Oblivion was silent as he walked back towards the barn. Sasa trailed behind him, a bucket of loose apples in her teeth. His hooves kicked up dust on the barn floor as he walked inside and took the bucket in his magic.
“Will you be joining the girls during their picnic today, Chosen?” She asked as he dumped out the bucket.
“No.” He replied easily. “I’ll leave that to them.”
Sasa chuckled in his mind as he moved to go back outside the barn. A feeling of unease washed over him and he immediately began to look around him. It faded as quickly as it had come and his orange eyes scanned the area around him and he moved out of the shadow of the barn doors. He reached out to the World Spirit and it directed him back the way he had come, out into the orchard. Sasa bumped his hip and he glanced back to her for a moment.
“Oblivion!” Applejack called out to him.
His ears flicked to the orange farm mare and he looked to her as she approached him. He released his hold on the World Spirit and allowed it to go dormant. Sasa walked forward and nuzzled the farm mare as she stopped close to the black stallion.
“Ya gonna come to the picnic today?” She asked him.
“No. I am not needed at it and I have other things to do.” He replied to her.
“Ya sure?”
“Positive.” He said to her.
The mare looked uncertain at him as he assured her of his choice. She finally nodded and he began to move back into the orchard. He paused for a moment and looked back at the mare.
“I am going to look into something that caught my attention. I’m not certain what it is but I need to check on it.” He said to her and she nodded.
“Just be safe ya hear.” She replied and he nodded in reply to her.
He began to walk into the orchard and was soon out of sight of the farmhouse. Sasa stayed at his hip as he broke into a ground eating trot. He reached out to the World Spirit once more and it began to lead him to the source of the feeling of unease. His eyes scanned in front of him and he slowed to walk as he neared the source. The scent of grass, water, and the stormy sky wafted over his nose and he followed the scent closely. The scent and the World Spirit guided him farther into the orchard and out past it.
“Into the Everfree Chosen?” Sasa asked him as she followed him.
“That’s where it is leading me and I think I know who I am searching for.” He replied to her.
“Oh?”
He said nothing in reply and simply led her onward. ‘Only one carries a scent so pure.’ He thought to himself as he moved. His nose led him forward and the World Spirit helped to guide him. He drew to a stop at the edge of a clearing and he snorted at the sight of the white mare. She smiled as Sasa roared in greeting.
“Hello, Sasa.” She called out to the feline as she drew upon her.
“Can you hear me?” Sasa asked her, her voice quiet.
“I can hear you just fine,” Equestria said to her as she nuzzled the feline. “I am this world’s Heart, I can hear and speak to any who live within it. Even those that came from afar.”
Sasa said nothing and rubbed her fur against the mares white coat. The mare said nothing further as he approached her. The stallion was quiet as Sasa spoke for him.
“What did you need of us?” She asked her. “You called us out here?”
“I did call out to him. I have need of the World Spirit, Oblivion.” She said to him.
“Oh?”
“The prison I placed the first Guardian has been weakened by Discords tampering of the world. While Chaos is needed in the world it was not needed in that quantity and it tampered with his prison. Can I call upon you to help me strengthen the prison?” She explained.
Oblivion gave her a slight nod and she smiled in reply. “I will do what I can.” He said to her.
“I am sorry Sasa. While you are a Spirit Beast, you are not of this world and I cannot take you with us.” She apologized to the feline who nodded to her.
“I understand. I will rejoin Applejack and the others. Be careful Chosen.” Sasa said to him as she went back to his side and nuzzled his shoulder.
Equestria smiled and a portal of light opened off to the side of her. “This will take us directly to his prison. Follow me.” She approached the portal and vanished into it.
Oblivion glanced down at Sasa who bowed her head for a moment before she began the trek back to the farm. He knew that she would be fine due to the chance that nothing is going to attack a full-grown tiger. She had weapons of her own to fight if she needed to. His claws flexed in the grass before he followed the white mare through the portal. His eyes adjusted quickly to the sun-drenched land of her world. The smell of fresh grass and sunlight washed over him as he looked past the white mare.
