//------------------------------// // Chapter One: Tartarus // Story: Outcasts // by Dr. Rainbro Dash //------------------------------// Outcasts: Chapter 1 “Equestria is a land of peace and harmony. A land where the harshest creatures are kept in the shadows of Everfree Forest or the dank caverns of the prison Tartarus. A land where magic can even be found in the spark connecting ponies through their souls... But Equestria is just one land of many where ponies live, and just one of few where monsters do not roam free. Rarely do ponies leave their haven in the beautiful Equestria to trek through the vacant and often dangerous lands surrounding it.” -Anima Roads, published author and travelling pony                                                                          It was the worst assignment ever. Really. Ponies from all over the known world came to Tartarus to dispose of their worst, throwing them into the inescapable pit which fed off of their evil. The magic cast on it arranged its denizens based on the depravity of their crimes. The more evil they were, the deeper the magical prison would drag them. From one floor to the next, the residents of this hellhole got more horrible the lower you went.         I was sent here to investigate when Cerberus was reportedly spotted outside of Tartarus, but nopony was here and everything was strewn aside like there had been a mass panic or a big fight. Had the guards somehow all been dragged under like the criminals?         I thought of leaving just then to report that nopony was home, but decided that I’d better investigate it myself first... they’d know it’s dangerous if I didn’t come back anyway. Stepping over a shattered breastplate I saw my first clue: a puddle of blood. I followed a trail of the red liquid along deeply descending corridors to a slightly ajar door labeled “Officer Chump”. I slowly nudged the door open, ready to pounce at anything I perceived as a threat.         Two large orbs of red light gawked at me before I could make out a face in the dark. A magenta hoof moves away from a bloody mouth. I stuck my wings out into a fighting position and snarled, “Who’s there?”         “It’s Officer Chump-who are you and what are you doing here? That monster is still on the loose!” The stallion spoke so quickly I could barely make out what he said.         “I’m Vigilant Staff Sergeant Rapture of the Royal Equestrian Airforce 1st Squadron, and I’m here to investigate the disappearance of the Tartarus guard dog Cerberus... now would you tell me what in the hoof is going on?” I demanded.         “What? That Cerberus just escaped a few minutes ago and... what day is it?”         “Wednesday.”         “I see... I must’ve been out longer than I thought, Cerberus got loose yesterday. My men ran to the lower levels to stop those kept there from trying to escape. I stayed and got wounded by Cerberus before it ran off.” I eyed the bloody leg with canine teeth marks on it.         “You were nursing that when I came in here, is the wound not fresh?” I pondered.         “Oh, it started bleeding again when I tried to walk on it. I was just looking for some bandages...”         “I see... Well, Cerberus escaped. Could anything else have gotten away as well?” I asked, trying to hide my suspicion.         “If Cerberus got out, something must have gone wrong with the magic of Tartarus. If you want to find out for yourself, you’d probably need to investigate Cerberus’s post.”         “Well, that was my plan from the start. What will you do?”         Chump grinned obnoxiously. “Why, I’ll hafta come with. You’ll need the keys if you want to ever get back out after going in.”         Chump found a towel discarded next to other belongings of one of the missing guards and used it to wrap around and stop the bleeding on his foreleg before we moved on. Descending the limestone hallways and broken railings over bottomless pits which radiated an eerie aura, we eventually reached a faintly glowing gothic-style gate. A chain and opened iron collar lie beside it; the picture was that of loneliness. It sent chills across my spine.         “For all it’s worth... this doesn’t look all that high-security,” I regarded.         “Trust me, it’s all a lot more dependable when the giant 3-headed hellhound is guarding the gate. Now, let me open the lock. The only other way is a one-way trip, even with wings thanks to magic.” Chump bit the key hanging on a chain around his neck and slid it into the black gates’ lock. The lock and gates magically opened as the key slid out and fell back onto the officer’s chest.         As the gate opened a long, ringing howl resonated off the walls of Tartarus. My vision grew dim as if my mind did not want me to see what was hidden behind the shadow of the great gate for my sanity’s sake.         For a moment I saw a giant wolf, its mouth opened wide enough to swallow the world; its eyes and nostrils swam with flames and its belly full of the carcasses of recently swallowed ponies, still struggling to break free. The monster took a step forward, then disappeared. I found myself lying on the ground shaking, tears forming in my eyes.         “Woah, are you alright?” Chump asked, a look of concern on his face. “That howling came from far beneath us, from something that was trapped here long before ponies arrived. None of us have needed to go so far down before though.”         I gulped and stood up; “Before ponies? The spell wasn’t cast by us? The Canterlot library says-”         “The Canterlot library says a lot of things … ponies don’t know enough about this world that knowledge of such things as magic from eons before their time existed could benefit them. Knowledge of the past races is scarce and useless to the broader populace; ponies only know that there were others before us and this is what they made.”         “Let’s just keep going.” I needed time to ponder this, and there was no time to build up my nerves. Or it felt that way; what need was there to rush? I didn’t even know what was going on … it was just a gut feeling that I felt needed to be enacted upon. I chalked up the scary wolf I saw as imagination. <<-------------------------3 hours later------------------------->> Magical torches lit the dark hallways, cells dotted the walls of the huge pit in a way reminiscent of a sponge. Dust fell from above as the wolf’s howls resonated off of the walls like a Nightmare Night orchestra. Walking silently I entertained myself with thoughts of my past. I didn’t know if your life flashes before your eyes when you die, so I decided to make peace with it myself. Here’s the gist: My older brother Euphorian was the only family I had growing up in Cloudsdale, but we managed on our own for the most part, not wanting to rely on and live in an orphanage. We eventually joined the Royal Equestrian Airforce under Celestia and my brother became a castle guard. When Princess Luna returned to her throne I was put in her branch of the airforce-though this was mostly a formality as I’d never be given direct orders from a Princess, only my superiors in the airforce. I took every job I could get from my superiors and eagerly volunteered to investigate Tartarus when the mission was first elected.         “The howls are getting louder. I can feel vibrations from it...” I mused, just what kind of beast was beneath us?         “We’re several miles below now. It’s strange that there are no prisoners,” Chump said.         My gut told me to keep going; the mystery would be solved further down … but my brain told me to go back and report; it was my duty and there was probably nothing I could do here to help. “It’s clear that something has gone terribly wrong … they would’ve been noticed if they were on the surface.”         “Are you afraid? You can go back if you please, but I’m going to find out what happened to the ones I was supposed to watch over. I already let the situation go this far out of control... I could use your help.” Chump sighed. Something about his demeanor drove me forward. I felt the need to go with him, I had to help him with his duty before mine. Was it an enchantment forged through friendship or magic? I felt a growing desire to descend.         “I’ll help. How much farther to the wolf?” I almost said master... I noticed that something was changing the way I thought. Some sort of magic was making me submissive to Chump’s will. The scariest part was that I realized this yet couldn’t bring myself to resist physically.         Chump’s grin put butterflies in my stomach. It made me feel somehow joyous and as small as a mouse. “It is close now. Only a few moments and you will face it; the world-eater Fenrir. You must win.”         I realized that Chump’s influence had been seeping into my mind since I first saw his eyes. He wanted me to fight that monster wolf, but how? I was trained for as much as to fend perhaps as much as a Manticore, that thing sounded (looked!) like it could eat hordes of those in one bite.         When I did see the Wolf, I almost howled a sound of terror myself. It was just like the image I’d seen before; its fangs were soaked in blood and a pile of meaty bones lay at its feet. Most notably, it was comically picking its teeth with what appeared to be a Dragon’s tail-bone. Yeah, as I’d thunk before. I was royally screwed like Nightmare Moon with the Elements of Harmony.         What I hadn’t noticed about the wolf yet, was that beneath the flames, its eyes were as intelligent as mine. More concerned with the teeth, I didn’t notice that until it spoke in a sly voice I would’ve attributed to a reptile instead of a canine. “Chump” was nowhere to be seen.         “What are you? Are you food?” Would’ve been funny if he wasn’t serious. Trying to think of a way to survive, I noted that I was still in control of my body; there was just an irresistible compulsion to descend, or to serve Chump.         “I’m not food and if you try to eat me I’ll make it hurt going down … um, would you kindly let me circle around you to the other path leading down behind you?”         “You look like food. Come here, I will make this quick for you. You mortals can be so impatient.” Maybe it wasn’t intelligent after all. Like I would go within a hundred miles of this thing if I could have chosen … but my composure was unbreakable. I only needed to descend; nothing more.         “Fine. If you says so, Mr.Tooth.” I walked unwaveringly toward the beast that could eat me and the past hundred generations of my family or so in a single gulp. Though from where I stood it might’ve been a bunny. Mind control had benefits?         The monster swiped at me with incredible speed. I didn’t have time to even comprehend I was being attacked, but luckily I had my wings up, and so when it took hold of me I could use them to defend myself. The wolf had a pretty good grip for someone without hooves. It held me up and eyed me over before opening its terrible mouth.         The special martial arts technique of Pegasi combat forces, Acriter-”sharply” in the old language, was the use of one’s wings as a blade sharper than steel and light as a feather. I used my Acriter to slice off the beast’s toes; with this sense of calmness-cutting things from such an awkward angle was still easy. The hairy claws hit the stone floor with a thump and the wolf gave an expression of mild confusion, scratching its head with the other paw.         “How did you do that? Only once before has my paw been cut, and it was with a metal blade.” The wolf, apparently, could not feel pain. The wound I gave it wasn’t even bleeding-the bone was re-extended and the flesh covering it. It’d be full again before the minute was done.         “Through years of harsh training and a diet full of vitamin-enriched oatmeal,” I exclaimed, almost proudly, before diving into the monster’s gaping mouth. The jaws closed around me. It smelled of rotten flesh and iron inside-fresh blood mixed with rancid saliva. Great. It felt like I’d rehearsed it though; I flew straight through the back of its head, cutting the flesh and digging around its spine swiftly. It wasn’t even that hard, though I knew I would normally have fainted by now of terror.         Fenrir turned around to see me covered in blood, hovering above his face-before I slashed both of his eyes and dove for the descending hall, but a now regenerated paw hit me out of the air. I slammed against the ground like a falling bullfrog-a really flat one at this rate.         “You worthless cub; I’ve eaten many like you before. Don’t struggle.” The wolf snipped at me, but I rolled and caught flight quickly. Surprisingly, my wings and spine were not broken. But it looked like I had to end this somehow. So I swooped under Fenrir’s belly and slashed it open as I flew. The wolf swung around and I used the momentum to dig my wing all the way through the side of its skull-and skewed outward.         That time my wing did break, but the monster also toppled. For such an enduring beast, it died quickly. It burst into green flames and within 10 seconds there was a comparably small pile of smoldering ashes. So that’s what happens to immortal monsters; before they regenerate years later? I’d heard myths of such mythical monsters before. This was … a little strange.         I had nothing to tend my wing with, and one of my hind legs was sprained. So I limped, one wing out for balance, down the descending halls.                  After completing a full circle, “Chump” appeared again, seemingly rematerializing behind me as I walked.         “I’m somewhat disappointed that you were hurt so badly even after I took away your useless fear emotion … but I suppose it’s better than most could do-you are quite talented, as long as you are focused.” He paused for me to speak, but I remained silent. “Yes, I suppose you would want to keep going without pause … though you will need to recover if you are to defeat Jormungandr the serpent...”         He wanted me to be startled, but I’d already seen the giant snake as I had the wolf before. They say some non-unicorns have innate powers of magical precognition; I must’ve fallen into that category to perceive threats. “I can’t stop.”         “No reaction of surprise? Well then, I’ll have to fix you up myself... There, you’re healed. Consider yourself lucky, but I won’t do it again.” Chump wasn’t lying about the healing … but I didn’t count myself among the lucky; there were many luckier ponies who weren’t in a living hell on the surface right now, infact.         “What are you?” I questioned, not expecting a real answer.         “That’s a surprise for when you reach the bottom.” Chump smiled. <<-------------------------------------------------->>         The torches were unlit further down, and there was no light when a snake at least 6 feet in diameter wrapped its body around me, burying me in its hard scales and squeezing the breath out of me with its powerful muscles. The Snake Jormungandr was supposedly long enough to wrap itself around the world; while I could not see far enough to know if that was true, in my vision it had filled the horizon.         I tried my wing Acriter, but without enough space to move into the proper stance, and with the toughness of the scales, it was in vain. The snake goaded in a slithery voice. “Another one? Fenrir is too sloppy to let so many sneak by him whilst he preysss. You would have been better off being eaten by him though. Being swallowed whole is my venom will not make this as pleasant as being swallowed whole.”         