Sky Dancer, the First Flying Unicorn

by Scroll

Chapter Twenty Three: The Northen March

{The Northern March.

{It was an arduous but also interesting journey.

{I remember being surprised how many creatures kept pouring out of the TARDIS when it arrived again but, after awhile when I got a closer look at them, I realized something after Derpy made a passing comment that the population of everyone accompanying us on our way north was less than the population of Ponyville, and that was a small village to begin with. After she said that, it occurred to me that she was right. There was less than one-hundred of us, including those we were taking who were native to this timeline. Less than a hundred of us . . . to fight a god-like evil capable of consuming a star.

{Numbers can be deceiving at first glance. Quantity does not always equate to quality. It took only six of these ponies to defeat many great evils multiple times in the future. We also had the Pillars of Destiny, and that included an old comrade of theirs named Stygian who claimed he once was a force of ultimate evil called the Pony of Shadows. His experience with this type of evil and his natural knack for strategy was supposed to help us win this war. As for the rest of the Pillars, we had the legendary sorcerer Star Swirl the Bearded, Rockhoof with his trusty shovel and nine members of the Mighty Helm to assist him, Mist Mane, Mage Meadowbrook, Flash Magnus and fourteen members of the Royal Legion, and Somnambula. We also had every known Princess of future Equestria which included twenty-six guards between them all and also included Shining Armor. We also had the Mane Six and a bunch of their friends including Starlight Glimmer, Spike, Sun Burst, Zecora, Maud Pie, Trixie and her father Card Shark, Ember and eight other dragons (which included Garble), Thorax and his brother Pharynx, and Sombra from a time period when he just started to get corrupted. We also had natives of this time which included Hector, Tibbons, Shayla, and Talsious. We had my father, my uncle, my mother, and finally the crew of the TARDIS such as the Doctor, Derpy Hooves, the young version of Vision, Discord, Stern Wing and, of course, myself. All together ninety-nine souls.

{Too many of us traveled by land to make any other transportation method feasible. At least Discord made us materialize near the growing edge of the Black Blizzard but we made the rest of the way on the ground. Flurry Heart summoned the Crystal Heart somehow. All I know was her cutie mark, which was the image of the Crystal Heart, glowed while she had it summoned. It spiraled above our heads and erected a two mile radius barrier that pushed the influences of the corrupted environment at bay. Twilight Sparkle wore an amulet that summoned a virtual copy of her Friendship Map. In this case, it showed an image of either our cutie marks or some other representation of each creature and spiraled it on a miniaturized world map that revealed to us our location. This really came in hoofy very quickly because there were hardly any visible landmarks within the Black Blizzard Storm as we proceeded.

{Onward we traveled. The Crystal Heart kept the hostile environment at bay and Twilight's miniature Friendship Map guided our path. We also had the Red Crystal and the Crystal Heart both acting as a guide to the source of corruption in this world. The closer we got to it, the more those mediums noticed.

{That was pretty much our lives for two years straight.

{If it was only an issue of trotting, we could have gotten there in a fraction of that time. I would estimate about two months, and that was being generous. Along the way, however, we had a lot of problems with the terrain which was being anything but friendly. The Black Blizzard Storm may not have penetrated the defenses of the Crystal Heart shield, but there were other things that could like floods, earthquakes, rock slides, rivers of lava, exploding air vents, and volcanoes. The terrain fought us as we traveled so it made our journey quite a bit more difficult.

{I have got to tell you though . . . for a war . . . it was remarkably peaceful, exciting and fulfilling. There was also a really remarkable contrast between the hell raging outside of the Crystal Heart barrier and the little slice of heaven that existed within it, and the primary reason that was true was each other. Whenever we were not too busy traveling, most of the time we were just getting to know each other and that was really worth our time and all the hardship we endured together. I thought I had stories to tell! So did every other creature. That was something I eventually learned that we all had in common. As extraordinary as my story was, quite a few who traveled with us could match or surpass it. The Doctor alone could have passed the entire time telling us about his past adventures, and Rockhoof turned out to be a remarkable and exciting story teller. Actually, Hector's story-telling style was extremely similar to Rockhoof's, which was one of the many reasons those two frequently saw eye to eye.

{You know how it's said that, in a small village, every creature knows each other's name? Well, in our little community, our bond had taken quite a number of steps further because we had no one else we could interact with. For two years it was just each other. It felt like an island paradise in the middle of an ocean of lava and black choking clouds. The isolation was so intense we felt like we were alone in the universe with each other. It was easy sometimes to just pretend that nothing existed outside our little barrier. We were stuck in our own little world. You get to know your traveling companions really well under circumstances like that, and it caused us to realize things that we never would have known otherwise. Even Garble opened up a few times, and he was among the most anti-social of the bunch.

{Well . . . that's not exactly true. He actually was sociable but he had a certain style of crowds he preferred to hang out with instead of most of us. Mostly the bully types but, if any creature got desperate enough, they learned to lower their standards or else accept an even worse reality. The truth was, no creature in there wanted to be alone. No creature, without exception.

{Of all of them, it was I who probably had the most practice at being alone for the longest time and I remember I did pretty well back then which was about . . . twelve years ago by the time this journey was finished. It took a certain kind of circumstances for me to be content in that kind of isolation and THIS WAS NOT IT! THIS WAS NOT IT! I was at peace in the environment that I settled in the past, but this new area was anything but peaceful except within the barrier. Even then, as we traveled, the barrier's two-mile radius moved with us and that meant the terrain gradually scrolled across many miles of hellish landscape.

{Another thing that's odd about this war was that it was mostly not a physical battle, and that was largely because the kind of things that would have threatened us couldn't get through the Crystal Heart barrier either. Whether living or dead, if it was corrupted by dark magic then they just could not get through the barrier. As long as we stayed inside, we were mostly safe.

{Honestly, the thing that truly threatened us the most on a physical level was the terrain itself. We were blocked so many times by avalanches or rivers of lava. Of course the lava wasn't as much of a problem for the dragons in our party, but they were a vast minority of the group. We usually had to find some clever way through, around, or plow our way through any obstacle in our way.

{In the case of rock slides, for example, any of us capable of strong brute force, magical assistance or rock expertise helped us penetrate this barrier. Maud Pie, Rockhoof, Sombra and my uncle were especially good at this. The rest of us found our way to assist the situation. For example, in my case, I would either telekinetically lift up the rocks or slide them away by growing crystal spikes among the rubble with a sharp slant. Sombra was even better at the latter strategy. Sometimes we just made crystal tunnels under whatever obstacle that was in our way, but you get the idea.

{Dealing with these problems as a group not only made our task more efficient but I would even go so far as to say it was occasionally fun. It was a fun challenge to try to figure out the best way around or through the obstacles as we faced them, and we usually had more than one option at our disposal. Sometimes we made a game out of it, and there was frequent singing to help keep our spirits up as we worked. That worked pretty well too. Not only did it help keep our depression at bay, it even succeeded to make us downright happy at times.

{That's the thing that I'm talking about that was so remarkable about this journey and the war. It was the most peaceful and even fun war I have ever encountered. We were marching to the jaws of ultimate evil but that evil just could not penetrate that Crystal Heart barrier. It made a world of difference.

{Sometimes the external threats that tried to attack us was a physical, albeit a distant assault from them. If they were strong enough to chuck a giant rock a great distance, for example, then the Crystal Heart barrier did nothing to stop the rock itself. If the rock was contaminated with dark energy then it was cleansed the moment it passed through the barrier, but it still was a giant boulder about to crash down on top of us. We had to remain on our guard against this, and we had to do it at all times. The evil that was outside the barrier never slept. Fortunately, most of the defenders had just as much stamina, but that wasn't universally true.

{I have to tell you that the real battle of this “war” was fought from within. It was our minds and our hearts that were in the greatest danger, and the most frequently attacked. While the dark magic infused creatures could not penetrate our barrier physically, they did attempt indirect strategies to assault us all psychologically. Most of all, The Dark Star itself attacked us with nightmarish illusions. Even those illusions could not penetrate our barrier but they were visible and audible beyond the barrier. I'll describe two things that I've encountered just as an example, and mind you many more cases like this happened throughout all that time.

{In one case I saw what looked like Angel Song, Sombra's former girlfriend, emerge from out of the Black Blizzard Storm. For a moment I thought it was really her and I was about to call for help, but my senses caught up to me as I realized this was probably a dark magic illusion, primarily because she approached us from beyond the Crystal Heart barrier and there was no logical explanation as to why she would be here in this timeline or explanation how she could find us without the protection of the Crystal Heart barrier. Sure enough, she looked up at me with what was, at first, a look of contentment but then her expression gradually twisted in horror and pain as her face melted off before my very eyes. The more her face melted, the louder she screamed.

{Still another time I passed what looked like a stallion hanged by the neck on a tree by his own guts that was torn from his still open stomach. His intestines also held up a sign that was swinging under him that ominously wrote out the words in dripping blood, “You're next.”}

Star Breeze shuddered.

{By far the most common psychological attack by The Dark Star were screams in the winds of rage, anger, hate, fear and insanity. Such noises could be covered by noises of our own. Singing was the most effective, but it also became a necessity to protect ourselves from the ceaseless screams out in the winds.

{One of the most disturbing and effective psychological attacks was the cry of infants out in those winds. Even if we knew that was an illusion, it stubbornly clawed at our maternal and paternal instincts. It was hard to resist rushing out in those terrible black winds and get ripped apart by everything that waited for us out there. Even Pinkie Pie struggled to keep a smile on all of our faces when she heard the cry of infants out in those terrible winds. It called to her very strongly, and yet her body rang with intense danger instinct at the thought of answering those desperate cries for help by what seemingly was the most innocent creatures alive. It was maddening.

{This was the strongest evidence that an actual war was going on. A war for our minds and souls. The Dark Star threw every sinister trick it had against us, and I can't say it completely failed. Despite all of our protections, despite the company of each other, we really had to fight hard to keep our sanity in check, especially while it remained under constant assault.

{Any kind of struggle on our part, even if it was just mental and emotional, gradually grew very exhausting to defend against because we never caught a break. Not even time clones could endure such constant stress with ease because their mental and emotional state were one of the few things about them that was actually vulnerable to assault. When I say “vulnerable” I mean more like “normal” rather than “immune”.

{But there were many within our company that helped in that regard. As important as it was to be prepared for a physical battle, it was just as important, if not more so, to remain prepared on a mental, emotional and even spiritual front.

{Somnambula was an invaluable ally in those regards. As the Pillar of Hope, she kept reminding us of the importance never to abandon hope. She led meditation sessions for those who were willing, and that was very effective. She always spoke in a calm manner and that alone was soothing to any creature that heard her.

{Talsious helped inspire both hope and courage with his very presence alone, and even more so when he spoke.

{Derpy, Pinkie Pie, and my mother were also very helpful morale officers of the army. So were the Wonderbolts. They put on aerial acrobatic shows to do what the Bolts were really formed for, to entertain. With some encouragement, I occasionally joined that activity myself.

{Trixie often put on a show of “spectacular amazement”, as she often put it. As for her father, well . . . he had a tendency to entertain smaller groups. Card Shark, as his name implies, was legendary at the card table but he was capable, and even good at, a bunch of other games.

{Since I didn't describe him earlier, I'll go ahead and do so now.

