The Elder Dragons of Equestria

by FanboyGamer3E

Chapter 4. Fake smiles and Tragic troubles.

3rd person POV

"It's no trouble." Twilight said warmly "Now, let's go through this one more time."

"We've been over this a million time Twilight." Rainbow said. "We found all six keys, defeated and or killed Tirek, and got this sweet castle, end of story."

"Yes, but why?"

"I don't know SugarCube. Maybe it's just your new house and there ain't nothing more to it than that." AppleJack suggested.

"I must say, speaking strictly on aesthetics, there really doesn't need to be more to it. It's all simply divine." Rarity gushed.

"I agree with Twilight." FlutterShy said kindly. "And Rarity, and AppleJack, and Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, and Nergi. Oh, and probably Spike."

"Me and Pinkie didn't say anything." Nergi stated. "And Spike's asleep."

"There has to be more to this castle." Twilight said firmly. "Think about it for a second. As Princess, I've been chosen to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville, it does make any senses." Twilight sat in her throne and the Cutie Mark emblems on the thrones of the main six glowed before each creating crystals which converged in the middle of the room creating a bright light. Once the light had dispelled everypony looked to see a table made of crystal which had a holographic map of Equestria on it.

At that moment spike woke up from his nap ad gazed at the map before asking. "Is that new? I like it."

"Well now, this is... interesting." Nergi said in a fake nervous voice, knowing full well what that map was having watched the show. It was the Cutie Map, a seemingly omniscient mystical artifact which would later on send the mane six on various friendship quests.

"Interesting doesn't even cover it." Spike said hopping up on the table. "This is incredible, it's got all of Equestria."

"Hi Mom and Dad." Pinkie said while looking down on her family home on the map.

"Uuuuh Twilight, your butt is flashing." Nergi said pointing to Twilight's Cutie Mark.

Twilight and the others looked at their Cutie Marks which where indeed flashing. The flashing creating an image of the Marks which rose into the air before lowering to a small village on the map. The village was located in a desert like area.

"Now 'that' was interesting." Spike said before being levitated off the table by Twilight.

"But, if this is ponyville, why are our Cutie Marks over there?" FlutterShy asked.

"I don't know, but it seems like the map wants us to find out." Twilight said. "Think about it, the tree, the chest, this castle, and now the map, how can we not follow it."

"Y'know what, there's a ton of room for dangerous adventure along that route. Count me in." Rainbow said.

"Ah shoot, I reckon yer right." AppleJack added.

"Well I was planning on organizing me baking sheets, but okay." Pinkie said in a hyper tone.

Rarity sighed and said. "Very well."

Everypony's gaze then turned to FlutterShy who shyly said. "Um, maybe I'll just stay here with Spike."

"Awesome." Spike exclaimed, now wearing a foam finger claw and a drinking helmet. "Me and Big Mac have a huge weekend ahead of us, taking Hoofball, and trading hoofball cards, and arguing about hoofball stats."

"On second thought, maybe I'd better go with them, incase they need me."

"Count me in to, maybe there'll be a creature from my world there causing the trouble." Nergi said. It wasn't necessarily a lie since there was a strong possibility of a beast from the Monster Hunter Universe running around, after all the tester never specified when or where the creature would appear once sent to Equestria. But he also didn't want to get roped into the aspects of Hoofball. He was never really much of a fan of sports when he was human, much less with sports from other Universes.

"Looks like it's time for a road trip." Twilight said.

"Well suit yourself, but he's got a Hawk Fetlock rookie card I plan to sweet talk into these hot little claws." Spike said as the group left.
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2 1/2 Hours later

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After a long train ride, as well as a trek through the environment, the group finally reached the little village the map had lead them to. The Village was small and overly simplistic, It had a single road with a row of six house on either side and a final house at the end, totaling thirteen buildings.

"That's it, that's the place on the map." Twilight said.

"Duh that's what the author just said, or is it wrote. Eh whatever." Pinkie stated while break the forth wall.

"Wait what did she say about an author?" Nergi asked.

"Do worry about her dearie, she just being Pinkie Pie." Rarity said in a calming tone. "Right then, now let's get down there and find the spa."

"Wait." Twilight interjected. "We don't know why the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in, it could be dangerous."

"Yes." Rainbow said in delight while pumping her fist.

"I'm an Elder Dragon, the only thing more dangerous than me is a more powerful Elder Dragon." Nergi said.

"Stay behind me everypony." Pinkie said pushing her way to the front of the group. "I got this."

"Careful Pinkie." AppleJack said in a worried tone.

Pinkie herself was already rolling down the hill, with much more stealth than anypony though possible. Once at the bottom she motioned the others to follow her down before zipping underneath various rocks until getting to the largest one and moving it to in front of the town. The group made there way behind the rock and looked over to gaze at the town, which was over all not that impressive. The buildings where all relatively the same with the only ones to stick out being a bookstore, a tavern, a food store, and a clothing store.

"This is where the map sent us? It looks like the most boring place in Equestria." Rainbow said bitterly.

