//------------------------------// // The Wrath Within // Story: A Ray of Dusk // by AlphatheGriffin17 //------------------------------// While Dusk was used to Luna’s hooves on teaching, he had to admit she was really pushing him tonight. Now that he had learned most of the basics of interacting in the dreamscape, she had moved on to teaching him how to protect his mind from possible mental attacks. A way she did it that she taught him was to create a mental avatar that he could picture easily in his mind in order to protect his thoughts. “So, it’s like a Persona?” he asked. “As in, I can present an aspect of my character to shield me?” “I’ve no idea what you are referring to. But if you like, then yes,” she answered curtly. “Come then. Let us see the strength of your character.” Dusk had chosen to manifest his chivalrous side, represented as a great knight in modest grey armour. He carried a rapier levitated by magic and a buckler shield adorned with Dusk’s cutie mark. Luna manifested an armoured form as well, almost a less malevolent looking Nightmare Moon. Her fur wasn’t as dark and her eyes weren’t slits. She looked more gentle, but just as fierce, as Dusk discovered. They clashed ferociously in mental battle, the knight crossing blades with Luna’s twin scythes, Waxing and Waning Crescent. But the battles barely lasted a minute. Luna fought with such intensity that she overpowered his warrior in mere moments. Every time, she grew more and more terse with him, snapping to give her a proper challenge and berating him heavily when he lost. It was like when they first started their lessons all over again. After five consecutive losses and Luna on the verge of shouting, Dusk was exhausted. But all the while, he had a feeling there was something bothering her that was beyond his performance in their lesson and chose now to confront her about it. “Dusk! Why do you insist on disappointing m-?” “Perhaps I wouldn’t be, if you weren’t just using me to vent your frustrations!” he cut off sharply. “How dare you?!” she demanded. “How dare you speak with such insolence to me, your teacher and princess?!” “And how dare you seem to be treating me like a training dummy?!” he retorted. He took a gentler tone. “Please, if something is bothering you, you know you can talk to me about it.” “There is nothing…!” She stopped. She finally seemed to realise what had come over and sighed. “No. That is a lie. I am… sorry, my friend. You are right. I’ve been most unfair to you.” “I’ll forgive you that, if you talk to me about what’s perturbed you.” But he remembered a few days ago when she was in a similar mood and came to a conclusion. “It’s Discord, isn’t it?” “‘Tis,” she growled. “That conniving, snake tongued trickster. I still cannot understand my sister’s reasoning for wishing him released.” “A few of us are of the same mind,” nodded Dusk. “You’ve been having problems with him too?” “To put it mildly. He came to my chambers when I was recuperating, behaving in that twisted manner he does. I made it clear to him that I didn’t trust him and would be watching him very closely. Then, things started to happen.” Her anger flared. “He turned my crown into liquorice, stuffed my mattress with rock candy and turned poor Tiberius’s cushion in his basket to jelly, to name but a few! My sister tells me I should try and be more amicable towards him, but she asks the impossible! With this, on top of what he’s had a hoof in doing to you and I and our friends…!” “He’s trying to rile you up. He does the same with all of us, except Fluttershy. Just try not to let it get to you, otherwise you’ll just give him what he wants,” advised Dusk. “That is easier said than done.” She groaned. “Were I still in control of the Elements with my sister, I would see to it that he’s still being used as a pigeon lavatory right now.” “If she would agree to.” Dusk decided to take the opportunity to ask. “Luna, could I make a request?” She nodded. “I want to visit Ray in his dreams tonight.” He explained the situation to her and after a few moments of consideration, she approved. “After my unfair treatment of you, this is the least I can do to make it up. But on one condition,” she added. “I will accompany you.” “Okay. I would prefer you to come since you’re more experienced in dream walking, but can I ask why?” “For something I’ve relented doing for a while, out of fear if nothing else,” she admitted. “Even after the incident of the changeling invasion, I feel my sister is still concealing information about the Beast she locked away inside him. I wish to see what I may learn on my own about the nature of the creature, and doing so within Ray’s subconscious would be the best way to go about it.” “Luna, are you sure that’s wise?” asked Dusk. “My sister continues to keep secrets from me on this matter. If I am to help combat this enemy, I must learn what I can about it. Sometimes, the direct approach is the most effective.” Dusk could see there was no dissuading her. “If you insist. Shall we away then?” Her answer was to open their minds to the vast expanse of the dreamscape and the glowing threads of the paths to everypony’s dreams. She scanned for a while, her expression set in a frown. It appeared she was having difficulty finding Ray’s dream path. “Ah, here it is!” she announced after a few minutes. “This is a rather peculiar dream, I must say.” “In what way?” asked Dusk. “I’m not completely certain. The nature of it is… strange. But regardless, we have a mission,” she said. “Come, Dusk.” Dusk took her proffered hoof and the two of them glided down the pathway into Ray’s mind, materialising in the dreamscape he resided in. It was strange. It was unlike any dream he’d ever visited, though he hadn’t visited a great deal. It had some of the same qualities, a sense of unreality. But at the same time, it felt more… grounded. Less flexible. Just as if they were in the waking world. The environment was far from pleasant. It could only be described as a medieval dungeon, one that had been neglected of any kind of care for a very long time. This was evident from the moss covered stones, the dank, musty smell and the uneven floor. Yet this dungeon was massive. It seemed possible to fit the tallest tower of Canterlot in here. The ceiling was so high it was shrouded in dark, well beyond the reach of the feeble torch light. The walls were far apart as well, with more than enough space to house the royal court two times over. Both Luna and Dusk were so caught up in examining their new surroundings that they realised they weren’t alone when the pony they’d sought made himself known. “W-what the..? Dusk? Luna?! The heck are you two doing here?!” “Just dropping by,” replied Dusk. It was rather nice to hold him in surprise for once. “I don’t suppose you’d mind making some refreshments. A cup of tea would be nice right now.” “Yes, I wouldn’t mind one myself,” agreed Luna. “Perhaps with some of those biscuits shaped like animals?” Ray looked confused for a moment. “You mean those crumpet things? I don’t… wait, forget that!” He dropped his perplexed look and took on a more serious one. As well as panicked. “Answer me, what are the two of you doing here? How did you even get here?! I’m pretty sure you’re not figments of my imagination…” “The same way we would enter any other dream,” answered Luna. Her eyes were drawn to something else. “Stars above…” Dusk looked and saw what she meant. Just next to them was a set of bars. Not surprising since this looked like a dungeon. What was surprising was their size. They were as thick as the tree trunks of the mightiest oak, stretching higher than the tallest redwood. Like the ceiling, the tops were lost in the darkness, except for when they were met with the horizontal bars. It was difficult