//------------------------------// // Chapter 37: Rest And Revision // Story: To Equestria And Beyond (Rewrite In Progress) // by NightFurySpeedey8156 //------------------------------// For Night Fury, he was curious what the other princesses had in mind when they mentioned destress. He was imagining different ideas it could be from pranks, to tag, and strangely, eating contests. "So, you ladies gonna keep hiding your plans from me or what?" Fury asked with eagerness. "Oh be patient, will you? Seriously, with all of the meditation you Speed Shifters do, I'd expect you to have astounding amounts of patience." Celestia said. "Hey, being eager is what makes me… Me! So have some respect for the fact that you still have me around, old timer." Celestia rolled her eyes. "Yes, we respect that fact, wildcat. The other princesses are getting the surprise set up as we speak. Trust me that it will be stunning." "Considering who I'm speaking to, I expect to be lifted up on Cloud 9 when I see this." Suddenly Fury heard the doors open. Faust, Cadence and Luna finally came in. They both had eager proud smiles. "We are ready! The moment is at hoof." Luna said. "I hope you will attend, lightning bug." "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't going to, Moonpie." Fury let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well, let's see what you guys think will calm my nerves." And so Fury followed the other princesses to see what this surprise they have in store is. They kept on walking through Canterlot. Cadence pointed at a giant red and white tent. "Behold! The Circus of Fun and Mayhem! Here you will encounter the goofiest and silliest things ever. From trampolines, to breathing fire out of nostrils and more." Cadence said. "I should point out Pinkie Pie had some help in making this circus. I hope that won't scare you." Fury was amazed, he had never seen a circus tent or even been to a circus in general. He had no idea this was his fate and he was left stunned. "How in the name of Luna's flanks did you do this?! Isn't the whole city in lockdown because of Tirek and Pyro?" "This circus has been here since Canterlot's founding. It's helped ponies through many crises. And has given everyone both young and old a thrill ride even in times of invasion. The circus members are quite tough and are former Canterlot guards too, so they know how to be tough." Luna explained. Fury looked up to the giant tent and stared, he was internally battling his own conscience to accept the help as he had problems with asking for such in the past. This would be his first time going to a circus and he had no idea what to expect, but in order to get over his stress, he had to take the chance. "Alright, let's head inside and see this circus. First time I'll be seeing one too." He said, walking with the princesses in tow through the entrance and into the tent. They walked through a dark tunnel, hearing distant horns and laughing as they got closer to the inside. As the light from the inner chamber lit up their eyes, they were greeted with an array of wild and untamed show props that zipped and zoomed back and forth. Ponies with colorful makeup bounced and sprang every which way, some coming close to the five of them and laughing in their faces. Fury was so off put by the at first creepy looking 'Clowns' and let out a squeak of fear before backing up and cowering beneath Celestia's underside for protection. "Heh, it seems you have quite a liking for clowns do you not?" Celestia asked. "Yeah, they're just trying to amuse you!" Cadence said to the shaking Fury. Fury felt something touch his tail, making his eyes widen and his fear rise. Lo and behold a clown with a big red nose was right behind him with a hoof on his slack tail. "Why hello buddy! You havin' fun in the Land of Amusement don't be shy woohoohoohoo!" The clown said. Fury however, didn't find this greeting funny as he got so scared that he turned into a chicken and ran around as if he had no head, clucking like crazy. "Get away from me you crazy big nosed psychos!" Fury said. Luckily the clown seemed to be back in the circus area away from him. "Is this what you ladies consider amusing?" Fury asked. "These guys who look like they have a bad case of allergies?" The others laughed. "Oh Fury, everyone is scared of clowns at first. Especially children. But you grow to learn their amusements over time." Faust said. "Tell you what, how about you walk with me and I'll show you a good place to observe so you may see these balls of fun in their full glory."?" Fury didn't respond to the alicorn's offer, only letting out some quiet clucks of nervousness as he looked back at the main area. "Just come with us, scaredy cat!" Cadence said, dragging Fury to a special area reserved for royalty. Fury saw the clowns riding unicycles. Sometimes on a tightrope and even jumping through fire rings. It seemed that the clowns were fighting each other as well with pie throwing. Fury just stayed silent as he was dragged along, his form shifting back to his normal self as he got a good look at the weird and slightly frightening action. "Well, Fury, are you impressed by the skills of this army of clowns?" Cadence asked. "I know I'm supposed to be impressed. And I kind of am. But they still look like crazy serial killers waging gang warfare on each other." Fury said. Cadence smirked. "You are a very poetic feline. But you need to relax, this is supposed to be fun! Trust me, all those heebie jeebies will be completely gone once you get to know the show." "Wait, what do you mean 'know the show'?" Fury asked, confused. "Well, Lightning Bug," Luna said. "One of the most classic ways to show the wonders of clowns is through a little… audience participation. It is what made me like them. At one time, we were all just like you. Afraid of the makeup and shivering like we had frostbite when they got close." Fury was terrified at these words. "Wait when you say audience participation, you don't mean…?" Suddenly a loud voice came out of nowhere. "LADIES AND GENTLECOLTS! WE HAVE AT OUR GRAND CIRCUS A NEW VISITOR!" Lights shined onto Fury. "Our great ambassador needs a helping hoof into understanding the show we provide! Shall we give him a bit of fun?!" "Yeahhhh!" The audience shouted, including the princesses. "Then let's give it to him!" All of a sudden some acrobatic clowns came to Fury and put a clown nose on him and some white powder on his face. "Hey, let me go! This goes against my rights!" Fury said to the princesses. "Fury, have you ever been shot out of a cannon before?" Celestia asked. "No, and I never intended to, you giant goose!" "Well today you shall know!" said one of the clowns. "Send him to the Big One!!!!" An army of clowns grabbed Fury and took him to a big cannon where a pink earth pony was waiting. "Wait a minute… Pinkie!?!" Fury called out. "Yepperoni! A lot of ponies don't realize I'm also a part time clown. It's always fun to make others smile with our big goofy outfits and antics!" Pinkie said. "Huh, I guess I should have expected that. But that's besides the point! I never asked for this! Those royal weirdos said that they were gonna help me calm my nerves, not send me to the insane asylum!" "You'll be real calm after this whole ordeal is done. That I can promise!" Pinkie said. "But enough talk. Alright fellas… Load him in!" The clowns took the reluctant Speed Shifter and stuffed him into what turned out to be Pinkie's Party Cannon. Pinkie lit the fuse. "Prepare to go on a magical mystical journey of fun and wonder in 3… 2… 1… NOW!" BOOM! Fury burst out of the cannon at a speed approaching the speed of sound. His first destination was a bunch of trampolines and springs. He also had to avoid the cannon balls that flew around him. "Whoa! Oof! Oof!" Fury sprang and bounced all over the place, much to the amusement of