{Card Shark was a blue, middle-aged stallion with short wavy mane that was a mixture of white, gray and a hint of blue. His eyes were very light purple. I heard several ponies describe him as extremely similar in appearance to one Wind Rider, an ex-Wonderbolt legend that tried to frame Rainbow Dash of a crime she didn't commit but, while Wind Rider was a pegasus pony, Card Shark was surprisingly an earth pony which one normally wouldn't expect given the breed of his own daughter. He had a cutie mark of five cards spread apart in an upside down U shape. On one card was a clover, another a diamond, another clubs, another spades, and curiously the last card had a King chess piece on it. He had a very distinctive cologne on all the time. One could only wonder how he had not run out of supplies of cologne across the two year march. Maybe Discord was smuggling him supplies. I wouldn't put it past him, either. Discord and Card Shark actually got along well together, in the worst way in some cases. Anyway, Card Shark both dressed and acted in a very suave manner. For the most part the outfit he wore was a black tuxedo with a red bow tie which the Doctor complimented, claiming that bow ties were cool. Card Shark was also often fond of wearing a gray fedora hat with a black stripe around the hat. He often carried a gentlecolt's cane.

{Card Shark's main trade was anything to do with cards but he was a capable, and I would even say very skilled, magician. Actually, it pains me to say this, but he was way better at it than his own unicorn daughter who put a far greater emphasis in that trade which probably made the situation even more humiliating for her. Where she struggled at and, more or less, failed at the profession despite a lifetime of passionate dedication and practice, her father succeeded almost effortlessly. This was a fact that irritated Trixie to no end, but that was not even half of her problems with her father.

{I know it's odd to say this, but I was actually called in to write a record for the counseling sessions Starlight Glimmer performed between any creature that did not get along with each other within the group. I think she did this because almost everyone else present were time clones. My written record might be the only thing left of their struggles by the end of this adventure and, in some cases, I was requested to send letters to their original selves later if I could about some details within our adventures together. Since I was working with a virtual library as well, there was no threat in me ever running out of “paper” to write upon. Due to that resource, I was a logical choice to rely upon if anyone wanted something to be remembered, and I was courteous enough to give them the choice how it was remembered.

{Of those who did not get along with each other, Trixie and her father became a pretty infamous case. This was especially true of Trixie to her father. Card Shark, in contrast, seemed immune to any insult thrown his way. The colt always kept his cool to the point of being annoying because it made it seem like he didn't care about issues that he should have.

{Actually, to be honest, I got really bad vibes from the colt right from the start. There was just something about him that struck me as the “hidden evil” type. He made me nervous. I actually asked the Doctor why Card Shark was invited to this journey. He really could not say other than to say he liked the colt. I had a feeling the Doctor was up to something, but I had the same feeling from Card Shark, and from him it felt sinister.

{Trixie, I should mention, was a mare who struggled hard to improve her image. A lot of her performances came off as desperate and sometimes they were downright bad but she kept pretending it was the best thing in the world, or perhaps she truly was deluded into thinking that and, frankly, I wouldn't put it past her. Despite this, she had a warming charm to her that really did put a smile on my face. Bad tricks or no, she actually was entertaining but not for the reasons that she thought. She was very arrogant most of the time but that, too, was part of her charm . . . at least sometimes.

{Her father, in contrast, didn't need to push himself that hard. He oozed natural charisma without needing to brag about it, but it was a dark sort of charm I personally found off-putting. He was also a consummate flirt, one of the facts that his daughter had major issues with against him. She was especially infuriated at his lack of loyalty to her own mother Sparkling Margarita. They were never married in the first place, and Sparkling Margarita even appreciated his infidelity because that only gave her room to play with him whenever she wanted no matter who else he happened to sleep with.

{Trixie, on the other hoof, was angry at her father to no end about that. I think that was her biggest gripe against her father, and she was irritated further by the fact that he neither seemed to care about the fact she was angry or why she was angry. He just did his own thing regardless of the opinions of anypony else. I also think she was jealous of his incredible natural talents, but she never admitted that openly. Despite being an earth pony, he seemed to have ten times more magical ability than his own unicorn daughter, especially when it came to almost hypnotic magnetism.

{During the counseling sessions, I eventually heard of even more disturbing things about him. Trixie claimed that her father secretly had another name, Double Dealer, and that he had a secret criminal organization under his hoof in Los Pegasus which he ruled mainly by being a cunning con artist, though I secretly suspected he was far worse than that. The pony was actually very wealthy with ill gotten gains, but most of it he stashed away in hidden places so he seemed a lot poorer than he actually was. It was Starlight that asked him one of the questions I had in my head about this issue. If Trixie's father, Double Dealer, was so successful as a con artist that he secretly became very wealthy on those skills alone then how did Trixie ever come across that information? It seemed to Starlight, and to me, that a criminal that smooth and successful would cover his tracks well enough to prevent Trixie from suspecting a thing.

{The answer surprised me again. Trixie said her father did not try to hide his secret identity to his daughter. She was the only one he was actually honest with. Upon hearing that, Starlight tried to point out that it may be a small sign that he actually cared for and trusted his daughter with that kind of potentially incriminating information.

{In response, Trixie denied that possibility, instead claiming that he only did it to taunt her. She said she had no evidence other than his word and he knew that, not to mention he had the know how to buy himself out of any courtroom if he had to. This was a pony who was accustomed to dealing with very organized crime, after all. They had their hooves in just about every lucrative opportunity, including organizations that should have protected the pony community.

{I really had to wonder why the Doctor would invite a pony this dirty to our little community. He was the opposite of harmony in many regards. He was dishonest, disloyal, he was greedy, he was ambitious and, in dark alleys, I even suspected he was downright cruel. I could easily imagine him as a secret mob boss who physically tortured other ponies for being late with payments of some sort. There was also something in his eyes that indicated he was an evil genius when it came to psychotherapy. He cross-analyzed Starlight in her own game with comments to her that shut her up if he wanted her to, and she was by far no idiot herself. Card Shark was in a league of his own though that I have only seen one other time, the Doctor himself.

{The best I could say about this situation was that it was moderately cordial. This was one friendship problem no creature present could ever solve. At best they managed to alleviate the situation enough to get them to tolerate each other. In an environment and situation we found ourselves in, dissension in the ranks on this scale felt downright dangerous.

{Aside from Garble, I found no other creature among us more likely to be called upon by The Dark Star than Card Shark, and if that happened then Card Shark was the one pony who probably could have exploited that opportunity far better than anyone else in the party. My instincts practically screamed at me, at times, to monitor him carefully because he felt extremely dangerous.

{This wasn't the only case Starlight Glimmer had to deal with. Many others approached her for counseling sessions too, and not necessarily because of a disagreement with some other creature. Stress was another reason to approach her and that could come about over any issue. I had my sessions with her too, but it was mostly on a positive basis. I didn't come to her to complain, I came to her to talk and be her friend. I served as an outlet for Starlight so that she had a chance to complain instead and she deeply appreciated the ear of a caring friend. There were others she talked with as well on a friendly basis so I wasn't the only one to share her burdens. Still, I was happy to help. It felt good to be helping.

{As far as morale officers go, Pinkie Pie deserves a special mention here. As she was well known for, her primary method of cheering others up were parties. She was also fond of sweets and songs. She broke into spontaneous song more often than any other pony in the group. Some came close but no other pony could really match her record on that one. After I started to get to know her more, particularly during her moments of depression, I realized something very important about her. Pinkie Pie was bi-polar.}

“What's that mean?” Star Breeze queried.

“It means she tends to experience emotion only to its greatest extreme,” Feather Wind explained to his daughter. “If she was happy then she was explosively happy. If she was sad then she really crashed. I think she was aware of this as well and, due to that realization, she made a very positive conscious decision. Because she had a tendency to experience emotion only to its greatest extreme, she chose to live with as much happiness and laughter as possible. Deep in her eyes I even sensed a desperation in her because she knew she was on the edge of a knife, especially while out in this psychologically toxic environment but, as long as she fought to keep a smile on her face, it could be the brightest smile within a hundred horse lengths, otherwise she'd crash so hard she was borderline suicidal.

“I could tell the screams outside our protection field was really getting to her, and she fought it as hard as she could with laughter, a song and, of course, a party.

“I remember when she shot several cans full of whip cream into her mouth then gave me a silly smile with one eye small and the other large. She had an expression on her face that asked proudly, 'See how much of this I can stuff into my mouth?' Frankly, it really was quite impressive. She seemed very flexible like a balloon, and the whip cream she stuffed into her mouth stretched her cheeks to unbelievable proportions, and you know what? By Celestia, it worked! Very often I could not help but crack a smile, a giggle or a chuckle at her antics. She was just that good, and I could tell it really made her happy to see her friends smile. I gave her what she wanted just to see her smile and light up her day in return.”

{There were a lot of varied talents we had within our community that made every one of us valuable to one extent or another. For instance, the surface of the ground we walked on was quite contaminated but Rockhoof managed to use his shovel to create a deep ditch where the earth was still fresh and unspoiled underneath. From there, Applejack planted a bunch of seeds, usually apple seeds, and my uncle used his earth magic to accelerate the growth process so drastically we had full grown blooming trees in about an hour. This was important because it gave our army a source of food to work with. Most of the creatures there hadn't needed it. As time clones, they never got hungry, but that really wasn't the point. I remember how we pulled out cooking pots from Vision's extra-dimensional saddlebags and the dragons heated it up with their fire breath so we could make fresh baked apple pies. Sombra and I conjured up crystals for the dragons to enjoy and we sometimes also crafted other useful tools made of crystal as well like dishes or other useful utensils.

{With all of these things, it gave Pinkie's parties supplies to work with. Gathering around a dinner table, or more like a picnic blanket in this case, it brought every creature together like a warm and happy family. We used that energy of joy and warmth to continue to empower the Crystal Heart so that it, in turn, could continue protecting the rest of us. It was actually interesting to note how small and simple joyful activities like this became a critical matter of survival for us for multiple reasons.

{Another thing that wore down on us over time was missing friends and family that were not there. We all knew what we were doing was very important so we tried to remain strong but attempting to maintain that much emotional strength over that much time and constant stress was very taxing. Even though they knew they were time clones, they were time clones of a personality that would actually feel this depressed over time.

{Rarity, for instance, was quite vocal about missing her younger sister Sweetie Belle. I got the impression from others that knew her that Rarity was usually a drama queen anyway but even I had to admit an issue like this was deeply personal and really would start to hurt more and more as time went on.

{I also caught Applejack tearing up about her own family too, but she usually tried to hide it if she got caught. This was because she was strong and wanted to show a strong example but, if confronted about it directly, she was also honest enough to admit that her heart really ached for those she cared about. Knowing that she didn't really ever leave her family's side for real didn't help and wasn't really the issue. If the real Applejack had been there in this dire situation all along, this was exactly how she would feel.

{There was one spell that Twilight cast for her friends benefit that helped a little. In it, they would see an illusion of whatever Twilight imagined. For the sake of her friends, she recreated Ponyville or wherever they came from. She recreated images of their friends and family, and her friends even interacted with the illusions but only to the extent Twilight had imagined the illusions to do or say. It was a hollow effort that was still somewhat appreciated. It was better than nothing, but sometimes it made her audience miss the real thing all the more.

{Discord, on the other hoof, was quite a bit more successful in his endeavors. With a snap of his claw or paw, he literally recreated Ponyville or other places. This time those who were there were quite a bit more real. Even the screams of the outside environment disappeared. This was one of the things your mother observed him do that softened her opinion of him quite a bit. Frequently he could not help adding some little joke into his virtual realities somewhere, but the real point of his efforts was clearly compassionate. He was especially sympathetic to Fluttershy. He summoned her animals for her to commune with as often as she wanted, though I was mystified why she was so attached to a bunny rabbit who was quite obviously a jerk and, ironically, was named Angel Bunny. He was cute, I'll give him that, but his attitude towards Fluttershy at times was a real turn off for me. Considering her innocent and sensitive nature, I felt driven to do my best to protect her unless it seemed that I didn't have to.

{Speaking of Fluttershy, she had the hardest time in this adventure by far compared to every other pony and creature there. Fluttershy was the Element of Kindness. Without her, the Elements of Harmony wouldn't work at all. It was said that, at one time, she was literally scared of her own shadow but then she trotted into the valley of darkness and the shadow of evil itself that deliberately, and very effectively, tried to frighten her. Of all of the Mane Six, I'm sad to say she was easily the weakest link in this situation. She was accustomed to a far more hospitable environment and it was very clear she desperately needed that. She constantly needed hoof holding and sympathetic ears to avoid going insane with fear.

