Story of a Stick

by Xinrick

Stick goes to Amberdoven

“This still sucks…” I groaned, lightly cradling Dawn in my arms as I finally got them to fall back to sleep, even if I had a nanny here to help, I would be damned if I didn’t act like an actual god damn parent. “So…sleepy…” I yawned, now knowing why people told me ‘training is difficult, but being a parent is so much harder’.

As sleep was near claiming me I suddenly had some hot, but not too hot, mashed potatoes shoved into my mouth. "You better visit her regularly if you expect me to babysit her while you're away." Sombra huffed.

I brought Dawn and the pony nanny construction with me here… as well as accidentally bringing Cadence.

"I can't believe you're still alive- I can't believe you're living less than ten miles from the empire!" Cadence yelled at the shadow pony.

"And I can't believe you're Amore's daughter and I.Q.'s granddaughter yet here we are." Sombra countered.

I hummed blissfully from the mouthful of mashed potatoes. “Well…a lot of things are happening…” I said. “And also I am going to…even with a nanny babies shouldn’t go on dangerous adventures…”

"No shit." Sombra said with an eye roll.

"So you're not gonna try and attack the Empire again right?" Cadence asked.

"No. At this point I'm content to stay out here alone and eventually die, bringing the Umbrum race into extinction." He answered.

“That’s depressing.” I frowned. “We really shouldn’t let you just stay here and effectively die in a hole.” I frowned.

"It's a nice hole all things considered." Sombra shrugged.

"Despite the… atrocities and countless war crimes you and your people did, it really wouldn't be right to just let you go extinct." Cadence said.

“Especially when all his crimes are based on the fact that he…lost the love of his life, and not knowing if she’s still alive.” I said honestly. “I…honestly don’t know the time difference between our worlds, but I’m still sure the lady’s still alive somewhere…”

"I'm doubtful." Sombra said.

"And that doesn't excuse his crimes either. That's like saying it's okay to murder just because you're mad someone cut you in line or took the last cupcake at a store." Cadence added.

"And I did in fact murder a LOT of ponies." Sombra commented.

“I know I know…” I sighed. “This is still a very weird situation…” I sighed. “He still has a lot of things to atone for, but dying in a whole leading to the extinction of a race is not good.”

"And I don't plan on screwing anyone." Sombra added.

"You loved her a lot." Cadence noted. "Understandable."

“Because magic is clearly very different in this world, isn’t there a way to…see if someone’s still alive? Like with your magic Cadence?” I inquired, thinking about the many ‘love transcends’ nonsense I’ve read about a lot of the time.

"It doesn't work like that Simon. I can tell how much two or more individuals love one another but I can't use it to tell if they're still alive or even where they are."

“That’s fair.” I nodded. “I suppose the whole ‘love transcends’ talk is more so for dramatic flair.” I shrugged.

"So, where are you going next?" Sombra asked.

“Not entirely sure, but I have thought about where the portal’s have been opening up.” I said. “And the fact I’ve heard some stuff about a Thestral Village, I might as well check there…wherever this Thestral Village is.”

"Well, to be blunt, Thestrals are akin to Pegasi. Same magic and such but with bat-like wings, eyes and such. Unlike regular ponies they can and usually do eat meat and have a night vision that allows them to see as well even in a moonless night or lightless cave as if it were daytime. As a result they are typically nocturnal if they live outside their subterranean cities."

“Alright, so bat ponies.” I nodded. ”Might as well head to their town and see if they’re experiencing any nonsense with the portals.”

"Try not to call them Bat ponies. They consider it a racial slur." Sombra informed.

"Fair." I shrugged. "So, where would this Thestral Village be?" I inquired.

"The closest one is just past the borders with the Frozen North. Close to Manehattan." Cadence said.

“Cool.” I nodded. “What’s the name of the place?”

"I believe it was called Amberdoven?" Cadence said with some thought.

"I remember it." Sombra said with a nod. "A thousand years ago most of the Empires non-crystal materials were imported from there. Whole cave system is a massive mine."

“Name has probably changed if it’s been that long.” I shrugged. “But I’ll head off soon with the next train…good thing that I have at least some money from all this…”

“Will you be taking I.Q. with you?” Cadence asked.

"Considering she might want to spread the wonders of technology to people, I'll ask if she hasn't immediately gone to Canterlot." I said simply. "Plus, a person that knows where they're going is a good idea."

