> Nopony > by Just_A_Nopony > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darkness. Everywhere. All around me, consuming the Light. It enshrouds me, contains me, it IS me. Screams echoed through the night, and fires raged among the expanse of a small town. I can feel the Darkness pulsing around me, shifting, expanding, seeking to destroy the burning the Light. The Light beyond the door. A mint-green mare was slashed by a black creature and vanished into a puff of darkness, as a glowing heart floated into the air, before becoming enshrouded in shadows. It took the shape of a small creature, identical to the first, before slipping away, in search of more prey. But Darkness is born from Light, and bright Lights cast dark Shadows. One cannot exist without each other, but neither can stand each other. Light seeks to burn away the Darkness, and Darkness seeks to consume the light. The two forces create and destroy each other, in an eternal rave of balance. A butter yellow pegasus dashed down Ponyville’s main road, fleeing from the shadows; living shadows, capable of doing… something to ponies. Killing them, capturing them, the mare didn't know; but it didn't matter. What does matter is that she gets away from th- RUN RUN RUN RUN, THERE BEHIND! HER RUN RUN RUN! The Darkness… is soothing… its quiet… but I don’t belong here. I have… friends… family? I don’t remember. The Darkness… so peaceful… it would be so easy to just submit, to sleep in eternal Darkness… A group of small conical red creature with a small yellow hat and a strange, black heart-shaped emblem across its chest floated along in the air. It's red body pointed out and up, when it reached the creatures tiny black head and glowing yellow eyes, becoming raggedy like a worn coat. As they turned a corner, a pair of ponies and their infants screamed in terror at the sight of them. The floating black creatures begin to shake before launching a barrage of fireballs out of the tips of their hats right at the gingerbread house the ponies were fleeing from. The fireballs missed the ponies, igniting the building instead as the creatures gave chase to the fleeing pair. But… no… I don’t… I can’t… I won’t… I… will… be… free… The pegasus backed into a corner, as the monsters surrounded her. Legs quivering, and wings firmly plastered to her sides, it was all the pegasus could do to prevent from passing out in fear. Slowly backing up, she bumped up against something; a wall, preventing her from fleeing. As she turns her head back to the oncoming creatures, she saw a cloaked pony, standing not inches from her. Glowing, demonic red eyes peer at her from under a black hood, blocking all view to the pony’s face. Shaking in terror, the pegasus; Fluttershy, Element of Kindness did the only reasonable thing; she passed out. I… won’t… I will… not give in… to the Darkness… but I can’t… fight… it… … … … Laughter, the horns of trains, the cheerful voices of ponies, and the lapping sound of waves filled the small town of Sunrise. Built upon levels of cliffs the town's buildings were made up of either light yellow, bright orange or dark black, with many sharp corners and metal fences, covered in posters and littered with gates to the surprisingly clean sewers underneath the town. Boards of wood ran from building to building, upon which ponies walked across to place to place and covering the many alleyways in shadows. A giant clock tower overlooked a large marketplace at the west side of Sunrise. And the never moving sun reflected light off the two enormous bells hanging from opposite sides of the clock tower. Connected to the craggy island by massive iron bridges with trams running across them were six smaller islands, with the largest acting as a dock for the small city. Hidden in the shadows of one of the many unremarkable alleyways was a butter yellow pegasus with a long pink mane was splayed across the ground and three pure white butterfly's on her flank. Slowly but surely, she began to come to, struggling to get to her hooves. When she regained her balance she stood still, only making the slightest of movements a body makes, and slowly looking around with a blank expression on her face. Her ears flickered towards an odd swirling sound, as a black pool of darkness appeared in the air. Out of this “door” came a black-cloaked pony, roughly twice the size of the mare. He had a grey horn peeking from under his hood, and two similarly colored wings were folded at his sides. Walking forward, he gazed down at the pegasus with glowing red eyes for many minutes "Do you know who you are?" His voice was slow but powerful, silky yet tough, with a neutral tone. The mare responded with a slight shake of her head. "Do you know who you are?" his voice turned curious, with a hint of humor. Again, the mare just barely shook her head. “Do you want to know?” the stallion asked. His horn glowed red for the briefest moment, creating shimmering red letters in the air before the mare. FLUTTERSHY. “You can’t feel anything. You can’t have feelings. But do you want to have meaning?” The pegasus gave an almost indiscernible nod, her face still emotionless and pointed ever so slightly towards the ground. With another flicker of magic from the stallion, the red words began to circle the mare, blurring into a red ring. And then, in a flash of light, a large X floated above the mare’s face, with only the letters H, Y, and S remaining. The letters slowly floated down to the X, and lined themselves up into a name. “Hyxs” she whispered “my name… is Hyxs” An malicious grin appeared on the stallions muzzle “A new you” he said “I am Kajex, your Superior. You will answer to me and anypony else I deem to be in a significant member. Welcome Hyxs” Kajex walked back the way he came, opening a Door of Darkness in front of him “To the Organization” “… Yes... Superior” Hyxs said trotting after him through the door. As the door vanished, a white stallion peeked his head into the now-empty alley way. After a moment of observation, he snorted and walked off. > Welcome to the Organization > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darkness