{Over and over again, her friends tried to drill courage in her, and very slowly it started to work. Considering the low point of tolerance she started with, I never saw a tougher morale battle among this army. At least she was so fortunate to have an ally like Discord who was able to give her a break from time to time.

{The journey was an extremely difficult challenge for her but, for the sake of her friends, she endured it as best she could. It really was an overwhelming situation even for the very bravest among us. The Dark Star was extremely effective in testing our minds until it accidentally discovered our worst nightmares then showed them repeatedly until we were either driven insane by it or grew desensitized to it.

{I really, really felt sorry for Fluttershy except she had a great deal of moral support. Even my mother sang to Fluttershy's ear while holding the mare so tenderly. It brought a tear to the eye of any but the most stoned-face or cruelest among us.

{Wait . . . I take that back. Maud Pie was the most stoned-face among us and even I could tell she was moved by this scene. The secret to Maud was understanding she was just as emotional as every other pony but hid it very well. I thought she could give Card Shark a run for his money because of that, but that turned out not to be the case. Even when she pulled out surprise cards for comedic effect, he only matched her for the same reason. Besides, Maud actually had not cared for the card game. Surprisingly, that was actually Fluttershy's arena.

{I might not have been so surprised by this if it weren't for the surprise of her friends. They, too, didn't realize she had a talent for this. Come to think of it, I don't think Fluttershy knew that either. All she knew was she tried it, somewhat reluctantly at first, then discovered she actually really enjoyed it.

{Rainbow Dash told me this wasn't the first time Fluttershy pulled out a new super talent from out of nowhere. It happened with Fluttershy's singing, it happened with her method acting in one of Rarity's shops, and it happened when she proved a prodigy at Buck Ball. As time went on, Fluttershy kept on discovering yet more hidden talents. In this case, it happened to be a gift for card playing.

{I didn't know why at first, but I eventually noticed that Card Shark seemed to go easy on her. Maybe it was because he was cunning enough to realize Discord might teleport him into outer space if he dared to hurt Fluttershy's feelings, and that's saying something because Discord actually liked the cunning card player for all the wrong reasons. I really had a strong feeling Card Shark could have crushed Fluttershy with ease in the game if he wanted to, but the truth was she grew pretty good at it herself. If he was holding back against her, then he did not have to hold back too much due to how good she ended up in the game.

{Since this had turned into something of an outlet for her, she also challenged other players and was surprisingly vicious about it at times. She caught a lot of ponies off guard when she won a game then proceeded to viciously taunt her opponents about their loss only to realize what she did a second later then immediately shrink back and apologize, claiming she had no idea what got into her.

{Looking at Card Shark, I had a sinking feeling of what got into her and I started to realize the real reason he was holding back with Fluttershy. I kept quiet about my instincts because I had no proof. I also hadn't wanted to take this away from Fluttershy when it seemed to work so well and it made her happy when she so desperately needed it, but looking at the predatory, devious glint in Card Shark's eyes as he regarded Fluttershy while he smugly shuffled his cards without looking at them sent a chill down my spine. I could tell he was playing at some hidden game here and he was convinced that he was secretly winning, then he looked at me and gave me a wink as if to convey he knew what I was thinking. That, too, chilled me to the bone.

{I asked Vision to look into this and she did not report anything comforting. One of the descriptions I remember her giving me about Card Shark is, “Carefully controlled madness.” She said he was devious, controlling and methodical but, beneath that, hid a torrent of raging emotion so intense that it deeply frightened her. It scared her enough to get her to declare she dare not probe any further into him.

{I brought my concerns back to the Doctor and he continued to deny that there was any problem here. He just kept assuring me he had a plan and he asked me to continue to trust him. In this case, he was really starting to test the limits of my faith in him. I had an intense hunch that Card Shark was so intelligent that I suspected he could rival the Doctor himself, and what's more, Double Dealer happened to be an expert at mind games as well. Who, then, was playing who?}

xoxo

Feather Wind took a deep, relaxing breath as he sat on the edge of a tree branch that would normally be far too weak to hold up his weight, especially since he sat near the top of the tree and the very tip of that branch. He lightened his body weight so that the branch could support his weight. The only downside to this was that he occasionally had to use his telekinesis to keep himself from being blown off the branch. Because he had such a deep connection to the wind, however, he always felt a warning within him before the wind arrived. He could have also diverted the wind around him but generally chose not to. Instead he was content to let the wind blow wherever it willed.

The scent of fresh pine was all around him. The forest on the hill he sat on had mist collecting around the tree tops due to the chill of the night and the rich oxygen in the air. The moon shone brilliantly in the night sky above but, on occasion, it was partially concealed behind clouds which gave the clouds a cool, wispy glow that he loved to see.

Feather Wind was relaxed and content as he listened to the wind quietly blow through the air and not so quietly blow through the tree branches. This lulled him, but he did not drift off to sleep. He was so satisfied with this moment he could listen to it forever.

But then something very odd happened. The moon's light greatly intensified. This popped Feather Wind's eyes open and drew his attention upward. The moon with Nightmare Moon's shadowy silhouette glowed brightly far too strongly to be natural. This was so out of place that it was frightening.

But then somepony emerged from the moon and coalesced into a more material form. It was a dark hide mare with widespread wings and a dark horn. She had a mane and tail that looked like a window to the stars. She wore a tiny black crown behind her horn, and she also wore a wide chestguard that had the image of waning gibbous moon which actually matched her cutie mark. She gazed down at Feather Wind with soft and kind blue eyes. From above, she gently descended down in order to frighten Feather Wind no further. Meanwhile, in the background, the moon lost its Nightmare Moon shadow as if Luna herself emerged from it.

“Princess Luna. This is an unexpected visit,” Feather Wind called up to her pleasantly.

“It may be unexpected, but I pray not . . . disappointing,” Luna expressed while gesturing to her chest with a hoof. “Please forgive this intrusion into your dreams. May I have permission to join you?”

“By all means. Please, pull up a cloud.” Feather Wind created a small cloud closely to his right. Luna smiled in gratitude then gently floated over to land on top of the cloud. The moment she did, it glowed a bit as if bathed in lunar light. She settled down on the cloud by tucking her hooves beneath her.

“I am the Princess of the Night. It is thus within my power to enter dreams, but lately most of those around me no longer sleep at night or, indeed, ever. Few remain within our company that needs my services anymore. Usually I only show up to dispel a nightmare or two but, since you naught such fowl imagery within thine own head, I thought to partake of thy company for pleasure instead.”

Feather Wind snickered for a moment, then said, “For a moment there, you sounded just like Zecora.” Then Feather Wind looked out with an intrigued expression as he said, “So what you're saying is . . . this is a dream,” Feather Wind realized.

“Indeed,” Luna confirmed with a slow, smooth nod towards Feather Wind. “You are fast asleep.” After she said that, she examined her surroundings curiously, then said, “Though I sense your surroundings is also but a memory.” She regarded Feather Wind. “You were actually here in your own past.”

Feather Wind nodded. “Correct. I was here about . . . eleven or twelve years ago and I spent seven months in isolation in order to commune with nature. I expected the isolation to be hard on me and it was, a little, but I endured it far better than I initially expected. Before that, I had recently left the Wonderbolt Academy. The differences between the two settings felt extreme, like day and night.” His eyes shifted towards Luna. “I found more peace here during this period of my life.”

“But you care much for Lady Stern Wing, do you not?” Luna inquired curiously. “Yet I do not sense her here. You really endured such time alone from her so well? Forgive me if I am mistaken but it does not seem within thy nature.”

“That was the toughest part of my time alone here,” Feather Wind admitted as his gaze directed forward again. “It felt like she was the only component missing in my life that would have made me feel complete back then if she had been here.”

“Forgive me for prying, but . . . aren't you engaged to the lady?”

“Yes.” Feather Wind looked at her. “We were simply waiting to return to our own time so that our family could celebrate with us.”

“I see,” Luna looked forward a bit blankly. She then glanced down and to her right for a quick second as she thought further on the issue, then looked back at Feather Wind as she asked, “but isn't some of your own family present in this time period? Your father, mother and uncle are present.”

“Yes, and I know what you're getting at, but they are time clones. They will not remember anything that transpires in this time period. If we married each other in this time period, my real father and uncle won't really be a part of it and they'll miss it.

“However,” Feather Wind looked up. “I have thought hard on the issue. My mother is no longer in the time period I came from. She died a long time ago. Furthermore, while your sister Celestia does exist in my time period, you do not, at least not to an accessible degree,” he said with a wistful glance at the moon. “Neither does Twilight and her friends exist there or any of their friends. They are not even born yet when I come from, though I do have some familiarity and friendship with Applejack's grandmother when she was just a young filly.”

Feather Wind grinned fondly and also in amusement at the situation as he looked down. “I tried to save her life at one time. I almost succeeded. I had no idea how much in peril the world would have been if I completely failed to save her back then. It really makes me think.”

“I agree," Star Breeze put in. “I take it that this is the full reason you regarded the Orchard farm as special? You said Derpy was one of the reasons, but now you're telling me that a bunch of your friends had lived in future Ponyville. Is this the fuller reason that you once spoke of your fondness of that place?”

Feather Wind looked at his daughter and nodded in confirmation, then said, “Indeed it is. Also there is the fact that I once visited it myself.

“Because of that visit, I confirmed the fact that some of the Orchard family still lives there, including Baby Smith, but she called herself Granny Smith by that time.”

Feather Wind looked up as he thought back on the memory. “Those who still live there call themselves the Apple family for quite awhile since apples became their primary trade. The discovery of the Zap-Apple trees gave their farm a boost with that particular fruit during a time when it was needed the most, so it became their benchmark for many decades. Of course,” he shrugged, “their family became quite large by then, so most of them spread out to the farthest corners of Equestria, but those who remained in Ponyville became apple farmers first and foremost, hence their new family nickname.”

Feather Wind released a long breath as he looked forward. “It's funny how so much will change there, and yet so much will stay the same in the most important ways.” He looked at his daughter. "Their barn will be re-built, for example, and yet it still looked so familiar to me.”

Feather Wind looked forward with a fond smile as he added, “Derpy took us on a tour of Ponyville and spoke fondly of many of the residents there.” He shook his head. “But I had no idea, back then, that so many of them would end up as my friends as well at a later date despite such a wide time gap between us.” He looked back at his daughter. “But I learned, since then, never to underestimate the magic of friendship, and that village was a hub for such magic and that is the full reason why I regard it as so special.”

“Did you say hi to Granny Smith while you visited that village in the future?" Star Breeze asked curiously.

Her father shook his head then said, “No. I saw no good reason to spook and confuse her. She was so old at that point in time that I grew concerned that the shock of seeing me might give her old ticker a challenge to deal with. Besides, she seemed happy out there and I, for one, did not want to disturb that. That's all that really mattered to me.”

Star Breeze looked forward with a grin and a blink as she said, “It's mind boggling to realize that, because you told me all this now, everything you just said is written in that book Discord gave you.”

“True, but recall the fact that I did not read this chapter until way later, long after I was done with this experience,” Feather Wind reminded his daughter.

Star Breeze looked thoughtful for a moment. After ten seconds of silent contemplation, she regarded her father and asked him, “So . . . what happened next?”

As requested, Feather Wind went on with his story.

“Sounds like you're having second thoughts about the timing of your wedding,” Luna observed with a small, cunning grin. This conversation was proceeding in the direction that she hoped it would so far.

“You're hoping you can be there for that, aren't you?” Feather Wind asked her with a knowing grin aimed back at Princess Luna.

