A Lost Soul Returns: The King of Monsters

by Dark Star the Crazed


A Trip To Stalliongrad. The Hearts and Hooves Day Special.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. ~ Edgar Allan Poe.


Translymaneia. Three days later.

Twilight walked down the streets of Fang's kingdom to his palace. He had sent her a message and asked her to accompany him on a trip to Stalliongrad. She instantly wrote back that she wanted to, but asked why he was going there. Fang did not respond with a direct answer. Instead he wrote back saying that his spies had gotten a hold of information that he wanted to check out and that if it was true, that the world would become a little more united and he would have somepony very special back.

Then Twilight saw him. He was standing on a chariot. He was wearing a full suit made of what looked like manticore fur to her. It looked like he had dyed it beige. It was covering his wings completely. He also seemed to have a smaller jacket with him, the other one was a shade of lavender a little bit darker than her own coat. When Fang saw Twilight he smiled. "Twilight! Over here!" Twilight smiled and galloped up to him. Then he gave her the other jacket he had. "You might want to put this on. It will keep you warm and hide your wings."

Twilight looked confused but put it on anyway. It was snug and cozy almost like a blanket and a cup of hot coco on a cold winter night. It also fit her perfectly. Then she climbed onto the carriage and the took off. The gargoyles pulling them being silent as... Well stone. "Thanks its really comfortable but... Why should I hide my wings? Is there a problem with them?" She was worried that her wings were messed up now. "And before I forget, why are you going there any way?"

Fang looked at her and frowned. "The reason you have to hide your wings is that there was a revolution there a thousand years ago and they killed the alicorns who ruled the city." Then he smiled. "The reason I'm going is because my spies report that they saw an alicorn in the city. They missed one. I got a description of said alicorn and... I need to help her!" Fang then let out a happy sigh. "I normally wouldn't just up and leave but the alicorn they saw is my little cousin Ana."

Twilight smiled and hugged Fang. "I'm so happy for you! Your family isn't dead!" Then she gave him a peck on the cheek. Only to have herself pushed down.

Fang grabbed the side of the carriage. He was on top of Twilight, barely a inch between where a couple would have their muzzles, Fang turned his head and looked at the gargoyles. "You two should be more careful! A bird almost hit Twilight."

The two just shouted back. "Sorry boss!"

The other then spoke. "Wont happen again!" They then dived down a little bit so that the birds were not at head level anymore.

When Fang turned his head back he met Twilight's lips. Both ponies were blushing furiously. Although Twilight had moved her head forward an inch so that they would be kissing when Fang turned his head back she felt, good but embarrassed at the same time. She needed to know what Fangs lips felt like. They felt very good. They then sat up and looked away from each other like most couples do when they find out they like each other. Then, after about an hour of Fang trying to apologize for looking like he was coming on to her, it started to snow and Twilight began to shiver a little bit. Fang noticed this and his heart told him to hug her and help keep her warm. That's just what he did, with one leg he pulled her closer so that she was right up against him and he smiled. Then to his surprise Twilight returned the favor with both of her front legs. She hugged him tightly and was still shivering then the cold suddenly vanished. Fang had taken off his jacket a placed it around Twilight's shoulders. Then he hugged her. Twilight tried to pull away but he was to strong. "Fang... Please put your jacket back on... You'll get hypothermia if you don't, please I'll be fine. I don't want you to get sick because of m-" Fang just shushed her.

Fang gave a small smile. "If I get hypothermia then so be it. It will be worth it to keep you warm." Fang was just smiling at her. in the distance there was a city, and before that was a forest.