reigned above the World That Never Was, as always. The night sky glittered with somehow menacing stars and a huge faded heart-shaped moon, shining down on enormous skyscrapers made of a dark silvery material with pitch black windows. The city sat atop a chunk of stone suspending it above a swirling whirlpool of Darkness that seemed to stretch on forever onto the horizon. Floating high above the city was a gleaming silver castle, hovering over the swirling vortex just off the edge of the city. It had many balconies and walkways and bridges connecting the chaotic mass of buildings. Twelve short towers rose up out of random spots on the castles main body, with a larger and taller tower then the other twelve reaching straight out of the fortress central point up at the faded moon. A giant black symbol was one of the sides of the tower made of tinted black glass; all in all the Castle That Never Was was cleaner and shinier than the City That Never Was, though no less menacing. It was at the entrance to this floating fortress, a large gate built into the stone the castle rested upon that Kajex and Hyxs exited the Corridor of Darkness, the portal closing behind them with a warping sound. Hyxs took in her surrounding, slowly looking around with an emotionless look in her eyes. The Superior moved forward, the large door swinging open on its hings silently. "Welcome to the World that Never was, and more specifically the Castle that Never Was, the Organization's base of operations." The two walked through the door into an entrance hall. The hall was a staircase that soared high up, high above Hyxs to the point where the top was just covered in shadow. Lanterns of blackish-purple flames hung from the ceiling by white chains just to where the tip of Kajex's horn nearly scraped one. While large, the hall was rather short, and Hyxs soon stood in front of a large black door, with a white symbol imprinted on it: a round curved end and three sharp pointed blades, a sort of deadly cross or heart. "You will wait here until you are announced," said Kajex. With that he called up a Corridor of Darkness and left Hyxs alone. She stood there quietly, letting her gaze roam across the room making not a sound, thinking quietly. "Enter, Hyxs!" The Superior's voice called out from behind the door, which began to swing open with those words. Hyxs walked into a round room with thirteen tall chairs lifted up at random heights, with the one directly across from the entry way being the tallest. Nine of them were occupied by ponies and one sturdy bipedal figure all wearing the same black leather cloak as The Superior but with different symbols hanging from the silver chains on them, with the same silver zipper. Hyxs assumed the one in the chair directly in front of her was Kajex, as she could see the tip of his grey horn and his grey wings. To his left was another alicorn, discernible by its wings and horn, these ones black, and to his right was the only non-equine, with canine like hands coming out from its sleeves. The remaining five were all equines, and five seats were empty. "Hyxs, number 10 of Organization 13. All present are Noponies-" Kajex started. "Nobody!" the Diamond Dog barked. He shrank back as Kajex turned to him, eyes flashing briefly. "Do not interrupt me" Kajex's voice was as emotionless as ever "All present are Noponies, beings who have lost our hearts to the Darkness. But when we lost our hearts, our wills were strong enough that they left an imprint, leaving us empty shells to wander free animated by darkness. Us ten present are Master Noponies, ones whose hearts were so strong we remained intelligent and gained power through darkness. We are empty, echoes of our originals, with no emotions, no desires; but no limitations. Organisation 13 exists to reclaim our hearts so we may become whole again, by any means necessary. There is no place for you beyond the grasp of this organization, but I still offer you a choice in joining us. So, will you stay and find you heart, or will you go and make you own way." "... I will... join the Organization" Hyxs' voice was barely above a whisper yet it echoed through the round room to its occupants ears. "Then we welcome you to our fold. And we give you this cloak, a means of defense against physical harm and the Darkness we choose to wield," Under his hood, Kajex's horn glowed a blood red that wrapped around Hyxs, slowly turning darker and more solid until she wore a full body coat, just like the other members. "Therax will show you the premises. And with that, you are all dismissed. Go about your assigned tasks." With his words, all the members save for the Dog dispersed into Corridors they conjured. Therax leaped down from his chair landing in front of Hyxs and drew back his hood. His fur was a dark brown, like dirt, with emerald green trimmings around his eyes and ears. His face split into a wide grin, showing off his ferocious fangs but still remaining to somehow appear cheerful. "Hello pony. I Therax, and I show you around, eh? Lets get to! This way this way!" His voice was deep and echoy. Therax began to lead Hyxs through a random hallway, with windows looking out towards nothing. He stopped when he heard Hyxs whisper from behind him. "How are you so... happy?" Therax let out a booming laugh, causing Hyxs to flinch before his face became serious. "I no happy. No feel emotion. I just learn how to fake emotion, as all we do. You new to all this, but soon you will to. We remember what it like to have emotion, what like to feel, so we do best to remember what it was like" Therax's face turned joyful again "and now we go see castle! Big place, but I think we start at training room!" "You think? Now that's a surprise, Therax." Therax and Hyxs turned to see a pitch black alicorn with a waving blue mane and catlike eyes of the same color. The crest on her chain was a cracked moon and snarky grin showed her razor sharp fangs. "I'm surprised an oaf such as yourself was entrusted with the task of teaching the fresh meat." "What want Unlax?" growled Therax. "Oh I just wanted to