//------------------------------// // Harmony in Equestria. // Story: What Defines A Soul? // by The Joeker //------------------------------// As both Gray Fox and the Alicorn Princesses stood face to muzzle, no pony or no one spoke at first, there was silence... "He was waiting for you both." said Fox, the voice was robotic and raspy as he gestured to the broken body. "Who art thou?" asked Luna suddenly but collapsed as did Celestia, Fox hadn't seen but they took some hits, truth be told so did Fox. "I... am Grey Fox(the spelling of grey will be changed sometimes)" he introduced and held his... claw? out for me, Luna took it cautiously and he helped her up, he looked a little shell shocked from something, and he didn't speak royal voice, so the sisters played it safe and used normal Equish.. Truth be told he was doing a double take... there were no humans... the ponies had been talking all along, when the pony said 'It's- it's a ghost...' he thought he was imagining it. He then helped Celestia up before we turned to the tree, they locked eyes for a second and looked away. "What are you doing here? This is a place of great power, I can sense it, absolute power corrupts absolutely, give me a reason why anyone should have it." he said. and turned his head slightly. "You mustn't be from here, above this cave a mad monarch rules, me and my sister seek to stop it." said Celestia and Fox laughed. He looked us up and down critically before he and he nodded, both sisters blushed under his stare, they felt intimidated... yet humbled when he nodded at them. "Yes... I gathered as much, you may have noticed my handiwork as the smoking craters in the landscape." he said. "Yes, we noticed, may I?" asked Celestia, it was not often Celestia asked to do something, Fox nodded to her. She cast her magic on the tree and the elements showed themselves… except one that was locked in a box... "Are you sure?" asked Luna and flew up next to her sister while Fox perched on a branch next to them. "We have managed to discover the only means by which we can defeat Discord and free the citizens of Equestria, even without these elements, the Tree of Harmony will possess a powerful magic, as long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here, but what is this?" asked Celestia referring to the box. This 'Gray Fox' jumped up and claimed the box and it opened to reveal a bright light. He seemed to gasp in surprise. "Memories..." he said, he also sensed another presence here... but that presence wasn't actually here however. "What?" asked Celestia. He seemed to bring it to his head, it turned black in the room for a second but it returned to normal after a second. "Nothing..." he said as Celestia claimed the Elements, he looked at both sisters... they looked so regal with their wings out, he averted his gaze as thy landed. "We are ready..." said Luna with a smile. "Good, lets go." said Fox and disappeared again. "He certainly is a mystery." said Luna. "Yes I am." he said in Luna's ear and she jumped with a blush. "Don't you agree?" he asked Celestia, who also blushed as she felt him next to her, both sisters felt safe when he was near, as if nothing could touch them, in face he most like meant to startle them but he got a bigger reaction than that, they both walked out. -Gray Fox's POV- I reappeared and walked beside the sisters as we headed to Discord's throne, we saw the bodies of the army and the crazies but deadpanned our faces and continued on. "So wh-" Fox went to ask but the mad laughter of Discord cut in as they approached the throne. "Oh, this is so much fun. How about a game of 'Pin the Tail on the Pony'?" said Discord, but before he could use his trickery magic something stopped him in his tracks. "Oh, what is this? nice animal, wherever did you find it?" he asked, truth be told he was nervous, this thing's face was pure metal, and emotionless. "A sharp tongue is no indication of a keen mind, Discord." replied Fox. "Ahh! it speaks! and it knows my name." said Discord a if he were flattered "Playtime is over for you, Discord." said Celestia. The thing cracked its claws and even though it had a metal face Discord could tell... it was excited... it wanted to be let loose on him... "Oh, I doubt that. Hungry?" asked Discord as he munched, he noticed the thing eyeing the ground where they were dropping... it was on to him! "Very, but I don't take food from those who I've come across decomposed bodies that are less offensive than they are." he said, Discord started sweating because he was nervous, he had just noticed the sharp piece of metal on the things back... "Suit yourselves... oh! What have you got there?" he asked as the Princesses wielded the Elements. "The Elements of Harmony." replied Celestia. "With them, we shall defeat you." said Luna. "Well, I see you defeated my minions! and who's this? a visitor?" he asked as he appeared next to Fox. -Fox's POV- I instantly punched him square in the jaw, he went flying and landed hard on the ground "uu bwoke why jawr!" he said as he tried to get it back in place. I started landing blows on him before giving him an uppercut and he went flying and was almost knocked out. "Sister now!" shouted Celestia. both sisters charged some kind of energy and it passed to me somehow, a ball of magic surrounding us "Got it! my jaw's fine! Oh what's this?" he asked as we charged up They shot a beam of rainbows at him and I added a dark taint to it, they obviously tried to drain his power, as it subsided he had turned to stone. "That didn't go as planned." said Celestia as she collapsed. "We... agree." said Luna as she collapsed as well. I looked at them, partially drained myself. "Ok..." I simply said and I slung them both over my shoulder and headed to the partially built castle that was close, the world seemed to be recovering from the madness that overtook it. I kicked the door open and limped forward, I was actually hit bad back there. "Great, we're in a land of ponies... and I'm lucky enough to be trapped here terrfukingriffic." I said as I walked into a room and put them on the bed. I suddenly noticed a crazed pony jumped at me, I deflected blow after blow, he charged at me and I went flying through the wall back outside. I kicked his chin and he went flying. The Princesses woke up and ran to help but... shit! he hit the timer on one of my smaller bombs! I threw it away and ran back. "Get down!" I yelled, they put personal shields (body shields) up and I dived on top of them so their shields would stay up and the bomb threw me far into the forest. The explosion threw me off into the forest, and threw the sisters back to the throne, it got me badly, my suit was partially destroyed and it retracted, as did my visor, my sword was intact I think... I smashed through the trees of the forest, damn near smashing my body to pieces, I landed hard somewhere within the forest... -Meanwhile, back at Discords old throne- Both sisters deactivated their shields and turned over on their backs to face each other. "Sister, art thou ok?" asked Celestia. "Yes, our shields would not have held if it wasn't for Grey Fox." she said. "He was thrown into the forest by the explosion!" said Celestia. Both sisters jumped up and turned, seeing the broken trees, they followed the trail, not knowing that he had already been dragged away by two ponies. They both went back to the partially finished castle and deactivated the invisibility spell, which Fox could see through... "We... failed him sister... he... he was destroyed." cried Luna, he saved her life twice! "Yes... we did." said Celestia, also crying. "We should put his name on the list of names who helped construct the castle, he did provide the materials after all." said Luna as they entered the castle. "We shall Luna." said Celestia as the partially finished castle's door shut with their magic...