“Just hope she isn’t increasing the population in the Empire.” Sombra said. “Wouldn’t be the first time her libedo tripled the population.”

"I wouldn't be surprised if she is…" I sighed. "Let's go see if she's having her way or immediately making an industrial revolution…"

I gently put Dawn in her new crib and used the map to Teleport Cadence and I back to the Empire-

The… Fuck?

When I first teleported here I was in the cold cause the stone was just outside the barrier to the empire… Now I’m in it and the Empire has… expanded. The barrier looks like it’s grown an extra… thirty miles.

“We were only gone for a few hours!” Cadence yelped.

The ground below us was already rid of snow, now covered in pavement like back home and it looked like this area was segmented for… houses.

I felt a beep and pulled out something I forgot I even had in my pocket… and was surprised it was working… my cell phone… I have service now?!

"Sick! I have service!" I said happily. "Also how the fuck do I have service!?"

“I built a cell tower.” Cadence and I turned to see I.Q. walking up to us down the road. “Well, I built three just to be safe. They also transmit radio, internet and TV signals from across the multiverse.”

“How? We were only gone for a few hours?” Cadence asked.

“Part of my abilities aren’t just my intelligence, I can also transmutate matter into any form I want. Making the expansions, roads, towers. That was all easy.”

“But how did you expand the barrier?”

“I built that heart. Wasn’t hard to upgrade it.” I.Q. Shrugged.

“I keep forgetting you’re more or less a god or… something.” Cadence sighed.

“I also mass produced better armor and weapons for your guard, gave all your hospitals better medicine, machines and such. Seriously you guys didn’t even have a basic flu shot, fixed some tax errors I noticed in that pile of paperwork in your office, restructured your criminal detentions into a rehabilitation and education center. Also rebuilt your schools and education system cause, Jesus Cadence it’s embarrassing how out of date that material was. I also made your farms into special tower based ones that are as long as a single field but each floor grows a fields worth of food so that’s your food production taken care of. Built a hydro electric station that uses the endless snow outside to produce clean water, steam for energy and such.”

“Did you also make the Empire a democracy?” She asked.

“Heck no. Democracies like many forms of government are all easily corruptible and can be bought or infiltrated easily. No I made a council of elected officials that speak for the different districts and are only paid the minimum as to ensure only those who want to help ponies over make a profit earn the spot and each official can only remain in power ten years max. Every pony gets a vote on the matter and no bullshitters get into the seats of power.”

“So in other words Shining and I are out of a job?”

“Well, you are still the crowned prince and princess but that’s now more a job for public relations. Rather than deal with issues you act as an extra line between the people and the council that works to strengthen relationships and communications between them. Plus Equestria. The Empire is now it’s own independent superpower.”

“... Less work. Sounds fine to me.” Cadence shrugged.

"Cool." I nodded. "So, want to tag along on my adventures and basically do more world fixing?" I inquired.

“I guess.” She shrugged. “Not much use in a fight though. Also.” I.Q. reached into her lab coat and pulled out a notebook and files and gave them to Cadence. “Alright, just follow these instructions and such and the Empire will probably end up lasting for, well, ever.”

With that, I.Q. and I headed to the train station and took a ride.

“So, a thousand years have passed, and we’re going to a Thestral Town near Manehattan, know anything about them?” I inquired.

"Last I heard they were a mining town, but also cultivated special mosses and fish that could only thrive in dark, wet environments."

“Neat.” I nodded. “Since I might as well ask…” I sighed. “What was it like before the war and you all…being shoved in ice? A thousand years ago when our worlds were more…close?”

"Not bad." She said. "While I don't approve of Celestia's Mothering method to her rule, I can understand it. When you love long enough to remember experiences, you know how to avoid them again. Lot of people back home always forget the mistakes of the past, and that ends up doing more harm than good."

“I mean, considering you quite literally want to revolutionize the planet to basically be self-sustaining forever, and probably having ideas for god knows what else, I can see why.” I nodded, though for some reason it felt like someone was saying ‘told you so’ to a few others. “Push too far or fast all at once then thing’s could be a problem…”

"Sadly. I'd rather not repeat Atlantis."

“What happened to that specific one?” I asked.

"Have you not heard the legends?"

“Are we talking about this world’s Atlantis? Cause I barely even know what the hell is in this world.” I said. “I’ve barely been here for a month…but if you’re talking about our world? Then boy howdy is there a lot of talk about what specifically happened to that one…I also added ‘that specific atlantis’ cause of all the movies, mytho’s and all that jazz.”