"Rainbow's right." AppleJack added "That's just an ordinary village full of ordinary pony folk."

"It could certainly use a few more architectural flourishes." Rarity said. "Or any architectural flourishes for that matter. Just look how drab and uniform the buildings look."

"I think it looks lovely." FlutterShy said, enjoying the simplicity of the town.

"I don't like it. I don't like it one bit." Pinkie stated.

"What makes you say that Pinkie." AppleJack asked. "You're usually the friendliest Pony in Ponyville."

"Look at the smiles on all their faces. I know smiles, and those smiles, their just not right."

"Forget the smiles, look at the Cutie Marks." Twilight said, pointing out the fact that everypony had the exact same Cutie Mark in the shape of an Equal Sign.

"Okay, that's weird." Rainbow said.

"Not just weird, it's impossible." Twilight added. "An entire village with the same Cutie Mark, how can that be?"

"I bet there's some sort of horrific monster behind it." Rainbow suggested.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because fighting a horrific monster would be super awesome. Am I right Nergi? Nergi?"

Nergi was currently facing away from the town into the wilderness, occasionally sniffing the air. He turned to the group and said, "You're right about there being a monster here Rainbow, there's a two creatures from my world here."

"Wait, something from you're world did this?" Twilight asked

"No, but that doesn't change the fact that something's here. You girls should go and try to find out what's happening with the town, I'll go find any evidence of what we might be dealing with."

"I'm with Nergi, I reckon we should just head into town and talk to some locals, find out what's goin on." AppleJack suggest. "If anything goes wrong we can just call Nergi hear and he can take care of it."

"Great idea, let's go." Rainbow said.

"Alright, hold still Nergi." Twilight said before casting a spell on the dragon. "If anything goes wrong, I'll transmit a signal which will cause the runes on you paws to pulsate."

"Better have that transmission on standby Twilight." Pinkie said "Because those smile are bad news."

"Right, I'll meet back up with you guys at sun down if nothing happens." Nergi said before flying off. "Good thing I actually have something to do besides wait around, If I manage to get the drop on Starlight I can keep the girls from loosing their Cutie Marks and put everything in the village back to normal, it is weird that one of the scents I was picking up was coming from the village though, whatever it probably just wanders into town at night and spooks the local."

Nergi landed a ways away from the village and began to investigate the surrounding area. He sniffed the air a bit before following the scent to a field of cacti. Once in a while he would find a patch of cacti that had been almost completely eaten, with only the bottom most parts being left to grow back. He also noticed several foot prints leading to a hole in the ground that lead into a collapsed tunnel. Nergi took flight once again to scout the surrounding area, and landed once he noticed a massive sinkhole in the sand. "The scent is stronger here." He thought to himself, "There's also signs of battle. Ponies, probably the ones from the village, they were fighting something big, and with a pair of large horns or claws. By the lack of any blood looks like they managed to pull it off. Still there should be some blood, even weak monsters have to be fought in order to properly capture them so there should be some blood from the monster, but there isn't, not even a little bit. Which means that either the ponies have up right when shit hit the fan or they used some kind of magic to take control of it. There's also a chance that they made some kind of deal with it, but if I'm right about what kind of monster it is, that option is highly unlikely. I should go tell the girls about this."

Nergi began to run back to the boulder behind the village, choosing to not fly so as to not attract any unwanted attention from the village ponies. "By this point the girls should have learned about the Cutie Unmarking Starlight does, if they're not at the rock to tell me what they've learn I'll head straight to the cave and wait there." Upon reaching the rock and seeing that the girls are not there, he then ran over to the cave where the Cutie Unmarking ritual is held. Seeing the cave being empty, save for the Cutie Mark Vault, he then proceeded to climb up to the ceiling and wait till the group to arrive.

"Just through here." Starlight said as she lead the girls into the cave, to present the main attraction."Behold, our Cutie Mark Vault." Nergi noticed that Starlight has wearing a bit of jewelry, specifically necklace with an round orange jewel hanging from it and a tiara which resembled Twilight's element of harmony, only instead of a purple the gem was an electric blue. She also seemed to be carrying a pole or staff on her back which was rapped in cloth.

"Right on time." Nergi thought to himself while cracking a smirk. "Now I just gotta wait till Starlight tries to steal the girl's Cutie Marks, then I'll jump in at the last moment and save the day."

"I-I've never seen anything like it." Twilight said in astonishment.

"And here is the Staff of Sameness." Starlight said taking the staff in here magic. "It was one of the great mage MeadowBrook's nine enchanted item's, we are incredible fortunate to have it here. This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks." Starlight paused before asking. "I'm curious, how 'did' the subject of the vault come up?"

"Oh some ponies we're telling us how much they miss their Cutie Marks and-" Pinkie began before being cut off by twilight.

"Pinkie!"

"Oops."

"Were they?" Starlight gasped in fake surprise. "Well it seems you inspire all sorts of free thinking, don't you."

Rarity, trying to defuse the situation, giggle before saying. "Well, w-we certainly didn't intend to cause and disruptions to your charming little-."

