//------------------------------// // Dealing with Ghosts // Story: Gong Yi Tem Ponies // by TrombonePlayingPony //------------------------------// The two humans walked up to the door of Carousel Boutique, Allan obviously not looking forward to what was about to happen. “Ugh, this wouldn’t be so hard if she hadn’t been so nice to me since day one.” “That’s what happens when you make mistakes, man,” Ben said as he knocked on the door. “In the end, ya gotta live up to ‘em. No matter how painful.” “Can you quit being so wise? Doesn’t help that you look five years younger than me.” “Hey, I’ve done more stupid crap than you ever will, of course I’m gonna give ya life lessons. Who better?” Allan opened his mouth to retort before the door opened up, Sweetie Belle standing behind it. “Allan? Are you done being all mopey?” Allan put a finger to his chin in playful thought. “Hm, let’s see… does this!” He dived at the filly, picking her up and tickling her in his grasp. “Answer your question?” “Alright, I give up!” Sweetie squealed before wrapping her hooves around the human. “Yay! Allan’s back to normal!” “Who is it Sweetie Belle?” Rarity called from the back of the store. Allan audibly gulped as Sweetie happily announced, “It’s Allan and some other human! Or maybe he’s a minotaur. His hair is kind of messy so it’s hard to tell.” “Oi! I ain’t no minotaur! And I’m only half human, the other half is alien,” Ben responded. “But aren’t humans aliens?” Sweetie said with a cock of her head. “Different alien, one with phenomenal cosmic powers.” “Phe-nomial? So you’re good at math?” Unfortunately Ben wasn’t given time to clear up he was not half calculus alien before Rarity stepped into the foyer. “Oh Allan! So great to see you.” She said with no small amount of emphasis on ‘so’. “Who is your friend?” “Hey there, name’s Ben. I’m the guy who just knocked some sense back into your dragon warrior.” Allan rolled his eyes before turning to Rarity. “We should talk. In the back.” Rarity just nodded, turning toward there as Allan held Sweetie out to Ben. “Mind watching her?” Ben sighed, taking Sweetie Bell by the scruff of her neck. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” Sweetie giggled at him. “Just be glad I like kids, otherwise I wouldn’t keep putting up with this schtick.” “Eh, don’t worry. The worst this one will do is reset your watch or something. Have fun!” He then turned and muttered to himself. “I know I certainly won’t.” “Sweetie, no watch touching,” Ben ordered as he walked into the parlour with the filly, leaving Allan with Rarity. As Allan entered the back room, he noticed Rarity heading over to something under a sheet. “I am glad you came by Allan.” Rarity said as if it were any other day. “I made this for you.” Allan flinched. “Rarity, please don’t-” She pulled the sheet, revealing what looked like the cross between a knight’s armor and his robes. Gold trimming and white were the primary colors, and overall just looked rather clunky. “Rarity, what is this?” “Well since you are a warrior of light, I thought you should have something that suits you.” Allan groaned. “Rarity, you do realize I need to dodge a move a lot. Something like this is going to weigh me down. I’m not some knight in shining armor.” Rarity looked to Allan, her smiling hiding how much emotion there was behind her eyes. “You are to-” “No.” Allan shook his head. “Just no Rarity. In case it wasn’t obvious, I don’t take other’s expectations of me very well. I can’t be this white knight who sweeps you off your feet. I can only be myself.” “But you-” “Am not a hero. I have emphasized this time and again. I’m just a normal guy with a good head on his shoulders and trying to make the best of the crazy situation I’ve been put in.” “And that’s what makes you a white knight! You care for everyone around you without any real reason. You want to protect us despite not having to. You’re perfect.” “Rarity… I’m not. Most of the time I’m not even sure what I’m doing. I’ve only recently started grasping just how much is required with this job, and that nearly drove me to push away all my friends.” Rarity looked between him and the outfit, her smile slowly fading. She turned away from Allan, her head drooping. “Rarity… I’m not what you want. I’m not… that.” He waved at the outfit. “I… I think I need some time alone.” Allan just nodded, turning out of the room. When he entered the foyer