//------------------------------//
// Act 1: A New Escape 
// Story: A New Flame 
// by The Zebra Hybrid 
//------------------------------//

Me and Twilight boarded the train that was departing to Canterlot and took our seats. Surprisingly everyone was ok that a random dragon just so happened to board a train. I wonder if this happens often then since, what I've been told that the train travels all around Equestria. We waited until the conductor walked by and took out tickets and hole punching them before moving on to the next guests.

Once the train started to move I looked out the window and seeing Ponyville get smaller and smaller. "Hey Twi'?" I call to Twilight gaining her attention.

"Yeah?" she answers.

"What's Canterlot like?"

Twilight puts a hoof to her chin, "Well...Canterlot is one of the most upper-class city and only the wealthiest of ponies can live there. Everypony gets along well...if you have the bits."

So long story short this is a pony version of Beverly Hills, "Okay? Then do you think bringing me might be a bad idea then? From the sound of it it doesn't seem like Canterlot ponies would be too fond of a dragon walking into the city. I'll probably get shot after I take three steps in the gate."

Twilight giggled a bit, "I'm sure you'll be fine, since you're with me. I know a lot of ponies there."

"Oh right, you used to live up there did you?"

"Yep! Almost half my life started in Canterlot, from being born, to getting Spike, and to becoming Princess Celestia's student. Where did you live? In the human world i mean."

"Well I was born in the country of the United States capitol, Washington D.C. kind of like you I lived there for most of my life before moving to Richmond at about freshman year in High School."

"Did you ever miss your old home?"

"Actually and surprisingly...no I didn't. One of my best friends, Sam, moved with me and she was my only friend so I didn't worry about missing her, and nothing really exciting happened." I could tell Twilight was giving me a confusing look at my answer but I just ignored it. Even though it wasn't entirely true I did have some memorable events when I lived back in D.C. but it felt like I was more connected when I was living in Richmond.

I'm sure Twilight probably feels the same way, from the sound of the way she explained Canterlot, t sounded like she was happy to leave. Well, I would I couldn't handle being around snot-nosed rich people all the time. Plus she seemed more happier back in Ponyville...wait a second why are we going to Canterlot to see Celestia, again?

"Can you remind me again why Celestia called for me and you? And not just the others?" I ask as Twilight face turned into a serious expression. 

"Remember the crystal you gave Celestia?"

Oh God.

"Yeah?"

"Well, from the letter she sent me, Celestia stated that it was acting abnormally, like vibrating and illuminating a bright light for a few moments before stopping like nothing happened except a crack being formed on its surface. Did you know anything about that?"

Oh God NO! I stayed silent for a moment. The truth was I did know that this would happen, but I thought the more far away I was from it it couldn't get any stronger? Or should I say HE couldn't get any stronger. But what was giving him power?

"James?" my head snaps at attention and was met with Twilight with an impatient expression, "Do you know anything about this or not?"

I took a deep breath and let i out, "Twilight, I can't lie to you. Yes I did know." I could tell now she was starting to get angry.

"You knew! And decided not to tell anypony about this!?" she yelled.

" I-I thought maybe if he was far away then he wouldn't be much of a problem plus under Celestia's watch-"

"Wait a minute..him?"

My blood ran cold at the slip up of words "Y-yeah there is another thing too. There may or may not be an evil entity trying to break free of the crystal."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" yelled Twilight making me flinch at the sudden outburst. Her face was now a pure red and was now glaring at me, like a mother would scold her child. I felt guilty for what I've done, yeah I should've of told some one, but why didn't I? And now Twilight one of my best friends is now pissed at me.

"Twilight I'm-"

"NO!" she screams at me before turning her body away, "I 'm not talking until we get to Canterlot to see Celestia. I need to cool off."

I let out a sad sigh and slumped in my seat, ignoring the stares of the other ponies were giving me and Twilight. I turned around and looked over my seat to find a brown stallion with a brown spiky hair and a hour-glass as a cutie mark. "Excuse me sir?" I say getting the stallion's attention.