“It's only to see another excuse for Pinkie Pie to throw another party,” Luna joked with a small smile of amusement, but then her expression became serious. “To answer thine own question, yes. It has been my hope that we might witness this most blessed of occasions, and I was also thinking of the issue in another way. Since we are but mere time clones, our existence is as fleeting as this dream is but, during that dream, we are as real as any of our original selves, and our feelings are real as well. These are feelings that might even empower your stone.” Luna pointed to it briefly then tucked that same leg back beneath her again after she was finished with the gesture.

Feather Wind regarded it. Indeed, he was wearing the Red Crystal on his neck which was actually an error in continuity to this time period he was dreaming about. Back then, he did not have it yet.

But I suppose it has become a part of me ever since then. Even in my dreams, it has the capacity to follow me wherever I go.

“The energy such a celebration may evoke could even be helpful in saving this world,” Luna went on. “There is no greater power than love, and a love shared among friends magnifies its potential. This war is but a war of the future spirit of Equestria. We could use every tool we can get in our arsenal.

“Besides,” Luna waved him off with a wing, “the two of you can always remarry again when you return to your own time period. Why limit yourselves to merely one celebration when you can instead have two?”

“That's a good point!” Feather Wind realized. “That way every creature who truly deserves this can be a part of our celebration. Aside from that, Derpy, Vision, the Doctor, Stern Wing and Discord are also real. They'll remember this celebration anyway.”

“Indeed,” Luna agreed.

“And you have another point,” Feather Wind looked thoughtful. “This war is over the soul of Equestria. With the stakes this high, we can't afford to hold back. Aside from that, deep down, I've been in pain because of the patience I had to endure at the thought of this lady of mine still not being my wife yet. I am sick and tired of realizing she still isn't my wife every time I wake up in the morning.”

“Speaking of your fiancée,” Luna brought up, “you may find she feels the same way.”

“Since she is one of the few who can dream here, I suppose you would know,” Feather Wind figured with a cunning grin passed to Luna. In response, she flashed him a small proud smile.

“By the way,” Feather Wind went on, “as a change of subject, have you visited Vision's dreams yet? I know for a fact she adores you.”

Feather Wind was caught off guard by the look of guilt that suddenly crossed her face as she looked away. Eventually she said, “Yes, a few times . . . but I also recall a time when my disposition to the young lady was not so nice. There are many things I regret doing during my time spent as Nightmare Moon.” Her eyes shifted to look at Feather Wind as she said, “She explained to me that it is I who was responsible for her prophetic dreams when she was but a young filly. Truthfully, I do not recall doing this deliberately, but it is true that the realm of dreams is timeless. Even now we rest in a field of vision drawn from your own past. Just as well, dreams can also reveal the future, though it is only but one of many possible outcomes.”

Luna sighed with regret as she looked down. “I was a terrible mare in my time in the past. I must confess, I even encountered you, once, during my time as Nightmare Moon. While I do understand that hasn't occurred for you yet, I see this moment as my one and only chance to apologize for the grief you will suffer at the hooves of my own past self, for she will not apologize for her actions. Please,” she bowed her head to him, briefly closed her eyes and requested earnestly, “forgive me.”

This news was a bit startling to Feather Wind and it carried with it deep implications. His mind started spinning. She just told him he would encounter Nightmare Moon at least once some time in his future, and it probably was the real Nightmare Moon instead of a temporal clone. This also implied that he would survive this adventure in this time period and also manage to make it back somewhen closer to his native timeline. Based on what she said, there was little else he could safely infer.

“Princess Luna,” Feather Wind looked at her fully, “even during your time as Nightmare Moon, Vision told me you were actually still Princess Luna whenever your past self slept, so I was already aware that there was good in you even back then. Everything you've done in the past is just a nightmare from which you have awakened. Rarely can I control myself whenever I sleep either, so I cannot blame you for the same. I both hear and acknowledge your apology on behalf of your past self's behavior. I promise you I will not hold anything you say or do in my future as a personal insult against you.

“You already have proof of this. Isn't it true that, when I regarded you in my future and your past, I did not regard you with any anger or bitterness?”

Luna thought back on the memory carefully, then replied, “To be honest, your reaction seemed to be of pity and concern. It must have horrified you to witness what you considered a dear friend behave like such a monster. Of course, for me at the time, I had no idea why you regarded me that way so I eventually dismissed those instincts. I will say that it is nice to finally have some closure on this mystery as I come to fully realize why you felt that way at the time.”

Feather Wind glanced down for a second as he thought to himself, Given the circumstances, that actually does sound like the way I'd regard her at that moment.

Feather Wind looked back at her and said, “I've done things in my past I've come to regret as well. Your sister felt the same way when she banished you to the moon and didn't foresee the danger building up between you until it was too late. Starlight Glimmer once enslaved a whole town then nearly destroyed all of Equestria in a time-traveling fiasco which, of course, explains why she is so nervous to participate in anything resembling time travel once again. Trixie once told me she regretted the fact that she was cold, arrogant, rude and insensitive but still just as great and powerful as ever. I can go on and on and on like this with every single pony and/or creature in our midst. All together, it proves that the thing we have in common is imperfection. That isn't something to be too ashamed of. It's merely part of life. We must learn to accept it so that we can let it go.”

“I see thine own journey has greatly enhanced your wisdom,” Luna commended with a soft half-smile passed to Feather Wind.

Feather Wind shrugged slightly as he said, “We're all in this together. We are all connected, even through time and space. That's one of the things I've learned on my journey. I don't just forgive you, Luna, I love you as a friend.”

“I regard you in high esteem as well,” Luna returned with a nod and closed her eyes for a second. After she opened her eyes and lifted her head, they stared at each other for a silent moment, both simply enjoying each other's company but then, all of the sudden, Luna quickly whipped her head up and to her right as if she heard something alarming.

“What?” Feather Wind asked in alarm. “What is it?”

“Feather Wind.” Luna rose to stand on the cloud she originally laid on. “It is time for you to awaken. Danger is ahoof.” She closed her eyes and broadly spread her wings. A brilliant light projected from her. Next thing Feather Wind knew, he woke up.

xoxo

“Let her Majesty go!” Feather Wind heard Sombra aggressively insist as Feather Wind woke up and gradually regained his senses.

“Why are you doing this?” Princess Cadence asked in a hurt tone.

Feather Wind scanned around him and rose to his hooves to assess the local situation.

“Don't hurt her!” Shining Armor begged with strong concern.

Feather Wind finally located the problem. The dragon Garble was backing off from a semi-circle of creatures, mostly ponies, while he held Princess Flurry Heart in his claws. One claw held her tightly in the front of her neck, ready to either snap her neck or tear her throat out.

“Garble, I DEMAND you let her go this instant!” Ember firmly commanded.

For a moment Garble pretended to be afraid. “Oh, of course Princess. I'm sorry for ever offending you,” he said in a very clearly sarcastic tone then called out, “HA! Fooled you, didn't I? I've waited a very long time to say this. NO! I don't have to listen to you anymore. Not when I have this!” He revealed from the other claw that wasn't holding Flurry Heart's throat a black crystal. “See this? I have a new master now so I don't have to listen to you anymore.”

“This is your last warning!” Sombra growled menacingly. As he said that, a ring of red crystal spikes grew out from the ground and diagonally aimed towards Garble. This was especially true behind the dragon which prevented him from slowly backing off from the rest of the group any further. “Let . . . her . . . GO!”

“No, Sombra! Please don't antagonize him!” Flurry Heart kindly requested.

“Your Majesty!” Sombra looked stunned at that request and quite reluctant to obey despite him swearing an oath of loyalty and obedience to her.

“It's okay,” Flurry Heart assured in a calmer voice. “Trust me, I am in no danger.”

“HA! I beg to differ!” Garble mocked at Flurry Heart, then narrowed his eyes at Sombra. “Do as she says, you pathetic pony, or be willing to spend your time cleaning up her throat off the ground.”

Sombra was shaking with fury. He closed his eyes and bowed his head while he shook, struggling very hard to contain his anger and fear. Without him looking, the red crystal spikes slowly withdrew back into the earth.

“Heh. I knew you'd do it,” Garble mocked. “You ponies are all so weak and pathetic.”

“And what about me?!” Ember called harshly as she crouched low as if getting ready to pounce towards him. “Do you think I am weak too? I promise you, whatever you do to that pony, I will return to you tenfold! Whether or not you are immune to my Dragon Lord commands, I can still beat the scales off your miserable little hide! I bet you won't be immune to that!”

“I'd like to see you try!” Garble sneered.

Ember snorted flames out of her nostrils as she declared, “Okay, that's it! You're toast!”

“Ember, wait! Please!” Princess Twilight begged which caused Ember to hesitate.

“Princess Twilight.” Now it was Ember's turn to look stunned. “He's got your niece. He's threatening to harm her. Even I can't stand this, so I'm stunned that you can.”

“Believe me, Ember, I know. It's a struggle for me to calm down as well, but we have to do it for her sake as long as she's in danger,” Twilight argued to Ember which cooled the Dragon Lord down for the moment. Twilight turned a concerned look to Garble, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the moment. “Why are you doing this, Garble? Can't we just talk about this?”

“Talk, talk, TALK!” Garble growled in irritation. “That's all you pathetic ponies ever do is talk or, worse yet, sing. For almost two years now I had to endure your incessant talking and singing and helping each other. I am so sick and tired of all of your sick and pathetic ways! I was invited here to fight a war!” Garble thumbed to his chest. “I thought this war was going to be cool. I thought we were going to fight all kinds of terrifying and cool monsters, but instead I get tortured for two years straight with all of your manzy-panzy ways and I'm so SICK OF IT!”

“I hear ya, buddy!” Rainbow Dash chimed in. “I was hoping to fight all kinds of cool and crazy monsters too! If that's all you want, then let the princess go so we can step outside the Crystal Heart barrier right now and go fight some crazy monsters! I'm actually kind of hyped for that as well! Better than being bored here all the time.” Rainbow Dash said with a roll of her eyes.

Garble closed his eyes and chuckled a bit, then he said, “Out of all the ponies I found myself painfully surrounded with,” he opened his eyes and gazed proudly at Rainbow Dash, “you are by far the coolest one among them.”

“Really?!” Rainbow Dash asked in surprise as she flew back a bit in mid air and drew her head back at the same time. The scrunched up expression on her face intensely conveyed confusion as she continued to regard the dragon Garble. “I mean, I know I'm awesome and all but I'm really surprised you think so too. I thought you hated all ponies, me included.”

“I DO hate ponies!” Garble exclaimed. “You are simply the best of the worst. The first time I ever encountered you, you emerged from a pathetic dragon costume.”

“I beg your pardon!” Rarity cried in outrage, offended with a stomp of a hoof. “I put a lot of work into that costume to make it fabulous! Apologize to me this instant!”

“Rarity, I think we have higher priorities at the moment,” Applejack said with a tight wince of tense nervousness, afraid that Garble would grow so annoyed that he would harm his hostage.

“My POINT is . . .” Garble said with an annoyed growl due to the interruption, “. . . that the moment you emerged from the costume, you were the one I was most convinced that was truly willing to fight me.”

“So was I!” Rarity insisted in a hurt, whining tone. “You threatened Spiky-Poo. Anyone who dares to threaten a scale on his widdle-itty-bitty head is not going to see my most lady-like side!”

“Aww! Thanks, Rarity!” Spike said to Rarity as his eyes turned into heart symbols at her.

“The second time I met you,” Garble went on, “was when you tried to reclaim that!” He seemed to point at Flash Magnus flapping in the air but Feather Wind assumed he actually meant the Tidus shield that Flash Magnus had strapped to his side. A moment later that theory was confirmed. “You came for the shield that I found in the desert fair and square.”

“Which I then won in a race!” Spike reminded Garble as he looked back at Garble while his eyes returned to normal.