"Good." Starlight interrupted, a hit of sadistic satisfaction in her voice. "Let's just make sure of that, shall we." At that moment the ponies of the village began to step out from the darkness and encircle the mane six.

"It's a trap." Twilight said, accidentally quoting Star Wars.

"No shit." Nergi said while growing out his spike. "Raise a shield."

"WHO SAID THAT?" Starlight asked while looking around the room.

"A DRAGON WHO'S COME TO CHANGE DESTINY." Nergi shouted triumphantly before dropping down from the ceiling on to Twilight's shield, sending spike flying. "NERGAL CRUSHER." He spread his wings and let out a roar, frightening the village ponies. "I had a feeling about this place, so I searched around and found this place."

"An Elder Dragon?" Starlight said in with a surprised look on her face, which soon turned to a devious grin. "My, my, your kind are just popping up all over the place aren't you."

"Wait, how do you know about Elder Dragons?"

"Let's just say the Staff of Sameness wasn't the only thing I found in these caves. But that's of no concern to you. LIGHTINGBOLT, ATTACK."

A sudden flash of electricity blasted from deep within the cave, striking Nergi and giving him a dose of thunder blight. "Wh-what the hell." Nergi said before screaming in pain as another shock ran through his body. "AAAH damnit, this sucks, I'm getting struck by lightning and I don't even know where it's coming from. Doesn't help that I have a three star weakness against lightning, AAH SON OF A BITCH." Nergi looked around to see where the bolts where coming from, that's when he noticed a light blue unicorn wearing a cloak. The unicorn charge the lighting through it's horn and fired, electrocuting Nergi once again. "Damnit, enough of this I need to break the staff, if I do that then the Cutie Marks will be released."

"Now then, are you done?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm done. Done with THIS SHIT." Nergi shouted before covering his fist in spikes, jumping forward, and attacking with, "NERGAL RAM." Starlight used her magic to hold him in place before he could do a thing.

"That was a close one." Starlight said, sarcasm practically dripping from her voice, "But you're now close enough for me to use my trump card." Starlight took out the staff on her back and unwrapped it with he magic, it looked to have been carved from wood, and had an ornate figure on top. The figure was of a dragon clutching a glowing orb half its size. "This is the Staff of Taming."

"Is that what allowed you to tame monster from my world."

"Why yes actually, care to see how it works." Without waiting for a response Starlight blasted Nergi with the staff making him scream in pain before going in lip. Starlight released Nergi from her magic and let him drop to the floor, the dragon twitched before getting to his feet and growling before letting out a roar, Nergi slashed at Starlight who teleported out of the way. He then grabbed on of the village ponies by the neck and threw him at the mage. As Starlight teleported around he began to barrel through the crowd, slamming ponies into walls as he did so. "Nergi stop, we came here to save the ponies, not hurt them." Twilight shouted.

Nergi turned to the girls and let out a roar as he charged towards them and pounded on the shield with animalistic fury. Before Twilight had anytime to repair the shield Nergi had broken through, grabbed her by the neck, and began to slam her around like a rag doll.

"LIGHTNING, RESTRAIN HIM." Starlight shouted. At her command the unicorn called LightningBolt shot Nergi with an powerful electric shock which induced a series of muscle spasms through out his whole body. The other ponies began to bind Nergi's limbs with chains, they bound his wings to his horns, chained his front legs together behind his back, and finally chained his back legs to his tail. "Don't worry about your dragon friend, he's not himself, the staff has made his hind regress back to a primal state, the only draw back is that the staff needs two days to recharge, but from there I'm free to mold him into a loyal pet."

"You mean mind slave." Twilight said bitterly.

"That's such a mean phrase, both Lightning and the Earth Demon have the same rights as everypony else, which reminds me, we've yet to make you on of us."
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1st Person POV

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I open my eyes and see that I'm in a bed of, I bring a hand to my head and realize I'm a human again, and I'm also naked. I sit up to see that I'm the little bed I'm lying in is right in the front of a group of people in sitting in what looks to be a church. They're all looking staring at their feet and talking to each other. I look over the crowd and my eyes land on my brother. "Oh come on really?" I ask while getting out of bed. "I swear Trevor, you've come up with some bullshit pranks over the years, but this takes the cake and eats it right in front of a group of starving Ethiopian children, you must have been planning this shit for months. Well come on asshole, laugh, laugh at the naked asshole, yeah and while your at it kiss it." Turn around and spread my anus in Trevors face, before turning back around and continuing my rant. "WELL ASSHOLE, COME ON SAY SOMETHING, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME AND DO THAT SHIT EATING LAUGH YOU KNOW I HATE." At that moment a priest come out from in back of the building. "Oh, oh really, you've even got the priest going along with your damn joke." I say walking back up to the little box bed. "Well HA HA ha?"

I feel an initial confusion at what's before me but the realization slowly kicks. Well I say it slowly kicks in but in reality I just don't know what to think, but when the though finally get it in my head it hits me like a flaming Semi-truck. "Oh, I see now." I turn away from the casket and my body lying inside it.

