Headless, not Heartless

by Thadius0

Chapter 10 - Headstrong

Fortunately, a quick scan with the Reveal psynergy on all the other ponies revealed that they were, in fact, ponies.

Moonfire explained what little he could about changelings to me, and quite frankly, I both want to meet this Chrysalis character, and at the same time, I want to avoid her.

She has so much pain coming her way...

Anyways, a few days later saw us with an acceptable level of housing. By which I mean, nobody had to share with anyone anymore. Some still bunked together.

It was time to begin the next thing we would need: A courthouse.

I had the help of Common Grounds in making it. He seemed genuinely happy that he might get the chance to practice law again.

Other ponies were working on personalizing their homes a good bit, which is something I tried to stay out of. It was all about them, after all. Though, when they came to me with questions, I did my best to answer them.

One such frequent questioner was Aboyami the shamaness. She and Crust-

Oh, I did mention that her djinn finally developed a talent and a name, right? He was capable of shielding others from harm with a thick aura that took the strongest of attacks to pierce. He gained a rough, jagged appearance. Almost like he was a boulder.

Anyways, Aboyami and Crust tended to question what my motivations were. Why I felt the need to look after ponies, yet felt so much anger towards her royal sunness.

Eventually I distilled my answer down to a few sentences that satisfied them.

She who claims that ponies are not but kind and loving creatures and has never seen the darkness that lurks inside like we have, that nativity angers me like no other. I wish to make her see, see what she has done wrong, and this community is the way to do it. After all, the best revenge is living well.

We rarely had any trouble in keeping the water tower fed, thanks to Snow Fluff and Deluge, the Mercury Djinn he spent the most time with. Combined, they could conjure up rain clouds in about twenty seconds, and they kept going for a good, long while.

Naturally, this meant they were head of whatever weather team we needed.

Eventually, I approached the Diamond Dog of the community.

She looked at me fearfully. "What is it, Dullahan?"

Where is the one who wronged you, young one?

At this, her face hardened. "Las Pegasus, and may he rot forever. Guard Captain...pfft. More like Captain of the buffet table!"

I merely nodded my peculiar nod and went to fetch the Cloak stone from its place in my developing sanctum in the mountain. Be ready, Amber. For soon, we will illuminate his crimes.

Stalwart Shield, Captain of the Las Pegasus Guard, sighed as he eased himself into his bed.

It wasn't easy being in his position. He had half-a-dozen crime syndicates trying to buy him off. He had to step carefully to make sure they didn't actually interact with each other too often.

Otherwise his loyalties would come into question, and his opulent lifestyle would fall to pieces around him. And now that he'd gotten used to it, he couldn't imagine a life without any of his fine luxuries.

The most excitement he'd gotten was when that Diamond Dog had come to town.

That had been fun. He'd taken her stuff, followed her back to her den, found a pony corpse she was probably responsible for, taken more of her stuff, and called it a day.

There was the sound of glass breaking, and a small spherical object landed in front of him.

He barely had time to notice the fuse before it went off.

The one thought going through his head was What the bu-

Then he was enveloped in a cloud of smoke, and knew no more.

I stood in the shadows of the courtroom, waiting for the stallion to shake off the effects of the sleep bomb that Aboyami had made.

Good zebra, that Aboyami. He'd been out for a good long while.

Finally, he slowly began to stir and looked around.

Taking note that he appeared to be in a courtroom, he started laughing. "Okay, so which family did I piss off? Celestia, you really went all out, didn't you?"

Common Grounds walked out and took the Judge's seat. "Court is now in session."

At this, the lights came on, revealing the other members of the community sitting in the audience. Amber was sitting at the prosecutor's bench, which left Stalwart sitting at the defense.

Or as I preferred to call it, the accused.

Interestingly enough, the jury section was empty.

One stallion was easy. Ponynapping enough of his fellows to make a jury? Not easy. We'd have to do without.

"The case of Amber versus Stalwart Shield will now begin. Amber, present your case."

Amber got up and faced the audience. "When I was young, I was a victim. Two tribes of dogs came to blows with one another, and my mother was killed. A pony hermit happened by and took me from her corpse, and raised me as his own. And things were good for a time, until I turned ten. Then, my surrogate father fell ill. I decided to go into town with a few jewels to see if I could sell them and get medication for him."