“Then you challenged me to a race personally,” Garble continued to Rainbow Dash with a stabbing point at her using the same claw that held the black crystal, “but then convinced me to drop the shield so it would not get in my way as we raced back to the top of the lava mountain.” As he said that, he gradually lowered the point of his claw. “Instead of racing me fair and square, you took that opportunity to nab the shield and take off with it.

“I was FURIOUS at you for that, but . . .” the claw that held the black crystal gave a pushing motion towards her while he closed his eyes for one second, during which time his voice and face became much calmer, “. . . later that night,” he opened his eyes again at Rainbow Dash, “I was lying on my back and looking up at the stars while the light of nearby pools of lava glowed and I remembered thinking how devious your tactic was. You wanted something and you just took it!” The claw that held the black crystal suddenly was yanked close to his chest. “You nabbed it from me so you earned that treasure.

“Then, just a moment ago, you said you would be willing to join me as we participate in an epic battle of the ages outside the barrier against a hoard of rampaging monsters, so I say this to you with all sincerity . . . you are the coolest pony I have ever met. I say this because, deep down, you have a heart as strong as dragons!”

“That's kinda true,” Ember agreed with a proud grin to Rainbow Dash. “You are more competitive than most other ponies I see around here.” Ember pounded her chest with a fist then used that same claw to point at Rainbow Dash. “Major respect points to you, my friend.”

All of these compliments went straight to Rainbow Dash's head. In mid air she struck a bold, heroic pose with her forward hooves on her hips. She puffed her chest out in pride which inadvertently caused her to make a horsey noise for a second.

“Let's not get carried away, now,” Applejack cautioned, recalling the consequences of putting too much fire in Rainbow Dash's already formidable ego.

“Too bad you're a pansy pony,” Garble went on with a casual shrug of regret and briefly closed his eyes for a second which opened again before he went on to his next sentence. “In another life, we could have been best buds.”

“What exactly is it that you're trying to accomplish here?” Starlight Glimmer asked as she emerged from the crowd around her. “Flurry Heart is the main one protecting us all from the danger outside of the barrier. If you kill her, you'll die too! It doesn't make any sense to threaten her like this because you won't gain anything by it.”

“Shows what you know! I was smart and made a deal with The Dark Star!” Garble bragged proudly as he thumbed to his chest. “That's why it gave me this.” Garble held up the black crystal. “I had to give something in exchange, however. But, in my eyes, it didn't ask for much. All it wanted was to KILL YOU ALL, and this mansy-pansy pony here is the primary obstacle in its way from wiping you all out.”

Garble cut a claw across the air. “What's the point of the battle anyway? We're just time clones here! We're just false copies of our original selves. Nothing we say or do now will be remembered, so what's the point of this pointless existence?

“But ah! The Dark Star agreed to remedy this. As soon as I consume this crystal,” he held up the black crystal up for emphasis, “I'll be transformed into something more real. Realer even than my own original self. Then, not only will I be the new Lord of the Dragons, but I'll be Lord of ALL CREATURES ON THIS WORLD, THEN NOTHING CAN STOP ME! ALL WILL RUE THE DAY THEY HEARD THE NAME GARBLE!”

With that, Garble shoved the black crystal quickly into his mouth then consumed it. Seconds later he trembled as a black aura engulfed him that looked like a black flame. He expanded three times his original size. His claws grew much longer and sharper, and so did the spikes along his back. He grew menacing horns from his head that first curved down then lifted up, much like a ram's horn. When his eyes opened, his pupils blazed with purple energy. During this whole process, he continued to maintain his grasp on Flurry Heart but, by the time his dark transformation was complete, he was holding on to a lot more than just her throat. His claw nearly surrounded her entire body.

“Equestria, we have a problem!” Spike said fearfully as his eye pupils shrank while Garble's shadow loomed over the tiny baby dragon as well as several others.

“That's much better!” Garble said in a slightly multi-voice. “Now I'll have the power to destroy all of my enemies!”

That was dark magic, alright. Feather Wind could feel it, but what concerned him more was the fact he was detecting two sources of dark energy, and the second was far worse than the first. The Red Crystal worn around his neck hummed a warning and, despite how large the corrupted dragon loomed over them, Feather Wind's eyes were actually drawn to Sombra as he realized they were all about to be in much greater trouble.

Sure enough, Sombra was constantly trembling with anger. His black mane was turning into flickering black flame and he was about to burst. Noticing this, Feather Wind wanted to warn every creature around him but his voice got caught in his throat due to his rising panic.

“You have chosen to reveal yourself as a monster,” Star Swirl said as he stepped forward from the crowd boldly. “Congratulations. You now have our undivided attention. I wonder if you have also noted how literally surrounded you are.”

“Well to that I say HA to you! Your numbers ain't going to matter soon! Not after I crush our little filly friend here!” Garble threatened.

Upon hearing that, that was the last straw for Sombra. His mind snapped at that moment and his eyes flared open. A burst of purple and black energy spread beyond the side of his eyes. At first his pupils were large but they quickly narrowed after that into snake-like slits. He snapped his gaze back to Garble with a look of intense rage. He rose up on his hind legs then smashed both of his forward hooves to the ground. Subsequently, hundreds of black crystals shot from the ground and stabbed into Garble from all around him, yet not a single one hit Flurry Heart. In response, Garble screamed in pain and stunned surprise but he continued to cling on to tiny Flurry Heart, relative to his new size.

“Sombra, NO!” Flurry Heart cried out to him.

Garble's roar of pain shifted to a roar of anger in stubborn determination. He then managed to smash himself free of some of the spikes (although some pieces continued to stick inside of him) but more black crystals replaced those in seconds.

Meanwhile every other creature froze in shock at this highly unexpected sight.

“Release me or I'll crush your precious pony princess!” Garble threatened.

“Weren't you going to do that anyway?” Sombra asked in a sinister voice as he trotted up one of the black spikes he erected in order to draw closer to the much larger dragon ahead of him. “I'm actually looking forward to that part, now. That princess you have in your clutches is the only reason I'm not ripping you to shreds at this very moment, but ah! As soon as you kill your precious shield,” Sombra looked up at Garble's face as the flames of his eyes doubled in size and his snake-like eye pupils widened, “we're going to have such fun together!” Sombra said in a tone that dripped with sinister glee.

Garble's head drew back, greatly alarmed by the evil pony he was beholding that looked so sinister it actually scared the dragon despite his own dark magic corruption.

“Don't do this, Sombra!” Twilight cried out desperately. “You are not like your original self! You can be a better pony!”

“Do you think you know darkness?!” Sombra barked at Garble, ignoring Twilight's comment in the background completely. “You've only just tasted it recently. Pay attention, my new student, for I will show you true terror! I'm only now giving you just a small taste of what's to come.”

Sombra lifted a hoof a bit. One of the spikes that stabbed into Garble grew spikes of its own within Garble's body. It then cruelly twisted itself from side to side. Garble bit his tongue to prevent himself from screaming in pain, but he was determined not to look weak.

“The rest will come as soon as you get rid of that pathetic shield of yours,” Sombra went on. “In time, I will ask you a question. I will ask you if you still think ponies are weak after I RIP YOUR SOUL TO PIECES!”

“ENOUGH!” Flurry Heart cried out before finally teleporting away from Garble's grasp, which she honestly could have done all along. She reappeared seventeen feet further into the air and spread her wings as a glorious light spread from her. The Crystal Heart also appeared behind her and started spinning faster and faster as it helped her to create this shining light. As the light burned into both Garble and Sombra, it weakened the dark magic's hold on both of them. The black crystal Sombra stood on started to crack and the cracks never stopped spreading as long as that light continued to radiate down on top of them both. When she opened her eyes, it was full of radiating light which completely concealed her normal eyes.

“Sombra, I told you I was never in any real danger,” Flurry Heart called out in what sounded like thousands of voices speaking at once, and most of it not even hers. It was the voices of every pony and creature that donated energy to the Crystal Heart. “Please respect my wishes and allow me to hoofle this.”

Sombra's eyes and mane returned to normal as he beheld his Majesty in stunned awe, then he lowered his head somberly as the damaged black spikes retreated back into the earth. Since he was standing on one of them, that also meant he returned to the earth.

“Yes, your Majesty,” Sombra replied obediently and in a voice full of regret.

With that out of the way, Flurry Heart then regarded Garble who shriveled in cowardly fear before her majestic magical might. “Garble . . . every creature that roams upon this planet has a choice which side their souls choose to favor. Today you have proven you favor the darkness and, by doing so, you have also proven you have no place among us. Since you favor the oblivion that the darkness offers so much, then return to the oblivion from whence you came.”

The Crystal Heart above her spun much faster, fast enough to blur with a brilliant white light. It seemed to charge and build up to something. During that time, Flurry Heart's wings curved and cringed inwardly. While that happened, she continued to hover there without flapping her wings.

“No!” Garble cried out in fear as he shielded his eyes with his claws. “NOOOOOOOOO!”

When Flurry Hearts wings finally spread apart to its maximum length, an explosive beam of light shot down and consumed Garble's entire body. The beam continued to pour down on top of him as he turned into light as well then disappeared within the beam of light. This process held up for ten seconds before the beam thinned out then finally disappeared. The Crystal Heart above Flurry Heart slowed its rapid spinning. While it did that, she gradually and gently floated down to the ground. When her hooves touched the earth again, her wings sank to the ground as if she were exhausted. She also lowered her head and sagged her shoulders. Even her mane looked both ragged and limp at the same time.

Everyone who witnessed this was stunned. So was Star Breeze many years later.

“Flurry Heart, you . . . you didn't have to kill him!” remarked Cadence in a stunned voice.

“Yes, she did,” Shining Armor argued as he stepped up beside his wife, put a leg around her back then pulled her close to him. “Garble was from the future. He traveled with us for years. He studied our strengths and our weaknesses. Imagine what would happen to our mission if the enemy got a hold of that information.”

“Not to mention the fact that he didn't really exist here in the first place,” Stygian added. “Very few of us do. She only dispelled his time clone. The original Garble is still back in his own timeline, safe and sound and none the wiser about what he tried to do here today.”

“So, basically . . . that will be our fate eventually,” Spike realized somberly.

“But before that happens, the rest of us have a mission to complete,” Shining Armor reminded with a little bit of steel in his voice. “We must complete this mission, or our original selves won't exist in the first place. The Dark Star will seek to destroy everything we hold dear long before all of us, except the natives of this time period, were even born.”

“And with that in mind, I have a request,” Sombra broached. He lifted his head in order to regard Flurry Heart. “Your Majesty . . . long before your time, I once served another who was very much like you. She was the Crystal Queen, and she ruled the Crystal Empire with benevolence and compassion, but also fairness and strength. She filled the world with light and hope. So strong was it that it projected high into the air for all to see. I, myself, helped her to build this society until I later destroyed that, apparently. The darkness that corrupted my magic seeks to consume me still. Since I'm a time clone, the infection did not spread like it had for my original self but lately that small little voice has been clawing at my mind harder and harder, especially when Garble was in front of me and projected the same type of energy. Because of this, I beg you, your Majesty, for your own safety, for every creature around here and, indeed, for the fate of the entire world itself, I beg you to destroy me as well.”

“That is crazy talk, and I will have none of it!” Shining Armor denied with a firm look to Sombra but it soon softened as he went on. “I faced the shadow of your corrupted future self myself. He once cursed my horn with black crystals so that I could not perform my barrier magic. I'm willing to admit that, when I faced him muzzle to muzzle, I was terrified of him. I could see in his eyes he wanted to kill me or enslave mye very strongly, perhaps even more strongly than my own will to live, but my newly wed wife was in the Crystal Empire at the time. So, too, was my own baby sister and all of her friends.

