• Published 27th Feb 2012
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The Fourth Alicorn - Cobalt the Kitsune



Twilight Sparkles new assignment is a little... different. An Alicorn colt who has no memory.

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Chapter 22: New year and New Allies

Night Stallion walked into the cavern, planning to observe how his war was going. Instead sitting on his throne of dark crystal was Sombra a smirk glued onto face.

Night automatically took an offensive stance. “You we’re destroyed.”

Sombra let out a deep chuckle. “You should be one to know the resilience of the spirit.”
Changelings started to cut off his exits. “What is this?!?”
“You are motiveless, and get distracted by the simplest things.” Chrysalis walks up to the right side of the throne. “Somber is a much stronger leader and will take over this war.”
“You can’t do this to me! You cannot lead the shadows!!!”
Sombra bellows “I have ten times the shadow magic then you ever did!”
“You have no quarrel with the alicorns as I do!”
“Perhaps not but I can think of a few benefits of ruling Equestria.” Sombra grins and glances over to Chrysalis.
“What has he offered you? That once he has Equestria you will feed freely? He will destroy all love all kindness left.”
“I will be his queen, and he has promised me plentiful feeding.”
“He’s lying!”
“SILENCE! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR LACK OF VISION WITH YOUR POWERS!!!” Sombra takes a blade blazing with blue fire and cuts his horn as close to the base as he can. Nights horn and the rest of the horn stub evaporates into shadow.
“NO!!!” Night Stallion falls on his knees and tries to catch the shadows.
Sombra slumps back into the throne and turns away from night stallion. “Take this pitiful creature away.” Two changelings start dragging Night away.
“You’ll pay for this!!!”
“I’m sure I will” Sombra smirks and waves as he is disappears down a corridor.

………

Iciel helps shaking Cobalt do up a few buttons. “Calm down cobalt.”
“I can’t, this is my first diplomatic experience. If I don’t make a good impression with the ambassadors, we might not get the crystal ponies as allies! This is an important job.”
“At least Celestia letting you do something instead of sit on the side lines.” After she finishes buttoning him up she gives him a small kiss. “Good do well.”

………

Silver rushed into the throne room then on bended knee he addressed the princess. “My Princess, The forces of shadow have gone to total war. I have received messages of changelings, shadow dragons, and all manner of shadow creature roaming the country side showing no mercy. There burning crops, leveling villages, and massacring there inhabitants.”
Celestia then stood up enraged. “Night Stallion has gone too far! Captain Silvers mobilize all forces to stop this reckless wave!”
“Yes ma ’me” As Silver rushed Celestia looked out one of the stained glass windows and remembered the suffering caused by the last two shadow wars, and thought of how her people must be suffering now.

………

Night Stallion took to wondering the streets of Canterlot, usually muttering curses and bitter oaths against those who betrayed him. But somewhere in the dark twisted caverns of his mind a single point of moral light gave him clarity enough for a thought to arise in him saying your deeds are no better than theirs.
Angry at himself for the thought of remorse arising in him he tried to drown it out but remorse did arise. The battle of the growing remorse and the tangled and strong rooted thorns of his rage began to insure in his heart. Trying to coop with the clash he took off and few with all the speed he could summon.
As he flew he tried to suppress his remorse for his deeds, deeds to fulfill his own twisted desires, deeds that brought the killing of tens of thousands, and how his rage will now bring the deaths of thousand more. “ARRRGGG!!!” he threw himself against the ground and tried to pound these feelings out of him, but only succeeding to bruise and bloody himself.
He then looked up to see where he was. He was in the burnt ruin of Ponyville. The battle ragging in his heart was then taken off this his mind. He passed by stands and homes. When he ventured into one he could tell a family lived her. The remorse was now strengthened by a bitter sadness he was able to ascend the steps to the skeleton of a second floor. He then entered a children’s bedroom. A crib leaned against what was once a wall. And burn toys where scatted across the floor.
As he observed what he’d done he stepped on something soft he picked up a fillies plush doll. He picked it up to observe it more closely. It was completely burnt on own side yet pristine on the other. All this death this destruction, did I truly want that? I did this and no one else.
He then began to weep. Realizing what he was doing he cast down the doll and rushed into this family’s kitchen. The then got a long knife and rammed its full length into his chest over and over again. Blood stained the knife ruby red and the same red ran down his front. But life cleaned to him like a disease. He then tried other ways to end these feelings of guilt but none worked. He slummed down worn and defeated by his own endurance. He looked out to the horizon and saw blue flames burning and killing in the distance. What I have done here is going to be done a hundred times over. He then turned towards Canterlot. I now know what I must do.