At this, Amber turned and faced Stalwart. "And then this...thing. Decided to whip the townsfolk into a frenzy and knocked me out, took my gems, drove me out of town, and followed me to my home! Because of HIM, I could not aid my father! Because of HIM, a life was lost! Because of HIM, MY HOME WAS LOST!"

The crowd murmured to themselves, and Common Grounds held a hoof up. "Order! Amber, are you done?"

Amber nodded and sat back down. Common Grounds looked towards Stalwart Shield. "You are permitted to make your defense now."

The corpulent earth pony stallion opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to come up with words. Finally, he said one sentence that probably doomed him. "This is no Celestia-run court, and I demand a proper trial replace this farce!"

I stepped out of the darkness then, even as Common Grounds banged his gavel and commanded the accused to be silent.

You are correct, Stalwart Shield.

All eyes turned to me as I walked up from the back of the audience with a sheaf of papers clutched in my right hand.

This is no Celestia-run court, because you're not in her jurisdiction anymore. You're in ours.

I handed the papers to Common Grounds, then turned to face the stupefied guard pony.

Here, there is only accused and accuser and evidence. There is no mercy at the hooves of the sun princess. There is only justice for the wronged, and punishment for those that walk in the dark.

Common Grounds looked through the papers. "You were taking bribes from all the major criminal families? At once?"

Stalwart shirked back a touch. "It's...it's not easy living on a guard's salary. Even a Captain's salary."

Common Grounds took a piece of paper in his hooves. "It says you were getting at least five hundred bits a week on your normal salary."

The crowd murmured and Amber growled. "You took all our things for the thrill of it? You did what you did because it was fun? Those things couldn't have gone for fifty!"

At this, the crowd was whipped into a frenzy, and Common Grounds banged the gavel multiple times. "Order! ORDER!"

I walked towards the guard pony. Your fate has been decided. The worst thing I will do to you is simple.

I unsheathed my blade and held it over his head.

You will understand.

And as the flat of the blade made contact with his head, I sighed, thinking of older times.

"Aw, c'mon Dully. Can't I just hold it for a second?"

I 'looked' over at the floating Draconequus. That wouldn't be a good idea, Discord. Who knows what sort of reaction you'd provoke?

He pouted and moved his paw closer. "But it's new! Exotic! Something I don't know about! I have to try i-"

The last word was cut out as he made contact with the hilt of the blade. He stiffened instantly, his eyes rolling around in his head.

Dissy? Dissy, speak to me.

Slowly, the draconequus came to and stared at where my head would have been. "How...do you deal with that knowledge?"

What knowledge?

"I once was lost, but now I'm found. I once was blind, but now I see. I see everything. I saw it all. The Multiverse. The Void Eternal. That Which Fills It. I saw everything, Dully. How did you deal? It's breaking me inside."

I panicked, recalling that summer with clarity. I...I didn't, Dissy. I didn't deal with it at all. I still can't. How did you see it all?

Discord smiled at me. "Your sword. It's a storage device, a catalyst. It holds that moment of time perfectly suspended, and when others touch it, they see everything that you did. I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, if I wanted to, I could know everything. But that sword...Limitless knowledge is fine and dandy until you gain limitless understanding."

I reached out to him. Dissy, please understand. Whatever you saw, it wasn't my intention. I didn't know, Dissy. I didn't know.

Discord nodded, and that was when I saw the changes. His eyes were a bit more...off. He had a long fang peeking out of his mouth. His aura seemed to have changed.

"I know, Dully, I know."

The stallion's eyes went wide, then rolled back into his head. I sighed and picked him up. I will take him to the nearby pony town. He should at least be comfortable.

Amber spoke up then. "What did that do, Dullahan?"

I 'looked' to her. It's too soon to say yet, but I will say this: touching the sword is what turned Discord from a mischevious spirit into the lord of chaos.

As I exited the courtroom, I could faintly hear Amber. "Finally, justice has been done."

"But Rainbow Dash, you didn't want a pet that would keep you grounded and hold you back, remember?"

As Rainbow lifted a hoof to her chin in thought, there came the sound of shifting metal and a rhythmic pounding noise. All eyes turned towards it and they saw a peculiar sight.

