All Hail The Dark Lord

by RainbowBob


Chapter 5: Vader The Brush Off

        
If there was one thing Vader had learned in the approximately fifteen minutes of being on this planet, it was that these ponies are annoying. On level with Jar Jar Binks, which he had once thought was physically impossible.
        
        Twilight was asking question after question, all having to do with him, of course. He wisely chose to ignore her and not answer a single one. While this would normally make for an awkward silence, but Twilight never gave up, and Vader never said a word.
        
        “So Lord Vader, what does your title of Darth mean?” Twilight asked, hoping this will finally be the time he opens up about himself. Vader merely lifted up a branch in his path, the tree limb, swinging back to smack with Twilight’s face. Giving a disgruntled groan and rubbing at her nose vigorously to dislodge any off chance of a splinter being there, she continued to walk beside him.
        
        “Is it from another language. Does it mean dark? Also, how do you know Equestrian? Do you have a translator of some sort?” Each question fell on deaf ears, for Vader didn’t even give acknowledgement that he was listening.
        
        While she blabbered on about one question and the next, Vader took care to remember certain aspects of what she was saying and save said information for later. “So, how did you crash into Equestria anyhow? Was there a problem with your ship?”
        
        Vader was keeping very much with his earlier attitude and didn’t answer her at all, instead opting to walk through a patch of brambles in his path, leaving Twilight to circle around them and struggle to catch up to his long footfalls.
        
        He sensed a growing tide of frustration emanating from the pony now. Running at a short paced jog, she said, “You know, if you don’t want to talk about anything, you could’ve just said so.”
        
        Ignoring her and not saying a word seemed like a pretty good explanation that he didn’t want to talk to her. But let her think what she wants. As of that moment his only worry was getting out of the forest and going to that town she mentioned. Ponyville, if he recalled right. Was everything about these ponies some bad pun-related garbage?
        
        And of course she couldn’t let it rest at that, because she spoke again. “Vader–-I mean, Lord Vader, I’m only trying to help you,” she said, flashing him her best charismatic smile. Which nearly caused her to trip and fall on her face, ruining its effect. Grumbling to herself, she asked, “Can you at least tell me what your species’ name is?”
        
        Vader spotted the opening to the forest up ahead, a path leading out of the darkness and snaking through some small hills. Without a moment’s hesitation he quickened his pace to get to town faster, and to leave Twilight in the dust.
        
        Growling, she flapped out her wings and took off to catch up with the Dark Lord. “Oh come on! A planet name, star system, anything! What’s your favorite type of food? Interest in music? I just need to hear something!”
        
        Looks like a visitor from another planet was just too good an opportunity for the pony to pass up and leave well enough alone without a barrage of annoying questions. Other than being a leader, Vader guessed she had some ties to science as well. Maybe even a skilled practitioner of the Force, or whatever they call it on this planet.
        
        Twilight’s brief flight was cut short, due mostly to the fact she still wasn’t that good at the entire flying aspect of being a princess, and because she completely overshot her goal of meeting up closer with Vader. Instead, she face-planted with some hard packed snow off the edge of the road, and tumbled to a cold heap. Vader took care to ignore these proceedings and follow the road to where the town lay.
        
        A hoof poked into Twilight’s side, and after some groans and shuffle of her coat she got up and dislodged most of the snow sticking to her person. Rainbow Dash was there, along with the rest of her friends, a looks of unease on their collected faces. Except for Luna, who just stared in the distance at Vader with a puzzled expression.
        
        “Twi, you okay?” Dash asked.
        
        “Yes, yes, I’m fine,” Twilight assured her, brushing off some snow that had collected on her scarf. “I just wish Vader would be willing to talk more.”
        
        “Yeah, that guy,” Rainbow Dash muttered, turning around to walk back to town, an annoyed look on her face.
        
        “What? What about him?” Twilight asked, joining her friends and the princess on the walk back.
        
        “Well, for one thing, that guy ain’t the friendliest of company,” Applejack began, shivering slightly. “Not to mention the fact what he did to them there manticores.”
        