once again, he came across a strange scene. The entire room was covered in mismatched colored glitter, including its only two occupants. Ben spat out a mouthful of the stuff. “I know what you’re thinking… but this wasn’t my fault.” “Uh…” Allan looked around confused. “What did you two do in here?” “Well…” *     *     * “Can I touch it?” Sweetie pointed her hoof at Ben’s wrist, looking with big eyes. “I don’t think your sister would like that.” “Aww…” She looked around, an awkward silence dropping on the two. “So now what?” “I dunno, what do you usually do while your sister has her drama moments?” Ben asked, leaning against a wall. Sweetie sighed, falling forward so her chin was on the floor. She then started walking around with her back hooves, dragging her face along the floor as she did so. Ben snorted, chuckling as he watched. “Yeah, I figured as much, but I was more referring to what you do for fun.” “Well I- oof!” Sweetie Belle, distracted by Ben’s question, didn’t look where she was going as she ran into one of the shelves lining the walls. A large box that had been sitting up above slowly tipped over, landing open end first on top of Sweetie. “Hey! Who turned out the lights?!” Ben laughed a little before walking over to try and get the box off Sweetie. As he pulled though, he found it to be well stuck on her head. “Ah, a wise-guy eh?” he muttered, pulling harder only for his hands to slip and he fell back at an awkward angle, his wrist hitting the corner of one of Rarity’s shelves. Ben winced in pain before he saw the watch had activated. “Aw man,” he said before he was consumed by the light and transformed. “What was that?” Sweetie asked from inside the box before grabbing the box with her hooves and pulling. As the newly transformed Jetray got up, the box popped off her head, flying through the air and hitting him in the face. “Ack!“ As he was startled by the sudden hit to the head, he shot off a set of lasers from his eyes, striking one of the mirrors in the room and beginning to bounce from place to place rapidly. “Eep!” Sweetie squeaked as the laser zoomed by before she ducked for cover. The laser went about the room, cutting through dresses, off setting frames on the walls, and generally making a mess before finally striking a jar sitting on one of the higher shelves. An explosion of glitter went off as the glass broke, covering the room in sparkly powder. Ben groaned as he wiped the glitter from his eyes. “I just know I’m gonna be blamed for this,” he sighed before slapping the Omnitrix to return to normal. Sweetie popped out of the top of a pile of glitter near him, spitting out a few before grinning. “Let’s go again! Let’s go again!” *     *     * After Twilight managed to calm down, her and Lyra began to have a nice chat as Spike, Nyx, and Scootaloo messed around the library. Little did they know that a certain mask-faced ghost was watching over them, biding her time. “That child,” she muttered to herself as she watched Nyx, “she has great potential. Why she chooses to waste it as a foal is beyond me but I’m sure I can convince her otherwise. All I need is for her to be alone for just a moment.” As if some kind of messed up god was watching down on her, her opportunity came as Nyx called out, “Aunt Lyra, I need to go to the bathroom.” Twilight was quick to point out the little filly’s room for her as she ran off, Wuya slinking behind the foal barely able to contain her excitement. She gave the filly just enough time to relieve herself before phasing through the door, not making an effort to hide herself from Nyx. “Why hello there child. You are quite talented for your age, aren’t you?” She spoke ‘innocently’ as she floated around Nyx. Nyx gasped, backing away from her. “Wh-who are y-you? Wh-what do you want?” “Little old me? My name’s Wuya, and I want to be your friend. And of course, as your friend I want to see a bright and powerful magic user such as yourself fulfill her full potential.” Nyx didn’t look any less worried. “B-but I don’t have much magic anymore. I-I gave up that power. I don’t want to be evil.” “Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head.” Wuya moved behind Nyx, phasing into the back of her head. Nyx seemed to struggle internally for a moment before her eyes opened, matching Wuya’s. “Leave that part to me.” *     *     * “So…” Allan said as he stepped out of Carousel Boutique. “I guess we’re