//------------------------------//
// All About Fish 
// Story: One Wish For Nothing 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Nine: All About Fish
~BlackRoseRaven

Lord Morpheus, Enemy of Equestria, most wanted villain in the entire world, relaxed with a sigh as he sat back in his throne room. Yes, for once... everything felt like it was going right. He had the entire world under his hoof, just like he'd always wanted. Or at least since about about a month ago. And that was close enough, right?
His fortress had been rebuilt... and now, with actual rooms instead of just large stone panels, since the incident with Stronghold Halfdragon had finally shown him why large, free-standing pieces of stone were a bad design idea.
Sure, his 'attack' roughly a month ago had been firmly repelled. But at the same time, he had demonstrated his point and thrown Equestria into chaos. Sort of. And okay, so maybe things hadn't gone quite as he'd hoped with Throna and Luna, with Luna now acting as Commander-in-Chief and Throna her advisor and second-in-command. So much for bearing grudges.
But hey. He had a massive army of terrible, evil... well. He had a lot of goblins, packs of diamond dogs, and a whole load of idiot jerk ponies to boss around. Neato Burrito had returned to his side, and Antecedes was sitting on the edge of his throne's dais, reading a newspaper. And seeming pleased as punch, but Morpheus wasn't about to let his snide little self-proclaimed victory get on his nerves.
No, everything was going right for once. And Morpheus smiled pleasantly as he rested back in his throne, rubbing along the arms of the enormous seat as he said wryly: “You know, it's good to be king, Antecedes. It's good to be the master of all evil.”
“That's an oxymoron. Moron.” Antecedes said without looking up, and then he added dryly: “And listen to this: 'Lady Halfdragon has announced that a new national holiday has been declared. Freedom Day: a day to celebrate the day that balance was brought to Equestria, will be in three days.'”
“There's nothing special about that date. That's silly. I should find a way to ruin it for them.” Morpheus said thoughtfully, rubbing at the underside of his chin, and then he scowled as he heard loud laughter from beside him.
Slowly, the winged unicorn turned a scowl down to Toad, who grinned at him from the safety of his watery aquarium before the amphibian said mildly: “Did you really forget your own birthday, dude? And furthermore, it's also the day when you tried to get Princess Celestia to let you be the Prince of the Night. And, you know, also the day you got your ass kicked.”
Morpheus blushed deeply and scowled horribly, shaking his head vehemently before he grumbled: “That's probably why I was blocking it out of my mind. Thank you oh so very much for reminding me, Toad. I think I'll stick you in a blender to celebrate.”
“We don't have a blender. Neato Burrito broke it making one of his protein shakes, and the diamond dogs and goblins are too dumb to steal one for you. And, you know, since all of Equestria knows who we are now, we can't just walk to the store and buy one.” Antecedes folded his paper down into a little square, tucking it away in his robes as he added mildly: “So good work there, your lordship. You've actually left us in a worse state than we were before you tried to destroy the world.”
“Okay, for one thing, I did destroy the world. Secondly, look around! This place we've built is fantastic!” argued Morpheus, shaking his head quickly and huffing. “Don't be such a child. Just... be thankful for what you have, Antecedes. And you should be thankful too, Toad, and... where did Neato Burrito go?”
Antecedes only shrugged, and Morpheus sighed and smacked his forehead before he added grumpily: “Dealing with you two has given me a headache. You've ruined my happiness. Happy?”
Antecedes shrugged again, and then he turned his eyes forwards and said mildly: “And in case you weren't listening, your lordship, I'd like to remind you that Throna Halfdragon will be coming by. Hopefully not to ask us for more help with the Tablet of Dreams. I marvel at the genius of the defense mechanism, though: making it so idiotic I'd rather smash it than make a wish on it.”
“Apparently it wasn't half as talkative around Stronghold. But then again, from what I hear, Throna has become much more at peace and pleasant herself with Stronghold gone.” Morpheus paused, then looked back and forth quickly, adding hurriedly: “But I didn't do a good thing in killing her! I merely proved that I am the most powerful evil force in all of Equestria and... and moved my terrible plans to conquer the world another step forwards!”
Antecedes glanced over his shoulder at him mildly, and then he rolled his red eyes before he said calmly: “I'll be taking the evening off.”
