> Hollow Heart
>  by Dapper Guy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Exorcised
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hunger…

A pale figure sailed through the night sky of the Neverland world.  The white specter flew towards the towering clock tower, Big Ben. The clockhand’s shifted and soon it would be midnight in this world. It was almost time for the heartless, Phantom, to go out in search of more hearts for it to devour.

The Phantom drifted slowly in front of the face of Big Ben. His white cloak flapped in the open air, as hidden eyes surveyed the world around him. He watched the lesser heartless below crawl around the streets, a swarm of endless locusts. If he could’ve felt anything, it would’ve been pity at how mindless those Heartless were.

Big Ben rung out, midnight had finally come.

More hearts, I need more hearts… The white cloaked specter flexed its black claws with anticipation. It began to descend to the city below, ready to feast on the countless, sleeping masses.

A sudden, unfamiliar sensation began to rise up inside of his chest. The Phantom looked towards the sky. Three objects, one green, one blue and one red, were heading towards his clock tower.

He had never felt anything such as this before. He didn’t like it all. He felt his ethereal form shiver as the three figures began to draw closer. He flew unseen towards them, trying to make sense of what had causing this feeling.

Phantom dove down below, weaving in and out of houses, chimneys and through solid walls. When he was directly below the three, he flew upwards. The sensation was there again, urging him to run away. He shook his formless head, now wasn’t the time to waste on such thoughts. These creatures had strong hearts and they will be his. Yet as he approached the red figure, he couldn’t help but want to flee.

When he was close enough, Phantom recognized it as a human. The top of his head was covered with spikey brown hair. It wore overly, large yellow shoes on its feet and a white and red jacket. It looked towards him, staring at the formless face beneath the hood. Another human, with a green feathered cap flew by his side, a golden ball of light circling around his form. The other was some kind of bird in a blue jacket, holding some kind of staff that radiated powerful magic. He disregarded the other two as he stared at the young boy. For some reason, he struck that nerve wracking sensation deep inside.

Flying swiftly towards his clock tower, Phantom hovered in front of the clock’s face. No matter, what can one human hope to do against me…

The young boy put a hand forward. Small flecks of light began to glow around his outstretched hand, forming together into a long slender shape. A large sword formed in his hands. A golden heart was affixed to the top, with golden filigree traveling down the side. The handle guard was gold and blue. Below it, an ornate white heart with gold lining.

Phantom felt his very being tremble with fear. Keyblade…

The boy raised his weapon, pointing it directly at him. His piercing blue eyes stared into the emptiness within his hood.

No... No... I will not fall like the rest… He charged forward, black fire rising up from his form. I will not fail… I will not fall to you... keyblade wielder…

He could feel the countless hearts deep within him surging up, surrendering their power to him. I will be the end of you, keyblade wielder… His claws clashed against the fabled weapon, searing his hands at the mere touch of it. I will devour your heart…

Krsshh!

Phantom swiped at the keyblade again, trying in vain to disarm its wielder. With every attack, his blows gradually grew weaker, weighing down with exhaustion. Yet, he couldn’t stop. Even if he ran and hid, the keyblade would hunt him down until he was destroyed.

The keyblade wielder pointed his weapon at Phantom. At the tip of the blade, a small spark ignited and grew into an immense ball of fire. “Fire!” The keyblade wielder’s spell launched forward, striking Phantom in his core. He could feel the intense heat searing him from the inside.

Phantom could hear the pleas of the hearts inside him, crying out to be released by the keyblade. Redoubling his efforts, Phantom conjured up fire of his own. His hands became wreathed in violet flames, twisted magic of the darkest kind. The dark fireball shot out, straight at the keyblade wielder. It hit him square in the chest, knocking him several feet before he regained his composure. The boy's breath was shallow as he clutched his stomach in pain. However, victory was still far from Phantom's grasp.