Orange eyes fell on the prison that held the former Guardian. It came from the land like a spike and had darkened with time. When first he had seen the great crystal it had been clear. Now it had grown dark, obscuring the red pony within. He looked at Equestria and she looked, grimly back at him.
“The corruption has begun to try to eat through the crystal and free him. I cannot reinforce the crystal alone.” She admitted at his look.
“You will have my help then.” He assured her. “How do I reinforce it?”
“All you need to do is add the strength of the World Spirit to it. Between the power of the Heart and Spirit, it will be fine.” She assured him. “We can reinforce it with a bit of time.”
He nodded in agreement to her and she walked up to the crystal. His medallion trembled as the world around him began to shift gently under his hooves. His horn lit up as his magic covered the crystal. Equestria looked back to him and he called on the World Spirit to his command. He felt it rear up at his command and he brought it to bear against the crystal. His power flowed over it as Equestria’s led the way. The World Spirit reinforced the crystal prison and he heard it groan under the power of the both of them.
“Are we risking shattering it?” He asked her.
“No. It was made to be stronger. We are not in danger of harming it. Feel free to test it should you wish.” She said back to him.
“I think not.” He replied.
Magic coursed over the crystal and he watched as it darkened further. The World Spirit poured over the blackened earth and crystal prison. His orange eyes scanned the crystals rough surface. Inside it, the red stallion was still and silent. If his face was any indication of the mental state he had been in that the prison had been a shock. He glanced to the mare as his magic guided the World Spirit.
“How did you trap him here?” He asked her.
She snorted in reply. “I managed to trap him through trickery and by bringing as much of my power to bear against him. He tried to bring the World Spirit against me but he found that he could not use it to harm me.”
“It cannot harm you? Same as it cannot harm Discord?”
“You misunderstand. Your power can do Discord harm if you wish it to. Discord is needed in the world as much as you and I but his power can do much harm like yours. We do not go to war with each other out of respect for the element of the other. I suppose I was not clear before. We are all needed. As the sun and the moon are needed so too are we. The ponies and beings of this world cannot survive if we go to war.”
Oblivion was quiet as he considered what she had said. “So when he brought the World Spirit against you how did it affect the world around us?”
“It was not what it did, it was what it could have done. If our fight had gotten going, the world outside this place would have been greatly affected. Thankfully he fell into my trap and was imprisoned here before he could bring the World Spirit to bear. I was able to break his connection to a point and take the World Spirit under my own control.”
“What trap did you lay?”
“I laid only what would hold his interest. An option to experiment on the ponies of the world. I feigned interest in what he had been doing and his ego drew him out. Thankfully he did not see the revulsion in me as he described his plans in great detail. In time I drew him here.” She said as her head turned from him to the crystal. “Even at that moment, I feared he would come to understand what I had planned.”
“You were able to trap him here and remove him from the world. That is to be admired.” He said to her as she nodded.
“I came to appreciate what I was able to accomplish in time but at the time I cannot describe the fear that went through me. I do not think I would have been able to trap him if he had been you.” She admitted. “You are a hunter and you see what he would have missed. You would not have fallen for the ruse.”
“I would not need to be tricked.” He replied as his magic went over crystal. “How can we strengthen it further?”
“Do you have any ideas?” She asked as the Heart of the World threaded through the crystal.
Oblivion looked up at the crystal and the World Spirit surged at his command. Chains of power wrapped around the crystals face and shackled it in place. Chains went from the ground to the crystal and power rolled from him and into the chains. The chains rattled as they were lashed in place and he could see Equestria watching him as he finished. She nodded at his look and the world shifted under him as she mimicked his actions. As he channeled into the crystal he could feel that time had slipped past him but he maintained his work as Equestria shook herself and sighed.
“That should do it.” She breathed. “I cannot thank you enough for your aid Oblivion.”
“You said that the World Spirit was needed to chain him further and I see no reason not to answer your call.” He replied to her as he throttled back his magic and allowed it to go dormant and silent once more.
“Chosen?”
His ears flicked as Sasa reached out to him. “Yes?”
