//------------------------------//
// Episode 9: The Oracle of Delphius 
// Story: My Little Pony: The Mobian Era 
// by Mister E-Nonymous 
//------------------------------//


Episode 9: The Oracle of Delphius






In the lab of Knothole, Joshua was laying down on a table for an MRI Scanner. Joshua was strapped down by MC and Sally. Sally put a hand on the side of Joshua's head. Joshua was also wearing a hospital gown.

"It'll be okay, Joshua," Sally said. "We're just gonna see what's going on with you."

Joshua nodded, starting to get worried. Then the table started moving into the MRI scanner. MC and Sally stepped out of the room. Standing there at the computer was Rotor, Mutt, Bunnie and Antoine. MC and Sally walked and stopped right beside them.

"Alright, everyone," Rotor said. "To those with sensitive hearing, put on your sound cancelling headphones." MC, Mutt, Bunnie and Antoine did. Rotor pushed a button and a high pitched noise came from the MRI.

Outside, Starlight, Spike and Nyx were waiting outside. Then Twilight, Sonic, Tails and Maria came running towards them. Twilight then asked, "Is he okay? Where is Joshua?"

"He's in the medical bay," Starlight said. "He's being scanned as we speak. We have no idea what's happening with him at the moment."

"Oh, I hope Joshua is gonna be alright," Twilight said. She then ran in. Spike and Nyx followed.

Back over at the computer connected to the MRI, Rotor was checking the test results.

"This doesn't make any sense," Rotor said. "It says here that something in him is causing him to transform. What could be happening to him?"

"Back on the ARK, Twilight did say he was turned into a unicorn," MC said. "When he became human again, he did keep the magic." He then got a realization. "That's it. It's his magic."

"It must be," Rotor said. Then Twilight ran into the room.

"Where is he?" Twilight asked, worried.

"He's right over there," Antoine said, pointing at the machine. Joshua was coming out of the machine. Sally and MC then walked into the room, and unstrapped Joshua. Twilight ran in to hug Joshua.

"Mom?" Joshua asked, tears coming from the corners of his eyes. "What's gonna happen to me?"

"I don't know, Joshua," Twilight said. "But, we're gonna fix this. I promise."

"I don't think it's gonna be easy," Rotor said. "It would seem that Joshua's magic is evolving, turning him back into a pony. He's already gaining a horn, his ears are getting pointed, and I see his tailbone is starting to extend."

"WHAT?!" Joshua asked. He then put his hands to his head. "Oh, this isn't good." He then scrunched his face. "I can't go back to being a pony! What am I going to do?!" As Joshua asked that last question, the growing horn on his head started glowing white. That caused a chain reaction, making his horn grow, his ears changed, and a tail coming out from the bottom of the hospital gown, then growing brown hair. He then looked over at the mirror in the room, ran over to it and shouted, "Oh, c'mon!"

"We're gonna fix this, Joshua," Twilight said. "We just need to find someone else with really powerful magic. Since Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are retired."

MC was thinking as Twilight was talking. He then smirked and said, "I know a guy."








In the Spirit of Freedom, MC was piloting. Riding with him was Twilight, Spike, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sonic and Mutt. They were heading over somewhere. Although, everyone but MC was wearing a blindfold.

"Why are we even wearing these blindfolds anyway?" Scootaloo asked.

"Who I am taking you all to prefers to keep his location a secret," MC said.

"So, how do you know this guy?" Twilight asked.

"He's my mentor," MC said. "He taught me how to control my power. Although, he's a really powerful sorcerer. But I am the only one he trusts to know the directions to this place."

"And where is that?" Spike asked, smirking.

"Don't get me started," MC said. "Sparkles, how's Joshua doing?"

Joshua was still trembling, knowing that his humanity was fading away. Joshua's tears were coming out of the blindfold he was wearing. Twilight was rubbing her hand down the side of Joshua's head.

"He's not taking it so well," Twilight said. "I'm trying to calm him down."

"It's gonna take us forever to get there," Sonic said, crossing his arms. "Just how long until we arrive?"

