//------------------------------// // First Movement: Part 9- The Binding Chords // Story: Sonata de Equestria // by MyHobby //------------------------------// The Binding Chords Dusty Shelves quivered in his horseshoes. All around him came the howls and barks of the Timberwolves, along with the villainous laughter of The Unicorn King. He screamed in terror as a wolf roared in his face, and his heart beat wildly in his chest. The tan earth pony jumped up and ran, attempting to find a way out of the clearing, but everywhere he turned, more Timberwolves were walking out of the forest. He found himself knocked to the ground by a monstrous paw, and his vision was filled with gnashing, wooden, canine teeth. Before the creature could devour him, it was distracted by Somber Tiding’s order to “SIT!” All across the open woods, the arboraceous creatures obeyed his command. Somber ceased his tornado of shadow, and his disembodied head floated down to sit beside Dusty. “Well, what do you think?” Only one word could push its way past the grey-maned pony’s lips. “M-m-m-m-m-m-m-mons-mons-monsters!” The dark-maned unicorn “tsked” in mock disapproval. “Them? They’re just puppies! Isn’t that right, my little wooden friends?” Simultaneously, the beasts howled at the risen moon. Dusty’s teeth began to chatter, and he cowered in the loamy soil. He would have been willing to stay in that position forever, had Somber Tidings not roused him forcefully. “Get up, you foal! You must lead us to the library!” Dusty’s green eyes widened in panic. “L-l-lead them!?” He pointed a hoof at the gathered pack. “B-bu-bu-bu-but T-t-t-t-twilight’s not at the library!” “Do you think me stupid!?” Sombra was in no mood for beating around the bush. “Do you think me unintelligent!? I know Twilight Sparkle is away! I still need to go to the town library!” Dusty felt a sharp pain in his rump, and natural instincts took over. He galloped through the woods as best his lamed leg would allow. Each time he stumbled, another sharp pain struck him from behind, renewing his speed. He was so focused on simply moving forwards, he didn’t notice when Sombra sent three wolves in another direction, heading towards the farm controlled by the Apple Family. Dusty Shelves prepared for class by taking his notebook out of his saddlebag. He began to write a few preliminary notes while the rest of his fellow Ponyville Elementary students gossiped and found their seats. The teacher walked into the classroom with a smile on her face. “Good morning, students!” “Good morning, Miss Pedigree!” came the chorus of replies. The children quickly found their seats and sat expectantly. Miss Pedigree walked over to the schoolhouse’s door and opened it, letting a lanky, yellow filly walk in. “I’d like to introduce you all to Fluttershy. She just transferred in from Cloudsdale, and we’re all very glad to have her join us.” “Hello, Fluttershy!” The students once again sang in concert. The teacher turned to the small pegasus beside her. “Now, Fluttershy, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?” No sound came from the little girl except a strained whimper. Noticing that Fluttershy was hiding behind her mane and staring at her hooves, Miss Pedigree decided not to torture her any longer. “Why don’t you sit next to Rarity, dear? Kids, please open your books to page 98, and we’ll continue the lesson from yesterday…” Dusty watched the nervous filly make her way to the empty desk, head low and tail shivering. He leaned over and made a “psst” noise. When the pegasus looked over at him, he smiled and said, “W-w-w-welcome to P-p-ponyville.” She gave him a small smile back, and they both turned towards the lecture. Fluttershy was feeling a bit nervous, but she was certain that Applejack and Big Mac could handle the whatever-it-was. She gazed out at the apple fields with sharp eyes, noting every fluttering leaf and disturbed apple. It was a slightly windy night, so none of those little things meant much, but she couldn’t help the little shiver that ran down her spine each time she caught a movement. She was absolutely fine with normal wolves; she was excellent friends with the alpha male in the area. But that was because they weren’t Timberwolves. Timberwolves were always mean, always nasty, and always hungry. They weren’t really alive, she had found. Rather, they were merely magical golems, animated by the excess energy of the zap-apple process. They acted as bodyguards for the magical trees. Fluttershy was good with animals, when