observe the little thing that The Superior took a direct interest in; she doesn't look that special to me." Unlax put her face straight up into Hyxs', who didn't flinch back. The two's muzzles were fractions away from touching. "She does seem familiar though..." "And you seem like a bit prude," was Hyxs response "If you don't mind me saying..." Unlax reared her head back her head back, momentarily surprised, before grinning and walking off. "Who was she?" Hyxs looked at Therax, who had a blank but curious look on his face. "That was Unlax, The Dreameater, Number II and second command of Organization; she hand out missions and relay commands from Superior and such. Very rude and bossy." Therax explained "Anyway, let's go. We have much to see." The pair set off once more. Minutes later, they arrived at a large rectangular room, filled with targets, hoops in the air, and a main empty white sparse with a line around it, serving as a fighting ground. "I take it this is the training room?" Hyxs' voice had grown considerably more audible, as she became more at ease to Therax and her surroundings. "Yes, this is where we train, though it not used much. We go on many missions and hone skills then." Hyxs was led onto the fighting ground where Therax then brought her a small white orb with golden numbers running across it at a rapid pace. "This is Learning Orb, and will take form of special weapon you will use. But first, call upon Darkness and channel it. Let it flow through your being and release in solid form. Everyone channel Darkness differently, so let's see what you do." Therax finished, and stepped back. Hyxs looked at him for a moment before taking a deep breath. Focusing inward, she felt the dark energies deep within her, and brought the Darkness fourth. It was wild and powerful, seeking to consume her and everything around her, but it was surprisingly easy to beat down with sheer will power. The ground at her hooves cracked as monstrous thorny vines brook out from under her, lifting her up. Hyxs stood upon a large vine as many smaller ones stabbed forward and pierced a wall of dummy's, ripping them to shreds. "Good, good, very good. Now you take this orb, and we see what it turn into!" Therax tossed the orb up to Hyxs, where it stopped in the air just of the the right of her position atop the monstrous plant. She reached out a hoof that plunged straight into the orb, which began to warp. The orb's shape shifted and mutated, becoming a shapeless blob floating around Hyxs' hoof before beginning to take a more defined shape and change color. The orb turned a dark mysterious green and stretched out, taking a triangular shape. A long yet sleek cylinder reached out of the narrow side of the triangle, while one of the two long sides evened into a flat line, creating a comfortable looking shoulder rest. Out of the angled side a trigger guard with black studs along it, while a round scope formed on what was most likely the top side. Eventually it settled down, turning into a sleek and powerful sniper rifle. Designs of rose petals were magically inscribed onto the entirety of the rifle, rose-red, and black stubby "thorns" . The name Rosebush was carved onto the side and the symbol X followed after. "The orb should make you already know basics of your weapon, so how we try it out now? Therax snapped his fingers, causing some Corridors of Darkness to appear. Several silver Noponies slithered out of them, their bodies moving like snakes before standing on two legs. They were thin yet slightly muscular bipedals with a large cylindrical head, and black stripes running along it; up along the sides of their legs and torso, and two wrapping around their arm's. Speaking of which, its arms and legs ended in a rounded tip. Atop the Dusk's heads was the Nopony symbol, the strange warped heart, and running across their faces were zippers, where mouths would be. "Go get them pony girl! Let see what you do!" Therax strolled out of the ring as a purple wall of mysterious energy flashed into existence before fading from sight. "Alright, lets do this" Hyxs' voice came out emotionless and shy as she looked through the scope of her rifle. A Dusk lunged forward like it was swimming through air, but exploded into a flash of silver and purple sparkles as a pink blast ripped straight through it. Two more moved towards Hyxs but were grabbed by a pair of thorny vines and smashed together. Another attempted to sneak up from behind her, but Hyxs just noticed the Dusk and with an adorable squeak hit it with a hasty buck that knocked it of course then finished by slamming her rifle onto its head. The final Dusk rammed into her side and slapped at her with its arms, packing a surprising amount of force. Hyxs was thrown back, skidding to a stop before she hit the wall, and fired Rosebush twice more, the powerful attacks ripping through the Dusk easily. "Ow," squeaked Hyxs "That kinda hurt." She shook herself off as the invisible barrier disappeared, allowing Therax to step forward. "I think that good for now. I show you around rest of castle now, eh? Hope it not to boring!" Therax let out a booming laugh while Hyxs just stared at him with a slightly off-put expression. "Pretty good new girl, pretty good! Course, Dusks are pretty weak in a straight up fight, so I wouldn't get to excited!" A unknown voice called out from the room's entryway. The origin was a cream white pegasus, with a sideswept cut fiery-orange mane and dark green eyes striding into the room. A dye of a flame was on his left cheek in the same color as his eyes. He was wearing the Organization coat and the crest hanging on his coat was a flaming match. "What you want, Cham-" began Therax only to be cut off by the new stallion. "I will do my own introduction, thank you very much. I am Chamtx, number 8, V-I-I-I, The Hellbringer, of the lovely Organization 13. A' how do you do?" Chamtx gave a mock bow to Hyxs before spinning on his hooves to face Therax "How bout I take over tour guide duty? You can go bitch slap a couple of Heartless around, switch with me. Its just another cleanup missions, the