"Yes my good lad?" he answers in a british accent.

"I was wondering how long the train ride is?"

"About three hours why?"

"Oh just wondering." I say in a soft tone before turning back around, I glanced at Twilight who had her hooves crossed and gave a slight 'hmpr' and turned away. I let out a sigh and turned towards the window and watched the landscape speed by. 'This is going to be a long trip' I think to myself.





After about three hours of awkward silence we arrived at the Canterlot train station, and when I say the ride was awkward I mean it was awkward! Everytime I tried to apologize to Twilight she would either ignore me or tell me to back off. I did catch her glance at me a few times but instantly turn away when I was about to look back.

As we walked off the train Twilight was keeping her distance in front of me, I quickly sped up beside her only for her to walk faster in front of me. "Okay, no more playing around." I say to myself as I got frustrated with the silent treatment Twilight was giving me. I spread my wings and glide over Twilight landing in front of her making her stop in her tracks.

"Ok, Twilight we need to talk." I say with a determined expression.

"What, is there anything else you're hiding?" she says with an attitude.

"Look, I know I fucked up about not telling you girls about the crystal and you have every right to be pissed at me. But I thought I was doing something right."

"So you decide not to tell me and my friends that some evil entity is trapped in a crystal that, as we speak, is trying to break out and do Celestia-knows-what! And you thought it was right!?"

"I was just trying to protect my friends!" I snap at her.

"Well, good job at that, because of you, not only is that crystal becoming more dangerous you managed to doom all Equestria as well! My friends and I were just doing fine until you came along! Why don't you just leave!!!" Twilight covered her mouth with her hooves as her expression softened. I myself didn't know what to say, I knew she was mad at me but not to the point where she wanted me gone.

"J-James, I-I didn't mean it.." Twilight stuttered, but I ignored her not out of anger though. She was right everything was going great for the girls, until I showed up and now my dark counterpart is trying to break free and do God-knows-what to Equestria. Maybe I should leave, there'll be better off without me.

"N-no, I get it." I say to Twilight, "You're right I did screw things up. Which is why after I fix this mess I'll leave so I won't cause another."

Twilight's eye then started to tear up "James! You don't have to do that! I was-" I put a claw to her lips silencing her and give her a sad smile.

"Don't worry Twi', I had a great time with you girls for the past few weeks. But if I stay I'll do more harm than good. I'll come back to visit."

"Pinkie Promise?" asked Twilight.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye-OW DAMN IT!" I scream as I poked my eye with my claw causing Twilight to giggle a bit, "We should go Celestia probably wondering what's taking us so long." Twilight nods in confirmation but still has a sad expression on her face, probably still feeling guilty about her wanting me to leave.

Shaking the thought out of my head I walk off with Twilight following me with her head looking down to the ground. "I hope this isn't too bad."





As me and Twilight arrived at the front gates of the castle I was actually surprised that the guards let us in with no problems what-so-ever. I wonder if they've been expecting us? Shrugging off the thought me and Twilight entered the castle and I have to say this was some big ass castle. I mean it didn't really look that big when we were at the train station, but when up close it is a whole 'nother ball story.

We walked through the halls o f the castle and the first thing I noticed was that it had a renaissance look to it. The guards were pretty chill as well, probably because they all had the same expression like the red soldier guys in England. Me and Twilight then came up to two giant double doors, the two guards nodded and opened the doors for us and motioned us to walk inside.

Ahead of us was a long red carpet, and colorful windows on the walls, I glanced at them and noticed that they were actually pictures of Twilight and the others battling what seems to be....well bad things apparently. We stopped in front of a chair, with the one and only Princess Celestia sitting in that said chair giving me and Twilight (mostly me) a serious stare, that kind of makes me want to jump out the window. Putting my fears behind me I take a gulp and try to act like nothings going on.