"We will now commence the last rights of-." Right when the priest says my name I here the sound of static.

"Oh come on man, I don't even get to here my name at my own funeral, that just ain't right." I look up to the other end of the church and see a figure clothed in black, think the stereotypical Grim Reaper only without the scythe and skeleton body. I walk over to the figure and say, "Listen guy, I know you're just doing your job, but I'm not in the mood for this, come talk to me after the actual burial." The Reaper does say anything but just fades away out of the church. I look back to the alter and look as the priest gives me my last rights, I crack a smirk and begin to cry while thinking to myself. "I never thought I'd live to see my own funeral. Heh, when I say that out loud it sounds super cheesy. Why the hell am I talking to myself?"
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3rd Person POV

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After Starlight had removed their Cutie Marks, and had the feral Nergi locked away further into the cave, the mane six where imprisoned in a kind of reconditioning cottage. They where to stay in there until they had accepted and joined the community of the town. After a long night of thinking Twilight had finally had an idea.

"I got it." She exclaimed "I know how we can get out."

Rainbow sighed and said. "Forget it Twilight, this door's not opening."

"And I'm afraid these windows are too small for escape." Rarity added.

"But there is a third way."

"OF COURSE! Eventually the wind will whether down the walls until they start to crumble, then we'll just wait for a big enough hole to form and just walk right out, IT'S THE PERFECT PLAN." Pinkie said in her usual happy tone, which was subsequently lessened by the effects of the Equal Mark. "I guess."

"What did you have in mind Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"Well I was thinking of how to get out of here all night." Twilight explained. "Then it just hit me, we don't actually have to escape, they'll just let us out when they think we've accepted their philosophy."

"But they're never gonna believe we switched over in just one night." AppleJack argued.

"There's one of us they might believe." Twilight said turning everypony's attention to a certain yellow pegasus.

"Me!?!" FlutterShy asked in surprise.

"Of course you." Rainbow stated. "You've been saying how great this place is since we got here."

"That's because everypony's so nice, and their village is so pretty, and, and-" Without any other excuses FlutterShy gave in. "Oh you're right, they probably would believe me. But I'd hate to lie to them, they've been so welcoming and friendly, aside from locking us in here and trying to brain wash us into abandoning the things that make us special, not to mention turning Nergi into a feral beast." With a new found burst of confidence and a determination to aid her new friend FlutterShy steeled her nerves and said. "Okay, I'll do it."

"WOOHOO." Pinkie shouted, before having her joy suppressed by the mark. "I mean, cool."

"But, what do I do once I'm out?"

"First things first, you need to see how Nergi's doing." Twilight said. "Then you need to find a way to get our Cutie Marks back. After that I can find a way to get Nergi back to normal."

"Oh good morning." Starlight said over the intercom before walking inside. "I trust you had a pleasant night. This why please there are some friends who'd like to see you." Starlight lead the mane six out of the cabin were the town's ponies where all gathering. "Gather round friends, Gather round. We've come to ask is any of you are ready to join us, there are so many friends to be made once you realize you don't need your Cutie Marks, or the talents that come with them." Starlight made sure to say that last bit with an extra snide tone of voice.

"We have a welcome ceremony for new friends." A snow colored Earth Pony said. "The whole village joins together to build you your very own cottage."

"NOT INTERESTED." Rainbow snapped. "You may have them now, but we're going to get our Cutie Marks back."

"Y'all don't understand, do ya. Ya can't force nopony to be friends, it don't work like that." AppleJack added.

"Please, Join us." One of the Village ponies said, ignoring the previous statements.

"We love new friends." Another added.

"It's all right everypony." Starlight said. "This is a perfectly normal part of the equalization process for those who haven't quite seen the light yet." She turned to the mane six and continued. "We'll try again tomorrow, once you have had a bit more time to consider our philosophy."

As the girls walked back inside, Twilight tapped FlutterShy on the leg. Reminding her of the plan.

"I'd like to join." FlutterShy said before shyly putting her hooves to her face. She was either nervous from all the attention or she was a really good actor.

"FlutterShy, How could you?" Twilight asked with fake surprise.

"If giving up my Cutie Mark means I get to stay in the lovely village with these lovely Ponies, then I'll do it."

Twilight gave her best "Betrayed" face and walked into the cottage, cracking a smirk as she was through the doorway. Starlight closed and locked the door before turning back to the crowd and saying. "We have a new friend everypony." The village ponies gathered around FlutterShy, welcoming here with open hooves.

"Now, there's one more order of business." Starlight said grabbing the pony's attention before doing a bit of acting herself. "It seems some in our midst might be dissatisfied with the village life." The village ponies all gasped in surprise, after giving them enough time to pick up their jaws, she continued. "Unfortunately it's all too true my friends." Starlight turned to FlutterShy and asked, "Would you kindly tell us the names of those 'friends' who so desperately miss their Cutie Marks that they would sneak around in the shadows talking to strangers about it. Just so we can make sure your intentions are indeed pure."