they weren’t Timberwolves. Their howl was distinctive, their gruesome breath more-so. The few times she had been in the same area as one, she had been in full retreat. Nopony in their right mind faced a Timberwolf without good reason. The darkness outside grew smothering, because these monsters were Timberwolves. Fluttershy began to worry about Ponyville. The Apple Farm was a fairly safe place to stay when the wolves were about, due to Granny Smith’s experience with them, but the earth pony town was slightly less prepared for any sort of wild-beast attack. Particularly disturbing to her was the fact that Dusty Shelves had no place to stay. She shook her head. There really wasn’t time to think about other worries, when the present required her full attention. But I can’t really help it, can I? she thought to herself. I’m just a big worry-wart. A glint of yellow flashed in the trees, a sure sign of nocturnal eyes. With a yell, Fluttershy began banging on a pot to scare the Timberwolf away. “Applejack! North field!” “Ah see it!” Applejack began to push the large steel pipe so that it was pointed in the direction Fluttershy indicated. “How’re we doin’ on air pressure, Big Mac?” The large red stallion paused from pumping on a bellows to check a small round meter on the end of the pipe. “We’re half-way into the yellow, sis.” “Keep pumpin’ and tell me when we hit the red!” Applejack could see two Timberwolves making their way through the trees, seemingly unbothered by the constant clanging coming from the farmhouse. “They’re hardwoods, so we need all the power we can get!” The two monsters, an oak golem and its elm brother, charged out of the tree line and raced towards the Apple siblings. Big Mac pumped furiously on the bellows before shouting out, “Red line! Let ’er rip!” Applejack flipped a lever at the rear of the contraption, and all the built-up air pressure released through the end of the steel pipe, sending a small, round object flying at the two creatures. A thundering report echoed throughout the land, and one of the Timberwolves exploded into slivers. Applejack waved her hat skyward in a victory dance. “Yee-haw! I told you that there Potato Cannon was a good investment!” “Don’t get too comfy, Applejack, there’s another one on th’ way!” Big Mac once again pumped the bellows with all the speed adrenaline could provide. The other wolf had paused when its companion was obliterated, but now it was charging forwards with death in its glowing eyes. Applejack stuffed another potato down the tube, keeping an eye on the approaching demonic woodpile. “Too late, time to buck it!” In response, the giant stallion slammed his powerful hooves into the earth, sending several rocks into the air. He reared up his hind legs and kicked the falling stones in the direction of the oncoming monster. Each rock scored a direct hit, and each hit knocked a piece of the Timberwolf’s body off. Before it had reached half-way to the two farm ponies, the creature was reduced to a pile of forest fire-burnt wood. Both siblings were breathing heavily from the encounter, and weren’t truly sure it was over. Applejack turned to ask Granny Smith why the clanging pots hadn’t scared these two off, when a third wolf leapt out of nowhere. Fluttershy gasped and rushed out of the house, with Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie close behind. The Timberwolf that had flanked the two farmers was on top of Applejack, teeth gunning for the orange mare’s jugular. A powerful buck from the Apple brother sent the creature across the farmyard, and into the empty pig pen. Rarity used her magical grip to send an oil lantern smashing into the canine, intending to fry it to a crisp. The Timberwolf burned, but it was a long-burning wood. The now-flaming monster reared up on its hind legs and roared at the assembled ponies. It was soon joined by the other surviving Timberwolf, which had just reassembled itself. Fluttershy nearly broke down in tears, the paralyzing fear that she had felt in the presence of a dragon was resurfacing once more. Dusty Shelves arrived at the library, feeling moderately excited. It was his first day as assistant to Miss Dewy Decimal. He entered the door to find the elderly mare asleep on one of the plush chairs provided for reading. “M-m-miss Decimal?” The mare snorted awake, eyelids fluttering open. “Soups up!? Oh, hello Dusty. You can start by stacking the returned books. I assume you know where to put them?” “Y-y-yes, m-m-ma’am!” The young stallion took to his job