heading to Canterlot next?” “That’s the plan I suppose,” Ben said, still wiping off the glitter. “And if you make one joke involving strippers, I’m slamming a star in your face.” “Wouldn’t even dream of it.” Allan said with a smirk. “Now, you want some help? Or you would prefer looking like a disco ball?” “I’ll be fine once we’re in the air. Heck, if I had better control over these powers it’d be gone in a snap. With my luck, though, it’d probably burn my entire outfit off. Let’s just get going before my mood gets worse.” “Whatever you say hombre.” He spoke as the Longi Kite appeared on his back and he jumped a few feet into the air. “You got wings now I’m assuming?” “Yeah, just hold on.” Ben tapped the Omnitrix before spinning the selector and slamming down randomly. “Big Chill!” he called out in a raspy voice of the blue alien. Taking flight, he looked to Allan with his insect like eyes. “Let’s go before anypony sees me. Don’t want to cause another riot.” “I’m with you there.” The two of them shot into the air, gaining only altitude for awhile before leveling off and heading toward Canterlot. “If you don’t mind me asking hombre, where’s your sister?” “She comes and goes,” Ben rasped. “She has her own life to live after all. She does currently live on my world, but that’s just so she can get back to a normal lifestyle. Don’t ask about that.” “Alright… just was wondering if she was alright.” “Kat’s perfectly fine. Though she doesn’t get a lot of sleep these days, being a mother is tough on her.” “Oh… wait what?” “She has three adopted foals. Kat’s got a lot more parental issues than I do.” Allan blinked for a few moments before shaking his head. “Guess a lot has changed since you were last here.” Ben chuckled slightly. “Not really. You just don’t know all that much about us. Not the most open of families.” The two of them went silent after that, flying over the mountain before slowing down above the main hall of the castle. “Serpent’s Tail.” Allan called before the two dove down and phased through the ceiling. Ben quickly changed back while Allan put away his Wu. “Well, now we just need to-” “Ahem.” The two looked up to see that they were standing in the middle of some sort of noble’s court, said nobility lining the sides of the hall in elevated seating so that all could see. The princesses both sat at the end opposite of the hall’s giant doors. The two of them rose an eyebrow at the sudden intrusion while the nobles glared on. “Oh mierda. Not these guys.” Allan mumbled. “Your majesties.” One noble spoke as he rose from his seat. “Might I ask just what it is your… guardsman and another of its kind is doing interrupting the proceedings?” “Oi!” Ben declared. “I am NOT one of his kind! As for you… shove it where Tia’s sun don’t shine, we got business to deal with.” The nobles all seemed to gak at the lack of respect Ben showed, though the princesses had rather different reactions. Allan could have sworn he saw Celestia smirk for a moment but that might have been his imagination. Allan sighed, shaking his head. “Nice going, diplomat.” “Sorry, force of habit. And after what I just got through with back home, you’d hate these guys more than I do.” Ben noticed the princesses looking at them and waved. “Hello!” Luna simply nodded while Celestia smiled. “Hello there. You must be a friend of Allan’s, I assume? I can tell you’ve already done wonders helping him with his… issues.” Allan scratched the back of his head awkwardly as she said this. A few nobles grumbled before another stood up. “Your majesties, if we are going to entertain this, can we at least get to their reason for barging in unannounced rather than dancing around the subject?” Celestia’s smile shrunk a bit but she nodded. “I suppose you are right. Tell us, why are you here?” “I… uh…” Allan glanced basically everywhere but at the princesses. “I was hoping Luna-” “That is princess to you!” One of the nobles spat from the assembly, earning a return glare from Allan. “... Princess Luna would allow me to speak with her… alone.” Luna seemed about ready to say something when the assembly began to mutter amongst themselves, the sound echoing through the hall. Once they finally died down, another noble stood. “We are all rather aware of your intentions to court the princess, guardsman, but you have yet to declare it officially. Does this mean you intend to do so?” “... I have to declare