the crowd. His legs flailed and waved around as he bounced out of his own control, making one final bounce upward until he stood on a hard surface that allowed him to catch his breath. Fury finally reached a platform in the air. He breathed a sigh of relief. "At least it's over." But he spoke too soon. Pinkie sprang up out of nowhere with some other clowns and grabbed him. "Get ready for Part II everypony!" Pinkie called out. The clowns threw him into a tight wire, watching as he wobbled in an attempt to keep his balance. The spotlights on the ground pointed up to the feline above, catching everyone's eyes as he stood in the high wire. "Oh by the gods, why?!" Fury cried out. "Luckily I've been through this before. I just gotta breathe in and breathe out as Dad always said." Fury kept on walking, narrowly avoiding the cannon balls and the occasional pie. Fury looked down and saw his girlfriend looking up at him in awe, he could tell she was at least impressed at how adaptive he was with all of this chaos. Then, Fury felt a new level of confidence. His fear dissipated and his mind went clear, as if knowing who was watching the show gave him the confidence to keep going. Fury then began to smile confidently as he decided to go with the flow and leave his fear behind. "Hey Pinkie, give me a giant beach ball! I'm gonna do a balance act!" "Oooh, looks like we have a daring one here folks! Well here ya go!" Pinkie threw a beach ball at Fury and Fury balanced it on his nose. He held onto the ball, carefully adjusting his weight to help his balance. He then decided to take it up a notch and began to rise up onto his back legs, holding his forelimbs to his chest as he walked slowly forward. The crowd was going wild with excitement at his walking on two legs. "All hail Night Fury the Magnificent!" said one onlooker. Everyone repeated how magnificent he looked. Fury felt like he was the best clown around. But he wasn't done. "Oh, you think that's good?! Watch this!" Fury extended the claws on his hind legs and gripped the wire tight. He also moved the beach ball down to his tail, allowing him to do the impossible… "Sweet Celestia, he's walking the high wire upside down!" The crowd didn't cry in excitement this time, for they were tense, worrying he might fall. For a moment there was silence. "Whoaaaa!" Fury cried out. The crowd screamed for him to be alright and to not fall. "Don't worry folks I was just yanking your chains! I'm in 100% control!" The crowd now was even more excited by Fury the Magnificent's feats. Fury flipped back over and decided to move into his next move. "Hey, leotard girls! How about some crossbar action?" He called to the acrobats on the other side. "You got it, Fury! Alright girls, you know what to do! Let's not disappoint the audience!" The acrobats climbed and jumped their way over to Fury, forming a pyramid of which he was at the bottom of. "Alright big guy, get ready to jump and grab!" "You got it! We'll go in… Say it with me folks, on the count of three!" He said addressing the audience. "Three!" "Two!" "ONE! DO IT!" Fury ran forward to build up some speed. It was a bit tough with so many athletes on him but he saw it as a challenge. At the very last moment, he jumped and let all of the acrobats fall with him as the two crossbars swang up to them while the spotlights tracked their descent. Fury was normally not one for these types of high altitude acrobatic stunts, but he felt like he was a natural. Everyone else sure thought so. "Yes, my Lightning Bug, go forth and prove your worthiness!" Luna said enthusiastically to which Faust and Celestia looked amused at her enthusiasm. Just then, the acrobats and Fury grabbed onto the flying crossbars and began to swing. Fury took the chance to show off his athletics and flipped at the height of the swing before switching to the other bar. He then looked down and saw the clowns below setting up for their comedy act and decided to join in. "Alright ladies, this is my stop! Time for a little comedy!" Fury called out. The acrobats nodded to him and sent him flying, almost hitting the top most part of the tent before plummeting to the ground. He saw a big ball that the clowns were balancing on and decided that he would kick off the comedy with a little surprise landing. "Geronimo!!!" He let go and fell swiftly onto the ball. And when he did so, he bounced up and down on the ball. He was, after some initial struggles, able to keep his balance on the ball. The other clowns were surprised, they had never seen such a skilled landing before. "Oh hey guys, how about we kick this comedy act off?" He said. He decided to roll the ball with himself guiding the ball. The crowd was eager at this new clown. It was not everyday someone new could be so skilled in these stunts. Fury saw some other clowns also rolling balls. He had a mischievous grin as he converged on the others' balls. "Here I come! Cannon ball!" Fury cried out as he made contact with the other giant beach balls. To make it even more intense he glowed with some of his energy as he collided with his targets and… BOOM! BZZZZZ! The giant balls ricochet back and forth in the ground, catching all of the clowns in a pinball frenzy as Fury's energy propelled the balls in a multi-colored bumper ball bash. Once the balls seized movement, all of the clowns converged on Fury, continuing the act. Two mares linked legs and flipped around him, eventually grabbing him and flinging him into a pile of hay. Nothing but his rear end sticking out of the pile to much of the crowd's amusement. "Oh, I see you're amused eh?" Fury said as he slapped his rear end. He then jumped up and leaped on to the haystack with all his red energy. The crowd was going wild. "Ladies and gentlecolts!" Fury said. "I have given you quite a treat today! I never thought I'd have so much fun. But I need a reward. A reward for all my stunts I have risked for you and I think you know what a big boy like me wants!" He said pointing to his mouth. "Oh, are you hungry, big guy?" Pinkie said, popping out of her cannon. "Well, do I have a treat for you! But I can't do it alone, I'm gonna need some help. Oh, Cheese Sandwich~" Suddenly, a mysterious stallion emerged from the shadows. "Well, Boneless, the people have spoken. Am I to deny our champion his just rewards? No. No I shall not! Behold Fury, you shall have your grilled cheese sandwiches!" He said as he lit his own giant cannon right at Fury's face. BOOM! A slew of grilled cheese sandwiches came right toward Night Fury. Fury had to act fast. "Alright, time to show these clowns how us Speed Shifters get down in funky town!" Fury jumped up and caught the first sandwich in his mouth, munching on it like he wasn't even trying. "Mmmm! Colby Jack, not bad!" Then, he went to the next one. He jumped up high and caught it, flipping over and landing on all fours. "Oooh, a Mexicolt 6 blend! How exotic!" Fury said, turning his attention to a batch of three headed towards him. He did a front flip to catch the first… "Nice, cheddar cheese!" Then a side flip for the second… "Delicious! Monterey Jack!" And finally a barrel roll to catch the final one. "And some perfectly melted swiss, talk about tasty!" "And that's all folks! We have a perfectly cheesy cat here today!" Cheese Sandwich said. The audience laughed at this. "Thank you very much Cheese Sandwich!" Pinkie said. "And now for the final touch a bit of dessert! Fury, you ready?!" "I was born ready!" Fury said. Pinkie launched a pie filled with grapes first to Fury's delight. "Got it!" He said as he jumped up and caught it with a big purple splatter. "Mmmm, so tasty! Next one please!" "Up next! Strawberry Shortcake! Said to be popular in some far away lands!" Pinkie lobbed it at him in a high arc. "Gotta gain some height for this one…" He said to himself as he transformed into a kangaroo. "Alley Oop!" He bounced up high and grabbed the cake, eating it in one hire. "Yum, it's super sweet! Alright, make this next one a challenge, Pinkie!" "Roger that, kitty cat!" Pinkie aimed her cannon to the left, right towards the private box where Luna was. "Alright, Fury, next up is a blueberry pie. Let's see if you can catch this pie before it hits your Moonpie!" Pinkie said as she ripped the launch cord and sent the pie flying towards the private box. "Oh no, my sweet Night Fury, save me!" Luna said in pretend trouble. For Fury, he was determined not to let a good pie get away from him. He jumped up using all his energy to get to the pie. His mouth was opened and the pie went straight into his mouth. He could taste the blueberry. He had successfully saved Luna and most of all his own appetite. "Well that's all folks!" Pinkie cried out. 