“We may need your help.”
“Oh?”
“I think Twilight has slipped into insanity.” She replied.
“What?” He said aloud and Equestria chuckled at the slight tilt of his head. “What is she panicking over now?”
“I am not sure. She came to the picnic and said that she needed our help writing a letter to Celestia. Something about not having sent one this week and she was going to get in trouble for it.” She replied to him. “We are going to the Library since it appears she chose to make a problem to write about and drove everypony into a…ummm.”
“Into what?”
“I’m not sure how to describe it to be honest. They were all fighting over a stuffed animal that she had placed magic on and then Celestia came and dispelled the magic and now she is meeting Twilight in the Library. We are heading there to try to keep Twilight from being sent back to Canterlot.”
“Celestia would not send her back. That’s ridiculous. I will meet you there in a moment.” He said to her and he could sense the cat was on the move with the others. “Gods below. I leave them for a day and they get themselves into trouble.” He groaned and looked to the white mare who was trying to hide her laughter behind a hoof.
“I am done here Oblivion. You have things to tend to with them and it sounds like they need you.” She said as she bowed her head to him. “Go to them.”
He nodded to her as a portal opened close to him and he walked through it.
Sasa could sense that Oblivion had come back to them and she cast a glance over her shoulder told her he was close and moving quickly. She purred loudly and Fluttershy looked to her as they pushed open the Library door. Fluttershy looked in the direction the feline was looking as the dust was kicked up as the stallion came into view.
“Welcome back Chosen.” She called to him as he slid to a halt close to her.
“I can’t even leave for an afternoon.” He grumbled quietly as he went into the Library.
“Here is what happened from my perspective.” She said as she leaned her forehead against his shoulder and shared what she knew.
A groan escaped him as he walked into the Library. Celestia was watching the mares as they begged for Twilight to remain in Ponyville. Fluttershy approached her and despite her clear nervousness spoke for them.
“Please, you’re Highness. We all saw that Twilight was upset. But we did nothing to help her.” Fluttershy spoke as loud as he had heard her speak in some time.
“We just thought what she was worrying about was pretty much worthless so we didn’t do anything for her,” Rainbow admitted with a shrug.
“None of us tried to stop her when she ran off looking even more upset,” Applejack added.
Oblivion cast a look to the smiling Princess of the Sun and he caught the mischief in her eye as she waited for them to go on. ‘What are you plotting?’ He thought to himself as he watched the scene unfold.
“Please don't take her away from us just because we were too insensitive to help her,” Fluttershy said with a choked sound.
“Looks like all of you learned a pretty valuable lesson here today.” She finally spoke up as her eyes scanned the group of them.
They nodded almost frantically as Oblivion sighed and shook his head. Sasa chuckled through their connection and he watched as she got up to go to Twilight. The feline nuzzled her and then began trying to tame her wild mane with a solid lick of her tongue. Twilight said nothing but groaned under her breath at the attention.
Spike laughed as he pointed to the mare. “Now you know how I feel when she does that to me.” He said to her with a laugh.
Twilight said nothing in reply to the baby dragon as Celestia spoke up once more.
“Very well. I'll forget Twilight's ‘punishment’ on one condition.” She said as she held up one hoof and they all nodded in reply to her. “From this day forth, I would like you all to report to me your findings on the magic of friendship when, and only when, you happen to discover them.”
Oblivion fought back the urge to roll his eyes as the Princess made for the upper levels of the Library, Twilight on her heels, after being released from the cat's grip.
“What were ya up to all day?” Applejack asked him. “Ya said ya were checking on something. Ya have any luck?”
“It was an old monster track. I have been watching and tracking it so I was seeing if anything had changed.” He lied to the mare.
“Liar.” Sasa teased.
“You want to explain to them that I was helping the Heart of this world strengthen the prison of the former Guardian of the World Spirit?”
“No.” Sasa quipped back to him.
Twilight came back down the stairs and rejoined them. “We have a letter to write.” She said to them.
“Ya heard her. Take a letter, Spike.” Applejack said to the baby dragon who nodded and pulled out a scroll and quill. “Dear Princess Celestia, we're writin' to you because today we all learned a little somethin' about friendship.”
