//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - The Overlord from Another World // Story: Absence of Friendship // by MangaKamen //------------------------------// Chapter 1 The Overlord from Another World TTTTTT ‘Look carefully at your own heart. Is anger and hatred all that you see?’ ‘I’ll ask you again… What does a hero need?’ ‘You’ve gained many precious things… From many of your friends… “Dad…” ‘You’ll be fine… You can do it… I leave the Netherworld, and Evil Academy… To you…’ “Dad.” ‘The next Overlord… Is you, Mao…’ “Dad!” TTTTT He sat up immediately, the blanket that covered his body flew from his cold sweat covered body. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes. ‘Damn it… Lousy dreams, first I’m a horse then I’m dreaming about the idiots and my… My dad… ‘I hate old memories, and why the hell did I dream of that stuff? At least those were just stupid…’ He lifted his arm up to the front of his face and his red eyes narrowed down at the gray hoof before him. “… Nope… Wasn’t a dream.” … Wait for it… “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” After that scream echoed through the air for a few minutes, the odd black stallion took a number of deep breaths and leered at the hooves before him. “IT WASN’T A DREAM!!!! WHAT THE HELL!?!?! Past his hooves, the black stallion noticed something that was very wrong with this picture. “… And where are my pants?” Indeed, aside from the glasses that sat atop his muzzle, nothing covered the stallion’s body. It gave him quite a view of his body though, ‘Great, the body structure of a horse. Meh, and the fur’s so thick I can’t see everything down there. Legs appear to be unguligrade – But I was capable of standing up without too much difficulty. Walking might be an issue, but nothing that my 1.8 million EQ can’t solve!’ “So, you’re awake,” A slightly familiar voice sounded out. The black stallion craned his head to the side to see that behind a number of steel bars stood the same mare with the horn and wings that had appeared before him. Around her neck was a chest-piece that had a crescent moon on it and her hoovers were adorned with silver-blue shoes. The mare’s cyan eyes leered down at the black stallion as he looked about the area. “Are thou feeling alright? If thou doesn’t mind, would thou care to answer some quest…” “So, you’ve got me locked up, huh?” the black stallion chuckled as he noticed the gray walls, the single bed and of course the barred window on the wall. “Too bad something like this won’t hold me for more than a second when I get bored.” Princess Luna huffed slightly, “Thou should know that interrupting is rude. Especially considering your situa…” “A demon must always interrupt the guy who’s talking even though you haven’t anything to say,” the black stallion blurted out before he stuck his tongue out at the alicorn. “Don’t think you can act all high and mighty just because you got a lucky shot on me last night! I didn’t expect to have hooves!” “Are thou not just making excuses?” Princess Luna questioned with a slight smile on her face. The black stallion barred his teeth and growled before he snapped his head away. Luna took a deep breath before she drew closer to the bars of the prison. “I do apologize for last night, what had happened was probably taken out of hoof. There is possibly a good reason for thy actions.” “Of course there was,” the black stallion cackled returning his gaze towards Luna. “I wanted to experiment on them! I wanted to see what made them tick and then improve upon them! Anybody would be an improvement with laser beams, rocket fists and maybe even a diamond pickaxe attachment!” “Thou art a strange pony,” Luna pointed out as her eyes dulled slightly. The black stallion trotted over to the bars (even though he stumbled for a few steps) and scanned his red eyes at the blue pony princess. For a moment, he just stood there with his eyes seemed to examine the still faced Princess’s face before he lowered his head. His body shook as he cackled. “That’s because I’m no mere horse! I am a demon! And…” That’s when the stallion stopped talking and his mouth curled up into a cruel smile. “Oh… Ohohohoho! I get it now!” “I beg your pardon?” Luna questioned with a brow cocked slightly at the odd stallion’s behavior. The black stallion chuckled as he pushed himself back to his hind legs and threw his forelegs to the sides. “You can’t fool me and my 1.8 million EQ! It’s an ingenious plan – Take the headmaster of Evil Academy hostage, transform me into a form so I can’t access my full power, and you manage to capture me! I never expected it from a talking pegicorn!” “… I’m an alicorn,” Luna corrected with a sigh. However, her complaint fell onto deaf ears as the black stallion laughed loudly and threw his head back, “I’ll give you credit, I never thought I’d be turned into a horse – But even without fingers or my full demonic ability, you’ve underestimated me!” The black stallion brought his forelegs to his chest and the air in the prison shifted about. Luna stepped back as a dark aura seeped from the black stallion’s body, and dropped to the stallion’s hooves. The aura whipped about the prison cell and centered around the black stallion’s body, and even managed to lift the stallion off of the ground. “To quote a peer of mine – I’m a Fr*cken OVERLORD!” Luna’s eyes widened at the amount of energy that was pulsating from the odd stallion, ‘This… This darkness is…!’ “MWUHAHAHAHAHA!” the stallion laughed loudly as his red eyes gleamed through his glasses. “And now… TIME TO…” And just then, the dark aura just shattered away from the stallion’s body. The black stallion pended in the air for a few seconds before he fell to the concrete floor. “OOFMP!” The princess just stared at the confused colt who was now on the ground with his red eyes now the size of needle tips. “What. The. HELL?!!?” “Um, are thou alright?” Luna asked as she leaned towards the bars. “Alright? ALRIGHT?!?” he growled before he jumped to his hooves. “OF COURSE I’M NOT ALRIGHT! MY FINGERS ARE GONE! MY CLOTHES ARE GONE! AND I CAN’T EVEN ACCESS MY FULL DEMONIC POWER!!! JUST WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!?!” “Although I would not have asked in such a manner,” a new voice sounded out. “That is a question I too would like answered.” While the stallion didn’t really take notice of the newcomer, he was more preoccupied with the hooves he was looking at, Luna on the other hoof turned to see who trotted towards her. “Sister?” Through the dark hall of the jail, another tall mare trotted towards the cell. In contrast to Luna, this one had a white coat with a bright sun on her flank, a golden crest and crown, and she had multicolored mane and tail that billowed with every step she took. She was taller than Luna, but also had a horn and a pair of wings. “I assure you, sir, we have just as many questions as you do.” The black stallion tilted his head slightly before he crossed his fore hooves, “Heh, well, well, another pegicorn.” “Thou must be hard of hearing, we are Alicorns,” Luna corrected with her nose slightly scrunched slightly. “Meh, what a pain,” the stallion sighed, his red eyes dulled slightly at the two alicorns. “Don’t look at we like we are inconveniencing thou!” Luna barked back as she pointed a hoof at Mao. “There, there, Sister,” the white alicorn said as she used her own front hoof to lower Luna’s back to the ground. “There is no need to raise your voice to our guest. Sir, I apologize for the current circumstances, but it is a pleasure to meet you.” “Whatever,” the black stallion spat back. “My brilliant mind tells me that due to your crown, and since those guards called this blue pegicorn ‘Princess’, you must be the queen.” “Princess actually,” the white alicorn replied with a smile. “… Another Princess?” the black stallion questioned with his brow up. “Yeesh, are there more Princesses than countries in this world?” There was a moment of silence before the taller princess cleared her throat to break the silence, “That’s another matter to discuss later, but for now, I think it’s time we had a proper introduction. I am Princess Celestia, and you have already met my sister – Luna. May I ask your name?” The stallion gagged with his tongue stuck out, “Bleh, introductions?” “The sooner we know your name,” Celestia pointed out with a heartwarming smile. “The sooner we can help you.” “…Mao…” The stallion mumbled. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Celestia questioned as she leaned towards the bars. “…I’m Mao…” the stallion mumbled a little louder, but still not audible enough to be clearly heard. “Thou must speak up,” Luna requested. The stallion drew in a deep breath and then. “I’M MAO!!!” Both Princesses reeled back from the loud booming voice that echoed through the hallowed halls. The black stallion – Mao – cackled with a toothy grin. “I hope you’re satisfied now.” Celestia shook her head, “Well, it’s nice to meet you… Mao. Although, you didn’t need to yell.” “A demon must do an evil deed daily,” Mao cackled as he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s only natural that I do that.” “Thou has mentioned ‘demon’ again,” Luna pointed out, still a little shaken from Mao’s sudden outburst. “Why dost thou keep mentioning that term?” “Heh, that’s simple,” Mao chuckled as he stood up on his hind legs again and lifted one of his hooves up. “I am a demon.” It took a few seconds for that fact to sink in, and Luna stepped back. “A DEMON!?!” “It’s quite odd that you look like a regular Earth Pony,” Celestia pointed out. “However, what kind of demon were you? A changeling perhaps?” “A changeling?” Mao questioned as he brought a hoof to his chin, slowly his glasses began to fog up. “As in a being that can alter its shape in order absorb ‘life energy’ from its victim? Ooh! Are those around? I’d love to get some test subjects! Ever since I saw BeyondX do that, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a shape-shifter!” Both of the Royal Canterlot Sisters looked to each other as Mao began to drool at the prospects in his head. The black stallion continued to cackle and proclaim to himself, which made it a little awkward for the two – At least until Celestia cleared her throat again, unfortunately, that didn’t really work to garner Mao’s attention. “Mister Mao, if we could keep on topic?” “Huh?” Mao