//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Hatred is Magic // by smirker //------------------------------// Everybody in Ponyville got on with their days and conversed about where the killers could be hiding, "It looks like our culprits aren't in Ponyville." Sunset Shimmer stated, "My best guess is they're in one of the cities." Twilight Sparkle commented, "Do you think they could be outside of Equestria?" Starlight Glimmer asked, "I don't think so, but I think it's worth checking, hold on, I'm going to check and see if Tempest Shadow has seen anything." Twilight Sparkle replied, and she flew up high in the sky to look for her ship. She looked around and saw the Storm King's ship flying to the northeast near Bug Bear Territory, she cast a spell and teleported. Tempest Shadow was sitting in a chair and commanding the Storm King's former guards while Grubber stood to her right, a Storm Guard walked to her and got on his knees, "Captain, Princess Twilight Sparkle has teleported onto the ship and wishes to see you." the guard reported, "Let her here." Tempest Shadow responded, and the guard stood up and walked away. Tempest Shadow turned around and walked forward while Twilight Sparkle got escorted to the room where she was in, they stopped walking and faced one another, "What brings you here, Twilight?" Tempest Shadow questioned, "Hello, Tempest, I assume you've heard about the recent changeling deaths in Equestria." Twilight Sparkle spoke, "Yes, I have." Tempest Shadow answered, "I wanted to ask you if you've found any dead changelings outside of Equestria." Twilight Sparkle explained, "No, I've been keeping an eye out for them, too, but no dead changelings with sword slashes on them have been found outside Equestria, yet." Tempest Shadow answered, "What about suspicious looking or acting ponies, have you seen any?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "No, there's almost no ponies outside of Equestria, and the ones that are are on business trips or visiting as tourists, there's rarely any ponies who travel out of Equestria." Tempest Shadow replied, "Same with the other creatures, almost none of them leave their home country." Grubber added, "I'll let you and Princess Celestia know if I find anything, but until then, there's been no dead changelings found, and no ponies acting suspicious." Tempest Shadow spoke, "Okay, I just wanted to make sure, thanks for telling me, Tempest." Twilight Sparkle replied, and Tempest Shadow smiled while Twilight Sparkle cast a spell and teleported. Twilight Sparkle appeared back in Ponyville, "Well?" Spike asked, "Nope, Tempest Shadow said she's seen nothing suspicious has been seen outside of Equestria." Twilight Sparkle answered, "Okay, so our culprits are in Equestria." Sunset Shimmer stated, "But where are we supposed to look next?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "Maybe the nearest city." Starlight Glimmer suggested, "I guess, but another time, me and the others have to teach at the School of Friendship today." Twilight Sparkle stated, and they headed there. The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked around and noticed their classmates getting on with their days, they watched the ponies mostly get on with their days while the parents comforted their foals, "Wow, it's almost like it didn't happen." Scootaloo stated, "Yeah, everybody's getting on with their days like normal." Sweetie Belle responded, "Ah'm still stumped though, everypony's now takin' everythin' into their own hoofs, we might get investigated again for all Ah know." Apple Bloom stated, "Well, I guess we can still look around, just don't bother anyone." Scootaloo suggested, and they walked together. They looked around and saw everything go on as a normal day, "You're leaving again, uncle?" Starburn asked, "Yeah, don't worry, Starburn, it's just a really quick odd job, I just have to clean up some trash littering in a small area, I'll be back real quick." Daylight Dimmer explained, Starburn nodded while smiling and Daylight Dimmer ran out of town while the Cutie Mark Crusaders watched him, "There goes Daylight Dimmer leaving again." Scootaloo commented, "Yeah, he's a lot busier than I thought." Sweetie Belle responded, "Let's see how long he's gone." Apple Bloom spoke, and they watched, Daylight Dimmer came back after about eight minutes, "Okay, Starburn, I'm done, let's get ready to go to Appleloosa." Daylight Dimmer stated, "I'd like to see the Everfree Forest." Starburn said, the Cutie Mark Crusaders' eyes' widened, "Oh, right, I did promise to take you there, only the entrance, Starburn, it's dangerous to go farther in." Daylight Dimmer spoke, "Yes, uncle." Starburn answered, and they headed to the Everfree Forest. The Cutie Mark Crusaders continued walking around and checking if everybody was alright, they finished and went back to their tree house, "Okay, as y'all two know, the killers ain't in Ponyville, so let's try to guess where they could be." Apple Bloom