“I tell this to you now to prove to you that I've had experience with the worst side of you so, when I tell you this, I want you to believe me when I say that the pony I see standing in front of me now is a completely different pony. You're an asset to our cause, not a liability, as you have already proven time and time again over these past few years. More than that, you have become a dear and loyal friend to all of us.

“Now I never thought I would ever say something like this back when I first met your corrupted future self, but I'm glad to get to know the real you, Sombra. You are an intensely devoted and loyal pony, and your spirit and courage is inspiring to us all. Now I'm proud to call you my ally and my friend.”

“Not to mention your knowledge and tactics,” Stygian added. “I, too, was once lost in the darkness for many years. I became the Pony of Shadows. I was the epitome of corruption and darkness, quite likely to a greater degree than even you, but I was guided to see the light once again. I was shown that it was not really power that I was after, it's friendship. If we all stick together, we can have a power greater than anything the darkness can throw at us.

“On the other hoof, if we allowed Flurry Heart to destroy you, as you suggested, just because there is a chance you could unleash your inner monster, then she might as well also destroy all the rest of us, for we all are exposed to the same degree of risk. We all have darkness inside us. The only way we're going to beat it is if we choose not to embrace it, and instead embrace the light of friendship together.”

“I was once like you not too long ago,” Starlight said, and as she said this her voice quivered with emotion which was also visible as a wet glint in her eyes. “I, too, ruled a small village with an iron hoof. I did it because I was angry and upset at friendship. I did not trust it since it seemed so flimsy, but I was wrong! Twilight and her friends helped me to see that and, little by little, that circle of friendship continued to expand every single day and I'm so grateful for that. You can be too! You can choose to embrace the light instead of the darkness.

“Also, unlike your true history, you have the advantage of moving forward with an informed decision. You've already been told what could happen, and I can see in your eyes it fills you with powerful regret. Well, if that's true then choose another path right now!” Starlight stomped a hoof. “Be a better pony than King Sombra ever was. With him, he condemned an entire empire until it was later saved, but you have a chance to save the entire world with us and believe me when I say you could be really, really good at it if you just turn away from your fears and let us help you!”

“It is important that, in these dark times, we all hold onto each other in the light of hope,” Somnambula said with a voice thick with a noticeable accent. “Hope is the flame on the gentle candle that endures in the depths of the darkness. Without it, we would all be lost. It is important that we all share that flame together so that we may all light our way to victory, harmony and prosperity.”

“You just told us that you are feeling guilt over your failure in defending the Crystal Queen in a bygone age,” Twilight put forward in a sympathetic voice. “It can be hard to do the right thing or to know what to do sometimes. Believe me, I failed before too on so many things but my friends helped me whenever I fell. If you choose to abandon us to our fate now, you'll be failing your Crystal Queen again, for The Dark Star will extinguish her existence before she was even born. The same goes for The Crystal Empire and all of its citizens. The same goes for your original self. I know, at first glance, that may seem like a good thing, but you've done many good things too that won't ever happen if you give up now.”

{I whispered a message then projected it at Sombra through the wind. In the message, I reminded him about Angel Song. In the message, I told him her true name, which I will not repeat to you now due to a promise I made to him. I told him that if he gave up on us now then her lovely voice would never be lifted up into the heavens. I could tell, by the way his eyes widened in shock, that I hit a very strong nerve with that comment. I then said aloud . . .}

“Look at every creature around you, Sombra,” Feather Wind encouraged. “Look how much they care for you. Look at how many friends you have. Look how many lives you touched deeply already, and also realize how much you continue to influence us all. Please, do not take that away from us. Not when we all need you so desperately. Like it or not, you are an inspirational leader. If you quit now, consider what example that will inspire in the rest of us.”

Sombra did as Feather Wind requested. He slowly scanned around him at all the various creatures who all stared back at him with a warm smile to varying degrees. Considering how many creatures there were and their own various personalities, there were usually other emotions mixed in as well but it was almost universally positive.

Almost. In fact, the only creature who was out of place in this picture, from what Feather Wind could tell, was Card Shark. He stood up straight and leaned both forward hooves on a gentlecolt's cane which, in turn, propped him up in a thirty-five degree angle. While he did that, he had the edge of his fedora hat tilted down enough so no creature could see his eyes, but Feather Wind saw an evil smirk on his lips. He looked very satisfied in a disturbing sort of way. He acted like some evil agenda of his was proceeding smoothly so far. Feather Wind privately vowed to confront him on that shortly.

Looking back at Sombra, Feather Wind could tell he was being consumed by affectionate emotion as his gaze continued to sweep every single individual among the camp which kept reaffirming the same message over and over again. It said to him that he was not alone, that he had friends who very much cared for him. Noticing that made him care about the others as well. Tears were in his eyes by the time his scan was complete. He then closed his eyes and bowed his head.

“I've warned you all of the peril that dwells inside me,” Sombra announced, “but if you choose to face this risk together . . . then I will bow to the will of the vast majority of you. I promise I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, including from the danger that dwells within me. Since you are all of one mind, that also means you are of one heart. This is exactly the kind of energy that empowers the Crystal Heart so dramatically. As long as you all continue to feel this way, I will fight by your side. To make up for all the mistakes I have made in the past and, on behalf of the bright and prosperous future, we fight together as one. WE . . . SHALL . . . PREVAIL!” He lifted his head again as it trembled with determination. “As long as we continue to stand united, not even the greatest darkness will bring us down!”

A great cheer arose from nearly every creature gathered at the conclusion of those words, and that was all the excuse Pinkie Pie needed to pull out her party cannon from seemingly out of nowhere and blast a ball of confetti that exploded into the air. Many creatures approached to pat Sombra on the back or embrace him in a hug, very relieved he changed his mind and bravely continued to join them.

Meanwhile Feather Wind glared at Card Shark then approached to finally confront him.

“I'm on to your little game!” Feather Wind warned Card Shark firmly.

“Oh really?” Card Shark asked smugly as he continued to hide his eyes with the edge of his fedora hat. “To which game are you referring? I am good at so many, you see.”

“The only one that matters!” Feather Wind responded firmly. “I'm warning you now . . . I'm watching you.”

“Goooooooooood!” Card Shark said like a smooth criminal. He lifted his muzzle just enough so that the bottom half of his eyes were barely visible under the rim of his fedora hat. “It's good that you're watching my back. There are so many hidden evils out in the world, you see. It is best we remain at the edge of our hooves in order to remain prepared to face them. You never know what might strike next. Even within our ranks, as you have just recently witnessed, bears careful watching.”

“Why did the Doctor really invite you?” Feather Wind asked suspiciously. “You two are nothing alike.”

“We have more in common than you might think, though I'm beginning to suspect that you're starting to realize that.” Card Shark gave a sly grin. “Aside from that, he and I go way back. We have a lot of history together. He is my friend from a long time ago, and I shall always cherish those memories. It's a good thing, too. Friendship can be weaponized in this world, it seems.” Card Shark chuckled darkly. “There was a long time in my history when I never thought I'd ever hear myself say something like that,” he shrugged, “but here we are.”

“What are you scheming at?” Feather Wind asked. He knew that question was a shot in the dark, but sometimes even what was not said could be just as important as what was said. He observed Card Shark's reaction to that question very carefully, and he was disturbed by the gut feeling that Card Shark was keenly aware of that.

“My, my! Such an unsportscoltlike question of you,” Card Shark taunted. “When we sit at a table and play cards, do you really expect me to turn my cards around and reveal to you my entire hoof of cards? Besides, isn't a game more fun when you have a worthy opponent?”

Now Card Shark gave a very evil smile. Feather Wind was astonished to realize he wasn't even trying to hide that anymore, at least not to Feather Wind. It meant revealing that information was also part of a very complex and ingenious strategy.

Card Shark lifted the tip of the gentlecolt's cane and used it to bop the muzzle of Feather Wind very lightly. “You have some skill, my young protege, but you have a long way to go before you can catch up to me or the Doctor. Do be patient in the meantime, and be observant. How is one to learn if they are not paying attention, hmm? Think about it.”

Then, all of the sudden, Card Shark had a focused interest at Feather Wind's cheeks, specifically the right cheek since Card Shark tilted his head a bit to the left. “Mmm? What's this? You've got a little something on your cheek.”

Card Shark reached forward with his left hoof to apparently pluck something from Feather Wind's right cheek. Meanwhile Feather Wind was still, entranced and frankly terrified of what this criminal mastermind might do next. Feather Wind then winced in pain as he felt a sharp slice on his cheek.

“Oops! Paper cut,” Card Shark said in an insincere tone of apology then withdrew a playing card from Feather Wind's right cheek. Feather Wind looked at the card and noticed two things about it. One was the fact that it was the Joker card, and the other was the fact that there was blood on the edge of the card. In fact there was more blood than Feather Wind expected from such a brief and minor cut. “Sorry, my friend,” Card Shark said in that same insincere tone. “The card is sharp, I suppose.”

Feather Wind widened his eyes in horrified astonishment at what Card Shark did next, which was frankly quite creepy to behold. Card Shark licked the blood off the edge of his own card then appeared to savor it.

“Mmm. Tangy,” Card Shark remarked, then flashed the card more fully at Feather Wind. “Oh, and look at this. What an interesting card I managed to pull from you. It is the Joker card. I'm quite fond of these, for they are a rare card in the deck and very useful too.

“The reason why I say that is because the Joker stands apart from the rest of the meaningless numbers and suits around him. Ranging from the weakest cards in the deck,” Card Shark gestured directly to Derpy as an outward example of what he was talking about which, frankly, made Feather Wind quite mad, “to the Ace in the hole,” Card Shark went on as he then gestured to Princess Celestia.

Card Shark then applied both hooves back on top of his cane and stabbed the bottom tip back down to the ground. “The deck is filled with many cards of all kinds of different suits, numbers and talents. Each is good at their own arena, but one thing they all have in common is the fact that, during each and every single game they play, they are shuffled helplessly into the deck. Because of that, they have no control over what they face next. The stronger the card is, the more often it tends to win, but wins what, by chance? Why, it wins only what it happens to face at the time, which is random. That's the problem with cards shuffled in a deck. Each is lost in their own little worlds full of mediocrity, idiosyncrasies, various agendas, insipid goals and pointless dreams in life. Lost in the wheels of time and fate, they have no idea how little they actually matter in the grand scheme of things. Things like that are only known to the players of the game, and even then only to some degree.

“But the Joker, as I have stated, is special because it can become whatever it needs to be in order to win the match. It stands apart from the rest of the deck where it can watch silently on a tiny little island of safety like an island in the middle of a river of time. From that tactical position, the Joker has but one chance to be a game changer in the wheels of fate. To make the best of that opportunity, it is important for the Joker to wait, watch and listen very carefully because, when it finally does act, it will inevitably also be swept up in the rivers of time. By stepping off that safe little island in the middle of the river, even the Joker winds up getting shuffled into the deck then, my friend, it becomes just another pawn in the mechanization of a cruel and sadistic fate. 'Tis sad, really, but what will be . . . will be.” He gave a mockingly innocent shrug.

Card Shark paused there to give Feather Wind a chance to absorb this then, just a little before Feather Wind was ready, Card Shark leaned forward over his cane with very narrow eyes as he said, “Since you are somewhat intelligent, I believe I made my point. Dwell on it well, my friend, for it might be your last chance to do so. Wait . . . and listen. I warn you only once more, you will only get one chance to act when you do. Make sure it is as meaningful as possible when you do.” Card Shark stood up straight then and spun his cane only to tuck it under one of his forward legs. “Until then, take care, my friend. Try to enjoy the game while you are at it. I know I will.”

As Card Shark was starting to pass Feather Wind to his right, Feather Wind said to him, “Whatever it is you are planning, I will stop you,” Feather Wind promised.

