Maul stood in the center of the room where the royal sisters had battled, staring at his palm yet again. He formed a fist and closed his eyes, concentrating. After a minute, he could hear the familiar ghostly wisping, and opened his eyes. From the sides of his fist, he saw the green smoke emerging. He opened his hand to see his palm was completely covered in the substance.
He moved his hand slightly back and forth in fascination and confusion. As he listened to the breath-like wisping, he noticed something peculiar about it. There was something else to its familiarity, but not in the sound itself. Something in the feel of the sound, if that made any sense. And he realized what it was.
The essence of the fallen king.
It seemed the tea he had ingested to increase his power did so in an unexpected fashion. He had suspected this was the case, but he couldn't be sure. Now he was. He had never learned the ways of the Nightsister's magicks, and doubted he could learn them now given the lack of info needed for it. But he was willing to try even rudimentary things.
He outstretched his hand and focussed on some small bits of debris left over from the royal battle. It took a moment, but eventually the pieces seemed to be nudged before tendrils of green smoke wrapped around them out of nothing. They lifted off the ground and floated towards Maul.
He made them stop in front of his hand before commencing to wave it back and forth, focussing on a new task. The pieces were grouped together, the tendrils collectively swirling around them. With more strain than anticipated, Maul willed the magic to start connecting the pieces, growing new connections as if being grown back together.
After some time and further strain, Maul made an uneven, bumpy hand shape. He matched it up to his own hand before releasing his hold of the magic. The smoke disappeared, and the debris hand crumpled away to its original pieces.
While he had no interest in pursuing some kind of sculpture making, Maul knew he would still need to practice. Especially if he was to achieve a skill that he had never learned to do while as a Sith. It didn't matter that it'd be green, he would shoot Force lightning from his hands one day.
He looked at both his palms as he imagined it, conjuring up green smoke on both of them. The brilliant rays arcing across distances to strike whatever foe he unleashed it on, forcing back similar energy shot at him, just as he saw his mother do on Dathomir. Any who dared face him when he could do this would feel the pain, the pain of flesh burning, blood boiling, nerves overloading, their very bones feeling like they would explode from the inside. The same pain he felt before, during his training, his capture, and torture, all at Sidious's hands.
Small bolts briefly travelled over the smoke on his palms, and his eyes widened.
A few more scurried over his palms very soon after. Continuing to stare at his palms, he slowly turned them to face each other, and focussed. He was rewarded with the sight of bolts of green lightning dancing between his hands. Small bolts. Very weak. Practically nothing. This didn't damper his mood, for many things, including power, started out that way.
Very small.
Maul soon realized he had spent more time than he realized, and saved this progress in his mind to be followed up on later. He had a neighbor to meet for tea.
If one were to stand outside the doors of the Canterlot throne room, they would hear the grunting and huffing of two individuals, and someone else cheering one of them on.
"Atta boy, Spike! Wipe the floor with him!"
Rainbow Dash, Twilight, the royal sisters, Cadance, and Flurry Heart watched with amusement as Spike and Shining Armor sparred with one another in the middle of the throne room. Shining Armor found he had underestimated Spike more than he cared to admit.
"Gah!" Shining Armor exclaimed in discomfort as Spike pinned him to the ground belly down. His tail was coiled around one of Shining Armor's hind legs, one hand helping to pull it in a painful direction. His other hand held on to Shining Armor's horn.
"Say aunty. Say aunty!" Spike smugly urged his surrogate brother.
"No! I can get out of this!"
"We said no magic or Force, so no teleportation!"
"I know! Rrr!" Shining growled as he strained to get out of the hold.
"Perhaps you should call for me or my sister, Shining Armor" Celestia suggested win a chuckle.
"It does seem the wiser course" Luna concurred with a smile.
"Do you really have so little faith in me, your hignesses?"
"Of course not, dear nephew. But in this instance..."
"I won't be beaten by my little brother!"
"I don't know, Shiny" Cadance said in a teasingly unsure tone.
"Et tu, Cady?"