"Hey Celestia! How's it going?" I greet nervously as now all eyes are turned on me with the same expressions as Celestia's.

"It is nice to see you James, and you too Twilight but I'm afraid we have a serious problem on our hoofs." Celestia answers as she motions the two guards out of the room, "Do you remember the crystal you gave me a few weeks back when you first came here?"

I nod confirming her answer.

"Good, because as I said in my letter to Twilight that crystal has been giving off strange and dark anomalies that even I don't understand. I know you know something I don't about the crystal, James."

I stood there in silence with a guilty expression, "I-I'm sorry, I though since your all-powerful, you could handle it."

Celestia gave me a confused look,"What do you mean?"

Before I could answer, Twilight decided to do it for me. "Princess, what James is trying to say is that there is an evil entity of himself trapped inside of that crystal, and is getting stronger everyday, that's why the crystal was acting weird because it's trying to break free."  I wasn't surprised that Twilight explained everything for me, but I was shocked that she said it like it was her fault and not mine. I give her a sad smile as she gives one back. Celestia seems to notice this.

"Is something wrong with you two?" asked Celestia with a hint of concern.

"N-no, we're fine." I lie trying to stay on topic. Celestia gave me an odd look obviously because she didn't believe me.

"Do you know what's making this dark entity stronger?" asked Celestia.

"Honestly, no I don't, which reminds me can't you just use the elements on it and be done with it?"

"The elements only work on a physical being filled with evil, not just evil itself." explained Twilight.

"Then we're in the dark then?"

"Not exactly." started a new voice gaining the three of our attention. As the new comer came in the throne room I noticed that she was also an alicorn like Celestia and Twilight but her coat was a midnight blue, and a mane and tail that flowed by itself like Celestia's but it looked like the night sky. Behind her were two guards with bat like wings, dark blue armor, and grey coats. But I mostly noticed the two guards carrying a glass case that had spider-webbed cracks around it.......and also a cracked covered glowing red crystal inside.

"Allow me to introduce myself dragon. I am Luna, Princess of the night and I believe I have the solution to your problem." explained Princess Luna.

"Sister, aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" asked Celestia.

"Yes, but I believe this is far more important , is it not?"

"If you don't mind me asking, Princess Luna, but how do you know how to take care of the crystal?" I ask as Luna turned her attention towards me.

"I didn't know, but after over hearing you saying that an evil version of yourself is trapped inside this crystal here. Then I knew my suspicions were correct."

"Which is?"

"I...experienced the same problem you are having, where I had a malicious side of myself also, but unlike you I was already consumed of the darkness and had to be cleansed by the elements used by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. But you haven't been consumed yet which means that you can put a stop to this before that can happen."

"Wait...why me!?"

"Because it is your half and can only be defeated by you....you must destroy the crystal."

I give her a look like she was crazy, "But we don't know what'll happen if we do that, I....I mean h-he.....it could escape."

"Then it's a risk we are going to have to take, plus me, my sister, and Twilight Sparkle are powerful enough to handle whatever is trapped inside there."

It seems that Luna wasn't getting the picture. There was a reason why I didn't want to destroy the crystal and the darker version of myself. A reason I didn't tell Twilight and the others, and also the Princesses.

'Is it that if you destroy me you'll be destroyed as well?' said a familiar demonic voice.

'How did you-'

'It's not that hard, we literally share the same mind remember? It's been awhile since we spoke huh?'

'How are you getting stronger, I thought the farther away from me the weaker you got!?'

'You really think that!? Oh James, I get my power from something much more deeper than that.'

'What is it then!'

'Like I'll tell you.'

"James?" I was snapped out of my mental conversation, by Twilight's voice. I looked and saw a concerned expression as well as the two princesses, "Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah, I was just thinking and I'm not going to destroy it." I say  earning a gasp from the three alicorns. 

"James! You do now that you are endangering lives with this decision." scolded Celestia.