ones you enjoy so much eh?" "Superior assigned me task personally. You should be on mission, not wandering around," said and annoyed Therax. "Bah, The Superior is all rules and formalities, we don't need another stick in the mud . Its not that hard to walk around here, we hardly use even a quarter of the rooms, you'd show the newbie every boring hallway and empty room." Chamtx was next to Hyxs with a quick flap of his wings, throwing an arm around her neck "I know, lets let Hyxs decide! It is her we talking about! Would she rather go with me, the awesome pyrotechnic, or you the dog who off by watching paint dry?" "Excuse me, but if you wouldn't mind getting off me, it doesn't really matter to me who shows me around, as long as it gets done," said Hyxs as she ducked away from the enthusiastic stallion's arm. "But if you really want me to i guess..." Chamtx fell to the floor and rolled on his back, looking up at Hyxs. "Com-on, say you wanna go with me. I don't wanna go on some boring sweep run, and your all new and interesting," Chamtx rolled back onto his hooves and stood back up, putting on his best puppy dog face, "It'll be fun, promise! Pleeeease?" "Oh, well, its ok I guess. If Therax doesn't mind that is." Hyxs looked to the side momentarily before looking at Therax. "Oh fine. I go and do mission. But if Unlax get onto me you going to be one who gets hell for it," grumbled Therax. He took a roll of paper from Chamtx, who passed it over eagerly. Therax then turned and snapped his fingers, opening a Corridor of Darkness and vanishing through it. "All right! Lets go see the cool stuff! Open up a Corridor and lets go Hyxsy!" shouted Chamtx. "Oh, um well, I don't know where were going, or how to open one... Sorry," said Hyxs. "Ah. Right. Well, the opening of a Corridor is easy, almost second nature to Noponies and other creatures of Darkness, but your right about the destination. I'll do it then! Allonsy!" Chamtx opened his own Corridor and bolted through the path of darkness, Hyxs following behind. At the end of the Corridor the to Noponies appeared in a circular room littered with plush chairs, couches, a large table in the center, and a bar in one corner of the room. Strayed about the primarily white room were a few of the bits and bobs that appear when multiple ponies live together; small food stains, random articles of clothing, playing cards, leftover drinks, and so on. "The Common Room, where we can chill of hang out or whatever when were not on missions!" Chamtx opened another Corridor and charged through it. Hyxs followed after a quick glance about. "The kitchen! Literally a room next door to the common, but whatever! Lets go!" The kitchen was also white, just like the other room Hyxs had seen so far but it had the most color of all others because of the various food stuffs . It had the standard works of a kitchen, though one counter was covered in red and orange throwing knives, with what looked alot like the green dye on Chamtx's face. But Hyxs only got a swift glance around before Chamtx bolted into yet another Corridor. "Grey Area!" Half of the wedge shaped room's walls was made up of black tinted glass, and allowed sight of part of the castle and the sky just above some of the twelve towers rising out of the castle; this led Hyxs to believe they were located behind the giant Nopony symbol on the central tower. The room was nearly bare, the only furniture being a half-circle couch in the center. Sitting in the corner of the room atop a pile of boxes was a small figure wearing a mini Organization coat, its face obscured. "Library!" The library was filled with large white bookcases, overflowing with books of white, with only a quarter-amount being of other colors. One of the larger rooms Hyxs had seen, it seemed to have every subject and genra she could think of, and various desks and ladders (guess what color!) all over. "Computer -puff- room!" The room had several sleek monitors linking up to a huge tower built into one of the rooms square walls. This room had more fluffy white chairs and couches, set in front of the desks that the monitors on. On another wall across from the door was a large computer, with three monitors looking down at a spot in front of the main console. They popped through many other rooms, like a washing room and a pool and other insignificant rooms around the castle. They were all white, the only color being whatever random items left about by other members. "And -huff- finally we have -puff- the Round Room, Where Nothing Gathers. Whew!" Chamtx collapsed on the floor as the two Noponies stood in front of the large round room filled with the raised chairs that Hyxs had been in earlier. The chairs were all at level with the floor now though. "Oh my, are you alright?" questioned Hyxs worriedly, already seeming to show more "emotion" than before, though only as much as Noponies can do. "I'm fine, Corridors are a bitch to open and close multiple times. I'm good, just give me a moment." Chamtx breathed in and out before leaping to his hooves. "Ok, so now I'll show you to your room, and then we'll go get a little treat. How bout that? Follow me, once more, into the dark!" Chamtx opened yet another Corridor, trotting into it at a slower pace than before, with Hyxs following of course. The room they appeared in was extremely plain, with only a plain white bed with the Nobody symbol as a headboard, a closet, a white lamp, and a mirror. A window showed out towards the central tower, as the room was located at the top of one of the short towers of the castle. "Its very... cozy?" Hyxs made a quick lap around the room before returning to Chamtx's side. "You can get some more stuff for it later, if you want. But were out so often working and such Nopony ever really uses their room for much other than sleeping," Chamtx leaped over to Hyxs' bed, flopping on its mattress before rolling off. "So where should we go now?" asked Hyxs. "Well first, try opening up a Corridor to the Gray Area real quick, so we can see if you can do it yourself." "Oh, alright," Hyxs once more called up the Darkness that