife just die on me if I had anything to say about it and I will defy the universe itself if I had to to keep her by my side.” Granny Smith reached up to rest a hoof on his cheek which calmed him down before he could go on further with his rant before she turned to the princess.
“Ah don't get why yer so angry at yer brother. Ah heard about tha rules from him and ah don't see how he is breaking them. Death eventually claims all. That was tha rule. Well he certainly has done that, hasn't he?” The silver alicorn smiles fondly down at his wife.
“Don't you mean that it was you that claimed me? I seem to recall that you were the one that held me down that first time.” Granny Smith's face turned bright red at that before she buried her face under his wing and kicking him in the ankle. The other mares soon joined in as what he said fully registered with them while he laughed at the reaction. The only one that didn't understand the comment was still attached to his leg and looked up at him curiously.
“Grandpa? Why is everypony blushing like that? And if you're here does that mean that Applejack is gonna get all better now?” Looking down, the stallion ruffled his daughter's mane with a smile.
“You'll understand when you are older. As for your sister, why don't you ask her yourself?” The stallion waved a wing over to the bed-ridden mare to reveal that the mostly bald mare was moving.
“Ugh, what the hay hit me?” As she rubbed at her head her eyes opened to find the area around her hoof bare of fur. Quickly examining her body, she found the rest of her body was bare as well.
“What the?! Who the buck shaved me when ah was asleep?!” The farm mare looked up and her eyes locked on to Rainbow Dash at the foot of her bed. Her eyes quickly narrowed at the cyan mare as her mind connected the few clues that she had.
“Rainbow Dash! This had better not be-!” She was cut off as she was pounced by her friends and her sister when they shook off their surprise.
“Applejack! You're okay!” The farm mare looked confused at first before her memory caught up with her at what last happened before she woke up. Her eyes darted around at her friends and took in the bald patches each of them had where she remembered seeing them get hit.
“Wait just a moment. What about you all? Fluttershy! Your eyes! They're back! But I thought...” The pegasus winced at the memory but didn't let go of her hug.
“It was nothing really, a filly came to help out and helped everypony. You were the last one that was hurt.” It was only then that they all remembered the reason why they were all in the room in the first place and started looking around for her. The apple patron raised an eyebrow at this as he was only there as he heard his name twice, he ignored the first as it was in Equestria and not from a princess, yet thinking back the voice sounded familiar. They quickly found the filly when their attention was drawn towards the window by Pinkie Pie's voice.
“So whatcha doing?” Looking over they found Pinkie standing behind the filly as she was trying to open the window of the room. Eyes narrowed as they focused on the filly, or more specifically her saddlebags which were bulging with a variety of objects that were obviously from storage areas of the room as blankets and toilet paper were sticking out of the bulging bags.
“I'm *grunt* trying to open *hrph* this window.” Pinkie tilted her head to the side while looking at the filly.
“Why?”
“Because I'm trying to get outside without being noticed.”
“Why?”
“Because the faster I get out of here the longer it takes for the inevitable pitchfork wielding mob to find me, stupid ungrateful ponies. Clear their homes of corruption, save their lives, and what do they do? Attack me as soon as they no longer need me. Ungrateful little whelps.” The filly pauses in her efforts to open the window as she realizes something.
“And just why am I telling you all of this anyways? What are...?” She whips around to find herself face-to-face with a pink pony that she had never met before. She frowned in confusion at the pitying look the mare was giving her before the mare just smiled.
“Okie doki loki!” With that the mare bounced off to elsewhere in the room, allowing the filly to see the rest of the room. She froze up when she saw that the entire room was staring at her, before turning to begin beating on the window with her hooves, dropping any sense of stealth she had earlier. She let out a squeak of panic when she felt a wing placed over her back.
“I thought the first voice to call my name was familiar. So how have you been, my diminutive student? And did you think that I would show up without making sure my sister wouldn't be able to run away?” The alicorn smirked down at the unicorn as she stood frozen in place. The voice got through to her though, causing her to start growling before she smacked the wing with a hoof.
“Don't touch me! And how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that!? I left you behind since there was nothing else you could teach me. I only kept in contact with you because you just would not leave me alone!” Princess Celestia rolled her eyes at her words and muttered over to her sister.
“I know that feeling.” The alicorn stallion just ignored her and started ruffling at her mane, causing her to flail her hooves wildly at him. The rest of the group looked on in confusion before one of them finally lost her patience.
“Just what the buck is going on here!? I know I've already asked, but seriously, what the buck? Who is this filly and why is she stealing from the hospital of all places now? And how in Tartarus does she know how to fix what that creature did to us!?” The other mares nodded at Rainbow Dash's words, but they looked offended when the filly snorted at them in derision.
“I didn't steal anything. This is payment. What, you think that ponies would actually give me bits or anything for helping them? Or even allow me into their stores to buy stuff even if they did pay me? The only bits I have are ones that I scammed out of those incompetent Royal Guard ponies, and that was many decades ago.” Celestia frowned at this, causing her to join in on the conversation.
“What do you mean by that? The Royal Guard are some of the best trained ponies in all of Equestria.” The filly wasn't the only one to roll her eyes at this claim, as both of the other older alicorns and Rainbow Dash joined in as well.”
“Seriously? If that's the best there is then I have to wonder how this country even exists. A group of your guards snatched me up years ago to take me to an orphanage. So in order to escape I animated some of the animal skeletons under the ground nearby. The idiots then tried to hunt down an unknown necromancer while trying to defend me, even though my horn was glowing black. After a while I got bored and just walked away. A week later I found wanted posters all over searching for a necromancer with me as a foalnap victim. So out of boredom I turned myself in for both, collected the rewards, then walked right out of the outpost with the sack of bits.” While Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie burst out laughing, the four alicorns just brought a hoof up to their face at this.
“I am going to have to go through all those old reports and see how many of them were because of you, aren't I?” None of them said anything to Celestia, but some of them agreed with her and wondered just how much trouble this filly was going to be. She had stopped struggling in the stallion's grip and just sat there grumpily as he poked at her. All heads turned when the door opened one more time, revealing three small figures on the other side.
“Whoa! What did we all miss?” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo pushed by Spike when they saw their sisters in the room. They made a fuss of their shaved features, but were relieved to find that they had been healed of their injuries and would recover. With them all distracted once again by the trio, Angelic Chorus would have attempted to escape again, yet her eyes were drawn to one of the new figures. Scootaloo flinched when she felt a hoof rubbing between her wings, and when she looked back she found an unknown filly poking at her.
“What they hay are you doing?” The unicorn ignored her as she continued to prod at her back. Frowning in concern, Angelic Chorus looked over at the grown mares.
“This is odd, this is a very old injury, and I think I can feel that a bit of faded necromantic magic is part of the cause. How come you never took your daughter to have this checked out? Not that they could have helped much.” Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo exchanged looks before the older pony looked at the filly in confusion.
“Um, what? She's just an adopted sister, not my daughter. And what's wrong with her wings?” The unicorn filly raised an eye brow at her before shaking her head.
“Not you, her. Their magical frequencies line up perfectly.” All eyes follow the filly's hoof until they land on the surprised and confused figure of Twilight Sparkle.
“WHAT!?”