"Come on, dude" Spike somewhat insisted "I'm not gonna let up."
"Grr! Fine! Then Sir Armor...falls" Shining Armor said dramatically as he stopped straining, causing everypony to roll their eyes. "Oof" he exclaimed as Spike pinned his head to the floor before releasing him.
"Ha ha! Yes!" Spike cheered as he stood and raised his arms in triumph.
Flurry Heart giggled in her mother's grasp as she clapped her little hooves. "Unca Spike win! Dada punk!" Everyone stared at Flurry in surprise, all four princesses putting a hoof to their mouths to try and hold back their laughter.
"Pff! Ah ha ha ha haaaaa!" Rainbow Dash cackled as she flopped to the floor on her back. She devolved into hysterical laughter as she clutched her sides.
Shining Armor looked at his daughter with an overly hurt expression. He turned to Spike and pointed a hoof at him. "You turned my daughter against me!"
Cadance lightly smacked the back of his head with her tail while still holding back her laughter. "H-Honey, stop acting like Rarity. No one likes a sore loser."
"Best fight ever" Rainbow Dash said as she picked herself up off the floor and wiped a tear from her eye.
"It was rather impressive and entertaining to watch" Luna said.
"I agree" Celestia said. "I think you could have a future in the Royal Guard, Spike. If you so chose."
"You really think so?"
"Now you wanna take my job?!"
"Babe, that's not even what she said" Cadance dead panned.
"But I bet she and Spike are thinking it!"
"If I let you try out my lightsaber, will you stop whining?" Spike suddenly found himself in a headlock and receiving a noogie.
"Check out my little bro! All grown up and strong enough to beat me. Now let me see!" Shining Armor exclaimed as he released Spike. Spike held out his lightsaber with a smirk as he rubbed his head. Shining Armor took it in his magic and proceeded to try it out.
"Hey!" Rainbow exclaimed indignantly "What the heck?! He can use it but not me?!"
"I said only trained ponies. He's Captain of the Royal Guard, he counts."
Rainbow grumbled in response as Shining Armor waved the lightsaber around giddily. Thankfully, Spike had preemptively switched it to training mode. Had he not, a few pillars would have scars in them by now. Also thankfully, Shining Armor kept his random flailing to a minimum, mostly performing moves from sword training.
"Please be careful, nephew" Celestia said cautiously. "I wouldn't want to lose another pedestal."
"Hey, it's in training mode" Spike said assuredly "It can't cut through anything. Whoa!" Spike exclaimed as he used the Force to catch a vase that Shining Armor accidentally knocked off a pedestal. "But that doesn't mean you still shouldn't be careful" he said as he levitated the vase back in place. "I think I should take back now."
"I think you're right" Shining Armor acknowledged as he deactivated the saber and magically handed it back. "So, can I use it again in the future at full power?"
"Can I tell everyone I beat you?"
"You know what? I don't need to use a laser sword that badly."
"If I tell everyone you beat him, can I use it?!" Rainbow asked eagerly.
"Wait, what?!"
"No."
"Oh come on! What do I have to do?!"
"I think we should be heading back. We don't wanna get sidetracked and be late for the party."
"Don't ignore me!"
"I think you're right, Spike." Twilight and Spike said their goodbyes to everyone while Rainbow said hers curtly and continued hounding Spike as they left.
*knock knock*
Zecora answered her door and found her expected guest. "Maul, please come in, I'm glad you came. Our tea is ready, I just extinguished the flame." Maul gave a gracious nod before leaning forward a bit to pass through the doorway. "Please have a seat, while I get you your drink. Make yourself comfortable, I'll be as quick as a blink."
"Thank you for having me" Maul said as he sat on a stool at Zecora's table. He looked around the house, seeing the various masks, vials, and assorted materials around the hut. It was very quaint. He also noted a familiar aura about the hut, one he hadn't felt until after Sombra's horn was consumed by he and Spike. Even then and now, it wasn't as strong, but familiar all the same, particularly from Zecora's cauldron filled with some green brew. The aura of the Nightsisters.
