The Forlorn Moon

by Doctor Blizzard

Act I Chapter I

'I hear those reeds, those cattails, rustling in the wind. As far as the eye can see.'

A lowly stallion stood alone in the darkness, stripped clean of every possession on his back. Battered and bruised, lined with cuts, lacerations, and scabbed wounds trying to heal. His wings remained featherless, and his fur was left in rough patches. The pegasus stared at the undergrowth, trying to make headway.

'Howlin' like Timberwolves... The wall ahead of me just gets thicker with time. It never shows me mercy, not once.'

He looked at himself and admired the state of his body. Admiring how much his small body endured all the hardship and pain to end up a walking skeleton. And he would gladly do it over, just to have a chance at breaking through.

'Blowing through the ruins—I think I can hear them calling my name. Wanting me to come back anew.'

He tried to muscle through, but the reeds acted as rods of steel and the leaves were as thin as razors. Worst of all, she was not far.

The embodiment of primordial evil

---

The forest was quiet to the extent that all life could be heard. The gentle song of songbirds tweeted their tune through the brambles and treetops. The gentle gush of wind caused the semi-barren branches to groan as golden leaves of autumn fluttered to the ground. Rabbits, squirrels, even a few grazing deer were collecting food for the winter.

The gentle patter of rain on the leaves and its revitalizing feeling cooled the air, and perhaps too much. Puddles of water filled the holes in the dead and abandoned muddy paths around the forest. All seemed well in the forest, much like the rest of the land.

There was a sound, though. A sound that was rhythmic and unlike anything belonging to a forest. The birds stopped chirping and the wildlife around ceased movement as the stamp of hooves echoed through the undergrowth.

Trudging through the muck with a soggy squelch, a pony crept along on the small path. The stallion skirted along the darkness nipping at his heels as daylight was nearing its end.

The stallion knew that he needed to set up camp for the night, looking around and searching for someplace to hopefully dry off. But the thick overgrowth of the forest around him was too dark and everything he touched was drenched, including himself.

"Dammit!" Cloud Strider cursed under his breath with chattering teeth.

"I d-didn't expect it to be so c-cold," Cloud said. After realizing that he was closing in on his destination, Cloud ditched some of his equipment a few days earlier.

Cloud Strider was miserable: he was hungry, wet, cold, and giving into the early stages of hypothermia. His preserved rations were gone and he was unprepared for the home stretch.

He sat down on a recently felled tree, collecting his scattered thoughts to the best of his abilities. Cloud breathed in a shaky manner as the cold got to him.

"Get it together, Cloud,"—shaking his head—"this is nothing compared to the winters in Norway; in Bug Bear Territory."

Breathing in once again, he opened one of his saddlebags. Cloud Strider plucked out his rolled up map and compass with it. The raindrops dripping off of the leaves and skies above made quick work of his map, blotting out some of the areas of the Equestrian map in his hooves.

'Ok,' Cloud thought as he noticed his horrible shaking, 'from the looks of this, I'm in the—Everfree Forest.' Cloud moved his numbed hoof towards the mountain capital of Equestria.

'There's—Canterlot. Maybe within a days' worth of travel.' He really began to notice just how bad his shaking was getting. Needing to rewire his mind for survival, Cloud Strider put the map away and headed north on the current path. He went into a gallop in an attempt to warm his body up.

The tinkling of his minimalist gear bobbed up and down in tandem with each step. Cloud cared little how dirty or wet he was getting, mainly because it really could not get any worse.

'I gotta' get out of this damn forest, it'll be the death of me,' Cloud continued to repeat the words in his mind as large puddles of water washed his body clean. He could see the abrupt end of the forest's edge seemingly come out of nowhere. His morale definitely went up a notch.

"Yes!" Cloud let out as the forest was finally behind him. He came to a complete stop as he stood at the fringe of green plains and rolling hills on the deepening horizon. The scenery stretched on as far as he could see before the dark of night blanketed the land beyond.

'Ok-ok, focus,' Cloud Strider did a 360 around his surroundings, spotting a small cottage fashioned into a massive tree. The place was covered with birdhouses, burrow holes, and a small pond in the front. The lights were off and it looked quite empty to him as his eyes scanned for any sign of life.

He trotted towards the cottage, fixated on the naturalistic architecture of the place. The wind howled through the leaves and branches of the tree with a low moan.

The wind went right through him, sapping away his energy. Cloud almost toppled over before catching himself but continued forward. He walked over the small stone bridge and up the sodden steps.

The door was split horizontally to open in two parts as he stood level with it. Cloud Strider looked through the window embedded in the door, knocking loudly and haphazardly.

"Hello...! Hello?" Cloud yelled into the doorway as he knocked once more. He did not see anything inside move an inch, nor did he see anything new. Now he debated on whether to break in and risk committing a crime or respectfully stay outside.

'I just won't touch anything,' he thought, justifying his reasons for breaking and entering. Although he had a basic understanding of lock picking with his lockpicks, he was extremely terrible at it from the get-go. And with the amount of shaking his body was going through, it would barely get him anywhere.

Cloud took a step back, breathed, and stomped forward. The concussive whack on the door felt like it hurt him more as he bashed his shoulder. He grunted loudly with every charge, but the door gave no signs of failure or budging.