'What did you think of the food, Mr. Fury?" "Totally tasty! I'd have to say those were the best foods I've tasted Pie far!" Fury joked, a classic rim shot accenting the pun. "Ha ha ha ha! You're as skilled at tricks and eating as you are with your jokes!" Pinkie said. "Everypony give our Ambassador an applause!" Everyone cheered for Night Fury. "Woohoo! Go Fury the Magnificent!" Fury felt like the king today. And to think he was worried at first. He decided to give a few words. "Everyone I just have to say, I was not expecting to enjoy this. I mean you guys, no offense, have big red noses that look like you got a bad case of allergies." The clowns and the audience laughed at this. "Yeah, we can be pretty scary." Pinkie admitted. "But! But… you guys have proven how much work and skill goes into entertainment! And that I can surely respect! Not to mention the delicious foods! So the princesses might have been rather mischievous today, but I'm always down for some good natured fun!" Fury said, looking at the princesses. "And just so you know, I wouldn't have cared if I missed and that pie hit your face, Moonpie." The audience awwed as Luna blushed and smiled at this. Faust was thankful that Luna had such a charming coltfriend. "I see that you two have a very blessed relationship, I wonder what it would be like if Tia was the one who fell for you?" Faust pondered aloud. "Eh, she isn't for me. And besides, I can't imagine having a girlfriend with toothpick legs and practically a sword for a horn." The crowd gasped at his daring statement. "You seem to be in a spicy mood, Mr. Fury!" Pinkie said. "Shall I send you up to the princesses with my cannon?" "Fire away!" Fury said as he jumped into one Pinkie's cannon. "Oh, and Pinkie… mind if you point it right at Princess Sunbutt? I just wanna prove a point." Fury said, smirking. "If you insist!" Pinkie said. "Fire away!" BOOM! Fury was shot up into the air and right towards Princess Celestia. "What the-?" The black cat collided directly with Celestia causing them to roll around a bit. When they finally stopped, Celestia felt dizzy. "Ughhhhhh…" Celestia groaned. "Ya see folks? She's so much bigger than me, I landed directly on her and I've got no scratches on me! Talk about a giant living cushion! Ha! Thanks for catching my fall." The crowd though trying to resist laughing, Fury could tell there were chuckles and a few who could not resist. "My my Fury, you sure like to be silly, do you not?" Faust said, walking to him. "If your daughter wasn't such a prime target to rip on constantly, maybe I'd be more mellow. Either way, she's a big target whether she likes it or not. And now that I've met you, I see where she gets it from. Isn't that right, mega marshmallow 2.0?" The crowd gasped once more, looking in anticipation. Faust was simply silent and gave a soft smile. "You are quite brave to say such things. But you do know there are consequences to saying such things, right?" Faust asked with a smirk. Celestia also appeared the same. "What are you ladies going to do about it, hmmmm?" Fury dared them. "All of your old tricks don't work on me anymore, I'm a lot tougher than I was before. Is there anything you can do now? And besides, Lauren, you barely know me as is." Faust chuckled at this. "Oh believe me Fury, I already know you well enough to know all your tricks. And besides you could say the same thing about me." Faust said. "I've lived longer than you have, boy. I know what mischievous tricksters like you like to do." Fury looked unfazed, he didn't see this as much to worry about in the long term. He wasn't the same as he was before. He was more powerful, he wasn't as gullible, and most importantly… he knew they couldn't just pull the age old trick of just tickling him because he had learned to resist it. "Well, I'm sorry Faust. But if you think I'll fall for the same old tickling trap my mom and your daughters kept doing to me, then you're just being set up to be disappointed." Fury said with a smirk. "If you want to tickle me again, be my guest. I can surely outrun you marshmallows." Faust and Celestia nodded. Celestia commented. "It looks like you didn't fall for our bluff. You have gotten wiser as well it seems. But I cannot just let you get away with your motor mouth. I will find a way to make you submit." Celestia pondered. "Go ahead and try. These ponies got to see me in a show, let's see if you can put on a better act." Celestia kept thinking. Then her mother had a "Eureka" moment. "You might not fear me or Celestia combined. But I know of one pony who has always been your conqueror." Faust said with a smirk. "You talking about Sombra, cause he's just a bad joke to me." Fury said not batting an eye. Faust shook her head. "No. I am talking about your dear love. Your Moonpie. Luna." Faust turned to Luna. "What do you think, Luna? He has been trashing me a bit. Mind if you teach him a lesson for your mother." Luna had an evil smile. "With pleasure, mother." She walked to Fury. "So Fury, do you think you can really get away with your roasts unscathed?" "What exactly do you have in mind this time?" Fury asked. Luna gave him a sly grin as she ignited her magic. Her form began to shift and change as she flew to the center of the tent, and in a bright flash… Fury had his jaw hanging open as he looked up at the overarching figure that now cast a shadow above him. "Remember, Fury, you're not the only one with the ability of transformation." Luna said as she revealed her form as a giant kangaroo. But it was different in that she was even taller. Her legs looked stronger. She seemed like a more powerful form than what Fury was familiar with. Giant kangaroos were some of the few creatures that could match Fury. "Aww…. Scrap." He moaned. Luna picked him up and placed him on her muzzle, her big eyes looking down on him with a mischievous glint. "Uh… you don't scare me!" Fury said in vain. "Oh well, I don't wish to scare you. I simply want to snuggle with you!" Luna said, hugging him very deeply. It was a sort of bear hug. On one paw, Fury felt uncomfortable at this tight hug. It seems Luna developed strength from before. But on the other paw, he did love the warm feeling of being hugged by his girlfriend. The crowd awwwed at the cute sight of affection, but there was more to come. "You seem a bit tense, Fury. Perhaps what you need is a masseuse!" Luna laid Fury on her knees. And decided to knead all the tight areas in Fury. "Ooh! Aaah! Gaaah! Ahhh!" Fury said feeling both pressure, embarrassment and relief all combined into one. "Okay, this isn't so bad. I was feeling a bit tight in the back anyway." Pinkie giggled at this. "Awwww, it looks like even if you resist you are enjoying yourself, Fury the Magnificent! It must be because you love her so much that you can't resist!" "Yeah… pretty much. I can't seem to feel embarrassed by this at all. Did you two think that a little massage by my girlfriend would be embarrassing?" He said to the three princesses down