100. The Return
“This is a borderline burglary!” Granny Rags all but spat those words as Matthias followed her to her living room.
Matthias, in turn, did his best to not chuckle as he replied with the most serious tone he could muster: “Well, I am sure that when you inform the closest representative of the law, I will be arrested immediately.”
The elderly mare with a gray coat and hoary mane twisted her head to glare at him sternly, but her attempt was stopped as her muscles protested against the sudden movement. Matthias quickly run up to her and helped her up, ignoring Granny Rags protests. She finally gave up few heartbeats later, when she realized that her rather loud words were bouncing off from his ears, letting him lead her to her couch. Matthias was grateful she at least had enough of a common sense to not start punching him. He still wore his armor.
“Do you need anything?” the stallion asked once she was safe and comfy under her blanket. “Some tea, or maybe soup?”
Granny Rags once again glared at him, but then she let out a tired sigh.
“I would say I need you to leave, but I can see it’s not going to happen.” she said. “Make me some tea, then.”
Matthias nodded and headed towards the kitchen. The home of the elderly mare wasn’t big, like most of the houses in Northville. It consisted of a kitchen and the living room, with a bedroom upstairs and a cellar downstairs. The earth pony passed a few paintings on his way, as well as some pictures on shelves. Most of them portrayed a beautiful unicorn mare with a gray coat and brown mane, with her family that consisted of an earth pony stallion and a colt.
He poured water into the pot and placed it on a heater. As Matthias waited for it to start boiling, he began undressing from the armor. It was difficult for him to help Granny Rags while in it, and he knew that there wasn’t any danger around the village.
Once the pot began whistling, signaling that the water started boiling, Matthias has made two teas and carefully brought both of them to the living room. He placed one in front of the old mare, and the other next to himself as he sit on a pillow.
Matthias watched as Granny Rags tried to use her magic to pick her cup up, but once it started shaking, she grabbed it with her hooves instead. He also noticed that she, in turn, was glancing at the scars on his chest as she was taking a sip of the tea.
“Why are you here?” she asked after a moment of silence.
“You need care-” Matthias began, but the mare cut him off.
“Don’t sugarcoat your words, youngster, I know I’m dying.” as if to confirm her words, she started coughing violently. Matthias quickly jumped to her, to prevent her from spilling her still hot tea all over herself. Once the attack stopped, she grunted and continued. “Why are you here?”
The paladin sighed uncomfortably and explained: “I heard from the villagers that you live alone. And I know you would prefer to be left alone, but you shouldn’t be. Not now.”
Granny Rags rolled her eyes, but didn’t object; probably realizing that she wouldn’t convince him.
“Let me ask you this, then: why are you here?” she asked instead. “You are in charge of those… pala-what’s their names. Shouldn’t you make a report to the Princess or something?”
Matthias was impressed by the insight of the mare.
“You could have left that crystal mare here; she seemed just the sappy type.” Granny Rags added, and then snorted. “Crystal ponies. What odd times had come…”
He let her ramble on as he looked into his soul, seeking the answer to her question. She deserved to hear it… and he wanted to know what made him decide to stay as well.
“I wanted… to rest from everything.” he finally spoke slowly. “I have some things to think through, and if I had returned with my knights, I would have to get back to my everyday life.”
“Training paladins, reading old books, working with Bolvar and Ner’zhul, researching that alicorn Chrona, attending the parade… oh crap, Twilight and the rest will get pissed at me for not returning in time…”
“After what happened here, I needed a break.” he continued, shaking his head from those thoughts. “I need to reflect on some things.”
“Like what? What happened here?”
“You’ve seen that blade Storm, the pegasus, had on him. It used to be an unholy weapon in the hooves of the windigo, but after it was defeated, the sword was purified. It reminds me of a blade from my homeland… except that the blade I seen had began as a holy weapon, then was corrupted, and then holy again.” he paused to scratch his head, comparing the Ashbringer with Storm’s sword. “And there’s another thing. The blade has strange markings on it. Markings that I could swear I’ve seen somewhere, know from somewhere, but I can’t tell from where… but it’s impossible.”