Panting, he stumbled back and propped up against the wooden wall of the house. The wind was broken by the cottage at his back and gave him some semblance of warmth, however faint it was. Cloud Strider went up to a stream of water falling from the gutters and drank, getting more than his fill. He sat back down and curled up slowly, conserving what little warmth he had. Cloud felt himself sigh, shaking himself awake from time-to-time.

Cloud Strider looked towards the rain-wrapped and fogged over mountains to the north. And for just a moment, the clouds that sequestered the city of Canterlot parted just enough for him to see the city for the first time. Even if it lasted for a moment, he was captivated by its effervescent glow and beauty for the second it revealed itself.

"It looks... beautiful," Cloud murmured, "nothing like the pictures and stories I've seen."

The storm clouds hid the city well, but the lights were able to beam through and color the clouds just enough. Cloud Strider continued to stare at the location of Canterlot on the mountainside, still drawn in by its closeness.

'How could something be so close, but just out of my reach? I'm this close... and I'm going to freeze to—' Cloud stopped thinking, speaking, and breathing. A light next to him turned on.

"—huh?!" Cloud looked over to see the door slowly open and he met eyes with a shaking pony.

"H-Hello?" the mare said as she looked directly at him. Her voice was soft and calming to him, even if she looked completely scared of his presence. He just continued to stare at her, dumbfounded. The mare stepped closer to him upon closer inspection.

"Oh—oh dear, you're shaking!" whoever the mare was, she opened the door completely before taking hold of his leg.

He resisted at first, showing just how confused and reluctant he was. Cloud's eyes were wide open and albeit frightened at the turn of events. Cloud could see her really thick, pink mane and soft yellow fur beyond the light. She was face-to-face with him for just a moment before tugging at his leg again.

"Come on, please. Come inside! You need to get warm," the mare said. Cloud Strider heard the words and how caring they sounded, saying the first thing that came to his mind.

"Inside?"

"Yes," the mare said. She felt Cloud finally stand up and step into the cottage, closing the door behind him.

---

Cloud Strider found himself standing in the middle of the cottage, taking in the place while sopping wet. A lot of wooden furniture and other trinkets were scattered everywhere his eyes landed. The cobblestone fireplace was ablaze and a warm glow was cast through the living room. He found it strange how every little thing in the cottage somehow flowed into each other, even the cushioned furniture and its floral patterns.

He looked towards the kind mare and stepped forward. To Cloud's surprise, she heard him move and look him straight in the eyes.

"O-Oh, sorry. Just give me a few seconds," but he continued to study her. She sounded and acted so kind, but looked so timid and even reserved. Watching as she dug into a closet and pulled out some towels.

Still shaking rather severely, Cloud expected the girl to give him the towels, but she went to his side instead.

"Um... c-can you, take your things off, please?" she asked as Cloud detached his sword and round shield. He felt uncomfortable removing his only means of protection just for a mare, but she did not sound like she had any ill-intentions. In fact, she was more calming than anything. Cloud Strider removed his fur collar and saddlebags with a big thud.

"Thank you," she wrapped him in towels and guided him next to the fire, stacking his gear against the wall. He stood frozen at the spot, the fact that this mare dried him off herself was very strange to him, let alone guiding him to the fireplace.

"Now, you get warm while I finish making dinner, ok?" she said, but Cloud Strider grabbed her foreleg as gentle as he could.

"What are you doing?" Cloud stared into her eyes and waited for her to answer, "I don't even know how I'll pay you."

Nothing escaped her muzzle other than a simple smile.

She studied the pegasus with his navy blue coat and bluish-gray eyes. His mane of dark and light blue, white, and yellow, including his tail. Both his mane and tail were long and unkempt, terribly filthy too. A short, bushy beard growing around his muzzle that had recently been trimmed somewhat. Her eyes drifted down towards his hindquarters where the most prominent feature of his body was: a very strange cutie mark. It was unlike anything she had seen before. Eight lines all met in a central point in a circular pattern. The individual ends of each line had a different set of prongs and trident-like symbols, something very alien to her.

"Oh—um. No, that's okay... you can call me, um, Fluttershy," she looked down at Cloud's hoof just as he released her. Fluttershy turned around and trotted to the kitchen, leaving him be.

Cloud used his time to properly dry off with the towels, ruining them in the process. Only a few seconds of drying off were enough to calm his jitters and perk up his coat.

'That's much better,' he thought to himself as he stood up, looking around in awe. It had been awhile since he had been in proper homesteading, a strange one at that. Looking at all the birdhouses both inside and outside made him wonder if they were all being used until he was greeted. A small, yellow bird poked its head out and landed on Cloud's outstretched hoof before flying away, "Wow..."

It was hard to force himself to move on, but he managed. His attention drifted to the few things on Fluttershy's mantle.

Almost every picture from what he assumed was her childhood, there was another pony always there. A myriad of colors that honestly made his eyes hurt. Cloud Strider moved on and saw others join in not long after.

'They must mean a lot,' he smirked at some of the silly pictures until he stared at a certain one toward the end.

"That's... strange," Cloud leaned in and noticed the date was one or two days after he began his journey to Canterlot. The group photo also had something of interest as Canterlot could be seen in the background.

His insides felt queasy and his heart raced for no good reason. The random turn of events had him going, even if it had nothing to do with him.

"Excuse me-" Fluttershy spoke.

"Gah!—Jeez," Cloud Strider stumbled back onto his haunches, holding onto his chest.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Fluttershy trotted over and helped him back to his hooves, "I didn't mean to scare you!"