it?” Allan glanced at Luna in confusion, the only thing he really got in return being a worried face from her. “Well of course you do. There is a process that must be gone through for courtship of a princess, one that you have so keenly thus far avoided.” “You sure about that?” Ben asked. “Sounds more like you’re just makin’ stuff up to humiliate the guy.” As if on cue, a large book was pulled out by one of the nobles, slamming against the ground as he dropped it and opened it. He put on a set of glasses before clearing his throat and speaking. “Section 25, amendment 32 of Equestrian law does state that one attempting to court one of the princesses must go through a process as described in the law in order to prove oneself worthy. This law was brought into play many centuries ago when the princesses found themselves overwhelmed with attempts to court them, and this process has so far to this day helped to weed out all those who are not willing and able to do so.” Luna grumbled. “They neglect to mention the massive amounts of courting was coming from the nobles themselves in that era. And almost all of them plays for power.” “And that is why this law is important. To make sure less…” The noble glanced at Allan. “Esteemed individuals would not make it thus far.” “Hang on, let me see this book. I’d be the first one to think you’re blowing steam after Ben.” The noble floated the book over to him and he grabbed it just before it nearly dropped. Ben leaned over Allan’s shoulder as he read. “Well, I’ll be damned. I would say laws can be changed, but for something this trivial, I don’t think it’s worth it.” Allan licked one of his fingers before rubbing one of the letters written on the page. “What was that for?” “Making sure the ink is dry. At this point, I wouldn’t doubt that the nobles saw me drop in and quickly scribbled something down.” He shut the book before tossing it back to the pony who had been holding it, only nearly catching it in his magic before it hit him in the face. “Alright, let’s get this over with.” “Very well than. State your name and your intent for now and then later we shall call you to speak on what else must be done.” “Bunch of legal mumbo jumbo…” Allan growled under his breath before clearing his throat. “I, Allan Rhodes, want to court Princess Luna. That enough for ya?” Though the look of worry didn't quite leave Luna's face, a smile formed on her muzzle as he spoke those words with such confidence. “Indeed. Now, is there anything else you’d like to do to further interrupt the assembly?” “Oh, you have no idea. But I think that’s enough for now. Feel like heading back Ben?” “Yeah, let’s. I’ve had more than enough nobles breathing down my back. Don’t need yours added to the bunch. I really don’t wanna get sued again.” Allan chuckled as the two headed for the door. “Ha! I’d like to see the nobles force legal action across universes.” Once they were out the door, he added. “Not that I doubt they wouldn’t try.” *     *     * As Ben and Allan strode back to the library, Ben still found a way to smile. “Hey, at least we got it out of your system, eh? And both Luna and Rarity took it rather well, wouldn’t you say?” “I’m in one piece, so I’ll take that as a good sign.” As they strode toward the door, it suddenly exploded in green fire, throwing the two on their backs. Out of the now on fire Treebrary strode Nyx, her eyes yellow with red spirals for pupils as purple ghostly tendrils mixed in with her mane. “Okay, maybe I spoke too soon.” “Nyx?!” Ben shouted in surprise. “What’s up with you, girl?” Nyx chuckled, her voice not her own. “Oh don’t worry. Your little friend is safe. I’m just going to borrow her so I can take over the world!” “Wait, Wuya?!” Allan gawked. “Since when can you do that?!” “You learn a lot when you are a fifteen hundred year old witch. Now the only thing standing in my way is you two.” Her horn began to gather green fire around it before forming a huge ball of it larger than Nyx’s body. “The first time I tried to take over this land, I used ice and cold. This time I’m feeling a little more… spicy. Now, what is it you say Allan? Oh yes, adios.” The fire shot at the two of them, a practical geyser of flame. “Orb of Tornami!” The blue orb appeared in Allan’s hand, countering the flame with a wave of water. As the fire was extinguished, Ben growled darkly at Wuya. “You manipulating little freak!” he shouted. “Let