to make out, but they seemed to form the rough shape of a door of some kind. Dusk only wondered for a brief moment about why they needed to be so big. Then, he remembered what was locked away in Ray’s head… just as he saw something looking back at them in the dark. Eyes. Red eyes. Gigantic red eyes, glowing against the darkness. So large that the eyes seemed larger than Dusk, even Luna and he would dare say Celestia herself. They leered at the two of them with an unmistakable glare of a hunter sizing up its prey. “So,” whispered Dusk, “here you are.” The eyes continued to gaze at them, unblinking. The irises burned iridescent crimson. The pupils, though thin in comparison, still seemed wide enough to suck him into a black void. Then they heard a noise. A horrible, coughing growl noise that echoed off the walls of the chamber. Beneath the eyes, another sight became visible in the darkness; the faint light reflected off of two rows of massive teeth, each long and sharp enough to impale somepony individually, as its lips evidently curled upward. Then it spoke, it’s voice a deep, rasping, guttural growl shaped into words. “Yes… here. I. Am. I must say, I am surprised. I do not believe I’ve ever gotten… extra guests.” “I imagine not.” Dusk was surprised at how easily he found himself replying to the Beast. “Well, you’re certainly… big. Bigger than I expected. You seemed… smaller when we first saw you, I mean.” Again, he heard the sound from before, no doubt coming from Wrath. The repeating, coughing noise intermingled with the sound of growling. With a start, Dusk realized it was laughter. “What you saw was not me, pony. What you saw was my power trapped within the pathetic form of this one here,” its eyes shifted to Ray for a moment. “You experienced only a fraction of what I am. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be having this… exchange.” “How dare you threaten my student, beast!” scorned Luna. But even her powerful voice seemed tiny in Wrath’s presence. “Ah yes. And here we have the younger Princess… Luna.” It turned it’s gaze ever so slightly to look at the Alicorn. It didn’t even seem to care that it had angered her. “I regret that I never got to see you as a youngling… only your weak-willed sister.” “So I have heard,” she replied tersely, maintaining her composure. “You are fortunate. Had both of us born witness to the event, your imprisonment would have come sooner.” The eyes flared. “My imprisonment came only out of arrogance on my part. Your sister was helpless then, and even now she fears me. You speak with great bravado, considering you are the weaker of the two.” “I am not-!” “Luna, please,” Dusk urged. “I don’t think we should be trying to anger it like this.” “Anger me?” The demon seemed to scoff. “I am far too amused by this turn of events to let it end so soon. And nothing this proclaimed Princess of the Night could say would do the job. But by all means, Princess Luna,” it spat out the name mockingly. “Listen to your paltry companion. Show the common sense that the thousands I slaughtered failed to.” Luna flushed with anger and seemed ready to bellow in the Canterlot voice, but Dusk managed to step in. “Now, now, there’s no need for this.” He looked up into Wrath’s eyes. “This is only our first meeting, Wrath. It would be improper for us to get off on the wrong hoof in such a way.” Wrath looked down at Dusk from within the shadows, appearing… intrigued, almost. “My, for such a diminutive example, even among mortals… you certainly have gall. Very well then. Let us be… amicable.” The sound of something large and heavy shifting across the stone floor reached their ears. At the same time, Wrath’s head moved to the side, further upwards… and then forward. A loud thud shook the floor beneath them. Then another. And another. Dusk looked up. Wrath’s head emerged from the shadows as he approached the bars, followed by its neck, front legs, and the front part of its body. Dusk could not help but stare. Its head was indeed, very reminiscent of a wolf, or canine of some sort. Its eyes rested above a long snout, with its black lips curled upward in an approximation of a feral grin. Its ears were triangular and pointed upward, alert and twitching occasionally. Its body, in addition to being appropriately massive, was also incredibly powerful in appearance; every slight movement betrayed the masses of muscles rippling beneath the outer surface. Its legs almost appeared normal for that of a canine… until they ended in giant, four-fingers hand-like claws instead of conventional paws. Each finger, thumbs included, ended in long, sharp ivory-colored nails, thin and sharper-looking that even its teeth. Perfect for skewering things. All over its body, it’s fur was dark red… the color of blood. The only exception was a coloration at the back of its neck. Dusk thought he could see the fur become black there, and it seemed to stretch further down its body, which was still concealed by the shadows. Wrath stood before them, no longer concealed, and grinned even wider. “I am the Demon Beast, Wrath. A pleasure.” Wrath’s eyes flared brighter red, and suddenly Dusk felt a familiar sensation. Pressure. Something pressing down on him from all directions. This was the feeling they’d all experienced during the end of the Changeling invasion… but it was different now. Now, there was no force. It was simply pressure. Dusk felt it both in his body and his mind. He was frozen in place. Something incredibly large and massive, crushing him beneath it, without mercy. A presence… unimaginably powerful, and full of a malevolence like he’d never known. He looked to his side and saw Luna, who seemed to be experiencing the same thing. Wrath’s eyes kept shining, his grin continuing to widen. Then, a voice broke in. “ENOUGH!” The sensation broke, and Dusk suddenly collapsed to the floor shaking, whereas Luna stumbled next to him. Ray stood before him, looking up at Wrath. “I have no idea how things work where you’re from, Wrath, but that’s not how you say ‘hi’ to somepony,” the stallion said firmly. “Oh? I simply wanted to reach out to them properly in greeting. Did I put too much power forth? Too much for their feeble mortal minds to handle?” Wrath chuckled. Luna shook her head. “What manner of magic was that?” “Something beyond us,” replied Dusk. He was still shaking off the sensation he’d felt. Ray moved over to him and helped him up. “You okay?” he asked. “I’ve felt better, but I’ll be fine,” he said. “Luna?” “I am well, my friend,” she replied. She stared up at Wrath with a new kind of awe. And fear. Despite these feelings he shared with her, Dusk felt compelled to approach the bars. He saw his warped reflection in Wrath’s eyes. “You truly are a remarkable being, Wrath,” he murmured. “It’s a shame you have to be so destructive.” Wrath’s grin seemed to falter. Its eyes narrowed. “Hmph. Flattery, now? How quickly your tone changes when faced with my visage…” “Please, don’t get me wrong.” He put on his glasses and peered at Wrath through them. “The respect I have for you as a powerful and unique magical being is far outweighed by the disgust and even anger I feel not only for the innocent lives you’ve terrorized and slaughtered, but also the personal difficulties you’ve given one of my best friends and many other close friends of mine. I’m just trying very hard not to let it show.” “Indeed. I can feel the anger rolling off of you. It is amusing.” Wrath’s grin returned. “Ah, mortals. So small, so weak, so inconsequential… yet admittedly interesting at times.” “You speak as if we’re your personal playthings,” noted Luna, approaching as well. “I suppose that body of yours is the size it is to contain a vast ego of sorts as well?” In the span of a second, one of