"Hey, no worries. Didn't think a mare like you would be able to scare me so easily, hehe!" he stood back up and stared with a nervous smile.

"Um... I forgot to, uh, ask, but what's your name, sir?"

Cloud began to chuckle, "I never told you, huh? My name's Cloud Strider. Uh—Fl-Fluttershy, right?"

Fluttershy nodded, stepping back as he stood up a couple inches taller than her. She cleared her throat after a few moments of silence, "W-Well I'd be a terrible host if I didn't ask you to uh, eat with me? You look hungry."

He squinted at Fluttershy and, still in a state of mild confusion, "But, you didn't have to help me, Fluttershy. I'm a complete stranger that you know nothin' about. Why did you—"

"I—I know, but you looked like you needed some help. Now come and sit with me," Fluttershy asked, leaving Cloud Strider with no other choice but to have dinner.

"Ah, It does smell pretty good," He admitted as he sat across from her. "I just want to know why you let me into your home."

"I just... like helping others, and—you just looked like you really needed it after hitting my door."

"Sorry... I was desperate. I didn't know anyone was home," he said.

"No-no! That's ok," Fluttershy poured him a bowl of the soup. "You can have as much as you want, alright?"

"Y-Yes ma'am," Cloud hinted with obedience, taking the opportunity to rekindle his spirits. He scarfed down the first bowl of the mystery soup, caring little of its contents. Normally, he would have been on high alert if someone let him into their home and gave him food. But at this point, he was willing to take a chance. And he was not going to pass down a free meal from such a nice mare.

'Well, I'll find out if this is drugged soon enough,' Cloud Strider watched Fluttershy eat some of the same soup, 'or, maybe not.'

"Oh my, you must really be starving!" Fluttershy was even kind enough to fix him another bowl.

"Aye, thanks," Cloud looked down at the bowl and ate at a slower pace than before. His eyes began to wander until he was looking out the window again. It was completely dark and raining even harder. The pitter-patter of raindrops touched the windows in glossy streaks. The wood around him groaned and creaked by the moderate winds blowing outside.

Even from inside, Cloud could see the city of Canterlot high above the land and poking through the clouds. The white blur it produced simply mocked him on a personal note. Fluttershy caught on and looked out the window, seeing what he saw.

"Are you, looking at Canterlot?" Fluttershy fixed her gaze on him. She was curious who the stallion was, showing up at her house without notice. Not only was Fluttershy curious, but she was downright captivated by him.

Cloud nodded, "Yeah..."

"Oh I'm—I'm sorry, Cloud Strider, but I wanna' ask you something. If that's ok with you?" Fluttershy watched him turn towards his food.

"Uh, Cloud Strider, sir?" Fluttershy asked again.

"Please, you can call me Cloud," he said.

"Oh, ok. Well, I wanted to ask if you're from around here. I-I've never seen you around and I've lived here for years," Fluttershy asked, still studying the enigmatic pegasus. She knew for sure that he was not native to Equestria, and his thick but fluent accent was a clear indicator of that.

"No... No, I'm not."

"I see. Can I ask where? Or, why you're here?" Fluttershy asked. She was expecting some story about being kicked out into the streets or being some aimless vagabond, "I-I'm only asking because you don't sound like you live... You know, around here."

Cloud put his empty bowl on the table and stared down.

"N—" Cloud Strider stopped, thinking about his arduous and unforgiving journey.

"—Norway," his scratchy voice convoluted his words, clearing his throat in the process, "I came from Norway."

"What?! Why are you so far away from home, Cloud? Don't you have family that's worried sick or-or, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to invade your privacy!"

"Hey-hey, you're alright, Fluttershy! Don't worry so much, girl! But I don't think you'd understand... It isn't something to talk about."

"Then, I assume you're heading for Canterlot?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah," he remained still and watched the steam rise from the pot.

"Well, uh—whatever your reason is, I'm sure it's important, Cloud," Fluttershy knew it was time to stop asking questions. Fluttershy squeezed in a smile as Cloud Strider looked up at her. He nodded in a glazed over state of mind.

"Thanks."

Cloud Strider sat in silence for awhile as Fluttershy ate. He would sometimes take glances at her as she looked in the other direction, trying to study her further. Cloud was stunned beyond belief. Fluttershy had the kindness of an elderly mare paired with undeniable goodness in her heart. And every time she apologized for "speaking out of line", he found it cute in an innocent way. The more he thought about it, the more he began to think about home where everyone acted like Fluttershy.

He pushed away from the table with care and stood up.

"Thank you, Fluttershy, for your hospitality. But, I'd better get goin'," Cloud Strider turned and began to grab his gear against the wall.

"Wait, what? Don't go!" Fluttershy got up and trotted over.

"It's for the best, Fluttershy."

"But, you could get sick, Cloud. Or-or even hurt!" Fluttershy tried to reason with him.

"Hehe, I appreciate that, but I'll take my chances."

"Please? Please, don't go right now, It's gonna' rain all night! You can sleep here until morning. I mean, you were about to get very sick if I didn't come out and let you in." Fluttershy had to lean her head back to make eye contact.

"That's—kind of you, Fluttershy. But I'm not gonna' let a little rain beat me again," Cloud Strider put his equipment down once he noticed Fluttershy was blocking the doorway on purpose.