below. "Maybe a little." Faust said. "But I figured you would grow to enjoy it since she is your One True Love. And it seems like with many things I was right!" "Well, you weren't the first one to show me that was possible. Isn't that right, Cady?" Cadence chuckled. "Yep! I remember well. You used to be uncomfortable with all the touching and feeling. You thought you were too cool for snuggles. I even had to teach you the proper cuddle techniques with some video tapes! But now you seem to know better." Cadence admitted. "And for that, I give you a Medal of Affection." She said, giving a heart shaped medal to him. "Awesome! It almost feels like an early birthday present! By the way, I'll make sure to pay you back for those cuddles someday. Just you wait." "That sounds like a challenge." Cadence said with a smirk. "I will be ready for whatever you throw at me." "Aww, how sweet! Look at that folks! Could you ever imagine that a single cat could have such a huge effect on the most powerful beings in Equestria! Give em a round of applause!" Pinkie commanded. The crowd seemed to love both the strong romantic feelings with Luna and strong camaraderie with Cadence. It was a fun time for all. "Well folks, this circus time was better than I thought. I guess if I face killer clowns, I won't be as scared now!" Fury joked. "But now I think it's time for me to make my departure! See you later, you silly ponies!" The crowd applauded the feline as he and his royal group took their leave and waved to the masses. Fury had to admit, he did feel more relaxed and relieved of his stress. He didn't think that something as chaotic as a circus show would calm his nerves, but being the adrenaline junkie he is, he could see why the princesses would have thought to bring him here. Perhaps they knew more about him than he knew about himself. Suddenly he heard Cadence chuckling. "What's so funny?" Celestia asked her. "Oh nothing. I'm just thinking of how interesting all of this is. Fury can go through swamps and caves and face monsters, but clowns of all things were what made him feel uneasy." Cadence said, chuckling. Fury laughed back. "Hey, what can I say? Is painting your face white and putting big noses on supposed to be kid friendly? They look more like elite raiders from our village if you ask me. The elders used to give me nightmares about them." He shuddered. "I can see where that could be seen as a concern. Many parents have come to me during my night court to discuss their child's terrifying nightmares and why I haven't done anything." Luna said. "It is harder than it might seem for a princess of the night to navigate dreams. Fury's dream was a notable exception." "I aim to please." Fury boasted. "That's why I'm the best of the best. The complete control of my power scares even the baddest underground beaters." "Of course if we had not sung that song," Faust said. "You would have been in such a grumpy mood, it would have been hard to navigate your dreams." "Okay, fair enough. But you gotta admit my powers with dreams are pretty powerful." Fury said. Celestia nodded. "It must be that emperor and all the meditation you do. I hope he is doing well." "Probably so, but I have to say even he can't understand my power like I do. Like how my birthmark means more than just my position as an All Powerful, but what I represent." Fury said. "In the past, many All Powerfuls had a mark to signify their position. High Tide, The Ocean Master, had a pattern of waves running down his back. Ground Break, The Terraformer, had rocks and leaves running down her legs. Every All Powerful had their distinct markings. But did you know that those very same marks could identify what they represent in nature?" The princesses were intrigued by Fury's knowledge of his past predecessors. They continued to listen as they walked. "As the record stands today, it was believed that after Emperor Snowdrift created our species and became the very first All Powerful, the forces of nature connected with him and gave birth to the line of Speed Shifters that would take his place in the prophecy. And as of that connection, many that came after the emperor were given their distinct mark by that ancient force and were guided along the path that their marks represented." "As mentioned before, High Tide had patterns of waves running down his back. But, it was also the mark of what he represented. His mentality was calm and smooth, his ability to adapt and go with the flow being what he was most famously known for. Hence why the forces of nature gave him the waves as his mark, as his calm demeanor and the flow-like state he could achieve, much like the ocean he adored and loved to play in as a cub, made him destined to become a master of controlling water and the waves." "And likewise, Ground Break was a Shifter who developed nature and life from nothing. From even inhospitable soil she made into beautiful forests. And she was likewise a nurturing motherly Speed Shifter using her powers and her personality to transform others into better forms of themselves." Fury said. "There are so many others too. But that's for another time." Luna then approached him. "And what about you, Night Fury? What would your mark represent?" "Mine? The fast and unpredictable power of lightning! Think about it. Lightning is a force that can't be predicted. Sometimes striking in the same spot multiple times or striking multiple areas. Lightning can be spaced out and slow, but can instantly change its attack speed and strike multiple times in a fraction of a second. Lightning does not have rules, it does what it wants. When faced with an obstacle, it can either quickly redirect and change course in the blink of an eye… Or it can make its own way through and punch paths into the earth!" He said, slamming his paw onto the earth. "I could tell you had those characteristics about you even before I saw your mark." Cadence said. "Ever since you tried to hog all of my cake I could tell you were someone with lightning fast reflexes and a strong desire to get what you want, especially something to munch on." "Oh ha ha, very hilarious, Cadenza. But didn't you tell me that when you got your cutie mark, you started flaunting it like you were the hottest thing on the planet? And didn't you also tell me that you even tried to beef up your… assets to fulfill your supposed 'Destiny'?" Celestia and Luna chuckled at this, while Faust was curious about her grandniece's hijinks. "What in the world does Fury mean, Cadence?" she said, curious. "Fury! You were supposed to keep that a secret from others! I don't want others to know about that embarrassing point in my life!" Cadence whined. "Hey, you like to bring up that cake incident all the time. I think it's fair to return the favor." Fury said mischievously. "And to answer your question, Faust, let's just say she wanted to make herself look more attractive, namely by transforming her body parts to be a bit more… eye catching." Fury chuckled. "You little! Knock it off!" Cadence said, genuinely embarrassed. "I was young okay?! I was still trying to prove myself!" "Aw c'mon, Cady, you can admit that your love train needed a bigger… caboose." "And your noggin needs a bigger brain!" Cadence shot back. "Oh burn!" Fury said sarcastically. "Maybe I do, but at least I didn't have a need to have a… How should I say this… Rear heavy build to get someone to notice me. Ain't that right, jelly tush?" Cadence was blushing red in both embarrassment and rage. "Well, Shining Armor seems to appreciate my physique! He always says how beautiful I look! And he is more of a gentlecolt than you'll ever be!" She shot back. "Uh oh, baby needs her bottle. Or do you prefer it straight from someone else's nethers, considering you're so much of a suck up?" Fury said, roasting her. "Is he always this… how should we say… spicy