quickly felt like second nature to her, forming it instinctive into a swirling door. The two Noponies trotted through, arriving in the Grey Area as asked. "So where are we going now?" Chamtx didn't reply, instead opening a Corridor of Darkness and skipping through it. As Hyxs followed through and reached the end of the black tunnel, she was blinded by sudden rays of sunlight. Rapidly blinking, Hyxs was able to see where she was once her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. She was standing atop a huge clock tower, on a ledge just above the clock face. The clock tower over looked a island town, a tight knit place built in a spiral fashion, going higher up until it reached just a height only a little smaller than the clock tower. The whole place was a pleasant orange and red and green and blue, and the sun was just setting off in the distance. Even though she couldn't have seen much of it when she was found here, Hyxs instantly recognized it as the place Kajex took her to the Organization only a few hours ago. "Hold on one second!" Hyxs jumped at the sound of Chamtx's voice turning to see him vanish into a yet one more Corridor. He came back a few minutes later, holding two blue bars of ice cream with his wings. The fiery Nopony passed one to Hyxs before sitting on the ledge, his legs dangling off. "Sea Salt Ice Cream. A local favorite I can't get enough of! Its pretty good: go ahead and try some." Hyxs looked down at the bar, at Chamtx, at the town sprawled out in front of her, and finally back to the ice cream before taking a small bite. "It is good!" Hyxs took another bite, Chamtx doing the same as the two sat and stared out at the setting sun quietly. "Welcome Hyxs, to a new life of trying to return your old one. Welcome to the Organization" > Hard Work > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Shadow flitted through the sewers of Twilight Town, along the river of dirty sewer water. Pipes dumped sewage and trash from the town above into the flowing stream. The Shadow followed many twists and turns before arriving in a large central room, where the rushing filth water poured into a dark chasm, with no bottom in sight or sound. A metal grate was positioned slightly above the hole with wooden planks reaching from the many tunnels paths. Atop this grate were two cloaked ponies, battling a large and powerful Heartless. It was the call of this Boss Heartless that had attracted the Shadow, and many others as well. Nocturnes of fiery red, a taller and more bipedal Heartless with sharp red claws, pointy boots, a metal helmet, and the Heartless emblem on its dark blue chest; Soldier Heartless. The Boss Heartless currently engaged with the two ponies was immobile, as it rose up out of a round garbage can. It's body was made of patches of black, dark green, and purple garbage, with a Heartless emblem on its chest. It didn't have a head, as its yellow eyes and fanged mouth were positioned around the emblem on the center of its chest, and two thick arms reached out of the side with three sharp red claws. As the Shadow approached the battle, the Trash Compactor Heartless lashed out with its spiked tongue and whipped one of the two ponies. He was blasted back by the force and landed right atop the approaching Shadow, crushing it under his hooves as he landed gracefully. "I'm okay!" Chamtax lowered the knives he held in his wings he had used to block the attack. Lashing out his feathery appendages, a barrage of fire-colored, diamond-shaped kunai flew at the disgusting Heartless. The Trash Compactor brought up it's arms to block the knives, but they sunk into its defense, exploding into a wave of fire, washing over the Heartless. As the fire cleared, the Heartless saw Hyxs placing her rifle right on its emblem, and pull the trigger. A large hole was ripped through its chest and as the Trash Compactor died it shook around, launching foul-smelling pieces of rotten food and plastic everywhere. "Ewww!" Hyxs wiped a old banana peel from off her face as she brought her rifle around with a careless precision and fired three rounds into ground in front of the approaching weaker Heartless. From where the pink beams landed, deadly vines bloomed and smashed the group into smoke. It had been nearly two weeks since Hyxs' initiation into Organization 13, and during that time she had grown more comfortable as a Nopony and more powerful her own strength. Over the days past she and Chamtax had gone on several missions for the Organization, all consisting of battling Heartless in Twilight Town. And afterwards they had gotten Sea Salt Ice Cream! "Speaking of, lets go get some ice cream!" Chamtx picked up one of his knives, an orange throwing weapon with fire designs lapping at the edges and the Nopony symbol written on the black cloth grip; his Fire Starters. He suddenly spontaneously combusted and went out a moment later as he burned the trash covering him, but causing the stench to double in strength. He turned and sheepishly grinned at Hyxs' frown. "We both smell, and you want to get ice cream?" Hyxs asked, her quiet voice, laced with sarcasm, echoing through the tunnels. "Yah, its nothing a good air dry won't clear out. There's no need for a... Whats with that look?" Hyxs walked towards Chamtx with a determined expression. "Hey, no, now back- Arggh! NO YOU WON"T MAKE MEKHRAG!" Hyxs grasped Chamtx by the ear and dragged him through a Corridor of Darkness, ending back up in the Common Room. "You are going right into the bathroom and taking a bath until you don't smell like a dumpster, mister!" Chamtx desperately tried escape Hyxs grasp but failed when he turned and caught a face full of her mysterious Stare, a power she had discovered in her muddled mind buried in her memories. With a whimper Chamtx followed after Hyxs towards the door out of the Common Room. Behind them, Therax and two other ponies were sitting on a couch, with one of the two ponies sitting upside down. The first of the two ponies was Doxfrue, The Thunder Paladin and number VI of the Organization. She was a yellow pegasus with a long neon blue mane