//------------------------------// // Black Thorn's Greatest Hits // Story: The Curse Of Black Thorn // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// The next morning, Twilight and Sunset joined Echo in his work, trying desperately to figure out exactly where they went wrong with the first attempt at the Gemini spell. When Starlight awoke, she found her mother absent. "Where's mom?" She asked Flash. "Oh, your mother had a little... extra delegate work to deal with." Flash stretched the truth. "No big deal." "Oh, okay." Starlight bought it. "If you see her, let her know I'm going into town with Day Light again." "Will do." Flash nodded. "Have fun, sweetie." "You know it." Starlight grinned. As Starlight went to meet with Day Light, Twilight, Sunset and Echo were huddled in a secluded part of the palace library, discussing the problem. "Maybe we really did just put too much magic in at once." Twilight considered. "Maybe we could try a slow, gradual feed, instead of all at once." "You may be on to something there, Princess." Echo admitted. "A controlled increase might be easier for Prince Nightshade's body to handle." "Leave it to Twilight to come up with the perfect solution." Sunset smiled. "Let's not be too hasty." Echo declared. "We need to be absolutely certain before we put it to the test. You never know, we may stumble upon some other method that could work even better." "Good point." Twilight nodded. "If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there's more than one right way to solve a problem." "And lucky for us, we have more than enough books to help us find those right ways." Sunset smiled. "Seriously, this library is a treasure trove of obscure magic knowledge!" "Try not to get too excited, my dear." Echo said worriedly. "Your condition." "Oh, shush." Sunset waved her hoof. "I'm only seven months pregnant. A little excitement won't harm the foal." "I'm getting a distinct sense of deja vu." Twilight chuckled. "Flash was the same way whenever I got pregnant. He always got so overprotective." "I'm not over-protective." Echo pouted. "Just protective. There's a difference." "Not a big one, though." Sunset teased him. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm not helpless." "I know." Echo sighed. "It doesn't stop me worrying, though." "You are sweet." Sunset kissed him on the cheek. "As sweet as this is, shouldn't we be getting back to work?" Twilight pointed out. "Ah, right." Echo blushed. "We'll get right on it." Sunset grinned sheepishly. The scholarly trio continued their work. At lunch time, the rest of the royals were in the dining room, enjoying their food. Most of them were, that is; Nightshade was still disappointed over the failure of the Gemini spell the day before. He barely touched his food. "Come on, Nighty." Red Rose urged. "You should eat." "How can I eat when the knowledge that Black Thorn is still inside me gnaws at my very being?" Nightshade groaned. "Very dramatic." Sleight declared. "If this Prince thing doesn't work out, you could always try working in the theatre." "Yes, that's what Nightshade needs right now: ridicule." Blueblood glared at Sleight. "I was just trying to lighten the mood." Sleight pouted. "I'm sure things aren't that bad." Flash declared. "I mean, just how trouble can Black Thorn cause?" "You have no idea." Nightshade said darkly. "Black Thorn has a special gift for taking the smallest problem and turning iy into an utter disaster. Why, I recall one incident, not long after Black Thorn first appeared, where a delegate from Aerovis, Duke Down, came to the palace. As I'm sure you know, Griffons have a reputation for being stubborn. Well, the Duke was something else entirely. Many years ago... Duke Down emerged into the throne room. "Prince Nightshade." He bowed respectfully. "Good morning, Duke Down." Nightshade nodded. "I understand you have come here regarding discussion of trade between our two countries?" "That is correct." Duke Down nodded. "Considering the rate of exchange, I would be willing to accept the equivalent of ten dates in return for every sky apricot my Griffons deliver." "I'm afraid I can't accept that." Nightshade declared. "Surely it would be fairer to trade five dates for every apricot? I'm thinking in terms of weight and mass." "Five dates?" Duke Down growled. "You insult me. I suppose next you'll be wanting five pounds of air ivy for every one