Granny Rags, who was listening intently, glanced at his scars again, and then back at his troubled face. She took a sip from her tea, and stated: “You’re not from Equestria.”
Matthias nodded, the end of his mouth curving into smile. This mare was really perceptive.
“The question is, then - where are you from?” she asked.
The paladin closed his eyes, wondering what he should tell her.
“The truth.”
She asked, after all, and she deserved to have her answer, for being an elder if nothing else. And besides… Matthias needed to confine in somepony now. Everything that he recently had to go through, all those near-five months, the two months in Tartarus, his old life… all that threatened to rip his sanity to pieces if he wouldn’t let it all out.
“What happened to you husband and son?” he asked to get more time to prepare himself.
“They died.” Granny Rags replied, a bit of pain barely visible in her eyes and hearable in her voice. “A part of the mine collapsed forty years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” he said, and he meant that. “Death…” he murmured, tasting the disgusting word. “My story is full of it.”
And then he told her.
If it weren’t for everything that happened in Equestria during those last years of her life, Granny Rags would have thought that this “human”-turned-pony Lightbringer, or Arthas as he said his true name was, was insane. But after all she heard about: the return of Princess Luna; that Discord thing; those bugs that attacked Canterlot; the resurrection of Princess Luna’s daughter; that Crystal Empire and crystal ponies (and the lights that appeared on the sky); the windigo and those paladins…
One thing Granny Rags knew for certain: Equestria was changing. For the better or the worse, she didn’t know, and would never find out. But she had a feeling - maybe due to her long life and being naturally smart, or because she was on the verge of death she could sense in some degree what future held - that the resurrection of a being from another world, from the depths of Tartarus, was just the beginning.
She could tell that he was speaking truth. The pain in his face, the dead, empty eyes with which he looked at nothing as he spoke about his past… everything could be read from him as if he was an open book.
“Listening to your story makes me feel the younger of us two.” Granny Rags finally broke the long silence that dominated her living room after the hours of Arthas talking.
Finally some life returned to the former prince as he chuckled. “I’m glad for that.”
“Dying seems a lot better that continuing to live…” she mused out loud, trying and failing to understand how he could still carry on. “How are you doing this?”
He looked at her puzzled, still recovering from the effects of reciting his tale.
“How are you able to get up every morning?” Granny Rags explained. “After my husband and son died, I had lost the will to live. I just stayed here, basically not doing anything for forty years, waiting for death to come for me. But you… you’ve lost much more than me, and yet you’re still standing.”
The stallion thought about his answer before he gave it to her. He glanced through the window, musing, until he was ready to look back at her.
“It’s because of my friends.” he finally said, and for the first time since he asked her about her family, a true smile appeared on his face. “They are the light that shines in my heart, despite all the darkness that surrounds it. All my doubts and fears… my friends are the ones that give me strength to live through them. They make me a better being. Thanks to them, I can believe that someday, I will be truly free of my past.”
Granny Rags returned the smile, musing. She knew what he was speaking of; for she had once known that. Since she first met Coal Digger, her husband, she had that ‘light in her heart’... until it was taken from her by fate. After it happened, she lost everything, and retreated to her house to wait for the end. She hated her life. But now… hearing Arthas story, she felt ashamed. He lost much more than her (even if only because he had more to begin with) including himself, but after he was given a second chance somehow, he took it, and made friends.
The old unicorn recalled how her friends, who after the collapse of mine decided to move out of Northville, asked her to come with them, but she refused. How would her life look if she took the chance?
“Tell me about them,” Arthas asked. Granny Rags chuckled. Was she that easy to read through, too? “About your husband and son, about your friends, about yourself.”
“Why do want to know that?” she replied with a question, not understanding why he cared.
“Everypony deserve to be remembered. I will forever be known on Azeroth as the Lich King, but the true me will be forgotten. It hurts me, even though I know that I deserve it.”