Fluttershy smiled as she stepped forward to speak. “We learned that you should take your friends worries seriously.”
“Even if you think she has nothing to worry about.” Rainbow piped in.
Rarity cleared her throat daintily and added. “And that you shouldn’t let your worries turn a small problem…”
“Into an into an enormously huge entire-town-in-total-chaos Princess-has-to-come-and-save-the-day problem.” Pinkie chimed in.
Twilight looked at Oblivion who shook his head. “I don’t think I have anything to add that has not already been said.”
The purple mare smiled as Sasa nuzzled her cheek. Applejack came to stand next to the baby dragon as they finished their letter. “Signed, your loyal subjects.”
Oblivion looked up as Sasa returned to his side and nudged his shoulder as they continued speaking. “So what did you end up doing?”
“I used the World Spirit to strengthen the crystal prison and added some extra strength to it as well.”
“Is that why it took so long?”
“It was an afternoon.” He chided her as she laughed.
He looked up as the mares began to disperse. Applejack tapped his shoulder and he left at her side. The orange farm mare led him back toward the farm and Sasa stayed close by them.
“Ah fergot ta mention that Nightmare Night is comin’ up.”
“Nightmare what?” He asked her as they walked.
“Nightmare Night. It’s a holiday that is celebrated in the fall.” Sasa supplied and he looked back to Applejack.
“A holiday? Very well. What is needed?”
“Yas need a costume fer it.” She went on.
“Are you kidding?” He asked her. “So it’s a masquerade?” He said to Sasa who shrugged and nodded.
“Kind of.” She replied. “I’ll explain it better in a moment.”
“Mac is takin’ care of the hayrides and he’s dressin’ up.” She went on. “Ah’ll be watching over the bobbing apples and some of the games. Might have ya take Apple Bloom around ta get candy. She might have more fun with ya around.”
Oblivion shook his head. “Perhaps. Is it really necessary that I have a costume?”
“Yup. It’s required. Ya gotta get in the spirit o’ the Holiday.” She said as they walked through the gate of the farm.
The orange mare left him in front of the farmhouse and he turned to face the Spectral Tiger. “Explain this to me.” He said to her and she nodded.
“I’ll start off with what I know of it. It’s an annual holiday that is very well-loved by the ponies of Equestria. Even from my place in the Royal Menagerie, I could see the decorations and the lore that came with it. Ask me and I will explain what I can.”
“Why do I need a costume?”
“Every pony involved dresses up. Many ponies dress up as monsters or as ponies they admire in time or heroes are common. We have time to fashion a costume for you. Perhaps Rarity will have an idea for you. Hopefully, I can participate this year.”
“If I have to dress up then so do you.” Oblivion said to her and she purred at his words. "Does it have anything to do with Luna? The name gives me pause about it.”
“It is based on the Legend of Nightmare Moon. It’s not the same I promise you but she is still feared by many. The Legend is diluted and is based around the foal friendly version. Now that she has returned I hope that she finds the same joy in the holiday as her subjects. It is a well-loved and celebrated holiday that plays a strong role in pony culture.”
“I’m not sure she will be pleased with it. Since it seems to revolve around the fear they hold of her.”
“Fear is many things Chosen. It’s not always the terror that ponies are after. Some enjoy the thrill that comes being scared.” She replied to him. “I hope she can see that.”
He said nothing as he considered what he had been told. He started as Sasa suddenly got to her paws, her eyes bright.
“I know the perfect costume for you.”
“Dare I ask?”
“An Alicorn.” She said to him. “You would not need to hide anything.”
He blinked as she spoke and he had to admit the idea had merit. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I think it’s a marvelous idea. Between your wings and your Armor, you would cut a fine figure Chosen. We can fashion a way to hide the joints in your wings with a thick cloak since the fall season is colder anyway. Trust me Chosen.”
“I trust you enough but we shall see if this is an idea or not.”
“Now to think of what would go with that costume for me.” She said as she made for the farmhouse door.