"I mean back home obviously."

“Right, then there’s been a lot of talk, but it ultimately get’s summed up to ‘someone really fucking stupid did a thing they really shouldn’t have, and it collapsed the entire island to make way for ocean front property’.”

"Not exactly." I.Q. said.

“Then what really happened?” I inquired.

"Sacrifice." She said flatly. "It was… the only nation I and the others took an active part in to rule. When we got there, Atlantis was an island nation no bigger than anywhere else. It had potential but was ruled by a cruel and unforgiving church. We topled them and lead the people into a new age. Taught them advanced mathematics, chemistry. While the wild still used bronze they could forge titanium. The world believed leeches were a cure all while they had vaccines for almost all the illnesses in the world. And while people rode horses, they took to the sky and already launched the first satellite."

“So…what happened?” I asked, honestly intrigued by this but also worried about what might be told.

"We were working on a power source that would make even our own sun obsolete. A self sustaining microverse with it's own galaxies, suns, everything. Within it would house its own universe and raw materials and elements and power. I called it the Generation Machine. It would work by artificially making a big bang in a controlled spatial environment. From there the machine took the raw Particles, formed atoms and then structured those atoms into whatever we needed. Metal, power, water. Heck even live plants and animals so long as we know how their atomic structure was structured it could be created in that machine!"

“This is starting to sound like a Rick and Morty reference.” I said. “I’m sorry for saying that but…I mean, Rick used a Microverse to power his Car…”

"Rick is an idiot for wasting the potential of a whole microverse just to be a battery for a car. That could have made limitless materials. No more drought. No more starvations. If… it had worked."

“What caused it to fail?” I inquired. “Sounds to me like you had everything figured out…unless there was something you didn’t account for?”

"The container." She said. "It wasn't strong enough. Even on a microscopic scale the Big Bang is a hell of an explosion. It got out, expanded outside the container, and collapsed. Atlantis was sucked into it like a black hole. Of course, we survived… but Atlantis, the people, all that good work… all that promise… gone."

“O-oh…” I muttered in horror. “That’s…that’s awful…”

"That was the first and last time we ever tried ruling a place of our own. Or settle down."

“I…can now see why…” I sighed.

"Immortals shouldn't rule. Regardless, and neither should we exist. In a universe where everything is going to die, why aren't we able to?"

“Because you might have a purpose that is more important than mortality?” I inquired. “That you were given a task so fundamentally important to existence that a mortal life isn’t long enough to do it? I mean, come on, you’re a being that shares multiple soul’s in a reincarnation cycle with outlandish powers even by Stick Figure standards. Matter Manipulation and an IQ so great that you can literally create Micro-Verses if you wanted, a Fighter that is…pretty much without equal, a being that can create any kind of energy they want…and this fourth mystery person?”

"Captain. Or Hazard. He's more or less a middle ground between Toxic, Instinct and I. He can technically use all our ability but to a lesser extent. He doesn't like fighting and prefers to just start up farms whenever he takes over."

“What about this mystery person you really don’t want to talk about?” I inquired. “Cause you seemed very adamant to not talk about them as if the mere mention was able to start something bad.”

"Hm… can't tell you." I.Q. said plainly.

“Ya see, when you say that, it makes me think you’re soul is bound to something than just the hotel that is your body.” I frowned.

"I can't tell you because I don't know. Only Hazard knows anything about them. All he's told us about it is that it's best the don't come out." She said with a shrug.

“That’s…not concerning at all.” I frowned. “Just a part of your soul you really don’t want to ever come out…”

She shrugged. "I don't know anything about it. Like I said, I only know what Hazard tells me, and that's not much."

“Fair enough.” I nodded. “A mystery for another time…” I sighed.

"So, wanna Fuck again?" I nearly fell off my seat. "It's gonna be a couple hours til we get there."

“I mean…” I blushed brightly. “How can you just…say that so casually after everything?”

"Easy. It's a long trip, we got a few hours and I'm bored." She shrugged.

I sighed, completely ignoring the parts where this actually hurt me emotionally, especially when it involves me getting a kid…but damn it was I not thinking about doing it again. “Fine…but let’s try not to make another kid cause…I’m still trying to process a lot from our first time…’

"Fine. We'll stick to the other holes then."

After a… rather fetish revealing few rounds where I learned I.Q. will do just about anything and everything and I had a few new… likes discovered we were a short while away from the station.

I was sore and resting, I.Q. opened windows to get the… musk smell out of the cart.