That comment made Card Shark pause, then laugh as if Feather Wind had made a very funny joke. After that he looked at Feather Wind and said, “My dear friend,” then he leaned towards Feather Wind considerably more in order to whisper in Feather Wind's ear, “I'm counting on it.” Then he stood up straight again with an overly happy smile and closed his eyes with a kind of creepy facial expression. “Toodles for now.” Card Shark then trotted past Feather Wind.

Feather Wind thought quickly on what Card Shark said, then realized there was another piece of information he might be able to draw out of this other chilling pony. He looked back and asked, “If you see me as the Joker, what card are you?”

Card Shark paused as he asked, “Me?” He then peered over his right shoulder at Feather Wind under the rim of his fedora hat as he said, “Why . . . I'm the King, baby.” Card Shark made two clicking sound effects as he winked back at Feather Wind then looked forward and resumed onward.

The King? The King of what? Hearts? Spades? Clovers? Diamonds? Which one? Feather Wind's mind thought of the cutie mark on Card Shark's flank in case that had any clue, then widened his eyes as he realized something.

None of the above! His cutie mark has five cards spread in an upside-down U shaped pattern. The top card is a clover, I think . . . the next is diamond, then spade, then hearts . . . but the last card doesn't really belong in a deck of cards at all. On that card, the final card, is the image of a King chess piece. That belongs to another game entirely. The last card in the set does not belong with the other four.

Feather Wind put a hoof on his lips as he concentrated in a thoughtful pose. His eyes quickly shifted back and forth with a rapid, calculating look.

What's more, it's the last card in the set and it's partially covered by the previous one, which is hearts.

Feather Wind tapped his lips.

The King, in chess, represents the most critical piece of the game. If the King falls, the game is over for that player. The King in chess is also the mastermind behind all of the other pieces in the game. In order to win effectively, he plays his army strategically, and a typical good player knows when it's time to make aggressive moves, defensive moves or sacrifices. A good chess player is strategic, cold and methodical. A good chess player uses his wits to manipulate the game and outmaneuver his opponent and, by extension, the fate of the game itself.

But Card Shark is the hidden king. He is the hidden mastermind of the game. He hides behind every card that came before him, fully willing to give credit where credit isn't due in the hopes of setting up a long ranged strategy, a long con. He is the hidden antagonist that tends to think at least ten steps ahead of the rest of his opponents.

His name is also Double Dealer, which strongly implies treachery, lies and deception. His name is Card Shark, which implies he's really good at whatever game he plays, and he plays with double deals. It means he's willing to cheat in order to win the game, although he might not necessarily do so in each and every case. Instead, he'd only use whatever strategy is most effective at the time, even if it just happens to be an honest game. He only cares about winning, no matter the cost. He certainly made it clear he does not care for the creatures around him, and I have never observed him giving any meaningful energy to the Crystal Heart even though that artifact is using that energy to keep us all safe. It's because he can't offer his energy even if it's for his own benefit. He has no compassion to give.

For some reason he also has a close connection to the Doctor. That may be the key to really figuring this pony out. Now I just have to bring it all together.

He's an evil strategist willing to perform anything it takes to win at whatever agenda he's pursuing. He's really good at it, too. It's almost as if he had centuries of practice. He's the hidden mastermind behind whatever plot he is in, willing and able to pull the strings from the shadows. He doesn't care who he has to hurt to get his way.

No, I take that back. He does care about who he has to hurt. He cares because it pleases him to harm others. In his mind, that's already winning the game, or at least accomplishing a secondary objective.

He is beyond a genius when it comes to psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and mental manipulation. Somehow this all ties back to the Doctor. Now who do I know that's connected to the Doctor's past that also fits all of these bills?

{In truth, it did not take me long to figure out the answer. I think the real reason it took so long to finally dawn on me was because the truth was so horrifying that I did not want to know the truth because it had terrifying implications.}

Feather Wind widened his eyes in horror when he finally saw all the connections. There was one individual that fit all of those bills, but it was actually one of the Doctor's main enemies.

Oh . . . my . . . Celestia! Oh my Celestia! Oh my Celestia! Oh my Celestia! Oh my Celestia! We are in serious trouble here!

Feather Wind regarded Card Shark in extreme horror. As if sensing the scrutiny, Card Shark looked back at Feather Wind while talking to some other pony. Upon seeing Feather Wind's look of horror, a dark glint of satisfaction appeared deep in Card Shark's eyes but then he looked back and resumed talking to the one he spoke with before.

I can't believe it! It's him! It's really him! To encounter him in this situation, oh my Celestia, we could be really screwed here. Feather Wind looked at the Doctor and wondered if the Doctor knew the truth too. It seemed likely that the Doctor should be aware of this fact, but an opponent this brilliant has slipped under the Doctor's notice before, at least at first.

Then Feather Wind widened his eyes again as he realized something else. He then looked at Card Shark's daughter, The Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon.

If I'm right about what I think I'm right about then it might imply something important about her too, Feather Wind realized, then thought of something else. Hold on. Wait a second. To my knowledge, he has never had a daughter before, or any foal for that matter. Feather Wind regarded Card Shark with renewed suspicion and confusion. That's already a break in the pattern, unless it's to eventually accomplish some evil scheme later on but why, then, admit to his daughter that he was a criminal mastermind? Where's the calculated advantage in that? Why involve Trixie at all?

It might not be the Doctor's idea to include her, but Card Shark's. Whatever the reason for that, it likely isn't good.

On the other hoof, Feather Wind regarded Trixie with a fond and optimistic half-grin, Trixie herself does not seem that bad. Based on testimonies I received, she was kind of mean at one time, but nowhere near as bad as her father, except perhaps once when she wore an evil soul-sucking amulet. I wonder if that was her father's idea.

Feather Wind rolled his eyes. Geeze. It's amazing what comes up in therapy sessions sometimes. One would think that would be an embarrassing history she would want to keep buried, but it still came up anyway.

Since her father was involved in most of these sessions due to the problem being mostly between them, I have to wonder if he tricked her on purpose to reveal certain embarrassing details out loud. Why? Because he knew certain ponies were eavesdropping?

Well, not exactly eavesdropping. I was invited to the sessions in order to record it, and Card Shark knew that. He may have even counted on that.

That was Starlight's idea, right? My memory says yes. I participated in a few other sessions before Trixie and her father. I still can't rule out the possibility that Card Shark planted the idea in Starlight's head, at least subconsciously.

In that case, why does he want me to know he's a potential hidden enemy? How can he gain from that?

Feather Wind sighed. If he really is as smart as I think he is then I'm way out of my league here. I got a gut feeling that Card Shark is aware that I actually fear evil geniuses because of my experiences with Plague. Since I know this guy is also a master psychologist, I have to assume he's gotten into my head as well. The most likely reason is to paralyze me with fear.

{And by Celestia, it sure worked.}

xoxo

{It's possible I did the worst thing at the time while armed with my new knowledge, and that was nothing. I couldn't help it. A brilliant mind locked in paranoia will see enemies in every shadow. The Dark Star was perfectly willing to play off of those fears as well and actually showed me everything that I feared except it always occurred beyond the Crystal Heart barrier so I always dismissed it as an illusion.

{That was the problem with fighting an evil genius, and especially one who was both a criminal mastermind and skilled psychologist. I could always wonder that, no matter whom I talked to, Card Shark might have planted post-hypnotic suggestions in his victims first which could potentially be triggered in any creature, perhaps even the Doctor. Everything I could do, no matter what it may be, may be part of his very carefully calculated design.

{Honestly, it was dumb luck that gave me the edge over Plague. If it weren't for the information your mother gave me when she arrived, we might still be wrestling with that villain. Now there was a far more brilliant and older villain at my doorstep. What in the hay was I supposed to do?

{I did know one thing. Even if I was paralyzed into inaction, there was no possible way this stress was to my benefit. The fact that The Dark Star was so quick to capitalize on that advantage proved that I was on the wrong track, then it occurred to me that inaction could have its own advantages too if played well.

{Above all, I needed to relax. Somnambula's meditations sessions were actually pretty good for that, so I tried it. Her words of wisdom inspired hope which also caused me to center myself and calm down.

{I realized, eventually, that Card Shark's advice was actually pretty sound. It was also wise to realize that a villain could still give good advice, regardless of the intentions or immorality behind the reason for giving the advice. The important thing was to weigh the words carefully and make them work for me rather than against me. I needed to decide which reality I wished to live in by deciding what was the truth.

{As the Joker, I needed to wait, watch and listen patiently. I needed to pay close attention to my surroundings. That, in itself, was an action, one that could spell victory even in the case of unexpected surprises.

{By habit, I kept hoping to myself that the Doctor really wasn't the fool he pretended to be in this situation. Both are very often the case. He was good at playing the fool, and only occasionally good at actually being a fool. More often than not, he was far more aware than he seemed. He only played the fool to get his enemies to drop their guard. He was good enough to manipulate others too, even his enemies. Perhaps I should say especially his enemies because he normally did not have to fight so hard to convince his friends, but maybe that was being too generous to his friends. It was likely the truth was it all depended who each one was as well as the situation the Doctor found himself in.

{Even if the Doctor really was the fool in this case, that still didn't guarantee he'd lose the day. He was very good at improvisation because normally he had to be. Popping in from world to world, time to time, it always put him on the defensive at first. Before he knows what's going on, his only option was to explore, wait, watch and listen. He constantly asked questions for a very good reason. He was trying to get an accurate picture in his mind what was going on before he made an important move. Until then, he was stumbling about blindly, and that made perfect sense. Any of the rest of us would be in the same boat if we charged in blindly to an unknown world or time, or both. It was important to assess everything and collect data as quickly and as accurately as possible. He solved any puzzle put in front of him by collecting one piece at a time before finally putting it all together. When that happens, sometimes he missed in his first attempt to solve the problem but rarely did that cause him to panic. Instead he learned from his mistakes which caused his next attempt to solve the problem to be more effective.

{Since that was what the Doctor did, that was what I was going to do. I was serious when I called him one of my many mentors.

{Your mother noticed that something was eating up inside of me for a while there. For once I was not too honest with her, but I had not lied either. I even gave her little bits of truth.

{It was actually her idea to meditate with Somnambula. I took her suggestion and it turned out to be the best thing for me. I tend to think a lot more clearly when I'm calm and in tune with the universe. I realized, eventually, that it might have been true that we were in severe danger but the best way to hoofle that was to remain calm and assess the situation.

{So moons passed, then weeks, then months. In a timeless environment where we could not see the sunrise or sunset ever, it was really hard to tell. It was like being locked up in a dark, windowless environment. You have a very different relationship with time in such a disorienting situation. At least Twilight's map kept us on track, and my Red Crystal continued to hum more and more as we got closer to the source of the corruption so we were not completely blind.

{But the situation grew more tense in a different way later on. As we got closer to the source of corruption, it put a greater strain on The Crystal Heart barrier. The barrier's protection started as a two mile radius, but eventually we noticed it was starting to shrink and most of that loss came in the last few months. The dark energy outside put so much pressure against the barrier that its only choice was to shrink the area in order to maintain the same level of protection within it. It did not take long for the Wonderbolts air show to disappear after that and, as things got worse, we experienced more and more cramped conditions. I think you could imagine what somepony like me might feel about that with even minor amounts of claustrophobia. There were real dangers outside of that barrier from the environment alone, not to mention all the dark force monsters waiting for us hungrily outside.

{So, as things got more cramped, it grew easier to get on each other's nerves. This had not always played out well but, since we were aware of the escalating problem, we tackled it pretty well I'd say under the circumstances. Starlight tried to encourage us to imagine all of this was just a fun slumber party over at somepony's home. It might be tight, but we were all together and that, in turn, could make the situation fun if we let it. Nearly every creature there did not need to sleep or eat so that kind of solved that issue, but there were a few of us who did have those needs.

{Although I apologized for my own snoring habits, most other creatures said I was not that bad. Small body, small lungs. That may have been a factor.