Granny Rags looked at him, wondering in just how much pain such a noble pony like him must be for all that he did, before she began telling him how she met Coal.
About two hours later, a more violent attack of coughing interrupted her story about how her son, Ragged Digger, broke a very ugly vase her mother-in-law gave her and Coal. When it ended, she felt even weaker. She grew weaker throughout this day, but now…
Arthas must have sensed it too, for he looked at her with sorrow.
“Does it hurt?” she asked weakly. She always thought that she would be happy when the death will finally move her flank over to her, but as the mare felt it approach, she suddenly realized she was a bit afraid.
“I died slightly different.” he reminded her, his voice warm despite the topic, as he pointed at the scar over his heart. “But even if in your case there will be pain, it will only last a second.”
“And what about after that second?” Granny Rags asked again, curious to hear what a pony who was dead could tell her.
“You will see Coal Digger and Ragged Digger.” Arthas replied. “I believe in that.”
She understood what he meant. He didn’t know for sure, but it didn’t matter at the present moment, neither to him or her. She also believed that, and once she reminded herself of that, the last remnants of fear, a natural reaction to all living beings in the face of death, despite their age, has disappeared.
“But there are two more things…” she reminded herself. “I have two favors to ask of you.” she said, and coughed again. The world around her wavered.
“Ask.” he replied gently.
“My husband and son are buried in the garden at the back of the house . Bury me next to them.”
“Of course. And the second favor?”
Before she said it, she used what little strength she had to cast her magic. She reached out to one of the paintings and moved it, revealing a small hiding place. From the inside, she levitated a small box, and brought it over to Arthas.
“I want you to have this.” Granny Rags told him, taking deep breaths after the exertion. Again, everything wavered, and when it stopped, her sight was blurred. “It’s an old family heirloom, my couple of times great-grandfather found it buried in the mine.”
She heard Arthas gasp, as he no doubt opened the small box.
“I cannot take this.”
“There’s no point in burying it with me, so that it may rot in earth.” she replied angrily, annoyed at the typical for stallions sense of honor. “And I don’t have any family to give it to. Keep it, or give to somepony you care about.”
“If it means so much to you…” he finally said after a second, “then I will take it. Thank you.”
“Hmph.” Granny Rags snorted.
Was it getting darker here? And why was it getting so hard to draw breaths?
“Hey youngster?” she said.
“Yes?”
“You should really hook up with that Twilight mare.” Granny Rags told him with a smirk.
And it stayed on her face.
“Are you sure you want to stay?” Serenity asked Guard, as they all (minus the older paladin) were preparing to leave the Abbey. They wanted to join Ponyville in admiring all the floats that were made for Summer Harvest Parade.
The four of them arrived in Ponyville shortly before Princess Celestia raised the sun, which was probably for the best. That way, they didn’t encounter anypony, which spared them answering questions about where was Sir Lightbringer, why there are holes in Storm’s armor, or what is that sword he’s carrying.
During the train ride, they wrote down everything that happened since they arrived in Vanhoover up until they left Northville, explaining as well as why Sir Lightbringer wasn’t the one to write it all. After arriving in the Abbey (and telling Sound Wave and Cherry Bomb some of what was in the report) they used the seal that was on the Grand Master’s desk, so that they could properly send it to the Princess. However, the fastest way to do that would be to ask Spike to breathe his fire on it, and it was still early. Deciding that they could most likely find him during the parade, they all took naps for few hours.
Now they were all ready and disarmed, and where even accompanied by the two royal guards and Al’ar. The only one who was staying behind was Guard.
“I’m pretty sure Matt will be pissed if he finds out you bailed out on a chance to spend some time with friends.” Sound said, smirking, as he came up to Serenity and Guard Shield.
“I’m not doing that because I don’t want to spend some time with all of you.” the earth pony replied seriously, although Serenity could tell that it wasn’t hurting him too much, either. “Somepony need to stay behind and watch the Abbey. And since I’m the oldest one here-”
“I’m over thousand.” Tucker interrupted him, and then with a grin added: “Serenity, too. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, mature mares can be-”
His next words were stopped by a strong strike from a crystal hoof that punched him in the face. Serenity glanced at the retreating and healing Tucker with a mixture of anger, resentment and sorrow for hitting him like that.