The gargoyles landed in the forest and decided to take the rest of the trip on hoof. Fir trees covered with freshly fallen snow all around the two ponies. Twilight sighed, this felt like, no this was, bliss, secretly she was hoping that they never made it to the city. She wanted Fang to be reunited with his cousin of course but she just felt so happy now, she just didn't want it to end because she just felt right like this. Having a big, strong, stallion wrapping her in his forelegs and holding her, be it to protect her from evil ponies, feral monsters, demons, the cold, or just to hold her. She smiled and laid her head against his chest enjoying his warm embrace, as the gargoyles slowly trotted through the forest, they would not reach the city for another hour, they could go faster of course but they wanted the two ponies in the carriage to enjoy themselves. Twilight felt like a princess from a fairy tale with Fang as her prince. Twilight sighed happily and slowly opened her eyes. The trees around them shined in the sunlight as if they had just been painted with silver. "This is great Fang... Its so calm and peaceful... The trees are beautiful... Nothing can ruin this moment." She nuzzled up to him making it so that her cheek was being tickled by his fur.

Fang just smiled. "Yes the trees do look nice Twilight, however they are not the most beautiful thing here..." Fang then to punctuate his point leaned in and nuzzled Twilight's cheek. Twilight felt her cheeks heat up as she looked at him.

"You mean m-me? I'm not beautiful... Rarity is beautiful... I'm just plain..." She looked down at the ground only to have her face lifted to look at Fang, his ice blue eyes giving off a happy, but sorrowful, feeling.

Fang gave her a quick nuzzle on the back of her neck. "Twilight... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just because you think a pony looks better than you doesn't mean that others think it. Now do you really think that ponies will love you because of the way you look or do think they will love you because of what you are like on the inside?"

Twilight looked at him and began to cry a little bit then she regained her composure. "Cadence always says that beauty is more than-" He quickly stopped her.

"More than skin deep I know, but I don't want to know what Cadence thinks, I want to know what you think." Fang gave her a light smile.

"Well..." Twilight thought for a second. "I guess that there are three kinds of beauty, natural beauty which is the trees and the flowers. Outer beauty which is the way you look... Inner beauty is what your like on the inside... It's the way you act and feel about things. I believe that the most important is... Inner beauty." She began to nuzzle into Fang's chest once again with a content sigh and Fang, once again, took it a step farther to make her feel happy and safe. He spread his wings and wrapped them around Twilight creating a shield from the cold that saw coming from in front of them. After thirty minutes the stopped in a small grove right before they could see the city and Fang took his jacket off Twilight, summoning a second layer for her to wear and helping her put it on, then putting his own jacket on. Then as the carriage approached the gate a griffon blocked their path into the city.

The griffon looked at Fang and Twilight. "Chto vam zdes' nado?"(What is your business here?) Twilight looked scared and confused.

Fang however knew what to say. "My zdes', chtoby nayti moyego dvoyurodnogo brata , my prosto khotim , chtoby vernut' yeye domoy." (We are here to find my cousin, we simply wish to bring her back home.) The griffon then nodded and opened the gates to the city. Fang gave him a nod as to say 'keep up the good work.' and led Twilight in. The gargoyles parked the carriage and let themselves out of their harnesses. "You two go to an inn and get three rooms." He tossed them a large bag of bits and they were off.

The next day.

Fang and Twilight left their room. They ate breakfast and went outside Twilight smiled and nuzzled up to Fang who returned the notion. They just stood there for a while nuzzling each other. Just watching them husbands and wives felt better about getting married. After about twenty minutes they finally stopped. Fang smiled at her then he got serious. "Twilight follow me. We need to go into a bar... I don't want to but it is the only place that nopony is suspicious of one of my spies." He quickly led her down the streets and into the alleyways. They came out in what looked like a town square and Fang turned to the left and went into a bar. Twilight however went to the book store that was right next to the bar... Only she was soon dragged out by Fang who dragged her into the bar. Twilight was nervous because everypony was looking at them. "Ne protiv nas. Vernites' k vashey yede i pit'ye." (Don't mind us. Go back to your meal and drink.) The ponies in the bar all just stopped looking and went back to what they were doing.

Twilight looked at Fang. "What did you say?"

Fang smiled. "I told them to go back to their food and drink." He then went over to the bar with Twilight following close behind, she jumped up in surprise when a drunk pony fell to the ground behind her. She landed, with her legs spread out, on Fangs back. "Are you alright Twilight?" She nodded and got off his back. Fang then got to the bar tender. "I need to see Copycat."