When we arrived I was glad it wasn't freezing. Maybe a slight chill but nothing I can't muscle through and I began looking around for that underground City Entrance.

"From what I remember it was around here somewhere." I.Q. said, taking the lead as I limped behind her.

“Thought it would have been in a forest?” I brought up. “Hmm, maybe I’m thinking of a different town?”

"Probably a different town. Besides, Amberdoven has always been underground. The entrance is a fairly large cave opening. I remember it had a stairway down too."

"Neat." I nodded, helping search for the entrance. "Any specific markings I should be looking for as well?"

"Not really, just a big stone hole." She said.

"Alright." I nodded, searching for the mystical hole to Thestral Land.

As I was walking around I felt something fall and hit my head… is that… a mango seed?

Ouch!

Another one fell and hit me on my head, looking up I spotted the source. She was a very dark blue with basically pitch black leathery bat wings and slit lapis blue eyes with a lighter blue mane.

A Thestrial, I figured.

She was sitting in the tree top eating one mango after another from a rather large basket.

"Hi there." I said to the Thestral lady.

She looked over and down at me. Likely just now noticing me. She ate her mango with a greed and gusto akin to that of someone possessed before tossing the seat down near, and thankfully not at, me. "Hi." She said plainly, picking up another mango.

"How are you doing today?" I asked politely.

She ate another mango before answering. "Okay." She replied.

"That's good, do you know where the cave to Amberdoven is?" I asked.

"Why should I tell you?" She asked, starting yet another mango.

"Cause I want to see what a Thestral town looks like, and also see if anyone like me is there."

"Why?"

I blinked. "I…literally told you why…"

She ate another mango. "Why did you tell me?"

“Because you asked why you should tell me where the cave entrance is?” I asked.

"Did I?" She asked, tossing another mango seed she picked clean and picked up yet another mango from the box nearby.

I gave her a deadpan look. “Really? Doing that crap?”

"Doing what?" She asked, munching on her mango. "Who are you?"

“My names Simon, and you doing a ‘did I say that’ joke.” I frowned. “But what’s your name?”

She munched on her mango first, finishing it and tossing the seed. "Peanut." She said, picking up- how many mangoes is she gonna eat?!

“How many mangoes are you going to eat?” I asked incredulously.

"As many as I want." She said with a happy tune in her voice as she bit into her next mango. "Bro bro says as long as I'm up here I get all the mangos I want." She said happily.

“And…where would this ‘Bro’ be?” I inquired.

"Who's bro?" She asked. Is… is she stupid or fucking with me? "I know a Bro Bro." … Stupid…

“Holy shit…” I grumbled. “Is there anyone else here?” I called out, hoping there was someone that could answer my questions.

I was greeted by silence.

With a groan I looked back up at the stupid, admirably kinda adorable Thestrial mare as she ate more mangos.

“Alright, who is this ‘Bro Bro’ person.” I frowned, hoping to actually get an answer.

"Hm? Bro Bro is my Big Baby Brother!" She declared. "He runs the mines and big machines and bosses all the other ponies around and give me mangos for staying as far away from him while he works as physically possible."

I can see why… this mare in any work zone is probably a catastrophe waiting to happen.

“Right then.” I nodded. “Can you tell me where he is? I promise I’ll be careful around his work.”

"Bro Bro is in the mines silly." She giggled as she ate and finished another mango in one bite. She reached into the box for another only to turn and look inside. "Oh phewy. No more mangos…" She then slumped… slid to the side… and free fell into a hard thud on the ground with her skull Somehow cracking a rock in the ground in three. She was still conscious, didn't seem in pain, and mostly just looked upset her… snacks were gone.

“Well…” I started, walking over and gently checking to see if she was alright. “Mind showing me where the Mines are? I’m new around here so I don’t know where it is.”

"Hmm." She said from her pillow of cracked stone. "I donno. Bro Bro doesn't like it when I show up at the mines while it's all working. Last time.my tail got caught in some gears and my butt broke his fancy new digger…"

I'm not even gonna question how if any of that is true…

“Alright…can you point me in the right direction?” I asked, at this point just mindlessly giving this adorable mare some ear scritches.

"Eeep!" She yelped, sitting back up. "Pervert!"

What?!

"Bro Bro!" She yelled as she flew off.

Crap I can't lose her otherwise I'll never find this damn cave!

I immediately chased after her.