"MISS STARLIGHT." A pony shouted, while running towards the group. "The Spiky Dragon has broken free again, LightningBolt is fighting him as we speak."

"Maybe I can help." FlutterShy asked. "I was good at working with animals when I had my Cutie Mark, maybe I can somehow calm him down."

At that moment a ball of thunder slammed into the ground and LightningBolt was flung into the side of the Reconditioning Cottage. Nergi charged out from the dust and was about to continue beating the Unicorn when FlutterShy got between them, using The Stare to intimidate the Dragon.

"Nergi, stop this right now. This isn't you, you're a nice Dragon, you helped us stop Tirek, we saved Equestria together, so please just calm down and stop fighting."

Nergi snarled and raised his claw to slash at the Pegasus. Suddenly a pair of massive horns erupted from the ground and impaled Nergi's wings, making him unable to get free. "Now Lightning, electrocute him." Starlight commanded. Lightning got to his feet, and from this distance FlutterShy could see his face. The Unicorn had a blueish-white coat, a white beard and massive sideburns, bright yellow eyes, and its horn looked to be made of some sort of blue crystal which had grown in a spiral formation. Kirin began to charge a massive amount of electricity in his body before unleashing it in a single burst. Nergi reeled in shock before being pulled to the ground by the horns. As he convulsed a squad of village ponies began to bind his limbs together, this time using a greater number of chains.

"I told you before, he's not you're friend anymore." Starlight said walking up to FlutterShy. "He's just a savage beast running purely on instinct and aggression. Still we're fortunate you were the first to join us, if you didn't intimidate him with that death glare he probably would have beaten Lightning into the group."

"Will he be able to go back to normal?"

"The feral period should were off by tomorrow then he'll just go into a deep sleep, probably to give his body time to rest from that rampaging. I manipulate his mind when he's in that sleep and bind his mind to a special crystal which grows out of his body."

"Is that how you could control Lightning and that thing that held Nergi in place."

"Yes actually. In fact Lightning didn't even go through a feral period, he just walked around like some kind of regal beast, I actually had to shrink him down to the size of a normal pony because he was too big for the village. If I didn't he'd be twice is size, that's in both height and length."

"That reminds me earlier when the first fought Nergi could barely do anything to Lightning, what happened?"

"He's worn out, you might not believe this but this is actually the third time your dragon friend has escaped and went on a rampage. Everypony has had barely anytime to sleep in between breakouts, and Lightning needs it the most since he's the only one who can effectively fight him without causing a cave in or leveling the Village. I'd make the Earth Demon smaller if I could, but it took all I had just to get Lightning to normal size."

"I see. Well I hope I've proved myself to be trustworthy."

Starlight smirked and said. "I suppose you have. But you'll still need to tell me the names of those ponies who told you and your friends about the Vault. But I suppose that can wait till later."
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1st Person POV

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I gotta say, there's something about staring at your name on a gravestone that just really makes you think about your life, or in my case lack there of. Not to mention the fact that I can't even read my name, what's written on the stone just looks like a mash of different symbols highlighted in Brail. For those of you who don't know what brail is, it's basically a bunch of dots that blind people read with their hands. The only reason I know this is my grave is because I spent the past 4 hours watching my family members cry at it. It probably would have been longer but it started to rain. Fun fact ghost can actually feel things like cold and wet, the only difference is that the feeling actually runs though your body when the rain phases through you. So here I sit, cold and wet, on the inside and out (Wow that sounded wrong), thinking about how much it sucks that I can't even read the name on my own gravestone. I can honestly say that I have never felt more depressed.

"I know you're here." I say to the Reaper behind me. He had been there for a while but I suppose he was just being polite and giving me my space. "You wanna have a seat, neither of us have anything better to do?"

"You seem to be taking your death rather well." He says as he sits down next to me. "Most spirits who died at your age would be crying about all the things they never got to do."

"Yeah well most of them are probably school shooting victims, so they probably couldn't come to terms with it on their own. Where as I bled to death so I had a bit of time to my thoughts and settle with things. I'm more upset with the fact that my family buried me, I told them time and again I wanted to be an organ donor, I felt it was a kind of last bit of kindness I could do in death."

"They actually rush your dead body to the hospital if your an organ donor. It's best to harvest them before the nerves in them die, You wouldn't eat expired meat would you."

"I actually did one time. Worst, day, ever. I'm serious, I would not stop throwing up."

"Lovely."

"Hey, do you mind if I ask you something? What's with the whole "Black Cloak" Look?"

"Well the first depiction of me in the black cloak came from England in the 15th century. But the truth is I have the ability to take on any form I want. I'm less of an entity and more of an idea. In fact it's the same with all the other different gods and monsters."

"What do you mean?" I ask now a bit intrigued.

"Looks like I'll need to explain a few things. You see in this world and many others like it, humans have developed a latent physic ability they have no idea of, the reason no-one knows about it is because no one human is able to access it alone, the acceptation being the select few with enough mental and spiritual power to develop it further, even then they can only do things like bend spoons with their minds and force their bodies to do extremely bizarre things."