"I know, but I'm endangering more lives if by destroying the crystal frees him anyways." I snap back.

'Ooooh, someone's getting some balls.'

I ignore the scoff. "Be careful to whom you are speaking with James." said Luna in a menacing voice.

"I don't care! I' am not going to endanger the live of the ones I care about by doing something blindly!"

'So that's the real reason why you won't kill me. You have feelings for that Twilight character do you?'  

I stay silent.

'Oh my God! You do! To tell you the truth I would have thought you'll get with Fluttershy or that Derpy though.'

I'm still silent.

'Them too!? Oh this is just too good!'

"SHUT UP!" I snap startling the three princesses and make the two guards raise their weapons in defense.

"James, we need you to calm down." said Celestia in a soft voice.

"WHY! SO YOU COULD TRY TO CONVINCE ME TO DESTROY THE CRYSTAL AGAIN NO THANK YOU!!"

'Three.'

"You are really pushing your boundaries dragon!" boomed Luna.

"AND WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!" I yelled back.

"What I have to!" as Luna said that her two guards stepped in front of her their weapons pointed in my direction.

'Two.'

"James, this is the only way, don't do something you might regret." said Celestia again. I noticed that Twilight had been quiet during me and the alicorn sisters argument, what was she thinking about? I shook the thought from my head and focused on the task at hand.

"You will destroy the crystal dragon!" boomed Luna again as her guards started to advance. Was this a threat?

"BACK OFF!" I yell getting in a defensive stance as the guards advanced towards me.

'One'

"James!" I was shocked to hear that it was Twilight's voice this time, "You have to calm down, the crystal is getting stronger because of you! It's because of your emotions-!" Twilight however was cut off to the crystal beginning to hum and glow brightly and start to vibrate violently. The guards seeming to forget about me surrounded the crystal as it glowed brighter and shook more violently.

"Look what you've done!" yelled Luna.

The crystal then shattered into many pieces causing a bright red light to consume the room blinding the six of us. When the light dimmed down the crystal was gone but a dark form of a dragon took it's place and was chuckling darkly.



The dark dragon was an exact copy of me, but had blackish-purple scales, with silver horns, spines, and wings. His blood red eyes staring at us with a mischievous intent. The princesses and I could only stand in shock at how much the dark dragon resembled me even though he was a darker side of myself.

"AH! It's so nice to be out of there." he said stretching out his wings and cracking his neck, "I have to thank you James, I wouldn't have escaped without you, ya' know?" I could only glare at him as he said those words. The two guards acting on instinct charged the dark dragon but only for them to disintegrated by a wave of purple lighting bolts coming out of the dark dragon's maw.

The three of us looked in shock as the dark dragon turned the two guards into nothing but ash at our very eyes. "You princesses really need better guards." he mocked as he blew the dust of the once two guards away.

"W-who are you?" stuttered Twilight in fear.

"Oh come on princess, you're smarter than that!" my darker self said, "I'm James, but more..."

"Like an asshole." I cut in.

"I was going to say powerful."

"Yeah, as if!"

"Well, let's put that to the test shall we? Winner takes the lovely alicorn princess."

He better not be talking about....I feel my rage boiling up inside me not wanting to know who he was talking about, "Which one are you talking about?"

"I think you know that already," he said motioning his head towards Twilight, I could see her take a few steps back from this, "and who knows maybe I'll pay Fluttershy and Derpy for a visit too."

That's when something inside me snapped as my primal instincts took over. I let out a loud roar and spread my wings and rushed the dark dragon, only to be caught by the throat by his claw and smashed into the tiles making them crack.  I try to pick myself up but only for a talon to push me back to the ground. I feel my darker self lean toward close to my head and whisper, "I always thought Dark Spyro was a tacky name." he said as he kicked me in the stomach making me tumble across the ground.

"I always liked Malefor better!" he yelled before launching a ball of purple fire in my direction and Twilight screaming my name.