“Why do I get myself into these situations…” I whined, following after the Thestral swiftly even through the forest. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know okay?”

I followed the whaling mare into a huge cave opening halfway in the ground, an old stairway going down into the darkness.

I rapidly equipped some Perfect Night vision glasses I had for such… occasions…

Woah…

When the light no longer touched the stone it looked far more well kept, elegantly carved and cared for with so many symbols and carvings of figures and weapons and… woah.

As much as I wanted to stay and admire the Architecture I kept following Peanut. I passed many confused and annoyed Theatricals til- Holy this!

The metal and stone were merged into a subterranean empire of steel, stone and darkness.

Thestrials are basically dwarves?!

"Bro Bro!!!" I heart Peanut scream in the distance.

I followed until I finally caught up, seeing her wrapped around the hoof… the HOOF of a Thestrial stallion easily three stories tall!

"Peanut?!" He bellowed. "What did I tell you about coming down while the mine is in operation?! Last time you showed up yet damn tail got caught in the gears of the Steam Drill and your fat ass actually clogged the exhaust pipe causing it to explode!" Huh, that did happen…

"But Bro Bro! He scratched my ears!" She pointed a hoof at me while crying.

"Oh fer Luna sake…" He growled, looking over at me. He reached a wing into his massive saddle bags and poured some Mangos on the ground.

Peanut sniffed, then jumped onto the pile of the fruit, her sadness completely forgotten as the large Thestrial walked over to me. "You the one she was mad at?" He asked.

"Mind if I get an explanation before we start this because as you can clearly see," I motioned to all of me. "I'm new and barely know things about your race."

"Right. Well, you didn't actually do anything bad. Ear scratches aren't a bad thing for us or any creature, it's mostly a sign of affection from family or lovers but Pa was real worried about Peanut so he taught her to always scream and fly away should somepony do that or, touch other parts of her, just to be safe. She's a sweet, stupid filly but she's family so I just try and make her life a little easier. Just wish she wasn't born so thick skulled. Literally, Doc's took an X-ray of her skull, it's seven times thicker and denser than a normal ponies. Squishing her brain, hence her… stupid."

"I did notice that when she crushed a rock with her skull after running out of Mangoes." I nodded. "And…well, I did the ear scratches thing because she's just adorable…"

"Heh. I'll give you that, I just worry to death about her. It's a miracle she's lived this long with all the accidents she gets into. Buried alive, napped in an incinerator, bathed in the boilers, ate glass thinking she'd poop it back into sand, more hits to the head than even a pony with her skull should have survived, drank dish soap, the list goes on…"

"Well…sounds like she was born with an unnatural amount of durability…" I said carefully. "Is she gifted at anything or is she just accident prone?"

"Gifted is the only word not used to describe her. Every job she's ever had she broke, set on fire, ate or didn't follow instructions so she ended up jobless and has been for the last ten years."

"Yeesh, that is quite a record." I said nervously.

"Hence why I give her a box of mangos and tell her to stay topside to keep herself and the workplace safe." He informed.

"That is the correct course of action." I nodded. "Name's Simon."

"Coal Stone." He nodded back. "So, what brings an odd creature like yourself into our underground City?"

"Wanted to see the Thestrals in person, and wondered if there was any beings like me around here, a Stick Figure if you've heard of them." I answered.

"No, so far you're the only one of your kind here." He explained.

"Interesting." I nodded. "I was originally looking for the entrance to the city with a…friend of mine, now is this just a mine near the town or is this the actual entrance to the town?"

"Bit of both. Town started as just a small colony. Mine came later. Gems, ore, ECT, just never stopped. Thousand years later we're still digging. Still selling. Still growing." He said.

"That's pretty cool." I nodded. "Mind if I go find my friend and bring her here? I'm sure you'd be happy to know she can upgrade your mining gear."

"If it means some repairs on our machines, sure. Most of these old drills are being held together by hopes and prayers. Duct tape and chewing gum ran out after a while."

"Yeah, she'll help out a lot." I nodded.

I rushed back to find I.Q. once I did I brought her to Coal Stone and she began repairing/upgrading stuff. I took this opportunity to look around their city. I didn't have anything in mind really but I was hoping to eventually get maybe some more weapons or something.

“Even if I have every weapon under the sun with every enchantment I could get my hands on…you never know if there’s something new…” I chuckled to myself

I looked through the various window shops and saw some neat items. To my surprise I found what looked like a dojo.

“Oh thank you.” I sighed out happily, missing the feeling of being in a Dojo as I walked into the place.