Wrath’s claws clanged against the bars, one of its fingers reaching through and the tip of its nail stopping just a couple feet in front of Luna’s head. She flinched her head back. Wrath’s snarl filled their ears. “Impertinent…” Wrath’s eyes glowed with fury. Its claw strained against the metal bars for a dozen very long seconds before it relented and fell back, the nail moving away from Luna and back behind the bars. “You think to attempt at mocking me, Luna? You are hardly in a position to make any such references to ‘ego’. Nor, as I understand, are you yourself new to the concept of seeing this land’s inhabitants as anything other than objects of your possession… Nightmare Moon. Amazing, truly, what something so paltry as envy can do with the right push.” Luna’s confident expression became one of shame. Once again, Dusk stepped in. “That time has passed,” he said. “She’s more than made up for what she’s done and earned her freedom. The same can’t be said for you.” Dusk shook his head. “Look at you, Wrath. You’re powerful. You’re intelligent. You could use this power for so many other things, yet you choose to use it to destroy and murder. In my eyes, that’s the real loss here.” Again, Wrath’s gaze narrowed and centered on Dusk. It moved its legs to the sides and lowered its head down to the floor, on level with the rest of them, and stared at Dusk with renewed intrigue. It did not speak, however, simply watched. Dusk felt compelled to say something after a minute of silence. “You know why you’re locked away in here. You know how you could change that. I’ve seen others like you who have. Luna, King Sombra, even Dis-” He stopped. Perhaps it was wise not to mention Discord. “The point is, you have the capacity for change as much as any other living, sentient creature. So, why? Why don’t-?” “I’ve noticed something,” Wrath interrupted, like he hadn’t even been listening to Dusk. “Your aura… it seems familiar somehow. I’ve seen it somewhere before…” Suddenly its eyes widened and another laugh bounced off the walls. “Of course… impossible to forget. Your aura is very similar to that of one of the ponies I encountered who resisted me. Though yours is slightly darker. His magic was of many different lights converging into one force…” “Fore Sight?” gasped Dusk. “You know him?” asked Luna, looking just as surprised. “I know of him. I knew not his name. It was unimportant. Only that he was one of those who did this to me…” It ended on a low growl before rising back up and looking down at them. “Foolish pony. You speak to me as an equal, as though you are capable of understanding me… I am FAR beyond ANYTHING your weak mind could possibly comprehend. I am immortal, undying. You are mortal, pathetic. I am not susceptible to the weakness of heart and mind your kind displays so regularly. I am WRATH! I am permanent! I exist as I do because nature itself intends it! But you, pony… Dusk, is your name… do not dare to speak to me as though-” “Yeah yeah, evil rant, you’re invincible, unknowable, we’re all dust to be trampled on, yadda yadda yadda. Heard it all before,” Ray cut in. “Seriously, you need to work on your speeches. It’s the same thing every time with you. Only difference is the audience.” Ray looked at Dusk and Luna. “Still not entirely sure how this happened…” Wrath glared at Ray for a while. It looked like it might have been about to start yelling again. In the end, though, it simply made a very audible ‘tch’ noise and folded its… arms? It folded its arms beneath it and laid it head upon them, the rest of its body lowering into a resting position. “I won’t even bother with you… it’s pointless at the moment.” Wrath took a heavy sigh; even heavier than Dusk was used to on account of the size. “And I was so very interested… now my interest has come and gone. All of you are intruding on my rest. You will now leave me be.” “Ha! You cannot simply command us to leave on a whim!” declared Luna. “I don’t fully understand,” said Dusk. “What will we do if we don’t-?” Wrath’s eyes flared once more, but this time instead of feeling a pressure upon his mind, Dusk felt an even odder sensation. As though he were being pulled and propelled away simultaneously, but without actually moving at all. The last thing he saw of Wrath was his glowing red eyes closing before, out of nowhere, the dungeon disappeared around him. The walls, the bars, everything dissolved away like a wet painting splashed with hot water. Soon, all that was left was a blank white void. Dusk felt the sensation of a true dream return to him. Whatever state Wrath’s prison existed in on the mental plane, it appeared they had just been expelled from it. “What? What is this? What has…?” Luna looked outraged. “Insolent creature! It has the audacity to kick me, the Princess of the Night, out upon my flanks?!” “In all honesty, it could have been done in a much worse manner.” Dusk took off his glasses and stowed them away. “At least we’re unharmed.” “Yes, there is that.” She paused. “I must confess that even in its imprisoned state… it still held a fierce presence unlike any I have felt before. I can truly understand my sister’s fear of Wrath now.” “Yet you don’t seem incredibly shaken by it,” he noted. “Of course not,” she said proudly. “If my sister is fearful in their presence, at least one of us must put on a brave face.” Dusk couldn’t really tell if she was truly unshaken by their encounter with Wrath or if she was just trying to maintain her royal status. Regardless, he was comforted by it. He could definitely understand Celestia’s fear of the Beast too because, despite his curiosity of it, the depth of it he shared with her had grown after that meeting. He looked to Ray, who still appeared a little perturbed at their relatively unexplained appearance and not at all bothered by the current change of events. “I’m sorry we intruded, Ray,” he said. “After what happened today, I was worried about you and I asked Luna to take me to your dreamscape to try and talk with you. We weren’t quite expecting to walk in on that.” Ray looked uncomfortable, to say the least. “Yeeeaaahhh… sorry about Wrath. He’s always been a jerk. Part of me thought for a moment that new faces to talk to would make him ease up a bit.” He shook his head. “Nope.” “I am curious to how you are conscious of this, Ray,” voiced Luna. “Few are ever aware that they are experiencing a dream when it happens.” “Well, that’s a bit complicated. Never been too clear on it myself.” He looked around. “Uh, this is that dreamscape thing, right? You mentioned this once, Dusk.” “Yes. The place all minds unconsciously enter when they fall asleep. Luna has had a lifetime to learn to traverse it and she’s teaching me, so I’m usually more aware than the average pony.” He smiled. “I suppose that’s why you are as well.” “Well… sort of.” Ray paused and thought for a moment. “Wrath himself doesn’t really have anything to do with it, I think. See, whenever I go down to see him - as in actually see him face-to-face, not just hearing him in my mind - I do this thing where… I guess you’d call it a meditative trance? I’m loose on the details, but I basically go into my own subconscious down to where Wrath is… which I think I’m only able to do in the first place because of Wrath. I’m technically not dreaming. But I guess I also technically am. Half-and-half. But whenever I go to see Wrath, I’m fully aware and conscious, like I’m still in my own body.” “I was wondering why that place we were in didn’t feel like a dream,” said Dusk. “But why were you talking to Wrath anyway? He doesn’t seem like a pleasant conversationalist.” Ray shifted around awkwardly. “I… needed him to answer something for me. Something that’s been bothering me for a while. It’s the reason I’ve sorta been hiding