        Twilight looked away sheepishly. “Listen, I know he isn’t exactly the nicest of individuals. But he’s from outer space. We have no idea how his culture or society works!” Twilight said. “As for the manticores, he was only trying to defend himself. While his actions with that are rather... uh, violent, it isn’t completely wrong in that regard when he was only preserving his own life.”
        
        “I still don’t trust him,” Dash said, looking over her shoulder to Twilight. “And you shouldn’t either.”
        
        “Dash, come on! You just can’t judge him on first appearances!”
        
        “Twilight, he’s an alien for pete’s sake! Haven’t you seen the movies?” Dash asked. “First it starts with one invader to gain our trust. Then bam! Soon we have an entire invasion on our hooves! And guess what happens to us? We either have the chances of working in some mines forever, have our organs removed, or battle each other in gladiator combat for their amusement.”
        
        “... What type of movies have you been seeing, Dash?” Twilight asked, a squeamish look on her face.
        
        “Doesn’t matter,” Dash replied, scowling. “All I know is that he’s evil. I mean, who wears all black like that? Have you even seen his weirdo face? And do I have to remind you he’s wearing a cape? Who wears a cape other than a supervillain?”
        
        “Superheroes?” Pinkie guessed.
        
        “Not helping, Pinkie,” Dash groaned, facehoofing. “All I know is that he’s cliché supervillain evil and shouldn’t be trusted. Remember how he treated Fluttershy? He’s nothing but a bully.”
        
        “Not to mention his fashion sense,” Rarity added in, shuddering. “Black is so last season. And I have to agree with Dash on the cape bit. That is just extremely tacky and overdone. And that cape and costume of his is better suited for a Nightmare Night party.”
        
        “Does that mean he’ll give us candy?” Pinkie asked excitedly. Everypony did a collective facehoof, except of course Fluttershy, who was barely making it by trudging down the road with her hooves dragging across the dirt.
        
        “There was a certain... unease about him,” Luna spoke up, peering over yonder to where the tall bipedal was walking. “I can’t exactly put my hoof on it, but its as if an invisible air hangs around him that sets my nerves on edge. Like a coldness that has no relation to the current winter. Does anypony else feel this?”
        
        There was collective nod from the others, all of them feeling slightly uncomfortable in Vader’s presence. While it was also due to his appearance, the mysterious newcomer leaked out a feeling of discomfort just by being near him. Though it was especially attuned to the magic users of the group.
        
        “He scares me,” Fluttershy sniffled, the pegasus seeming more drawn in and smaller than she normally was. That brief moment of locking her gaze with his own for the Stare was one of the most frightening moments of her life. She felt the effects of the Stare take root as usual, submitting someone else to her will and causing them to listen to her. But Vader broke the connection before it could take full effect, a furious fireball of anger shattering the Stare like a tsunami washing away a house.
        
        In that brief flash of the Stare, she saw something that chilled her to the core. Hate. She had heard the word be used before, and had felt moments in her life when she thought she felt this emotion. But it paled in comparison to the hate growing in Vader’s being. Whatever she could ever accumulate was a pond to his ocean, a vast expanse of burning lava that incinerated all around it.
        
        It was a wonder she hadn’t fainted on the spot. But what she didn’t want to do is look into his eyes. Those bottomless lenses on his face were twin portals to a world Fluttershy never wanted to experience again.
        
        “Okay everypony, we just need to calm down,” Twilight told them, glad that the distant lights of town were finally noticeable in the distance. “All we need to do is help Vader fix his ship, and our problems are solved. Simple as that. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to ask him a bit more on his life and technology. Can’t pass up a real life opportunity to talk to an alien, right?”
        
        “The sooner he gets out of here, the better,” Dash replied, flying over to Vader before he entered the town.
        
        “Ugh, she can be so thick in the skull sometimes,” Applejack muttered, rolling her eyes and catching up with her friend, with Pinkie Pie bouncing along the way.
        