The bartender sighed and walked out from behind the counter leading them to a small room in the back. He knocked on the door. "Copycat? You have visitors."

A female voice came from behind the door. "Come in." The door opened to reveal a changeling.

Twilight lit up her horn charging a spell, only to have Fang stop her. "Why are you protecting a changeling? You do know that they attacked Cadence and my brother's wedding right?"

Fang smiled. "Yes I am very aware of that Twilight, Copycat here is not our enemy however, she is from a different hive than Chrysalis."

The changeling bowed. "Hello my king, honored to meet you Princess Sparkle. I am sorry about this but I just had to take a bite, you know they say curiosity killed the cat, well its yet to kill this changeling!" She looked up and smiled. She had bright purple eyes just like Twilight. "Sorry I just had to take a bite, I mean you two had so much love resonating off you that I would have gone insane if I hadn't tried to take some, sorry... The love radiating off of you two was delicious by the way." She licked her lips.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Thanks I guess...?"

The changeling smiled. "So what are you doing here?"

Fang sighed. "Copycat... Are you sure your names not Scatter Brain?" He gave a playful smile and Twilight giggled at his teasing of the changeling. Copycat just stuck her tongue out. "In all seriousness where did you see the alicorn and did you get a picture of her?"

Copycat nodded and went and got a picture. It was of a grey alicorn filly with a blue and white mane that had blue eyes just like Rarity's. She had no cutie mark. "She is ten years old I think..."

Twilight looked at her. "How is that possible? The revolution was one thousand years ago!" She was quiet and heard Fang sniffling. "Fang? Are you OK? I-is that her?"

Fang just shook his head. "I'm sorry. I lost my composure for a second. Yes this is her Twilight. This is Anastasia Romarenov. Her nickname was snow princess." He turned to Copycat. "Thank you so much. How can I ever repay you?"

Copycat knowing an opportunity to get out of here when she saw it just shook him. "Make me Royal Spymaster and give me asylum in Translymaneia!"

Fang smiled. "Done and done. A second chariot will be coming to get you within the hour." His horn flashed and he summoned a scroll. He signed it and gave it to Copycat. "Here you go." The changeling quickly hugged his legs. "Please let me go..." The changeling did so.

Copycat began to blush. "S-sorry... I am just so happy... Can I get you a drink Twilight? Fang?"

Fang shook his head. "Sorry. I don't touch alcohol, I get extremely violent when I drink."

Twilight shakes her head as well. "I don't like alcohol sorry..."

Copycat just smiled in response. "That's OK. More for me! I'm finally getting out of Stalliongrad! I saw here playing by the Romanov Palace... Shes been sleeping under the bridge..."

Fang smiled and walked out with Twilight close behind. "Twilight if you want you can go buy some books... Here get whatever you want just be ready to run when I get back. If the guards see me with Ana then they are going to chase me." Twilight nodded and ran off after he gave her a bag of bits. As soon as Fang left she was attacked by a pony wearing a dark red cloak. Out of fear she blasted him and sent him flying into a pile of manure.

Twilight shook her hoof at him as he ran. "Crazy pony!!! ... Now to get those books." Her smile returned and she went into the book store and bought everything that she did not have a copy of.

Fang went to the palace and went under the bridge. Then he saw her, lying there, making snow angles. "Ana..."

Ana's eyes went wide at the voice. She turned and saw Fang. "I-I'll just go! Please don't take me to Rasputin! " As she backed up Fang took off his jacket and spread his wings, he then smiled as she calmed down. "C-cousin Fang? Is that really you?" Green lines began to run through her skin. She is a koschie. A pony renowned for being able to absorb and give life force just by touching somepony. "Y-you came back!" She glomped Fang. She then climbed onto his back and hugged him again. "I thought you were gone like mommy and daddy! Don't ever scare me like that again!"

Fang looked at her. "Ana... You're freezing! Here put this on..." He summoned a jacket and put it on her. Then he lifted her up and placed her on his back. She wrapped her legs around his neck as they walked away. Soon they got back to Twilight. "Hey Twilight! You ready to go?"