away lately. And also kinda the reason I flipped on you guys earlier.” “And what, Ray Strike, was the answer you sought?” asked Luna. “...something unpleasant,” was Ray’s quiet answer. “Which is?” persisted Dusk. He took a gentler tone. “Ray, I know you might have something in your past you’d rather remain left behind. But I stand by what we said before. Whatever it is, it’s getting to you and it’s been happening since Discord came here. I don’t know if this is some part of a new plan he has or if he’s just trying to confuse your thoughts because that’s what he enjoys. Whatever it is, you can’t handle it alone. I know it’s difficult, you know I do. But please… just talk to us?” Ray looked away. He breathed deeply and muttered. “You know… I really don’t want to. But at the same time, I’m starting to think maybe I should. This thing… it feels like it’s been eating me alive, for a long time. And I know that if I don’t say anything after all this just now, I’ll never hear the end of it…” “Not unless you just decide to leave. But that was one thing we were wrong about.” He placed a hoof on Ray’s shoulder. “You won’t leave us. I know.” Ray didn’t respond to the contact. He didn’t even look up. He simply was silent for a long, tense minute. But eventually he gave his answer. “Tomorrow afternoon. Come to my house. Tell the others… I’ll tell you everything. Okay?” “Very well.” He stepped back and stood beside Luna. “See you tomorrow.” “Pleasant dreams, Ray,” wished Luna. “I will see to it personally.” Ray still didn’t look up. Except for the briefest moment before Dusk and Luna departed when his eyes flickered up. But it was so brief, Dusk was almost certain he didn’t see it. They returned to the midnight glade of Dusk and Luna’s combined dreamscape and sat down in the lush grass. The both of them were silent for a while, processing what they’d witnessed. “Looking back,” Luna murmured, “I rather wish I had withheld my curiosity.” Dusk nodded slowly. “You’re not alone there.” The silence was oppressive in Ray’s home the next day. Dusk had done as Ray requested and gathered together the girls at his home. Very quietly, he had welcomed them in. He’d reluctantly accepted a hug from Pinkie Pie and let Fluttershy sit next to him. She was now gazing at him with apprehension and sympathy, occasionally stroking the shoulder she had her left hoof wrapped around. They all were looking at him with the same level of apprehension. Rainbow looked like she was only just containing her impatience, along with Pinkie who looked ready to dart forward and give Ray another hug. Spike was fiddling with his claws sat next to Rarity who appeared very tense. Applejack easily looked the most patient of all of them, while Dusk and Twilight were directly opposite Ray in the rough circle they sat in his living room. “So,” Rainbow began, “why the change of heart?” Ray looked up solemnly. “Well, if we drop all pretenses… last night I talked to Wrath.” There were a few looks of confusion around the room, and one or two shudders even, but Ray continued. “I asked him about the issue that’s been bugging me. It may sound dumb, but really he was the only one with proper knowledge of the subject matter. The answer I got from him made sense… and I really don’t like it.” He sighed and pressed on. “I changed my mind because, at this point, I realize that continuing to hide this is only going to cause more pain for us all. I’m just… tired of it. So no more secrets.” “You jus’ take yer time, sugarcube,” said Applejack gently. “This here looks like a pretty big thing fer you.” “You have no idea…” Ray mumbled loudly enough for them to hear. “Look, I’m not going to lie. What I’m about to tell you all, you’re probably not going to like. But it’s better if I tell you this now, of my own will. And let whatever comes afterward come.” “Then we’ll deal with it when you’ve told us,” said Twilight. “Alright then…” Ray looked to the side at Fluttershy, who have him an encouraging nod. “Well, here goes… the truth is, I-” He hesitated and caught his breath. “I… I’ve…” he seemed to be shaking for some reason. Then, like ripping off a band-aid, he shouted. “I’VE KILLED BEFORE!” Everypony jumped when he announced this and remained frozen in their visages of shock, like time had come to a standstill. Even Fluttershy scrambled away from Ray and shivered, hiding behind a lock of her mane. Dusk was just as stunned as they were. He knew that Ray had a big secret, but he never expected something of this sheer magnitude. To know that the pony sat across from them, who he considered to be one of his closest friends, had committed murder… he didn’t want to believe it. Rarity was the one who spoke first after a long while. “You’ve… killed?” She sounded like she was trying to keep her usual sophisticated tone, but the tremble in her voice betrayed her fear. Ray looked down and sank further into the couch. “...I told you it was bad…” “W-Who was it?” Applejack asked, looking very shaken. “I, uh… never learned their names…” Ray said softly. “Their names?” Twilight gasped. “It… was more than one?” “...yes. Yes it was.” “Are you serious?” Rainbow’s voice was shaking, but not out of fear. “You… killed ponies and you don’t even know who they were?” “I-... yes,” Ray said defeatedly. “This was a while ago… at least five years, I think. Time sort of starts to blend together on the road. But yes.” “Five years, huh?” Her voice was rising. “Not that long ago, then.” “Depends on how you look at it. It’s been both quick and forever, in my eyes.” In a flash, she was on him. One moment, he was sat on his couch. The next, Rainbow had pinned him against the wall with her foreleg. “THAT’S ALL YOU’VE GOT TO SAY?!” she shrieked. “YOU TOOK PONIES’ LIVES AND THAT’S ALL YOU CAN SAY ABOUT IT?!” “Rainbow! Put him down!” Twilight ordered. “THE HAY I WILL!” she snapped back. “HOW CAN YOU EVEN TELL ME THAT AFTER… AFTER WHAT HE’S JUST SAID?!” “Because he deserves to have his say!” she countered. “It’s taken a lot of courage for him to even tell us this and it must be hard enough for him without you cutting off his air supply. Now, one more time or I’ll make you: Put. Him. Down!” Her horn started to glow. Rainbow seemed lax her hold on him, but kept him in place. Her glare turned to Twilight. “You wanna go a round, egghead?” she snarled. “Eggheads. Plural.” Dusk was on his hooves too and stood at her side. “I advise you to do what she says, Rainbow.” Rainbow looked at Dusk. Then at Twilight. She looked back to Ray, who wasn’t even struggling in her hold. For a long while, she looked at him. Then, she allowed him to drop back onto the couch. “Fine.” Never once taking her eyes off him, she returned to her spot. Ray was gasping for breath. Dusk started forward to help, but was stopped by Twilight. She gave him a stern look, shook her head and turned back to Ray. “Alright, Ray. Explain to us the circumstances that led to these ponies’ deaths and what your involvement was in them,” she instructed. “Please do so clearly and concisely. We’ll decide what happens afterward.” “Twilight, what do you mean by what happens?” asked Dusk. “I’m sorry to say this, Dusk, but this confession has cast a shadow of doubt on Ray. I think we can all agree that everypony is a little wary right now. I know this doesn’t seem very fair, but murder is a very serious crime and until we learn the exact nature of it and Ray’s place within it, he has to be held under scrutiny. Under the possibility that if he was capable of killing once, he may be able to do so under similar circumstances.” “But it’s not his faul-” “We don’t know that for certain and until we do, we can’t just let him carry on as normal. Especially in a major population area. If it comes down to it, he may have to be put into