"Your tea" Zecora said as she placed his cup in front of him, drawing his attention. She sat down opposite from him with her own cup.
"Thank you" Maul said as he grabbed the cup and took a sip. "This is very good. I'm not exactly familiar with your world's teas. So far they haven't been disappointing."
"I am glad you like it" Zecora said with a smile before drinking some of her own. Unbeknownst to Maul, Zecora had used a special herb in the tea that helped the drinker become calmer, more comfortable with company if they had any. More open to talking. She hoped to learn anything she could from him. "Tell me, have you enjoyed your time on our planet?"
"It has been very adequate. I am grateful for the hospitality I've been shown from the populace, present company included."
Zecora nodded with a thoughtful smile before they both took another sip. "Do you miss your old home?" This gave Maul pause. She hadn't expected such a question to be that invasive. "Forgive me. I hope I-"
"I've never really had a home" Maul said suddenly, cutting Zecora off. "The life I was forced into didn't much allow for any attachment for wherever I resided. The closest thing I had to a home was Dathomir, my home planet."
"Would you mind...telling me more about it?" Zecora said with genuine care and interest.
"....I was born of the Nightbrothers clan. We were subservient to a matriarchy, the Nightsisters. I was taken from my mother at a young age, long before I could ever know my brother. I only returned long after I was already a warrior, and there wasn't much left. And now there is hardly anything." Maul trailed off, his eyes lingering on the tea in his cup. Soon, a hoof came to rest in top of his free hand. He looked up to see Zecora looking at him with sympathetic eyes.
"I am truly sorry."
Maul didn't respond, instead letting Zecora's hoof stay where it was. Eventually he spoke again. "You remind me of the Nightsisters." This made Zecora draw back slightly, her eyes widening in light surprise. "You have a smiliar aura to them. But much more...gentler. Yet, not one to be trifled with.
"You said you were a shamaness. Do you practice magic?"
"In a way" she replied as she retracted her hoof. "I am obviously not a unicorn, but my practices often have a magical connection. While progressing in my studies, I had a strong predilection. I still remember my fellow trainees, and their somewhat strong jealousy." Zecora looked off in wistful recollection for a brief moment. "Forgive me. I'm recalling happy memories of my home, while you have none of your own."
"Do not worry. There is nothing wrong with happy memories. I'm glad you have them. I've grown accustomed to my deprived upbringing."
"I would hope of your home you'd have some things, at least a few. In fact, I believe Twilight told me you made a tea of a special brew." Zecora feared she probed too obviously from the slightest furrowing of his brow.
"...Did she?"
"She wished to know if what you made was truly the last, in an effort to help retain something of your past."
He could tell she wasn't being entirely truthful. Not hard to determine that Twilight most likely wanted further knowledge despite what he already gave her. "How very kind of her, but pointless. I already told her I had no more of the necessary ingredients and that they would unlikely be native to this planet."
"Perhaps not, but the magical aspect of it may yet be replicated."
"Did she tell you it was a magic elixir?"
"No. Given the effect it had on young Taral, it wasn't that hard to determine. Be assured, I won't speak of your secrecy out of respect. I'd like to offer my help in recreating a tea of similar effect."
Maul didn't answer for a moment, simply staring at Zecora. She maintained her kind smile and met his studying gaze unwaveringly. "You make a very kind and generous offer, but I'm afraid I must decline. And I also must be departing" he said as he set his cup aside and stood up. "Leaving my temporary abode unattended for too long provokes a certain green unicorn into unwelcome snooping. Thank you for the tea."
"May I ask why exactly you decline my offer?" Zecora asked as she pulled Maul's cup close to hers.
"What you've learned of me, does it include the Empire?"
"It does."
"Then you know they are a danger. If they ever reach this planet, they will discover I was here. My prolonged presence, while necessary, has been risky enough. I want as little a trace of myself here as possible, including any connections to my culture."