{Now your mother, on the other hoof . . . (Feather Wind blew a low whistle) . . . let's just say there were some that got to know her better than they wanted.

{Naturally she had to either turn the magical function of her armor off or take it off entirely to sleep. Normally I'd say she should have taken off the armor while she slept. It might have taken a while to don or take off, but it was better than sleeping on solid crystal, basically, but your mother insisted she grow accustomed to sleeping in that armor. She said it was similar to my obsession to sleep on clouds at one time, but for her this was a security issue. She cared very much for the creatures around her so she wanted to remain as prepared as possible to defend them. She said that, once she had gotten used to it, the issue would be permanently solved, so eh . . . I let her, I guess. I think you know how stubborn your mother could be. I swear, she's an earth pony born in a pegasus body.

{Sometimes I questioned Trixie about her father in order to gauge him better. Unfortunately for me, it was a subject that heavily annoyed her so it was difficult to convince her to say yes at first. When she did, she made it clear why she did not know much about him. Trixie was raised mostly in Los Pegasus with her frequently drunk mother Sparkling Margarita until she was old enough to travel on her own and continue to ply her trade on the road.

{Since Trixie was more willing and able to speak about her mother, I pressed her for details on that issue because at least that would give me some idea why Card Shark would hang around her.

{Trixie said her mother was mostly a waitress and hotel hostess but also sometimes played the magician's assistant. Trixie grew annoyed at her mother for being willing to play second fiddle all the time and vowed to be the star of her own show when she grew up, even if it meant having to learn the profession from scratch . . . for the most part.

{When I asked Trixie what she thought Card Shark saw in her mother, Trixie replied with a humph, “Probably another brainless fool who was easy to manipulate into whatever he wants. Despite his admittedly formidable intellect, he also has very strong carnal desires.” When I reversed the question, Trixie replied, “Well, have you seen him? He's so annoying, but even Trixie has got to admit he oozes charm which is probably why my personal charisma is off the charts as well. If he wasn't Trixie's father and hadn't mistreated her mother so much, even the Great and Powerful Trixie might be attracted to him.”

{I learned, over time, abuse was a relative term. Sparkling Margarita never had a serious problem with Trixie's father. They did not even argue that much. Sparkling Margarita was too submissive to Card Shark for that, and he had a way with words anyway.

{The real problem came from Trixie herself and, as she spoke of her annoyance, I got an odd hunch that Card Shark actually appreciated his daughter's overwhelming ego. He might have even been proud of it. This was a lady he could not control, one who actually gave him a challenge to control. Trixie was far too quick to shout at him in anger to give him an upper hoof over her mind but, then again, a colt like him might already consider anger a personal victory. Card Shark probably did what he could to push his daughter down an evil path along with him but, for some reason, he did not push too hard.

{Moreover, he wasn't trying to correct the situation either when these other ponies were pushing Trixie to become a better pony. Did this mean he has a secret soft spot for his daughter? With the history I suspected he had, this was heavily against his character but, then again, becoming a father might have provoked profound changes in somepony, even one with his old habits. As far as I knew, he had never been a father before so it might have changed him in ways he had never encountered before.

{While I spoke with Trixie, I had others keep an eye on her father to observe his reaction to me talking with his daughter. Most reported he did not care. He just kept on playing cards and ignored the situation. Tibbons, however, was much more eagle-eyed and observant. He caught a few details most other creatures would miss. Tibbons said that Card Shark kept making quick, hidden glances in my direction and he tried to be subtle about it. His most common tactic was to observe me through something reflective so it would not ever seem he was looking in my direction. I thanked Tibbons for that information, because it was helpful.

{This meant that Card Shark was uncomfortable, or at least interested, with the fact that I was talking to his daughter, especially after I figured out his real secret identity. It was likely he was either nervous about what I might learn by talking to his daughter or he simply felt defensive over her. That sounded like a perfectly normal reaction for a typical father to have but it was odd behavior for him personally. Normally he would not care about any other creature other than himself.

{He really was trying to hide this, too. If it took somepony as sharp as Tibbons to spot this, then Card Shark really was trying to hide his tells in this case. If he wanted his reaction to his daughter to be noticed then he would have advertised it better.

{I am aware that he can think on more complex levels. Wheels within wheels kind of deal, but any plan that relied on a detail that remote made it more likely that somepony like Tibbons was never part of the plan. Such a detail relied on too many variable conditions to make it a reliable plan.

{So this really was information he did not want me to know, and I felt elated to finally get one upper hoof over him. Trixie may be a key player in this whole affair regardless if she was aware of it or not. How to best use her was still a question, and of course my own morality would never debase her or classify her as a mere pawn. That's something he would normally be willing to do, but not me. Trixie had real feelings and I cared about that. If I had to abuse her in any way to save the world then I would definitely do it with an immediate apology afterwards. The only reason that could convince me to hurt her was if it was necessary to save her life or any of those she cared for and, even then, I would still feel reluctant.}

Feather Wind rubbed his face in the future when he recalled something else about the situation that was a little embarrassing to admit and, for a moment, he debated whether he should tell her or not. Given her age, this was normally information he would restrain.

“What?” Star Breeze pressed, sensing something was wrong.

Feather Wind looked at her while he hissed through his teeth, still debating, then eventually figured he could tell her without being too graphic about the situation.

{Well, um . . . the thing about when a boy keeps trying to find excuses to talk to a girl is . . . well, it gave her mixed signals. At first she was very annoyed with the subject matter, but then it was I who grew uncomfortable when she was suddenly all too willing to be open with her past except she tried to steer the conversation in other directions. Like when I tried to ask more about her parents, she would wave a hoof dismissively and say, “Oh, you don't want to know more about that boring old past. Instead, let's move on to a far more interesting topic . . . me! I am Great and Powerful, you know. Well, of course you know that. Who here could possibly not know that?”}

“Oh I get it! She thought you were flirting with her,” Star Breeze realized. “It's okay, Dad. You don't need to be ashamed about this topic with me. You are a pretty handsome stallion, by the way. I'm sure all kinds of ladies would fall all over you and this one, I sense, is a little desperate. She plays too easy to get so I think she often doesn't get what she wants.”

“You're a pretty sharp cookie,” Feather Wind complimented.

“Well I am your GREAT, and POWERFUL daughter! Mwha-ha-ha-ha!”

Feather Wind rolled his eyes as he resumed.

{Yeah . . . and I was not stupid enough to be blind to what was going on. All of a sudden I found myself trapped in another uncomfortable situation. She thought I was flirting with her and I wasn't. I loved your mother and I was engaged with her. I told Trixie this in the hopes that would let her off easy, but she just saw it as me being naughty with her and, Celestia darn it, she actually found that an even greater turn on, which was quite ironic considering she got so much on her father's case for adultery.

{I was getting desperate, so eventually I caved in by asking Starlight Glimmer for advice about how to hoofle my situation with Trixie delicately, which was one of the rare times I ever bothered her with one of my problems. In this case I figured Starlight's brilliance, experience, and close relationship she shared with Trixie would give me some valuable insight in this particular case.

{My question made her spit out her tea in surprise, then she did a double-take towards me, then checked if she heard me correctly. I confirmed it. At that point she laughed a bit, then rolled her eyes, then said that Trixie could be quite excessive and annoying at times but it was important to be honest with her before the situation builds out of control. She kindly offered to pass on the message for me, but I felt that was cowardly and uncivilized so I told her I'd let her down myself but I thanked Starlight for the offer nonetheless.

{I really did not want to hurt Trixie, and I hadn't meant to let this go too far but I dug this mess so I vowed to clean it up. So, bravely, I told her the truth about friend-zoning her. She was disappointed, and confused, but willing to settle for friends anyway. I had a feeling she already considered that a useful accomplishment for her. She teased me about how great she was and that I really hadn't known what I was missing, but then suddenly turned around without warning and said she honestly liked Stern Wing so she claimed she never would really consider betraying her and that I was a fool if I thought she would. I thanked her for her understanding then offered a hoof and asked, “Friends?” She replied, “Oh, no-no-no-no. Not just friends.”}

“But GREAT and POWERFUL friends, right?” Star Breeze asked with a roll of her eyes. “It's not a good sign, Dad, when a magician is a one-trick pony. I mean no offense, but she's starting to sound predictable.”

Feather Wind shrugged. “Trixie had her own personal charm, and she was no bad pony by a long shot, especially when compared with her father. Considering that kind of upbringing, I'm surprised she ended up as nice as she did. She was often very socially awkward but also kind of adorable. I also had an intense feeling she was lonely and yet very sociable, a bad combination, but at least that made her very motivated to try her best to be a good friend. Her own ego and obliviousness often caused her to make mistakes, but honestly . . . without our flaws, would any of us really have good character?”

“I suppose that would make us more believable as characters and, to be honest, she's actually starting to grow on me too. Kind of like a fungus.”

“That's terrible,” Feather Wind lightly scolded.

“I'm free to have my own opinions too, Dad. Don't scold me for that.”

“I advise you not to be so quick to judge her. She really did have her own special charm. If you ever get a chance to meet her for real, give her a chance. I think she might honestly surprise you.”

Star Breeze half shrugged. “I guess, but we're separated by a pretty wide time gap. If I ever live long enough to see her in her timeline, I get the feeling I wouldn't be the kind of pony she would tend to associate with. Something tells me she's too shallow for that.”

“Perhaps at first, but like I said . . . she was lonely so she might surprise you.”

“Why do you keep defending her? Do you really have a crush on her?”

Feather Wind sighed as his eyes went far up. “Not you too.” He focused on her. “Look, I liked Trixie as a friend and I also felt sorry for her. Her magic tricks were so bad they were good because they were funny and entertaining, and I really did like her fireworks show. I was also happy to see her perform something that made her happy and, considering her difficult past, it was a nice change to see in her. She really was a good pony and I don't like to see nice ponies get hurt. That's why I defend her. Too many others have teased her in her past, and I for one am sick of it.”

“Sorry, Dad,” Star Breeze apologized.

“Apology accepted,” her father accepted it because he could hear the fact she meant it this time. He leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead. “Now then, how about I continue with my story?”

“How did Mom feel about all of this? I'm pretty sure she found out eventually. She is no dummy.”

“I was honest with her too, and she respected that. She said she saw Trixie enough to know how she would take mixed signals, but your mom also questioned me why I was so interested in Trixie's father. To that I said I had some concerns about him, then she said that she knew what I meant. She said she got really bad vibes from that pony as well and felt uncertain why the Doctor would invite him, then she asked if I had any leads on this investigation. I told her yes but also said I preferred to keep them to myself for now and that I had my reasons. She said okay because she trusted me.”

“Mom is the best!” Star Breeze cheered.

“You'll get no argument from me. Anyway . . .”

. . . I didn't get as much information on Card Shark as I would have liked, but it was something so I stored it in my mind for later.

{By the way, rumors fly in a community this small, especially when we had to live in closer and closer quarters. For now, that's all I'm going to say about that.

{As time went on, Luna actually had to do some leg work to defend those who slept in their dreams. Normally the Crystal Heart barrier was enough, but the subconscious could drift beyond it without realizing it, and lately The Dark Star was bashing against the barrier harder than ever. I saw her on occasion in my dreams and she occasionally had to defend me from some mental perils. Normally she asked those who experienced nightmares what they really feared in real life but, in this case, the answer was obvious. We were almost literally marching into the jaws of Tartarus. Enough said. Sometimes I chatted with her in my sleep but, as time went on, she grew too busy for that.

{You know what, in hindsight, I am surprised at how seemingly random all of our talents were as we made our way through the frozen north but very often one or two of those talents came in hoofy at just the right time and just the right way. It was odd to be that perfectly prepared for something in life, to always have just enough and no extra. I don't think even the Doctor could plan ahead that well. This felt more like fate.

{But then, one day, we hit a critical snag because we encountered something powerful enough to finally penetrate through the barrier.}