Entering the Dojo, I was greeted by a mostly metal room with a stone floor. Old scuffs and scratches in the metal and rock told me this place had seen some use over the years. An old Thestrial stallion, maybe I'm his early fifties, sat in the center of it all, using the small hooks on his wings to knit something.

“Hello?” I asked. “I’m looking for the Master of this Dojo…” I said, even though I was pretty sure it was the old Thestral.

"That would be me." He said plainly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Master.” I bowed politely to the stallion.

"No need for that here. I haven't been a Master for some time."

“It’s still good to show respect to someone that has become a Master, even if they haven’t been through the title alone.” I said, standing up straight. “My names Simon.”

"Kabu." He said simply as he kept up the knitting. "What brings a creature like yourself here?"

“I was looking around, seeing what a Thestral Town looks like, as well as seeing if there was anyone like me here.” I said. “But…given this is a Dojo, I would be honored to know what fighting style you taught here.”

"What I taught isn't something that can be learned without the Gift of Darkness." He informed. "Something in recent generations seems to have faded into endangerment."

“Well, I think I have what you’re looking for.” I said, bringing out a naginata looking sheath, but I brought out two Darkness Kodachi. “Cause where I’m from, I’ve been training with anything and everything…but considering how different this world is compared to mine, I’m willing to learn.”

"Without the Gift of Darkness nothing I teach you will be of use to you." He informed. "It is not something that can be learned but must be born with."

“Hmm…you’re talking about manipulating darkness as a biological trait?” I inquired, gently moving my twin Kodachi’s in small practice motions, seeing that the blades still worked as some of the shadow’s around me were swaying with the motions of my light, yoga esc motions.

"Yes. In truth it is a gift rarely seen in each generation, but it seems there are none in the current."

“Hmm…now I have to wonder if that’s because of a natural occurrence, if there’s something to do with this Princess Luna I keep hearing about.” I said simply, continuing with a light exercise even though the Stallion was still knitting.

"Doubtful. The current generation old enough to show signs were born well before her return. All born after are not even a year yet. Far too young to develop signs of the Gift of Darkness."

“That’s fair.” I shrugged. “But I still know how to wield the Darkness, even if I can’t naturally do it, seeing a true master in action can help teach me how to use it better.”

"Many like you have tried. Bringing enchanted tools and weapons of power that could, yes, allow one to control the Darkness and Shadows but never understand them as we with the gift can."

“Then please, Master Kabu,” I said, pointing one of my Kodachi towards the Thestral as the shadow’s writhed a bit. “Show me what true understanding of the Shadow’s means.” I said, genuinely wanting to learn the strength of a Master of Shadows, someone born with the power, and seeing how far my ‘mastery’ has gotten me.

"I can not show you a bond that can not be explained. It would be like asking one to explain to another a sense they asked lacks. One can not fully describe something that one was born without in a way that they can understand."

“Then let’s spar.” I answered. “When all words fail, when even a demonstration on the sidelines can’t do it justice, a fight to show the true depths of your spirit can, and always has, been enough to show what we truly mean.” I explained.

Kabu took a long sigh. He placed his knitting project aside. "You are a stubborn creature."

“I know that I’ll never understand something you were born with.” I said simply. “And you’re teaching might be for said biological abilities, but as someone that wants to become ‘Master of Arms’, I want the experience of learning from a Master…also, to be honest…sparring with you might do a weird thing to me cause this world is especially weird.”

"Very well." He said, standing up to all fours now.

I bowed politely. “Thank you.” I said, getting into my Kodachi-Nito-Ryu stance.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought,” The Thestral said, spreading their bat like wings. “So please, don’t fall too fast.” He said, flapping his wing’s down strongly as many of the candles were suddenly snuffed out, the only light in the room being the lone lamp giving barely enough light for the arena.

“Dramatic.” I chuckled, seeing the Thestral blend into the darkness. “And now I see why…” I muttered, leaping to the side as a spike of darkness lashed out behind me.

I stood in the middle, looking around carefully as I caught glimpses of the old Thestral’s eyes, slowly stalking around the shadow’s waiting for a moment to strike. “Ying Yang Cross!” I shouted, giving a cross shaped slash towards where the Thestral was, the Darkness projectile from the blades growing larger and stronger as it left the light towards it’s target.