"Fair enough. Then I bid you goodbye, my neighbor from beyond the sky." Maul nodded before he turned around and made for the door. As he continued, Zecora looked into his cup, and her brow furrowed as much as it possibly could. She nudged the cup a few times to move its contents, to make sure of what she was seeing. Maul was seated on his speeder and ready to activate it when he heard Zecora's door open not too far away. "Maul!"
"Is there something wrong?" he asked as she approached him.
"No. I just wanted to say...if you ever need help in anything, particularly anything magic related, do not be afraid to ask me. And if...you ever feel the need to...talk to someone."
Maul regarded Zecora for a moment, the slightest hint of confusion on his face. He could feel she was being genuine, and caring. "I will." He focussed on the path and sped away on his vehicle.
Zecora looked off in the direction Maul left, her eyes a mix of sadness, concern, and uncertainty. Eventually she walked back into her hut and grabbed his tea cup again. She once more looked into it and saw the same thing the leaves told her before. A deeply tortured soul, seeking peace but strongly restrained by past and current misfortune. Someone looking to do very big and likely bad things, and not necessarily bad to Equestria at least. And someone who would likely need help in the near future.
Like most instances, Pinkie's party went off without a hitch. Per Spike's request, and a few of the other girls' advisement, the entire town hadn't been invited. Instead, close friends and a few casual friends were invited, including some colts Spike had developed a rapport with. This included Button Mash, Rumble, Pipsqueak, Snips, and Snails.
They initially didn't believe Spike when he told them of his training or that he had an actual laser sword, until he showed them. He very quickly had to ask Twilight to teleport him to the castle and back to leave behind his lightsaber after their barrage of urging to let them use it. He did not want such a weapon around these colts, especially Snips and Snails. Thankfully, they were pacified by some displays of his Force abilities.
"Whoa! Three tables at the same time!" Button Mash marveled as Spike made the tables spin in a circle in the air.
"Please be careful with those, deary" Mrs. Cake requested.
"Big whoop" Rumble said, unimpressed. "Princess Twilight and Starlight could do that easily."
"Oh, you mean two of the most skilled magic users in Equestria?" Spike asked smugly. "I couldn't lift anything not too long ago, let alone three tables. And this isn't even the hardest I've done. You should've seen me lift a bunch of boulders."
"Okay, now I know you're lying."
"I'm serious. Five boulders."
"Prove it."
"How? There's no boulders here."
"Yeah there is" Pinkie chirped as she appeared among the colts. She activated an unseen lever which opened a large trapdoor to her party cave. Down below could be seen three large boulders. "Would these work?"
"Pinkie, why do you have those down there?" Twilight asked.
"What? I can't bring some souvenirs from home?"
"Those'll work" Spike said before stretching his arms. He thrust his hands downward and a whoosh was heard. Everyone at the party turned to watch as they heard the sound of rock movement. Spike released a few grunts as his face started to take on a look of slight anger. The boulders started levitating upward as he grit his teeth. He released a growl, and everyone felt a chill, assuming it was from their awe at the display. He turned his hands palm up as the boulders rose above the gap of the trapdoor. He took a deep breath and exhaled as he held the boulders in place.
Spike turned to smirk at the awestruck Rumble, everyone else looking on in similar wonderment. The entire party erupted into applause. Spike leaned forward, indicating a bow, before starting lowering the boulders.
"Please be extra careful with the those!"
"Don't worry, Mrs. Cake. I reinforced the floors in case an accidental dropping ever happened. He could drop five of those and not leave a scratch."
"Well that's a relief" Spike said before dropping his hands and realising his hold, allowing the boulders to drop halfway down to the lower floor, causing a loud boom.
"Oh my goodness!"
"The floor is o-kay!" Pinkie declared as she looked down into her party cave.
"Oh thank heavens." After that, Mrs. Cake asked that Spike stick to much lighter objects that wouldn't potentially damage her shop if dropped.
"That was pretty cool" Snails said with a goofy chuckle. "I kind of wish I could lift big things like that" he said as his horn charged and he replicated Spike's table demonstration with ease. Most everyone was surprised by this.