"We're almost there, actually," MC said. Outside the Spirit of Freedom, they were flying through a frozen wasteland. Then the Spirit of Freedom came down, flying into a frozen cavern, and then flying into a tunnel. The Spirit of Freedom then made it to a beautiful valley with some hot springs. The Spirit of Freedom landed at the bottom of a cliff side that was near the entrance/exit to the place. MC then unbuckled and said, "Alright, everyone. From here on, we walk." The back of the ship opened up as the ponies, Joshua, Sonic and Mutt started unstrapping. Then they all walked out of the Spirit of Freedom.

"Where are we?" Twilight asked as the group walked out and got in front of the Spirit of Freedom.

"Take off your blindfolds," MC said. The group then removed their blindfolds, and what they saw, they all gasped. "Welcome... to Delphius."

To the amazement of how spectacular the place was, the group, except MC, reacted with awe. "Awwwww..." I said awe. A-W-E. "Oooooooooh!" That's better.

Then they headed through the valley, heading to a temple on the other side of the valley. They headed up the stairs that leads to the temple. When they reached the temple, the group stopped.

"Alright, everyone," MC said. "My mentor is inside this temple. Everyone behave yourselves. And don't touch or break anything. He will know."

Then the doors started opening themselves. They all then started walking in, and sitting there in the center of the front room, behind a crystal ball, there was a green creature, some kind of reptilian anteater, in a purple robe. He looked over towards the group and saw MC in front of the group.

"Michael Crayton," the creature said. "A pleasure to see you again, my pupil."

"Namaste, Oracle," MC said, putting his hands together and getting on his knees. "It is good to see you again as well. But, I did not come here for a visit. I bring bad tidings."

"You have brought a young human boy on the brink of losing his humanity," the Oracle said. "I am aware of what is happening."

"Of course you are," MC said. "You always know before I tell you something."

"And I always will know the future," the Oracle said. He then looked over at Joshua, who was worried. "Step forward, Joshua." Joshua looked up at Twilight. Twilight stepped forward, carrying Joshua with her. Twilight then placed Joshua into the seat across from the Oracle, Twilight standing right beside him.

"Are you able to help him be fully human?" Twilight asked. "He wasn't a full pony since he was seven. He was really scared."

"I know, Princess Twilight," the Oracle said. "But, I'm afraid... that not even the spell you used last time will be able to help again."

"Oh, no," Twilight said. "So there's nothing we can do?"

"The magic he wields is what's causing him to transform back into a pony," the Oracle said. "It's the only reason what's causing his transformation."

"So, for Joshua to stop transforming, we need to get rid of his magic?" Twilight asked.

"It's not as simple as that," the Oracle said. "The magic will not be able to be removed from him without him... surviving. It'll be too fatal."

"You... you mean..." Joshua said. "I won't be human again?"

"I'm sorry," said the Oracle. "But there is nothing that I can do. Not even your bearded friend will be able to help."

"Bearded friend?" Twilight asked.

"He's talking about me," came another voice. The group looked towards the source, and there came Star Swirl the Bearded.

"Star Swirl?!" Twilight asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I had left Equestria to check out the rest of this new world," Star Swirl said. "My exploration of this world was interesting. But then I met this fine creature." He then looked towards the Oracle and said, "Are you sure my curing spell won't do it again?"

"I've already seen it," the Oracle said. "Sadly, there's nothing we can do."

"Is there anything we can do?" Twilight asked.

"I'm sorry," the Oracle apologized. "His magic has already built up an immunity against any curing spell against it. Although, for him to get his humanity back, it would involve that mirror."

"The mirror that leads to Canterlot High?!" Twilight asked.

"I'm afraid so," said the Oracle. "But he will have a loving family that'll love him whether he's human or not."

Joshua then got up from his seat, and ran out of the place. Twilight reached a hand out and said, "Joshua!"

MC put a hand on Twilight's shoulder and said, "Let me talk to him." He then walked out of the building.

Twilight looked over at Sonic and asked, "Are you sure he's gonna help Joshua cope with this?"

"Twilight, if there's anyone who can help a young child cope through loss, it's MC," Sonic said. "He'll be able to help with Joshua's suffering."

Outside, Joshua was sitting by the water of one of the hot springs. He was looking down at the water while he had his legs folded in front of his chest and his arms wrapped around them. Just then, he felt pain in his face, which caused his horn to glow in a white aura. The lower half of his face then extended, and his nose started to shrink and turn black. Joshua's horn stopped glowing. He then felt his muzzle and nose. He then cried harder.