“Do you have another tea party with your friends to attend?” asked Morpheus, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Yes.” Antecedes said simply, which shut Morpheus up... before the winged unicorn glared when the skeleton added sourly: “It's not a challenge to your homosexuality, which, oh great and flamboyantly-evil one, is far greater than my non-sexuality. But it's nice to have a break with the ponies. They're quiet. They're respectful. They listen to me. Unlike someone else I know.”
“Oh, sorry, Antecedes, I wasn't listening to you because I apparently think nothing but gay thoughts all day. Gay gay gay gay gay, that's all that's in my head. Stallions, stallions, stallions.” Morpheus said huffily, whirling his hooves through the air around his head before he added grumpily: “And it reflects badly upon me, Antecedes, that you're going out and... making friends and the like.”
The skeleton sighed and shrugged, then replied drolly: “If you're so concerned with keeping up appearances, Lord Morpheus, master of all that is bad-wrong in the world, why don't you say that I'm just earning their trust so that I can later betray them?”
Morpheus looked thoughtful at this, rubbing at the underside of his muzzle before he huffed a bit and waved a hoof irritably. “No, no, that doesn't make any sense at all. No, if anyone asks, I'll tell them... that... I've sent you to gain their trust to spy on them, so that one day we can lure them into a trap or use them as part of our evil schemes.”
Antecedes looked at Morpheus for a few moments, and then he sighed tiredly and turned around. Toad, meanwhile, leaned up against the wall of his aquarium and said ironically: “You know, it really goes to show that there's no one quite as smart as you are around here, boss.”
Morpheus glowered down at Toad, and then he said crankily: “If you keep this up, we're going to play a game of fetch with one of the diamond dogs, and you get to be the ball.”
Toad huffed at this, and then Morpheus sat back in his throne and tented his front hooves before he smiled a little as he relaxed in the heavy seat, murmuring: “We've come a long way my friends, haven't we? Conquered the world. Uncovered ancient Equestrian legends. Fought and defeated the last of the Draekin. And now here we are...”
Antecedes glanced up, then the skeleton sighed a little as he said wryly: “I would prefer being dead, but... I guess this is the next best thing. I suppose having a reason to live makes things... easier, though. That, and the fact I can come and go as I please to Canterlot... and you know. When you killed Halfdragon, her advisors lost their immortality. It might be cruel, but I enjoy having conquered them. And I'm glad that you stopped her, Morpheus.”
Morpheus smiled briefly, and then he looked down at his friend and said softly: “You didn't say that you were glad I killed them, though.”
“Death isn't a punishment.” The skeleton looked up with a chuckle, and then he added finally: “And at the same time... maybe death is too much. It's been strange, getting to know these ponies in Ponyville and Canterlot... seeing how they can change and adapt. It's strange to walk through the streets of a city that knows we're supposed to be the enemy, and yet they don't attack us.”
“Well, they fear us, that's all.” Morpheus said comfortably, brushing at himself before he added moodily: “Although it would be nice if they didn't close all their doors to us, too. Here I am, willing to pretend to follow their rules and pay them good money, and they won't let me in. Then I have to smash down the door and steal everything in the shop.”
Toad snorted at this, then dropped back into his aquarium with a splash, even as he said with amusement: “Yeah, and how often do you screw that up, boss? You can't fly very well as it is. You end up careening into buildings and dropping all the stuff you've stolen on the way.”
Morpheus huffed at this, scowling and opening his mouth... and then he blinked dumbly and looked up in surprise as there was a loud chime. He frowned a little, then brushed himself hurriedly off before straightening and neatening himself out, calling calmly: “Enter the sanctum of darkness!”
“That's downstairs. This is just the throne room.” Antecedes muttered, and Morpheus slowly scowled down at the skeleton, even as the doors opened and a goblin in a ragged little suit hurried inside, wheezing and saluting awkwardly.
“Lord Morpheus, sir, I... visitor, strange visitor!” wheezed the goblin, gesturing behind himself and looking more than a little frightened... which made Morpheus feel uneasy as he leaned down, tilting his head. After all, usually his goblin servants were nervous or anxious, but never really... afraid. “Well, she's with Lady Throna... but she's scary! Strange and scary!”