"I can't let you leave, Cloud, I'm very sorry. I just wouldn't be able to sleep tonight sending you out into the rain." Fluttershy locked the door and put the key under her wing.

Cloud raised an eyebrow, "You're really serious about this, huh?"

Stepping back and rolling his eyes, he sighs heavily in the process. Cloud Strider looked at how defiant she was. It surprised him that such a shy mare could act so righteous and hard-headed when someone needed help.

"Yes, I am, m-mister. You're staying," Fluttershy said.

Cloud sighed once again and played along.

"Alright Fluttershy, you're the boss," he proceeded to doff his saddlebags and fur collar back into the corner.

"Ok then... good," Fluttershy stepped away from the door once she knew anything was in order.

"Thank you. I hope you're not mad at me," Fluttershy trotted past him and began to gather up some blankets and pillows.

"Hahaha! You're way too nice for someone to stay mad at you! Who in the right mind could?"

"Oh, hehe! You'd be surprised," Fluttershy sounded out a timid giggle before blushing, turning away before vanishing behind a wall. "How about you take a little shower, hmm? You look like you could use one."

"Uh, alright. That'd be pretty great... Are you sure though, Fluttershy? You don't have to do that. I mean, I ruined those towels you gave me, I don't want to be a pain in the ass."

"No! No-no, it's ok! You're more than welcome! And watch that mouth, mister. Or I'll get the soap out," something about her face told Cloud she was half-serious, stuck in between transit.

"I'll be more careful next time, sorry."

"Thank you, Cloud. I'm just not a fan of swearing. My longtime friend has a habit of it, so it's nothing against you," the sounds of running water and clanking dishes erupted from the kitchen as Fluttershy filled the sink. "Try not to use it too much, ok? I understand if it slips out."

"Fluttershy, I-I get it."

"I just wanted to make sure. Follow me," Fluttershy led him up the steps near the kitchen, opening a door that revealed a bathtub and shower head. There were shampoo products and many other things to revitalize the body after a day's work, scattered around the bathroom sink. She put a few towels out on the rack and shampoo that was not too feminine for him.

"There, just call downstairs if you need something," Fluttershy said. Cloud was about to ask her how to turn it on, but she closed the door.

'Well, It's been awhile since I've used one of these,' Cloud Strider studied the faucet and the knobs sticking out of the wall. He noticed that one of the knobs had blue accents and the other one was red. Putting two and two together, Cloud figured that the red and blue controlled hot and cold water.

“Ok,” He turned the red knob and felt the water that spurted out. It was already warm on his hooves.

“What does this plunger thing do?” Cloud Strider pulled on it and was assailed by water all over his face. He quickly pulled back and fumbled with the cold knob, finding a perfect medium.

The warmth of the shower was blissful on his coat and mane, making sure his tail was spotless as well. The hairs on his body tried to stand, but the water kept everything down.

"Dammit, this feels great..." Cloud Strider sat down in the bathtub letting the water rain down. Looking up into the spray, the warm water streamed down his face and beard. He looked down at the bottoms of his hooves and realized just how filthy he was in general. Cloud scrubbed his hooves clean and slathered his entire body in shampoo, working it deep into his fur. It cleansed his body of dirt which turned the runoff into a soupy mixture of mud. Before long, the water running off his body turned clear once again.

After a few minutes of breathing in the steam and heat, Cloud Strider reached for the knobs. He stepped out of the shower and used some of the towels to dry off, only taking a few minutes to get his mane and tail dry. Looking into the mirror made his eyes widen.

Cloud did not realize how full his mane and tail were. He had ways of dealing with his hair, but with on a time crunch in all, his methods were, unorthodox, to say the least. Cloud grabbed a brush carelessly from the counter and got to work flattening his long hair.

"That's lookin' better," Cloud Strider inspected his own work, seeing no more frizz or major volume. The only discernable trait his hair had was that it was straight, but he had not seen his hair as straight as it was in years. Most of the time he wore it up in strange hairstyles, which required a well-needed and specific haircut.

But there was a knock at the door that piqued Cloud's interest more than his hair, one that came from downstairs.

"'Hey, Fluttershy? Ye' in there, sugarcube?"

"Oh, uh-just a minute!" Fluttershy continued to gather up some items for her guest, somewhat trying to ignore the constant knocking.

"Shy! It can wait, hurry up!" another voice chimed in. It was sort of raspy and energetic in Cloud Strider's ears.

"O-Ok, Rainbow Dash, I'm coming," Fluttershy obeyed the mares at the door without a second thought. Cloud found it careless, but that name "Rainbow Dash" seemed to oddly roll off the tongue.

'Rainbow Dash...' he looked down at the picture that had Fluttershy in it and found a pony quite befitting of the name.

'Rainbow mane and tail, really fuckin' colorful. That has to be her, right?' Cloud thought, not really knowing if Rainbow Dash was a stallion or mare.

"Well, leave the mind to its imagination, I guess," Cloud Strider muttered under his breath. He quietly spread his wings and fluttered to the ground floor, letting his curiosity take control as he listened in.

"Rainbow? What's wrong? T-Twilight? Applejack?" Fluttershy's face contorted, finding their presence a little unsettling. "Is something happening?"

"Fluttershy?! A-Are you ok?!"

Cloud Strider managed to look around Fluttershy, seeing a yellow mane and brown hat. The mare had freckles like no other and deep green eyes filled with anxiety.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What is it?" Fluttershy said.