with his words?" Faust asked Celestia. "Nearly every day, but we know and love him for it… Mostly." Celestia responded with a sheepish grin. Cadence was still a little grumpy. "I'll teach you a lesson for this one day, just you wait!" She grumbled. "I just hope it isn't too long. I don't want to have to visit you in a retirement home eating mushy peas and watching game shows." Fury said. "Ah thank you, Fury!" Luna said. "I always hated those shows Cadence would show me!" She shuddered at the thought. "Yeah you're way cooler, Moonpie!" Fury said as he got closer to her. "We creatures of the night have better taste anyways." At this point, Cadence was fuming. Her eyes twitched in anger and steam practically wafted from her nose as she looked on at the two. "You… are so gonna get it. I am gonna get you so good, you'll be weeping like a puppy." She snorted. "Yeah, at least we aren't yapping like a bitter old dog!" Fury shot back. "Oh snap!" Luna said in an unusually modern slang. "You have just gotten served, niece!" "Oh that's it! You're so dead, whiskers!" Cadence said, grabbing onto him and teleporting away. "Do you think she'll actually kill him?" Faust asked. "No, I could see a bit of a smile on her face. I could tell she was intrigued by his savage comebacks. At the most, I'd say she'll show him that he hasn't gotten as resistant to tickling as he thinks." Celestia said. "I suggest we follow them, this may get interesting." Luna said. Celestia and Lauren nodded in agreement to her suggestion and followed the two others to wherever they went. - Fury looked around. "Eh, where the heck am I?" He said looking around at the dark room. "Oh Fury, you are in my lair now…" said a voice from the shadows. "Oh come on, Cady, you can't really be that butthurt about those comments. And besides, you set yourself up for that, not me!" Fury said, still sounding smug. "Oh Fury, I don't know if I would be so cocky if I were you. Especially since you are trapped!" Cadence said. "Trapped? What do you mean?" All of a sudden a bunch of chains snuck up on Fury's limbs like snakes. "What the- Hey! What's the big idea!?" Fury called out. Just then, Cadence emerged from the darkness with a dark look on her face. "You think I am just a bunch of sunshine and rainbows, you think I'm just a goody two shoes. But I have a hidden side… A dark side that is filled with fury and wrath." She said in an unusually dark voice. "And you Fury, have the honor of being one of the few to witness Mi Amore Cadenza's wrath!" She said while rubbing her hooves. Fury didn't seem that scared. He had seen and heard a lot of nice ponies and Speed Shifters alike claim that they were secretly very dangerous and it came to only be an empty threat. He wasn't too worried about what would happen. He then sensed another presence in the dark room. Looking around, his night vision picked up Luna, Celestia and Lauren sitting on the sidelines. "And I am not alone." Cadence said. "For with me are witnesses to my tickle torture." Fury scoffed. "Go ahead! Let em watch how unaffected I will be!" Cadence chuckled. "Oh Fury, I have a terrible secret. I have been holding back my tickle prowess. You have no idea what tickles combined with alicorn magic is like. Have you forgotten that I used to be a foalsitter before I became a princess, this is what I'm an expert at." Celestia was curious. "Are you talking about what you have done with Twilight?" Cadence nodded. "Even if Twilight always tried to read even past her bedtime or instead of going outside, a few of my tickles always made sure she knew her place." Cadence said with dread. Fury was getting a little nervous now. He looked to Luna whom he motioned to come within earshot. "Uh hey Moonpie, you wouldn't mind loosening these chains before things go south would you?" He whispered. "I'm your one true love after all!" "I must apologize, my love. I believe I am out of my jurisdiction here. I am no longer in control of what happens to you, you must endure the brunt of it all. Though I do wish you luck with this event." She said, giving him a kiss on the cheek before returning to the sidelines. "Gee thanks." Fury gulped, though he did appreciate the kiss. "Well, I suppose you at least have some hope now that your love has given you her support. But unfortunately, that hope will be slowly stripped away as I bring you to your knees. Are you prepared for this?" Cadence asked, getting very close to him. Fury didn't feel prepared. He felt like fleeing with great lightning-like speed. But unlike lightning, he can't escape or strike somewhere else for he was immobilized. Nevertheless he put up a cocky smirk. "Yeah, I'm prepared! I'm more prepared than you can imagine! Bring it on, Love Butt!" Cadence saw that despite his words, he was wavering. Underneath that usual grin, was a face of fear. And she would expose it. "If you insist, Fury the Magnificent!" She closed her eyes, activated her horn, and rubbed her hooves. Fury was reminded of how speed shifters sometimes used this technique to unleash their power. What was she unleashing? "Come on, you gonna do something? We more busy cats have things to do." Fury said bluntly. "Very well. I will show you." Her eyes opened, glowing white as well as her hooves. "Just remember you were the one who asked!" She struck the restrained cat's stomach with her hooves and gave it strong bellyrubs. Fury never felt such an odd sensation. He felt tingly and like someone rubbed their hoof on a rug and touched him. "Wh-whoa! Wh-what the heck are you doing?" Fury asked, his neck fur sticking up like a lion. "Simple. I'm letting you know that you Speed Shifters aren't the only energy loving creatures. We ponies have some too? You enjoying it?" She said with an innocent smile. "It isn't exactly bad, but it isn't really pleasant either." Fury admitted.. "You ponies have a weird energy. It's as odd as mixing ice cream with sour cream. I just don't get it!" "Well get this, I'm just warming up." Cadence said. "I was only giving you a demonstration. But now we enter… phase 2." She said as she put her hooves above Fury's armpits. "Oh look, it seems I have left out those areas. I wonder what will happen?" She said with a smirk. Fury was astonished by her fiendishness. "You wouldn't!" "You sure about that? Because if I could do those things you said as a teen, then who's to say I wouldn't do even more now?! Behold your judgment has arrived!" Cadence struck her hooves into Fury's armpits. Fury kept his mouth closed. He did not want to admit her victory. I'm trying… so… hard… I can't let her… w-w-w-wahahahah-win! Fury held himself together pretty well, even though he was practically losing it on the inside. Cadence saw that he wasn't budging and was slightly disappointed, she hadn't thought he could resist. Though she had to admit that she wasn't hitting his really sensitive spots just to give him a bit of leeway. "So Fury, you seem to be quite persistent. I will grant you that. But… I don't know if I got the sweet spot just yet. Hmmmm. Ohhhhhh, lookie here! I missed out." Cadence said, pointing to his belly and sides. Fury gulped. He knew she was planning. He had just eaten all that pie too! "Come on Cadence, can't you let me off the hook? I just ate!" Fury pleaded. "Oh, Fury. Tsk tsk. That makes it even better! Now you're really gonna feel my energy with all that blood digesting food in that plump stomach of yours!" Cadence said, activating her powers. "In 3… 2… 1!" Zap! Cadence's powers buzzed against Fury's belly, causing him to shut his eyes tight to try and resist laughing. His body felt like it was getting attacked from all over, nothing being held back as Cadence poked and prodded at him with no mercy in sight. "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!" Fury tried to resist. He tried to keep silent. He tried. "I… won't… sub… miiiiiii-" Then Cadence gave an unexpected boop on his snout. It finally made him give in. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" His laugh was so loud, it felt like trumpets sounding off. He wiggled and squirmed against his restraints, trying to get away from this terrible tickly torture. "Now Fury, if you say… 'Cadence is the prettiest, I'm a butt and I am sorry for being so dumb.', then I will release you from this tickle torture. What do you say?" Cadence proposed. Fury heard this proposal and ran it through his head. He was not going to be called a butt in front of his girlfriend, her sister, and her mother all at the same time. Not while he was still breathing! Fury stopped laughing, the effects of Cadence's energy now having no effect on his emotions as his smile disappeared and the room fell silent. Cadence looked up at her captured friend and was displeased with how he stopped laughing. "Oh, did you suddenly get a burst of resistance? Well let's see how long that lasts when I turn up the power!" She said, increasing the power of the energy and going for another run. But still, Fury remained silent. Cadence held a confident face towards him, but on the inside, she was beginning to regret that proposal and fearing that she may have ticked him off. "Okay, that's new. What's the deal, whiskers? You got something to say?" She asked him. He didn't say a word. Instead, he moved his gaze slowly towards the other royals on the sidelines. Giving them a half lidded, deathly look. And after a few seconds of silent glaring, his eyes turned to slits and the light above shot out. "W-what in the world is going on?" Celestia asked. "I-I don't know! Fury is acting very strange! He usually doesn't act like this!" Cadence said. "A-are you alright?" She asked, letting go. Then, the bulb flickered back on and to everyone's surprise… the chains had disappeared from their original spot, the previously captured Speed Shifter nowhere to be seen. "What the- Where did he go?" Cadence asked, looking around for him. The room stayed silent, the shadows making it hard to point him out. If he was even there. Then, the bulb above started to flicker again. Its color turning from a calm yellowish shade to a deep red that increasingly got brighter and brighter before blowing out and showering sparks on the concrete floor. At this point, Cadence was showing signs of fear, she wasn't sure what was going on. "W-where is he? It's too dark for me to see." Cadence said. Then, a sign of life was spotted in the middle of the room. But it wasn't a sign that brought hope, more so fear than anything. Fury's body began to glow his usual red, the light creeping up his legs and over his sides until he lit up with a red outline that made him look less like a living thing, but some demonic cultivation of the underworld. The chains that bound him up began to rise, glowing the same red that he did as they wrapped around him and hovering next to his face. The sparks of his energy crackled and popped along the metal links, making it look like if someone got hit with them, they'd be left in excruciating pain. "F-Fury?!" Cadence said in fear. "W-what is going on?! How did you even get like this?!" "Yeah… remember when you said that I was more powerful now that I broke past my limits? That's what you're seeing. While I was still snoozing, I did a quick little chat with the emperor on what that blast meant. And he told me that that blast… was me unlocking something called 'My purest form'. Apparently, when I was racing all of you and I had that blast of energy, I had secretly burst through my body's blocked chakra and unlocked my ultimate power. And right now, just so you know, this is only a fraction of my power." "Only a fraction?" Cadence asked, surprised. "Oh my goodness. You've unlocked your potential." "And you know what the funny thing is?" Fury asked. "You, with your little tickle sessions, helped me unleash the pure form!" "Wait what?!" Cadence said. "Yep! When you gave me that weird energy? I felt strange. But it felt familiar and it felt like it activated something within me. My body understood what to do. How to use my power to resist yours. You gave me a little sample I learned from it. And I've become something even more powerful! I've been trying to master this technique for a while. But you made me understand!" Fury said with a loud voice. He stood there, lighting up the dark with his power. His eyes began to turn into pure energy as he began to levitate with his own energy, the red glow crackling below him and holding him up. The princesses' jaws dropped as they witnessed what looked like a deity rising. Even the chains Cadence placed up seemed to be his tool rather than something to imprison him. "My goodness." Celestia said. "I don't think I've seen power this potent." Faust was less surprised. "I have. In my lifetime, I've seen power just like this. Power that is beyond this dimension. I never thought anyone could master it though." "Oh? Then I guess you're seeing history being made, dear Faust. No one calls me out like that and gets away with it… not while I'm still breathing." "How can you do anything though?" Celestia asked. "You're still in chains. Are you really able to do anything to her?" "Oh you think I'm still tied up, sunny? Nice try." Fury said, the chains turning red around his body. The heat of his energy increased almost instantly, so much in fact, that the chains turned to molten metal and began dripping down his body. Though he didn't feel a thing, for it only felt like water dripping off of him in this state. "I feel so alive now!" Fury cried out. Cadence just seconds ago was play-torturing Fury, but now she was shaking. She couldn't believe someone melted chains as strong as those. "Well, Cadence, I feel bad for those toys you call chains. But they're all gone now." Fury said with a smirk. "Uh y-you have no hard feelings, right?" Cadence asked. "I was just playing around." She said while backing up from Fury. "Oh please, you're not worth the effort to kill anyway. My plan is to put you through the same torture you tried to put me through. You know what they say, what you put out into the universe will eventually come back to haunt you." Cadence gulped at this as she backed up to a wall. She was trapped. "Well, niece, it was nice knowing you." Luna said with Celestia and Faust nodding. "Wait, you can't do the same thing to me!" Cadence said. "You melted those chains! That means I can escape right outta here!" She said as she looked at the door. "Ah ah ah… not so fast." Fury said, extending his paw. Just then, rods of lightning came out of the wall behind her, moving like snakes as they extended past Cadence and began to wrap around her. The electric rods snagged her and held her in place, binding her legs and wings. Cadence couldn't move anymore, her motor functions completely shut down by Night Fury. But she still had one last thing she could try. "So you binded my legs and wings to keep me from moving… smart. But you forgot that I have a horn as well-" "No I didn't." Fury said, shutting her up. He then snapped his claws and summoned a small electric ball between his toes, grabbing at it and flicking it directly at Cadence's horn. The princess of love shook around and felt spasms through her body. "Whoaaaaaa!!! What the heck is this feeling?" "Feels weird eh?" Fury asked. "Now you know how I felt when you did that energy hoof thing to me. Feels nice, huh?' Fury said with a smirk. Cadence didn't answer and just kept vibrating. She felt strange like she was being tickled at a super speed. She tried to hold back her laughter. Luckily the energy ended. "Oh thank goodness. Wait… my horn isn't working anymore!" "Yep. That would have been a threat to my plans. You're lucky I didn't use more of my power. Ever since Twilight started