pound of pomegranates!" "I do, in fact." Nightshade nodded. "The rules of exchange do not lie, your Dukeness." "Do you honestly believe I would agree to those terms?" Duke Down snarled. "That is my offer." Nightshade declared. "Take it or leave it." "...You're surprisingly full of yourself for a wet-behind-the-ears Prince, aren't you?" Duke Down sneered. "I beg your pardon?" Nightshade frowned. "You heard me." Duke Down snorted. "You just got handed that throne by your father, what, a few weeks ago, and you think you know everything?" "I don't like your tone, Duke." Nightshade declared. "If you continue acting this way, I may have to reconsider my position." "Oh, is that supposed to be intimidating?" Duke Down smirked. "A little brat of a prince like you, threatening me?" "It wasn't a threat." Nightshade countered. "It was a promise." "You wouldn't dare." Duke Down sniggered. "Your sandbox of a country needs this trade more than Aerovis." "What did you say?" Nightshade growled. "Only that this dump of a country is lucky Aerovis is even considering trading with it." Duke Down spat. "You and your sand-dwelling kin, living in this wasteland like savages..." "That's enough." Nightshade snarled. "Hiding behind that oversized wall, like a bunch of cowards..." Duke Down continued. "Stop it!" Nightshade yelled. "Really, it's a wonder you even call yourselves 'civilized', you bunch of barbarians." Duke Down chuckled. "I said stop iiiit!" Nightshade roared, as Black Thorn emerged. "Make me." Duke Down sneered, unaware of the change. With a savage grin, Black Thorn used his magic to lift up the Duke, then slammed him from wall to wall. "What are you-ah! Doin-ugh!" Duke Down groaned. "Call it 'aggressive negotiations'." Black Thorn smirked, as he brought Duke Down onto the floor. "How dare you..." Duke Down struggled to get up. "Do you know who I am? I'm the Duke of Aerovis..." "Well guess what? I outrank you." Black Thorn sneered. "Now, here's how it's going to go down; Either you sign an agreement for all that trade stuff, or I pull off your wings and FEED THEM TO YOU!" He put on a charming smile. "Your choice." "Okay…okay." Duke Down trembled. "I accept your terms. In fact, I'll agree to less! Pound for pound on everything! That sound good to you?" "Sounds great." Black Thorn sneered, offering a hoof. "Shake on it?" Duke Down hesitated. "Either you shake my hoof, or I shake you." Black Thorn threatened, his horn lighting up. "Your call." Duke Down, shaking like a leaf, extending his talons, placing it on Black Thorn's hoof. The two shook, the Duke quickly pulling away afterward. "Good call." Black Thorn nodded, holding up a piece of paper containing the agreement. "Sign here, please..." "O-of course." Duke Down nodded. Shakily, he wrote the terms of trade and his signature on the paper. "Terrific." Black Thorn smiled. "And now, since our business has been concluded... GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY!!" Duke Down leapt up in fear and raced out of throne room, knocking his head across the door frame in his haste to get away. "Ta-ta, Dukey." Black Thorn waved mockingly. The present... "To be honest, it sorta sounds like that Duke got what was coming to him." Constell admitted. "Perhaps, but his country didn't have to pay the price for his actions." Nightshade sighed. "Suffice to say, once I found out what happened, I managed to renegotiate for a fairer trade- with a different representative, as Duke Down refused to return, for fear of more abuse. And of course, Black Thorn would go on to cause more trouble..." Not so many years ago... Nightshade was throwing a banquet for dignitaries from around the world. Nobles from Fetland, Maretonia, and more were sat at the table. Red Rose, who had recently married Nightshade, sat beside him. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, until the minister of Fetland, Blitzen, started kicking up a fuss. "Ugh, this food is terrible!" The portly, middle-aged Reindeer gagged. "What manner of cuisine is this?" "It's our chef's very best recipes." Nightshade declared. "Is that so?" Blitzen sneered. "If I were you, I'd get a new chef." "I don't taste anything wrong with it." Red Rose shrugged. "Don't you?" Blitzen frowned. "This 'soup' is too watery, and the bread is too hard." "Nopony's perfect." Nightshade declared. "And that goes for food, too." "Well, perhaps in this country, such fare is standard." Blitzen huffed. "But if my chef came out with this slop, I would have him taken out back and beaten." "Excuse me?" Nightshade gaped, as several of the other guests gasped. "You beat your servants?!" "Only when they displease me." Blitzen admitted. "Don't you do the same?" "I'm proud to say I don't." Nightshade grimaced. "I am not a slavemaster. I don't see the need to discipline my servants using force." "And there's the problem." Blitzen snorted. "You're too soft on your underlings. They're supposed to bow to your every whim, to carry out your every order to the letter. How can you expect them to do that, when they don't fear you enough to do so?" "Because they shouldn't fear me." Nightshade frowned. "I may be a Prince, but they are ponies, just the same as me." "See what I mean?" Blitzen turned to the others "Soft. Who can respect a leader like that?" "You think I'm less of a leader just because I don't abuse my servants?" Nightshade growled, his anger rising. "Perhaps you should call in some servants, so I can show you how a real leader does it." Blitzen smirked. "Where's that chef? He can be the first subject!" Nightshade's face began to contort. Red Rose, recognizing the signs, tried to calm him down. "Nighty, don't..." She urged. "Not now..." "I... I can't... stop it!" Nightshade yelled. "Eh?" Blitzen frowned. "What is this?" "This is round two, Mr antlers." Black Thorn smirked. "Nightshade just tagged out, and now it's my turn." "What nonsense are you spouting now?" Blitzen asked pompously. "Nonsense?" Black Thorn mock-gasped. "No, I'm providing a service." "What kind of service?" Blitzen frowned. "A lesson in table etiquette, tubby." Black Thorn sneered. "For starters, maybe you don't like the food because you aren't really tasting it, mostly because you're just shovelling it down your fat throat!" "How dare-" Blitzen started. "But I can help with that." Black Thorn declared. Using his magic, Black Thorn lifted up a dozen pieces of bread, then thrust them into Blitzen's mouth, slowly pushing them down his throat, to the horror of the other guests. "Mph!" Blitzen struggled helplessly, struggling to breath. "There, you see?" Black Thorn grinned. "Doesn't it taste so much better when you savor it?" Black Thorn shut off his magic. Blitzen immediately started coughing up the bread. "How dare- this is an outra-" He said between coughs. "Dry throat, huh?" Black Thorn tutted. "You know what can fix that? Some watery soup!" Black Thorn lifted the tureen of soup up into the air, then flung the contents at Blitzen. "Gaaah!" Blitzen yelled, as he was doused in soup. "You miserable-" He was cut off by the tureen striking him in the head. "Don't I host a fine dinner?" Black Thorn cackled. "It just knocks you out!" The other guests were shocked, to say the least. "Unbelievable!" One yelled. "An outrage!" Another agreed. "This is how you treat your guests?" A mare admonished him. "Oh, I'm sorry." Black Thorn glared. "Any of you want the same?" The guests backed down, cowed by the threat. "That's what I thought." Black Thorn sneered. "So just sit down, be quiet, and enjoy your food, like good little guests. Anypony who complains gets what Mr antlers got." Blitzen, still unconscious, groaned feebly. The guests quietly went back to their food. "That's more like it." Black Thorn smirked. "See how much better things are when you all quit whining?" "Ugh..." Blitzen started coming to, only for Black Thorn to hit him with the tureen again. The present... "Sweet... me." Celestia gaped. "Even Blitzen didn't deserve that..." Dusty gasped. "I'm not so sure about that." Blueblood grimaced. "Even at my worst, I never beat my servants." "On that, we agree." Chrysalis scowled. "I would never dream of abusing my subjects like that..." "To be honest, I think Black had been fighting all your battles." Sleight noted. "Well, nevertheless, relations between Haygypt and Fetland have never been the same since." Nightshade admitted. "But as bad as things were, I was at least relieved that Black Thorn's wrath had not been visited on my subjects. Until..." Years ago... Not long after Day Light was born, there was a period of unrest in Cairode. Due to a bad date-growing season, money was low, and Nightshade was forced to lay off more than a few public servants. A group of angry citizens started campaigning outside the palace, yelling out slogans like "Give back our