Two whip like shadow’s blocked the attack, hissing sounds coming from the shadow’s as I took a step back. “Dusk to Dawn Strike!” I shouted, throwing my first Kodachi towards the Thestral, then the second directly behind it, hidden as it gave a boost of speed towards the master.

The first blade was knocked away swiftly, the second one caught by the same tough tentacle like appendages as I grabbed the first and second. “Shadow Light Cross!” I shouted, crossing first blade over the grabbed second, seeing it blocked as I forced the second into a stronger thrust towards the Thestral, only for their eyes to vanish into the cold blackness.

“Talented you are, but you still haven’t shown me what you can do.” Kabu said. “Jet Black Needles!” He shouted, stomping his hooves as a crap ton of shadow darts rushed towards me.

“Shit!” I yelped, blocking countless darts that were thrown my way. “Shade Wall!” I shouted, swinging one of my Kodachi around as a black wall appeared, blocking many of the attacks. “Right…need to use more Dark powers than just good swordsmanship…” I muttered. “Fright Claw!” I shouted, swinging both blades as the wall turned into a beasts hand that swung sharp and powerful claws towards him.

“Dire Restraint.” He said, putting a hoof down as shadow chains wrapped around the claw and crushed it. “Now you’re using the Darkness, but you still don’t understand the Gift.” He said. “Calamity Grasp!” He shouted, a demonic hand appearing below me.

I yelped as I dodged it’s grab, rolling to the side. “Alright…” I muttered, rolling my shoulders. “Time to get serious…”

I don’t know how long the fight lasted, the two of us sparring more and more as the shadow’s were twisted, turned, and became so many forms…this fight helped me understand what he thought he couldn’t explain, how the Gift of Darkness wasn’t just some Biological portion, but a part of his very being, and I understood that much with how long and hard I’ve trained, but the more I pushed, the more I kept up my attacks…the more something felt different about it all.

“You are…obtaining the Gift…” Kabu muttered in awe, seeing the Shadow’s fluttering around me.

“No…idea how that’s possible…” I panted lightly. “But this…this does feel strange…” I muttered, swaying side to side. “But the Darkness feels…more alive…” I muttered, swinging one of my Kodachi’s at him again, but this time it felt like I was…pulling something along with me, before seeing the shadow’s behind me get thrown at him as well.

The Thestral dodged and kicked me into the Darkness, which I tried to get back up but…something felt different. “Uh…what?” I blinked. “This…feels weird…” I frowned, moving around and feeling…practically weightless in the shadow’s. “Well…this is new.”

“You have…been gaining the Gift through our fight…” The master of shadow’s said in wonder. “Now…I must see what your true strength is! Come!” He declared, snuffing out the final light as I heard his wing’s flair out. “Cimmerian Cataclysm!”

“Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren!” I shouted, switching my Kodachi back-handed as six cross slashes met a maelstrom of…something I couldn’t really tell, only for it to end as all the light’s came back, the entire place looking…weirdly pristine even as I panted. “What…was that?” I asked, putting my swords away and moving my hand, out of the corner of my eye seeing the…shadow’s moving along with it.

"You surprised me, Simon."

“Yeah…I tend to do that…” I panted. “So…what the hell is going on now?”

"The Gift of Darkness. The shadows now acknowledge you as one of them."

“That’s some bullshit if they’re just doing it now.” I huffed, glaring at the shadow’s that now just fucking shrugged at me. “You shrug at me but I spent a month in pitch darkness trying to forge and train with these damn things…” I grumbled, sheathing my two kodachi and putting them away. “Alright…so after that…what’s next?”

"Next comes the hard part." He said. "Now that the shadows acknowledge you as one of them, now you must know the shadows. Their wills and wants."

“And currently their want is to sass me.” I huffed, side stepping a minor swing from the darkness. “It took me three years and getting past my fear of the dark to master you asshole, I’m not gonna be taken down a peg today.” I frowned.

"Give me a moment. This required preparation." Kabu said, taking leave to a nearby door where I peeked in and saw a small kitchen.

"Neat." I said. "Got something in mind for food?"

"Not good. Special brew to know the Shadows. The good, the bad, all sides." He said. It was half an hour later before he gave me a soup of sorts. It was pitch black with a semi hearty broth, and chunks of an unknown also black meat and veggies.

“Well…this looks a bit better than a soup I had to make cause of some Eldritch nonsense I had to deal with…” I muttered, gently picking up the bowl. “So just down it all in one go or what?”