Morpheus only huffed at this, waving a hoof as he relaxed a little. “Well, bring Throna in so she can introduce her friend properly. I'm sure that it can't be anyone that bad, Throna is nothing but a childish pushover who knows her place, after all.”
Antecedes looked meditatively up at Morpheus as the goblin skittered off, and then the skeleton said dryly: “You know this is likely in response to your last letter. And for all you know, perhaps she's found another Draekin. We know she sent out envoys to scout out her home nation.”
“You and everyone else I've spoken to have all told me that the Draekin nation was destroyed, though.” Morpheus replied mildly, tilting his head pointedly towards the skeleton before he gestured airily at him. “You worry far too much, that's what I think.”
Antecedes sighed tiredly at this, shaking his head slowly, and Toad looked warily up from his aquarium, asking uneasily: “Boss, uh... you sure you want to go underestimating her and all? I mean, I get it, Throna ain't exactly like her big sister. But that doesn't change the fact that she's still a Draekin. And they seem to live pretty much forever.”
Morpheus only sniffed disdainfully, resting back in his throne and tenting his hooves... then smiling as the doors opened and Throna was led inside, alone, by his goblin servant. “Excellent, so glad you could arrive so promptly... my friends here and I were just discussing you. I was reminding them that you know your place, don't you, Throna? Firmly hiding with all your other goody-two-hoof friends, away from the might and wrath of my terrible, ultimate evil.”
“That is in part what I came to talk to you about, Lord Moonflower.” Throna replied easily, and Morpheus scowled at her even as he sat up a bit, tilting his head almost uncertainly. “What would you do if I told you a much more dire threat has come to Equestria? Something... far more evil, far more powerful than you?”
Morpheus snorted in amusement, and then he sat back and grinned widely, dropping his forelegs on the throne and saying easily: “Throna, dear, I've already proven that I'm more powerful than any pony in Equestria. Furthermore, while it amuses me when 'new villains' crop up, you know that I have no interest whatsoever in sharing territory. What did I say to that witch that came by? Oh, yes. 'Good or evil, this is my country. And you will suffer the full wrath of my awesome might if you do anything that interferes with it.'”
Throna simply smiled wryly at this, and then she said pleasantly: “Then I assume that you would be willing to test your strength against this new evil that's come to Equestria? She's very powerful, though, I must warn you. She makes you look... well, I don't want to say 'weak...'”
Morpheus scowled darkly at this, crossing his forelegs before he snapped: “There is nothing in the entire universe that can make me look weak! I am the most powerful being in the world! I am a god of darkness! I am... I am the king of my dark and terrible and homosexual domain!”
“Oh, will you please stop dragging the fact you're gay into it? Honestly, Moony, no one cares anymore.” Toad groaned, leaning up and adding flatly: “Or are you still insulted that the Canterlot gay pride parade wouldn't let you join in?”
“They are not truly gay! Their rainbows and sashes and fruity uniforms are not a symbol of the true evil that homosexuality is all about!” Morpheus snapped crankily, and then he huffed a bit and crossed his forelegs, muttering: “I didn't want to be part of their stupid parade anyway. And if I really wanted a baton or sash I'd just... take it from one of those silly dancers.”
Throna cleared her throat loudly, and then she said pointedly, dragging Morpheus back on topic: “It might be true that you are very powerful, Moonflower. Perhaps you even are the largest fish in our little pond, as you like to say. But the universe is a very big place, and as I've learned, there are things out there that make even a marlin like you look like a minnow.”
“What's a marlin?” asked the winged unicorn dumbly, and then he cleared his throat and crossed his forelegs, adding hurriedly: “I... know that it's a fish of course. Probably a shirk. There is nothing greater in the sea than shirks, after all, and...  even in the ocean of the universe, I am the most dangerous and powerful of all fish.”
“Shark. And it's not. It's more like a swordfish.” Antecedes corrected, glancing over his shoulder at Morpheus.
“That's what I said. What did you think I said? I said shirk.” Morpheus argued, completely oblivious. Antecedes only sighed, and the stallion scowled at the skeleton before he huffed and turned his eyes forwards, saying grouchily: “But enough of your silly metaphors, Throna. Evil does not have time to waste, unless it is good's time that... evil is wasting. Because it has nothing else to do. So. Show me this... 'greater evil.'”