jobs" or "Nightshade: living in the dark" and one odd redneck screaming "They took our jobs" in his hill-billy accent, at the top of their lungs. Their actions were so loud, they arose the young Day Light from his slumber. "You've got to do something, Nighty." Red Rose urged, as she tried to soothe the bawling Day Light. "I'll try." Nightshade nodded. Nightshade stepped out on the palace steps, where the crowd was still picketing. "Citizens, please!" He announced. "I know you're upset, but all this noise keeps waking up my foal!" "Well, look at that." The lead protester, an Earth Pony stallion, snorted. "Nightshade cares more about his own family than us." "That's not true." Nightshade declared. "Why did you take our jobs?" A female Pegasus mare demanded. "I worked in the weather department for ten years before you kicked me out!" "I didn't want to lay anypony off." Nightshade countered. "But our budget is practically non-existent. Sacrifices must be made." "Oh, sure." A Unicorn stallion snorted. "So long as you're not the one making them!" "Some Prince you are!" The Earth Pony yelled. "You don't care about any of us!" "Don't you dare say that!" Nightshade growled. "I care about everypony in the city, nay, this country. Your happiness is my first priority. I-" "Don't give us your lies!" The Pegasus threw a rotten pomegranate at Nightshade's head. The fruit burst as it impacted, spraying its stale juices all over Nightshade. "My robes!" Nightshade gasped. "Liar!" The Unicorn yelled, as the rest of the crowd started throwing things. "Selfish, money-grubbing tyrant!" "No... please... listen..." Nightshade tried to talk them down, but all the fruit and stones thrown at him were too much. "Knock it off!" He roared, as Black Thorn emerged. The sound of the roar stunned the crowd into silence. They had never heard such a sound come out of Nightshade before. "You whiny little ingrates." Black Thorn snarled. "You thought it was bad when Nightshade 'fired' you? Well try this on for size!" Black Thorn started firing magic blasts from his horn, sending the protesters running for cover. "That's right, run!" Black Thorn sneered. "Next time, you lowlife commoners should just stay in your holes, where you belong! If I ever see you fools near the palace again, I'll show you what it's really like to be 'terminated'!" "He's not a tyrant, he's a monster!" The lead protester yelled. "Run for your lives!" The Unicorn screamed. "Yeah, get lost!" Black Thorn smirked. "You're just lucky those were warning shots. Next time, I won't be so nice! And you won't be walking away, you hear?!" The Present... "By Faust..." Luna gasped, raising her hooves to her mouth in horror. "That was one of the worst moments." Nightshade admitted. "My subjects had seen the dark side I hided, and the one thing I never wanted- for them to fear me- came to pass. Now they all worry that they may say or do the wrong thing, and bring forth Black Thorn's wrath." "That's terrible." Shine shook his head. "Royalty is supposed to be looked up to, trusted... not feared." "Which is why I need to be rid of Black Thorn." Nightshade declared. "Not just for me, but for my subjects. They shouldn't have to live in fear of Black Thorn." "Hang in there, pal." Shining comforted him. "Twilight and the others will find a way." At that point, Twilight, Echo and Sunset entered the room. "We may have figured out a way to get the spell to work!" Twilight announced. "How's that for timing?" Flash grinned. The group returned to the courtyard, taking on the same positions as the day before. "So, what will we be doing differently this time?" Cadance asked. "This time, we will be infusing your magic into the spell slowly." Echo revealed. "A slow build-up of magic may avoid the overload problems we encountered before." "It was Twilight's idea." Sunset smiled. "It was a team effort, though." Twilight said modestly. The Alicorns and Chrysalis gathered around Nightshade, and Echo brought out his crystals, as before. "Alright, this time, you must funnel your magic in one after the other." Echo instructed. "Princess Celestia will be first, followed by Luna, and so on." "As you wish." Celestia nodded. She fired a beam of magic into the page, which in turn flowed into Nightshade. Luna followed suit, then Constell, Cadance, Twilight and Chrysalis. "It feels... different this time." Nightshade admitted. "Less... forceful." As it