//------------------------------// // Chapter 34: A New Threat On The Horizon // Story: To Equestria And Beyond (Rewrite In Progress) // by NightFurySpeedey8156 //------------------------------// The cold morning wind blew softly throughout the crystal mountains, the snowy peaks being manipulated and played with against the breeze. The sun hadn't yet risen from the east, thus allowing other creatures to sleep soundly as the daily workload had not begun. But the same couldn't be said for a small Speed Shifter turned bat. Night Fury glided on the wind with his small wings, occasionally flapping them to keep his height and speed. The early morning air was slow and steady, nothing bringing about too much turbulence for the small mammal on his flight back to the Crystal Empire. It had been about a month since the Equestria Games rang in and he had won Ponyville the gold medal, giving him some time to recuperate before he had to return to meet with a few important figures. Man, this morning air feels good. I couldn't ask for better conditions to fly in at this size. Fury thought to himself as he adjusted his flight path around another curve in the mountains. He racked his mind on the previous events on his journey through Equestria and had to admit that things were going well. He had won his first real competition, his role as ambassador had been running smoothly, and his relationship with Luna was as clear and clean as the crystal roads of the kingdom that had just come into view. Fury thought to himself that he was very lucky to still be in this world. His new friends and reunited family all being here with him to be by his side in life, he had a feeling that he would be in a good spot for a while. But that was not the case as a familiar voice rang out nearby. Fury… Fury… there is… calamity… afoot. "Eh, is someone there?" Fury looked in all directions. "Huh, maybe I was just hearing things." I assure you, you are hearing me correctly… At this point, Fury was confused. Where was this voice coming from? He looked around again and this time was met with a familiar light following him on his left. "You again? What's given you the courage to escape from my dreams and face me now?" He asked. "In case you couldn't tell, I'm trying to relax before I meet these high and mighty ponies." The light didn't bother to respond. "Fury. Listen very carefully. Very soon, trouble will arise, there will be great terror and panic upon Equestria." Fury wasn't so concerned. "Look, I faced Sombra, I faced an assassination attempt, and even survived a carnivorous flower. Whatever this is, I'm sure it can be handled." "I shall admit those were grave dangers that you overcame. You truly have grown in power. But this is like no other threat that you have faced. I assure you, this will be no cakewalk as the danger not only you, but the entirety of Equestria will face is like nothing this generation has ever seen." The light said in a more grave and deep tone. It was clear she was confident in her words. Fury had to admit that he wasn't all that confident now that he heard that this entire land could be in danger from what this light said was coming. He contemplated for a moment what he had heard before coming to the conclusion that he had to be ready. "Well, you've led me along with those assassinations a few months ago and I survived. So I guess I can't say that your sources aren't credible. I'll be ready for whatever comes my way, you can trust me on that." Fury said confidently. "But one thing I don't understand is how you got in contact with me in the first place. The energy that I'm sensing from this form you've taken doesn't seem to be spiritual, more like magical. Like a spell of some sort." The light only flashed a bit brighter in response. "You are correct, this is a spell of mine. I have contacted you as a way to inform you, a way to clear a path through the foggy future that is your life. But I will not hold this form forever as I plan on returning to Equestria soon." Fury was surprised, who could this be wanting to return to Equestria? "Okay, so you'll reveal yourself to me soon? When can I expect it?" He asked, rather curious of this mysterious entity. "I cannot reveal that to you. But I can tell you that when you are at your lowest, the most powerful of allies will stand by you." The light said, slowly dissipating into the horizon as the sun began to rise. Fury was now in a confused panic, his mind now filled with many more questions that were currently unanswered. "Wait, you're leaving already?! Can't you give me a little more info of what I'm gonna face?! Hello?! Hey!" Fury called out, but the floating light had already disappeared into the rising sun. Fury was now more confused than ever, his thoughts jumbled and messy as he continued his flight to the Crystal Empire. Who was this mystery figure who spoke to him? Who was going to return? What danger was he and the rest of his new home about to face? All of these questions ran through his head as he began his slow descent, but he didn't let his worries cloud his judgment. No time for worrying and the future, let's focus on the now. And right now… I could use some shut eye. Fury said to himself as flew down to the Crystal Empire to try and get some rest before the day started. While he was a bit more nervous than he was before with all of this new information being given to him, he wasn't disoriented from his goals and would get it done when the time arose. But for now, he needed some well deserved sleep. Better get some shuteye. Maybe everything will be clearer then. – The sun shined brightly throughout the Crystal Empire, ponies going about their business as the day started off right. At the base of the Crystal Palace, guards flew and marched around the premises in preparation for the upcoming visit with the Duke and Duchess of Maretonia. While the preparations were being done, Celestia, Luna and Cadence stood under the tower while waiting for the Mane Six to arrive for the ceremony. "Well, I hope you two are ready for our newest guests of honor." Celestia said to the other princesses. "Well, I am a bit nervous. But I have started to practice some public speaking with Night Fury and Cadence. I'm sure this will be fine." Cadence was not as eager. "Ugh, yeah, I just… I just feel a bit itchy in my hair. Ugh. I didn't want to get my hair messed up but I think I have to get rid of the itch." Cadence said as she got her hoof and tried to itch it. Only to feel something big and soft in there. "Huh? Wait. Something's in my hair…" Cadence said. She could have sworn she heard some snoring. And it seems she heard some mutterings too. "Is it just me, or do you two hear muttering and snoring?" Cadence asked. "As a matter of fact, I've heard small squeaking noises coming from your mane on occasion since this morning." Luna said, a few small squeaks coming from Cadence's mane. "Okay, this is getting weird. My mane is snoring, muttering and squeaking. What in the world is happening?" Cadence pondered. "Allow me to take a look, perhaps I can find the source." Celestia offered. Cadence nodded and allowed her aunt to search through her hair. She carefully dipped her hoof through her niece's mane, reaching through in order to find what the noise was until she came across a familiar and rather amusing sight. "I think I might have found the source of your itch, Cadence. Look what I found." Celestia said, moving a small portion of her mane out of the way to allow her and Luna to see. To their surprise, they were able to see a small black bat with a grayish lightning strike marking on its back, snoozing soundly within the pink alicorn's mane. "Ah, I see our friendly vampire is sleeping amongst us." Luna said, petting Fury. "As if he could not be more precious." Cadence for her part was both amused and a little annoyed the Speed Shifter decided