Throna smiled slightly at this, then she glanced over her shoulder and called clearly: “Queen Hecate!”
Morpheus scowled at this... then paled slightly as the double doors to his throne room were smashed open and a massive figure strode slowly inside, ducking under the archway. It was enormous, with a steel body that stood on two legs ending in massive, metal hooves, arms crossed in front of a chest literally chiseled and sculpted from hard metal. But the head that sat atop its shoulders was flesh-and-blood: a pony's face, with pale white hide and sunken, dark sockets, a mane of living electricity and thick black cable floating ominously around her features as a single, steel-sheathed horn gleamed dangerously from her forehead.
Morpheus slowly swallowed as Antecedes stared, and Toad whistled slowly as he leaned over the wall of his aquarium before he said almost admiringly: “Dude. You are so completely screwed.”
“I... well, this is quite a surprise, Throna, you've... manufactured a golem! This is a Draekin design, I expect, yes? No wonder it looks so fearsome.” Morpheus said awkwardly, and then he cleared his throat quickly before adding hurriedly: “Not that I'm afraid at all of this... thing. It's nothing but an animated hunk of metal, after all, nothing that can compare with my-”
“I don't like practical jokes.” Hecate said moodily, and Morpheus' jaw dropped as the mechanical creature turned away from him to glare down at Throna. “I was informed that something of great, incredible power managed to make this entire world blink out of existence for a few minutes. I find it hard to believe that this is the being that pulled it off.”
Morpheus mouthed wordlessly as Throna scowled up at Hecate, stomping one nubby hoof as she replied grumpily: “Well, it's true!” She stopped, then smiled awkwardly when the metallic creature glared down at her, swallowing her childish pique and instead saying finally: “He's... eccentric. And he's not very bright. But he's stubborn and powerful.”
“I... I am the greatest evil that Equestria has ever known! I am the scourge of this country, and I am not about to allow some other false terror to take my place!” Morpheus snapped, but he sounded much more confident than he felt, his legs visibly wobbling even as he forced himself out of his throne to storm off the dais and towards the enormous machine-pony. “Now you just... pick yourself up and leave, do you hear me? Don't force me to bring my powers of darkness to your doorstep, to unleash upon you the same force that killed Celestia!”
Hecate gave a strange, thin smile at this, and then Throna leaned forwards and said awkwardly: “She knows about my sister, Moonflower.”
“Oh. Uh. Well then.” Morpheus halted in front of the mechanical mare, then he looked uncomfortably up at her, saying uneasily: “You're... female?”
“Yes.” Hecate said moodily, and then she rose one claw, a faint glow emanating from her steel-sheathed horn before before several enormous, illusionary walls appeared around her. Morpheus stared at these, then he squawked and flailed violently when a searing light passed over him... before gaping in shock as images of him appeared on these magical, floating screens with a scrawl of runes and numbers. “Interesting...”
“I've never seen an analysis spell so advanced. It must work in conjunction with the technology of your body armor.” Antecedes said thoughtfully as he strode forwards, studying the images intently. “Those runes are not Equestrian in origin...”
Hecate only smiled thinly again, and then she glanced at Throna and questioned casually: “Are you sure that he isn't the one who was pulling the strings all along? He seems to be the more intelligent between the two.”
“Hey, the boss is plenty intelligent!” snapped a voice, and Morpheus yelped as Hecate's eyes flicked down with only the slightest hint of surprise to the earth pony now standing beside Morpheus. “He is honorable, strong, and has cojones like a dragon! A big dragon! Big!”
Hecate scowled slightly, then she returned her eyes to her screen, one claw flicking over the image and causing it to change as she muttered: “There is a thin line between bravery and stupidity. And neither side meshes very well with intellect. But still, he is a winged unicorn... and I suppose he might have a place in my plans yet.”
Morpheus scowled at this, then he stomped one hoof as he shook himself out, saying sourly: “Okay, I've had enough of this nonsense. You may be large and metally, Queen He-Cat, but I doubt your magical prowess is anything compared to my divine power!”