questioned before he wiped some drool from his mouth. “Whatever, I don’t have the ability to transform into a horse – So I’m not a changeling. I don’t know who would want that ability, seems like a pain in the ass.” Celestia ignored the vulgarity that Mao expressed, but continued, “Very well, then let’s go with another question. Why are you here?” “Hell if I know,” Mao spouted back with his fore-hooves crossed. The black stallion turned his eyes towards Luna and narrowed them. “Last thing I remember before I got sucker punched by big blue here was working on my Getter Mao MK III! I found a way to utilize the power of the Super Hero to give it the ability to change from ship form to combat robo! Gah! I was so close too!” “Sister, are thou following anything he’s been saying?” Luna asked as she leaned in to make sure that only Celestia heard her (not that it would’ve been hard to do so, Mao kept on with his own conversation). “I don’t think it really matters,” Celestia replied. Mao snorted loudly. “Bah, whatever, as fun as it would be to run about this world and see what makes this tick – I got experiments, tortures and four million hours of gaming to catch up on and I’ve no time to waste on horses! Get me out of this cage, turn me back to normal and point me in the direction of where I can find a dimensional gate!” “I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” Celestia replied with her eyes closed. “Demon or not, what I see right now is a peculiar earth stallion who assaulted not only the Royal Guards, but my sister as well. I do not tolerate any pony trying to harm my family or subjects, and this would result in banishment. “But, as you are a visitor to Equestria, quite possibly against your will – So, I think it would be best for everypony for you to be sent back where you came from.” “Heh, I guess we’re at least on the same page,” Mao cackled with a large toothy grin. “The sooner you get me in the right direction, the sooner I’ll get out of your hair and away from these stupid horse puns.” “Thou certainly has no tact with words,” Luna commented. “And you talk like you’re from seven centuries ago,” Mao shot back before he stomped a hoof into the concrete. “Now enough talk! Get me to a dimensional gate, or get me my clothes, either way, I want out of this place! It’s starting to smell like a barnyard around here.” “As I said, it’s not that simple, Mister Mao,” Celestia continued as she rolled her eyes at her sister and the demonic pony. “We don’t know what world you’re from, or if it’s even possible for you to be returned to your world. Even then, we don’t know if you’d be back to your original form – This would require a lot of intensive studying of ancient tomes and such, and even then, there’s not even a guarantee that it would work. “Then there’s the matter of where you would be during this period of research. The correct thing would be to keep you imprisoned here for your attempts last night – But, somehow, I doubt that would work in the long-term, especially with your powers and…” “Blah, blah, blah!” Mao interrupted as he waved a hoof through the air. “Enough talk and stringing me along! What are you going to do!?!” “My sister and I,” Celestia continued with a large smile on her face. “… Are going to discuss what to do, so please be patient.” Mao’s red eyes grew wide before he leapt to the bars in an attempt to reach the sisters. “YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME WAIT EVEN LONGER!?!?! WHAT KIND OF SICK AND TWISTED TORTURE IS THIS!?” Celestia and Luna didn’t answer, rather they just trotted away from the cell while Mao threw his hoof through the bars. “WAIT! GIVE ME BACK MY JACKET! I THINK I HAVE MY SLAYSTATION-VITA IN THERE!! I CAN AT LEAST CATCH UP ON MY PORTABLE GAMING!! COME BACK HERE!!!” Mao’s protests and demands eventually became simple echoes in the hallways, accompanied with the sisters’ hooves that clacked against the stone. Luna sighed to herself before she looked to Celestia, “Sister, are thou sure that this is the wisest of ideas? We know not if he spoke the truth to us.” “Whether or not he did,” Celestia replied, her gaze still aimed before her. “That is not the issue at hoof. If he lied and came here of his own accord, then his new form may have weakened him and ruined any plans he had. “However, what’s more troubling is if he told us the truth. If he was, then that means that someone ripped him from his world – If it was someone from his world, then who knows what else they could send to Equestria. What’s worse is that there’s the possibility that whoever pulled Mister Mao from his world is from Equestria…” “Sister, are thou really suggesting we trust this lunatic?” Luna questioned with her head tilted slightly. “He claims to be a demon and…” “You were the one who saw his powers first hoof,” Celestia interrupted as she stopped in her hooves to look at her sister. “Is it too much of a stretch to believe that he could be a demon? Using ice magic, calling forth mechanical limbs, and even what he attempted to do while in the cell – Nothing that a regular Earth Pony can perform. There might be some truth to his words. “But Luna, is there something