to make her mane into a nest. "Well, precious or not, I think it's time for him to wake up." Cadence said. As if on cue, the small mammal began to awaken. He lazily climbed out of Cadence's mane, up the side of her neck and slid down her face onto her muzzle where he let out a yawn that gave her a good look at his small but very sharp teeth. "Wow, I'm still not sure whether his fangs are cute or frightening." Cadence chuckled. "For me, it's both. Which is just as I like my lightning bug." Luna said "I wonder what will wake him up?" Celestia pondered. Luna had an idea. "Maybe a little treat will coax him out of his lethargic state?" Luna said as she got out a big juicy peach normally reserved for the garden animals. She put it right next to the bat's nose and twitched her wing a bit to waft the smell over to Fury. The lazy bat began to sniff in the peach's direction, his ears slowly rising from their flat position. Once he had realized what he was smelling, his internal instincts kicked in and he went full fruit bat mode. Hissssss! He let out a hungry hiss as he took to the air from Cadence's nose and flew for the berry, his teeth in full view as he snatched it out of mid air, flipped a U-turn and landed on Luna's head to chew on it rather cutely by the princess' standards. chomp chomp chomp chomp! "Yes *slurp*, that's the good stuff. Awww yeah! That's what I'm talking about! *slurp* Oh yeah, that is some good food." With Fury's instincts back to normal he finally noticed everyone looking at him amused. "What? Never seen a bat enjoy his food before?" He said plainly which made the royalty around him crack up. Cadence finally spoke up. "That's our Night Fury. Always eating and sleeping, especially in the most unexpected of places." "Dang straight!" The bat said as he ate the last pieces of the peach and threw the pit in the distant trash can with unusual strength for a bat. "Well, I hope I didn't keep you ladies too anxious for my arrival." Fury said, transforming back to a feline. "Not at all, we were actually expecting you to show up in an unorthodox manner." Celestia said. "Awww, really?" Fury said, almost disappointed. "Yep, when I said the unexpected, I meant most ponies. But to us, we knew you would not arrive the normal way." Cadence said while chuckling. "Yeah I guess that's how I do things." Fury said. Luna, wishing to get back on topic, spoke up. "So Fury, are you ready to see the Duke and Duchess today?" "Yep! Twilight and Spike gave me some info about these guys, and I think I know what to expect from the ponies with big hats. Speaking of which, where are the Mane Six?" Just as asked, he was answered by said ponies going inside the building. All with deep breathing except for Pinkie. "Here we are, I hope we're not too late!" Twilight panted. "How in Equestria did Fury get here before us?! I mean, he is fast but we're talking crossing borders and running across the snowy mountains to get here!" Rainbow Dash called out with a tinge of envy. Though she was correct about crossing borders as the Crystal Empire was a separate kingdom and thus had border crossings that would have to be passed to enter the Crystal Empire, Fury was not phased by it. "Eh, I just got going earlier than you guys did. Nothing more than an early morning flight over the mountains." Fury said casually. "I guess flying has been very interesting to me." Fury of course left out a few details but decided everyone already was thinking about this diplomatic mission. "Even so, we still have the Duke and Duchess to worry about. And Twilight, did you really have to wake me up at 5am on a Saturday no less for a 'Mandatory Diplomat Greeting Lesson'?" Fury moaned. Everyone around the purple alicorn gave her a look that showed both smugness and a hint of sass. "Well, it is good to be well prepared. Especially since you are a sort of civil servant. Even when I was a filly I always disciplined myself to wake up early to get ready for whatever lectures or schoolwork and when I became an adult for whatever tasks Celestia would have me do. I'm just trying to give you a good work ethic." Twilight said, justifying her reasoning. Night Fury, however, found this funny. "Woop Woop! Buzzkill Alert, Buzzkill Alert!" He joked. "He's got a point there, Twi." Spike said. "Well it's nice to know my advice is so appreciated." Twilight moaned while looking down. "Although I guess to be fair, I probably should have asked for permission to wake you up at that time." Twilight admitted. "Night Fury, you have to be the most laid back creature that I've ever met." Rarity spoke up. "It's just the vibe, Rare. You can't mess with perfection." Fury boasted, his confidence at a high. "Well, let's hope that perfection includes being on your best behavior during the Duke and Duchess' visit." Celestia warned. Fury turned around and gave her a smirk. "Wooooow, Celestia really just went mom-mode. Somebody get her a two story house, 401k and a half decent husband, Stat!" Fury laughed. "I don't need a husband now or a family since I already have a whole kingdom that is my children and I don't think I'm ready for that commitment. But thank you for your compliments." Celestia said cheekily. Night Fury saw a chance to be even more casual and shot back. "Hey everypony, watch out! Princess Celestia has commitment issues, don't let her rope you in! She'll ghost you faster than a cheetah drinking jet fuel!" Fury said out loud, falling into a laughing fit. "For your information, Celestia would be a great wife if she so chose." Twilight said, thinking she was defending Celestia. Fury just saw this as another opportunity. "Wow, teacher's pet much?" He spoke. Celestia on the other hand just chuckled. "Maybe you do have a point. I'm already too committed to my favorite cakes. My husband might get jealous after all." "If you're so sure, maybe you should marry a red velvet cake to be certain." Fury muttered under his breath. "Now you're talking! Just point me to the baker and I shall have myself a fine date!" Celestia said, salivating at the thought. Fury was especially amused at Twilight's confused face who was not sure how to reconcile Celestia's regal side and her goofy side. "Bahahaha! O-okay, I think we should get ready before we're here making jokes all day." Night Fury reminded the group. Twilight nodded. "So you remember everything I told you right? Like about bowing twice. And not staring at their eyes for more than three seconds?" "Relax, Twi. You already hammered all of it into my head this week. I'm all set for this. They're gonna be quite amazed at the one and only Speed Shifter in these parts." "Well then just keep all of that in mind. Celestia, Luna, Cadence and… I will greet them first and introduce them. Then they will meet you as the representative of the Speed Shifters. Just remember to be on your best behavior and please keep your jokes to yourself for today. These are the most regal and important visitors we have had for a while." "Yeah yeah, thank you for the warning, Mom. Sweet mother nature, you ponies can be a pain sometimes." Fury sighed as he walked away to where he would meet the dignitaries. – "Presenting their royal excellencies, the Duke and Duchess of Maretonia!" One guard called out. The fanfare sounded out proudly as the duke and duchess made their way to the princesses. Ponies gathered around the street to get a good look at the transaction about to go down, guards stood still and tall around the street as security to keep the order and peace, the banner of Maretonia hanging from the palace balcony to welcome the dignitaries. All in all, the situation was under control and all was good. The duke and duchess soon reached the princesses and bowed before the, the royals on the opposite side doing the same as a subtle greeting. "It is our pleasure to meet you, Princess Celestia." The Duke greeted