instructed, "That's going to be hard." Sweetie Belle said, "Ah know, but it's better than nothin'." Apple Bloom answered, "We don't have any clues on where they could be, and even if we did, we don't know if they're still there or not." Scootaloo objected, "Yeah, this is going to go nowhere, Apple Bloom." Sweetie Belle added, "Y'all right, but Ah thought maybe we could at least try to guess which city they'd be in." Apple Bloom lamented while looking down, "Well, I'm not really sure they'd be in a city, news spreads quicker in those areas than a small town like here." Scootaloo responded, "They would've been caught by now if they were in those areas." Sweetie Belle spoke, "Well, Ah guess we're better off leaving this to our sisters and their friends then, Ah thought maybe we could've helped a bit in some way." Apple Bloom explained, "Maybe later if more clues are found, but until then, we're stumped like how they are." Sweetie Belle spoke, "Yeah, we should wait, Apple Bloom, let's let the others find stuff first and we'll work from there." Scootaloo suggested, Apple Bloom smiled and they left the tree house and walked together to see how the others in Ponyville were doing. They continued watching everybody and saw Daylight Dimmer and Starburn coming back already, "I'll go ahead and get our tickets for Appleloosa." Daylight Dimmer stated, "Okay, I'll go ahead and pack everything." Starburn responded, and Daylight Dimmer left while Starburn went back into their home. The Cutie Mark Crusaders watched Daylight Dimmer walk out of sight as he headed to the train station while they heard Starburn start packing, he soon finished and came out of his house and began looking around Ponyville, "Come on, let's see how the others are doing." Scootaloo said, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded and they walked elsewhere together. Twilight Sparkle and her friends were teaching in the School of Friendship and they all took the students outside for an activity, "I understand you all are nervous and uncomfortable after that thorough investigation, and I know you all are worried about your families back home, but I'm going to restore trust starting here, you all are to work together and trust your partners in building the stuff you all destroyed while checking the school for the changeling killers." Twilight Sparkle explained, and everybody started. Everybody began rebuilding the school while Twilight Sparkle and her friends watched, "I am so glad that little investigation is over." Rarity spoke, "For now, it might start again and be more thorough." Twilight Sparkle replied, "It kind of scared me." Fluttershy said, "Really? I thought it was fun." Pinkie Pie responded, "I'll reorganize another search team when we find another clue, those killers can't hide and evade forever." Rainbow Dash spoke, "Yeah, and we'll catch 'em eventually, the ponies might be able to recognize them if they ever return to a place they've been to before." Applejack added, "Well, until then, let's focus on teaching our school and making everybody trust one another again." Twilight Sparkle responded, and they watched the students work together. Sandbar and his friends glued together broke vases and pots that decorated the school, "There, that's the last one." Sandbar spoke, "Wow, we finished quicker than we thought." Smolder stated, "I mean, we are only putting damaged pottery back together, so we didn't have much to do to begin with." Sandbar reminded, "Yona still wanna know why Ocellus did not help." Yona demanded, "I... I'm not comfortable now that all of Equestria is acting the way they are now, all of that investigation stuff made me scared." Ocellus explained, "Try to relax, Ocellus, they're doing it to look for the people killing your kind." Silverstream spoke, "I know, but still." Ocellus replied, "Don't you want to help them?" Gallus questioned, "No." Ocellus responded, "Gallus, remember, ponies haven't accepted changelings, yet, if they're like the ponies in some of the towns those new ponies are from, they're likely going to turn on Ocellus and kill her before going back to investigating." Sandbar explained, "And if that happens, another war between ponies and changelings will break out." Ocellus added, "Dragons might also get involved due to Spike being close to the rulers of Equestria." Smolder reminded, "Yona now understand why Ocellus is uneasy, Yona apologize." Yona said, "It's okay." Ocellus responded, "Come on, let's go help the others." Silverstream instructed, and they walked together to go help the other students. Twilight Sparkle and her friends smiled while they watched the students work together and fix the school with no problems, they saw almost everything was done being fixed and everything being put back to where they once were, "Nicely done, everybody, I think you all are in for a treat." Twilight Sparkle stated, the students cheered, "Hold on, everybody, I'm going to get the snacks and drinks ready soon." Pinkie Pie spoke, and everybody continued working. Two royal guard Pegasi flew to the School of Friendship and went to Twilight Sparkle, "Princess Twilight." the mare called out as she and the stallion landed, everybody stopped working and looked at her, "More changelings were found dead to the southeast of Equestria just now, they have dark green sword slashes on them, too, time of death looked like it was about 10 minutes ago." the mare reported, everybody started with their jaws' dropped, "There's more, the two dead changelings we found were buried, the killer moved their bodies from where they were originally killed." the mare added, "Where were they killed?