"I've been feeling some significant magic signatures traveling across Equestria for the past few months. And whatever is giving off this magic is somewhere around here," Twilight bobbed her head around as she stared into the darkened landscape.

He could see a purple glow light up the doorway, along with the familiar shimmering noise that unicorn magic created.

"You feelin' somethin', Twilight?"

Cloud noticed the pony named Applejack was talking to someone named Twilight.

"You sure you haven't seen anything strange, Fluttershy?" The rainbow-haired pony said. By the process of elimination, he was positive she was Rainbow Dash. Not a pre-pubescent stallion, but a mare.

"Oh—" Fluttershy tipped her head down slowly and hid behind the volume of her mane. Cloud finally began to see her true reserved side shine through. Something was going on, and Cloud Strider did not like it, "—Um..."

"Fluttershy..." Rainbow Dash said, "I've seen that look. We all have."

"I, um-"

"Sugarcube, you gotta' tell us," Applejack said, "Twi' says it's dark magic she's been feelin'. We don't know what ta' expect."

"Fuck... I gotta' get out, now," Cloud felt his stomach churn in disgust.

'Whoever this Twilight is, she knows what she's talkin' about,' he thought. Fluttershy was already crumbling under the pressure. He reached his saddlebags and silently strapped the treated leather belts around his hindquarters.

"You alright, Fluttershy? You're lookin' a little, I don't know, terrified?" Applejack added in. Fluttershy knew she was not going to last much longer, and her friends could easily see through her guise.

"I-I'm, f-fine..."

Cloud wrapped his fur collar around his neck in loops.

"Fluttershy, who's inside?" Twilight lowered her voice. Cloud Strider froze in place, petrified by the amount of gall in her voice.

'Did she see me?' his heart started to beat faster as his leg fit into the handle of his shield.

'C'mon, plan B! They're here for me, I just know it!' he was working up a genuine sweat for fear of being apprehended. Cloud was so close to his target and nothing was going to quell his resolve.

No sooner was Fluttershy forced to the side carefully by Applejack, "What in tarnation is goin' on!"

Cloud lunged for his scabbard and sword.

"H-Hey! Stop that!" Applejack started towards him. Cloud Strider was so close he could feel the object within his grasp. It was now or never for him; everything depended on his plan of escape.

'I saw a back door! It's my only chance!' Cloud spread his feathery wings in preparation for his getaway. The odds were stacked against Cloud at the moment, but trying anything was better than nothing.

Without warning, a booming voice of authority shook the cottage's very foundation.

"Stop!" Twilight's eyes bored right through Cloud. It rattled him to the core, making him listen to the voice. His head snapped up to see the source of the voice. His hoof was mere inches from the handle of his blade. Cloud could see the one named Twilight, and her overall purple coloration was a good indicator. What struck him blind was the fact that she was not a unicorn as originally anticipated. He felt his eyes bulge, his blade so close but her horn was frothing with magic at the ready.

"An... An alicorn?!" Cloud murmured under his breath in total disbelief.

'No, no-no! This isn't good. I'm totally screwed! An alicorn?!' Cloud Strider panicked, having never seen a real alicorn in his life. The scowl on her face did not bode well, either.

"Who are you?!" Twilight demanded. Cloud looked at Rainbow Dash who was ready to knock his lights out.

"Did you hurt Fluttershy? Huh?!" Rainbow Dash said with Applejack restraining her.

"W-Wait, stop! He didn't do anything!" Fluttershy stepped in front of her friends.

"I said, who are you?!" Twilight demanded once more for an answer. Cloud Strider looked into her eyes with a cold gaze.

"I... I'm, Cloud St-rider," he touched his sword and received even more backlash.

"Uh-uh! I swear I'll use force! Don't test me!" Twilight said and lowered her horn slightly. "Slide it over, now!"

Cloud Strider was not sure if he could obey her request. His sword was his most prized possession that he could always rely on. It was always on his body when he needed the thing most. Whether he used it for protection or to simply fiddle around with, it was his piece of artwork that he respected. Cloud glanced at the sword and bit his cheek.

"I can't."

"Cloud," Fluttershy said, "please, listen to her."

"He'd fuckin' better or else," Rainbow Dash spat.

"C'mon, um, Cloud. Don't do anythin' stupid, ok? We can work this out," Applejack seemed like a voice of reason. He looked at his sword, touching the object before pushing it away. Even that made him feel powerless.

Just as he started to push his weapon, Twilight used her magic to yank the sword away without a care in the world. Cloud Strider audibly growled as she handled his weapon improperly.

"Oh, looks like the freak is angry," Rainbow Dash made her snide remark with a smug smile. Why Twilight gave Rainbow Dash the weapon was beyond his reasoning.

"Want it back?" Rainbow Dash added.

"Rainbow! Stop it!" Fluttershy said, "I don't know why you all think he's a threat. I talked to him and he's really, really nice!"

Cloud forced himself to stay quiet, resentful as all hell.

"Oh yeah?! Well, if he isn't some evil monster, he shouldn't have anythin' to hide, now should he?!" Rainbow Dash replied, successfully eliciting a low growl from Cloud. "Unless he's a freak that hurts other ponies with this sword!"

"Rainbow Dash! Stop that right now!" Fluttershy broke her voice threshold, surprising even herself in the act.

Suddenly, in his fit of rage, Cloud Strider let his anger boil over. His breathing thickened and his irises narrowed. Twilight Sparkle caught on as the two pegasi squabbled behind her, she was horrified by the sight before her.