Morpheus snapped his horn to the side, and Hecate grimaced as black lightning sizzled over her armor and her screens whiffed out of existence. The stallion grinned immediately up at her as Neato Burrito cheered, and Antecedes and Throna both shifted uneasily... and then all eyes stared as Hecate simply stepped forwards and punted Morpheus across the room, the stallion rocketing backwards to slam squarely into his throne.
He twitched weakly in his seat, then shook his head hurriedly out before attempting to pose in his throne, forcing a grin despite the fact his chest was already clearly starting to purple as he rasped out: “I see that... you feel you have no choice but to resort to barbarian physical methods in answer to my... majestic powers. But I feel I must warn you, that... I will be forced to retaliate if-”
Hecate began to walk calmly towards him, and Morpheus squeaked and panicked for a moment before hurriedly sitting up as his horn glowed blackly, gritting his teeth before he snapped the spire sharply forwards, sending a black fireball hammering into the mare's steel chest. It struck with enough force to make the goliath stagger with a grunt of surprise, glancing down at her seared armor before she absently brushed a bit of char away, looking surprised as Morpheus shouted: “And that is only a sample of my power! The power that once destroyed this world!”
“You're stronger than I expected. You almost pierced the protective layer. That would require at least six thousand bæns of energy.” Hecate crossed her metal arms, looking meditatively down at him before she said calmly: “I'm here because I lead an organization gathering people from different worlds for a special project. A task force, so to speak. From what the half-dragon has told me, you're a nuisance and an idiot, but you're not a threat to the worlds, in spite of your earlier actions.
“All the same, what you've done hasn't gone unnoticed. Certain interested parties would like to see you punished or imprisoned, even if I've been informed that the tool you used to make this entire world vanish has already been disenchanted.” Hecate gestured towards him. “So really, you don't have a choice in the matter. You can quietly come with me, or I can force you to come with me.”
“What? No! I'm... this is my world!” Morpheus blurted, glaring furiously up at the mare and shaking his head vehemently. “And we all make mistakes and... really, is it such a big deal that I destroyed the world? In the long run it's benefited everybody! Those idiots should be thankful that such a benevolent evil like me exists!”
Antecedes sighed, and Neato Burrito shrugged amiably before the earth pony remarked positively: “The boss kind of has a point, lady. Señor Morpheus did good. I mean. Well. He did great evil, I mean, but it also was good, even if... evil. I do not ever doubt that you are the Emperor of Evil, Señor Morpheus, I mean no disrespect!”
Morpheus sighed tiredly, while Throna stepped forwards with a frown, saying almost worriedly: “Queen Hecate, I... Morpheus serves a purpose here in Equestria. He brings balance-”
“One pony alone does not bring balance.” Hecate said distastefully, and then she scowled down at Throna. “Consider this a free lesson. We all pay the price for our crimes eventually. And we all have to atone, whether we like it or not. Redemption doesn't come with a single act of fixing what you broke in the first place, as nice as that would be.”
“Well, I'm... I will not go without a fight, Queen Hecate! And no matter how fearsome you may look, I defeated the Killing Light, the most dangerous, terrible, violent, cruel...” Morpheus awkwardly came to a halt, then he smiled lamely at Throna as the Draekin mare glared at him. “Uh. Well, she was... very strong.”
Hecate rolled her eyes at this, and then she pointed at Morpheus and said coldly: “I'll make it very simple for you. You're going to come with me. Because of you, the functionality of my Orphanage has been called into question. So you are going to come with me and explain how you managed to make an entire world vanish, and then why this is not going to occur again, and how you can help us ensure that this set of events does not repeat on any other worlds.”
“Orphanage? You look after foals?” asked the winged unicorn dubiously, and Hecate rolled her eyes before Morpheus huffed and leapt out of his seat, grimacing only slightly at the pain that ran through his bruised chest as he snapped: “But I refuse to leave, or to be judged by... an evil council of evil or any force of good or... anyone else, for that matter! I am Morpheus, God of Darkness and Nightmares, and you will-”
Hecate strode forwards and reached down before Morpheus could react, yanking him into the air by his horn, and Morpheus whimpered and flailed wildly in all directions... then squealed and convulsed violently as electricity sizzled and crackled down the mechanical mare's arm and over his entire body, Neato Burrito and Throna both wincing away as Antecedes dropped his face in a hoof.