"Ooh. That looks like it hurt," came MC's voice. Joshua looked over and saw MC standing there. MC walked over to Joshua and said, "I know you're scared. Everyone gets scared once in a while."

"Like you would know how I feel," Joshua said in an angry tone, but was still shedding tears.

MC then said, "I might not know about my species changing, but I know two people who do. And you met both of them. Maria Robotnik... and Midpoint."

"Oh, I forgot about Maria," Joshua said. "But, wait. Midpoint was born human?"

"Yeah, that's right," MC said. "Midpoint was a young genius. Graduated from MIT at age 10. Got degrees in engineering, computer coding, and even how to run a business from his grandfather."

"And he couldn't find a way to get his humanity back?" Joshua asked.

"Afraid not," MC said. "But, he learned to embrace his change."

"I don't want to embrace it," Joshua said. "I want my human life back."

"Hey, listen," MC said, putting a hand on Joshua's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. When something gets you down, you need to know when to get back on your feet."

"Do... do you think I'll be able to be human again?" Joshua asked.

"I think there might be a reason that you kept your magic," MC said. "If I was given these powers, it means I have a reason to keep them. Perhaps... you need to find your reason."

Joshua looked down at his hands. He then sighed and said, "Do you think my old mom and dad would be ashamed if I let my humanity go?"

"If they were here, they wouldn't care what you are, but that you're still alive," MC said. He then put a hand to Joshua's chest. "Remember, family doesn't leave your heart."

Joshua smiled. He then hugged MC.








MC was running over an old training course that was set up by the Oracle. Walking across the top of bamboo over a very deep pit, jumping over rock to rock that were on a lava pit, and swinging across vines over a gap with a river of lava at the bottom. Twilight, Sonic, Mutt, Spike and the Crusaders were watching him train from the Crystal Ball that belonged to the Oracle.

"Wow," Twilight said. "He's got a lot of skill."

"This guy is always full of surprises," Sonic said.

MC then flipped over and landed on some small, foot sized footholds coming out of a pool of lava. MC looked around and smirked. He then called out, "C'mon, Oracle! Is that the best you got?! Give me more of a challenge!"

Then from the center of the pool of lava, there came a giant worm made of lava rock.

"Whoa!" Twilight said as she was looking at MC standing his ground against the lava worm. "That thing is enormous!"

The lava worm then charge at MC, who then closed his left hand into a fist, it started gaining a golden aura around it, and he punched the worm, shattering it into pieces.

"Wow!" Twilight said. "He's powerful!"

"Michael Crayton has trained through all of his senses," the Oracle said. "He learned to use all of his senses, and unique skills to make himself stronger."

"How did he even get this power?" Mutt asked.

"The only ones who knows how he got his powers is his family," the Oracle said. "But sadly, Michael Crayton is the last member of his family."

MC then climbed up a wall, where Joshua was standing. Joshua handed MC a reusable water bottle. MC took it, and he squirted the water into his mouth.

"So, you come here whenever someone is in magical trouble or for training sessions?" Joshua asked.

"Or, whenever I needed to talk to someone," MC said. Joshua then felt pain in his body. MC looked over at Joshua, and asked, "What's wrong?" Joshua's horn then started glowing, then he got shorter, making his clothes be so baggy. He was about the same height as Nyx and her friends are. "Oh, boy. You've gotten shorter. By the look of it, it seems that you got one thing left to gain before you are fully a Mobian Pony. Fur."

"I'm really scared, MC," Joshua said, before his pants fell down. His underpants were about to follow, but he pulled up his pants before his underpants could fall.

"Well, you wouldn't have to worry about too much clothing," MC said. "Having fur can give you the advantage of being warm. Like you're already wearing clothes, even though you're not."

"Then why do the female Mobians wear clothes?" Joshua asked.

"They have to," MC said. "Some parts of their bodies aren't as secure as the male Mobians. Let's get back to the Oracle's place. I'll make you some quesadillas."

"As long as Mom doesn't see them," Joshua said. "She's afraid of quesadillas."

The group looking in the crystal ball heard that. Sonic and Mutt were laughing. Sonic then asked, "You're afraid of quesadillas?!"