her go right now!” “Really? You think I’m going to just let her go after all the work that went into finding her?” She reared up before slamming her hooves into the earth. Giant stone ponies rose out of the ground, eyes glowing with the same green energy. “Kill them.” The ponies charged, the two humans dodging as they barreled by. The house behind them became no more as the stone behemoths could not stop. “Ben, I have an idea. But I need Wuya completely distracted for it to work.” One of the golems charged at Allan out of the wreckage, cutting him off as he leapt onto its back. He smirked. “Allan, you get Nyx back and you can count on me for anything you need in the future. And a distraction, I can do.” Ben popped up the Omnitrix and transformed into a dwarf-sized alien with a green front and a black back and head. “Ditto!” Wuya yawned before looking back at the burning library. “I wonder how long it will take for everyone inside to be roasted. Or if you two will ever manage to even get to them.” Allan leapt off the stone pony as another one charged at him. “Eye of Dashi! Light!” The pony’s charge was halted a focused version of the white beam of energy cut it down the middle. “Really Wuya? As if possessing foals wasn’t bad enough, you’ve got to threaten harming a pregnant girl?!” Wuya only smiled at him, proud of her accomplishments and turned...only to have an alien standing right in front of her face. “Hi there!” “Bah!” She jumped rather un-menacingly. “How did you-” “How did I what?” asked a voice from above her. Wuya quickly shot around and saw the alien now laying on a tree branch above her. “What- who-” “Where!” another shouted, popping out of a bush. “When!” one shouted, as he came out of higher tree branch. “Why!” and again one more shouted as he jumped out of a gopher hole. “How!” a final one asked, floating above her. “You… you can copy yourself?! I can’t believe I’m saying this, but now you are even more annoying!” She threw a fireball at each one in turn, the Ditto’s only dancing about as they dodged the attacks. “Ooh, I think you almost got me on that one,” a Ditto quipped, pointing at scorched patch of grass next to him with his thumb. “Ya know,” another said as he put his elbow on Wuya Nyx’s back, “For a fifteen hundred year old hag, ya ain’t that bright.” “Raaaagh!” All the Ditto’s were thrown back as a sphere of green fire enveloped Wuya. As the flames died down, she glanced around in anger. “Well? What will you do now you little annoyances?” “Actually, I think it’s my move senorita.” Allan’s voice seemingly came from nowhere. Before Wuya could react, Allan phased up through the floor right beneath Nyx, grabbing onto Wuya’s tail with his left as he held onto the Serpent’s Tail with his right. The two flew into the air as Nyx fell to the ground groaning. Ben quickly rushed over to Nyx, several Ditto’s surrounding her as one picked her up. “Nyx! Speak to me, girl! Speak to me!” Moving her head slowly, Nyx looked up at the Ditto clone and moaned, “Uncle Ben? The ghost witch, she was inside me. It hurt, a lot.” All the Dittos suddenly looked up, strange looks plastered on their faces. One kissed his hand and blew towards you. “Goodnight everybody!” Meanwhile, Allan was struggling with Wuya as the two of them were both incorporeal high above Ponyville. “How dare you ruin such a perfect plan!” Her tendril like hair wrapped around Allan’s throat. Despite his air being cut off he just grinned back. “What… can I say? I’ve got a… knack for screwing with evil plans.” He managed to pull the tendrils off his neck enough to take a breath of air but by then Wuya had reached her real goal. The Serpent’s Tail was wrenched from his grasp as Wuya and him lost grip of one another. Without the Wu, Allan began to drop as Wuya flew off. “So long, Dragon of Light. You won’t see the last of me.” Allan called out the Longi Kite as he fell, floating to a stop above the Treebrary as it smoked out. He pulled back out the Orb of Tornami and started dousing the remaining flames. He then took a look around to find a strange lack of aliens. “Uh… where did Ben go?” Not too far above or too far off, Wuya sped off through the sky, laughing and chuckling to herself. “This wasn’t a complete failure. With the Serpent’s Tail, I am one step closer to-” “Where do think you’re going?!” a raspy voice said as a large, grey phantom appeared in front of her. “What in