Martin slept well that night after purchasing a double bed from the local store in Ponyville before nightfall arrived. He then awoke in the morning and walked to the bathroom to freshen up; he splashed some water on his face and looked at himself only for his eyes to widen in shock and fear. His once green eyes were now completely black like what Phobos did to ponies when he instilled his influence into them. He then felt a burning in his right shoulder and looked at the scar that Phobos’s sword had left during their battle with shock. The scar tissue was black and was giving off an ominous glow that seemed to pulsate in unison with his heartbeat. He then looked back at the mirror and saw it crack in several places around his reflection like a twisted picture frame as Martin lost his balance and dropped to the ground. He looked up to see another Martin staring at him with black eyes and pale skin, and the skin from the elbows down seemed to be made of a black bone like substance with talon like fingers making and it’s hair was a fiery red instead of auburn making this “Dark” Martin more terrifying to Martin then anything he had ever seen before. Dark Martin was wearing black pajama-like pants and no shirt, socks or shoes. Covering his lean torso from his neck to elbows were black evil looking line tattoos which resembled the same lines that were on Phobos’s wings.
Martin stood and shakily pointed which caused Dark Martin to smile with sick glee, “What the hell are you?”
Dark Martin jumped slightly in place, “I’m you.”
Martin shook his head in disbelief, “Your lying!”
Dark Martin approached his counterpart with a confident stride, “No I’m not and you know it deep down.”
Martin looked confused as the entire house began to break apart and reform into a dark and more gothic version of itself. The bathroom however had formed into a room with a large full bodied mirror as Dark Martin began to jump happily in place clapping his hands.
Dark Martin wrapped his arm around Martin as he gestured, “See this brother, this is our home. This is our sanctuary and your bagshit crazy mind in all of its glory.”
Martin pushed him away, “I’m not crazy!”
Dark Martin shook his head, “your right…you’re just WEAK!”
Martin was then hurled by an unseen force into the mirror which cracked and dislodged a shard of glass which he took into his hand, “What do you mean?!”
Dark Martin leered down at him, “Still haven’t figured it out?”
Martin leapt to his feet and slashed his dark reflection’s throat open with one strong swing of his arm. A black oil like blood sprayed into his face blinding him as an immense pain struck him. He looked down and saw that Dark Martin’s right claw was buried deep in his stomach as the dark persona lifted Martin off the ground with a grin that flashed sharpened canines.
Dark Martin brought his counterpart close and whispered in his ear, “Honestly I was expecting more of a challenge from the strongest hero in Equestria, how unfortunate you failed my expectations.”
Dark Martin then threw Martin through the mirror which led into a massive dark pit that had no bottom as Dark Martin’s laugh echoed through the entire realm.
*
Martin awoke with a start to the point that he dropped out of his bed and on his side with a thud. As he got to his hooves he…wait a minute. Martin looked at his hands with fright seeing that they were now hooves. He very awkwardly walked into the bathroom and switched on the light and stared at the being in the mirror. A unicorn colt with a reddish mane and chrome colored coat stared back at him his dark green eyes. He craned is neck to look at his side to see that his cutie mark was a gold and silver shield with white wings crossing it in an X. He then inhaled sharply and looked at the mirror once more before he mustered up his bravery and…fainted.
*
Alan’s hair was dishevelled after spending a night in a tent in the Ponyville square. He would have said yes to Martin’s offer of using the guest room but he had declined in the grounds that Martin should settle before he technically moved in. He WAS having a great sleep until Rainbow woke him up by shaking the tent saying that there was an emergency.
Alan had stuck his head out of the tent flap and spoke in a drowsy/annoyed voice, “Somepony had BETTER be dying.”
After explaining to Rainbow that he wasn’t much of a morning person they set off toward Martin’s house. After a bit of drowsy walking from both Dash and Alan they arrived at the house to see Applejack at the top of the stairs with a worried expression.
Alan approached her, “What’s the situation AJ?”
Applejack just gestured with her hoof at Martin’s bedroom in response. Alan then slowly turned the knob and opened it to reveal Martin in his new form.