………

Cobalt, Iciel, and the Crystal delegates where eating dinner.
“I must admit Cobalt your reasoning is sound. This Night Stallion would most likely look to the Crystal Empire for this next target.”
“Which is why you should send your forces to help ours so the we can stop h-”
“Mister Cobalt,” A royal guard said interrupting him. “There’s something you’d want to see.”
“This better be good.” The guard nodded and led him outside the place gate where Luna and Celestia are confronting Night Stallion.
“Good Princesses.” He says “I do not ask for you mercy, for I know I deserve none but before I am put to death let me impart with you this information; that Sombra is now in control of the forces of shadow and will not stop until all is under him.”
“How are we to trust you?”
He then hangs his head. “You can’t in all rights you should slay me right here.”
Bow his head exposing his neck. “Silver you may displace him.” Celestia said turning her back.
“With pleasure.” Silver sets his wing blades like a pair of scissors on Night Stallion’s neck ready to cut of his head.
“Wait!” Cobalt shouted feeling his way forward.
Luna stopping him said. “Cobalt what are you doing this is the stallion that’s been opposing you from the beginning. Think how many lives he’s took!”
“You know I blame myself just as much as him.” Night Stallion glanced up as he heard Cobalt speek. “Plus, if his words are true he might be able to become an ally to us.”
“An ally?!” Celestia protested.
“He would know the weakness of the shadow.”
“His heart is twisted. He’s incapable of showing remorse, or love for that matter.” Luna said causing Night Stallion to sadden “We can’t trust him.”
“LUNA! Surely you must believe a pony can have a change of heart. If that was not true what kind of predicament would you be in right now.”
He then walks to Night and paced round him a bit as he did this night spoke. “Prince Cobalt, I’ve caused you to lose so much, your first love, your home, your sight, even your life once. I am not worry to be forgiven of any pony especially you. But if you do decide to pardon me, I promise to do my best to help quench this fire of reckless rage.”
Cobalt paused to think then said after a long while said to Silver. “Bring him in. Give him food and shelter, but I want him under constant surveillance until he gives me irrefutable evidence that I can trust him.”
As Silver lifts his blades off Night Stallions neck he said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Cobalt nods and follows the guards escorting Night Stallions.

………

Night Stallion eats some bread and look into the blazing fire. Two guards stood near the door not taking their eyes off him. Luna then entered the room.
“Leave us.” She said to the guards.
“But Cobalt’s orders!” One protested.
“I will make sure he does nothing harmful.” Convinced by Luna the guards walk outside.
“What is this all about?”
“I was wounding… do you still have… feelings for me?”
“What if I did, I’m not worthy of your love. Plus I thought I was, what did you say ‘incapable of love’?” Tosses the crust of bead into the fire and watch it burns not looking to Luna.
Seeing how bitter her words where, she looks down at her hooves shamefully.
After a moment of silence Night Stallion breaks it. “Have you found any pony?”
“Are you saying you interested?”
“And if I was?” Night Stallion looks at Luna directly for the first time all night. Luna only gave him a long pause in return “Never mind,” he said turning to the fire once more. “you can’t love any pony you can’t trust”

