//------------------------------//
// 8-Why? 
// Story: This Beautiful Darkness Shall Protect Me... 
// by Timemaster 
//------------------------------//

During the day the results will be shown, I lie in my bed, my eyes open.

I look to Keys, who is spending the night since his wife kicked him out.

"Keys, can I ask you something?"

"You already did, but sure." he mumbled, comfortable on the couch near my bed.

"Why did your wife kick you out?"

"Ugh," he groans," she doesn't like the fact that I am out nearly all day with a pony she doesn't know, I guess."

I  grin, "You did not tell her about me?"

"Nah, she wouldn't believe me anyways, for not that many pegasi want to move into Cloudsdale anymore, let alone RUN it."

"Why?"

"Well," he leans up from his bed, yawning, "Most pegasi are now enlisting into the royal army or the wonderbolts, for the only other job for us is making the sky over and over again."

"But this land seems so peaceful, why do you need such a huge military?"

"I question that, too, for we already have the Mane 6, a group of the six most powerful ponies in Equestria... when they are together, of course."

"The who?"

he laughs," You really must be a foreigner!"

I blush, "Just tell me, dude."

"The Mane 6 are a group of six ponies who are chosen by the Elements of Harmony to assist in the balancing of the nation's magic."

Doesn't he mean the Elements of Destiny? How much have they deceived the populace?

"Who are they?"

"Well, currently, the Mane 6 are Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie; all of whom are somewhere secret."

"Why?" I say, rubbing my eyes.

"They say that a changeling was caught trying to take the Elements from their save haven in the castle in Canterlot."

"... What was the Changeling's name?"

"We don't know, IT got away."

It?

I get out of bed and head to the bathroom, "Be back in a bit."

I shut the door before he can reply.

I turn on the bathroom light and look in the mirror.

Reflecting back at me was not me, but someone else's body. I cringe at the mirror, and summon the black ooz to make me a suit...

A pure black suit with a green tie wrapped onto me, and I felt disgusted, yet joyful.

I look at the pendent, which is melded at the base of the tie, and see that the insect is gone and is just a green fog of magic. I look in the mirror, and the pendent is not there. I smile, slicking back my mane.

I wink to this form in the mirror, seeing these very deceiving eyes look so soft, and get out.

"Keys, lets go now..." he isn't here.

I look downstairs, and see him eating a bowl of cereal.

"Keys?"

"Oh, we're going now?" he looks at me oddly.

"Yeah, lets go." I say calmly, "sorry for being a bit antsy back there, I really did not feel well."

He says nothing, and opens a hole in the floor. The  carriage is underneath, waiting.

"Let's go, man." he says, a bit of a kind smile on his face.

"Yeah, man."

We laugh a bit awkwardly, entering the automated carriage, and do not speak for the rest of the flight...

At the town square, I stand on a podium next to four other ponies on podiums while the current mayor says stuff to the crowd I could care less about.

"And, by your votes, the mayor of Cloudsdale is now..." She opens the letter,"Wright Scribe! Everyone, give some applause to the new mayor! (Mumble)"

I smile softly on the outside, and smirk harshly on the inside.

"Speech! Speech!" everyone chants before me.

"Yes, Mayor Wright, you should make a speech!" Ex-mayor whatsherface says to me.

"Alrighty," I breath in, "Dear ponies of this fine city, I, Mayor Wright, shall ensure that this city shall prosper in a way it has never before! I will make everypony in this city become a part of a larger community—The community of joy and happiness!"

I hear people cheering and jeering for my nonsensical sayings.

"Even though I am, in fact, a foreigner, I have studied the art of (manipulation) social harmony for a long while, and I ensure you all a happy life from henceforth!"

The cheers increase, and the jeers quiet down. I continue to rant on and on for an hour, soon enrapturing everyone in my words of joy and hope...

After that hour of cheers and joy from the crowd, the ex-mayor pulls me off stage and leads me to the mayor's—no, my, office.

"Look, foreigner." She says, after shutting the door," I have no clue of why you just took the one job I knew was secure to me away, but I don't like it. Next election," she says in an angry tone, "I will beat you."

"We'll see about that, liar."

"Liar? I am not the one making these false promises! If I, the Amazing Angroth couldn't make this city enter a golden age, neither can you."

"Such a nice name for a child."

"Shut up!" she says, slamming the desk.

"I will not, for I make no empty promises. I know just how to make this city prosper."

"How, you doof?"

I grin, "You'll see, wench..."

I laugh and then scowl at her.

 "Now leave my office."

I see a red vibe escape her body and enter mine, and her eyes turn green for a bit.

"Fine, but do not come running to me..." her eyes start to fade back to normal as she is leaving the room.

I stare at the door, shutting, and blink in horror.

"What was that?" I said, looking at the pendent.


"And where have I felt it before?