"Wait you mean there are people in this world who have superpowers?"

"Yes, however that is the bare minimum of the power. The true strength of it is in Humanity as a species."

"You keep mentioning this ability but you keep dancing around it, so tell me what is it really?"

"The name of the ability is call Mind Over Matter, and it grants humans the ability to literally create gods."

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me right, in large enough numbers humans have the potential to create the gods, and other supernatural entities. I myself was created by this power."

"There you go again, dancing around the subject, if you're not gonna give it to me straight then just be quite."

"Very well, if you're that impatient than I'll get to the point. Mind Over Matter allows humans to make thoughts and ideas into reality, however this only works if a vast number of people believe in it. That is how the various gods and goddesses of the worlds religions came to be. It is also what gave the messiah Jesus Christ the abilities spoken of in the Bible. It is also the reason sightings of various monsters and aliens are still popping up. The ones who believe in them us the power to will them into existence, however since people who believe in monsters and aliens are not as numerous as the amount of people who believe in god, the monsters can only exist for a certain amount of time before returning to the spiritual plain, which is where we currently reside by the way. Just thought you should know."

"Yeah thanks, I kinda figured that last part, since I'm a ghost and all."

"Not a ghost, a spirit. Ghosts are the wandering souls who have yet to be set to either heaven or hell, a spirit is a being who wanders the spiritual plain still having enough life energy to return to their body. I believe you humans call it Astral Projection."

"But I'm dead, my body is in this grave right now, I spent the past few hours watching it being lowered into the ground and having my family and friends cry over it."

"Yes, but you still have a body to go back to."

"Wait, you mean that dragon body back in the MLP world, I thought Starlight killed me and that's why I'm here."

"I'm not to sure on the details myself, but apparently she didn't kill you, she just banished your consciousness from your body and it ended up here. She probably didn't using some kind of magic item."

"How did you even get here? I mean I understand that a wandering soul needs to be dealt with but still there are people dying of starvation in Africa shouldn't you be popping over there once in a while before?"

"You think there's only one of me? There are literally thousands of death spirits, collecting souls from all over the world and whisking them off to heaven or hell. I'm just the one they called in to deal with you and your issues, this is basically a day off for me."

"Wait, Grim reapers get days off."

"Sure, we like to relax sometimes too. You think we're just always working, we're not robots."

"Do you get paid?"

"No, not really, money and currency where invented by humans since you hate doing things without getting something in return. Where as we recognize that these things need to be done or else everything will be thrown out of order."

"That's another thing earlier you said that humans created all the different gods, but how does that actually work? Not the creating part, I mean what's the power balance between all the difference between them?"

"Well the best way I can describe that whole deal is that it's set up like a pyramid. That the very top there's the big man himself, the one true god the Catholics worship, despite all the credit he's given he's basically just a figure head, like the president or a royal family. Then there are the God kings of the various pantheons like Zeus, and Vishnu. Below them are the various gods of those pantheons like Poseidon, Ares, Freya, Heimdall, and Asura. Below them are the Demi-Gods like Thor, Loki, Hercules, and contrary to popular belief Jesus."

"That's not surprising, not for me anyway. I mean it's said he was the son of god, but I feel like no one refers to him as a Demi-god like those other guys."

"Yeah well, you know Christians, always insisting they're right. Anyway below the Demi-Gods are the servants of the gods, like the Archangels, the Furies, and the Valkyries. Below them are the average everyday angels, like me, and those angels who fly around heaven helping god. Below us are various holy beasts like The Golden Boar, Black Hounds, and the beasts that make up the Greek and Chinese Zodiacs. And that the very bottom are holy men, like the Pope or a Magi."

"What's a Magi?"

"A Magi is a person who chooses kings of a country."

"You mean like in the anime Magi?"

"In the roughest sense of it, yes."

"Hm, alright then, I've been dancing around this long enough, how long am I gonna stay here?"

"I can't say, I suppose it's up to your new pony friends in that other world."

I crack a smirk and say. "I see, in that case I don't have anything to worry about."

"You seem so sure."

"Of course, if there's one thing I know about those girls it's that they never give up on their friends."
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3rd Person POV

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After the incident with the savage Nergi, Starlight allowed FlutterShy to stay with her in her cottage. All the while FlutterShy planned on sneaking into the vault after dark to steal back her and her friends's Cutie Marks, as well as the Staff of Sameness. However, still suspicious of the yellow Pegasus Starlight had the marks transferred to her home when she thought FlutterShy was asleep. It was then that FlutterShy learned that Starlight still possessed her Cutie Mark, and was lying to the Ponies of her village. Once FlutterShy told the others of this, Twilight devised a plan to reveal Starlight's deception and turn her followers against her.

"I've got a good feeling about today." Starlight said as the girls where brought out of the reconditioning cottage for their daily "Friendship" evaluation. "So, do any of you have anything you'd like to say." The silence of the girls was all the answer she needed. "Aw, a pity, well let's try this again tomorrow shall we. No new friends today I'm afraid."