Then Hecate simply dropped Morpheus, the stallion landing in a smoldering heap on the ground and twitching a bit before he coughed smoke, then forced his head to rise as he slurred out: “That's... that's a good try but... y-you just wait 'til... I...”
He blinked dumbly as he realized there was something hovering over him... and then even Antecedes winced away as Hecate stomped on him. Then again. And again and again and again and again and again, looking irritably down at the stallion as she continued to squash him under one hoof until Throna blurted out: “Stop, he's had enough!”
“Well, I haven't.” Hecate said sourly as she stomped the stallion a few more times, then finally drew her metal hoof back, crossing her arms and glaring down at the winged unicorn. The force of her stomps had actually crushed him partway down through the stone dais... or at least, stone-plated dais, he saw now. The inside was mostly cheap wood, and for once the stallion was glad his stupid goblin minions were always cheating and cutting costs to get things put together faster...
He wheezed a little, then whimpered as Hecate grabbed the back of his neck and tore him free from the crushed stage, immediately covering his head and howling: “Oh god, not in the face! Not in my pretty face!”
Hecate rolled her eyes and slapped his forelegs aside, and then she shook him roughly once before asking menacingly: “Are you going to do what I say?”
“Yes, yes! Okay, you win!” Morpheus wheezed, nodding violently before he trembled a bit, then looked past the mechanical mare at the people who were all staring up at him... helplessly, he thought. And he hated how helpless they looked, as he whispered before he could stop himself: “I'd just started to be happy, though...”
Hecate sighed tiredly, then she half-turned and flung him irritably to the ground in front of Antecedes, Neato Burrito, and Throna, the mechanical mare saying flatly: “I have no patience for crybabies. Hurry up and say your goodbyes, Morpheus. Then we'll go to the Orphanage, a place for... other ponies like you.”
Morpheus dropped his head silently as he picked himself slowly up, then he glanced over his shoulder... but his whole body was shivering in pain, and he was very well aware that Hecate hadn't even had to try to put him in this much agony. Throna had been right... he was a big fish here, but apparently that meant very little in the grand scheme of things.
“I'm sorry, Moonflower. I... I didn't mean for this to happen. Please believe that.” Throna said quietly, and the stallion gave a brief smile to her before she lowered her head and laughed a little. “Princess Luna will miss you, too... you... kept things interesting.”
“I... I know. But...” Morpheus halted, looking uneasily over his shoulder at Hecate before he sighed and smiled faintly, turning his eyes towards Antecedes. “I know you're all nice these days and all that, my friend, but... you'll keep things going, won't you?”
“Not as well as you always did, perhaps, but I'll do my best, Moonflower.” Antecedes replied softly, and then he hesitated before holding up a hoof.
Morpheus smiled as he took it and shook it firmly, then he turned his eyes towards Neato Burito, who was rubbing at his glaring eyes as his lower lip trembled, struggling to contain himself before he simply burst into tears and flung himself forwards to hug the winged unicorn fiercely. Morpheus groaned in agony, but then he awkwardly reached up and patted the little stallion on the back a few times, mumbling: “It'll... it'll be all right, Neato Burrito. You just... take care.”
Neato blubbered some response as he pulled back, then he sat down and rubbed miserably at his eyes. Morpheus smiled at him awkwardly, then glanced down curiously as Toad hopped up beside him, the amphibian looking up at him before he said awkwardly: “Hey, uh, boss, we've... we've been through a lot together and... well. If you don't mind... I think I'll come with you. No offense, guys, but... Moony's kind of family and all.”
Morpheus glanced over his shoulder at Hecate, and the mare sighed tiredly before she gave a brief nod, muttering: “Why not? And if it'll get you all to stop whimpering, he'll be allowed to return after he makes amends for his past actions.”
The stallion looked up hopefully at this, and then he gave a brief laugh before murmuring: “Thank you, Hecate...” He stopped, then puffed up his chest, turning towards her and adding almost mockingly: “Of course, if you'd be more willing to just explain things instead of continuing to make surprise attacks in order to try and establish how much stronger-”
Hecate pointed at him, and Morpheus squealed in agony as electricity zapped over his body, jittering wildly back and forth before he flopped to the ground in a semi-conscious heap. Toad winced away from the sparking stallion's body, and then he made a sound of disgust as he hopped backwards, complaining: “Oh gross, I think you made him pee himself.”