that had dual equally bright green stripes running through it in a ponytail, with eyes the same neon blue as her hair. She wasn't wearing her coat currently, so her color bleached shield cutie mark was visible. She was the one currently upside down on the couch, but watched as the pony next to her fell onto the ground, rolling in laughter. The stallion on the floor was called Xulbe, one of the two new additions to the Organization in the past week. The Silent Rain was a blue pegasus with a part brown, and part blue (the same color as his coat) mane cut in a common stallion style, and had sky-blue eyes. "WHIPPED!" he managed to choke out. His cutie mark depicted by his crest was a storm cloud, with a music note atop it in a different shade of white. "Shut it cloud-brain!" Chamtx barked out and pulled away from Hyxs' psychic grasp. "Watch'a say to me fire-tongue!?" The two leaped at each other and got face to face, their wings spread out as they stared furiously at each other. Or as much 'fury' a Nopony can conjure up. "Fish-breath!" "Trash-heap!" "ARGH!!" Both stallions cried out simultaneously as they were pulled away from each other, their ears grasped by the two mares present. The two ladies looked at each other before nodding and dragging their respective partners away; Doxfrue and Xulbe back to the couch and Hyxs and Chamtx out of the Common Room. Therax watched the whole procedure with an faint amused smile. Several hallways later, Hyxs was struggling to force Chamtx into a large bath. It didn't help he was fighting against it like a cat, but Hyxs was eventually able to force him into the water. "Now clean up, and don't come out until you smell clean again. Its for you own good." Hyxs left the disgruntled pyro in the tub before going to her own bath. One furious scrubbing later, Hyxs made her way to the Grey Area, where Unlax looked out the window at the translucent heart shaped moon. She turned as Hyxs entered. "You and Chamtx have completed your mission I assume?" "Yes. The Trash Compactor Heartless in Twilight Town has been destroyed." Hyxs reached into her coat and handed Unlax a scroll of paper. The midnight Alicorn read the scroll for a brief moment before sending it somewhere in a flash of blue fire. "Good. Tomorrow you will be joining Therax and Moxbras on a special mission. The details will be given to you then, but until so, do as you like. Thou- ahem, you are dismissed." Hyxs quickly left the icy mare's presence. Another twist and turn of hallways Hyxs seemed to have mastered, she had returned to the Common Room to find Therax holding Chamtx and Xulbe back from each other again. They were attempting to attack each other with their hooves and yelling out insults all the while. "Feather-brain!" "Match-head!" "Flap-dragon!" "Tiddely-wicker!" "Alright, no more of this." Therax growled and slammed the two opposites head's together, then throwing them to either side of the room. Noponies are abnormally resilient, so the forceful blow was little more than bump for them. "Oh my, are you alright?" Hyxs flew over to Chamtx who climbed quickly back to his hooves. Across the room Xulbe got back up, and the two would have charged right back at each other had it not been a loud strumming to come floating down the hallway. Everypony present, save Xulbe, grew a worried expression. "Everypony for themselves!" Doxfrue yelled before leaping through a Corridor, the others doing the same not seconds later. "Nobody!" Therax's voice echoed through the room. "WASSUP DUDE!! LETS ROCK!" A light blue zebra with the common grey stripes of his kind slid into the room and a unnaturally large mow-hawk, playing a indiscernible tune on an electric guitar shaped like the Nopony symbol. This was Liqenxelas, Number IX of the Organization, The Sound of Wind. A wild zebra with a tendency for shouting, obliterating eardrums, and being a nuisance. "YOU LOOK READY TO PARTY!! LETS GGGGOOOAA!!1!" He screamed. Xulbe gulped. "Help..." ... ... ... The next day- or night, or it could even be dawn for all Hyxs knew. The World That Never Was' sky never changed, save for the reorganization of the stars every so often into different patterns. Hyxs was wandering through a enormous, vibrant colored greenhouse that was dotted with flowers of many variety's, and with a multitude of wildlife roaming around. Inhabited by bunnies, birds, bears, fish, bees, with a river running straight through it. An entire ecosystem built inside the castle not to long after Hyxs joined the Organization; though the animals were still getting accustomed to their new surroundings. Hyxs was quietly chatting with a family of white bunnies, but was startled by a sudden voice from behind her. "Are you enjoying the garden Number X?" "Eeek!" Hyxs leaped around to face Kajex, the grey Alicorn having approached without a sound. The bunnies fled from his presence and the domed forest fell silent. "O-oh, yes I do." "No you do not." Hyxs blinked looked away shyly, rubbing her forearm. "You cannot feel. You cannot like. You merely remember what it is like to do so." "Ye, yes that is true. I can't really, feel, Noponies can't..." Hyxs descended into a whisper as she talked. An awkward silence descended between the two as Kajex just stared at Hyxs with a unreadable expression for several minutes. "Hehehe, HAHAHAHA, Oh I am blind. I didn't even realize... You're special Hyxs... VERY special..." The Superior chuckled with an amount of false emotion he had never displayed before. He turned and strolled away and out of the garden, leaving a confused Nopony behind. "You mission is soon; don't disappoint me." "Oh yes, I do need to meet up with Therax and Moxbras... Oh I hope I'm not late!" Hyxs flew out of the forest as the animals began to return from their hiding, only for the yellow pegasus to return quickly. "Oh, and I'll help you with your new home Mr. Puff as soon as I get back." Hyxs said this with a smile to one of the bunnies she had been talking to earlier, before rushing out again. After YET ANOTHER SERIES OF WHITE AND SILVER HALLWAYS, Hyxs arrived in the Grey Area where Therax and