custody.” “You don’t mean-” “I do. Only if it comes down to it, but we have to consider the possibility. We can’t just let a murderer wander around Ponyville, we have to be objective about this.” Her expression softened a moment. “I’m sorry, but you must understand.” Dusk wanted to argue. He wanted to say she was wrong. But he couldn’t. Her reasoning was sound and her argument was well put. There was no denying everypony was on edge right now. They had to settle this and this was the only way. “Understood,” he sighed and stepped back. She gave him a sympathetic grimace and returned her attention to Ray. “Okay, Ray. First off, what was going on with you when this happened?” Ray groaned as he got back into a sitting position against the wall. He didn’t try to move back to his spot on the couch; he just stayed there on the floor and looked up. “You know, this is why I didn’t want to say anything. Because-” he stopped and coughed a bit more. “Because this is what I knew would happen. But now it’s time to come clean with it all…” His eyes looked around at them all, not hopeful or pleading or dreadful, just full of a calm acceptance. His face scrunched up for a moment as he thought. “Well… like I said, this was a while back. It had been a while since I’d left my old home. I’d stayed at a few other locations in the meantime, but never for very long. Fast-forwarding to when this all went down… well, it was when I met this pair of traders.” His eyes closed slightly. “A stallion and a mare. Both of them were older than me, married. I forget their names. Came with trying to repress the memories… but I remember being in one of those really small pit-stop type towns when I met them. Brayville, I think it was. I’d of course just stopped by there one night to rent a room. As I was leaving the next morning, I ended up coming across them loading up their cart and getting ready to head out themselves. I saw a couple things on their cart that I thought were interesting, so I went over to them and asked if I could browse.” He smiled. “They were really nice. We ended up talking. I learned they were traders, of course, and those other things. They were curious about me, a bit. Why I was travelling. I think they were more curious about my age at the time. I mean, I was still old enough to be reasonably out and about, but still.” Spike frowned. “I don’t see how that leads to you… you know, killing somepony.” “Yeah, I’m getting there Spike.” Ray rubbed his forehead. “Anyways… I may have exaggerated a bit when I told them about myself. Said I was… sort of a traveling adventurer of sorts. That I’d seek out excitement and then write about it to become a more authentic storyteller. It wasn’t that much of a lie, really. In truth, me writing and constantly finding myself in troublesome situations weren’t connected at all. I was just an adrenaline junkie.” He chuckled a bit, though it lacked a certain energy that he usually had. “Anyways, I guess that impressed them a bit. As it turned out, we were all heading out in the same direction. They’d gotten there a few days before me and had stayed longer. So once we figured that out, they offered to let me tag along with them, I guess. I didn’t see any reason not to. They were good folks. So I agreed. After that, it was actually pretty uneventful. We stayed on the road together until the next city, where they stopped off and started… you know, doing the merchant thing. I helped out a bit… guess I just felt like it. By the time they were done, they were getting ready to stay for a few days, and I was about to move on. But…” he got a faraway look in his eye. “...they asked me if I wanted to stick around. You know, keep helping out. Maybe help them out with any trouble on the road, given my lifestyle. Wouldn’t have been a big change for me either; we were all travelers. I think they also liked my company. I’m not sure why, but… I really liked them. And in the end, I decided that I’d rather keep knowing them than say goodbye. So I agreed.” “Sounds like ya saw ‘em as family,” remarked Applejack. Ray made a short laugh. “That wouldn’t have made much sense. I’d barely known them for a couple weeks.” “Carry on, please,” said Twilight. “What happened then?” “Right…” Ray looked up at the ceiling and took up the story again. “So after that… well, a few months went by. During that time, I kept traveling with them. Kept them company on the road. Helped find and sell merchandise whenever we were in a town or city. Even saved them from timber wolves once. Well… as in I distracted the things while they got away, then popped back after I’d dealt with them. That was… awkward. They chose not to ask. Anyways… as time went on, we learned about each other. Got closer, I guess. They told me more about themselves, I… didn’t share quite as much in return. I think they picked up on the fact that I don’t exactly have a cheery past and just left it. I did write more, during that time, of course. And it was pleasant. I guess I felt like I belonged, because I didn’t feel like leaving. And then…” he grimaced. “R-Ray?” It was Fluttershy who spoke. “W-W-W...What…?” She couldn’t finish. “...it was late summer,” he said, his voice now taking a darker tone. “We were on our way to the next town, same as usual. We found that the main route had been blocked off by a bunch of trees that had been knocked over by a big storm a few days prior. Too many and too big to move ourselves, and the cart couldn’t go off-road. So we were forced to double back and take a longer, alternate route. It was a cliffside path. Nothing dangerous, just a longer and slightly more inconvenient way to get to the same destination. At least, we’d thought that…” he rubbed his eyes. “About an hour along the path, we all heard something above us. It was a rockslide. And it was coming right at us. By the time we’d noticed it, it was virtually right on top of us. I didn’t have enough time to-” he stopped and looked down gravely. “... the cart was crushed beneath the rocks… and so were they. I only managed to get myself clear.” “Oh my…” Rarity gasped. “That’s awful. Simply dreadful.” “Is that what you meant?” asked Twilight. “I know that’s very horrible, but is this a case you blame yourself for their deaths and so it feels like you killed them?” “No,” he said simply. “What happened next was much more… direct.” “Oh yeah? What?” snapped Rainbow. “...after it was done, I realized I was fine. And then that the cart was not. And… I don’t know. It took a moment to process. And then it felt like part of me just… shut down. I don’t know how to describe it. The important thing is, after that… I heard voices. Coming from above. It was two stallions, at the top of the cliff face. I heard them because they were both shouting. Based on what they were saying, they were thieves, I guess. The kind that stay on roads and wait for travelers to come by so they can mug ‘em. Apparently, they caused the rockslide to block us off, but hadn’t intended to… you know. They were freaking out because of it.” “Ohh, I see.” Everypony looked at Spike. “S-Sorry. I think I get it now. It’s like some detective comics I’ve read. The bad guy can’t afford to leave any evidence or witnesses, so… a-am I right?” “Not exactly, but you have the gist of it,” Ray answered. “They didn’t seem to know that I was still alive. They just saw the wreckage and assumed the worst. Anyways, they decided to come down… loot the wreckage… and…” Ray trailed off. It seemed progressively more difficult for him to speak. “I… I was listening, but at the same time I wasn’t. I just… couldn’t stop staring at the cart. The wood splinters sticking out everywhere… the pieces of merchandise all strewn on the ground. And then… I saw one of them. The merchant couple, I mean. One