“Wonderful.” Hecate muttered, and the mechanical mare shook her head in disgust before she strode forwards and hefted the winged unicorn up by the scruff of his neck. Then she turned a dark look over the other three as Toad awkwardly hopped up to cling to Morpheus' mane, the mechanical mare pointing at them and threatening: “If anything like this ever happens again, I will return, and I will not be nearly as kind as I have here.”
With that, Hecate turned and simply rose her free claw, and the earth pony, skeleton, and Draekin stared in amazement as a portal swirled into being. Without hesitation, Hecate strode into this vortex and vanished into it, along with Morpheus and Toad.
And only a moment later, the portal vanished, leaving the three standing silently for a few moments in Morpheus' throne room before Neato Burrito asked quietly: “Do you think... Señor Morpheus, is he gonna be okay?”
“I'm sure he will. As long as he keeps his mouth shut around Hecate... he'll be fine. Moonflower's always found a way out of any of the trouble he ever got himself into...” Antecedes shook his head wryly. “He'll wiggle his way out of this, too. And he might even enjoy the challenge.”
Neato Burrito nodded: slowly at first, but then it picked up into a fierce bobbing before he shouted: “Right! That's right! Nothing can keep Señor Morpheus down, not nothing! And while he is gone, we shall continue his work, right?”
Throna smiled briefly at this, shaking her head slowly before she said softly: “Good. Hecate... Hecate does at least seem to have a vested interest in protecting us. 'All of us,' she said to me: she explained that there were many parallel worlds to our own, but wouldn't go into great detail about it. And she mentioned her Orphanage, too... she said she was gathering people who had nowhere else to go, and giving them training and a place to live and work as long and participate in this special army she's building. She was certainly frightening, but...”
“She looked familiar.” Antecedes said thoughtfully, and Throna nodded, the two looking at each other for few a moments before Antecedes shrugged slowly, and the Draekin smiled faintly. And since no one knew what else to say, the three only stood in quiet for a little while, turning their eyes towards the space where Hecate had simply walked away with Morpheus, and hoping silently that their eccentric friend was doing okay, wherever he had gone... and that one day, he'd return.

Twilight Sparkle sat in her private room at Canterlot Castle, quietly finishing up a few notes for Princess Luna. She rubbed absently at a thin scar on her stomach: a reminder of what Stronghold Halfdragon had done to her, and a reminder of why blind loyalty and love were such dangerous things.
To this day, she still felt that some part of Stronghold had loved her. And part of her refused to believe that it had been a Draekin all along, not... Celestia. She had thought she'd known the real Princess Celestia, that she had been one of the privileged few to truly know her inside and out... but as it turned out, she hadn't really known anything at all.
The violet mare sighed quietly, then closed the book she was working on, looking down at it for a few moments before she flinched at the sound of a knock on her open door. She spun around in the chair, then blushed a bit as she saw Throna Halfdragon, the mare giving her a small smile before she said quietly: “I just wanted to check up on you.”
“Thank you, I'm... I'm fine. I'm... getting over what happened, I think. I can't forgive Morpheus, but... I also know that what happened... who Celestia really was...” Twilight looked away, biting her lip before she shook her head slowly and murmured: “I don't want to talk about it.”
“You've pulled away from everyone. Your friends, Princess Luna, myself... I understand why you might not want to talk to me, Twilight Sparkle, but I'm also the only person who can understand a little of what you're going through right now. I saw my sister turn herself into something false and bad, trying to do what was 'good' in her eyes for all the wrong reasons...” Throna smiled faintly as Twilight turned away, shaking her head shortly. “Alright. Well, if you're not busy, Princess Luna requests an audience. She wants you to help with the Tablet of Dreams. Stripping its powers was surprisingly easy, but it's proving very difficult to make it take to its new function as an archiver.”
“I'll see what I can do.” Twilight murmured, looking down and nodding once. Throna nodded briefly, then turned away... and the unicorn bit her lip for a moment before looking up and asking hesitantly: “Is... Stronghold only used good magic, didn't she?”
“There's no such thing as 'good' or 'evil' magic, Twilight Sparkle. Only what you control, and what you allow to control you. Holy magic can be as terrible as dark magic. And dark magic can bring as much hope as any 'pure' magic.” Throna said softly, looking over her shoulder and smiling faintly. “My sister believed in the teachings of the Order of the White Dragon. She served the Order of the White Dragon loyally and honorably. But she used to treat me like a child because, instead of putting my faith in what they said... I just believed in God. God and, well, Mommy too. But my sister and my mother never... entirely got along.”
There was silence for a few moments, and then Twilight Sparkle nodded briefly, and Throna chuckled before she turned away, deciding not to press the subject. She could only hope that one day, Twilight would learn to trust again... but it would be a long, hard, and painful road for her, especially if she kept turning away her friends.
But Twilight's friends would always be there for her, even if at the moment, they were trying to give her some space to work things out. For now, the five were back in Ponyville, sitting at a table outside of the most popular candy shop in all of Ponyville... with a sixth, only slightly uncomfortable guest who was only holding his mug of tea between his skeletal hooves.
Antecedes looked back and forth, and then he sighed a little before dropping his head, muttering: “If Moonflower could see me now, he'd have a laughing fit.”
“Oh, do tell us another story about that handsome stallion!” Rarity exclaimed, gesturing easily at Antecedes with a warm smile. “You have so many wonderful little tales about your adventures... I never realized that you were such a wild stallion yourself!”
“I wouldn't call it 'adventuring.' And it's not really all that thrilling when there's no risk of death.” Antecedes replied dryly, gesturing at himself pointedly. Then he sighed and shrugged a bit, adding finally: “But Moonflower has always been a magnet for trouble, that's all. Just look at how he met Neato Burrito.”
“Aye, he saved me from the most fierce of dragons! Señor Morpheus, though, he was never afraid of nothing!” shouted the earth pony's voice as he seemed to pop into being next to Antecedes. The skeleton didn't flinch, although Fluttershy squeaked and Rainbow Dash choked on her food.
Then Neato's eyes flicked sharply to the side, and he leapt across the table, knocking Applejack sprawling as he landed between her and Pinkie Pie. He dropped one elbow on the surface of the furnishing, almost glaring down at the mare as he flicked his mustache out, and Pinkie Pie gazed back up at him with something like wonder in her eyes before the stallion suddenly snatched her up and dipped her back, leaning over her and saying firmly: “Señorita. You are coming with me.”
“Okay.” Pinkie Pie said breathlessly, her eyes sparkling up at him.
“Then we go!” roared Neato Burrito, and he seized the table with one hoof and flung it to the side, sending plates and napkins and food and ponies flying in all directions. Then he tossed Pinkie over his shoulders before leaping forwards and bolting away down the street, the raucous laughter of the stallion and the giggling of the mare slowly fading into the distance.
Antecedes rolled his eyes, sipping at his tea as the remaining mares picked themselves slowly up, and then he carefully slipped out of his seat and put the cup down on the chair, saying mildly: “As nice as it's been, girls, I have to go to Canterlot now. Would you like me to pass on any messages to Twilight Sparkle while I'm there?”
The four mares looked between themselves, and then Rainbow Dash smiled a little and shook her head, saying finally: “Nah, we gotta let her come around on her own time, right guys? And... hey, don't go abandoning us just because you don't wanna help clean up this mess.”
Antecedes looked at her dourly, then he simply flicked his horn, and all four mares stared as the table immediately righted itself and the plates, food, and utensils all flew back into place, broken porcelain mending itself and candy and drinks rearranging themselves as neatly as possible. Then the skeleton turned away, asking himself why he bothered with these ponies...
“Thank you, Mister Antecedes.” murmured Fluttershy quietly, and the skeleton glanced over his shoulder as the crimson glow in his eyes softened, the question answered for him before it could even be fully processed in his mind.
Maybe ponies weren't so bad after all. He just hoped that one day, Moonflower would be able to come back and see for himself the impact he'd had... and that even evil ponies like them didn't have to be villains all the time.