"I am not!" Twilight debated, but she was losing that battle. "They're just so... cheesy."

MC and Joshua continued walking towards the Oracle's place. MC then said, "I know what it's like to lose a family." Joshua looked up at MC. "Like you, I lost my family and my home on my seventh birthday."

"How did you take it?" Joshua asked.

"It... it's something I don't want to talk about," MC said. "But, there are a lot of things you don't know about. For example, there is something that you can use to make sure no other magical being can use their magic."

"How would I do that?" Joshua asked.

MC then held out his hands, firing magical blasts at the ground around them in a circle. He made six symbols. Joshua looked at the marks. Then MC pulled Joshua out of the circle of symbols.

"What is this?" Joshua asked.

"These... are runes," MC said. "Only the one who cast them are allowed to use their magic." Joshua then winced in pain. Then blue fur covered his entire body, except for his muzzle. He looked down at his body, dropping his pants. Luckily, his private parts were covered in a thick amount of fur. "Okay, now that you're fully transformed, I need you to focus your magic in your horn."

Joshua then concentrated. He was having a hard time getting magic to come from his horn. But then he remembered what his mom told him when she, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were preparing the curing spell. He then calmed down. His horn then started sparkling. His horn glowed in a white aura.

"Good," MC said. "Now, point your horn towards the circle, and slowly move it into it." Joshua nodded. He opened his eyes to look at his horn as he was slowly walking to the circle. Just then, the magic in his horn dissipated.

"What just happened?" Joshua asked.

"Those markings are actually runes," MC said. "Only the one who cast them are allowed to use their magic or aura. For example..." MC then lifted his left hand, closing it into a fist, and it was surrounded by a golden aura. He then moved towards the circle. His hand didn't stop glowing.

"Whoa!" Joshua said, astonished.

"If any magical villain comes in between these runes, they wouldn't do anything to do about it," MC said.

"Well, I guess that can be useful," Joshua said. Just then, his stomach growled.

MC chuckled and said, "C'mon. Let's get you some food." MC and Joshua continued heading to the place. Just then MC sensed something and stopped as Joshua kept going. Joshua looked back when MC wasn't moving.

"What is it, MC?" Joshua asked.

MC looked around and said, "I sense a dark presence. Someone is around."

Back at the Oracle's place, the Oracle gave a bit of a grimace.

"I sense it, too," the Oracle said. "Someone unwelcome has found Delphius."

"But how?" Twilight asked. "I thought that MC was the only one on the outside who could find this place. As long as his guests don't see where they're going."

"Joshie is still outside with MC," Dinky said. "We should go out and get them inside."

"Good idea, Dinky," Twilight said. She and Sonic ran towards the door, and tried pushing it open, but it wouldn't budge. "What the heck? Why isn't it opening?"

"Let me try something," Sonic said. "Stand back." Twilight moved out of the way, Sonic jumped back at least 20 feet, and then he started spin dashing, and he sped to the door, trying to bash it open, but it didn't budge. "Ow."

"No way," Mutt said. "Sonic's Spin Dash attack had no effect? How did that not work?"

The rest of the Crusaders then tried pushing the door open, but only succeeded in opening it a little, making a centimeter of sight from behind the door. Their sight was blocked by a black crystal.

"A black crystal?" Apple Bloom asked.

"What?!" Twilight and Star Swirl asked.

MC and Joshua made it to the steps of the Oracle's place, but when they saw the door, it was blocked by black crystals.

"What the heck is this?" MC asked.

"Wait," Joshua said, taking a step back. "Those crystals look familiar."

MC then started sniffing. He grimaced and said, "You... are not welcome... here." MC then charged his left fist, and fired behind him, where a black crystal stood. Then coming around the crystal was a gray unicorn stallion with a crimson red horn and a smokey black mane. He wore a silver crown with red crescent moons and a silver neck collar with a red cape with white fuzz with black spots.

"I should have known you would try and hide my bargain to getting Equestria all for my own," the unicorn said.

"You must be Sombra," MC said.

"That's King Sombra to you, peasant," the unicorn stated. "And you aren't going to have to be keeping my prisoner away from me. Now that he's separated from his mother, and stuck in that cursed form."

Twilight was looking through the cracked open door and gasped. "It's Sombra!"