Moxbras awaited her. Moxbras was a unicorn stallion that had been recruited only three days after Hyxs, though apparently he had been around longer than her, hiding in Twilight Town before being discovered. He was grey with a smoky black mane, blood red eyes and the crest on his chains was a jagged crystal shape. His title and number was The Arctic Emperor, number XI of the Organization. "Ah, and it seems like the third member of our group is here, so if you would be considerate as to enlighten us on our goals Therax?" The unicorn's voice was husky and grating, yet slimy and smooth at the same time. "Our mission is destroy powerful Heartless at Twilight Town Graveyard, on Ghost Ship off island coast. No information on Heartless known, except very dangerous." Therax read from a mission descriptive before shoving it into one of his coat pockets. "Let go." A Corridor of Darkness was opened by Moxbras and the group traveled through. On the other side was Twilight Town at night, the moon glowing high in the sky. They were standing on the beach of one of the six islands that surrounded Twilight Town, the one known as Grave Island. It was called this because it served as the towns graveyard, which was covered in a light layer of fog behind the Noponies. Off the coast islands crashed into a rock was a aged shipwreck, a carrack ship. Not seconds after the three arrived a pack of Heartless appeared through their own Corridors, several Shadows, some Soldiers, and a quartet of a ice variety of the Red Nocturne, the Blue Rhapsody. The two equines summoned their weapons, Hyxs' Rosebush and Moxbras summoned a large Buster Sword. The sword was made of light ice, with random splotches of a darker blue floating inside. The edges had small teeth made of white Nopony symbols while the guard was made of pitch black snow that somehow was solid as stone. This sword was called the Frozen Crown, and Moxbras wielded it with deadly efficiency as he demolished the Shadows with a quick swipe. Hyxs brought her rifle up, balancing on her rear hooves as she nestled it into the crook of her shoulder and fired blasts at the Blue Rhapsodys, only half of whom managed to dodge and return fire. Hyxs merely swept the balls of ice magic with her gun causing them to pop, before returning fire. Meanwhile Therax had wrapped his paws in simple boxing tape, and casually awaited the Soldiers that had appeared to approach him. He slammed his fist down onto ones head, crushing it with his strength. The Diamond Dog picked up another two and slammed them together repeatedly until they dissipated before deflecting the kicks of two more Soldiers, grabbing them by their legs and using the Heartless as clubs to bash the last three Soldiers to smoke. The hearts of the Heartless (ironic, I know) floated off into the sky before disappearing. "Lets move." Moxbras trotted over to the water and touched his sword to it, forming a bridge of ice to the ship. As the group made their way across the water, more Blue Rhapsodys and some Red Nocturnes, as well as a yellow variety of the small flying Heartless, the Yellow Opera appeared in a ring around the three. They fired a barrage of magic fire, ice and lightning at the three Noponies, but Moxbras reacted quickly but creating a shield of black frost around them. Hyxs retaliated by shooting a especially large blast straight upwards, where it exploded into several more blasts that rained down on the Heartless surrounding them and wiping them out. The group reached the Ghost Ship, climbing onto the deck. "So um, wheres the Heartless?" Hyxs asked as they looked around for sign any of their target. But before they could search the rest of the ship, the swooshing noise accompanying a Corridor sounded out, and a anthropomorphic Heartless came appeared by the wheel. It had the same body as a Soldier, with the pony-sized body, the rounded bipedal features, and the blue coloration. Only this one wore a large blue coat and a pirate captains hat with the Heartless emblem on it with a cutlass at its hip. The Captain grasped the broken wheel of the Ghost Ship as Darkness began to pour out of its hands, covering the ship. "Guess that it!" Therax shouted as the wreckage began to shift and shake, groaning and creaking as it pulled itself off the rock it was crashed onto and began to fix itself. The wood mended and changed to a purple color, with silver accenting the entire ship. Uncountable cannon ports and the weapons used through them crowded through the sides, and the sail flew down bearing the Heartless emblem. All across the Dark Ship several Pirate Heartless, with the same anthropomorphic body found in many Heartless, except with yellow and brown shorts and boots, and orange sash around its waist, and a red bandanna with an eye patch and a spiral. Some were carrying large strange cutlasses, while others wielded flintlock rifles. "Oh my, that's alot of Heartless" Hyxs looked around at the swarm of Heartless clambering upon the ship. Nocturnes, Rhapsodys and Operas flew above the trio, joined by a green type Hyxs hadn't seen before. "And we are Noponies-" Moxbras started before he was cut off. "Nobodies!" Therax glared at Moxbras before bringing his paws up into a boxers stance. "... Nobodies, yes. But these Heartless don't stand a ch- AHHH!" The Captain Heartless raised its hand, and a powerful gust of wind threw the Noponies- (Therax sneezed) from the deck of the ship back to the rock the craft had just escaped. The two males crashed onto the stone, but Hyxs managed to right herself with her wings. The Dark Ship began to circle the three and its cannons opened fire, unleashing spheres of Darkness at the rock. Moxbras formed a magic shield of frost again, but it shattered under the constant fire. Therax slammed his foot onto the ground and several chunks of rock floated up in front of him, which he used to destroy the oncoming blasts. Hyxs did the same by firing at them with her rifle, and Moxbras launched chunks of ice. Therax summoned a large chunk of rock and gemstones before launching it at one of the cannons, which was blocked up by the