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "We don't know yet." the mare answered, "Thank you for letting me know, send the changeling bodies back to the Hive." Twilight Sparkle ordered, "Yes, Your Highness." the mare stated, and she and the stallion flew away. Everybody saw Ocellus looking away with her front hoofs over her own face, "When is this going to end?" Ocellus asked, "Give it time, sugar cube, we're gonna try to catch 'em soon." Applejack responded, and everybody got around her and began to comfort her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and everybody else in Ponyville watched the two royal guards fly back to Canterlot, they overheard the report of the dead changelings, they saw Daylight Dimmer walking back to Starburn, "Okay, Starburn, everything's ready, be at the train station in about 15 minutes." Daylight Dimmer stated, "Okay, I'll go ahead and take one last look around town in the meantime." Starburn replied, "Okay, I'll be at the train station if you need anything." Daylight Dimmer said, and they went their separate ways. The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked together and the sun began to set, "Look at that, they got more changelings." Scootaloo spoke, "Yeah, and the time between these deaths and the last deaths were short." Sweetie Belle added, "No kiddin', it's like them killings are speedin' up." Apple Bloom stated, "Sooner or later, Ocellus might be targeted." Scootaloo said, "Ah know, we have to get 'em 'fore they get to her." Apple Bloom stated, "We still have no clues on who's doing it." Sweetie Belle reminded, "Yeah, everything's normal, all that really happens is Daylight Dimmer just leaves for whatever odd job he's doing." Scootaloo said, "Hmm-mm." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle responded while nodding, "Wait a minute!" Apple Bloom blurted out as she recalled what Scootaloo just said. She, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle had flashbacks of when each changeling death was announced, Daylight Dimmer was not present before and after every death that has been reported, the three looked at one another with shocked expressions and ran to the train station, Daylight Dimmer was not there, so they looked for Starburn and saw him going into the Everfree Forest, they ran after him. Starburn stood in the Everfree Forest and admired the view, he heard running behind him and it stopped, "Starburn! We got questions for your uncle. Where is he?" Sweetie Belle inquired, "He should be at the train station." Starburn answered, "He ain't there." Apple Bloom revealed, Starburn turned around and faced them, "Why do you three wish to see my uncle?" Starburn questioned, "Every time a changeling is killed and it's announced, your uncle's not in town, we think he has some form of involvement in the killings." Scootaloo explained, "My uncle being gone when the deaths of changelings are announced is coincidence." Starburn answered, "Gone during every single death? Coincidence, I think not." Sweetie Belle responded, "Combined with the fact he comes back shortly after the deaths are announced every time as well." Apple Boom added, "With all of those facts combined, Starburn, we think your uncle is involved in the killings." Scootaloo accused, "Now, where is he?" Apple Bloom questioned, Starburn glared a little and remained silent for a few seconds, "I didn't want it to come to this." Starburn said, the Cutie Mark Crusaders eyes' widened while Starburn reeled up on his hind legs. He swung his front legs out to the sides and swords made of bright red-orange energy formed in his hoofs, the Cutie Mark Crusaders gasped, "But you three now give me no choice." Starburn spoke, and he got ready to attack them while the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked on nervously. Starburn began spinning his swords around and circular projectiles made of bright red-orange energy began flying towards them, "Look out!" Apple Bloom hollered, and they rolled to the sides and Starburn then began sending out waves of bright red-orange energy with each swing of his two swords, he slid forward towards Apple Bloom and then jumped up while doing upwards slashes with his swords, she got on the ground to avoid it while the two energy waves cut the grass and disappeared when they touched the trees with the two trees