"That creep is back?" Star Swirl asked. "We have to stop him!"

"Just teleport us all out of here!" Sonic said.

"We can't," Twilight said.

"Teleportation spells won't let us go around Sombra's black crystals," Spike said.

The group then went over to the Crystal Ball, and saw MC standing his ground, protecting Joshua, facing Sombra. Sombra then said, "It's time you had to witness your greatest fear, peasant. And then, I'll take that pathetic kid for my kingdom."

"Not gonna happen," MC said, both his fists glowing in a golden aura. "So says I, Prince Michael Crayton." MC then glared at King Sombra. "You want a war between two kingdoms, then so be it."

"Challenge accepted," Sombra said, both him and MC giving each other the death glare.








MC stood in a defensive stance in front of Joshua as the two were looking at Sombra, who was charging up his horn, the whites of his eyes were green, purple smoke was coming out of his eyes, and his horn was covered in a purple bubbly magic.

King Sombra then fired a blast at MC and Joshua, but MC rushed himself and Joshua out of the way, running past King Sombra. The two of them were being watched by the group inside.

"Why are they running away?!" Twilight asked. "Sombra will just find them again!"

"MC isn't running away," Mutt said. "He's leading Sombra to his training course."

"Michael has a home court advantage, and Sombra doesn't," the Oracle said.

"Can he actually beat King Sombra?" Nyx asked.

"No spoilers," the Oracle said. He then broke the 4th wall, winking at the ones watching.

MC took Joshua through his training course. Starting with swinging on the vines. Joshua had his arms wrapped around MC's neck. MC then landed on a branch, looking back.

King Sombra was coming in his smokey form, saying, "Get back here!"

"Hey, Smokey, where's the fire?!" MC joked, smirking towards Sombra. MC then jumped off the tree, Joshua still on his back. They then headed for the lava pit. MC took Joshua to a small cave with a hiding spot on the side of the pit and told him, "Stay here."

"Okay," Joshua said, nodding.

MC then went across the small stepping stones, waiting on a couple stones. Then King Sombra came in. He went to his solid form, but almost lost his balance when he realized what he was standing on.

"What is this?" Sombra asked, looking around him.

"The volcanic challenge," MC said. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson. It's not right to make creatures your own personal slaves and have them follow your rule without will."

"How dare you!" Sombra said. His horn charged up and fired at MC. MC jumped out of the way and his legs landed on two stones while he used his left hand to balance out on a third stone. "How did you do that?!"

"Home court advantage," MC said, smirking. "I've been training in this place for years, before I joined the Freedom Fighters. Looks like I have a new fight for freedom to fight for. Freedom of will."

"You think you can stop me?" Sombra asked with a grimace. "I will stop you. Surrender, or I will fire at will."

"What did Will ever do to you?" MC asked, smirking.

The group watching was confused. But not Sonic and Mutt. They laughed.

"Hahahahaha! He said it! He actually said it!" Sonic laughed.

Then it went back to the fight between MC and Sombra. MC rushed over the stepping stones towards Sombra, then punching Sombra towards a wall of the lava pit.

"Gaah!" Sombra cried out. He then recovered, and then fired a beam at MC. MC countered the beam with a golden aura blast from his left hand. "How?! How are you doing that?!"

"Many Mobians have special powers," MC said. "Some do not. You're facing with a being who has multiple powers."

"Then you shall be under my control," Sombra said. He then charged at MC.

MC then put a golden aura shield around his entire body, shouting, "Chaos... Shield!" his voice echoed as he said the second word.

King Sombra collided with the shield. He then tried bashing the shield.

Twilight was astonished by the shield that MC had made. She then said, "His power really is incredible."

"Yes," said the Oracle. "It is."

Then MC's foot collided with Sombra's face. MC then landed back on two stepping stones. King Sombra then fired at MC with another blast, but MC dodged. But the blast obliterated the wall, revealing Joshua.

"Ah, there's my little hostage," King Sombra said. He then jumped from stone to stone towards Joshua.

"NO!" MC yelled, rushing towards Sombra. But Sombra levitated MC, and threw him towards a wall, and then he was surrounded in black crystal.

"No!" Twilight shouted. "Joshua!"

