Tag’s eyes opened slowly, his room was still dark. Why can I never get a full night of sleep? He moaned silently to himself. Tag got up and crept down the stairs; he was extra quiet when passing Tor’s room. Tag opened the front door and stepped out into the street. The cool night air was refreshing on his face; suddenly, Tag felt a disturbance in the force. The night grew darker and Tag could barely see his hoof in front of his face. A flash of lightning lighted up the world, and a peal of thunder soon followed. In the brief flash Tag thought he saw a chariot in the sky. The wind was picking up; the house behind Tag was starting to creak and other ponies came out of their houses to see what the commotion was. Tor came up behind Tag.
“What’s going on?” he called over the wailing winds.
“I don’t know!” Tag called back. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky. Tag could see that there was chariot and that it was descending towards them. “I don’t like this.” Tag said.
“Tag! Tor! Look out!” Tag heard Twilight call from somewhere. He felt a force push him aside just in time to avoid being obliterated by a bolt that hit the ground where he had been standing a moment sooner. Tag got to his hooves quickly and looked around; Tor was lying on the ground with a grievous wound on his leg. Twilight was just down the road coming from the direction of the library, he could also see Rarity and Pinkie Pie coming from the other direction. The ponies that were in the street a minute ago had all run back inside. In the middle of the road was the chariot he had seen moments ago and in front of it was the goddess of the moon, Princess Luna.
“Oh no…” Tag said.
“TAG AND TOR SHADOW!” Luna yelled, Tag instantly recognized the royal Canterlot voice. “I HAVE COME TO FINISH WHAT SHOULD I SHOULD HAVE FINISHED THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO!” she continued.
“Princess Luna what are you doing!?” Twilight screamed. Luna turned to her.
“I am putting an end to these abominations.” She said in her normal voice. Twilight looked at Tor on the ground; Tag was beside him trying to help but he had no idea what to do.
“Didn’t Princess Celestia tell you that they’re not evil anymore?” She demanded. Luna nodded.
“I am well aware that they have been released, but I know that Discord will do anything to get them back on his side.” She explained.
“But Discord is trapped back in Canterlot, isn’t he?” Rarity asked a she came up with Pinkie Pie.
“You would be surprised at what Discord can do from that form.” Luna said and turned back to Tag who was still trying to help Tor. “Please do not try and stop me, there is nothing that you can do. This simply just has to be done.” She said.
“I can’t let that happen.” Twilight said and stepped between Luna and Tag, Rarity and Pinkie Pie followed.
“You would stand against me? For them?” Luna asked in disbelief.
“Yeah! Tag and Tor are totally cool ponies that deserve another chance!” Pinkie said.
“I see that they have corrupted you.” Luna said.
“What are you talking about?” Rarity asked.
“Forgive me for what I am about to do then.” Luna said and lit her horn.
Tag looked up from Tor in time to see Luna pick up his friends with her magic and push them against a wall.
“Luna! Stop this!” Twilight cried; Tag could see the tears in her eyes. In the corner of his eye he could see Luna aim her horn at Tor.
“This is for Water Drop.” She said and fired off a blast of magic. Tag instinctively jumped in front of him.
“TAG!!” The three mares shrieked. Luna had a satisfied smile on her face.
The smile on her face instantly disappeared when the dust settled. Tag was standing in front of Tor. His eyes were reptilian slits and in his mouth was a knife.
“Tagia!? How did you get it?” Luna demanded. Tag’s only response was to smile devilishly. His horn started to glow slightly and he disappeared.
Luna released her grip on the three mares and focused on the spot where Tag was. She felt the force of him crash into her side. She looked up and saw Tag reveal himself. His teeth were clamped around Tagia as he pointed it at her neck. He laughed as Luna squirmed underneath him; his laugh sounded like a claw on a chalkboard. Tag pulled himself back for the thrust and Luna closed her eyes.
Nothing happened. She opened them again and saw that Tag had disappeared. She looked around and saw that Rarity had jumped on Tag and she was… kissing him? Luna blinked, they were still kissing, and she blinked again.
Tag came back to his senses slowly; the first thing he felt was a warm sensation on his lips. He opened his eyes and looked right into Rarity’s eyelids. I must be dreaming again. Tag thought. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts. He closed his eyes again and suddenly remembered. Tag’s eyes shot open. Rarity got of off him blushing like crazy. Tag was to busy looking around to notice. Twilight and Pinkie Pie were staring at them in shocked silence, and Tor was still on the ground bleeding out.
Tag rushed over to him. “Tor! Tor! Are you all right?” he looked over Tor who just smiled weakly.
“S’okay, I’ve had worsthe.” He slurred.
“It’s not okay! Come on, we have to get you to a hospital!” Tag looked desperately at Twilight.” Where’s the nearest hospital?” He demanded.
“It’s t-this way.” She said. Tag picked up Tor with his magic and motioned for her to lead. They left Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Princess Luna in the street.
----
Ponyville general was on the opposite side of town and Tor was looking pale under his silver coat. By the time they rushed into emergency care it had been 15 minutes. The nurses took Tor away leaving Tag and Twilight in the waiting room. Tag sat down in one of the chairs and Twilight sat beside him.
“I don’t suppose that now would be a good time to ask about your new necklace?” She asked. Tag gave her a strange look but felt around his neck; sure enough he felt a leather band around it.
“When did I get this?” He asked. Twilight shrugged.
“I just noticed it now, can you take it off so I can see it?” Tag felt around it for a clasp or something but he found a sharp metal object instead.
“Gack!” he cried and jumped up.
“What? What is it?” Twilight asked as she stood up. Tag turned his neck towards her so she could get a better look. She gasped.
“How did Tagia get on your neck? I thought you dropped it when Rarity tackled you…” Tag was pulling frantically at the leather strap; it felt like it was part of his skin.
“I don’t know how it got there but I would really like to get it off now.” He said giving a particularly sharp tug and yelped in pain. “It’s like it’s attached to my skin!” He said. At that moment Pinkie Pie walked in looking gloomy. If Pinkie is sad, then it can’t be good. Tag thought. He had completely forgotten Tagia for the moment
“Pinkie Pie! What’s wrong?” Twilight asked as she ran over to her friend. Pinkie looked up to meet Twilight’s eyes.
“Oh, well, Princess Luna went back to Canterlot and Rarity went home to ‘collect herself’.” Pinkie explained. OH NO! I forgot about Rarity entirely! Tag moaned mentally. “How’s Tor doing?” Pinkie asked.
“He just went in a few minutes ago so we’re not sure.” Twilight said and sat back down. “And now Tagia has stuck itself to Tag and we can’t get it off.” She said. Pinkie looked at Tag who showed her the band.
“Have you tried pulling on it?” Pinkie asked and stepped towards Tag.
“Yes, and it hurts a lot.” Tag said. One of the nurses who attended to Tor came in then.
“Tag?” She asked.
“Over here.” Tag said and trotted up to her. “Is there any news?” He asked anxiously.
“Tor has lost a lot of blood but we were able to stabilize him, his leg also sustained major damage although we could not detect any broken bones.” She explained.
“So when will he be out?” Tag asked.
“Tomorrow, would you like to see him now? He is currently resting and may be a little out of it.” She warned.
“I would like to see him, please.” Tag said and the nurse motioned for him to follow. Twilight got up to follow and Pinkie behind her.
Tor’s room was at the end of a long hallway; the nurse let them in and closed the door behind them. Tor was lying on a bed in the middle hooked up to a machine that beeped out his heart rate. Tag cringed at the sight of him. Tor’s eyes opened slowly.
“Hello, Tag.” He said quietly.
“How are you feeling?” Tag asked as he came up beside the bed. Tor looked at him for a while before answering.
“I told you, I have had worse.” He smiled.
“You’re treating this as though it was nothing!” Tag said. “For a while there I thought had lost my brother…” He continued, bowing his head. Twilight took Pinkie by the hoof and dragged her out of the room.
“Come on now, let them be.” She said and closed the door quietly.
“Do you honestly think that I would leave you?” Tor asked Tag. Tag was speechless. “I’ve only known you for about two days now; why would I ever leave? We have so much to catch up on, so much to live for. I can see it now, what you meant by letting friendship into your heart. And I have let it into mine.” Tor slowly put his hoof on his chest. Tag’s eyes filled with tears. “After experiencing friendship for myself, I don’t think I would ever want to leave.”
“I don’t think I would ever want to leave either, but that doesn’t change the fact that you nearly died!” Tag cried.
“Not so loud, please.” Tor winced.
“Sorry.” Tag mumbled. “But still.”
“Maybe you did almost lose me but don’t dwell on it. You should be thankful that I’m alive, and besides, you’ll have to earn the money for the next little while.” Tor said with a smile.
“I suppose your right. Weren’t you even a little bit scared though?” Tag asked.
“Of course I was, but fear is a good thing, it tells you when you are getting ahead of yourself and when it’s time to call it quits.” Tor explained.
“But you still saved me.” Tag said. Tor nodded.
“Fear lets you know when you are getting ahead of yourself, but that did not stop me from doing what I knew I had to.” Tor said. They sat in silence for a while; the only sound came from the machine that beeped every second.
“What happened after I was hit?” Tor asked.
“… Luna tried to kill you.” Tag said. “I did what you did; I jumped in the way and caught it head on.” Tor frowned but didn’t say anything. “When the dust settled I was my old self again, before the release. Tagia was in my jaw and… I almost killed Luna again.” Tears coursed a path down Tag’s cheeks as he spoke. “The only thing that stopped me from doing that was Rarity; she jumped and tackled me down and…. I came back to my senses.” Tag said. “After that we rushed you here.” He finished.
“You have Tagia?” Tor asked. Tag shifted his neck so that Tor could see it. “So that’s your legacy, so to speak.” He mused.
“It’s not as great as it looks; I can’t seem to get it off.” Tag said and gave it another experimental tug.
“What will the other ponies think then?” Tor asked worriedly.
“They all saw what I did to Luna; I wonder if they’ll ever look at me the same way again.” Tag shuddered at the thought. “But I’ll try to not let it get to me. I have to work tomorrow.” He said.
“I don’t know about that, it might take some time for Rarity to pull herself together.” Tor gave Tag a knowing look.
“I don’t know.” Tag said. “I just don’t know anymore.”
“Did you ever really know?” Tor asked him. “Please, I need to rest tonight and this conversation has worn me out.” Tor said. Tag looked at him for a moment before nodding and leaving the room. Twilight and Pinkie were out in the hallway, so were Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Tag noticed that Rarity was still absent.
“Are you okay, Tag?” Fluttershy asked in her small voice.
“I don’t know.” Tag said flatly.
“What I don’t know is why you would attack the Princess like that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed and shoved her muzzle in his face.
“Aw Rainbow would ya jus’ get outta his face? He’s been through and awful lot today.” Applejack said and shoved Rainbow Dash out of the way.
“No! I will not get out of the way! If he’s being a danger to everyone else then we have to do something about it.” Rainbow Dash said and pushed Applejack away. Applejack shoved back.
“Please stop, I’ll leave.” Tag said. Applejack stopped and looked at him in along with the other; Rainbow Dash just looked surprised.
“Tag, don’t go. I’m sure we can figure this out…” Twilight trailed off.
“No, Rainbow Dash has a point. If I stay another… event might occur. I don’t want to hurt anypony.” Tag said and walked towards the exit of emergency care. Applejack galloped over to him.
“Wait jus’ another gosh dar-“ Tag drew Tagia and slashed at her in one movement. He missed her face by a few centimeters.
“No, I-I can see that I am not wanted here. Tell Tor that I said goodbye.” Tag said and Galloped out of emergency care at full speed with tears rolling down his face. Applejack looked ahead in shock. The other mares were all quiet.
“RAINBOW DASH!!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?” Twilight roared. Rainbow Dash jumped back in shock.
“You saw what he did! He almost KILLED Applejack!” Rainbow Dash yelled back.
“You’re the one who told him he wasn’t wanted!” Twilight argued.
“Well he almost tried to kill the Princess, you were there.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Only because she tried to kill him and Tor!” Twilight shot back.
“I-you-he FINE!!!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Well now what do you want to do?” She asked.
“Maybe we should try and find Tag to tell him it’s okay?” Fluttershy suggested.
“Ah agree with Fluttershy.” Applejack said as she came up. “Ah can understand where he’s comin’ from.” She said.
“Where’s that?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Think about, he jus’ almost lost his brother and jus’ meetin’ him. He’s understandably shakin’ up right now.” Applejack explained.
“Oh.” The realization hit Rainbow Dash like a bullet. ”We have to find him. Oh man, I feel so horrible now!” Rainbow Dash cried and sped out the door.
“Come on girls, we have to find him!” Twilight said and led the others outside.