The suit of headless armor was here, and it was applauding. And then it spoke.

Well done on choosing based on the qualities that lie within rather than physical characteristics. If only all relationships were built like that.

Everypony present gasped and Twilight managed to get out a strangled "YOU!"

The armor did its weird version of a nod. Yup, it's me, it's all I ever tried to be. Frankly, I couldn't imagine being anyone but me!

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah, it's no fun being someone you're not!"

The armor gave the impression that it was staring at Pinkie. Why am I not surprised you would try that. Anyways, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here, right?

At that, Rarity nodded. "It does seem to be a bit unlikely you would come here with no reason behind it."

Truth is, a little birdie told me that something would happen at the gorge soon, so I've been waiting here for it to actually happen. And really, you probably should have triggered that rockslide from afar, or at the very least, earlier! Still, what's done is done. I can help. Can someone with medical training tell me if that wing is set properly?

Fluttershy made her way to Dash's wing and went over it. "It, um, seems to be. Why?"

Cause this. Ply!

A stream of blue magic made its way out of Dullahan's sword and at Dash. She squawked in protest before she realized something. "Hey, my wing doesn't hurt anymore!"

While everyone's attention was on Dash, Twilight sent a small auditory report to the Princess. She would have to know that he was here.

Dullahan nodded at Dash. It should heal in a few hours now. I'd still say stay off it today.

Princess Celestia was enjoying a slice of cake with some tea when the report from her student arrived.

"Princess, Dullahan is here, at Ghastly Gorge. We're fine at the moment, but you should probably handle this situation."

Celestia carefully lowered her fork and calmed herself.

Dullahan had never brought physical harm to her ponies.

This was Twilight. She could definitely handle any situations that would crop up.

She carefully made a few notes about Ghastly Gorge and returned to eating her cake.

If there was one thing she wasn't going to do, it was get involved with Dullahan until she had the capacity to offer him what he wanted.

Unfortunately, one of the nearby guards heard the report, and decided to tell Shining Armor about it.

This would result in him sending an entire wing of the Royal Guards to Ghastly Gorge to protect his little sis and bring Dullahan in.

Also widely regarded, looking back, as a Bad Idea.

I nodded at Dash. So yeah, figured you all should probably know that I am in fact genuinely sorry about those crimes I committed. They may have been necessary, but that doesn't make them any more right. When I can safely do so, I will at the very least consider subjecting myself to your courts to atone for them.

This shocked all the mares there into dropping their jaws. Finally, Applejack got her voice back. "No foolin'? You're sorry about all a that ruckus you caused?"

I 'looked' to her and did my nod. Yup. Just because they were crimes of necessity and I returned the items, doesn't make them right. I know this. However, it's too soon to try and atone, there's still work to do yet.

The mares pondered that aspect of my morality that I had revealed. Finally, Twilight spoke up. "Why...do you hate the Princesses?"

I growled. They locked me up for fifteen hundred years for doing what needed to be done. Someone had to make ponies behave, and they weren't doing it! Just because I survived their attempts to exorcise me, I became an enemy of the country! I will not submit to her justice for the crimes she believes I committed until she sees just how BLIND she's been!

And then I heard the wingbeats. I 'looked' up and saw around fifty pegasi in the sky. One of them yelled 'Halt' at me, and I 'looked' down at Twilight. Did you-?

She looked askance, and that was all the answer I needed. Like I'm sticking around for this! Teleport!

Let me go over why that was a bad idea:

Teleport is the ultimate unaligned psynergy. It can take you from one town to another in the blink of an eye.

However, even Lifting or Carrying the generator was hard for me. Teleporting myself from Ghastly Gorge to Newvale was a feat I hadn't attempted.

Or should have attempted.

The world changed around me, and I actually blacked out.

All was quiet in the town of Newvale. Dullahan had stated there were things he would have to do for a little while after he took the stallion back.

Still, they expected him back before too long.

What the ponies got wasn't what they had been expecting, though.

In a flash of light and a rush of wind, Dullahan emerged near the entrance of the mine.

Common Grounds, who was passing by at the time, raised an eyebrow. "How did you do that, Dullahan? And where were you?"

Dullahan straightened himself and 'looked' into the sky. I...I was elsewhen...