with gusto, stacking, locating, and arranging the reading material. Hmm, he thought. Does “The Elements of Harmony” go under “H” or “E?” As the tan-and-grey stallion worked, he began to feel light and happy. This was his element: caretaker of the literary word, provider of knowledge, sultan of information. The front door opened, revealing a tan earth pony mare with a light-and-dark-grey striped mane. Mayor Mare walked into the library, followed by her ever-present entourage. She glanced about the building and found Dusty climbing up a ladder. “Dusty! How are you doing?” Dusty huffed silently. “I’m f-f-fine, mother.” The Mayor of Ponyville trotted past the sleeping Miss Decimal and up to her son. “Doing well on your first day?” “Y-y-yep. Pretty q-qu-quiet, though.” He climbed down the ladder and came eye-to-eye with his mother. They examined each other for a few tense minutes, before Mayor Mare turned away. “We really need to get you some therapy for that speech impediment.” Dusty rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I’m just f-f-f-fine, mother. I can h-handle myself. I told you-” “Dusty, if you would just take the speech class-” His mother’s comment was cut off by a hoof-gesture. “I-I-I’ve taken the st-st-stupid class before, and it n-never works!” His face turned red in anger and embarrassment. “I told you th-that!” “And I told you that you sound like a darned foal!” The tan mare spoke in a harsh whisper, so as not to wake the sleeping librarian. “I have an image to maintain, and I don’t need my son to look like an ignoramus when reelection is coming up!” Dusty narrowed his eyes at the mayor. “I-I-I’m not an ignoramus. I’m ju-ju-just as smart as anypony, and you kn-kn-know it.” “I know that, and you know that,” Mayor Mare replied. “But you also know that in my business, appearances count for a lot more than what’s on the inside. And you appear to be an idiot!” Dusty was tired of repeating this conversation. “J-j-just go.” Dusty poured on the steam, and soon found himself galloping into the town square. He saw the library ahead, dark as a cave. He stopped just in front of the door, and reached for his key. He soon realized that he had lost the devise sometime in his travels. Cursing silently, he sat down and groused. Somber Tidings floated out of the saddlebag and nickered sinisterly. “Trouble getting in?” At Dusty’s nod, Sombra turned to one of the pack. “Break it down.” The largest Timberwolf walked up to the door, grabbed the handle in its jaws, and tore the door open. A stunned Dusty was pushed in by Sombra as the rest of the wolves filed into the treehouse. The unicorn apparition spoke to the earth pony, his deep voice chilling Dusty to the bone. “Now, tell me where I can find the book on the ‘Alicorn Amulet…’ I would very much like to know what Twilight knows.” Dusty knew each and every one of the books by heart, and found the fantasy section almost immediately. He opened the selected book to the desired page and read aloud. “Whoever w-wears this amulet is bl-bl-blessed with untold powers… Even th-though it provides g-gr-great power, it also cor-corrupts the user. It cannot be simply removed from the n-n-neck of its master, but is magically l-locked, and can only be taken off v-volun-voluntarily.” He looked to the sinister unicorn above him. “That’s all it says.” The grey-coated king chuckled. “Is that all? It seems that Celestia has been less-than-honest with her loyal citizens…” He would have continued, had the door not opened to admit a peach-coated earth pony mare. Sweetie Drops had just closed down The BonBon, and had decided to return a book before Spike went to sleep. When she opened the surprisingly unlocked door, however, she came upon a most unsettling sight. In the main lobby of the library were seated nearly a dozen Timberwolves, one mangy-looking stallion, and one evil-looking cloud of black smoke. Her scream was cut off by the paw of a pouncing Canis Quercus. When the dust had settled, Dusty could see the wolf carrying the limp form of Sweetie Drops away. From the angle where he stood, he couldn’t tell if she was just knocked unconscious, or… “Th-this-this is wrong.” Dusty sat down, eyes wide. He continued to sit, mind blank, as Somber Tidings ordered the Timberwolf to carry Sweetie Drops downstairs to the basement. “I-I-I-I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be h-h-helping you.” Sombra bared his fangs in a malicious grin. “Oh, Dusty, you wound me. This is nothing more than another step in the