“- and as such,” Guard continued, sparing the aqua unicorn a mere glance, “I’ve seen more Summer Harvest Parades than any of you. You youngster can go have fun.” he added in a much warmer tone.
Serenity exchanged glances with Storm and Sound, who both shrugged, as if saying that it was pointless to try and persuade him. The crystal pony wasn’t happy with that. She would have preferred to see the parade with everypony, not without both Guard and Sir Lightbringer. Of course, she understood that the Abbey needed to be looked after.
“Okay then, we will see you soon.” Storm said, waving to him in good bye, as he and the others began to move out.
However, Serenity lingered.
“Are you sure you won’t be lonely?” she asked. “I could stay with you.”
Guard raised an eyebrow in surprise, before he chuckled warmly. “No wonder Sir Lightbringer chose you to be a paladin. Your sympathy could last for ten ponies. I will be fine, you go have some fun.”
Serenity blushed a bit from hearing the compliment, then sighed, disappointed a bit that she couldn’t convince him into anything. She said her goodbye before joining the rest.
Twilight yawned, as she and Spike exited the town hall. She slept badly last night. How could she not? Not only she worried about Matt, but yesterday she received a letter from the Princess to boot. At first, she thought that it would be something about the paladins, but while Celestia mentioned to her to stop worrying (Spike chuckled after he read that line) the message was about something else entirely. Tomorrow, the Princess would be leaving for a diplomatic mission to Saddle Arabia, and will return few days later, along with two delegates from the horse country. Before coming to Canterlot, however, they would arrive in Ponyville, and Princess Celestia wanted Twilight to put on a little magic show to impress them.
So now she not only had to worry about Matt, but also plan out what she was going to prepare for the delegates. She visited the Mayor Mare to discuss with her about the stage and the talk somehow prolonged. Twilight barely made it in time to go join her friends in admiring the parade.
“There ya are, sugarcubes!” Applejack greeted both of them, as they approached the group. “What took’ya so long?”
Twilight quickly informed her friends about Celestia’s letter. All of them congratulated her for being chosen by the Princess to amaze her guests, as well as assured her that they know she will do great as always. The unicorn smiled, recalling how confident she was - or rather, wasn’t - just a month and half ago.
“Although, I can’t understand how Princess Celestia can bear going to Saddle Arabia.” Rarity added after she finished praising Twilight. “I know that their cities and clothes are magnificent, but that really isn’t a place for a mare to go to, even if she is a Princess.”
Twilight could only nod in agreement. Compared to Equestria, where both sexes were equal, Saddle Arabia was a strongly patriarchal country. Mares didn’t have much rights there; they were even forbidden from showing their faces or leaving their houses without husband, father or brother accompanying them. Twilight recalled seeing a delegate from Saddle Arabia in Canterlot few years back. He spoke to the Princess without any hint of respect, and two or three times he borderline insulted her. All the royal guards’ grips on their weapons tightened, and Twilight could see the way they itched to silence the horse. Princess Celestia, however, showed no signs on taking offence, and continued to talk to the delegate as civil as to everypony else. She later explained to Twilight that until he would offend her outright, nothing could be done to the diplomat that wouldn’t cause any sort of repercussions... although, Celestia did admit that it took a lot to not blast him all the way back to his sultan.
Equestria never had a very good relationship with Saddle Arabia. Discounting trading deals, both countries ignored each other. However, once, about a decade after Equestria was founded, the ponies and horses nearly came to a war. It began with a number of mares seemingly disappearing from towns and cities. The investigations, led by Smart Cookie, after a couple of months, finally pointed out at Saddle Arabia as the culprit. They were kidnapping mares and selling them as “wives”, which practically meant “slaves”. Once the word of that reached Commander Hurricane, he didn’t even wait for the Council’s decision on the matter. He assembled half of Equestria’s flying forces and stormed into the capital of Saddle Arabia, Neighyadh. Without almost any resistance, he entered the throne room of the palace, slew all the guards by himself, and beat the sultan until he told him everything he knew about those abductions. The sultan confesses to know about them, but he swore that he had nothing to do with them, and gave him the name and the location of the abductor.