of their hooves was… sticking out. So I went over and digged her out… it was the mare… she was…” his eyes were starting to tear up. “And then I saw those two, coming down. They went up to the other side of the cart and just started looking through it. And I… all I could think about was that… they did this. They were responsible. And they didn’t even seem to care. They were just… I couldn’t take it. I just felt hate. I got angry. And then…” He trailed off at the end, but they didn’t need to hear the rest. They could all imagine what happened after that. Everypony was quiet, their focus shifting between Ray and Twilight. Dusk could see her mind at work while she considered what she’d heard. “I see,” she said simply. “I’m… going to need some time to think about this. We all do, then we’ll discuss what we think should happen. Ray? If we decide that it might be safer if you were sent back to Canterlot under the same conditions at the end of the changeling invasion, would you understand and be willing to cooperate?” Ray’s eyes tilted upward. They were red, but from the tears spilling out of them, not from… the other cause. “...yes.” “I’m sorry, Ray. I really am. Dusk, stay with him. We’ll confer about this tomorrow.” With heavy hoof falls, Twilight left. One by one, the others trailed after her. Some, like Rainbow, left immediately. Others, like Applejack, lingered with sympathetic looks before departing. Pinkie Pie, who had been quiet the whole time, looked to be on the verge of tears herself. With her mane drooping, she trudged out. Fluttershy appeared torn with indecision. It looked like she was going to embrace him, but when he looked at her, she scurried back a bit. Hidden behind her mane, she flew out, not looking back. Ray and Dusk were the only ones left. The latter turned his eyes to the former, who he saw shaking from silent sobs. While he was still recovering from the shock of the announcement, Dusk couldn’t really find it within himself to blame Ray. It just seemed another tragic consequence of Celestia’s decision to imprison Wrath the way she did. Ray had gotten angry at those thieves, as anypony would. That was all it took… He snapped his head up at the sound of familiar, unpleasant laughter. Clutching his stomach and floating in the air above them was Discord. “Ohohoho, I must say that turned out even better than I expected! Such a tragic, moving scene… really tugs at the heartstrings.” He wiped his eyes with a tissue and blew his nose. “Sorry, I’m always a sucker for the crying parts.” His laughter faded off when he saw the looks Ray and Dusk were giving him. “Oh come now, you two. Pardon the pun, but no need for the long faces. Before long, this’ll be water under the bridge and we can all look back on this and laugh.” “I know one of us who will be.” Dusk glared at Discord. “Is this what you call reformed, Discord?” “Why yes. Yes, it is. If anything, I’ve done you a real favour,” he said. Dusk felt the magic flowing to his horn. “You heartless bast-!” “Ah, ah, ah!” Dusk stopped when a bar of soap appeared in his mouth and scrubbed around. He spat it out, along with the soapy suds. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” “Discord… why?” Dusk spluttered. “Well, you know me. At first, I was just bored and I wanted to see what I could get out of your new friend, but then I had another thought.” A light bulb popped up over his head. “Really, I didn’t think it was very fair. Everypony knew all the mean and rotten things I’ve done and they were judging me for them. Even you’ve had to experience that, Dusk. Yet Ray here was walking about without a care in the world. It was a complete injustice and I demanded a reprimand, your honour!” “Injustice?” scoffed Dusk. “If anything, what you made him do was injustice!” “OBJECTION!” cried Discord, briefly wearing a blue suit and red tie with oddly spiky black hair and thrusting his finger in Dusk’s face. “I may be new to friendship, but one thing I know for certain is that friends have to be honest with each other. There must be no secrets, however dark or life shattering. How else do you expect to maintain any trust?” Dusk couldn’t believe this. “Are… are you being serious?” “When am I not? Wait, don’t answer that,” he said quickly. “My point is that this will all be for the better in the long run. Isn’t it better that they heard this straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak?” He smiled maliciously. “Well, I’d better be going. I’ll see if Fluttershy needs a shoulder to cry on. Toodles!” With a flash of light, he was gone. Dusk made a mental note that when they talked about Ray tomorrow that Discord’s actions were to be taken into full account. In the wake of his departure, Ray looked like he was in a worse state than before, if that was possible. “I wonder if we’ll ever get used to having him around.” He took a seat next to him on the couch. “I won’t pretend to know what you’re going through right now, but I can sympathise.” Ray grunted an acknowledgement, but otherwise didn’t look at Dusk or say anything. “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t blame you for what you did,” he went on. “You were angry, understandably so and we all know what happens when you let it get the better of you. Wrath is as much at fault here.” “...is he though?” Dusk blinked. “Beg pardon?” “The answer I got last night… the question was whether it was my fault or his whenever he got out. I started thinking about it after something Discord told me while I was watching him with Fluttershy. Back then… it happened so long ago, it feels like it was in another lifetime. But when it happened, I know that I hated those thieves. I was angry at them. It wasn’t Wrath making me be angry. I did that all on my own.” He let his head fall back against the wall. “And before that, every time Wrath slipped out. And every time after that. Including with Chrysalis. Whenever Wrath emerged… it was because I was angry. And it doesn’t happen every time I get mad. Only sometimes. In those circumstances, I realize… I let Wrath out. Wrath… it’s like he says. He’s just something that exists. An immortal force of nature. And beyond that, however intelligent he may be, he’s an animal. He behaves on instinct; he does what he’s naturally driven to do. It’s not entirely his fault. But me… what excuse can I make for letting him out to terrorize others?” He was quiet for a few moments. “...the girls must agree. They probably think I’m a monster now. And I can’t really blame them. Wrath has always said that deep down, him and I are one and the same… I always thought he was full of it. But maybe he’s right. At our core, maybe we’re both just angry animals that need to be locked away...” For a moment, Dusk found himself at a loss of what to say. The similarities between him and Ray concerning darker parts of themselves didn’t really stretch this far, but the principle to him was the same, as it had been when Doom had taken over. How could he make Ray see that not all the blame rested squarely on his shoulders? He thought for a moment, then happened on an idea when he saw something in the kitchen. “Ray. Watch this.” He got up and levitated the empty glass bottle he saw, filling it with water from the tap. “Now, what have I got here?” “Umm…” Ray had a very clear look of confusion on his face. “...water?” “Wrong. This is a bottle filled with water,” he replied. “Just because the bottle is acting as a vessel for the water doesn’t mean it’s also water. The bottle is glass.” He set it down. “Similarly, just because you’re holding Wrath inside of you doesn’t mean you’re also Wrath. You may share the same body, but you’re two different entities. Wrath and Ray. And I think we know which of those two holds the most responsibility for