"Once you eat this you will drink this tea." He said, bringing up a tea pot and pouring a cup. The liquid was actually glowing with a dark aura of pure darkness. "Once the soup and the tea are finished your mind will experience the history of Darkness and Shadows. I warn you, when it is over you will not remember everything but what does stick to your memories will reveal your true nature and how the Darkness will work for you. Or, against you."

“Well…” I started. “Mom didn’t raise no quitter.” I said, while starting to eat the soup.

It tasted alright. A bit salty like it had soy sauce and maybe some wine added into the broth.

The tea was strong, bitter and had an earthy taste-

---

I woke up with a groan. Crap… Crap!

I yelped as I sat back up. I remembered… Monsters. Hatred and jealousy. I remembered a seething wrath festering from before time began…

I also remember… stars. The birth of them and galaxies. New suns and planets forming, new life sprouting up from the single celled things born from the depths of a planets ocean.

"You are awake." I looked to my side, seeing Kabu sitting next to me. "Good. You were asleep for longer than normal, but I figured you'd different species was the reason."

“Well…I can safely say that the soup and tea tasted good, a little salty for the soup but overall pretty good.” I nodded.

"Now tell me, what do you remember from the memories of The Darkness?"

“I think…I saw before…and after Creation was made…” I said nervously. “Like…the Seething Wrath festering before Time Began…but then I saw the Star’s, the birth of them and the Galaxies, each Sun and Planet near them…all life spawning from the first single celled organism…”

"I see. So you saw both sides and remembered both." Kabu said with a nod. "This is good. Very good."

“Yes…” I said. “And it was a trip.”

"Remembering both the good and the bad means you can utilize both the good and bad of the Darkness."

“Cool.” I nodded. “Now…next up is some training into what that means?”

"If you wish. But first, rest more."

“Yeah…” I yawned. “Ugh, that vision quest must have taken more out of me than I thought…”

I spent the night in the Dojo, sleeping on a bed mat and the next morning I began learning with Kabu.

"As you saw, there are two sides to Darkness. The gentle onlooker, and observer, and the aggressive, powerful eternal wrath."

“Yep.” I nodded. “And both are…very terrifying…”

"Yes, and in combat it is equally true." He informed. "Observe." He said, pulling up one of his wings sharp hooks and slicing along his front leg. A deep cut that spilled blood. Almost immediately darkness like shadows wrapped around the injury and after a second retreated and the wound was absent. Only proof it existed was the blood still on his coat. "The healing powers Darkness gifts are rivaled only by the holiest of magics or powerful spells and potions. For some in the old legends it allowed them to even regain limbs and reject death."

“Now that’s cool.” I said with a smile.

"However, this same power is most commonly known to cause harm rather than heal." As he said that a tendril slithered out of his back like a snake, slashing across the nearby stone wall and leaving an effortless cleaving mark before retracting back into him. "A prime example is our sister species, more commonly known as Umbrum."

Umbrum, Sombra? Actually, that makes sense… Sombra is basically like Kabu but with a horn…does that mean there's an earth pony one?

“Uh…question, is there an Earth Pony version of you?” I inquired. “Cause I…know an Umbrum, he’s a Unicorn, Thestrals are Pegasi…so is there an Earth Pony?”

"They were known as the Moon Hoofs. Sadly they are… all gone. Many years ago, shortly after Nightmare Moon was banished many of the Day thriving ponies thought us her abominations. Monsters she left to continue her dark work. We Thestrials hid here, the Umbrum fled far to the north, but the Moon Hooves, sadly, were slaughtered into extinction. Hunted like animals and killed in the cruelest ways possible. Few Umbrum or Thestrials met that fate, but thankfully over time those days passed. Still, we remember, and refuse to forget."

“Oh…that’s…that’s horrible…” I muttered sadly. “I’m sorry you…lost so many…”

"Yes. And with Sombra being the only living Umbrum left, soon all that will be left of the Shadow Ponies will be the Thestrals."

“That’s…very depressing…” I sighed.

"This is the way of life and fate. Some species prevale and others do not. No point on dwelling on the past. It's time to move forward. Now then, let me teach you what I know. At least someone will know this knowledge aside from me in my lifetime." Kabu chuckled.

“I know there will be more Master…maybe I’m not just a special case here, maybe the Shadow’s can help choose other’s if given the chance?” I brought up.

"You are the first I or any master before me has ever seen. While I am doubtful, your case give me slight optimism." He said with a smirk.

“And Optimism gives way to Hope, and Hope can help change the future.” I said happily.

To be continued...