Commander Hurricane haunted him down in Equestria, and without anything resembling a trial, he beheaded him with his sword, Windtear. The pegasi leader then left his body to rot - which probably later gave rise to the stories about the Headless Horse - while he took the head back to Neighyadh, and threw the head at the throne of Saddle Arabia with such strength that both the skull and the chair shattered to pieces. He then threatened the sultan that if his country ever tries to do something like this again, he would return, and the horses would suffered the same fate griffons had. Commander Hurricane then took all the mares back to Equestria, where he got into an argument with the Council, especially Queen Platinum (whose father died recently, leaving her as the ruler of the unicorns). They were all not happy with the methods he used, but they all could see that it brought results, so their argument didn’t last long. Then, however, came the reports from the medics who checked if the kidnapped mares were alright.
That way, Equestria learned what in Saddle Arabia the horses do to mares’ genitals when they are of age.
Commander Hurricane was so disgusted and enraged that he wanted to declare war on Saddle Arabia upon hearing that, and it was only thanks to Platinum’s and Clover the Clever spells that he didn’t just storm out from the meeting.
Twilight shook her head off from the disgusting images, just in time to notice a giant flaming bird landing right next to them, which caused most ponies around them to jump in shock. Fluttershy had done quite the opposite; she walked up to him and began petting the Phoenix God.
“Told’ya we will make our way through the crowd.” the voice of Cherry Bomb proclaimed, as he and the group of four other ponies that included the three paladins, used the gap in the wave of ponies to trot over to them.
“Hello, everypony.” Twilight greeted them, relieved. But then she noticed that Matt was nowhere in sight. “Wait, where’s Matt?”
“Sir Lightbringer had to stay in Northville for a couple of hours.” Serenity explained. “He will probably arrive by the evening.”
Twilight fumed inwardly hearing that. Back that night he moved out from her house, he said that they would always make time to see each other and their other friends. And now…
“So, what happened in Northville?” Rarity asked, and once Twilight recalled why they were sent there, she immediately began paying attention.
Storm Clash blinked when the white unicorn’s gaze rested on him. Twilight had to fight hard not to giggle seeing that. The winged stallion opened his mouth to reply, but Tucker beat him to it as he began explaining, while extending his foreleg over the pegasus’ shoulders.
“Why, you’re speaking over here to the Slayer of the Windigo!” he proclaimed, pointing at Storm, and did so loud enough that he gained attention of everypony around them
“I didn’t slay it.” Storm quickly corrected his fellow paladin, escaping Tucker’s embrace. “And Sir Lightbringer helped me at the end.”
“Oh, don’t be so modest, Savior of Northville!” Tucker said, continuing to speak in a loud voice. Quieter, he added with a snicker to the mares around them: “Just wait until he shows you his sword.”
While Storm Clash facehoofed, blushing from the embarrassment, Twilight took a quick glance at Rarity’s face. She saw, as she predicted, her friend looking at the pegasus with admiration, although she was probably not aware of that. Twilight then turned around so nopony would see her snickering.
“While we’re on the topic of Northville,” Serenity spoke up, and when Twilight looked her way she saw the other mare holding a letter in her hoof directed to Spike, “would you mind sending this to Princess Celestia, Spike? It’s our field report.”
“Sure, no problem.” the dragon replied, taking the letter and breathing fire on it, sending it to the Princess. “There, all…” he began to say, but then raised his head and started sniffing.