Alan took on an annoyed/flustered look as he gestured at Martin and yelled, “OH COME ON!!”
*
Twilight was still examining Martin with her magic as to find the cause of his sudden ponyfication but she was still drawing a blank.
Martin gave her an annoyed half look, “I thought you said I wouldn’t turn into a unicorn.”
Twilight was frantic when she finished, “I did! It’s just…this isn’t possible or even probable let alone normal!”
Alan was seated nearby, “You think maybe he absorbed a LITTLE too much magic?”
Twilight shook her head as AJ waited for her response, “Unfortunately it’s hard to tell right now. I may have to run some tests at the library.”
Martin sighed as he shakily got to his new hooves, “I guess it’s time for zappy things again?”
Twilight gave an apologetic smile, “If you want to reverse this.”
Martin nodded as he walked out the door with AJ keeping him upright until he was used to his new stature and size. Rainbow Dash was outside in the roof when Alan arrived to sit next to her.
Dash cast a side look, “What’s the word?”
Alan smiled, “Bird.”, Dash was confused until Alan continued, “Twilight has no idea what’s wrong with him at the moment. She’s taking him to the library for some more tests to determine the cause.”
Rainbow nodded, “Makes sense.”, she then flexed her wings as she stood, “You ready to eat my dust?”
Alan stood up and stretched his legs and arms, “no, because it is you who shall eat MY dust!”
Alan immediately shot into the air at the speed of a fired bullet with an annoyed Rainbow Dash not far behind. The race was in full swing as both contestants were neck in neck even though they just started. Alan looked at Rainbow and saw she was completely concentrated on the horizon whereas he was devising a plan most sweet.
Alan quickly yelled in her direction, “LOSER SAYS WHAT?”
Rainbow looked at him for a second, “WHAT?”
Alan then smiled as he pointed at her, “EXACTLY!”
Alan then pulled ahead until Rainbow realized she had been distracted which had caused her to slow down and she immediately sped up to catch Alan who was shrinking into the distance.
Rainbow managed to yell in his direction, “THAT WAS A CHEAP TRICK!”
Alan casually turned around in midflight, “IT WORKED DIDN’T IT?”
Alan then crashed into a storm cloud which immediately surged to life as his screams of pain were heard but fell on deaf ears as Rainbow took advantage of the situation and sped ahead. As Dash smiled in triumph she turned her head at the sound of an explosion and witnessed Alan with minor singed clothes bursting out of the storm cloud and headed straight toward her. She gritted her teeth as she kicked it into overdrive causing a cone of air to form in front of her. Alan noticed this and started to speed up as well with the same result as Dash’s. Canterlot was approaching them faster and faster with each passing second which caused each racer to speed up even more.
It was then that Rainbow Dash broke both the colour spectrum and the sound barrier resulting in her trademark sonic rainboom. Alan was blown back slightly only to regain his speed with renewed energy and focus. Alan was approaching Dash as his air cone was on the brink of breaking as electricity was surging at its front.
Alan turned his head and made a hang loose gesture, “CATCH YA ON THE FLIP SIDE DASH!”
Alan then broke the sound barrier with a discharge of both air and built up electricity which zapped Dash and caused her to crash into a fountain in Canterlot square. Dash’s soaked head popped out of the water with an annoyed look as Alan landed next to it and helped her out.
Rainbow waved her hooves, “How did you beat me!?”
Alan shrugged, “I waited for you to use your secret weapon and then I used mine.”, he then pointed to the sky, “It’s called pacing.”
Rainbow Dash let out a defeated sigh as Alan patted her on the head, “Don’t sweat it Dash. I had a blast! It’s not every day that you get to race the best young flier in Equestria!”
Dash nodded with a smile, “I guess it was a blast. I may have been defeated, but I am STILL the fastest and awesomest pony in EQUESTRIA!!”
Alan then remembered something, “Oh yeah, I’ll pick you up at eight.”
Rainbow’s mood immediately deflated.