"What is that?" Twilight watched as a metal ring around Cloud's left foreleg began to glow a vaporous white and blue.

'H-How did I not see that!?' Twilight frantically felt her eyes dart around. What used to be a harmless legband of polished steel now hummed with a magical radiance.

'What is he doing?' Twilight leaned in and peered closely. She noticed his attention was focused on Rainbow Dash. She could see deep blue hues of magic spark off and form a magic cloud around the steel band. Twilight lost her ability to speak clearly.

"M—Magic?!" She said, completely paralyzed by what she was seeing. But upon realizing her friend was in danger, Twilight threw herself from captivation.

"Rainbow!" Twilight Sparkle stopped after seeing a bolt of blue energy surge past and pull the sword away from Rainbow Dash. Abrupt silence coursed through the cottage in an instant after seeing what happened. Every ounce of magic that Twilight was ready to use went directly back into her magic reserves. She whipped around as quick as she could, "Rainbow! Are you ok?!"

Rainbow Dash, who was laying on her side and panting hard, looked up at Twilight, "What the fuck was that?!"

"You're ok... Good," Twilight patted Rainbow on the neck as she turned around towards Cloud Strider. She noticed that he assumed a fighting stance. He stood on his hind legs with his sword and shield in a defensive stance. Cloud rested his sword on his shoulder, ready to take a mighty swipe if need be. The pair of wings on his body was spread wide to stabilize his rearing.

'Ok, Twilight, be reasonable. Diffuse the situation as a leader would,' Twilight helped Rainbow Dash up to her hooves.

"Rainbow Dash, don't say a word, got it?" Twilight proceeded to push Rainbow towards Applejack.

"Foalsit her," Twilight Sparkle told Applejack and received a sly nod, even in the heated moment. Fluttershy was already walking up to Cloud and trying to stop him while Twilight encroached towards him. He was quick to notice Twilight under his watchful eye.

"I won't hesitate to hurt you, alicorn. If I have to fight an uphill battle, I will!" Cloud tightened his grip as Fluttershy flew up to eye-level with him.

"Fl-Fluttershy! Get away from 'em!" Applejack said.

"Cloud, no! She can help you, ok?" Fluttershy was a brave mare given the circumstances. She floated directly in front of his sword's sweeping range.

"Please, I-I mean you no harm... I just want to know what's—all of this?" Twilight gestured to his entire body and pulled Fluttershy away with her purple magic. "I didn't mean to come on so strong, alright? I apologize."

"Well, neither did I. But I'm not afraid to fight back," Cloud Strider said, 'Even if I'm screwed.'

"No! No, there's no need for violence. Your energy... it makes my skin crawl," Twilight shivered, showing how overloaded her senses were. After a momentary reprieve, she tapped her muzzle, "I have so many questions already..."

"Listen, Fluttershy is right, I can help you. You just gotta' put the sword away, alright?" Twilight offered her compromise to simply gauge his reactions. He looked at the four mares in front of him and received four different expressions. Rainbow Dash was furious, Applejack was tentative, Fluttershy felt concerned, and Twilight was forced to balance all their feelings into understanding how to deal with the situation.

"Why should I trust you?" Cloud responded in turn as Twilight stepped a little closer to him.

She held out his sword's scabbard, "I am an alicorn princess. It's my duty to protect and help others."

Twilight acted professionally given the situation. Secretly, she trembled due to the lack of information she had. Being easily within his sword's striking distance and not knowing his skill with a sword was unsettling, to say the least. Even Cloud Strider was uneasy. Openly defying an alicorn was serious business, and to threaten her afterward added a whole new level of unease.

The seconds ticked by and no one said a single word. Cloud told himself to stay strong and not lack conviction. Strangely enough, he looked at himself and felt his eyes wander to everyone in the room.

'What am I doing? If she's a princess, she can take me to see her.' He felt his limbs grow weak as he relaxed. Cloud Strider's guard opened up, allowing his sword to carefully slide from the rawhide rim of his shield. He was not sure whether he should be thankful or untrusting of the alicorn in front of him. Much like her friends, she was untested and capable of anything.

With his weapons down at his sides, he reached out with his shielded hoof and quickly grabbed the sheath. Cloud was not about to take his eyes off of the group as he planted all four hooves on the ground. Sheathing his blade took the edge off for everyone confined in the small space as he fixed the scabbard onto his back.

"I see you're willing to cooperate," Twilight Sparkle took another step of faith, just to have Cloud step back. She ceased her intrusion after feeling more tension build.

"I am..." Cloud Strider said.

"Alright-ok," Twilight looked directly at Cloud Strider and held a hoof out. It came out of nowhere, but Twilight thought it was important to take the chance.

"I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and these are my friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and, uh—well, you've already met Fluttershy."

Applejack gave Cloud a hardy nod while Rainbow Dash growled. Fluttershy lowered her head in a sheepish manner. Avoiding eye contact seemed to be common with her personality, Cloud noted.

"Please, it's a pleasure to meet you-" Twilight hoped he would at least respond. Cloud looked at her hoof and stepped forward, exchanging a firm hoofshake.

"Cloud Strider," he noticed Twilight lag in her reaction when she began to shake his hoof in return. "What are you going to do with me, then? Arrest me?"