        “Princess, what do you think of Vader?” Twilight asked Luna, wanting to gauge how her response would be.
        
        Luna pursed her lips, mulling over the question for a bit. “Well... he certainly is an interesting individual, isn’t he? A visitor from a new world. But so far from his demeanor he’s only been rude to us.” Luna shrugged. “But that could just be a cultural difference or him wanting to get home as soon as possible. So for the moment I’ll keep a high opinion of him, as I do for any newcomer to my land. But if he harms one of you in any way...”
        
        The princess’s eyes flashed a dark sapphire, taking on a dragon-like appearance for a few moments. “I must stop him. As should you, Twilight Sparkle. This is what being a princess is all about; protecting your ponies.”
        
        Twilight nodded, though with less gusto than she normally would. She stared at Vader, the tall creature waiting by the gates and looking over his shoulder for them to hurry up. Could she really bring herself to fight him. Of course she’d do anything to protect her friends and the ponies of Equestria, but she had no idea what Vader was capable of. Or capable of doing morally, either.
        
        Vader crossed his arms in impatience. He had been overhearing the ponies conversing about him for several minutes now, and he hadn’t been able to garner much about them in that aspect. It seems he made an enemy out of the rainbow mare and the pegasus from before. The one who spoke like a country hick and the unicorn were still undecided about him, and he didn’t even want to know what the pink mare was thinking about. At least both princesses were willing to cooperate and help him get supplies.
        
        Though killing one of them and forcing the other to follow his demands was another option he could use if they were being troublesome.
        
        The town, or rather village from its diminutive size, had a medieval mixed with modern vibe about it. Well, modern by their standards. Compared to what Vader was used to, this was like the Dark Ages to him. A fresh coating of snow covered the buildings and the sides of the road, lamp lights casting a dim area of illumination over everything.
        
        It seemed that a party of some sort was underway. Banners proclaiming “Winter Moon Celebration” hung from rafters while a large area was cleared out for dancing, snacks, and a large populace of ponies to be merry and have a nice time.
        
        Twilight finally reached the Dark Lord’s side, noticing the stares that were being directed at them. Ponies slunk away into the shadows or backed away slowly from the presence of Vader. While the townsponies had seen plenty in their time in Ponyville not to panic and run away from the first odd sight they see, Vader was a seven-foot-tall-and-decked-all-in-black exception. He practically breathed an air of menace around him. It didn’t help that his breathing sounded like the static of a radio.
        
        One or two ponies actually gazed at Vader’s intimidating presence with an air of interest about them, curiosity causing them to inch closer. He took no notice of this, instead holding back his increasing frustration for these ponies to get him his much needed repairs.
        
        “Sorry for the wait, Lord Vader,” Twilight said, arriving at his feet. She looked over at the large crowd of ponies, who had shrunk back and edged closer to the nearest roads exiting the party floor near  town hall. “And sorry for everypony’s reaction. They just haven’t seen someone... quite like you before.”
        
        “It matters not,” Vader said, finally speaking up after such a long stretch of silence. “Now, where can I acquire repairs for my ship?”
        
        “Well, there’s a mechanic shop on the other side of town, but its closed for the evening,” Twilight explained. “Though they’ll be open in the morning.”
        
        “They’ll be open now. Lead me to it,” he commanded, a sharp tone in his booming voice.
        
        Twilight gulped. “I-I was thinking maybe it’d be a better idea if we’d wait until morning, Lord Vader. Besides, there are festivities going about. Perhaps you’d like to join in them...?”
        
        Vader resisted the urge to choke her on the spot. Just wrap her throat with a force grip and wring her neck until it was a twisted piece of flesh that could never be used again. Or maybe slice her to bits with his saber. But he quelled these feelings. If he killed everyone that had ever angered him, most of the politicians and leaders of the various planets and star systems of the galaxy would be dead. Vader may be a Sith Lord and apprentice to the Emperor, but that still didn’t give him the leeway to slaughter whoever he pleased. It did give him the right to kill anyone the Emperor wanted or those he deemed unimportant such as soldiers or workers.
        