I tensed every muscle in my body to no avail. The snake wasn’t even trying and it felt like my internal organs would all gush out of my mouth in the form of a thick paste. Instead, I let myself relax and went limp … soon the snake loosened its grip and I could breath again, but I stayed my breath until I could feel the snake breathing on me. Now was my chance! I flew out from its reach as the monster’s jaws closed where I was held a moment before. Still unable to see, my will to live overcame my drive to descend long enough for me to flee up. Not much further back were magic torches, and if I ascended far enough the monster wouldn’t be able to follow me. The prison would force it back. I flew as fast as my wings could carry me, but the snake pursued. I knew one touch of that venom would be the end of me; that sizzling was the sound of rapid corrosion!  “You’re about to be routed, deary,” the snake hissed.         Just as I reached light, the ceiling above me gave way and a scaled tail broke through to block my path. I turned to see the snake’s mouth opened wide, its jaws closing around me. A quick burst from my wings was almost enough to get me out, but my hind leg’s hoof was caught between the snake’s lips. Luckily I was between both of its fangs, but my hoof still felt like it was on fire!         I imagined the snake opening its mouth to release me so as to quickly chomp down on me again, this time getting my whole being into its mouth. Preparing for this, I rolled my body and forced my front hooves at its chin. Suddenly I was free and underneath the snake’s head. Its jaw clenched shut hollowly and it hissed in frustration as I fled downwards. It would take time for such a huge snake to turn itself around in a corridor only twice its width … maybe I could elude it after all!         I put all of my wing power to use to escape. But as I flew, I saw the flashing image of a demon in my mind. Not a monster or a beast, but something that looked like an alicorn-sized unicorn pony with fangs and a twisted horn. She looked gloomy and had icy eyes which relished in the blood of foals as she fed their bones to an inferno of ghostly grey flames. Her features were folded somehow, with her looking old and decayed and also despaired yet beautiful. I thought this must have been a half-goddess of death.         I kept moving, spiraling along with the defined curve I’d known from travelling these corridors to avoid the walls, though I’d occasionally still brush my wings against them and correct my course. Sounds of stone shattering echoed from behind me; presumably the snake struggling in pursuit, but soon a new light kindled in the halls of Tartarus. Not torches, but burning husks of ponies still donned in their guard armour were hung from the ceiling, nooses tied around their limp necks. The flames were grey but they still provided a little light.         Through some premonition I knew I had reached the near-end of Tartarus at last. Two threats remained: one behind and one below. I’d need some way to defeat both if I were to survive.         Finally, the corridor expanded into a large chamber piled with dragon bones. Were they being kept here before? It wasn’t long before my eyes rested upon the pony I’d seen before in my vision. With a grey coat and a matted white mane both coated in blood, the pony feasted on the body of Officer Chump, savagely pulling chunks of bloody meat from his neck. The officer had a lifeless expression upon his face. The demi-goddess didn’t notice me until I tripped over a pony-leg sized dragon claw. The mare stared at me with an expression as lifeless as Chump’s. I hadn’t even noticed I was walking forward. Had the curse still not dissipated? Wasn’t I already at the curses’ goal, and the caster lying dead before me?         “Who are you to enter my domain alive, mortal? Are you here to offer your soul as sacrifice?” The mare spoke dryly and without emotion.         “This is the food, Sister. This bitch cut me down!” A growling voice spoke irritatedly, it sounded like the wolf but it was nowhere in sight. A disembodied voice. Had this mare performed necromancy, the banished dark magic?          I heard hissing behind me and I turned to see the snake Jormungandr enter and block the exit, encircling the entire chamber with his body. “Foolish foal, now your body and soul are forfeit! You think you can esscape the fierce and mighty Jormungandr? The cruel and powerful goddess Hel?”         I’d given up hope for survival, but I’d go out fighting. I didn’t even know the abilities of this Hel, outside of spookiness! So I’d need to go after her first.         I jumped and kicked off of the air at max speed, swinging my wing Acriter at the creep, but I was knocked aside by Jormungandr’s quick tail. The serpent’s head appeared as its tail surrounded me.         “Jormungandr, did I call you to my domain?” Her voice was a whisper that resonated off of the walls until it became a shout.         “No, Hel. But the prey escaped usss...! I did not want-” The serpent sounded like it was begging until it was interrupted by a spell cast by ‘Hel’. Some sort of light came out of the snake’s mouth and flew back to the Unicorn’s horn before its eyes rolled back and it began disintegrating as Fenrir did before. Soon it was only a pile of dust amongst the piles of bones that littered the chamber. Hel was terrifying. Had the spell Chump cast worn off? I was afraid.         “And you, would you be a willing sacrifice or a martyr? I thirst for the imperfect blood of mortals to fuel my necromancy.” Hel’s voice was tempting somehow. She seemed to have the same mind-controlling powers as Chump, but it still took time to assert this influence.         “I won’t go down willingly, and I think I deserve some answers before you kill me; what’s going on in this place?! and why are there piles of dragon bones here?” I still didn’t know how any of this had happened, and I’d need to know what went on down here if I ever made it back to the surface to report!         “These bones are the remains of the ancient seven dragon kings, who ravaged Equestria in its early years before being trapped here … as for anything else, I do not care. The living do not concern me-unless they’re trespassing in the realm of the dead..!” The witch’s horn glowed a sick slate-grey and I was lifted off of the floor and carried towards her.         At the academy I’d learned that the only way to take down a powerful Unicorn was through a sneak attack … unless I could create an opening(which I doubted) I’d be done for, probably become company to these dragon kings for an eternity. Or stew.         “Oh hay, I remember you now... Hel, you’re that necromancer I read about in a book of old pony tales in the Canterlot Library of Black Arts...” I didn’t know if such a place ever existed, but hoped she’d take interest because she actually bothered to answer my question about the dead dragons here.         “Black magic you say? Don’t lie! Hel knows that black magic is not practiced by the substandard surface unicorns.” She actually seemed to be buying it.         “You can say that but I know what I saw, we have a division of ponies who research and develop the lost magics. We’re much more advanced than before it was banned! Did you know you can make your thralls explode from the inside out? Of course my magic is limited to potion-brewing, but it’s just so fascinating. Too bad I’ll die before I can tell you about it.”         “You might be more use to me with blood in you after all … but how can I be sure you’re not bluffing..? That’s it! I’ll just turn you into a thrall and have you infiltrate the library, I cannot go for myself and I win either way like this.” Well, so much for that. I hope I’ll make a cool zombie at least.         A sharp pain ran slowly through my head, as if someone was caressing my brain with claws dipped in a powerful acid. Hel took a step closer, and the pain grew greater. Another step and it felt like my whole body was on fire. Finally she was within hoof’s reach, and she brought her horn slowly upon my forehead. I quickly lashed out with my wing, it was all I could do-but it made her draw back and I fell limply to the ground. I’d managed to cut a good gash into her cheek, and to survive a few moments longer.         “Impressive that you had any control over your body at all. This time I’ll use a tranquilizing spell...” a sarcastic frown appeared upon her face and her tone sounded like she was mocking an irritating whiner; “sadly, this will also lessen the pain for you.”         I pushed my hooves off the ground weakly and tried to speak, but noticed that my throat was crispy dry from screaming already. Hel’s horn lit again, and I tumbled to my right to dodge a green blast of her magic. She grunted and grabbed hold of my left wing with her telekinesis, and then I was helplessly in the air again.         “Tenacity. A will to live freely? This could be fun after all,” Hel spoke as her horn lit the bright green of her tranquilizing spell.         Crap! I had to move quickly, it all happened in a blur. Twisting myself around and slicing my own caught wing off with my free one. Her spell fired and I ducked, her horn lit again for telekinesis, but I had already cut her throat open.         I’d won by pure luck, or by her stupid acts of sadism.         Hel looked at me with pure hatred, and as her horn lit once again I knew it was her final intention to kill me. I was lifted again, blood spurting from the stub that once held my wing, Hel made wheezing noises as she tried gasping for air. The pain was so great that I really wanted to die. My wish was granted, I saw my own soul sucked from my mouth like Jormungandr, and felt my heart stop. <<-------------------------------------------------->> My eyes opened; I gasped for air and turned over. I was really cold, but the rapid beating of my heart warmed me. I was in another chamber, this one smaller and with lit magic torches instead of burning corpses. The figure of an earth pony twice my height loomed over me.         “You’ve come to. Having your soul ripped out sucks, huh? Literally.” The voice of the pony was irritating, smooth, and really loud; my head was ringing like I’d just been brought back from the dead.         “Three questions.” I spoke weakly, “Who are you, where am I, and am I still a pony?”         “I’m Loki, also the ‘Mr.Chump’ that you knew before. You’re under Hel, in the very very bottom of Tartarus. And yes, you probably are; if you were before anyway. You’d know more than me about being a mortal creature, though.” Of course that would just spark more questions … when would I get a rest?                  “You say you’re Chump? I saw him dead.” I responded.         “I’m trapped down here, so I had to possess the officer to greet you. I led you down here to test your survival strengths, you did much better than the ponies set up to guard this place... of course, I had them come down as well. I take it your superiors would like answers..?”         “What? You did all of this for a ‘test’?! What the hell are you!” I had to stop myself from lashing out at him … if he could bring back a dead pony, he was probably a powerful sorcerer despite his lack of a horn.         “Why, of course I did … I can’t send someone off on a quest and have them waste my time! I’m a god, and I need a Hero to help me! And it’s not as if I had civilians killed!” His tone and expression actually showed hurt and shock that he was called out. “I’ve been holed up in here for who knows how many millenia! At least more than one, anyway.”         Incredible … this ‘god’, this all-powerful and demonic being in the form of a horse thought his actions were justified? “You’re despicable! Do you even know why you can’t leave this place? It’s because of your corrupt soul!”         “I’m sorry(not really), but gods don’t have the same feelings of good or evil as mortals, we simply live... If it pleases you, I could resurrect the guard ponies who died here after I’ve been freed.” ”... If it’s something like you, more harm than those who died here will come from you being released. I’m leaving, and you’ll have to kill me to stop me.” Suddenly his eyes lit up, and a terrifying snarl of rage appeared on his face.         “I SPARED YOU TWICE...! I healed you twice, and I give you a chance to go on a quest and save the ponies here, and yet you defy me? My family created this prison and banished me here because I gave you ponies magic! Have your kind already forgotten that!? Have you the right to call helping ponies like that evil!? How I damn that word! Evil, evil, evil...” Loki was trying to regain his composure. Gods were not masters of their feelings, if nothing else. I spoke:         “I … had never heard of our magics’ origin...” Loki snarled again. “But even if that’s true, reviving me meant nothing if you’re the one who brought me here yourself. I don’t care what happens to me if I’m not convinced it’s the right thing for the ponies and animals above to release you. I’m sorry.” Fully expecting for him to kill me again, or worse. I silently prayed to the Princess of the Night one last time.         But he did nothing, and minutes of silence went by.         “I’ll let you go then,” he spoke calmly; “If it is truly your destiny to help me, then you will someday return. For now, it is good that I set the event into motion. A Hero’s destiny is one that cannot be changed...”         “I’ll see about that for myself then... thank you.”         I wasn’t looking forward to taking the key from Chump’s corpse. <<-------------------------------------------------->>         Coming out of Tartarus shaken and disturbed, I was told to rest before reporting... Cerberus was returned soon after I left Tartarus, and everyone was waiting to hear what had happened to the guard ponies stationed there. One day passed, and I awakened to a beautiful summer morning in Canterlot castle.                  I was admiring a horse-drawn picture of a highly fashionable dress that was for some reason wasted in the bottom of a trash bin. The headdress was a bit excessive, but it had all the glamour it needed for a Canterlot high-society event. I reached my head in to grab it and the door swung open. An elegant mint-colored pegasus mare with a white mane stepped inside the suite.         “Um … I’m not interrupting anything am I? No wait, you should know that there’s an evening banquet in the Castle dining room... you don’t need to... look for something to eat in the meantime.” The Canterlot pony smiled nervously as I just stared at her. “Celestia will be receiving your report after the banquet herself. In person… pony-to-pony...”         “Yes, yes, I get it. Celestia herself knows why I’m reporting to her though.”         “Oh it’s just that I’m quite jealous of you-anyway, the girls say that a second investigation team went down while you were asleep and came back with some unpleasant news. Ta-ta.” The pony promptly walked off.         I did find it strange how this was being handled... I was ordered to rest before reporting-though I appreciated that. Come to think of it though, a rescue team should’ve been sent after me before I’d left Tartarus-I’d simply been underground too long. Now a banquet, and Celestia wants to see me herself? And was I imagining things or were those gleaming eyes and golden helmets watching me from the corner of my eye-which disappeared as I turned. Shoddy work, the night watch was much better at stealth when they needed it.         However, I was not confined there, so I decided to move about the Castle-maybe Euphorian was on duty here too. I left the suite, asked around, and was directed to him. He was making rounds about the Castle grounds in the sky when I caught up to him-as if Canterlot needed ponies making rounds with its defenses constantly watching from the ground. Euphorian had a white coat, brown eyes and a golden mane in contrast with my dark coat, magenta eyes, and purple mane streaked with pink. I called out his name and he turned to face me. A stupid grin crept onto his face that quickly turned to anxiety.         “Rapture! I- … um, could we talk later? Maybe after the banquet today? I’m... a little busy.” Huh.         “But you’ve always had time to catch up before...,” I whispered; “I’ve noticed all the Celestia guards watching me, what’s going on?” First an expression of surprise on him, then one of definite guilt.         “Listen, Raps... I’ll see you at the banquet this evening-make sure you’re there!” He gave a nervous smile before flying off. Great. Was I suspected of something now? I decided to work up an appetite for the banquet, so I practiced my Acriter wing techniques. <<-------------------------------------------------->>         A seat at the long end of the main dining room table was reserved for me. On the other end sat Princess Celestia herself. Euphorian and other guard ponies filled the seats in between us on either side. Trays of grains, fruits, and desserts gave color to the pale table like paint to a canvas. I sat down, and waited for the Princess to take the first bite.         Celestia motioned for the meal to begin in silence. Clanks of hooves and plates and low mumbles filled the hall; I reluctantly nibbled on some bread. My mind was more hungry for answers than my stomach was for food.         After the meal ended Celestia motioned for me to follow her to a balcony on the main castle tower. I could see Ponyville off into the distance.         “Princess,” I started.         “Staff Officer. I’ve had ponies watching you because there is reason to believe that you may be possessed by Loki, a god imprisoned under Tartarus. I’m … very sorry, as this seems to have been a mistake.” The Princess bowed her head slightly in apology.         “-and we still can’t be sure that she’s not Loki’s, Princess!” The mint-coated mare said as she walked onto the balcony with us. “I still think we should have her locked up-this is a matter of national security!”         “I will not imprison a pony for suspicions that cannot be proven, I’ve given you time to watch her for abnormalities and you have found nothing,” Celestia debated. What Euphorian said made sense now, as long as I continued acting normally I would be fine. I was fine, too-no ancient gods were inside here, at least at the moment anyway...         “Princess, it is my job as the head of Special Operatives to protect ponies from potential thre-”         “AND IT IS MY DUTY AS PRINCESS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF MY SUBJECTS!” I’d only heard Luna use the Royal Canterlot voice before-but Celestia’s was just as terrifying even so out of practice... “Officer Berry, you are dismissed.”         The mint-colored pony gave me a nasty look and left without a word. I noticed what looked like coffee beans on her flank … did coffee beans qualify as berries? What a strange cutie mark.         “Vigilante Rapture …, did you encounter Loki down there?” Celestia inquired.         “Yes, I did.”         “I’m so sorry. We weren’t sure what was put inside Tartarus before we occupied it... Are you okay?”         “I’m fine, your highness. Thank you.”         “I’m glad. Could you please tell me what happened down there?” The Princess asked.         I told her everything that happened, including how I was temporarily possessed. <<-------------------------------------------------->>         After speaking with the Princess I met my brother in the training grounds and sparred with him.         “Rapture, you’ve improved your technique a lot! You’re relentless,” Euphorian spouted as I ducked under his buck and swung my wing at an opening on his hind leg.         Fast as ever, he swung around 180 degrees and blocked my wing with his own. His agility might have been super-pony, but my wing power was always higher. I pushed him back with my superior strength and twirled around, swinging my wings in a twister-like attack. Euphorian barely managed to dodge the barrage as he kicked my hooves out from under me; I fell flat on my face. I tried to get up quickly but he put his wing under my jaw; a sign of defeat.         “That was close, Raps, you almost shredded me to pieces! I’d better keep my training up or you’ll actually defeat me someday!” My brother could be such a tease, but there was nopony I would rather trust with my life.         “My latest assignment honed my skills a little. You could use a little action yourself, brother. Guard duty doesn’t suit you.” He would always take his work so seriously though, he was determined to do his duty to Princess Celestia no matter what menial assignments he was tasked. No wonder he was already a high ranking officer.         “Ya but you’re gonna be envious when I take down the next Discord or Nightmare Moon on one of these menial guard duty posts.” Euphorian smirked.         “Hey, you wanna go get something to eat? It’s been so long since we’ve talked...” I asked.         “How about breakfast? Though, I wouldn’t consider two days long; we spoke before you left for your last mission.” Euphorian puzzled.         “No, I mean talk talk …, off-duty stuff. Like, ‘did you see the Wonderbolts’ latest performance?’ or ‘met any cool mares lately?”         “Well to answer those two-no, and yes. We do have a new mare on the team and she seems quite promising! She’s already put in 74 hours of guard duty over her first week.”         “That’s not the kind of mare-relationship I meant and you know it... How many hours do you put in a week anyway?” I indulged him.         “119 hours and 36 minutes... I should really get back to my post, Rapture.”         I gawked comically as he flew away toward one of the towers overlooking the setting sun. <<-------------------------Midnight------------------------->>         I slipped my wing under Celestia’s throat but her eyes opened and I sliced air; then I was caught in her telekinesis. I canceled her spell and rushed at her but two guards were holding me down and her horn was glowing with the tip against my head. The fog cleared and I could think clearly again.         “Princess …, I’m sorry. I don’t-”         “Rapture, it’s alright. This is my fault for letting you get sent down to Tartarus. You were helpless to Loki’s power without powerful magic. If I’d known they were sending you...” Celestia sighed sorrowfully. “So many ponies died down there, and it’s my fault for being ignorant... Guard, you can get off her.” They backed off and I stood.         “Princess … how did you learn that Loki was down there before I returned?”         “I saw you meet Loki as it happened through a magic called perception. It’s an innate ability-but you already know about it, don’t you?” I did know it. “I had to warn your backup and my royal guard that you could be dangerous-Loki is supposed to be a trickster... and a mighty god.”         “What will happen to me? Can his influence be removed?”         “The magic placed on you isn’t possession, you’re still in control. What is placed on you is a powerful suggestion to kill me. It will only be activated when an opportunity to do so arises, and it will feed you magical power to help you do so... You managed to cancel my telekinesis spell with just your mind.” Celestia paused. “It will only grow more powerful, the influence can only be removed by completing it, or by making it impossible to complete.”         “How..?”         “By leaving Equestria you will be outside of Loki’s influence until you return. I’m sorry but there’s no other way outside of imprisoning you. I can’t force the spell back with my magic for much longer as it only grows more powerful.” I was baffled... to leave Equestria? I never thought I’d have to-especially not as an outcast.         “I’d take it over being imprisoned any day, Princess. I’ll go; maybe I can even send you back some postcards every once in awhile.” I smiled, but I felt like crying too.         Celestia nodded grimly. “Your brother and I will send you off at the Southeast border-unless he wants to go with you, of course. I told him this could happen and he said he needed to think about it.”         I thanked her. We departed immediately. <<-------------------------------------------------->>         We made it to the badlands border. The trip there was a silent one, nopony even said anything when we went to get my brother. Celestia spoke:         “Rapture, you’ll have to get as far away from Equestria as you can before resting. As soon as you sleep my counterspell will fail. If you’re too close Loki’s influence will take over again.”         “I will, Princess.” I took off my saddle-packs and double checked their contents before sliding them back on.         “Raps, I think I should go with you. We’re the only family we’ve got and I don’t want you hurt out there on your own.” Euphorian looked concerned, but I had decided on something as well.         “Euphy, you’ve got to stay here. You’re an important pony to the Royal Guard. I’ll come back someday after I find a way to remove Loki’s influence permanently. I promise.”         “I can’t let you go so easily.” Euphorian started to cry.         “You’re out of character, bro. If I could survive Tartarus then I can make it out there. Maybe I can find more descendants of the old Kingdoms, too. When’s the last time somepony has left Equestria in search of friends and adventure? You know I’ve never liked staying put. That’s your job.” I smiled. “I will come back.”         “Your sister is right, Euphorian. You should stay-to give her something to come back for.”         “... Fine. I won’t make you two force me to stay behind... But sis, you’d better come back. You still need to beat me in a spar, okay?” Thank you, Celestia. I may never come back, and I didn’t want my brother to share the same fate out there.         “Yeah..., see ya big bro.” I started crying too.         “See ya later sis..!” I’d never forget the pathetically sappy look on his face as I departed, flying at top-speed to make the distance Celestia requested of me. A brown and unsightly wasteland filled the horizon, a scar on the land that stretched South farther than the eye could see. Was leaving Equestria the destiny Loki spoke of? I guessed I’d find out if I ever came back. Loki was the one who cast me out here, after all. I kept flying.