ladder to our mutual revenge.” Dusty took a step backwards as Sombra’s horn got dangerously close to his face. “And you can’t leave now, not when so much rides on you being my companion.” The nervous stallion backed into an angry Timberwolf, halting his backwards momentum. He stared up into its eyes with a severe horror, as if he could see his bitter fate in its gaze. Another order was given, and the Timberwolves exited the library, leaving behind a jumbled mess of books and papers. Dusty was happy to let the Princess’ personal student stay in his library. Heck, maybe she had some pointers on upkeep. He was certainly fine with Pinkie Pie throwing a welcome party for the lavender mare, and he was looking forwards to seeing Princess Celestia raise the sun for the Summer Sun Celebration. What he was not fine with, however, was the threat of eternal night. “Oh, my beloved subjects, it’s been so long since I’ve seen your precious little sun-loving faces,” the jet-black alicorn spat. A blue-coated mare on the opposite side of the town hall shouted at the mystical monstrosity. “What did you do with our Princess!?” “Hmm, hahahaha! Why? Am I not royal enough for you?” The Princess of the Night narrowed her eyes, an edge to her words. “Don’t you know who I am?” “Ooh, ooh! More guessing games!” Dusty silently willed the hyperactive pink pony known as Pinkie to please shut up. “Hokey Smokes! How about… Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty!” “Does my crown no longer count now that I’ve been imprisoned for a thousand years?” “Hokey Smokes” asked a terrified Fluttershy. “Did you not recall the legend?” she inquired of an intimidated Rarity. “Did you not see the signs!?” Dusty’s eyes widened as the puzzle pieces fell into place. Surely, he thought. Surely she isn’t… “I did! And I know who you are!” Dusty saw Celestia’s student step forwards out of the crowd. “You’re The Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon!” A collective gasp rose from the assembly, most had probably at least heard of the story, if not actually read it. Nightmare Moon smiled with a most chilling expression. “Well, well, well, somepony who remembers me… Then you also know why I’m here!” “You’re here to…” The purple unicorn hesitated a moment, drawing the crowd in. “To… ” Another laugh rose from the depths of Nightmare Moon’s dark soul. “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last.” The alicorn raised a hoof and proclaimed loudly, “From this moment forth, the night… will last… FOREVER! HAHAHAHA!” Thunder and lightning accompanied her royal decree, and all chaos broke loose. Ponies trampled each other in a desperate attempt to escape, royal guards were struck down with bolts of dark magic, and though it all, Dusty was terrified. A monster from the oldest of fairy tales had come to life right in front of him, and he was powerless to stand against it. He smashed open the exit with a powerful earth pony buck, and ran as fast as he could. He was heedless of direction, however, and soon found himself running deep into the Everfree Forest. He tripped over a root and tumbled down a gulf. Picking himself out of a shallow pool of water, he caught sight of the moon. The celestial orb had never been so full, so large, or so close. It filled his eyes, and he could do nothing but stare, never noticing the dark magic that crept up behind him. “And just what are you doing here, so deep in the Everfree?” Dusty turned to find Nightmare Moon herself standing over him, fangs bared in a menacing leer. “There are monsters in this forest, my subject! Somepony could get hurt!” A cloud of starry magic grasped the earth pony’s hoof, snapping him out of his petrified panic. He bucked free of the princess’s grasp and raced away as fast as he could. Nightmare laughed and flowed after Dusty. He tripped over another exposed root and came face-to-face with a demonically-red tree, its unnatural gaping maw apparently seeking a meal. At this point, Dusty lost all hope of escaping the forest, or the newly-reinstated princess. A terrified scream tore its way past his vocal chords. He charged ahead, eyes closed, wishing that something would come along to end everything. He got his wish, at least partially, when he careened off the edge of a tall gorge. His body hit several rocks on its way down, crushing his back leg and splitting his head. The gentle river carried his limp form downstream, before he came into contact with a purple-scaled river serpent. The Timberwolves prowled around the assembled friends, snapping at any hooves that tried to escape the circle. Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were still in the farmhouse, religiously clanging pots and pans together, and even shouting “Soup’s up!” occasionally. Nothing discouraged the creatures from their task. Each circle they made around the dragon and ponies grew smaller, drawing their prey deeper into the net of danger. Fluttershy thought about flying straight up and never coming back down, but she refused to leave her friends behind like that. Instead, she set about looking around the farmyard for any way they could get out of their mess. She soon spotted a ray of hope, a pitchfork leaning against the side of the barn. “Rarity,” she whispered. “Can you move that tool over here?” Rarity glanced over at the indicated object. “It’s a bit far, but I think so…” Fluttershy nudged Big Mac with a wing and pointed at the pitchfork, then at Rarity. The red stallion nodded in understanding, and readied himself. The flaming Timberwolf was mere inches away from Applejack. It was about to snap its jaws at her when a pitchfork, encased in a glowing blue hue, flew out of the air and stabbed it in the neck. It let out a howl of pain and reared up, giving Big Macintosh the opportunity to grasp the handle in his mighty jaws. The stallion rolled, his motion launching the monster into the air. Embers flew as it impacted an apple tree, and it slumped to the ground, burning fiercely. The final Timberwolf roared, and charged the circle of ponies. Spike spat a ball of flame at the arbor menace, but the wolf merely batted it aside. The monstrous greenery was about to take a bite out of the small dragon, when a royal guard’s spear impaled its head, sticking into the ground. So immobilized, the wolf became an easy target for the other soldiers that poured into the apple farm. Two earth pony guards stomped the wolf into rubble, while three pegasi poured rain onto the burning Timberwolf before it could start an out-of-control blaze. One pegasus flew down and pulled the spear out of the ground. Applejack approached the pegasus with her hat lowered. “Thank y’ kindly, ma’am. Not sure what we were gonna do if you hadn’t shown up.” She placed her hat back on her head before continuing. “How’d you know we were in trouble?” The soldier wiped dirt and sap off of the point of her spear. “We didn’t, I was actually coming here to ask you how to deal with the Timberwolves.” She placed the spear beneath her wing and stood at attention. “I’m Captain Stonewall of the Equestrian Royal Guard; we’re stationed just outside of the town.” “At the barrens, I assume,” Rarity said with a hint of relief. “Good to see that the princesses took my warning seriously.” Stonewall glanced severely at the white unicorn. “Why? Would they have any reason not to?” “Well, uh, no, of course not! Uh…” Rarity chewed her bottom lip, mind searching for her comment’s rationale. “I’m just… relieved, that’s all.” “Mm, hmm.” The pegasus captain turned back to Applejack. “We’d heard that you have experience dealing with these pests.” She gestured to the growing pile of tinder, now something of a small cooking fire. Applejack shrugged and began warming herself over the remains of the attackers. “Ah sure as heck thought we did, but these things weren’t behavin’ like the usual Timberwolves.” Fluttershy was feeling pretty chilled, but she wasn’t quite ready to warm herself by that particular fire. Instead, she huddled down and shivered in the cool summer air. She was surprised to feel a blanket draping itself around her shoulders; Big Mac was passing them around. She drew it around herself and squeaked a “Thank you.” The stallion smiled, nodded, and continued to pass around the quilts. Dusty limped down the path into Ponyville a few days after his adventure into the Everfree Forest. His left-rear leg and head were both heavily bandaged, courtesy of the river serpent. The stallion rubbed his stomach, attempting to drive away the wave of nausea that accompanied every step forwards. A headache skulked just behind his eyes, fogging his vision and misting his thoughts. Where was he going? Oh, yes, home. How silly to forget. The sun glared down on his wounded body as he stumbled into the town square. It was full of ponies shopping, playing, laughing. The noise pierced his ears like a dagger, and his head swam. He stumbled and his weak leg gave out, planting his face in the dirt. One blue-and-pink-maned mare ran up to him with concern in her eyes. “Dusty, are