Twilight looked around at the source of the delicious smell she could also sense, and saw a vendor pony selling carrot crêpes. She was about to suggest buying some for the dragon, but she then heard a thud. Apparently, Spike was so lost in the scent that he fell. Fortunately, he quickly got up and followed Pinkie Pie, who went after the carrot crêpes. Knowing that her friend would buy the baby dragon some, Twilight returned to questioning the paladins about what happened in Northville, while waiting for the parade to start.
Matthias looked at the seemingly empty Abbey, puzzled. Not even Al’ar was present, as with the sun slowly setting, the phoenix should be as visible as a devilsaur in the middle of a living room.
Yesterday, once he buried Granny Rags as per requested, he journeyed back to Vanhoover, ignoring the fact that the night had already began. Matthias arrived there by dawn, and from there traveled by train to Ponyville. He went through the town, saying hello to a few ponies, but none of them were from the his group of closest friends… or subordinates.
“Where in Tartarus did everypony go?” he mused as he entered the Abbey, growing worried.
As if to dissolve those worries, he spotted Guard galloping to him from the park. The older stallion quickly explained that everypony went to the parade, and he volunteered to stay behind. Matthias’ brow furrowed slightly that it was taking them so long to get back, as well as due to Guard of all ponies staying behind. But once he explained his reasoning behind it, the Grand Master relaxed. He told him to carry on with his duties, and he himself headed towards the barracks, intending to unpack.
His quarters never looked more comfortable. He was tired physically and emotionally. While he felt a bit relieved after his talk with Granny Rags, that she was impressed with him instead of afraid, and his head seemed clearer when he began thinking about everything that happened, he was saddened by her death. He wished he had more time to spend with her.
“Since we are on the subject…”
He put his saddlebag on the floor, and took from it the gift from the elderly mare. Matthias stared at the box for a while, knowing what was inside, before he sighed and put it into a hidden safe.
Doing his best to not think about it, he began to take off his armor. Matthias also did his best to ignore the documents that laid on his desk, which he knew must be about Chrona, the only alicorn in the history of Equestria other than Celestia, Luna and Cadance.
He would check them tomorrow.
“So, do you think Matt has returned by now?” Twilight asked, as they group left Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack invited them for a picnic slash party shortly after the parade had ended.
Of course, the parade ended a bit earlier that it was planned, due to the Cutie Mark Crusaders shenanigans. Applejack didn’t tell them any details, other that now her cousin that was visiting, Babs Seed, was an official Cutie Mark Crusader.
“Well, Ah hope so.” Applejack said, answering Twilight’s question. “Babs’ returning to Manehatten tomorrow and it would be a pity if she couldn’t meet ‘im.”
“Wait, Manehatten!?” Storm Clash, who most of the day spent quiet, spoke up now.
“Yeah, why?” Applejack asked puzzled.
“Err…” the pegasus replied, looking as if… fearing something. “You wouldn’t happen to know what school she’s attending, do you?”
“Um…” Applejack hummed, lifting her eyes up while trying to remember. “Ah think it’s called ‘Smart Cookies’ Elementary’.”
“Oh, thank the Light.” Storm relaxed hearing that, much to the confusion of everypony.
“But her parents are gonna send her to another school once she gets back.” Applejack continued as they finally reached the Abbey. “To ‘Manehatten Public School’.”
“Oh, Light, no!” Storm shouted with something that sounded like despair.
“What’s all the ruckus about?” Applejack asked while Twilight began to wonder if she should give the pegasus an address of a good therapist, to help him with his mood swings.
Storm, who pressed his hooves against his eyes, looked at them. “My brother goes to that school.” he said, as if that explained everything.
Twilight confusion deepened once Rarity burst into laughter.
“Hey, Matt’s back!” Rainbow shouted, who was as usual hovering above them, but this time in a company of Al’ar and Fluttershy. She pointed at the mentioned earth pony, which stood with along with Guard Shield next to the barracks’ wall.
All thoughts about what the heck was going on evaporated from Twilight’s mind as everypony galloped towards Matt. She was too happy to see him again to even get mad at him for taking his time to get back.
“Hi, everypony.” he greeted them once they were close. He must have arrived some time ago, as he managed to remove his armor. His expression darkened a bit as his gaze rested for a moment on his knights and assigned guards, but either he decided to forget the issue of them practically going AWOL, or he planned on punishing them later. “How was the parade?”
The group told him about what happened during the day, from the incident with the float, to their time in Sweet Apple Acres. The paladins also mentioned that they sent the report to the Princess, which made him raise an eyebrow, before he chuckled for an unknown reason.
“So, where is the - now even bigger - biggest threat to Ponyville?” he asked warmly.
“The girls went playing around their clubhouse.” Rarity replied. Smirking, she added: “And before you asked, no, they don’t have any kind of artillery or power tools.”
“That’s a relief.” Matt replied.
“Speaking of, sir,” Storm began, “would you mind sending a message to the Princess to increase the number of guards in Manehatten?”
Rarity once again giggled, but everypony else looked at the pegasus as if he grow a second head.
“What?” Matt asked, confused.
“You see, Miss Applejack’s cousin, Babs Seed, was just made a Cutie Mark Crusader,” Storm began explaining, clearly uncomfortable, and the fact that Rarity kept giggling probably wasn’t helping him, “and she’s going to attend the same school as my brother, who also doesn’t have a cutie mark. Sir, you might find it hard to believe, but I am certain that if my brother becomes a Cutie Mark Crusader, it will be a disaster.”
“Wait, that’s it?” Twilight thought, surprised that he was taking it so seriously.
“I spoke with Oak Heart prior to your initiation.” Matt said, now less confused that they know what all of that was about. “He did strike me as a troublemaker, but surely you overreact.”
“I don’t think so, sir.” Storm replied. “For example, few years back, we went to the Statue of Liberty, and-”
“Excuse me,” a familiar voice behind them cut in, “can I interrupt you just for a tiny moment?”
Twilight along with everypony else looked back to see Scootaloo standing behind them.
“Sure, Scootaloo, what’s the matter?” Matt asked her, trotting closer.
“Nothing, I just have a message…” she said, and then she paused, her expression changing from an innocent one to nearly malicious, “... from the lady that you’ve finished with together.”
Twilight was confused at the odd word choice of the filly, and even more so by her face. But that was nothing compared to the shock that engulfed her once she saw Matt jump up to Scootaloo, grab her, and throw her back into the wall of the barracks with all his strength.
“Matt, what the buck!?” Rainbow was the only one to voice her shock, as everypony else was too stunned from what they saw to react.
Matt didn’t answer her, instead advancing on the lying on the ground Scootaloo with pure rage written all over him.
“You’ve… reacted exactly…” the small pegasus managed to say despite the pain she was clearly in as she attempted to raise.
Green flames erupted around her.
“... as my queen predicted you would.” said the black, bug-like creature in a slightly distorted voice.
A changeling.
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Incoming shitstorm! Hide your kids! Oh, wait. To late for that. Muwahahah.
Ooooh...the plot thickens.
Amazing!... Why do i think its a ring in that box? Or necklace?
First comment up. Keep the story going bro.
"Changelings changelings,"
the hateful bastards cry,
"The only time they're good,
Is when they're falling from the sky."
I am a little suspicious of Guard. His character is nowhere near as developed as the other three new paladins, and he seems to keep to himself a lot.
I am gonna go out on a limb here and say he is a plant. A sleeper agent of sorts. As for why a bad guy would be able to wield the light? the Scarlet Crusade/Onslaught had many paladins, they could wield the Light because they believed what they were doing was right.
Either way, I love this story. keep it up Broseph!
oh buck... the changelings are back...
....I'm going to venture to say, it will soon suck very much to be a changeling.
Awesome story keep it up!
oh shit nigger! Scootaloo is gone and shit is about to hit the fan!
Other than that, great chapter!
Chrysalis... so unholy and foolish creature, I highly doubt that she has the power to maintain a fight with Arthas now.
Such read. WoW.... so good <3 Keep going! It always keeps me on the edge of my seat!
GRATZ ON CHAPTER 100!!!!