what happened with those thieves, don’t we?” Ray appeared to be struggling with his response. “But… if I’m the one who gets angry… if I’m the one who lets Wrath out, then-” “Then that’s hardly your fault for feeling a completely natural emotion in a situation where anypony else would feel the same. You’re just unfortunate enough to have a Beast locked inside you that’s empowered by it,” he calmly retorted. “What happened with those thieves, with Chrysalis, it wasn’t your fault. Tomorrow, I’m going to make certain to remind the girls that despite this recent confession, you’re still our friend and you don’t take pleasure in what you did. They may take some time to come around, but they’ll forgive you. After all, they forgave me.” Ray looked Dusk in the eye. The latter’s gaze didn’t waver. Ray looked down at the bottle for a moment and looked back up. His eyes were starting to water, though he was doing a good job of keeping his expression under control. Several minutes of silence passed between them. They both sat there, unmoving save for minor shifting. And then Ray spoke in a neutral tone. “Dusk… I know it might be weird after what I just told all of you, but… is it okay if I hug you?” Despite himself, he smiled. “Yes. It’s perfectly okay.” He opened his forehooves and let Ray embrace him in a tight hug. “Feeling better?” he asked Ray. “A little. Not by as much as I’d like, if I’m honest, but it’s something. Thanks for asking.” Ray released the hug. “And once again…” “A bro hug, yes,” he finished. “Come now, Ray. I’m comfortable enough with my own masculinity to hug another stallion.” “Just checking. You weren’t always comfortable enough with your masculinity to even engage in chest-pumping,” Ray responded with a faint smile. Then he blinked in thought and it fell. He got up and moved over to one of the small tables next to his couch and pulled open the drawer. Levitating out of the drawer came the source object of a great many bruises for Dusk; a piece of metal pipe, currently rusted brown in some parts. “Now, hold on a moment. What did I say this time?” chuckled Dusk. “Nothing,” Ray answered. “I just realized that… well, aside from when I stop you from wrecking your own living room because of Discord, I haven’t had to use this thing for a while. And I don’t think I’m gonna have to use it again. You’ve definitely stopped being the weird little stallion-mare with poor-self-esteem issues that you were when we first met.” Dusk was dumbstruck for a moment. “You know, I never really thought about that. I feel a part of me is still like that but… you’re not wrong.” He nodded to the pipe. “What are you going to do with that then? Apart from what it’s actually meant for.” Ray had a ghost of a smirk as he looked down at it. “It had a good run… but I think now it’ll just take up space. And I don’t want to have to explain to party guests why I keep a rusty pipe around. I’ve never been one to hoard stuff I don’t have a need for. Sooo…” Ray turned toward the direction of his kitchen. Specifically, at his garbage can. “Hold on a moment.” Dusk took it with his own magic. “I wouldn’t discard it so quickly. Remember Spike was able to use it effectively. Even if we don’t use it as a blunt instrument, I’d rather like to keep it. As a reminder.” Ray looked at him oddly, but shrugged. “Suit yourself, I guess. If you really want to remember me beating you over the head every time you said something derisive about yourself. But I don’t judge.” “Thank you.” A thought struck him. “I’ve been meaning to ask, where did you actually get this?” “Umm…” Ray hesitated. “I think it’s best you don’t know.” “Very well…” Dusk regarded it with new wariness and made a mental note to wash it. “Now, it’s been a while since you showed me progress on your book. How about we review what you have?” “W-what?” Ray was flabbergasted. “You… actually want to? After what just went down?” “Of course I would,” he said sincerely. “What are friends for?” “Evidently, a lot more than I thought.” Ray smiled. “Well… alright. Since you’re doing it, I think I’ll mention something else I’ve been working on lately aside from my main project.” “And what might that be?” “Well, I recently decided to try and delve into the sci-fi territory. Except also blending it with fantasy and adventure elements. I’ve got some work done on it, but I’m not sure how it’s going. Figure since you read both types, you might be able to help out.” Dusk’s smile grew. “I’d be happy to.” “Finally,” sighed Tube, sinking to the ground. “A chance at some proper rest. It’s been too long. It feels like the keratin on my hooves has completely deteriorated.” “Sounds like somepony doesn’t get out much,” remarked Grace snidely, sitting easily opposite him. Tube shot a glare at him. “I only need to provide stimulation for one part of my body, I think you will find.” “Oh, of course. And how’s that working out for you now?” Tube didn’t answer that directly. “You hardly hold any high ground in terms of body mass. In fact, you and I are almost equal in terms of physical stature and muscle growth.” “And yet I’ve not even broken a sweat,” noted Grace. “Funny how that works, isn’t it?” “Yes, quite amusing,” muttered Tube, continuing to himself. “Though, now he mentions it, that is something to note about him. Among other things. Really rather remarkable, if only to compensate for his attitude.” “Sorry?” Grace strained his ear. “Gonna have to speak up there, doctor.” “Nothing, nothing,” he said. “I was merely saying that it is quite impressive that with the pace we’ve both been travelling, your own stamina still seems quite unaffected.” “Indeed. Guess I’m one of the lucky ones,” he shrugged. “Evidently,” murmured Tube. He relished the relaxation in his aching legs. With the displeasure Fallen had been in when he sent them on their mission, Tube was in no mood to worsen it. As such, he, Grace and the twins had been travelling at a rapid pace with very little rest beyond briefly setting camp for only a few hours at a time. Their destination was a great distance away, and to keep ‘on schedule’, they’d had a lot of time to make up. Even the boat ride they’d chartered across the relatively short distance of ocean separating the lands hadn’t been a good opportunity to relax… at least it hadn’t been for Tube, who had quickly remembered that he got seasick. Now that they were near their destination, he had a chance to grant himself some proper respite from the journey. Snick and Slash hadn’t bothered to rest. They’d both gone ahead yet again, for what Tube only assumed was scouting. That left him and Grace here at their makeshift camp. Tube bristled when he recalled Fallen’s harsh words. Even after freeing him from his imprisonment and doing everything to see his plan brought to fruition, Fallen seemed to hold little beyond resent and scorn for him. All of Tube’s intelligence, his creativity, his willingness to push the boundaries of science and magic and this is what he had become? A stooge to a barbarian such as Fallen? But he would continue to do his part. He was going to help usher forth a better world and finally be recognised for the genius that he was. And if it was a case that Fallen was only using him to achieve that end, well… where was it written that he would be the one to rule the new world? “Ruler of the new world,” he murmured to himself. “No restrictions or moral red tape. Free to explore whatever realms I wish to pursue. At long last, true freedom…” “You really need to learn to keep your thoughts inside. One of these days you’re gonna mutter something in Fallen’s presence, and then your pet project will be scraping you off the wall,” Grace uttered across from him. Tube glared at him, not willing to admit he was right. He was used to only being