you all right? Dusty?” She turned to a minty-green mare beside her. “Lyra, get the mayor, this guy needs help!” Dusty spat dirt out of his mouth and rose shakily to his feet. “NO! No, no. N-not the mayor. Not Mayor M-M-Mare. Not m-m-mom.” Lyra raised an eyebrow at Sweetie Drops, receiving a shrug in response. “Dusty, you need to see your mom, or at least a doctor…” He shook his head briefly before the world began to spin. “Can’t… Can’t l-l-let her see me l-like th-th-this. “Sh-sh-she thinks I’m an… Thinks I’m a-a-an ign-n-n…” Try as he might, Dusty couldn’t make out what to say. The fog in his brain was too much to handle. “S-stupid.” Sweetie Drops put forth a peach hoof and laid it on his shoulder. “Dusty, come on, I’ll make you a nice cup of tea and you can relax a bit.” The tan earth pony’s muscles tensed up as her hoof fell on a bruise. He quickly knocked the offending appendage off as he brushed past the two mares. “I’m fine! I just n-need to g-go home!” He trotted haltingly towards the library, leaving Sweetie Drops and Lyra to stare after him in worry. The amber-eyed unicorn turned to her candy-loving friend. “What just happened? What’s wrong with him?” Sweetie could only shrug in puzzlement, before the both of them followed their ill-bodied friend. Dusty arrived at the Ponyville Branch Library in short order. He would have entered the open door if Pinkie Pie had not suddenly shown up with an assemblage of ponies. “Oh, hey Dusty, boy you don’t look so good!” Dusty blinked at the pink pony standing a few inches inside his personal space. His head tried to make sense of her blathering, but it was coming far too fast. He thought she said something about laughter being the best medicine, but a new pony entered the scene before she could elaborate. The princess’s personal student, the unicorn from Canterlot, stepped out of the library’s front door. Her eyes widened as Pinkie grabbed her and the assembled ponies began to toss her into the air. Dusty’s headache went into overdrive as Pinkie’s high-pitched signing voice blasted out her latest tune. Dusty watched with blood-shot, unfocused eyes as the unicorn known as Twilight shouted Pinkie’s name, and was dropped to the ground. They began to discus something heatedly, taking about some gala or another. Dusty didn’t pay attention, he couldn’t. He just walked past the crowd of spectators and into the library. He was finally able to relax a bit as he crossed the threshold. The pain was still prominent, of course, but some small relief came from the familiar surroundings. There was the globe of the world, gathering dust in the corner. The oh-so-tacky bust of Starswirl the Bearded sat on its pedestal, quietly observing the shelves of knowledge. Dusty sat down and rested his fractured leg. Even in his muddled state, he was aware that it would never heal completely. He groaned and leaned back against the plush cushion, inhaling the musty library air. He coughed in surprise when the musty library air ended up smelling a lot like fresh roses. The stallion blinked in confusion as the flowery smell stuffed up his sinuses and introduced his headache to a whole new level of nasty. He now noticed several scented-candles scattered about, colored a gentle shade of purple. The blinks increased in fervor as Dusty paid more attention to his surroundings. That picture didn’t belong there, those books should be shelved, that chair wasn’t supposed to be in the foyer… The entire tree had been rearranged. A picture of Twilight and her pet dragon was settled on a coffee table in the lounge. It was clear that Twilight Sparkle was living there full-time. The fuzz in his mind cleared around one tiny, uncomfortable thought; why was Twilight Sparkle living in his house? Shouldn’t she have returned to Canterlot? Shouldn’t she have returned to her princess when The Longest Night ended? What was she doing in Ponyville? What was she doing in his house!? Dusty stood up quickly, intending to investigate further. He kneeled down in pain as his leg collapsed under the pressure. The headache, that now-constant companion, swirled and pressed. With nothing left to it, he vomited from the sheer intensity of the pain. “S-s-stable Cakes!” the stallion swore. He dragged himself to the stairs and looked up, seeing the loft that was his sleeping area peaking just around the corner. He placed one hoof in front of the other as he crept up the stairs. His blood pressure was boiling over, and his frustration was rising. How stupid was this? How