Twilight smiled. "Of course." She then noticed the filly on his back. "Oh, you must be Ana. Hello I'm Twilight."

Ana looked at her, tilted her head, and smiled. "Nice to meet you Miss Twilight. How do you know my cousin? Are you his fillyfriend?" This caused Twilight to blush. "Heh heh, just kidding! Cousin Fang told me all about you! Its really nice to meet Cadence's sister in law and the student of Princess Celestia." She jumped down and stuck out her hoof. "I am..." She looked around nervously. "I'm Anastasia Romarenov. There, we met each other, we need to go now!" She turned around an bolted towards Fang only to be knocked down and fall on her haunches. "Oh no!"

Standing there was the pony from before, the one that Twilight had sent flying. He quickly grabbed the little filly. His eyes flashed red and his fur turned white and his eyes turned a radioactive green. "Thank you, unicorns of Equestria. Now my dark purpose can be fulfilled, and the last of the Romarenov's will die!!!!!" He began to laugh maniacally. Only to scream in pain and drop the filly when a sword went through his leg.

"Twilight! Ana! Run! I'll hold them off!" Fang was standing there with katana floating in his magical grasp. He pulled the katana out of the pony's leg and jumped back.

Twilight grabbed Ana and began to run off. Once she was far enough away she looked back. "Be safe Fang!" Suddenly the cloaked pony was sent flying into the statue next to Twilight.

His breathing was slow as he looked over at Twilight and Ana. He stood up and began walking towards them. "No... I was so close... The filly must die! She carries the name Romarenov!" He pulled out a dagger and charged. Then he fell to the ground backwards. Ana was floating in the air with her right hind leg extended in a kick.

Ana opened her mouth. "You killed my mommy and daddy! I won't let you hurt Twilight or Fang!" She fell to the ground, ran over, and grabbed his head, Her eyes turned a radio active green and small green veins began to run from the ends of her hooves to her eyes. The pony screamed for five minutes straight before he died. Ana just stood over his corpse for a moment taking in what she had done. "I-I-I-I-I just killed him..." She looked down at the corpse and any sympathy she had was gone. She got down and started to punch the corpse. "I hope you rot with your masters in Tartarus Rasputin! You hurt mommy and daddy! You took everypony I had away from me! I may have killed you but it doesn't make me feel any better! Why don't I feel better!? I avenged mommy and daddy so why don't I feel any better!?" She just kept beating the dead pony with her hooves suddenly her speech changed into the native language of the area. "Mne tol'ko zhal', chto vy postradali bol'she! Ty glupyy , bespoleznyy, neschastnyy, izvinite za poni! YA khotel by vernut' vas , chtoby ya mog ubit' tebya snova! Kak ty mog spat' noch'yu, znaya, chto ty ubil nevinnykh poni!?" (I only wish that you had suffered longer! You stupid, useless, miserable, excuse for a pony! I wish I could bring you back so I could kill you again! How could you sleep at night knowing that you killed innocent ponies!?) Suddenly she felt a pair of hooves around her. Twilight had gotten down and was hugging her.

"Ana... Do you really think your mommy and daddy want you to beat a dead pony? While I'm sure they are happy you avenged them... I don't think they would approve of what you are doing now... Please calm down... Not only are you disappointing your parents... You're also scaring me... Please stop..." Twilight was hugging Ana tight. She felt no sorrow looking at the dead body. It was hard for her to admit but she had agreed with what Ana had said. She was shaking while hugging her. Soon she felt Ana hugging back.

"I'm sorry Twilight... I didn't mean to scare you, you're a nice pony! You're also right about mommy and daddy being disappointed... I knew they wanted me to stop but..." Ana was crying now. "I was just so angry and scared! Whats' going to happen to me Twilight? I-I didn't do anything wrong!" Suddenly she felt a patting on her back.

Twilight had for some reason let the days she had been foalsat by Cadence all come flooding back. "Hush now Ana, everything is going to be fine... The bad pony can't hurt you anymore... Come on lets go get Fang." She stood up along with Ana. Twilight... Right now she felt like a mother... Whats strange is she didn't mind it at all... In fact it felt really good. She looked down at Ana and smiled resulting in Ana looking up, wiping her tears away and giving her a light smile back.