Celestia. "Likewise Duke, we hope the road to get here was not too perilous." The duchess responded. "Fear not, it wasn't an issue. But now we must go onto issues about our two realms. This includes trade, security issues and a certain ambassador that we both have yet to meet." The royals talked for a long while with Twilight being rather nervous but pulling through. Fury as he was hearing these things admitted he found their talk dry and boring. It was just like every other meeting with no new news. So he decided to take a leave of absence and go find something more interesting to do. Sheesh, this is more boring than I expected. Maybe I can sneak away and go do something that'll keep me entertained until I have to make my appearance. Fury thought to himself as he silently slipped away from the street and went into the castle to find his activity. No to much later, the princesses and the foreign dignitaries followed suit, Cadence having suggested a tour of the castle to introduce the duke and duchess to her kingdom and what lies within. The duke and duchess had an air of superiority about them. They were clearly trying to act like they were unimpressed compared to their own palace. For Twilight, she was deterherod to impress these new guests. How to do so? Perhaps she would elaborate on some great achievements. "Did you know this palace took centuries to build and was built in honor of the princesses? It's truly a grand monument." She said. "Now that was something I didn't know." The duchess said. "I had always thought that this castle was carved out of a mountain of crystal that was slowly formed over the years. At least, that's what I was told as a filly for a bedtime story." "Well that's true too. But it's more like the Crystal Ponies guided the construction along. They had to control the way the crystals grew." Cadence added "Fascinating." "It's fine. All fine." The duke said with a certain lack of interest. "Oh come on dear. You are not impressed?" She asked her husband. "Buildings are one thing. They look good. But that's just window dressing. It doesn't tell us how truly worthy a kingdom is. The only thing is the deeds of its citizens." The duke said. "Our Duchy had several great and honorable warriors, diplomats, scholars and so forth. I'm not saying you don't have that. But I do wish we heard more of these." Twilight was not quite sure what to say. This king was surely not a superficial one for sure. He wanted true worthiness. But who was an example of a worthy hero? Then, she got a sudden lightbulb as she remembered who else had shown up to this event. "While I do concur with the fact that the Crystal Empire may have some lacking values when it comes to achievement and glory, but I can assure you that this new ambassador you have yet to meet will soothe that itch." Twilight explained in a bright manner. The duchess smiled. "I have heard good things about this new foreign ambassador you've introduced to the world. I've heard he's even gone as far as eliminating King Sombra during his return." The duchess recalled. "Indeed, your highnesses, he showed great bravery in the darkest of times. He was able to fight and destroy the tyrant of the Crystal Empire. He used his wits and his power." Twilight said proudly. "Hmmmm." The duke said. "That is a bit more impressive. This ambassador sounds like he means business." "That he does, your highness. But not just in fighting. Even in our games, he was able to win even when others would dare cheat against him." "Resilience! This Speed Shifter sounds like the epitome of what a hero is!" The duke said. "I would like to meet him myself! And to see what kind of heroic creature he is." "Ah yes! And meet him you will, he is just a few doors down waiting for us. He is the epitome of an honorable and noble creature." Twilight said eagerly. Things were going well. Well, as long as Fury was on his best behavior. Everyone walked with eagerness and walked past all the doors. The duke and duchess wondered what this mysterious ambassador and honorary Equestrian citizen he would be like. They soon came up to one of the private rooms in the castle and stood before the doors in preparation for the meeting. But instead of the usual silence, they heard something unusual. Something like… "Music?" Twilight questioned, her curiosity being triggered like a live stick of dynamite. She walked by to hear what was beyond the door. "Is there something of interest?" said the duchess. "Um, it's probably nothing." Twilight said, wanting to make sure it was proper first. At worst she was wondering if Fury was singing one of those silly songs. "Nonsense! What you hear is what I wish to hear! And same for my husband! Come along, dear." The mares pushed her husband by the door both to Twilight and the Duke's dismay. On the other side, they would have expected Fury to possibly be sitting down, reading a book or maybe drinking some tea. But no, he seemed to be listening to music on what looked like a boom box. The crowd stepped back and pulled the doors slightly closed, only a crack left that was big enough to hear and see clearly. "Is that… him?" The Duchess whispered. "Yes, it is. But he seems to be somewhat distracted." Luna said, looking on at her lover who was bobbing his head to the beat. He then started to move a bit more and sway along with the tune, getting into the rhythm. And then, with a passive ignition of his energy and some confidence, he unknowingly treated the ponies behind the door to the most amazing sound of all. 🎶 Something terrible is going down, through the entire town. Reeking anarchy and all it brings.🎶 🎶 Sudden evils start lurking around, bringing society down. With a pain that knowingly stings.🎶 🎶I can't sit idly, no I can't let this stay! When you say his name, he'll lighten up the waaaaaay…!🎶 🎶 Fury! He'll stand up for the throne! Leaving nothing in his path until the world is one and whole!🎶 🎶 Fury! He will save us one and all! So let him be your saving graaaaace!🎶 Fury's voice seemed to echo through the entire castle with his vocals ringing like a brass bell, his voice practically a siren call with how smooth, loud and beautiful it was. The ponies near the door were astonished by his singing, they had no idea that he had such a beautiful talent that could sound so good. "Princess, is this the ambassador you spoke of?" The duke said in a solemn voice. "Um, well, y-yes. Please forgive him. He wasn't supposed to be singing right now. He probably just has some-" "Nonsense! This boy is truly a musical genius!" The duke said out loud. The duchess nodded pleased that her husband was ecstatic for once. "Wait really?" Twilight asked surprised "Of course! Who knew he had a voice so beautiful and harmonic? I would have never seen it coming!" The duchess agreed. "I never knew he had such a beautiful voice. It almost drives me to tears hearing it." Cadence said, fanning her eyes in an attempt to hide her tears. "You didn't tell me you had a singer in your midst!" The duke said. "This ambassador truly reflects well upon the Crystal Empire! I must go see him!" The duke walked eagerly to the Speed Shifter. "You! Are you the ambassador known as Night Fury?" The duke asked. The Speed Shifter was almost shocked at the suddenness of seeing the duke. But he decided he would play it cool. "Yes, that's me. How can I help you, your excellency?" He said, bowing his head. "You have played the most excellent song I have heard in quite a long time. You show a stunning ability! Are all you Speed Shifters so musically gifted?" The duke asked enthusiastically, almost like a child. Fury blushed and scratched the back of his neck, he had no idea that he or even anyone was listening. "Not all of us can sing, only a select few of us are gifted with a singing voice. And I wouldn't call myself a singer in any sense." Fury said. "Nonsense, you have a beautiful voice." The duchess added, being followed by the princesses. "Indeed, lightning bug, you have proven your voice is almost heavenly." Luna said. Cadence nodded. "It is quite amazing how well you can sing. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering that time at the games." She chuckled. Celestia nodded. "Perhaps you are not a professional poet in your village, but you have the musical mood in your feet and your mind. Your love for joy makes you sing well." Fury had to admit he never thought his singing would be a draw for others. He usually did it for karaoke. But now he realized they had a point. He had the musical spirit in him as some elders would say. His face went red and his smile seemed to flash brighter as his emotions ran high from the praise. "Gee thanks. I have to admit my singing is not what most sages in my village consider true singing. I just do it for fun. There are better Speed Shifter singers than me." Fury said with an unusual sense of vulnerability. "Well those sages are not truly sages if they can't recognize your singing! It comes from the heart, boy!" The duke said to him. "I guess so. But I can't say it was justified, I was supposed to be professional and stand stern at this meeting. I was completely-" Fury was about to shame his casual demeanor when the duchess stopped him with a hoof. "Ah ah ah, not today. Professionalism may be an important value to hold onto when meeting with foreign dignitaries, but today is a different time. You don't have to be formal with us, we know how you operate." The duchess reassured him. "And besides, we already know how you managed to get the moon to come down to earth~" She said slyly, giving the ambassador a knowing smirk. Luna and Fury both blushed at this. "Well, it was not easy." Luna said. "But with him, he just has that sort of charm that makes him irresistible. Even if he can be a bit mischievous." "Awww, you're too kind dear! Sorry for being such a bad boy though." Fury smirked as gave her a kiss on the neck, partially tickling her. "Hehehehe! You truly know how to please a princess!" Luna said back. "And you know how to make me as happy as can be." Fury cooed, nuzzling Luna's cheek with his own. The duchess awed at their romance. "It reminds me of how we used to have things, right dearie?" The duchess asked. "Why do you never do this anymore?" "Hmmm, well um… you see I-" "Aw just kiss her already, Duke!" Fury said as he "accidentally" pushed the duke with his tail to his wife. He relaxed into it and felt good. Cadence, Celestia and Luna were all quite overjoyed at how this mission had gone by so well. It was certainly funner than usual. For Twilight, she was quite shocked at how despite not going according to the plans, Fury still managed to make it all work. Well he could have been a little more professional. Twilight muttered to herself. And yet… he still managed to get it done. I still wonder to this day how his relaxed attitude actually can work. "Ms Sparkle? Ms Sparkle!" "Huh! Oh my apologies, Duke. What were you asking?" "I was asking about his kind, are there more like him?" The duke asked. "Oh, yes there are! But only two more exist within Equestria's limits. Those being Night Fury's parents. He wishes to go back to his homeland soon and hopefully work out a peace deal with his tribe to expand that number." Twilight explained. "Really, have there been problems with your tribe?" The duchess asked, a bit worried. "No current problems, more so a pre-existing one that's held my tribe back. To save on time, let's just say that a rival tribe that made themselves out as friendly kidnapped my parents when I was almost fully grown. They had assistance from a few forest-dwelling pony mercenaries that we thought were our comrades. Ever since then our chief, Chief ThunderClaws, has put in a 'Trust no other creature' policy as a way to protect our way of life." "Some of the more stubborn Shifters stand by it, but the majority don't want to go by that rule. Even so, they still do it for fear of their safety. As a matter of fact, the main reason I'm here today is because I disobeyed that rule to find my parents and hopefully get some help from you know who." Fury said, gesturing to the princesses behind him. The princesses nodded. "It is true. A while ago, I sent a letter to Night Fury inviting him to mine and Shining Armor's wedding. My aunt Celestia had told me about how she had heard of him through a long line of information that spread throughout the ranks of the royal guard that were deployed near Fury's home on a recon mission. Once I had heard of the terrible invasion and felt Fury's immense heartache through my magic one night, I felt it only necessary to try and help him by bringing him here." Cadence explained. "Oh dear. You poor soul, you!" The duchess said to Fury. "I'm glad someone like you had the approval of these princesses. I am very pleased with that. I hope your parents are alright now." Fury smiled. "Oh don't you worry, they're doing very well. My parents love their new home. They can feel comfort for the first time in years after being enslaved by the tribe I was mentioning earlier. And hopefully I can stretch that out to the rest of my tribe back home. I may not be aware of how they're doing right now, but I know for a fact that they could use a breath of fresh air before that whole 'Trust no one' policy collapses in on their mental state." "Well if you can convince ponies to be trusting of you Speed Shifters. I'm sure you can do the reverse with your tribe. I wish you luck my young friend." The duke said, shaking his paw. "Heh, thanks. We'll see what happens though. You never know what others think of others." Fury said. "Like how I didn't you two could be so chill." "Oh please, we are nothing like most expect. Did you know that my wife used to make bets on underground cart racing and participated herself in her youth?" The duke said, exposing the duchess. "No way!" Fury gasped. "Yes, I might have gone a bit too far with how much I bet… I might have spent our treasury to do so…" She said, a bit embarrassed. "But to be fair, I did have a good eye for victories and I was one of the more skilled racers in that field so at least I knew what to do." She said, bragging just a little. "You also did not react well to losing, sweetheart. You always went into an existential crisis when you lost. I swear, the amount of times I had to take you to the hospital because I thought your blood pressure was about to go through the roof…" The duke chuckled. "Honey! That's supposed to be a secret!" The duchess said angrily but then smiled. "Just like your secret obsession with cute animals like pigeons or cats!" "Gah!!! Curses! That was supposed to be a secret!" The duke said with rage. "No, you see Fury, my husband might be stoic a lot of the time. But anytime he sees a lovely animal he just can't resist petting one!" The duchess chuckled to her husband's embarrassment. Fury smiled cheekily at this and got an idea. "Is that so? Give me a moment." Fury said, walking away. The royalty that was left behind were rather confused as to what Fury was doing, but the answer to those underlying questions would soon be answered when he returned a few minutes later. "So, you like cats. Don't you, duke? Well, let's just say that I have a few friends in the same bloodline." Fury said as he did the most unexpected thing that none of them had seen… Meow. The princess' eyes widened at the sound, they didn't know Fury could do such a thing. But they were soon interrupted by more of the same sound. Meow. Meow meow! Mreeeow… Soon enough, a crowd of cats and kittens walked in, meowing as they would as they split into small groups and surrounded the ponies that they each found most attracted to. "W-w-what am I observing here!?" The duke asked. "It's like an army of cats!" Twilight said. "Look at