projectile as the Organization members followed in his actions. Three more cannons were taken out by ice and lashing vines. Hyxs fired a dark green blast from Rosebush that landed on the deck of the Dark Ship, creating a large flower bud that bloomed, releasing a pack of Timberwolves from within. The wolves attack the Heartless, causing chaos for the Pirates aboard while Moxbras formed a giant blade of ice around his Frozen Crown, and brought it down on the ship, severely damaging it. The flying ranged Heartless released their elemental attacks, while the Green Requiems healed the ship and the Heartless. A cannon shot crashed at Therax's feet, exploding and sending him flying into the water. "CAN'T SWIM!! CAN'T SWIM!!!" The Howling Mountain shrieked as he struggled in the water. Moxbras froze the water around him, allowing him to get out of the water... Only for another sphere of Darkness to crash into the ice and send Therax back into the waters. Moxbras was nailed in the face by fire balls like the only girl at a party and flew back, crashing and creating a crater in the rock, rendered unconscious. "Oh dear..." Hyxs whispered as all the Heartless turned towards her, alone on the rock. She whimpered and flew up into the air, the spire underneath her destroyed by a storm of incoming attacks. She swerved and dogged, trying to avoid the dark and elemental energies soaring through the sky. The whistling noise of a blade cutting through air caught Hyxs' ear through the explosions and spells. A simple but elegant naginata caught the pegasus mare's eye and she watched it travel in slow motion to stab right through the Captain Heartless' head and stick him to the mast. The pole had a black and white checkered pattern as its grip, and the blade was made of a gold metal that seemed to glow with an ethereal light that caused the Heartless to back away from it. Attached to a small ring at the end was a long chain reaching back to the beach. The chain tightened before something began to pull itself to the ship from the beach. "THE RAPE-COLT COMTH! AND FROM HIS LIPS FLOWED THE SONG OF THE SIREN!!" A snow white Earth Pony was pulling himself across the water by the chain. The chain was connected to a kind of magic grappling device on his left forearm, or so Hyxs assumed as the chain seemed to vanish into the colts arm. The stallion had a neon green mane and tail that seemed to glow, with a cutie mark of an outline of a heart, wings, and a crown the same color as his windswept mane hanging over one eye. The white stallion crashed into the Dark Ship's mast, and pulled his naginata out of the Captains face. The Captain fell to the deck only for the stallion to bring his weapon down straight through the Heartless, slicing it in half and destroying it. Rearing up on his rear legs, the stallion spun his naginata in front of him and stabbed it forwards through some of the Pirate Heartless. He charged forward sending Heartless flying to all sides as he broke through a door and vanished into the ships bowels. Several minutes of explosions and crashes from within the boat later, the Dark Ship began to crack and break apart, the darkness pouring off it like paint. The stallion broke out of the center and wrapped his grappling hook around Hyxs' leg, who was still floating in the air above watching the giant Heartless with interest. He ran up the mast, and swung himself off the sinking ship (again), under Hyxs and launching himself onto the broken ice bridge previously built by Moxbras. His momentum sent the mysterious combatant sliding down the ice and back to the beach. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a scorpion!" The stallion dash out of Hyxs' sight as he reached the island. Moxbras had awoken just in time to witness the stallions exit. "... What. What was that." Were the Arctic Emperor only words. "SWEET MAKER WHY WON'T YOU TWO HELP MEEEE!!!" Therax screamed like a little girl still struggling to stay afloat. ... ... ... It was one charred unicorn, one wet dog, and a relatively unscathed pegasus that returned to The Castle That Never Was. Two of the three were drained and tired, while Therax was just wet and miserable. Unlax and Chamtx were awaiting the trio, the latter sprawled out on the couch asleep. "Well? Did you defeat the Heartless?" questioned Unlax. "Not exactly. A strange pony came and defeated the Heartless as we were... recovering from attacks, and left seconds after." Moxbras replied. "He was a skilled spear wielder, and I believe he might still be on the world." "I see. You failed in you mission, though the news you bring is interesting. If he is a warrior powerful enough to take out a Heartless of that capacity, we may have to approach him as to prevent him from interfering with our plans. You are all dismissed." Therax quickly left the Grey Area, while Moxbras went at a slower pace. Hyxs trotted over to Chamtx and poked his sleeping form. "Hyxs." "Yes ma'am?" Hyxs squeaked under Unlax's icy glare. "When Chamtx awakens tell him he is to find this stallion and neutralize him tomorrow as his mission." Unlax glared at Hyxs for a second longer before turning and leaving the room. Hyxs poked Chamtx again several times before sighing and scooping him up onto her back. She traveled through a Corridor of Darkness, to tired to make her her way through the maze of hallways, into his tower room. The entire room was covered in random posters for movie and bands, and filled with piles of candles and matches. The bed was most of everything, and in its place was a pile of pillows and blankets. Hyxs dropped Chamtx into the center of the pile, where he pulled pillows and blankets around him, a small smile growing across his face. Hyxs stared down at him for a couple moments before vanishing into a Corridor. ... ... ... "Ohhh, streeeeeeetttchhh!" Chamtx blinked his eyes as he woke from his nest of comfyness. As he stood up, something fell down off his chest. Looking at it, he picked up a wrapped bar of Sea Salt Ice Cream. He grinned and opened it, ready for the surprise delicious treat. "Ahhh, its melted... Om nom non.!"