100 chapters
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Awesome Story man
keep 'em coming and gratz to 100 chapters 
Punishing them for following his instructions to go home and enjoy the parade?
Congratz on 100 chapters, and oh dayyuuum! Chrysalis wants more of Arthas' love :P
Didn't see that coming.
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Princess Molestia is in the story???
P.S. brohoof to whomever gets it :p
Oh and congratulations on 100 chapters... I'm looking forward to the next hundred with bated breath
3209528 Don't be too sure about that, Mattihas has went through the trouble of restoring her horn back. All she needs to back to him is find a power source that she can leech from, whomever that may be... *insert evil chuckle here*
Wow the big triple digit chapter. Great job on this milestone.
100 chapters is a milestone. 101 chapters is a big fuck you to round numbers everywhere.
If Chrys turns out to be Housing Anu'Burak I wil squee like a bitch!
Very confused with the message the changeling said and how he put together that she was a changeling. Might be the broken grammar that's throwing me off or I'm just forgetting something.
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I don't think the girls are aware of that though...
Oh, changelings... How you complicate everything. Great chapter! And congrats on hitting 100, still going strong!
3210242 He didn't want them gone all day, the parade was like six hours ago
About time you brought back the changelings. I'm sure Chryssie wants to renew the vigorous...'negotiations' they were having earlier in the story.
Changelings, again?
STAB THEM!
Yeah! Changelings they are back
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Happy one-hundred chapters!
THIS CALS FOR A PARTY!
Still typos and things in there, but brilliant nonetheless.
Changelings? Let me just get a stiff drink...
Congratulations on 100 chapter, lets hope there will be at least 100 more.
Changelings!! Woot
Again changeling maybe we get some more lore?, did Crisi get some memory's back?, Does Crisi need help? Only chapter 101 will tell.
Will be waiting for the next chapter ^_^ and wonder why Chrysalis send one of her changlings to Matt...what do she want to tell him?
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my only problem with this is tucker why him? you could have put master chief but tucker why?
3216325 Then you'll have the problem of having Master Chief of taking the spotlight away from Arthas, due how he can use guns and superhuman strength and such. Besides, we need some good old comic-relief that Tucker can fill the role perfectly.
Shit!!!
I know I'm being lazy and should look; didn't Matt tell them to go to the parade in the last chapter without him?
If so him being mad now doesn't make sense. Still a great story and you english has improved. It's great to see that you are still writing. 
Well dear athour Borsuq, you have a LOT of porn in your favorites!
With all gracious, Llch.
I'm still waiting for Arthas to go Lich king on somebodies ass. But I'm assuming that I'll be waiting for quite a while.
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why didn't I ever notice it? Oh wait, let me turn the mature filter off......
*Views though Borsuq's fav*
Quite a lot indeed. And with great quality too.
3226329>>3228098 For the record, I would have much more other stories in my favorites, but I hardly ever have time to read. I have 189 on "Read Later" list, most of them which are really long, like Fallout: Equestria (my current favorite story of all), which I finished reading just a few days ago. I also started reading Fallout: Equestria Project Horizons on google docs, and I have a few favorites I need to catch up with as well. The clopfics are usually a chapter long, so I read them off from my "Read Later" list sooner that others. Plus, I hoped to... learn few things about writing such kind of stories, not for Rebirth of the Damned, but Project Eclipse and some other stories of mine.
Also: link
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So...Grab your d*** and double click for...
lol it took u a year for 101 chapters and yet only 4 day's for me 2 read them all
Doesn't seem to be the case anymore, apparently.
So, gotta ask just what did they do to the mares they kidnapped?
My only two comments for this chapter: As someone else mentioned, I have no idea what the changeling's message was supposed to mean. That sentence is barely a sentence at all, much less one with meaning. The other is that there was a big problem in this chapter of telling things instead of showing them. There was a lot of bland exposition in here that could have been better replaced with either dialogue or more detailed descriptions of the characters' actions.
I did like the bit with Granny Rags, though. That was nice.