splitting in half. Sweetie Belle watched Starburn closely and noticed he was having some trouble performing his attacks, she sneaked behind him and got ready to tackle him down, she lunged at him but he turned into bright red-orange mist and floated up, "Huh? What the?" Sweetie Belle asked as Starburn floated through the air, he floated back down and reformed into his pony self. Starburn changed his swords to a bow and arrow, he began shot an arrow and it divided into three arrows while it was in midair, they homed on the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Sweetie Belle quickly put up a shield around Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and herself to block the arrows, they exploded and the Cutie Mark Crusaders shrieked as the explosions knocked them back and they fell. They got back up while Sweetie Belle's shield disappeared, "Come on, we gotta let the others know." Apple Bloom stated, and they began to run away to inform Twilight Sparkle, Starburn punched his front hoofs onto the ground and vines made of bright red-orange energy burst out of the ground and wrapped around the Cutie Mark Crusaders, they exclaimed as they got restrained and tied to the ground. Starburn walked to them while the three fillies tried to break free, "Now, if you three stay quiet, I can let this go, but if you three still plan on telling, I'll have to kill you three, and I'd rather not kill a fellow pony." Starburn bargained, the Cutie Mark Crusaders scowled at him, "I'll take that as a 'no', so be it." Starburn spoke, and he made his two bright red-orange swords reappear and got ready to do a downwards slash on Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom pulled her legs and head back and broke the vines restraining her while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle struggled but could not break their restraints. Starburn held his front legs out and his two swords changed into vines and homed on Apple Bloom, she shrieked as she ran around and the vines chased her, more grew out of the ground and pulled her down. Starburn changed into mist and floated to Apple Bloom, he got ready to stab one of his swords into Apple Bloom's cheek to cut her tongue out. The birds flew down and began pecking and kicking Starburn, he grunted as he waved his front hoofs around, Apple Bloom broke free of her restraints and then pulled and broke the restraints on Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, "Come on, let's inform the others." Apple Bloom instructed, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders ran while the birds continued to distract Starburn. Twilight Sparkle and her friends watched the students in the school work together and have fun while they smiled at seeing their progress, "Twilight!" Apple Bloom called out, she and her friends turned around and saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders running to them, they arrived and panted a little, "We found out who the killer is." Sweetie Belle reported, everybody stopped what they were doing and looked at them, "What?" Rarity exclaimed, "Who is it?" Applejack asked, "It's Daylight Dimmer." Scootaloo answered, "Daylight Dimmer? How did you three come to that conclusion?" Twilight Sparkle questioned, "Well..." Apple Bloom said shortly before bright red-orange vines burst out of the ground and wrapped around the Cutie Mark Crusaders, they shrieked as they got tied up. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunset Shimmer quickly cast spells to destroy the vines, they stood up and saw the birds at Fluttershy's sanctuary being thrown around in midair while Fluttershy gasped, bright red-orange mist appeared in the sky and the two swords reappeared, "*gasp* Look!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, the others did and gasped when they saw the two swords were made of bright red-orange energy, the swords were swung left and right many times and waves of bright red-orange energy flew forward towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack grabbed them put them behind themselves while Twilight Sparkle put up a shield to block the oncoming energy waves, she exclaimed when the waves knocked her back and destroyed her shield, "Twilight!" Pinkie Pie hollered, "I can sense it... these energy waves are full of hatred, just one of them is enough to kill a changeling." Twilight Sparkle commented, Starburn pointed his front hoofs forward and two bright red-orange blasts out of the tips of his swords and they homed to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. They ran while screaming and Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer shot zaps at them and canceled out the blasts while Rarity put Sweetie Belle behind herself. Twilight Sparkle cast a spell to undo the mist and Starburn reformed and began to fall onto the ground, he landed on his hind hoofs, everybody gasped when they saw him, "Starburn?!" Rarity exclaimed, "We couldn't believe it, either, but he's one of the killers." Apple Bloom responded, "A foal?" Twilight Sparkle stated as she tried to process a foal killing people. Starburn stood up and swung his swords around to send out more energy waves, "Twilight!" Spike hollered, she got startled and saw the energy waves coming, she shot zaps at them and canceled them out. Applejack ran to Starburn with her lasso and threw it, she began to tie him up and he turned into mist and floated out of it, Twilight Sparkle cast a spell to change him back to normal and then held him in place with her telekinesis, he pointed his front right hoof at her and shot an energy blast out of his hoof, she shrieked as ducked and lost her grip on him. Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunset Shimmer held him in place and Applejack tied him up with her lasso, Twilight Sparkle then enchanted the rope with a spell and it glowed light pink, Starburn tried to break free but could not, he then tried to turn into mist but the spell countered it and he was stuck, "There, we got a lot of questions for you, Starburn." Applejack stated, Starburn growled, 'Still, to think, out of all of the possible culprits, one of them is a foal." Twilight Sparkle commented, "I have my reasons." Starburn responded, "Why, Starburn?" Fluttershy inquired, "The changelings have been invading us countless times, my uncle and I began hunting them down at the time you guys dealt with them in Canterlot." Starburn answered, "Wait, Canterlot?" Twilight Sparkle asked, "Yes, why do you think you guys were able to hold them off?" Starburn inquired, "Wait, don't tell me..." Applejack stated, "My uncle and I killed several of them before they made it to Canterlot." Starburn revealed, "But we didn't find their bodies." Twilight Sparkle said, "Of course not, we buried them in the wilderness and hid their graves with the local plants, we didn't do that with our recent victims since you guys are more alert now." Starburn explained, "You still haven't fully explained why you kill changelings, Starburn." Fluttershy said, "Because of their invasions and attacks on Equestria, you all saw the stuff my uncle and I found, the changelings we go after were planning to free Chrysalis, attack Thorax, and then invade us again with Chrysalis as the leader if they overthrew him, we're sick and tired of their constant attacks." Starburn explained, "I did try to offer Chrysalis my friendship, Starburn." Starlight Glimmer stated, "I know, my uncle and I tried to let them change their ways, but once when Chrysalis rejected your friendship, that was when we decided to go into full throttle with killing them all." Starburn responded, "Starburn, don't you realize what you could've done?" Twilight Sparkle inquired, "I'm well aware my actions risked us going to war with them." Starburn answered, "Not just that, you also risked weakening Equestria's defenses by embracing hatred instead of friendship, if we get too much hatred in this land, the windigos will return." Twilight Sparkle explained, Starburn's eyes widened, "Can you guys carry him away? I'm not comfortable with him near me." Ocellus spoke, "Don't worry, Ocellus, my uncle and I are only after the changelings still loyal Chrysalis, those who have defected to serving Thorax like how you did will be spared." Starburn replied, "Starburn, those changelings are still their family and relatives." Rarity said, "Good luck explaining that to them, the ones still loyal to Chrysalis that my uncle caught talked about how cutting ties with their families was worth the risk to remain loyal to her." Starburn replied, "What?" Rarity exclaimed, "You're lying!" Ocellus blurted, "If I can touch Daylight Dimmer and see his memories, we will know for sure, but I really hope that's not true." Sunset Shimmer said, "What do we do with him?" Rainbow Dash asked, "I'll keep him tied up and in my castle, I'm sure Daylight Dimmer will come for him eventually." Twilight Sparkle answered, "Not going to hand me to the authorities?" Starburn asked, "You're still a child, Starburn, you're too young, and I also hope you're just misguided and can change your ways." Twilight Sparkle responded, "You guys put Cozy Glow in Tartarus." Starburn stated, "That was because Cozy Glow threatened Equestria, you didn't, you didn't drain Equestria of magic like how she did, either." Twilight Sparkle explained, "You better not view friendship as power, Starburn." Pinkie Pie brought up, "No, friends are nice to have, there are some ponies who do agree with what we do." Starburn answered, "Well, we don't, and you really should be ashamed of yourself, using hatred as magic instead of friendship." Twilight Sparkle said, "How did you find out how to use hatred as magic, Starburn?" Sweetie Belle questioned, "My uncle's the one who discovered it, you'll have to ask him." Starburn answered, "Get on with your days, everybody, I'll go ahead and take him to my castle." Twilight Sparkle spoke, and she carried Starburn with her telekinesis and went to Ponyville.