bugging me about pony anatomy, she made it clear to me that your horns aren't just a sensitive spot… they're a hardened extension of your brains. Any more static electricity, and you would have to say hello to the possibility of damaged nerves, paralysis and brain damage." Fury then had a seemingly innocent smile. "Luckily for you, I'm a nice guy. So I'm only gonna you know, give you the tickle torture that you gave to me." Cadence shuddered. "Oh great." Fury kept on going. "But wait… there's more! You can avoid this wrath if you admit that I'm the coolest cat around, you have a big butt and that Luna is the best princess of all. Fair deal, eh?" Cadence shook her head. "Sorry Fury, but I have too much dignity as a princess to do that. You resisted confession and so will I!" "So I am nothing but a pawn to you, niece?" Luna said, now closer to her than before. "W-what? No! I never said that!" Cadence said. "Then why can't you admit that about me?" Luna asked. "I mean uh… well you see, um… Celestia is usually considered a little more um… important in terms of politics and power, not you're not great in your own way! I'm just saying, you are um…" "A secondary princess to Celestia?" Faust asked. "I would have never seen my sister in such a light. But you do?" Celestia said. Cadence now realized that with her careless words that she would have much more to worry about than just a little tickling. "Well… I um…" Fury spoke up. "Looks like I have all the info I need. I think, Princess of Love, needs a good little lesson in etiquette as you put it. And I'll be the one to teach you!" Fury said as he rubbed paws together, producing more energy. "Oh no." Cadence muttered. Then it happened just like before. Fury struck Cadence's stomach and sides making her feel funny. "N-n-no! I I-I don't feel anything!" She said trying to resist laughing and betraying her dignity. "You can't make me laugh! I, heh, am stronger than that." "Then I guess I shouldn't try this alone. Ladies~." Celestia, Luna and Faust all came up to Cadence with eager smiles. They were all ready. "Wait a second. You were laughing a moment ago at Fury's torture! And now you're turning on me?" Cadence asked. "Yes. You made one fatal mistake, Cadence." Luna said. "You propped up my sister too much. And now we will return the favor." "Nothing personal, niece. Just have to teach you some manners. The hard way." Celestia said, although she had a face that screamed mischief. "Well, I guess the tables have turned on you. Anyway… let's get her!" 'Yeah!!!" They all cried like banshees. Their hooves all charged up, they struck at her stomach. Cadence had a face of confusion and despair. It looked like Fluttershy on a roller coaster. "Come on, let me go!!!" Cadence said. "Not until you say the line!" Fury said smugly. "Or we can do this all day." Fury poked at her underside, making her laugh and squeak. "Eee! No, not thehehehere! That tihihihikles!" "So you finally laugh. Heh, even alicorns have their soft spot." Fury said. "I can do this all day!" "Ah ha ha ha I can't take it!" Cadence said. "Then lay down your pride and fess up!" Fury said. "You know the magic words." Cadence wanted so badly to zap him in the face now. But she knew she couldn't and she was helpless. She knew well that there was only one way to escape this horrible torture. "Okay! Fine! You're the coolest cat around. You're cooler than I can ever hope to be! Luna is the best princess and she could kick my butt any day! And I'm sorry for saying that thing about Luna being secondary! Ha ha ha! There I said it!" Cadence said at the end of her energy. "There's the pot of gold we're looking for! Alright girls, let her go." Fury said, the other princesses following his lead and letting Cadence go. Fury snapped his claws and retracted his energy, releasing his homemade restraints and letting the disabling energy around her horn dissipate. Fury then picked her up and hugged her tight, coming face to face with her. "There she is, smiling and giggling like there's no tomorrow. You're so adorable like this." Cadence opened her eyes and let out a sigh of relief before speaking. "I could say the same about you, you know that? You really are like a little brother. You can be cheeky and childish most of the time. But when push comes to shove, you step in and care for those who did the same for you. You're like a caring, funny, lovable, cuddle buddy." "Really? I never thought I was good at the whole 'Cuddle Buddy' thing." Fury said. "Well I for one think you are a great cuddling companion, my Lightning Bug." Luna said while hugging him. "That is a true face, Ambassador." Celestia said with a hug. "Ah, I see he's like a teddy bear. Let me in." Faust said while giving him a deep hug. "Oof!" Fury said. "I guess ponies really do find me like a plushie. Just like mom. And weirdly enough, Rarity as well. I would have thought my more… 'Rough and Tumble' type attitude would make her think differently, but it seems I'm not as 'Uncouth' to her as I thought." Fury chuckled. The other princesses giggled. "Your uncouthness gives you a certain charm." Luna said. "It makes you attractive." After a long hug they finally let go. "Boy, that was quite a stunning display of zaniness." Faust said. "What time is it?" Fury walked up to the window. He saw the stars and moon now. "Looks like we've been at it for a few hours. From the way the stars look, I'd say…" Fury held his paw up and aligned it with the stars. "About 8:00 pm." The princesses were baffled by Fury's ability to tell the time without looking at a clock, Celestia being the first to speak up on the matter. "How can you tell what time it is just by the stars and your paw?" She asked, walking over to the window next to him. "Remember when I said in my dream world that back in the day, some Speed Shifters ruled over civilizations next to water? Well, we actually sailed there to begin with to start said civilizations. The more experienced sailors held their paws up to the stars and aligned them with certain constellations to tell the time, what direction they were going, and even where they had been." "Amazing." Luna said, particularly fascinated. "Even I did not know this. No wonder why Speed Shifters can be found in so many places." Luna said. "We're a resourceful race. We do what we can to survive and find cool new areas and treasures." Fury said. "Especially pretty blue alicorns." Luna blushed. "And I see Speed Shifters also are blessed with techniques of charm." "We catch our prey in unique ways. Who's to say we don't do the same for our hot mates?" He purred, getting Luna to start fanning herself in arousal. "Oh my…" She said breathlessly. The other princesses smiled at this. Especially Cadence. She loved the charm those two were showing. "If only Shining could be that smooth." Cadence said chuckled. "Not everyone was born to be suave and charming." Fury said. "But I think of myself as just someone who has fun. If Shining had more fun maybe he'd be more suave." Then Faust yawned. "Well, I think I'm ready to go to sleep. I suppose since I am here I can sleep at your palace. Would that be alright, Celestia?" "Mother, please. Must you ask for permission to sleep in what you passed down to us? You are just as entitled to a comfortable room within this castle as Luna and I are. You have no need to feel uncomfortable within our midst." Celestia reassured her. Lauren felt safe knowing that she had raised such caring and strong daughters, she had truly given birth to well established rulers. "I'll be sleeping in the castle as well. I asked Shining Armor for a few favors to keep my house in Ponyville on lockdown while I'm away. My parents don't see the need to evacuate, but I won't force them to do so if they don't see it necessary." Fury said. "Ah, good I see you have some good persuasion skills