in his own company, since he was the only one who was willing to listen. But now he was with a growing group, more caution over his habit would be sensible. Tube noted, not for the first time, he still had his saddlebags, as well as several strap-on pouches along his cloak. “I’m admittedly curious about something, Grace. What is it in those bags that’s of such vital importance?” “Oh, these?” Grace opened one of the pouches and levitated out a small square piece of paper, with an odd rune inscribed upon it. Tube saw many similar pieces of paper within the pouch before it closed. Grace held it in the air between them. “My work. While it isn’t quite practical for me to bring my stagecoach with me everywhere I go, I do prefer to be able to access my things wherever I happen to be.” “Hmm. I confess I do find the nature of your work rather intriguing, though I’m still unclear as to what exactly it is.” “Ask Fallen about it sometime. I’m sure if he’s not brooding or plotting at the time he’d be happy to tell you. Who knows, I might even decide to put on a private show for you.” Grace chuckled, an admittedly disturbing sound due to the tone it was in. They lapsed into silence, with only the crackling of the fire and the sounds of creatures in the undergrowth filling the night air. About ten minutes passed before they received word from their scouts. A rustling drew their attention. From the bushes came the perpetually miserable mask of Slash. “You’ve found him?” asked Tube. Slash nodded once. “Show us.” They got to their hooves and followed her through the undergrowth. The humidity was unbearable and the insects were frequent and annoying, but Tube pressed on. It only annoyed him further when he saw Grace appeared to be unaffected. In fact, he was looking around with interest while Slash glided ahead, occasionally stopping to wait. After some time spent walking, they reached their destination. The building was small and so deep in the jungle, it made its seclusion that much more obvious. It had the distinctive architecture of an ancient temple. Very ancient. Idols of various animals native to the region were eroded almost beyond recognition. The jungle had almost completely taken over the pony built structure, vines and plants creeping in across the walls and through the windows. Snick stood waiting at the entrance and was joined by her sister. The doors were shut, but he could make out a pale light shining under the cracks. Tube approached the door and knocked briskly. There was no answer. He knocked again. Still nothing. Steeling himself for the only other alternative, he opened the door with a loud creak. The roof was non existent, open to the moonlit sky above. It shone down on a small raised platform, upon which rested an altar depicting the moon and the sun, though this had also faded with time. Between the celestial bodies was the image of an animal. A snarling wolf, though it was also crumbling. The wooden doors had all but rotted away, yet more fauna seeping through. It was a strange mix of natural and artificial. Atop the raised platform, laying before the altar with his back to them, was the pony Tube could only assume was Osteo. He was an Earth Pony, by the looks of it. His body was large and appeared muscular. The stallion had a dark brown-grey coat, covered by unremarkable loose clothes. His mane was bone-white, and contrasted his fur sharply. His head did not turn to look at them, preventing Tube from seeing his face. The room remained hushed as they waited for an indication that he was aware of their presence. “Ahem,” Tube coughed. “Osteo, I presume?” The stallion’s head did not move, nor did he speak. “Excuse me? Hello?" He stepped a little closer. “Uh, do you speak Equestrian? C-Can you understand me?” His head now tilted to the side slightly. “...yes,” he responded, his voice low and calm. “You are not from these parts. Why are you here, and how have you found this place?” “How we found you i-is irrelevant,” dismissed Tube, cursing his stammer. “Our reason for f-finding you, however, is not. W-We’ve come to offer you a proposition.” The stallion’s head turned without getting up and looked at them over his shoulder. Tube saw a light-indigo eye from his position, surrounded by prominent red eye shadow. However, he did not say anything in return. Tube took this as his cue to continue. “M-My lord a-and master sent us t-to find you in h-his stead. H-He has a grand v-vision for this world. A-A better future, b-beyond the l-limited view of the diarchy of C-Celestia and L-L-Luna. W-With your help, we w-w-will be o-one step c-closer to-” “If you’re trying to sound professional, you’re failing miserably. I can barely hear you over the sound of your stammering,” Grace cut in with his perpetual smile. “Quiet!” he snapped. “I didn’t ask for your input, Grace!” “Few ever do,” he responded smoothly before looking back at the stallion of interest. “A-Anyway,” he continued, trying to gather himself. “Do you accept? S-Such great strength as yours would be a-an invaluable asset.” Osteo continued to watch Tube unblinking. His head returned to face the altar. “You come into my home, disrupt my prayers, and so boldly claim to know of me and what I can do, offering me a place with this… agenda of yours… and tell me, where is this master of yours who not only declines to perform this business himself, but also sends such an unimpressive messenger?” “Um… h-he is currently indisposed, d-due to u-unfortunate circumstances,” he replied. Beads of sweat were beginning to form. “B-But he sends you his regards.” Fumbling momentarily, he pulled out the sealed scroll that Fallen had instructed to bring to Osteo. He levitated it over to him and left it at his hooves. Osteo tilted his head down to look at it before shifting, grabbing the scroll with his fore hooves and breaking the seal, rolling the parchment open across the cracked floor. Once again, the room was quiet as Osteo read its contents. Several minutes passed by in silence. Grace and the twins remained calm and still, but Tube found himself shuffling with unease as the seconds ticked by. The silence was disturbed by a brief, almost inaudible gasp from Osteo. Tube swung his head in the larger pony’s direction. He didn’t seem to have moved at all, but he knew he hadn’t imagined the noise… Another minute passed. Then, abruptly, Osteo stood up. He approached the altar and bowed his head before it, muttering something they couldn't quite hear. Then he turned around around, allowing them to see him in full. The front half of his mane was parted and braided on either side. His other eyes shared the same red eye shadow as the former. His mouth was set in a firm line, devoid of expression. He picked up the scroll and held it over a nearby candle. It instantly lit aflame and quickly dissolved to embers. Tube tensed at the action, even more so when Osteo began to approach them. The stallion stopped before Tube, towering over him almost as much as Fallen. “Very well,” he spoke in a neutral tone. “For now, I shall accompany you. Bring me to this ‘Fallen Soul’, so that I might judge him and his cause for myself.” His eyes narrowed just slightly. “But I warn you now, however: if I am displeased with what I find, I will not hesitate to kill each of you.” With that, Osteo moved past Tube and made for the exit. The twins promptly began to move after him casually, as though he hadn’t just threatened their lives. Grace watched Osteo with obvious interest. “Well, it seems Fallen just has a wonderful eye for talent, doesn’t he? Which mysterious threatening figure will he add to this merry band of misfits next, I wonder?” He moved after the other three, leaving Tube standing there frozen still. “Yes,” he murmured to himself, “who indeed?”