the world?!” She pulled the Serpent’s Tail hard, bringing it to a halt in front of the new being. “Just what are you supposed to be?” “Your worst nightmare come to life,” the phantom moaned as he started to circle around Wuya. “I’m the thing that all creatures fear, both big and small, good and evil. I. Am. Fear!!” Ghostfreak suddenly phased right through Wuya, sending a chill down her nonexistent spine. “Do you want to see something scary?” “H-how are you… how is this even…” She tried darting away with the tail, only to have the spectre appear in front of her every direction she took. “This doesn’t make any sense!” “That’s because fear is irrational, you little witch!” Ghostfreak shouted right into her masked face. “Now, allow me to show you the true face,” he gripped his ‘skin’ and began to pull. “Of Fear!” He tore himself open, revealing his decayed, grotesque, and tentacled innards, Wuya instantly being forced to watch her true fears unfold before her very eyes. As Ghostfreak covered himself once more, Wuya grimaced. “I don’t know how, but somehow I feel like I’ve soiled myself.” And then she darted off as fast as the Serpent’s Tail can go. Ben chuckled to himself as he flew off back to the treebrary, phasing through the wall and coming up behind Twilight without her noticing. “What did I miss?” She jumped, turning to see Ben. For a moment it looked like she was about to scream before she squeed and darted up to the incorporeal being. “Oh my Celestia! Just what are you? How did you get behind me? Did you phase through the wall? Where did you come from? Are you another kind of alien like Allan and Ben?” “To an extent, Twilight Sparkle,” Ghostfreak let out a dark chuckle, slowly wrapping himself around her like a snake. She was still too enraptured by the being as Allan just watched from the ruined remains of the door with a smirk. “Oh hey Ben. Was wondering where you went.” “Aw!” Ghostfreak whined as Twilight’s eyes widened. “Did you really have to ruin it? I was going to have some fun.” Allan chuckled as he walked up to Ben. “You’re the one who told me to me to be nice to my amigos. Besides, your green medal thing gives it away way too easily.” Allan tried to tap the Omnitrix medal on his chest only to have his hand pass through. He sighed, moving off to where Lyra and Scootaloo were helping gather up the destroyed books. Ben tapped the Omnitrix, returning to normal. “....You know, in hindsight, I should have grabbed that tail thing when I scared Wuya.” Allan shrugged. “I don’t see too much of a loss in it. Besides, she can’t touch it unless someone physical uses it to become incorporeal so she’ll need the brother’s anyway. I’ll get it back.” Meanwhile, Twilight had shaken out of her study stupor to look at the damage around her. “This will take months to fix, especially considering how hard it is to grow a tree and have a building inside it without killing it.” Spike grumbled something before continuing to gather up what books were still intact, which wasn’t a lot. Lyra nudged Ben. “Why don’t you give a little bit of your magic a shot, Ben. It certainly couldn’t hurt.” “You have magic and a shape shifting device?!” Twilight gawked. “Are you kidding me?!” “Well, to be fair, I had magic the last time I was here too,” Ben said while rubbing his neck. “Ya see, I just don’t have a whole lot of control over it. It’s just so powerful that I’m still trying to find out how to properly use it.” Twilight was too busy trying to comprehend that, leaving Allan to ask questions. “Wait, is that what you used before to cheat?” Ben snapped his fingers. “Bingo! Ya see, I’m not totally human, well anymore. I’m half celestialsapien, which are the most powerful beings in all existence.” “Huh. Lucky you, I guess. That mean you can fix this?” Allan waved his hands over the scorched remains of the library. “Well I could try and see if it works,” Ben shrugged. “Or…...you don’t wanna know.” Lyra, Nyx, and Scootaloo shivered. Allan gave Ben a raised eyebrow before turning to Twilight. “Up to you senorita.” Twilight glanced about before turning to Ben. “Could you?” Ben sighed. “Well, here goes something.” And he snapped his fingers. A bright flash shot off all around them and when they were able to look again... “Hey! We’re in mommy’s castle!” Nyx said groggily before falling back to sleep on Lyra’s back. “Oops,” was all Ben had to say. “Would you like a pair of