them coming at us!" They saw the cats going closer and closer forming a smaller circle. The duke almost felt like passing out. But he resisted, for he was the Duke of Maretonia. He could not be swayed. But then he heard a cat rub his leg and meow. Resist… resist… RESIST! But then he saw the last straw, the cat was on its back exposing its belly and wiggling its ears. He could withstand it all. "Enough! You are mine!" He said as he pet the docile cat giving it belly rubs and some boops. "Yes, you are worthy!" The duke said "WORTHY! HA HA HA!" "Aaaaand he's lost it." Fury chuckled, but he wasn't done. "But why must he be the only one? Go, my brothers and sisters, share your serotonin with him!" Fury said to the crowd of kittens and cats. Meow! All cats and kittens came over to the Duke. He almost had a heart attack but he had to be strong and was determined to pet every single of those cats. "It is my sacred duty!" He said while petting and scratching six cats already. "Wow, he sure loves cats." Twilight said matter of factly. "Yes he does. But there's still another… younger group that I've saved just for you four. Go on, little ones." Fury encouraged, a crowd of younger, and arguably more adorable kittens came towards the princesses, all mewing and meowing in an almost high pitched squeak. The normally composed princesses were in shock of seeing these precious babies coming at them. "What are we supposed to do?" Twilight asked. "I tell you what we must do." Cadence said. "Hug and love every single one!" Cadence was the first into the fray. Kissing them, stroking them, and cuddling them. "Who's the cutest of them all? Yes you are. Yes you are!" Cadence said. Luna and Celestia looked at each other. "I have not resisted Fury. And I most certainly will not resist these lovable creatures!" Celestia nodded. "You are becoming wiser and wiser, my sister. Nothing is greater than feeling the soft fur of kittens. Let us go forth!" Celestia and Luna did the same with their selections. Twilight was more hesitant at first not knowing the proper way. Then she saw a lone kitten also a bit shy. She walked over to it. "How are you, sweetheart? You a bit shy?" Meow… Twilight was now in love with this kitten. She softly stroked and petted the little beast, all her former worries had melted away like butter on a pan. As all the kittens were being tended to, Fury couldn't help but feel a little jealous of them as he was being left out. But luckily, that jealousy didn't last long as a certain pair of sisters took notice of his mood. "Is a certain giant cat feeling abandoned?" Celestia asked. "What? No! I was the one who brought them here, so I'm fine!" Fury shot back, sticking his muzzle up in an effort to fix his problem. But unfortunately, one of the two sisters had known him for too long and loved him too much. "I have known this cat long enough to know when he is trying to hide something." Luna said. "But my Lightning Bug cannot hide for long. For his owner will always come to pet him." Luna said, walking by with sultry eyes. Not allowing Fury to realize she had grabbed him with magic and flipped him over. "And I know the best spot for pets." She said looking at his belly. "Awww, can't you rub my belly in private? it's embar- Hahahahahahahaha!" Luna was not going easy on her boyfriend. She stroked him, caressed him. He felt like he had to get up but also didn't want to either. "Dawww, look at how cute you are. Such a beautiful creature. And I had no idea you could meow or easily communicate with other cats either." Luna admitted. "That's the power of a universal catalog of languages. Speed Shifters can turn into different creatures and understand their creature of choice as if they were speaking English. And since my default form is a type of cat…" Meow! "It makes sense I can communicate with them and even lead them to their targets." Fury smirked. "Like how the calico cat on Cadence's left wants her attention…" "Aww, are you feeling left out? Come to me so I can love you!" Cadence said to the calico who leaped over to her for back scratches. "Or how the kitten on Celestia's head wishes she was her pet." Fury continued. She saw a gray kitten was anxious and a little grumpy, seeming impatient. "I apologize for keeping you so long. It is time for your royal treatment." Celestia gave the kitten a peck on the cheek and rustled her fur. The grumpy kitten seemed to be content now. "This is most adorable! I may have to take one back to Maretonia!" The duchess said, the duke agreeing with her. "Go ahead, they're all strays and could use a good home anyway." Fury said. "Strays?" Twilight asked with a tinge of sadness. "Yeah, it seems a lot like hiding in the gardens nearby. They're good at hiding, coming from a fellow cat. But they can all use a good home. Make sure you take good care of them and make them happy!" Fury said to the duke and duchess. "But remember if you even think of mistreating even one of these cats, you will understand what raining terror really means." "Understood." They both said quickly. "Good! I knew you were good folks!" Fury said. "Well what do you think of us Speed Shifters? Did we leave a good impression on you?" They both nodded. "Indeed, you have impressed me very much. We will remember you. If you need our help, then just call upon us and we will aid you." The duke said. "That I will do, your highness. That I will do." Fury said confidently, knowing good and well that he had done well as ambassador once again. – "Well I must admit, that went exceptionally well." Celestia said. "It seems we have some new friends." "Yeah, I know, right? A lot of royals are boring and snooty but not those guys!" Fury said. Everyone felt great relief at the successful diplomatic mission. Everyone sat on couches and ate some grapes from the royal garden. "It definitely went better than I would have expected." Twilight said. "I'm relieved that our alliance is so strong. We could use some good friends." "You've got that right, we've got enough to deal with as is." Cadence said. "And before you even speak, yes we have it that bad, Fury." "Hey, I wasn't even gonna say anything!" Fury said. "Although to be fair, at least you don't have too many conflicts between other pony states." He said so although he deep down knew that was only on the surface. "Not a lot. But there are always some internal problems. Just like Blueblood." Celestia said. "There are always going to be some greedy ponies looking to get more power." Fury nodded. "I see. But are there any other problems that have been rising?" Fury was especially curious since considering that light entity he encountered. Twilight further explained. "Well, there have been some ponies who want Blueblood back, some who want to secede from Equestria, and there have been a lot of powerful creatures lately. One, including Cerberus, the one who guarded Tartarus, went missing for a while." "The three headed mutt? I'm surprised that he hasn't been found yet, he's huge. Although I'd love to get his DNA and become the first Speed Shifter to turn into him." Fury said, getting Twilight's attention.. "Wait… 'Get his DNA'?" She questioned. "Yeah. Speed Shifters gain different forms through direct contact with the target species and storing that creature's DNA within our own DNA. A Speed Shifter's power to transform is quite literally bonded to us by our biological makeup, not some magical energy within us like our speed." Twilight was intrigued. "Fascinating. I always assumed it was magic. I guess for you shifters, you probably have to fight a lot to get the proper DNA." "Actually, no. The DNA can come from anything on the creature. Whether that be a few drops of blood from a living creature or the rotting bones of a million years old skeleton. So basically, Speed Shifters are the living back drives of the animal kingdom's DNA." Fury