Back in the lava pit, Sombra was approaching Joshua. Joshua was really scared. But then he remembered something that he learned that day. He then fired three random white blasts from his horn. Thinking that Joshua was aiming at him, King Sombra moved away. Joshua then started running across the pits of lava, watching his step as he was running. He then looked back at Sombra and fired three more blasts. But King Sombra grabbed him and held him up.

"Foolish boy," Sombra said. "You think you can stop me like that?" Sombra then smirked. "From now on, you're... mine!" Sombra then tried firing a blast towards Joshua's face, but nothing came out of his horn. He looked up at his horn, confused. "What? What did you..." He then noticed that Joshua's horn was still glowing. He then looked up and saw a magic made rune on one of the walls. He then looked around and saw five more runes.

"Chaos Claw!" MC called out. Then the black crystals crumbled. MC then smirked at Sombra and said, "I taught him that. Only the ones who cast these runes are allowed to use their magic or power."

"NO!" King Sombra shouted. MC then rushed towards the two, and MC punched King Sombra, knocking him down to the walking area at the side of the pit. Joshua was on the ground next to him.

"You're done for, Sombra," MC said. "Time to be taken down." MC then grabbed Sombra's horn, cut it off, and threw it into the lava. Just then, Sombra and his horn turned into a huge body of smoke. Like how the Scorpion King died in "The Mummy Returns." Then the smoke dissipated.

MC and Joshua coughed when King Sombra's smoke vanished.

MC then said, "I knew that smoke was bad for you, but that was ridiculous."

Then the two of them were lifted in a magenta aura. The two of them looked over and saw Twilight, the other Crusaders, Spike, Sonic, Mutt, Star Swirl and the Oracle standing there.

"How did you know that his weakness was his horn?" Star Swirl asked.

"It was obvious," MC said. "His horn was obviously different than the rest of his body, and if he was alive because of his dark magic, it had to be the horn. But the only way for me to get a clear shot was for his magic to be deactivated."

"So I had to use those runes to deactivate his magic," Joshua said.

"That... was a good idea," Twilight said.

"Well, you all have enjoyed your time here in Delphius," the Oracle said. "I hope that you all enjoyed your time here." He then looked at Joshua. "And I hope that you'll be able to embrace the change."

Joshua bowed his head and said, "I... I hope so, too." Then the group started walking away until they heard the voice of a young boy.

"Som... bra?"

The group stopped and looked back. They looked down the cliff side, and saw a gray unicorn colt with a messy black mane. And he had green eyes.

"Is that... Sombra?" Nyx asked.

"I think it is," Twilight said.

"But how?" Sonic asked.

"I think this is a mystery best left unsolved," MC said.

"But, what are we going to do with him?" Twilight asked.

"Perhaps I shall keep an eye on him," Star Swirl said. "To at least make sure he doesn't end up... like that again."

"You sure about this, Star Swirl?" Sonic asked. "You saw what he was capable of."

"I'll make sure it doesn't happen," Star Swirl said. He then looked over at Twilight. "After all, you did make sure that Nyx would live a happy life when you took her in."

Twilight looked down at Nyx, and then smiled. Twilight then said, "Then promise me, you'll keep an eye on Sombra. And make sure he doesn't turn to the dark side."

"I don't think that'll be a problem," said the Oracle. "He has been cleared of all of the darkness in his being. Being raised by Star Swirl, he shall not fall under darkness."

"Then, we shall make our leave," MC said. "Good luck, Star Swirl."

Star Swirl nodded. He then looked down at the colt in the pit of lava and lit up his horn. The now young colt was lifted out of the pit, and was put in the arms of Star Swirl. Then Twilight, the Crusaders, Spike, Sonic, MC and Mutt headed back to the Spirit of Freedom.

"Do you think he'll have a chance of taking good care of Sombra?" Sonic asked, his hands behind his head.

"I don't know," Twilight said. "But if there was a chance of Nightmare Moon becoming a good little filly named Nyx, I'm sure Sombra can be changed just as much."

MC then smirked and said, "When we get back on the ship, after strapping yourselves in, you gotta put your blindfolds on."

"Awww!!" Mutt and the Crusaders said. That made MC chuckle. The group looked back to see the Oracle, Star Swirl, and the young Sombra heading back to the building before going back onto the Spirit of Freedom. They then headed on out of there, heading straight for home.