wings with your castle, Twilight?” Ben laughed through a nervous smile. “Wait, this is what she gets as a princess?” Allan said as he glanced around, Twilight completely enthralled by the crystal building. “Eh, bit too shiny for me. What’s it called anyway?” “Castle Harmony,” Ben replied. “It technically belongs to all of Twilight and her friends, see?” He pointed over to the seven thrones in the room next to them. “Castle Harmony? Really?” Twilight groaned before glaring at Ben. “Fix it. Make it a burned down piece of rubble if you want. Just not… this!” “Yeesh, harsh.” Ben snapped his fingers again, this time transforming it into an RV. “Aw man.” “Okay, why do I feel like I’ve seen this before?” Allan scratched his head. Twilight was too busy marveling over the change in tech while Spike pulled himself out of a compartment near the ceiling and fell to the floor. “Hey, what’s this button do?” Scootaloo asked as she pressed the A/C button, suddenly launching Twilight into the air via a spring-loaded eject pad. “Oops.” Her horn stuck into the ceiling, leaving her hanging there as she flailed with her hooves. Allan had his hand right next to another button in the RV and slowly pulled away as he saw the new pony shaped light fixture. “I’m guessing try again?” Ben asked. “Yes!” Twilight shrieked. “Please! Before anyone presses anymore buttons!” “Third time’s the charm,” Ben hoped as he snapped his fingers one more time. He opened his eyes and fist pumped when he saw it was the treebrary fully restored. “Yes! It worked!” Twilight fell on her butt as the ceiling she was stuck in disappeared. She shook her head before looking around and sighing happily. “Thank goodness. I’ll be honest, I thought this time you were going to create a volcano or something equally dangerous.” “Oh gods I hope not. Don’t need that happening.” “Again,” Scootaloo quipped. “You’re going in time out too once we get home.” Ben scolded. “Awww.” Allan shook his head with a grin. “Well that was more than I expected to do today.” He turned to Twilight. “Mind if I see the tiger claws real quick?” “What do you need the claws for?” Ben asked as Twilight hoofed them over, very reluctantly. “I figured with how Nyx is looking and after all the excitement, you guys would want to head home.” Allan strapped the claws to his left hand. “....what? You don’t trust me to try and get my own family back home?” “No!” everyone shouted as he cringed. “Jeez, tough crowd. I get no respect, I tell ya. No respect at all.” Allan chuckled before holding the claws up and speaking, “Golden Tiger Claws!” A tear large enough for the entire family to step in side by side appeared in the air. “There you are. Don’t be a stranger though. You can come back anytime. After all, I owe you for straightening me out.” “Yeah, yeah, just don’t call me when the world starts ending. Already went through with that with another Displaced.” Ben allowed Scootaloo, Lyra, and Nyx to jump in first before Ben stopped and looked at Allan. “And just remember Allan: We’re all stories. Just try to make it a good one, eh?” “Whatever you say hombre.” Allan waved at Ben as the tear closed before tossing the claws back to Twilight. “Well, back to training.” Twilight glared at him for a moment before he snickered. “I’m kidding! I mean, I’ll still train, just not as much.” Twilight grumbled and left for the basement, leaving Allan to walk out himself. *     *     * Chase watched the xiaolin warrior through a pool of water, frowning at the sight of Allan whistling to himself as he walked home. “So, this ‘Ben’ appeared and ruined my hard work.” He glared at the picture for a few moments before grinning and walking away. “No matter. I prepared for such a thing to happen. After all, Allan’s light may grow brighter, but a brighter light means longer shadows.” He placed a hand to his chin as he wandered his fortress, the cat warriors he had collected over the two years Allan was gone lounging about. “Though I must admit, the idea of beings from another universe is intriguing. Perhaps there are others who would share my goals.” He ripped a chunk of metal off the wall as his other hand grew claws. In moments he had carved a message into the steel and imbued it with Heylin magic. He tossed it back at the wall, only for it to vanish into the ether. Chase returned to his walk, hands behind his back. “Now we shall truly see how much evil has spread.”