dumb was it that he couldn’t even walk up his own staircase? Some grueling moments later, he reached his bedroom, his sanctum sanctorum, his hidey hole, his happy place. It was completely reconfigured. Mirrors and beauty products lined the cupboards, a strange bedspread graced the bed, and more candles covered the dresser. What was it with this mare and stinking candles!? He sat on the edge of the bed to recover his strength, gritting his teeth as he tried to make sense of it all. His eyes fell on a series of boxes, labeled “Dusty,” that seemed to hold his personal items. Groaning, he rose and stomped his way over on three legs. He dug furiously through a box, examining each object with a pained glance. “Who-who does this mare think she is?” A sharp pain shot through Dusty’s brain, and he winced harder than ever. It hurt to walk, to sit, to think… There was no relief. The tan stallion looked up and noticed a very shiny new book on his nightstand. He found himself drawn to it despite his physical agony. Picking it up in a hoof, Dusty read the title aloud. “’B-b-butt-marks, and Their Ways, by Hobby Horse.’” Intrigued by what was obviously a comedy, he opened the cover to find a note from the princess herself written on the first page. "My Dearest Twilight, "I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying your time in Ponyville! I can already tell that these friends of yours will be such a blessing; a source of love, fun, and growth. "Luna sends her regards, and wishes me to thank you for her freedom. She’s still acclimating to life in the modern day, but I’m sure that she’ll be fine with a little elbow grease. "I’ve sent this book to you as a little house-warming gift, I’m sure you’ll find it as fun as I did! "I know you’ll make an excellent librarian in your new home, and I look forwards to your first friendship report. "All my love, Princess Celestia" Dusty’s face fell as he completed the message. His mottled mind couldn’t quite work it all out. Surely the princess would not wish to buck him out of house and home. Would not wish to replace him. He reread the letter, and reread it again. Each new perusal raised his blood pressure a few pounds, and each pass through made him ever more certain. He was being replaced. Not only had Twilight Sparkle invaded his home, long past her due, she had gotten permission from the princess to do it! Royally sanctioned eviction! He grasped his hooves to his head as a new brain-scrambling wave of pain swept over him. He couldn’t fight it, any more than he could fight the crown. He gritted his teeth and tossed the book across the room, where it landed against the wall with a spine-breaking THUD. He couldn’t think straight anymore; he couldn’t think at all, really. He felt the intense need to leave, to get away from the town that he had called home. He stuffed several necessities in his travel bags, and began the long trek down the stairs. He was greeted at the bottom by Lyra, Sweetie Drops, and the Mayor Mare. Dusty stopped in his tracks and winced. “Did you h-h-have to bring her in-into this?” Mayor Mare brushed a grey lock of mane out of her eyes. “I beg your pardon, Dusty, but is that any way to talk to your mother?” Dusty’s pained expression grew into a sneer. “No, and neither is this…” He pushed his face forwards, fueled by the pain behind his eyes, and let her have it. “I don’t give a flying feather what you have to say, I’m leaving! There’s nothing else for me here, if what her royal highness has to say is anything to go by!” Surprised by his vehemence, the three mares parted to allow him passage. He stumbled out the door as best he could, and proceeded down the road to the next town. He paused briefly, a moment of clarity causing him to ask himself just what he was doing. Another jot of pain blasted any second thoughts from his mind, and he journeyed on. Lyra and Sweetie Drops ran out of the library into the noon-time sun and yelled to him. “Wait, Dusty!” Lyra shouted. “What’s wrong? We want to help you!” He glared back at them, and the moon shown briefly in his mad eyes. “I’m d-d-done.” With that, he trotted off into the world, leaving Ponyville far behind. Dusty stood at the border to the Everfree Forest, looking decidedly uneasy. “I-I-I’m not going in there. Not again.” Somber Tidings grimaced. “I suppose it’s not necessary.” His horn glowed, and the Timberwolves ran into the forest, in pursuit of a zebra. Sombra’s malevolent grin returned, and a dark spike of crystal prodded Dusty Shelves in his