"Wait." FlutterShy interrupted. "I'd like to lock them in."

"Marvelous FlutterShy, that's the spirit." Starlight said before turning looking to the Stallion who gave himself up as the one who told the mane six about the vault. "PartyFavor, will you join us please?"

The Stallion rushed out of the cottage and began apologizing to all the other village Ponies, when in reality he was just a distraction for FlutterShy and Twilight to talk.

"Everything's ready." FlutterShy stated.

"Good, so we all know the plan, once FlutterShy shows to villagers Starlight's Cutie Mark, I'll blast off her tiara she uses to control LightningBolt, then Rainbow will rush out and take staff she used on Nergi and break it, that should bring him back to his senses. Are PartyFavor's friends in position?"

"They should be in the dungeons of the cave by now."

"Alright let's do this."

FlutterShy walk out from the cottage and said. "Um Starlight, I think we might have one more friend joining us today." Which is when Twilight stepped out of the building.

"Is this true?" Starlight asked.

"I-I think so, but I just want to be sure." Twilight said as FlutterShy snuck away to carry out her part of the plan. "If I agree to leave my Cutie Mark in the Vault I'll really be happier."

"Of course you will, just look around. Equality has given us more happiness than you've ever known."

"And you wouldn't just let me live here in the village with my old Cutie Mark?"

"Out of the question, a pony with a different Cutie Mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy." Starlight said setting herself up for what was to come. "We are all equal here."

"Then how do you explain THIS?" FlutterShy ask before splashing water at Starlight from up high.

Starlight jumped out of the way but still got splashed. The water washed away the make up on her Cutie Mark, showing it to the entire town. Twilight summoned as much magic as she could in her weakened stated and blasted Starlight's Tiara with a beam of magic, destroying the gem.

"NOW RAINBOW." Twilight shouted.

Rainbow bolted out of the cottage and snatched up the staff, flying up into the sky before zooming back down and slamming the crystal orb into the ground.
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Meanwhile Inside the Beast Dungeon

"That's our cue." SugarBell said before running to Nergi's cage.

"Are you sure about this?" Cloud Chaser asked. "I mean what if it wakes up and tries to eat us?"

"If Lightning is unconscious that means that Princess Twilight and her friends have broken the staff."

"Yeah, but, what if he's angry about us chaining him up and kills us anyway."

"Then we'll run like Tartarus and say he's on a rampage again." SugarBell said a she unlocked the chains.

"I think he's waking up."

"He won't if you just-" SugarBell was cut off by Nergi grabbing her neck.

He picked himself up and asked in a deep, rage filled voice. "Where... Is... Starlight?"

"She's in town, seeing if you friends have conformed to our ways."

Nergi dropped the mare and said. "Thanks for the info." Before striding out of the cage.
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Back in town

"You lied to us." Double Diamond shouted, who up to this point had been Starlight's to lackey.

"So what, everything else I've said is true." Starlight said. "The only way to be happy is if we're all equal."

"Except you." PartyFavor said in an accusing manor.

Twilight stepped forward and began to give a little victory speech to rally the ponies. "Everypony has unique talents and gifts, and when we share them with each other, that's how-"

"QUIET." Starlight shouted startling the mane six, but leaving the villagers undeterred.

"You can't have that Cutie Mark Starlight." A pony said. "Either we're all equal or no of us are."

"You all forget, I still have an ace in the hole." Starlight said with a devilish grin. "NOW RISE EARTH DEMON."

The ground began to shake as a massive creature headed towards the village at break neck speed, causing the dirt to be up heaved as it pass. The creature dipped below the surface of the earth before erupting from the ground and landing behind Starlight. The earth demon was indeed massive, it had a huge pair of horn which jutted out 6 feet in front of it's face, and a set of tusks akin to warthog or wild boar. It's skull ended in a brim which protected its neck and its back was covered in tan bony plates and scales. It didn't have any arms, only a broad set of wings and a pair of muscular legs. Last but not least its tail was half as long as its body and had bony tail club at the end, each side of which was as big as a pony. The creature let out a shrill roar before waiting for Starlight's command.

"You see now, I don't need to put up this goodie-goodie facade anymore. Even if I don't have the staff I can still control this beast. With the power of an Elder Dragon at my side, I can rule Equestria and make sure nopony ever has to suffer the fate of in Equality, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA."

"You see, that's where you're wrong." Nergi said as he strut through the center of town.

"Nergi what is that thing?" Twilight asked.

"It's called a Diablos, AKA the Demon of the Desert. Sure enough, it's one tough S.O.B."

"You see you fouls, even-" Starlight began before being cut off.

"However, it's no where near my power." Nergi said as he transformed into Nergigante.

"What the, EARTH DEMON ATTACK." Starlight shouted, slightly started by the transformation.