        Whether he admitted it or not, he needed these ponies alive. They were his best chance of escaping this planet and reuniting with Palpatine. That didn’t mean he couldn’t kill a few and keep the rest alive if he needed to later on. But for the moment, he decided upon trying to keep his emotions in check.
        
        “I will not join in on your festivities,” Vader replied sharply, causing several of the ponies in the crowd to mutter among themselves. “I only want to get the repairs for my ship. If you cannot supply me with that, then you are useless.”
        
        “Hey, don’t talk to Twilight like that!” Rainbow Dash yelled, flying up to get face to face with Vader. “She’s the princess, which means you have to listen to her!”
        
        Vader walked past Dash, like she was nothing more than a bothersome child he didn’t have the time to deal with. He made his way to Luna. “You are the other leader around here. Provide me with repairs at once.”
        
        “I am sorry, but I must look over the celebration in progress,” Luna replied, pointing with a wing at the large crowd of ponies gathered around. “A celebration you interrupted, I might add. Now I must make sure it continues on and everypony here has a good time.”
        
        “That matters nothing to me. I need to leave as soon as possible. It will take a couple of weeks at best to fix my ship,” Vader said. “If you want me gone, I’d suggest getting those repairs for me right at this moment.”
        
        “Hey, Darth Loser, what did I say about ordering the princesses around?” Dash called out, pulling back Vader’s cape with her teeth in a hard tug.
        
        Vader turned around quickly, in turn pulling his cape from Rainbow Dash’s grasp and causing the pegasus to fall on the ground in surprise. “One warning,” Vader said, his voice dropping to a dark tone of malevolence that likes of which nopony here has ever heard of. “Do not touch me again.”
        
        “As if, you bully!” Dash replied, standing on the tips of her hooves to make herself appear more intimidating, and failing miserably at that. “You treat my friends bad, I treat you bad!”
        
        “I do not have the time or patience to bicker with you any longer,” Vader growled, closing his hands into fists as he felt the dark side tug at his soul with promises of power if he killed the pest before him. Not that he needed the dark side of the Force to convince him. While he didn’t enjoy killing like his master does, he saw it as a necessity, and the necessity to kill this nuisance before him in a slow and painful that leaves her body a barely recognizable mess.
        
        “Well, I’m not gonna leave till you stop acting like such a jerk!” she answered back, planting both her hooves in front of him.
        
        That was it it. Vader didn’t need a troublesome local to hold back his plans. He’ll take care of her when the time was right and there weren’t so many witnesses around. He’d be sure of that for the insubordination she has directed his way towards a Sith Lord. Vader was not someone to be tested with, as the numerous corpses he has left in his wake can attest to.
        
        He waved a single gloved hand in front of her face, speaking in a clear voice, “Get out of my way and be quiet.”
        
        Dash blinked in surprise, her pupils dilating for a moment as she repeated what he said in a monotone voice. “I’ll get out of your way and be quiet.” The pegasus stepped to the right, her mouth firmly shut as a peculiar facial expression overtook her features. She looked confused for a moment, but merely sat on her rump and continued to follow his orders.
        
        An old Jedi Mind Trick he learned as a Knight, it was a simple enough technique with the Force to persuade a target to submit to his will as he exerted his influence on them. While the trick was a moral issue with the Jedi, the Sith and other users of the dark side had no problems using the technique to their full advantage to gain power from its use. Usually it worked best for those with no force sensitivity or those with weak-willed minds. Looks like Rainbow Dash fell into the latter category.
        
        Vader left the crowd of ponies and submissive Rainbow Dash, following a road deeper into town. He heard Twilight calling over to him, “Wait, Lord Vader, don’t you want a tour around town?”
        
        Vader brushed her suggestion off in an instant by replying back, “No. I will find those repairs with or without you if I so need it.” Vader’s hand closed into a hard fist as he said in a tone barely above a whisper, “And I will tear down your entire town if I need to.”