rump. The earth pony yelped and stumbled forwards, with Sombra cozy in his saddlebags. “Defy me again,” the unicorn whispered into Dusty’s ear. “And you will have more than a prick to remind you who is king here!” The wolves followed their noses, and Zecora’s thatched cottage came into view. Sombra floated out of his hiding spot and over to the window. “Seems she’s mixing up a big, tasssty steeew… It would be a shame to bother her.” He signaled to the wolves to attack, and floated above to watch the melee. Zecora had smelled the Timberwolves’ vile breath long before they had tracked down her hut, and she was ready when they busted down her door. A round bottle of potion appeared in her striped hoof, and she tossed it to the ground. The following explosion of green smoke obscured all vision, and blocked out the wolves’ sense of smell. One-by-one, the Timberwolves fell to a whack from her bo staff as she leaped and twirled around the room. When the smoke cleared and the monsters rose, the zebra was gone. Sombra watched Zecora run out a hidden back-entrance to her hut, chuckling to herself for a job-well-done. Her merriment ceased as she came in contact with a wall of sharp crystalline spikes protruding from the ground. Sinister laughter filled the air as the zebra mare felt herself lifted by a mysterious force. Dark magic clasped around her neck and gave a squeeze, just as glowing green-and-red eyes opened before her. “Tell me then, my zebra dear, where have you hidden what you fear?” The eyes spoke, and the pressure against her neck released slightly. “I have no idea what to say, your magic took my breath away.” Zecora shivered in the beast’s grip, decidedly unhappy with being forcibly levitated above the ground. The eyes rolled, and the pressure returned to her wind pipe. “Do not play games with me, you foal. I seek an item most powerful. The Alicorn Amulet that you have hidden, speak where it is, do as you’re bidden!” Zecora shook her head as well as she could under the circumstances. “I would never tell somepony so cruel and so vile. You’re going to be searching for a good long while.” The grip on her throat constricted all air passage, and Zecora struggled helplessly against the evil unicorn. After some time, she fell unconscious and ceased all movement. Sombra angrily tossed her into a stream and watched her float deeper into the forest. “Search everything!” he roared at his subordinates. “I want that amulet found!” Dusty entered the hut and sat near the doorway. He shivered from head to toe at what he had just witnessed. The callousness of Somber Tidings made him begin to fear for his own life. As he leaned back, his bottom came into contact with Zecora’s door stop, an intricate little piece of wood. He bent closer to it when he saw that it was hinged, and was made to open like a clam. At his bidding, it opened to reveal a blackened metal necklace with red stones studding the middle. The shape of a unicorn head adorned the top of the jewelry, and two pegasus wings graced the sides. “Yeeesss…” Dusty turned to face the grinning mug belonging to the unicorn king. “The Alicorn Amulet, at long last. Such power… The ability to give, and to take away…” He lifted the earth pony in his magical grip, and hovered the amulet in Dusty’s face. “I, being a creature of pure shadow, find myself unable to wear it.” Dusty choked in fright as Sombra brought the necklace closer and closer. “You, on the other hoof, have no such holdups.” As the Alicorn Amulet was clasped, Dusty felt an immeasurable power flow through him. It was unlike anything the earth pony had felt before. His eyes glowed red, and a dastardly grin spread across his bitter features. With a glance, one Timberwolf was transformed into a puppy. The pot at the center of the hut glowed red, and began to dance about. A chuckle broke out of Dusty’s mouth, and he began to test his power on the surrounding forest. As Dusty’s laughter grew, Sombra’s grin widened. “Now that you’re acclimated, perhaps I can tell you my plan for the hated unicorn mare?” Dusty bared his teeth in a predatory smile. “What d-did you h-h-have in mind?” Zecora floated along, having regained enough self-awareness to hold her head above the water. She coughed and choked, and knew that she wasn’t going to last much longer without help. Just as she was ready to give in, she bumped against a hard, purple surface. A gloriously mustachioed face with impossibly well-coiffed hair looked down at her with surprise. “Oh, hello. What have we here?”