………

Cobalt, Iciel, the royal sisters, and the crystal delegates all sit down to a news year’s feast.
“So, Cobalt you are now telling me Night Stallion has defected, and Sombra is now control of the forces of shadow?”
“As unlikely as it seems, yes. It appears Chrysalis conspired with Sombra to betray him.”
“And this Night Stallion, He’s in the castle?”
“Well, not currently, but he is staying her, yes. But he is under constant watch of the royal guard.”
Suddenly a ruckus broke out, in the corridor outside. “How was I supposed to know they moved?!?” Night shouted.
“I think you did know, and instructed there flight.” Silver retorted.
As the argument turned into angry squabble Cobalt stood up sharply and feeling his way to the door he struts regally. Into the hall and calmly bangs his cane slightly to silence the pair. Then address Night said. “My good fellow, can we but the bitterness of the past behind us and do me and my family the pleasure of dinning with us.”
Night Stallion was surprised and shocked by this extension of the olive branch, and stood dumbfounded for a while.
“You still here Night?” Cobalt reaches out and tries to touch him for confirmation.
“Um, sure I guess.”
“Alight then, follow me.” Cobalt entered the dining hall, Night following. The Crystal delegates turned in their chairs to look at him questioningly. Celestia glared at him and Luna made a point at on looking at him in the eyes. Cobalt magically pulls out his chair and the empty one directly right of him. Night Stallion looked down shamefully and only eats a morsel at the time.
The night continued on in silence, with only little small talk to break it. After dinner Cobalt invited Night to walk with him in the moonlit gardens.
“So much blood is on our hooves, shared blood.” Cobalt said while felling a frozen willow branch.
“But, my blind rage started it all.” Hangs his head. “But all rights I should be punished with death. Instead I am punished with life.”
“How so?”
“My heart is dark twisted. Instead where love and passion should be there is a dark and void. I will have nopony throughout my life.” Night looks to Luna who is pacing on her balcony. “I will live in a world of darkness all my days.”
“If there is one thing my blindness has taught me, it’s that; when living in a world of darkness, you must find your light, and cleave to it.”
“I have no light….” Night looks at his hooves.
“Every pony has light,” he swipes a bit before resting his hoof on his shoulder. “You just need to find yours.”
“What’s your light?” Night asked slightly looking up at Cobalt.
“That Iceo… as strange as it sounds, I love her.” Cobalt looks up slightly. “She is my light.”
Night looks back to Luna now sweeping down, into another part of the garden. “Will you excuse me Cobalt?” He then starts to walk, guards following, in her direction.
“Where are you going?” Cobalt asked
“To find my light.”
Luna looks across the gardens, enjoying the beauty of the moon soaked trees and flowers.
“Beautiful isn’t it?”
Luna spun round to see Night Stallion standing behind her. “Oh it’s you.” She said with a note of annoyance in her voice.
“It’s amazing what your moonlight does to things. It tricks your eyes and makes things pale, beautiful.” Night plucks a night blooming black rose. “Not like your sister’s bright sun. It shows things in sharp and brutal truth.”
“You’d have the sun the moon and all the stars put out and replaced with darkness.”
Looks down, and replies. “I wanted that yes, but know I see darkness consumes everything. It trots out beauty and leaves nothing but desolation in its wake.” Night looks Luna in her eyes. “Shadows may be beautiful but shadows cannot be cast in darkness…. I wish to be in the light… with you.”
Night, Reaches out a hoof but Luna turns away before he can touch her. “Our love was dark and lustful, barley even love…” She starts to walk away from him. “I wish I could trust you. And I can see that Cobalt wants to too but…”
“You just can’t right know… I understand.” Night turns the opposite direction and starts walking.
“Night.” Luna called out. Night turned his head in her direction. “If we are going to resurrect our love, it will have to be different then before. I’m not the same pony.”
“Neither of us are.” He then turns away as Luna flaps of into the night.

………

“Cobalt, I want you to bite my tail. As close to my flank as you like.” Icicle said
Cobalt blushes and blubbers. “W-w-wait w-what?”
“You want to fly again or not.” She then took Cobalt’s jaw by force. “Bite my tail!” She then clamps his mouth down closer to her plot then he would do himself.
As she raised her wings she asked. Any, you’re still going to help me right.
Hun? Oh right, right, just do as I tell you… can you refrain from doing…. It…. while I’m still in your body
I make no promises. She then kicks off the ground and flaps hard to get air. Cobalt follows her movements and listens for the beating of her wings and tries to sync his own to hers. Soon enough they reached gliding altitude. Andromeda whispered instructions into Icicle’s mind.
Meanwhile, Shadow Blade was in a meeting with Silver Sword and some other chief officers. “Shadow has at least several dozen Shadow dragons at his disposal.” Set’s his hoof on the city of Las Pegasus; alright know to be in ruin. “They’ve started in the west and will sweep along the most populated paths, ravaging everything in their path.” He then started to drag his hoof. “At this rate they will be in….” His hoof rests on Canterlot. “Shit.” A shadow dragon’s roar echoed though the sky. A ball of blue shadow flame ripped Cobalt and Icicle apart. A horn, calling the guard to arms sounded.
Disoriented with all the rush now surrounding him, Night noticed the unconscious, unguided, Cobalt, and the wingless, panicked Iciel tumbling through the sky. He took off with all speed. As He rose the shadow dragon that sent the first flame ball rose, mouth gapping as to consume the two fast falling ponies. Shadow, observing the new danger quickly flips into a dive bomb. Folding his wings to his sides he gains speed quickly. Noticing Shadow, The dragon prepares to send another burst of fire to incinerate them. As Shadow reaches the too falling ponies he quickly scoops them up in his wings then flips on his back, shielding them from the know rising fire.
Shadow now seeing the sacrifice he has made. He closes his eyes; fold the others in even closer, and falls through fire.

Author's Note:

WHAT A TWIST!!!!