troubling you? You seem to be a bit more on guard than usual.” “There are a lot of troubles in thy mind at the moment, sister,” Luna answered as she looked down at her hooves. “With the Nightmare Forces appearing a few months ago, and now another pony with odd dark powers appears before me – There is a lot weighing down upon thy back with everything that has happened.” Celestia smiled brightly as she brought her neck to Luna’s and nuzzled her sister, “Do not fret Sister, that darkness is no longer a part of you. And I will do anything in power to make sure that darkness will never appear in this land again.” That’s when Luna closed her eyes and smiled, “I know sister, thank you.” “For now, we’ll send some analysts to investigate the garden,” Celestia said as she pulled back from her sister. “Before we make any decisions with our guest, we’ll have to make sure of a few things. And we’ll put our best stallions to the task.” TTT –TTT “So, are we gonna ignore what happened last night?” “Yup. Completely block it out.” “Still, I bet I’d be able to outdo the Wonderbolts with rocket wings.” “Damn it, Silver!” It had been a long night for the guards, not only being trapped in ice, but also to report on the strange attack – needless to say, it wasn’t easy. Especially since the two guards were still on the castle grounds past their shifts, barely even awake and still in their armor to boot. The unicorn guard sighed at his still energized pegasus companion – Silver, “Seriously, how the Tartarus do you have this energy?” “Oh, I take naps whenever I get the chance,” Silver chuckled as he stretched his wings, nearly whacking . “If you’re ever interested in a break, Smoke, I’m sure I can show ya a couple of my hiding spots.” “Yeesh, Silver!” Smoke hissed with his eyes narrowed down at his fellow guard. “How have you not been fired yet?!” “I’ve never been caught,” Silver answered. “Silence, please!” Both of the guards stood up straight and turned forward, where a number of other unicorn guards were gathered around the garden with their horns aglow. But what really drawn Smoke’s and Silver’s attentions was the stallion that was in front of them. “This is real delicate work! And unless you’re asked where the weird stallion appeared, please remain silent!” The stallion in question before the two was a tall, skinny stallion with deep violet coat with his back to the two guards. He stood on his hind legs and moved his hips about with his right fore-hoof being pumped up and down in the air, which made his white lab coat sway with every one of his moves. What was really odd about this stallion was that his mane was a bright, flashy yellow afro and his tail was styled in a similar manner. “Fuhohohoo! Such an interesting case – an earth stallion with magic that could incapacitate a number of guards, within a matter of seconds too! It’s both amazing and pathetic at the same time!” “Live Wire’s speaking his thoughts again,” Smoke groaned under his breath. “Great.” “Is he wrong though?” Silver asked as the afro stallion named Live Wire spun around and immediately trotted towards another area nearby, the tip of a unicorn’s horn stuck out from the blonde mess. “Not like your unicorn magic helped us out last night.” “I didn’t see you do anything useful!” Smoke growled with his teeth barred. “Yeah, but my wings were frozen,” Silver retorted, a proud smirk. “Last time I checked, that horn was on your head, not your back or backside.” “Grr…” Smoke snarled. “Oh my, what exquisite results!” Both of the Royal Guards turned back to see Live Wire dancing about a certain area with his horn glowing, “I’ve never felt such magical residue before! It’s almost intoxicating!” “Are we sure we got the right mad stallion?” Silver asked as he leaned a little closer to the unicorn. “Live Wire’s starting to creep me out.” “Knowing you, that’s saying something,” Smoke muttered back. “Fuhohohoo! Did I just overhear you two talkin’ ‘bout me again?” Live Wire chimed in as he took a few moments to leer at the two Royal Guards. But that moment soon passed as the eccentric unicorn went back to work – Which apparently included for him to dance about with his afro mane and tail bouncing with his rhythm. “Better be careful, you never know who’s listening in there! And don’t you forget it!” It was then that Live Wire got back to his hind legs, clapped his front hooves together a few times before he spun on his back hooves away from the two guards. “You ever wonder if he gets into Poison Joke for fun?” Silver asked with a bright smile. “There’s no way he’s like that normally.” “You’d be surprised,” Smoke sighed under his breath. “You know what they say about geniuses, they’ve got their insane sides. Some just tend to hide them, and others wear them on their sleeves. Live Wire’s the latter.” “What did I just say!?” Live Wire called out from a distance. The eccentric unicorn chuckled when he heard the two guards yelp in surprise, but turned his attention away as his horn glowed even brighter. ‘Fuhohoohoo, suckers – Oh well, back to work. I’ve never felt readings like this before, I’m almost choking on the pressure that was left here. ‘If this really was left by a supposed stallion, then this is no normal stallion – I’ve never felt such negative magical energy before. I’ll need to run some further tests, but I think this could be quite fruitful in the future. ‘I’ll have to make a few reports first though, I’m sure that’ll be fun.’ Live Wire sauntered about the gardens for a few seconds before he smiled brightly at the sun in the sky, ‘I guess it’s time to really cut loose and let the music spin! Fuhohoohoo!’ TTT – TTT “Ten thousand-three hundred and seventy-two, ten thousand-three hundred and seventy-three,” Mao counted off as he laid back on the cold concrete, his red eyes darted about the prison cell. “Ten thousand-three hundred and seventy…” Mao stopped himself before he leapt back to the top of his hind hooves and brought his fore hooves to the sides of his head. “GAH! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! THERE’S JUST SO MANY TIMES I CAN TAKE WATCHING THE SAME SPIDER SKITTER AROUND THE CEILING BEFORE I GO INSANE!!!” The black stallion leapt back to the bed in the cell and quickly flipped the rickety bed off of the floor and into the wall. Mao breathed extremely heavily as he watched the bed fall back to the ground, the pillow and blankets being crushed underneath. Then, Mao sighed with relief before he scratched the back of his head with his hoof. “Well, that broke the boredom for a few seconds. Now what?” “Are thou always like this?” Mao turned back to the bars to see that Princes Luna was back before him, and the demonic stallion smirked. “What do you expect? You locked me up here with nothing to do for… How long has it been? A day? Two days? A month? A year?” “It has only been an hour,” Luna pointed out with a roll of her eyes. “Really? Damn, demons need to relish solitude, but with nothing to do,” Mao muttered to himself as he rubbed his chin. “Meh, this is why demons must have things to do! So, come here to ask more questions? Or did you come to gloat some more? If it’s the latter, than bravo! To beat me, you deserve it!” “Actually, my sister has decided on the actions we’re going to take with you,” Luna replied as her horn began to glow brightly. “She requested that I be the one to escort you to the throne room, and that these be returned to you.” In a flash of blue light, Mao’s clothes popped right in front of him – the articles of clothing levitated in front of him as the demonic stallion eyed the clothes. “What the? What’s wrong with my clothes? They smell… Different… What’d you do to them?” “They were cleaned,” Luna answered as Mao pawed at the cleaned clothes a few times. “It was the very least that we could do as they were ruined when thy defeated you…” “Damn it!” Mao growled as he lifted up the red jacket up, taking note that the fabric shined in the light. “It’s so shiny! How am I supposed to be a proper demon with clean clothes!?! At least you didn’t mess with the stuff in here!” Luna tilted her head slightly, “What sort of items are you referring to? There were none that where found by the royal…” “Ah, my Slaystation Vita!” Mao cheered as he pulled out a small black device from the red coat that had a number of buttons on it. The black stallion brought the device to his face and rubbed his cheek against it. “My precious! Muhwahahahaha! All that precious data! All those hours! You’re back in my hands!” “Hooves,” Luna corrected. ‘Where in the heavens did he get that… Thing?’ “Whatever!” Mao spat back as he placed the Slaystation Vita back into his jacket and used his hooves to lift up his shirt. “What counts is that I got it back! Now then I have just one question for you.” “And that is?” Luna asked. “How do I put clothes on with hooves?” Mao questioned. Luna blinked a few times before she conjured more magic to her horn, “Thou does not have to worry, allow I to help thee.” A second flash of blue light surged through the prison cell, and Mao stumbled about, now fully dressed in his regular clothes. “Gah… What in the world was that?!” “A simple teleportation spell,” Luna explained as she brought up a hoof to her chest with a bright smile on her face. “All I did was make the location on thou’s own body – A simple thing any unicorn can perform with a little practice.” “Don’t do that again,” Mao growled as he finally gathered himself. “Ever.” “Unfortunately, I cannot follow that request,” Luna replied as her horn glowed once more. The aura appeared over Mao’s body, and the stallion’s red eyes grew wide. “Wait a second!” The magical aura flashed through the prison cell, and a single second later, Mao appeared right in front of Luna outside the cell. The stallion’s red eyes spun about before he collapsed to the ground, “Gurk! Damn it! You did that on purpose!” “Well, how else was I supposed get you out of your prison?” Luna snickered as Mao tried to get back to his hooves. “HOW ABOUT USING THE DAMN KEY?!!?” Mao snapped back. “Oh, thy almost forgot about that,” Luna giggled before she trotted off. “Now please follow me.” “Don’t walk away from the subject!” Mao growled as he slowly walked forward… Only to fall face first into the concrete face first. “SONVA-!” “Please refrain from swearing,” Luna requested. “It is rather uncouth.” TBC