They looked forward and Fang stepped out of the crowd with his sword bloody. The first thing he did was drop his sword and run over and hug Ana. "Thank the stars your alright... Don't worry little cousin I'm here now... You're going to come live with me in Transylmaneia..." Fang let go of his cousin stood up and looked at Twilight before nuzzling her on the neck. "Thank you Twilight, for keeping my cousin safe... If she had been hurt then I don't know what I would have done..." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, pulled away, and gave her a smile. Then he turned back to his bloody blade and began to wipe it off. "What a mess..." When he was done he sheathed it. He then turned to Rasputin's body, bent down, and took what looked like a key off of a string on Rasputin's neck before going to close the dead ponies eyes. He was stopped by Ana's cries.

Ana was holding a hoof up. "Wait! I-I want to do it... I showed so much disrespect after I killed him... I need to make up for that." Fang smiled at his cousin and mouthed 'Go on.' before pulling away from the corpse. "O-OK um..." She walked over to the corpse and bent down, reaching a hoof out. She decided she would give him his last rites in his native language. "YA ne znayu, chto vy , chto khorosho gospodina Rasputin. Khotya ya znayu, ty nenavidish' menya iz-za moyey familii, ya vsegda nadeyalsya, chto vse mozhet vernut'sya k tomu, kak oni ran'she byli, prezhde chem vy i papa possorilis'. YA nadeyus', chto vy mozhete spat' khorosho seychas Rasputin. YA prosto khochu znat', pochemu vy ubili moyu mamu i papu, no eto deystvitel'no ne imeyet znacheniya seychas. Oni byli mertvy tak dolgo, i eto vremya dlya menya, chtoby dvigat'sya dal'she. Pokoysya s mirom Rasputin." (I didn't know you that well mister Rasputin. Although I know you hate me because of my family name, I always hoped that things could go back to the way they used to be before you and daddy had a fight. I hope you can sleep well now Rasputin. I just want to know why you killed my mommy and daddy but it doesn't really matter now. They have been dead for so long and it's time for me to move on. Rest in peace Rasputin.) With that she closed the dead ponies eyes as he was engulfed by magic flames. As soon as his body was naught but ash, it was blown away by a non existent wind. Soon Rasputin's name was on a gravestone behind Fang's castle where his body had gone. Ana turned to Fang. "Can we go home now Cousin Fang?" Fang nodded and the three alicorns were off to the chariot.

The gargoyles lifted off and began to fly way back through the snowstorm through which they and come. Fang sat next to Twilight nuzzling, her while keeping his wing around her to keep her warm. Twilight nuzzled him back but all the while looked at her lap, that she was protecting with her wings, and the little filly who had fallen asleep in it. She felt like a mother keeping her child safe and though she knew Ana wasn't her child, she secretly wished that one day that would be her own foal that she was protecting in her lap.

Twilight leaned her head on Fang's shoulder. "Fang? Do you think that I'd make a good mother?" Fang nodded, then he said something that surprised her when he looked down at the filly in her lap.

"You are already making a great mother for Ana. Not literally of course but if you were her mother, than you would be doing wonderfully right now." Twilight felt her heart soar and she kissed Fang's cheek.

"Thanks Fang..." There was a small kick to her chest and to Fang's leg. "Huh?" Looking down she saw Ana's tired, half open, eyes looking at her and Fang.

"Could you two save the talking for later or at least talk a little bit quieter? I'm really-" She let out a small yawn and closed her eyes. "Tired." Then a smile grew across her face as she drifted into the land of dreams once again.

"Ok Ana... I'll be quiet..." Twilight let out a blissful sigh and leaned against Fang who started to nuzzle her once again. She was wrong earlier. What was happening right now was bliss. Fang and Twilight nuzzled each other eventually falling asleep. The three alicorns then slept the rest of their way home.


Tis better to have loved and lost; Than never to have loved at all.~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson.