//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Small Rumble and Meeting New Friends (Un-Edited) // Story: Equestria's Heir of Conduits // by Akuma Kazama //------------------------------// After Nightmare Moon deflect the blast of smoke, Nightshade ran forward, leaving a smoke trail behind him, the dark Alicorn smirk and summon ethereal sword and send them towards him. Nightshade saw the swords getting near, he quickly transform into a cloud of smoke and ash, speeding forward and dodging the swords, Nightmare send more to try and get him, but he kept on transforming in a cloud of smoke and ash, dodging them left and right, once near, he focus smoke and ash on he's feet and hands, quickly launching himself into the air, dodging a few more swords. He extended his arms down, shooting smoke and fire out of his hands, also giving him a slight boost, gaining more height and hover over Nightmare Moon. Nightmare look slightly impressive "not bad, young stallion" she said with a dark grin, she launch an energy blast at him, but let see you try to dodge this! she said, but Nightshade just smirk and burst into a cloud of smoke/ash going through the blast, once he was near, he added energy to his right fist with smoke and ash, he launch his fist toward her, but in the last second Nightmare Moon activated a magic shield, both attacks collide causing a small shockwave of power. The small crowd of ponies in Town Hall, including six mares, we're in shock and awe "how does he do that?" whisper the purple coat mare unicorn in awe. Nightmare Moon smirks and expended her shield, pushing Nightshade away and making him crash into a wall, Nightshade grunted in pain, but looks towards Nightmare "I got to say that thy can fight well, how about thou join us?" she ask extending her arm towards him, Nightshade slowly got out off the wall, landing on the floor on his feet, he wipe a bit of blood from his mouth and extend his arm to a vent, absorbing some smoke "sorry, but no" was is only reply, running at the dark Alicorn with smoke/ash on his arms. Nightmare Moon gave a disappointment sigh "shame, you could have been a fine warrior" she said and cast another blast of magic at him, to which he dodge it again turning into a smoke cloud. Nightshade kept on turning into a smoke cloud, dodging her attacks "come on, honey is that all you got" he ask with a mocking tone, he focus smoke in his hand and throws a condensed ball of smoke at her, she grab it with her magic "is that all you got" she asks with a mocking tone, till the smoke bomb exploded and covering her smoke, causing her to cough and let her guard down. Nightshade ran at her and quickly smoke dashes at her, once he was near, he lash out a right hook with smoke and ember around the fist, that connected follow by a left hook and then a reverse roundhouse kick, but the Alicorn was able to react quick and block the kick "impressive again young stallion, but not good enough" she said and grab his, spinning him around and threw him towards a wall, hard. Nightshade quickly smoke dash forward, once more catching her off guard and grab her arms for a grapple, but to both their shock and sudden pain, a dark blue energy started to flow from Nightmare Moon to Nightshade. Nightshade try his hardest to let go, but couldn't, soon visions/memories of a another Alicorn appear on his mind, he could feel the sadness, loneliness and pain in each vision/memory, Nightmare Moon horn glow and fires a magic blast at him, pushing off and into a wall hard, his vision slowly darkens, the last thing he saw was the orange coat mare with a cowboy hat run towards him with another one with a pink coat, and the Mayor screaming to grab her at the guards for the whereabouts of the Princess, soon after just the sweet embrace of darkness. -Few hours later- Nightshade could hear voices around him, all sounded worry and one excited, he couldn't make his eyes open, so he stood still for a second and focus on hearing. "Do you think he's okay?" said a quiet female voice, there was some shuffling around, he decided to wake up, with a grunt, he slowly got up, getting a few gasps, a hand was place on his chest "woah there pardner, ya got to rest" said a female southern voice. Nightshade just grunts and pushes up "can't....." he opens his eyes to see himself surrounded by six mares and a dragoness, he looks at the dragoness first, she look to be at her late teen, she had purple scales with spiky green scales, she wore a green tank top that matches her green eyes and also shows her impressive C-cup breast, a pair of denim jeans as well with green converse. The second was a unicorn mare and had a light purple coat with a darker purple mane and tail with a bright fuchsia strip in it. She wore a white blouse that show her C-cup beast, under a purple jacket with a matching skirt that shows her slender curves as well, they also stopped at mid thigh of her, she had a pair of long socks with a pair of school shoes on. The third mare to her left was also a unicorn only she was pure white and had a purple mane and tail. Her attire was by far the most unsuitable for the situation at hand considering she was wearing a white dress that stopped just above where ankles would be and her dress also hugged her impressive DD-cup breast, Nightshade had to use his willpower to not stare. He still had to say she looked good in that dress though, plus a pair of white high heels with the ropes wrapping up to below her knees. Another one of the mares stood out as well since she had the weirdest mane color he had seen of ponykind yet. Her mane and tail looked like a rainbow and she had a cyan coat. Her attire consisted of a jean jacket over a white t-shirt that hug her B to C-cup breast, while she had on a pair of athletic shorts with a pair of rainbow converse 'fitting' he thought, while inspecting the rest. The next one in the lineup was what I could only assume was a farm mare if her stetson was anything to go by. She had an orange coat with a blonde mane and tail. She wore a button up plaid shirt that was tied off so it displayed her toned stomach and ample D-cup breast 'is she wearing a bra?' he thought to himself, since he had a perfect view, but couldn't tell. Her bottom's consisted of a pair of tight denim shorts and a pair of cowgirl boots. Then came a bouncing ball of pink energy, she was completely pink save for her mane and tail being only a few shades darker. She wore a tight tie dye shirt that complimented her D-cup breast nicely with a pair of skinny jeans with some light blue converse. The last mares appearance was hard to judge since she tried to hide herself in her excessively long mane. She had a butterscotch coat with a light pink mane and tail. She wore a green turtleneck sweater that hug her impressive DD-cup breast, almost E size with a white skirt that stopped at her mid calf and a pair of white slippers. He blinks a few times, trying to get adjusted to the light and in time to see the orange mare put a hand on his shoulder "woah there, take it easy, you were hit hard pardner" she said with her southern accent, he just grunts in respond and looks around "smoke" he mutter weakly, they look confuse at him "smoke? why do you need smoke darling, that's bad for you" said the mare with the white coat, he just groans in respond "I need smoke....." he groans out, the purple unicorn gave him a puzzle look till she spoke "to do the trick you did at the Town hall, which was a bit impossible, how did you do that?" she ask, going into questioning, before he could speak the rainbow mane mare flew at him with a slight glare "she's right, how did you do that? are you a spy? are you with that alicorn we saw at Town Hall" she said with a glare, she was pull back by the orange mare "calm down sugarcube, remember HE fought her" she pointed out. He grunts in respond, slowly getting up and looks around, the first thing he notice was that he was in a library, he also notice he was on a couch, six mare arguing about something, he couldn't tell, he looks around till he notice a fire place make some decent smoke, he extended his arm towards the fireplace, getting the dragoness attention, since the rest we're arguing about going after Nightmare Moon, soon the smoke flew at him and dance around his arm, but he notice a slight dark glow around his arm as well, follow by his whole body, he could feel it healing him up, he let out a sigh of relief, getting the mares attention, who gasp in shock and awe seeing him do that. He sighs and got up like it was nothing and started to jump on the tip of his heels, to wake up his legs, the mare's look at him in shock, the purple unicorn soon was on his face "how did you do that? is your body made out of smoke? are you healed up already? this is impossible?" she kept saying, Nightshade roll his eyes and cover her mouth "settle down there, first how about a name?" he ask, causing the mare to blush, while the rest blush lightly, the dragoness snickers a bit. The purple Unicorn clear her throat "right sorry, my name is Twilight Sparkle and this is my number one assistant; Barbara, she's a teen dragon" she said and the dragoness waves in 'hello'. Next came the earth cowpony mare "howdy partner, mah name's Applejack" she said with a deep southern accent, then the rainbow mane mare "sup, sorry about before, am Rainbow Dash, Fastest Flier in Equestria" she said boostly, Nightshade just looks at her with a raise eyebrow. Suddenly his vision was filled with pink, pink and more pink, he leans back to see the pink mare "Hi-my-name-is-Pinkie-Pie-what's-yours?-How-did-you-do-that-smoke-thingy-are-you-a-Unicorn?-No-that-be-silly-since-you-don't-have-a-horn-hey-wanna-be...." her one long sentence was cut short by the white fur mare, covering her mouth "sorry Darling, she's get a bit, exciting from time to time, am Rarity and I must say, your clothing is very....unique" said the now known Rarity will letting go of Pinkie Pie's mouth. Nightshade looks at them amusingly, but smiles at them in respond, getting a light blush from both of them, he turns around and looks at the last mare, who was hiding behind her mane "and what's your name?" he ask her, she longs at him shyly "am Flutters...." she said a bit quietly, but since he was a Conduit, he had a bit of super hearing, so he nodded at her, giving her a gently smile "well is nice to meet you all, am Nightshade and I know your gonna ask, especially Twilight, what I am is a being that went extinct for years, yet am the only one left, what my kind are call Conduits or to be specific, beings with powers" he said to them. And we that Twilight went wide eyed and got way too close to him "your a Conduit!?!?!" she squeal with excitement, forgetting about Nightmare Moon, Nightshade jerks his head back and away from her's "hey, personal space" he said a bit uncomfortable, Twilight not noticing and was still in her scientist mode, leans forward towards him. Before Twilight could move any further, Barbara grabbed her by her tail and pulls her away "Twilight your getting a bit too close, almost about to kiss him" she said with a slight tease on her voice, causing Twilight to blush, soon later the girls all started to look for a book on Elements on Harmony, while Nightshade was absorbing some smoke to heal, but when he absorb too much, he suddenly had one of those flash of the memory as he held his head in pain, but of the different mare, she looks like she was looking at him "please...." she said, as tears stream down her face "help me, please...." she whimpers softly and suddenly the vision vanish. As soon as the vision came, it left and he looks out the window towards a dark forest, feeling the slight presence of the link of the vision coming from the forest, he was about to speak up, he heard they girls gasp and said together, although Twilight voice sounded curious while the rest sounded in fear, beside Barbara, who was at his side when he had his slight headache, Barbara looks concern at him "hey, you okay? do you need to sit down?" she ask, he shook his head and points towards the forest, while the girls kept fighting, he moves and smirks lightly at her and with a wink, he smoke dash through the fireplace and up the chimney, heading back to his house for a change of clothes. Nightshade flew up high into the night sky, looking like a shadowy figure flying to his new house, once near, he quickly smoke dash into his own chimney, entering his home and quickly went towards his room, while unbuttoning his shirt. Meanwhile the girls were on their way to the forest or as Twilight discover it, the Everfree Forest, she try to convince them to let her do it alone, but they decline and continue to follow her and Barbara, but before they could continue arguing, a yawn interrupted them, they look for the source and found Nightshade, with the outfit he came into town with, sitting on a branch, looking at them with a grin "how about we stop discussion this and do something about?" he ask them, a silence filled the area around them, till each one slowly nodded and walks forward with Twilight letting out a sigh and Barbara a giggle at her, all the while Nightshade gave a slight smirk as he tilts his head towards the forest, the vision still fresh on his mind 'hang out, we're coming' was all he thought as he got off the branch and join the girls into the Everfree Forest.