The Diablos charged towards the Elder Dragon, but Nergigante grabbed its horns and held it in place. "You see, doesn't even have the power to push me back. And another thing, it's not an Elder Dragon, it's just a basic bitch flying wyvern, not even near Elder Dragon level, NOT EVEN CLOSE." Nergi shouted as he jumped into the air, raising the wyvern's head was he did so. He pulled the Diablos's head back and slammed it into the ground. "NOW LET THE LIGHT OF THE SUN FADE FROM YOUR VISION, DYING LIGHT."

"Wh-wh-WHAT ARE YOU?!?." Starlight shouted in abject terror and confusing.

"I AM THE EXTINCTION DRAGON NERGIGANTE, AND YOU WILL FEAR MY WRATH." Nergigante pointed a finger at Starlight and shouted, "CATACLYSM TRIGGER." The claw on Nergigante's finger shot off and imbedded itself in the jewel of Starlight's necklace. "I give you chance to escape, but should you ever attempt to restart this cult of yours in a new town or city, we will know about it, and you will not be granted the same mercy as you did today. Do I make myself clear, Starlight Glimmer?"

"Y-yes."

"Good, NOW RUN."

Fearing for her life, Starlight did as the dragon said running into her house and through the secret passage under her bed, making sure to leave behind the Cutie Marks of the mane six so as to not incur the Dragon's wrath. Nergigante had transformed back into Nergi and said, "Well, what are you ponies waiting for."

"Come on Everypony, Let's get our Cutie Marks back." Double Diamond said, leading the ponies up to the vault.
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Meanwhile at the mountain pass

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Starlight had slowed her initial sprint to a brisk run, and her fear had turned to resentment of the loss of what she had worked so hard to achieve. "I swear, I'll make those Ponies and their Dragon friend pay for this." She said to herself. As she neared the mouth of the cave a massive bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of her, once the lightning died down Starlight saw Lightning Bolt standing in front of her, without his cloak and with a massive scowl across his face.

"Lightning Bolt? What are you doing here?"

"I've come for payback." He said before summoning an even greater amount of lightning. As he absorbed the electricity his body began to grow in size until he was three times the size of Starlight. "But before I do I want to know one thing. Where did you get the staff you used to take control of me and the other two."

"I-I them from a dragon, he had wandered into the village a couple days before you and I healed his wounds in exchange he made the staff for me, the orb was some kind of pearl from underneath his scales. He told me that so long as I had the staff the power to dominate Elder Dragons could be mine."

"What was his name?"

"He called himself a Fatalis."

"So, one of them is here as well."

"Listen, Lightning-."

"DO NOT CALL ME THAT. That is not my name, it is the name you gave me when you made me your slave, I refuse to be referred to by that name ever again. My name IS KIRIN." Kirin began to charge up a massive amount of energy before releasing it in a single strike, using the same move he used again Nergi he shouted. "NOW, MONARCH'S LIGHTNING." Starlight screamed in pain as currents of electricity ran through her body an into the ground. By the time the strike was over she was unconscious, her body fell to the ground and twitched, both from the pain and from the faint electrical currents that where still running through her body, despite he appearance she was still alive, if just barely. "That should be enough pain to pay back my servitude."
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Back in town (again)

"You all, you saved me from her, thank you." The dragon said as he got up. "Wait did you all get a bit bigger?"

"Actually it's the opposite my friend." Nergi said. "You got smaller."

The Diablos looked at himself and began to freak out a bit. "What the hell, I haven't been this size since I was a hatchling! What did you do to me?"

"You might not believe this but, magic." Nergi said doing a "Jazz Hands" motion with his paws. "The Purple girl made you smaller so your a bit easier to approach, we also gave you some lips, smoothed out you tail club and shortened your horns a bit. Don't worry though, all you need you is touch the joints of your wings to the sides of your face and you'll return to your normal size. I transformation marks are on my paws."

"I see, knowing I can switch between forms really takes a load off my mind."

"Cool now all we need to do is give this new form a name. Any suggestions miss Pie?"

"Beats me. I tried cutting his name in half, but Dia and Blos both sound like girl names." Pinkie stated

"In that case I've got a perfect name in mind." Nergi said. "Alright, from now on your new name is Dio."

"Dio, what kind of name is that?" Twilight asked.

"Well if cutting a name in half didn't work I figured I could just remove letters on at a time until I got something good, at first I was gonna go with Diablo but that still seemed pretty threatening so I went with Dio.

"Dio, I like." Dio said with a grin.

"Alright then Dio, let's head off to Ponyville." Nergi said leading the way.

"Wait." Twilight interrupted. "Are you sure it's a good idea to bring him back to Ponyville?"

"Well we need to show him to Princess Celestia, after that he and either stay at Ponyville, come back here, for find some other desert to live in. Besides Diablos are herbivores, so he won't be going around eating ponies."

"I feel like I should go with you, the other ponies here might be a bit skittish around be due to me being used to almost kill all of them, including you, I feel like I should give them some space." Dio said

"Then it's decided come on let's go to Ponyville."

"Wait what about Lightning Bolt?" FlutterShy asked.

"Fuck him. He's a dick."