was before, Nightshade's body began vibrating. "Here it comes." Twilight smiled. "Hooves crossed, everypony..." Once again, a silhouette broke off from Nightshade. But this time, it became less indistinct, and more solid. "It's working!" Shining smiled. "At last..." Nightshade smiled, as he gazed upon his doppelganger. The feeling of elation didn't last though, as the duplicate suddenly faded away. "What?!" Nightshade gasped. "No! Get it back! More power!" "Wait, won't that hurt you?" Flash pointed out. "Like last time!" "Just a little more!" Nightshade urged. "We were so close that time." "Perhaps a touch more power could help." Luna admitted. "Not too much, though..." Chrysalis added. The Alicorns and Changeling increased their magic slightly. Nightshade once again saw a duplicate form, but it vanished again. Giving in to fatigue, the Alicorns and Chrysalis stopped. "Again!" Nightshade roared. "That won't work." Echo declared. "Something's gone wrong. The duplicate lacks stability for some reason..." "Looks like it's back to the drawing board." Sunset sighed. "I don't believe this." Nightshade groaned. "It was right there in front of me, and it just..." "There, there, dear." Red Rose comforted him. "At least we're getting closer." "I suppose so." Nightshade sighed. "We're not going to stop trying, Nightshade." Celestia pledged. "No matter how long it takes, we will free you from the burden of Black Thorn." "That's a promise." Luna added. "All of us are going to give it our all." Cadance smiled. "We won't abandon you in your hour of need." Chrysalis declared. "Because that's what friends do." Twilight grinned. "You honor me with your selfless." Nightshade beamed. "But I don't wish to keep you from your own kingdoms. Hopefully, our next try will be the last." "That's the spirit." Flash nodded. "Stay positive!" That night, Starlight and Day Light lay on the palace's roof, looking be at the twinkling stars above. After walking through Cairode for most of the day, Starlight had realized she hadn't actually seen the stars in Haygypt, so Day Light had offered to show her. "Beautiful, aren't they?" Starlight sighed. "They sure are." Day Light smiled. "Looking at them now, I can understand why your parents named you so. For there is nothing more beautiful than star light." 'Wait, is he... flirting with me?' Starlight thought. 'Or is he talking about the actual star light? Well, it's not like I'm going to ask...' "Yeah." Starlight nodded. "It's quite a sight. I could look up at those stars forever..." "Me too." Day Light nodded. "It helps me take my mind off the pressures of being royalty. So many expect so much from me, and I don't want to let them down. But sometimes, the responsibility just..." "I know what you mean." Starlight nodded. "Anypony who thinks being royal is all thrones and banquets doesn't know what they're talking about." "So true." Day Light chuckled. "It feels good to have somepony to talk to about such things. I can never say any of this to my parents, for fear of disappointing them. They too believe in me." "So do mine." Starlight admitted. "But sometimes, you gotta find support from somepony your own age group. And I'd be glad to give you support." "Thank you, Starlight." Day Light smiled. "You can count on me to return the favor." "That's what I like to hear." Starlight nodded. "Now, less talking, more stargazing." The two returned their gaze up to the stars, relishing the tranquility of the night. Meanwhile, at the museum, a lone security guard was on patrol, inspecting each of the exhibits. When he walked over to an ornate sarcophagus display, he was shocked to find it had been opened, the lid lying on the floor. On the display next to it, a golden staff was missing. "What in the...?" He frowned. The guard made a quick check of all the doors and windows. There were no signs of forced entry, physical or magical (each door and window having been fitted with a magic detector, in case any Unicorn thieves tried to break in). This confused the guard, who knew full well that the sarcophagus had been closed earlier. "What is going on around here?" He scratched his head. Just behind the guard, a figure emerged from the shadows, wielding the staff. The figure crept up on the guard, and struck him on the back of the head with the staff. "Ugh!" The guard yelped, as he fell to the ground. The figure dragged the guard's prone body away...