explained. Twilight was extra giddy from all of this information. "Perhaps we can place this information into the Speed Shifter Museum! Maybe even the bones you found or blood samples!" "Go ahead, it'll be a good addition. Oh, did I forget to mention that through expert meditation and skill training that Speed Shifters can use the powers of different creatures in their default form?" Fury said. At this point, Twilight was in a pure state of shock with the amount of information that was being provided. "Are you serious?! What can you do?" She asked. "Observe." Fury said simply. He then focused on his energy and acquired his inner chameleon DNA and changed his pigment, slowly changing from his usual jet black to a shade of pink identical to Cadence's fur. "No way, you can change color like a chameleon?!" Twilight exclaimed. "Wow." Cadence said simply. "Try me!" Twilight said like a filly. "Too easy." Fury boasted as he changed from pink to purple with ease. "But that's not all, check this out." Fury then focused around his eye and copied Twilight's cutie mark onto his right eye like a work of face paint art. "This is amazing. You Speed Shifters never cease to amaze!" Twilight said giddily. "Yep! And I know for a fact they'll be quite useful for dangerous situations. Of course, we can't stay this color forever. We're not changelings. I can only mimic abilities for an hour at most and for really energy consuming ones for only ten minutes per day. But that's usually enough time to help out." Fury said. "Even with that time limit, this power is a good advantage to have. You'll be able to use it for much good in the future." Celestia commented. "I'm glad you see it that way. And, bonus, I can look like the most powerful marshmallow to ever exist!" Fury laughed as he changed his color to a familiar white and formed a sun cutie mark on his eye. "He does have a point, sister. He does bring that smooth marshmallow look out of you." Luna said smugly with Cadence laughing. Celestia rolled her eyes with a slight chuckle. "Yes, a very apt imitation of me, Fury." "I try my best." Fury said cheekily as he returned to his original black. Celestia did have some things in mind while talking. She was wondering about Cerberus. "By the way, have you heard any rumors of escaped prisoners?" Celestia said, getting back to the discussion. "When Cerberus went loose, that might have allowed some prisoners to escape." "I can list off a few, but they're not that much to worry about." Fury said. "Rainbow Dash said she got called to Wonderbolts HQ because a swarm of Twitter Mites was lighting up the runway, there was a BugBear attack somewhere in the Whitetail Wood on some pony travelers that sorted it out themselves, Steven the Sea Serpent told me that he's had to ward off the occasional Manticore. Nothing much that I can recall." Fury listed off. "Those are fairly small, especially compared to what I have heard. There have been a few whispers about some… strange occurrences around the Hollow Shades." "What have you heard?" Luna inquired. "There have been sightings of weakened ponies with their cutie marks removed laying in the streets. There have also been talks of unicorns losing their magic out of nowhere before collapsing in a sudden heap of exhaustion, as if something stripped them of their abilities and strength." Celestia spoke. This made Fury legitimately uneasy. Sapping power? For a Speed Shifter, the goal was to get stronger and stronger. But it can just be sucked away just like that? Just the thought of it made him uncomfortable. After all if he wasn't careful, it could be him whose power was sapped. Then, he realized what might be the cause. "Wait, ponies losing their magic? Weakened strength? Have there been any sightings of unusual figures making their rounds throughout the towns?" "Well, we have heard of different sightings in Canterlot's slums. There are always strange things happening in those places. But these past two weeks have seen a surprising amount of weakened ponies. The culprit is still unknown." Luna recalled, thinking back to the multiple times she and Celestia were made aware of ponies filing into the local urgent care unit. "Any concrete or at least credible descriptions of who was spotted?" Fury asked, his concern rising as he tried to piece the parts together. "It has been reported by those lucky enough to see them that the voice sounded old, it always wore a cloak to conceal themselves but most agree it was a grovely male voice. Five witnesses pointed out seeing some red. And one even mentioned using hands. Although strangely the different victims reported different sizes for this, some say it was short, others it was normal and some slightly tall." Red color? Hands? Conflicting size description? Wait… it can't be… Fury took a moment to work the angles he was given, the princesses around him noticing his immense concern. "Fury, are you okay?" Cadence asked, throwing a hoof over his shoulder. "Yeah, just… a little concerned. One last question. Did any witnesses mention black horns and a gray beard, maybe a goat-like lower half?" Fury asked, bracing for the answer. "Well, a few mentioned some protrusions on its head. There was one who even said they thought they saw a shadow of a sheep's hooves before being attacked." Luna answered. Fury pondered all this evidence. Then he went pale. "Oh God…" "What? What's wrong?!" Twilight exclaimed. At this point, Fury's eyes were darting all over the place. His breathing heavy and his movements sharp as he got up and shot out of the room towards the castle library to check what he had concluded about the suspect. "Fury!" Luna called out. "What is he so worried about?" Cadence asked. "Perhaps, something we don't know." Twilight said. "Maybe we should follow him." Celestia nodded. "Let's see for ourselves." For Fury, he was trying to find a certain book. Of course since he had not as much inventory experience as Twilight, it was difficult to find the right one. But he knew what he was after. "Come on, where are you?! I need it." He said desperately. "Fury, what's wrong with you? What's got you so spooked?" Cadence asked as she and the other princesses walked into the library. "The fact that you don't know that the most powerful magic-siphoning creature is on the loose!" Fury said as he finally found what he was looking for and flipped through the pages at lightning speed. The princesses stood above him as he flipped through the pages and then stopped on a page that held a picture of the very creature that he was dreading. "By the emperor's might, I was right!" Fury exclaimed. "Ladies, I think your suspect is someone that I've heard of. Someone that almost brought down Speed Shifters in the past." Fury passed the book off to the princesses and they saw where he had stopped. "N-no…" Celestia said with unusual dread. "I-it can't be…" Luna said likewise. "Might I be so bold as to ask what you fear so much?" Cadence asked with a bit of worry. "Cadence, the creature we're dealing with… is Lord Tirek." Fury spoke in a shaky voice. "Tirek?" Twilight asked. "I heard of him once in a book I read as a filly. But I always assumed he was just a legend." "Oh he's as real as the super speedy feline standing right in front of you. Come with me, I think it's about time you heard about what he's all about." Fury said as he led them all out of the library and into another room with a round table at which they stood as Night Fury began to explain. "You see, Tirek is a very powerful sorcerer that once roamed the icy flatlands that us Speed Shifters called home before ponies came along. He has the power to siphon a creature's magic to improve his strength and magical abilities. His tyrannical influence has had its ways of putting us at a downward slope in Speed Shifter's past. He has tried multiple times to take us down, seeing us as an obstacle in