too, ambassador." Celestia said. "Well I can send a train for you to get to Ponyville if need be. There's a special ride for the nighttime." "Nah, I think I'll stay here. You did tell me that it would be a logical decision to get somewhere safer for the time being. And besides, I have something important to do." Fury said. "What would that be, Lightning Bug?" Luna asked. "Let me guess, more meditation?" "Nope. Sleep. But I can't do it alone. It gets a little lonesome. So I need some help getting to sleep." He said with a smirk. "Um, do you need some sleeping pills?" Luna asked obliviously. "Oh Moonpie, not like that! I'm pretty sure Cadence understands what I'm trying to say…" He gave a look to the Princess of Love and she immediately understood. "Ah I see. You sly dog- uh… cat." Cadence then turned to Luna. "Basically he wants to sleep in the same bed with you Luna." "I see." Luna said calmly. … "Wait what?!" Luna suddenly realized what he asked. "Are you joking, lightning bug? Trying to play a joke on me?" Luna asked with cheeks as bright as a ruby. Fury stayed silent and grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Y-you are serious. I get… to be by your side… at night?" Luna said with a hint of excitement in her eyes. "What do you think I mean Luna?" Fury asked. Luna was more excited than ever. "W-would that be alright with you mother?" Luna asked Faust. Faust nodded. "You two have a good time, alright?" Then Luna jumped to Fury and gave the tightest hug ever. "Yes yes I would love to be with you tonight!" Luna said with glee. Fury however couldn't speak, her tight grip only allowing his voice box to emit strains of effort and his face to turn almost as blue as her own fur. "Th-that's great L-Luna." Fury said. "But do you mind not trying to turn me into a giant pancake?" Luna immediately realized her mistake and let him go instantly. "Oh um… my apologies. I was just very… excited." "Ugh…" Fury said, getting up. He stood on wobbly paws as his vision was still returning to normal and his lungs were recovering while his dizzy head spun. "It's all fine. That just means you're enthusiastic. Just like I am for fish and cake." Then Fury had a look of eagerness. "But enough talk! Let's get to the tower right now!" "Agreed, Ambassador. Let's make haste!" Luna said. "Race you there?" He asked. "You are on!" Luna replied as they both took off from the room. "See ya later ladies!" Fury said. They all waved to them. "Have fun!" Lauren said. "My little girl is growing up." She said with a small tear. Everyone was overjoyed at this. It seemed like all the problems of the past were washed away. At least for now. – "Gahhhhhh!!!!" "Hold still, Pyro! I'm trying to help you!" Tirek said as he wrapped up her wound on her leg with wrapping. Tirek and Pyro had barely escaped what could only be described as a merciless beating from the ambassador, the Speed Shifter being the one getting most of the injuries. Pyro was both mentally and physically broken at this point, having had to endure being beaten within an inch of her life before making the call to come back later and try again. Her wounds were great and painful, massive gashes and dried blood running along her body and a completely broken leg that Tirek was now splintering to help it heal. "You should be thankful you're even alive. If I wasn't there, you would be dead from your injuries." Tirek said. Pyro said nothing, not daring to speak a word on the previous events of the day as he mind flashed with images of Night Fury's devilish face and his dark aura infecting her thoughts as she was haunted by the fact that she could have died within seconds. "If you would not have provoked Fury to anger, we could have had a chance! But instead you Speed Shifters always like to make it personal. For me, I just get the job done." Tirek said now with a heated rod of metal. "Hold still." He stuck it into Pyro's wound. "GAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" It was one of the most horrifying sounds Tirek had ever heard and that was saying a lot from him in his own battles. "Let me go already!" Pyro roared with rage. "Alright alright, I was just cauterizing the wound so the bleeding will stop! Goodness, you females have such an infectious sense of entitlement and drama." She was not pleased at that statement. She grabbed his neck and stared right into his eyes. "I have every right to be furious! I have just lost against that inexperienced pony lover! I have been training my whole life. And I get beaten down like a kitten!" She looked away from him. "Maybe if you were stronger, then we would have been able to defeat him!" Tirek facepalmed. "Again, full of entitlement! Listen, we clearly didn't do this the right way. We were too cocky. Too blunt. We underestimated how powerful that Fury could be. We are going to have to be far more cautious to take him down. He probably is almost as powerful as the princesses at this point." "Then what would you have us do?" Pyro asked in desperation. "You seem like such an expert at this." "I don't know! Alright? I don't know. We just have to find a solution later on. I'm sure he has some sort of weakness. Somehow." Tirek said, looking away. "Hmph." Pyro said, looking away. "If only he were one of us. If I had raised him, I would have taught him to hate ponykind with all his might! We could have been conquerors then! But instead those two Obsidian and that Black Ice had to teach him to be weak minded. It is absurd." "Look! Will you just be silent!? My brother betrayed me for those ponies and you don't see me whining. All we can do now is just rest and find out what to do next. So stop your whining." Tirek scolded her. Pyro huffed. "Fine, but I will not be happy about it. Humph, such a waste of space that ambassador. He should have committed-" "Woah woah! What is wrong with you?! I'm comfortable wishing harm upon my enemies but that's going too far, even for me! Us Centaurs have our standards too. After all, why kill them when you can enslave them?" "Whatever. It doesn't matter. I just can't wait to have these wounds heal. They'd better be quick." She said, looking away. "Wow, I have never met such an impatient creature in my life. For a species that was born by the forces of nature and ruled over this very land before even ponies, you sure have fallen from grace. At this point, the ambassador looks to be more of a visionary than you'll ever be. Perhaps this whole 'Taking over the world' thing may be a futile effort…" Tirek pondered. "How… dare you reconsider your actions! You have come as far as sucking the power from hundreds of ponies and you think he is a visionary?!" Pyro argued. "Okay, you're right! Sheesh…" Tirek said. He continued to sit in thought about what he had said. While Pyro was right about them coming so far now and it being a disgraceful act to reconsider his actions against the pony race, he also couldn't help thinking about what if he hadn't followed in his father's hoofsteps and went by his brother's ways. What if he went and surrendered to the princesses and apologized for his actions? What if he had taken the time to think before he acted? What if he had come peacefully and spoke his words instead of acting on impulse? No! What am I saying?! I don't regret my actions! I am the true ruler of Equestria! And I will not let those ponies and their kittens beat me! He said to himself as he continued to sit in silence, attempting to find another suitable plan to take down the princesses and the ambassador. "One day we'll take that Fury down. All the pain he put me through, I will unleash on him. Just you wait Fury…" Tirek heard her say before she collapsed onto the ground. She was asleep. For Tirek, he had to come up with some solutions. He was not sure what to do with Fury. But by their ancestors he would come up with something. "Just you wait."