"N-No, sir. I won't do anything like that as long as we keep the peace. I just want to know why a pegasus can use magic and why it's dark magic for that matter," Twilight nodded her head at Fluttershy, thanking her for keeping things away from violence. "Let's just sit and talk, ok? Surely this is just a misunderstanding."

"Surely," Cloud said.

"I'll, uh, move some things around," Fluttershy trotted to her furniture and tried to move a few chairs around. Twilight noticed her struggling and easily moved the chairs around the couch. Everyone sat down and waited for Cloud Strider to sit.

"Please, sit," Twilight Sparkle pointed towards the couch as she magically synthesized a notebook with a quill and inkwell. Cloud quietly sat down and drank some water from his canteen. He waited for Twilight to speak, but she sighed instead. Rainbow Dash continued to stand her ground.

"Rainbow, sit down," Twilight said, noticing that the only spot left was next to Cloud.

"No! I refuse to sit down with that asshole, that-that pegasi freak!" Rainbow Dash sat on the ground and crossed her hooves.

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy grabbed Rainbow by the ear and turned her around

"H-Hey, ow!"

"Don't call ponies bad names! You don't even know him and it's very, very rude!" Fluttershy let go of Rainbow Dash's ear and thumped her muzzle.

"Whatever..." Rainbow Dash stepped away and Twilight rolled her eyes, and Twilight's ears perked up when Cloud began to snicker. Even she admitted that seeing Fluttershy parent Rainbow Dash like a child was amusing.

"Alright, come back and sit," Twilight looked at Applejack, "you mind sitting with him?"

Cloud Strider looked to Applejack and soon met eyes with Rainbow Dash. Twilight was not entirely sure why she found this problem laughable in her mind. In fact, Twilight would have been extremely frustrated and angered beyond her understanding if Rainbow repeated her act someplace else. Something about the way Cloud laughed made her realize that he might feel more welcomed if someone else thought it was funny. Twilight Sparkle felt that if laughing would help ease some pressure, then it must be fine to think it is funny as well.

Applejack got up and trotted over to the couch, "Well, long as ya' don't give me any of that magic mumbo jumbo."

"It's not contagious, believe me," Cloud said.

Applejack nodded and sat down next to him. She still felt off about Cloud Strider, but she tried to hide her feelings of modest concerns. Twilight scribbled something down onto her paper post-haste; Cloud figured that she wrote down what he said not moments ago. Rainbow Dash paced by and glanced at him, and he returned the favor and looked back at her with a blank, dead stare.

"Aren't you a bucket of sunshine," Cloud Strider said to Rainbow Dash, giving her a snide remark in return. "You know, for a pony as visually colorful as you, I thought you'd be happier. Fuck, you make me look like the happiest stallion alive."

"Put a fuckin' sock in it," Rainbow plopped down in the chair and sulked.

"That's enough—both of you," Twilight looked at both of the ponies," I want to know why you're here, where you're going, and how you can use magic as a pegasus."

"Um, Twilight? Don't ask too many questions. I don't think he, um, likes that," Fluttershy said. Twilight respectfully nodded her head.

"Alright, let's start with why you're here then," Twilight eagerly readied her quill blotched with ink. Cloud looked at the ground and debated on whether to tell the truth or lie to a princess. He knew that by telling them the truth they would either help or try to attack him again, and lying would get him nowhere. It all just depended on how Cloud Strider relayed his information. He needed to establish his credentials, but not reveal too much to the girls around him.

"I... I'm traveling to Canterlot," he said.

"Oh, really? You mind telling me what for?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she wrote down the information. Cloud gave out a prolonged sigh and leaned forward. He rested his forelegs on his wooden round shield. There was a large symbol painted yellow, white, and black on the front.

"I came to find a pony... a pony named Luna," He replied. Twilight and Applejack looked at each other and raised an eyebrow. "I-I heard she lives somewhere in Canterlot."

"Princess Luna? That Luna?" Twilight tilted her head and carefully squinted at him.

Cloud nodded, "I think so. I-I hope so."

"I see..." She bit her lip.

"Is that bad?" Cloud asked, Twilight raised her head and shook.

"Oh! Nonono! It's just she's, eh-reclusive. It's rare to see her is what I'm trying to say," she fumbled over the professionalism of her words, finding it increasingly difficult to keep her cool. 'What in the world? Does he even know who Luna is?'

"To Ginnungagap with that, she will see me, she has to!"

"But why is—wait, what is that?" Twilight retorted.

"Er, nothing. I don't think you'd understand," Cloud Strider said. Twilight caught glimpses of his figure and frowned at what he just said.

'What does he mean by that? I wouldn't be able to understand what a word meant? I think he underestimates my understanding of things.' Twilight wrote down the word "Ginnungagap" to the best of her abilities and tapped her notepad. "As I was saying, why is seeing Princess Luna so important?"

"I can't tell you," he said.

"And why's that, huh?!" Rainbow Dash glared at Cloud Strider while Twilight put her hoof on Rainbow's foreleg.

"Because you'd all want to probably kill me for it. You wouldn't be the first to try," the unnerving words alone caught their undivided attention after his statement.

"Wh-" Twilight broke the momentary silence, "why would we hurt you, Cloud Strider? You seem, nice?"

"It doesn't have to do anythin' with how nice I am. It's the reason I'm able to use magic is what makes ponies tick," Cloud Strider said in order to keep his secret. Only, it raised more questions than answers. "So I can't tell you, I'm sorry."