"Wow, Snails" Twilight said. "For a colt your age that's actually an impressive feat. How'd you learn to do that?"
"I don't know. I never really thought about it. I usually don't."
"It's true" Rainbow Dash confirmed. "He doesn't think about anything."
"Ever" Pinkie and Fluttershy said simultaneously.
"Huh." Spike was surprised to hear this. Even he had to at least think of moving the tables. Perhaps something to look into.
In accordance with Mrs. Cake's wishes, Spike suggested another display. Soon, he was sitting in the center of the shop in a meditative pose, creating a radius of weightlessness. This allowed the flightless colts to swim through the air gleefully. Rumble joined in a calm back paddle, glad to fly without tiring his wings. Scootaloo and Pinkie soon joined in, both laughing with different types of glee.
Spike suddenly felt something like a mental wave of something wrong. It happened in an instant, startling him out of his concentration. "Ah!" Everyone he'd been levitating suddenly fell to the floor with shouts of surprise. A few landed a little roughly.
"Ow! What was that all about?" Pipsqueak asked.
"Spike? Are you okay?" Twilight asked urgently as she rushed to his side. Everyone turned their attention to him to see what was wrong. Rarity and Starlight soon joined Twilight.
"Yeah" Spike replied, sounding a bit unsure as he put a hand to his head.
"What happened?" Starlight asked.
"I...I don't know. I just had this sudden feeling like...like something was wrong."
"Did you perhaps over exert yourself, darling?" Rarity suggested as she placed a caring hoof on his shoulder.
"No. I did way more during my training. It's like...I could tell that something bad was happening. Somewhere." Everyone looked at each other curiously, while the three mares comforting Spike looked at each other hoping they might have something. They all shrugged.
With the odd feeling gone and the realization that the party had halted, Spike shook it off and picked himself up. "I'm sure it was nothing. Come on, everypony. It's a party. Enjoy yourselves."
"Are you sure you're okay, Spike?" Twilight asked while everyone resumed the festivities.
"Yeah, Twilight."
"Are you absolutely certain, Spikey Wikey?" Rarity asked.
"I swear I'm okay. Don't worry about me. Hey Big Mac! Bet I could beat you at hoof wrestling without using the Force!"
"Yer on!"
"I got five bits on Spike!" Rainbow declared as she herself set up one of the tables for them.
"You think he could beat an Apple?!" Applejack declared indignantly. "Ah wager five on Big Mac!" The colts and the crusaders crowded around the table and made their own bets with each other.
"Two hunks showing off their muscles?! Yes, please!" Pinkie exclaimed as she took a front row seat.
"Ditto!" Starlight declared. "Go Spike!"
Twilight and Rarity drew back, the former in off put surprise, the latter in offense. Rarity practically charged to wedge herself next to Starlight, putting herself closer to Spike, much to Starlight's annoyance, and Twilight's further bewilderment.
In a time long passed this, Applejack would have to convey for her brother that he didn't want to talk about the results. And neither did she, but only when Rainbow gloated and pestered her to admit what happened.
Hours after the party ended, Spike lay in his bed asleep, shifting about as he made small grunts. The same feeling that he had at the party had returned, but it was happening more than a few times. His brow was furrowed in slight displeasure. Within his mind, each sudden wave brought with it quick instances of sounds. And for some reason they made the feeling worse.
Two similar snarls.
Loud cheering.
A stallion's malicious laughter.
Along with these sounds was the feeling of fear. Tortured, cowering, suffering fear. It was connected to these noises, they were the cause. Particularly with the last sound he heard before he woke up with a phantom pain in his back. The crack of a whip.
"AH!" Spike screamed as he quickly sat up and placed his hands on his back. Just as quickly, he lunged onto his feet, summoned his lightsaber into his hand, activated it, and held it close in a ready stance of attack. He panted quickly and heavily as his eyes scanned the room, while at the same starting to glow green. The glow receded right before his door opened.