what he considered 'The Rise Of The Centaur Empire'. He and his father, King Vorak, have always seen themselves as the rightful owners of what Equestria is today." "Not too long before the All Powerfuls were formed, King Vorak gave his son the task to source the power of this new godly energy and use it to build their regime. Fortunately, Emperor Snowdrift was at his prime and easily dispatched Tirek to keep Speed Shifters from going extinct. That smaller version of Tirek that has been reported to have changing heights, that's him growing bigger with the amount of essence he absorbed. The magic he absorbs is basically small bits of the legendary Mountain Of Youth for him, his age regressing with each pony he drains and his strength returning." Fury continued to explain the past of Speed Shifters and their feud with Tirek, Celestia and Luna adding in their own part on how they sent him to Tartarus in the first place after being informed about his intentions to drain the land of its magic by his younger brother Scorpan. "And quite frankly without the help of Scorpan, we could have been ruled over by Tirek to this very day." Celestia said. "We were able to defeat Tirek and imprison him in Tartarus." "Well, I guess he got beaten twice by two different races he tried to rule." Cadence said trying to be positive. "But as they say, Cadence, three is a lucky number." Fury said grimly. "You never know. Perhaps this time he has a better plan. I've heard horrible legends of Tirek. Even Emperor Snowdrift doesn't like talking about fighting Tirek, except that he said it was difficult." Twilight was surprised. After seeing all of Fury's abilities it seemed nothing could phase him. But just the name of Tirek is enough to make him worried. "Are you truly sure this is Tirek?" Twilight asked. "Well, it seems like so far he's the most likely culprit. Especially with Cerberus leaving." Fury said. Celestia was quite frustrated. "Curses! I should have had better guards supervise Cerberus! I underestimated how much danger we were in." Then Celestia looked at the others. "But we can't let him drag us down. If it's been only two weeks, and he is only somewhat tall, it'll take him awhile to be at full strength. We still have time to apprehend him. This is an extreme emergency. I will have all of Equestria's Armed Forces and Police be at high alert. But it's up to all of us to keep an eye out for any unusual disturbances." Fury nodded. "If you need my services, I'll help in any way I can. But… I would rather not do this alone. If I'm not careful, he could suck out all of my power and I'd be helpless. I'd rather do this very carefully." "Right and we have to come up with a plan. What can we do at this moment to bolster our defense?" Twilight inquired. "Well, for now we might want to enforce a curfew to not go out at night. Also give strong warnings not to walk along if possible. And we need to make sure we search for Tirek immediately. We'll check Canterlot again, but we have heard rumors also in Manehattan and other places of this going on, so he probably knows we'll try to find him. We have to respond as quickly as possible." Celestia suggested. "Hmm, an active search is nonadvisable. That'll just tell him that you've sent away more of your forces into the wild to be picked off and that less will be available at a moment's notice once he decides to hit the bigger targets. What we need to do is starve him of his power source, drag him into an opening where it would be a better chance of catching him off guard." Fury protested. "So an ambush? A trap of sorts?" Cadence asked. "Yeah, basically. We have to seem nonchalant. And let him walk into our trap. Tirek was notorious for being attracted to power. That itself could be his weakness." Fury said. "It's like catching a mouse and using peanut butter for the bait." "So… we trap him in a null zone. No magic to be absorbed so we can catch him at his weakest. At his current rate of strength gain, he's in no hurry. So it wouldn't be hard to plan for this." Twilight said. "Now you're thinking like a Speed Shifter, Twily." Fury smirked. "If we do that, we'll have caught our prey. Is everypony in agreement with this?" "I'd have to say we all are in agreement with this plan." Celestia spoke. Luna nodded. "Agreed. We might want to establish a festival for one of us princesses or you Fury to lure him out. And if we do this we might just catch him in his act. But only one of us at a time, because we would not want multiple of us to be siphoned in the worst case scenario or he might be too powerful." "Alright then. It's settled. We will catch this guy before he gets too powerful. We will stop him from trying to rule the world again! I won't let that happen, mark my words!" Fury said with confidence. "And you'll have not just my help or the princesses but also the Mane Six." Twilight said. "We'll be ready to assist in taking down this tyrant." Everyone was in agreement. Everyone was more confident now. Though for Fury, he did wonder if the return of Tirek was what that light spirit was talking about. He remembered the words of that spirit, about how there will be great terror and this will be a force like he had never encountered. It did make him wonder. "Um, Fury, are you alright?" Cadence asked. "You seem a little… distant." "Huh? Oh no, I'm fine. It's just that this strange presence has been coming to me and warning me of upcoming dangers." Fury explained. "As a matter of fact, before the whole Manehattan drama, a source of light came to me in my dream and warned me about other creatures wanting to put me in harm's way. And that very same light came to me on the flight to the Crystal Empire telling me about some other danger that I'd never encountered before." Fury said with dread. "And if what happened with Blueblood was any indication, this just might be another big time fight." Celestia nodded in silence. "I see. We should not dismiss this. If it really is that dangerous, we must all be on guard. I'll make sure my guards will be trained and ready. You should be ready too, Fury." But Celestia softened her voice. "But like we discussed before, we should not worry too much. We are much more ready this time than with the Blueblood incident. At the very least, we'll be more ready." Fury let out a slight sigh of relief. "Okay, I'll hold you to that. I'll need some time to get myself together before I take this on, but I'll be ready when the time comes." Fury then closed his eyes and let out a deep breath before beginning to glow softly, a static charge building within himself. "I'll be sure to practice controlling my energy in case he comes for me. And I'll be sure to train myself to be aware of threats. I'll be training for a little while. I'll make sure I'm ready for him." "Good." Celestia said. "If you would like to go back to Ponyville, I'll put you on a secure train in secret. I can even have a few guards protect you." "Thanks, but no thanks. I actually think it's better to fly on my own. Better to be somewhere he has no access to than riding out in the open and risking the strength of some of your finest guards." Fury said, his eyes still closed and his energy still pulsing. Celestia looked at him with a calm but slightly surprised expression, he had come up with a plan that was objectively better than hers and was stern about his stand on it. He has become much wiser than when we first met. Most impressive. He is truly the best candidate to restore the Silver Blue and carry on the legacy of his kind. Celestia thought to herself. Fury then said farewell to the princesses and flew off into the sky. He was still a bit worried but at least they had a plan. Of course as his father once said, when the battle begins, all plans go out the window. — It was a rainy night. In the middle of the forest, there was a cart delivering oats to Ponyville. But