//------------------------------//
// 39. 
// Story: 8-Bit Pony 
// by Dawn Flower 
//------------------------------//

While the train was moving along the tracks, on its way to Canterlot, Twilight sat by herself, thinking about what she was going to say to Princess Celestia about Fighter and Black Mage; more specifically, about how much she was going to tell her about the two of them.

Suddenly, she heard something slump against the floor of the train. Looking up, she saw that it was Rainbow Dash, who had been talking to Fighter. Getting up, she walked over to see what was happening. She didn’t suspect Fighter of actually doing something to her, since she thought that he was too stupid to be evil like Black Mage, but decided to investigate nonetheless.

“What’s going on with Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked, as she reached him.

“I don’t know.” Fighter responded to her. “I was just in the middle of explaining the finer points of sword chuckery, and the next thing I know, she fell down and she’s not moving.”

“I think she’s forgotten how to breathe.” Fluttershy said as she knelt down next to Rainbow Dash to inspect her.

He actually managed to make Rainbow Dash stupider just by being near him. Twilight thought. Clearly these two are more dangerous than I thought. We’re going to have to make sure that both of them are always under watch from now on in order to avoid any more problems like this.

While she was in the middle of her soliloquy, she was completely unaware that Black Mage had walked up behind her, on his own, unsupervised. When she finally noticed him there, she turned around to face him, with a slightly worried look on her face. “Uhhmm, where’s Rarity?” She asked him.

“Okay, I know what you’re thinking, seeing as how this situation directly involves me, but I swear I didn’t do it.” Black Mage spoke in a rushed tone, with his hands up in the air. He then lowered his hands again and turned back around. “Or at least not on purpose.”

“Didn’t do what?” Twilight asked inquisitively. She then turned back and faced the direction Black Mage was facing.

On the other side of the train cart…

“BOW DOWN BEFORE ME, PUNY MORTALS. FOR I AM, NIGHTMARE RARITY. MWA HA HA AH!!!!”

Twilight’s face went completely blank. “Oh, that.”