"Spike! What's wrong?!"
His instincts reacted before recollection did. "Rah!" Spike exclaimed as he threw out a hand and levitated Twilight in a vice grip while holding his lightsaber back as if to throw it. Twilight gasped when she was lifted. Spike's mind became clear when he saw who he was holding. "Twilight" Spike heaved before he released her and deactivated his lightsaber. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you." He let himself fall back on his behind, still panting, though slower and not as heavily.
Twilight shook off how the brief incident affected her and rushed to his bedside. "Are you okay?! What happened?! Was there someone here?!"
"No, I...I'm fine. I just had a...a nightmare, I guess. But not one like I've ever had before."
"What happened in it?" Twilight asked concernedly as she climbed onto the bed and placed a foreleg around him.
"That's just it. I don't think anything happened in it. Or at least I can't remember if anything did."
"Well, we don't remember most of our dreams, but the way you reacted seems like you would've remembered something."
"I know. But I don't remember anything, except...feelings. Like pain, and sadness...and fear. I felt so...so...." Spike suddenly wrapped Twilight in a hug. She was startled by this, but returned it nonetheless to comfort him. "So scared." He had a long pause before continuing. "But...it was different than anything I've felt. Almost like it wasn't mine. Like I was...feeling someone else's fear." He was starting to sound haunted. "But there was so much of it. Too much for one creature."
"There there" Twilight said soothingly as she stroked his back. "It was just a nightmare. It's over." Twilight had never seen Spike like this, this affected by a nightmare, or that defensive. When he seized her with the Force, she got a look at his face in the glow of his saber. He looked as though he had been attacked, and ready to retaliate, but it was more than that. It was how his face conveyed anger and fear, the way his eyes looked into hers for the briefest moment. He had looked like a vicious animal backed into a corner, ready to defend itself. Ready to kill.
And for a split second, she had feared for her life. It terrified her.
Despite this, it only strengthened her resolve to stay with him and make sure he was alright. She tightened her hug, and he snuggled further into her embrace. She was reminded of when she was raising him while he was still relatively a hatchling. How he would run to her bed crying about having a nightmare and wanting to stay with her. She always said yes.
"Here, just lay down. I'll be here with you" she said as she guided his head to his pillow, repeating the same words from those old days. "I promise I won't leave you alone." Spike wrapped himself in his wings as he situated himself.
"Thanks, Twilight" Spike said softly.
Twilight lied down behind Spike, continuing to soothingly stroke his back to aid his return to slumber. When his breathing indicated he was asleep again, she scooted closer to wrap a wing over him. She drifted off herself soon after. Her last thought was hoping that whatever had happened with the nightmare wouldn't happen again. That he wouldn't be plagued by these odd feelings any longer. That he would have no reason to react the way he had a second time.
Her hope was in very deep vain.
Maul was thankful none of the common incidents he had heard so much about had occurred during his stay. It allowed Taral's first feeling of a disturbance in the Force to be that much more effective. Otherwise, it might've been only half as effective, even with what he did to help Taral feel it.
He had reached out to find what he felt the night Taral constructed his saber. The hidden disturbance that the Force told him Taral had to encounter. It was still far away, and after checking the holomap his probes made, he determined where this disturbance lay. In Canterlot. From there, he basically acted as a conduit for the disturbance to reach his clan brother.
He knew he was successful, as he felt Taral's anxiety after sending the strong echo of the disturbance. He was surprised to find he felt a pang of guilt, but he reassured himself it was necessary. Taral needed this, he could feel it.
Maul still needed some time to hone his magic abilities, but that didn't mean he couldn't leave some insurance. Especially after he felt Taral become calmer. He stretched his hand out the window once more and sent one last repitition of the disturbance. One with a special emphasis.
In his sleep, Spike's head jerked one last time as he felt the disturbance. It ensured the recently left impression was much stronger. He felt the pain again, but had a greater sense of its nature. It was inflicted maliciously, and harshly. It was deep, and excruciating. And it came from many.