the cart driver was not going about his business. He collapsed on the ground completely weakened, his strength having been completely sapped from his being. "Ah, delicious. Thank you for your cooperation." Said a cloaked figure, stepping away from the scene. The cloaked figure was walking along the dirt paths of the forest in search of a certain spot, a spot that would allow the figure to not have to hide its identity. He finally found his location. To his right he saw a worthy site. "Ah yes, this large cave will be a good place to hide for the moment." Tirek entered the dark cave, setting up a tent to sleep for the moment. He opened a can of his latest victim's food to satiate himself. "Ah…. I am glad I have made progress. But… it will take forever at this rate going after such weaklings. I need someone stronger. It will take me months at this rate to be able to even fight." Tirek said with frustration. "Well I guess my father taught me the value of patience." As was about to eat the rest of the beans in the can, he heard a snap. "Huh? What was that?" The centaur said, looking around. … "Are you… Lord Tirek the Great?" a slightly deep voiced but elegant female voice said. Tirek didn't answer his question. "Who is there?! Show yourself! Or I'll make an example of you!" "Heh heh calm down, you don't need to worry. I'm someone you can trust." "Ha! I've heard that one before. I doubt you could give me what I want anyways." Tirek said smugly. "Just show me who you are. You already made a mistake coming for me." "Very well. Behold your new friend." Out of the shadow, a female feline came out. Her fur was a deep orange, almost like a fiery mix of red and yellow. Her eyes glowed a soft amber color in the dark, her aura powerful but controlled as she stood before Tirek with grace. "Wait, I think I've seen your kind before. Are you not… a Speed Shifter?" "You have that right, dearie. My name is Pyro Flare. But to you, it's just Pyro. A pleasure to meet you." She said bowing. "Awww, you Speed Shifters have always been so polite." Tirek said. "And so brave. You've come to me even though you know what I did to your people? Shouldn't you be begging for mercy?" Pyro simply laughed. "Oh yes, I know very well what you did all those years ago to our emperor. That is actually why I have come looking for you. To get rid of a mistake that shouldn't have happened." "Oh no I'm so scared!" Tirek laughed. "What are you going to do to try to hit me? I can just suck all your power up." "Oh you are a barbaric mistake of nature, don't get me wrong. But that's not why I'm here. I'm talking about the one from Thunder Hollow. One of the All Powerfuls. His name being… Night Fury." She said with seething hatred. "Ah, I remember. I heard rumors. I heard he was a hero to those pathetic ponies. He's a sort of folk hero nowadays. Especially how he saved ponykind from Sombra" He said, chuckling. "He has shown interest in her royal majesty, and she has accepted his love and made him her lover. Even with all of that sweetness, the little brat leaves a sour taste in my mouth." Pyro said, gagging at the very thought of the ambassador. Tirek had to admit that he was getting curious about what this Speed Shifter was after. Would and could she be able to get him what he wanted? "I must admit that I hold your sourness towards the ambassador in my heart as well, he is quite the nuisance. I agree with your statement of wanting to get rid of him, he will be an easy target." "Now now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Like I said, he is one of the All Powerfuls. Meaning, his power levels are much beyond mine and yours combined. And he is not one to be taken lightly as he has already made himself known for not showing mercy through almost killing an associate of mine and brutally murdering a fellow Speed Shifter that orchestrated the kidnapping of his parents." Pyro warned the Centaur. "Ah I see. He seems like a force to be reckoned with. More than these ponies for sure. Let me ask out of curiosity, are you trying to avenge the murdered Speed Shifter and is he related to you?" Tirek inquired. "Oh Moon Beam? No. He was a loud obnoxious idiot. He tried to kill the ambassador outright and take his power for himself as a way to carry on the dark proceedings of a late relative, The Night Tyrant. He was too reckless and made himself easily discoverable. And in his quest for the near limitless power that pulsed through Night Fury's body, it led to him having his head and spine torn away from his body and left to bleed out in what remains of his now ruined fort in the Cursed Forest." She said with disgust. "And to answer your question, no I'm not. I'm more of an adviser. I'm simply someone who is trying to bring glory to the Speed Shifters. I guess you could say I'm the power behind the scenes of the Shadow Shifters. There are many who want to be chiefs. I can find another. But that's not important to you, is it?" Tirek nodded. "Yes it isn't. So you want us to have an alliance, correct?" "Exactly. I know for a fact we need each other. You need my help to bring down Equestria's defenses and I could use your help to deliver some retribution to the ambassador. I promise you that if you help me bring down Night Fury and deliver the rightful owners of the All Powerfuls' legacy their dues, I swear on the aura that flows within me that you will get to rule over Equestria as you please with no resistance." "Hmmmm…" I do not trust her one bit. She probably knows I don't trust her either. But I do know for a fact, that I need her help to get more power. I'll help her but keep her at a distance. "Alright you have a deal. But if you break this promise…" "Oh don't worry, my dear, we Speed Shifters have a sense of honor. We will honor our word." She said with a smile that did not give Tirek reassurance. Not that it mattered right now. "Alright you have a deal." Tirek said. "But it will be a bit hard if it's just you and me against all of Equestria." "Not just us. Not just us. I've made a friend along the way." She said almost gagging at the thought. "He is Blueblood. He had a falling out with Celestia and is hiding with our tribe." "Are you really that desperate you have to resort to a spoiled pony prince to help us?" "Yes. Yes, you and me are. He has a lot of disgruntled soldiers with him. And he knows secrets that can take the princesses down." Pryo emphasized. "With our strength we will defeat those treacherous ponies and Night Fury. Unfortunately he cannot come with us on this escapade as he is both currently planning his revenge and recuperating from the brutal, and almost fatal beating that the ambassador put him through a few months ago." "Ugh, what a weakling. He should be getting back to fighting already." Tirek scoffed. "He's a pony, sweetheart, what can you expect from them? But he will help us when the time is right. Just trust me on this one." Pyro said. Tirek nodded at the Speed Shifter's words. He gave his new options some thought and agreed that this would be his best option to get back at those pathetic ponies that wronged him and his father along with defeating a Speed Shifter with godly power. This could be it, the one thing that could cement his title in history as the greatest Centaur to ever live. "Okay, I will allow this unity to push forward. We will begin our quest for domination at dawn. But first, would you care to step inside and warm up? It's only fair that I show some hospitality to a new friend and ally, not to mention that a storm is on the way." "Awww, how courteous of you. I didn't realize you were such a gentleman" She said she entered and lied by the fire. But her main thoughts were not on Tirek but on Fury. Mark my words, Fury, you might have set us back temporarily but you have no idea what you are about to face. You will learn the true wrath like you have never before.