Twilight scratched her head and tried to remain calm as the situation tensed. In disappointment, she shook her head and reflected hard. "You know how that sounds, right? You want to see Princess Luna, but you won't even say why? None of us know what you're planning."

"Yeah, well. I didn't come here to make friends, Did I?" Cloud stood up and paced towards the door, "if you're tryin' to stop me from gettin' to Canterlot, It's not gonna' work."

"There, that! Why do you think we threaten to "stop" whatever you're doing?" Twilight quietly raised herself from her chair, feeling her insides churn, "we agreed to be cooperative, Cloud... Don't do this, please. Don't make me arrest you."

Cloud stopped moving as the door turned purple, "Do it then..."

Twilight stepped forward, "what did you say?"

"Do it, arrest me."

"Cloud Strider, I'm being serious! Disobeying a princess' orders is punishable by law!" Twilight remarked.

"I'm gettin' to Canterlot..." he tugged on the hilt of his blade with his estranged magic. Cloud soon heard everyone else in the room stir.

"If anything, I'll be sent there anyway..." Cloud Strider said. Something in his tone of voice made Twilight uneasy as Cloud stood still, ready to draw his blade once more.

"Oh, come on Twilight! Let me beat 'em up! He's not so tough!" Rainbow Dash said.

"No! He could hurt you!"

"Oh yeah?!"

Twilight encapsulated Rainbow Dash in a ball of purple magic.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash said with Twilight's eyes beading down on her.

"You need to learn restraint, Rainbow! Pick your fights wisely because you are not winning this one!" as always, Rainbow Dash gave no thought to Twilight's words and pouted silently.

"Now, you're coming with me!" Twilight stepped up to Cloud well-defended. She abrasively grabbed his shoulder and used her magic to hold his leg where she wanted it. Twilight Sparkle noticed that he was not budging. Rather, he was clearly resisting her magic somehow.

"Wh-What?" Twilight felt the magic around his leg absorb into the legband, turning the energy blue. Cloud Strider grabbed her hoof that was touching him and slowly turned to her.

'No—no! Did he connect to my magic?! I-I don't know! If he did, I can't do anything!' Twilight tried prying her leg away from the blue magic.

"Sugarcube, don't move, ya' hear?"

Twilight completely ignored Applejack and continued to pull.

"H-How? How can you use magic?!" Twilight Sparkle said. She gasped for air as a lump formed in her throat. After puzzling together piece after piece of Cloud's mysterious affliction, Twilight realized that his magic was something she had felt before. She detested and ceased her movements to make sense of whose magic it was. Her short-lived anger soon turned into overwhelming fear after giving it some thought.

"Th—no... How? That's not possible!" Twilight leaned back with a vigorous shiver running through her body. At the mercy of his unknown abilities, she was helpless.

"Pl-Please, don't hurt me!" she recognized the possibility of being killed; her last moments. Cloud Strider looked at her with shallow breath as she began to snivel. With her eyes practically glued shut, Twilight felt her leg shift around. She opened her eyes after moments of waiting in anguish and looked at her leg. She watched as he released her hoof onto the wooden floor with such delicacy. Although relieved that she was free, the amount of fear still caused her to tremble.

"I'm not going t—"

"Don't hurt my friend you fuckin' freak!" out of thin air, Rainbow Dash managed to escape her imprisonment and tackled Cloud Strider. He could do nothing but accept the full brunt of the attack after being completely taken off guard.

Cloud slammed into the wooden wall and let a punch hook right into his snout. The initial attack left him breathless, but the punch left him jarred as well. He quickly noticed Rainbow Dash throwing out another punch, Cloud Strider managed to stop her assault and slammed her against the wall instead.

"What's happening?" all the fighting and loud noises startled Twilight as her vision blurred, forcing her to act on the spot. She felt the energy in her horn return to full force as magic bubbled out.

"Tch!" Twilight Sparkle tried to control her energy, but her alicorn magic proved to be too much for her. Blindsighted and unfocused, her lavender magic lashed out at the two ponies hashing it out. "Ah-whoa!"

A bright flash of white and purple erupted through the cottage before silence ensued thereafter. Twilight wiped her eyes, going into a complete stupor.

"Twilight?! Whaddya' do?!" Applejack scrambled over towards Twilight. Not even a trace of Rainbow Dash or Cloud Strider was seen, actually vanishing into thin air.

"I-don't know-I-I—"

Fluttershy helped Twilight to her hooves, "—I... teleported them somewhere."

"Where?!" Applejack held Twilight's head upright.

"Calm down, Applejack, y-you're scaring her!" Fluttershy tried to calm the situation down, but the three mares were absolutely frightened. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed the sides of her head. She tried to recall what she was thinking right before teleporting the two ponies.

"Ech," Twilight's head throbbed the more she thought. Applejack—having taken a deep breath—did better to think calmly. At least, more so than previously.

"What is it, Twilight? Where are they?" Applejack noticed Twilight tense up just enough to make her do the same.

"Applejack, get everyone else, now!"

Applejack tilted her head to the side.

"I... I think they're in Canterlot!"

Author's Note:

I hope that whoever is reading this or read the chapter is enjoying the story so far. Thanks.

Comments

[JoeyFlowers]

Awesome story, Keep up the good work.

[Doctor Blizzard]

8315810
Thank you.

[Swift Noble]

8315810