“Sora!” Several pink flowers blossomed above the keyblade wielder’s head. His burns began to fade away from Phantom’s attack. The white bird with a blue jacket held his staff above his head, his magic pouring into the keyblade wielder. With renewed strength, the keyblade wielder pushed forward, swinging down the keyblade at Phantom and striking at his core again.

The battle continued raged on far above. Phantom drew on any reserves of power from the hearts inside to protect him. With each swing of the keyblade, he shifted the protective power of his core to another element. But each time he thought he had the upper hand, the keyblade tore apart his defenses.

Fire burned him, ice chilled his innards and lightning sundered him. Phantom tried and tried again to outwit the keyblade wielder but was met only with failure. As he felt his body convulse violently, Phantom knew he couldn’t take much more.

I…refuse… to lose…to you, child…

The keyblade wielder looked afraid, almost as if it had heard him speak. Phantom flew towards Big Ben. Raising his arms to the night sky, several balls of white fire erupted out of Phantom’s hands. Soon there were twelve ghostly balls of fire encircling Phantom. His hand gestured towards the clock face. The white fire danced in the air as they began to hover in front of the clock. Each one hovered in front of a number on the clock.

Time’s up…keyblade wielder…

Big Ben’s hands started to move on their own, increasing in speed as they began to move. The number twelve in ghostly white lettering appeared over the keyblade wielder’s head. He looked up in confusion until he saw it begin to shift and change to eleven. Apprehension dawned on him as he looked back at the clock to see the hour hand moving towards eleven.

Your heart…is…mine…

The keyblade wielder darted forward, keyblade pointed directly at Phantom. Phantom surrounded himself in a sphere of white fire. People down below watched in amazement as a large explosion appeared in front of Big Ben. I win…

The tip of the keyblade pierced through his protective wall of fire. What is- The keyblade wielder charged through with the keyblade gripped firmly in hand. Pain wracked his body as the keyblade pierced through his core of hearts. Phantom wrapped his claws around the keyblade wielder’s throat. Not...yet...my time…isn't...

He looked on into the wielder’s eyes. He stared back at Phantom but not with fear. Courage burned deeply beneath his blue eyes, striking fear into Phantom. “Light!” The keyblade began to glow bright until it shone like a miniature sun. The blade slashed Phantom in half, finally shattering his core.

No… Phantom felt his body begin to fade away. He could feel himself being pulled back into the endless void of darkness. His vision began to grow cloudy, the world around him turning pitch black.

Phantom felt the countless hearts he collected bursting free from his core. Released from their captor, they returned back to the great heart, Kingdom Hearts.

A pain like no other he had ever felt lanced through his body. The one great heart he had first devoured freed itself from Phantom. I…I…have failed…

Without the power of his stolen hearts to sustain him, Phantom faded away. Back into darkness he was born from.

Sora watched as the powerful heartless fell before disappearing. “Whew, we finally beat him,” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. It had been a rather tiring fight. If it weren’t for Donald’s magic, Peter Pan’s quick thinking and the keyblade, he wasn’t sure he would’ve made it. “Can’t believe how strong that Heartless was.”

“No kidding,” wheezed Donald Duck in his raspy voice. The court magician flew over to the top of Big Ben and lay on the roof. “What was the deal with that Heartless anyway? We sealed the keyhole to this world a while ago. Stupid Heartless.”

“Tink says it’s been eating up hearts all around London. Will they get their hearts back, Sora?” asked Peter Pan. The green clothed warrior looked on deep in thought while his oldest friend, Tinkerbell, buzzed around Sora.

Sora tapped his chin. “I don’t know, Peter. Once we beat Ansem, all the worlds taken be the heartless should be restored.” The keyblade warrior tugged on the sleeve of his jacket. “We’re going to have to trust our hearts that everything will work out.” Sora felt his turn back to Big Ben. Throughout that entire fight, he could’ve sworn he felt something different about that Heartless. It had remained hidden, waiting for the right time to go out and hunt for hearts.

Why did that Heartless, seem, different? Shaking his head, he decided it was best to forget about it. It was just another Heartless that needed to be defeated. “Okay, we need to head to that Heartless World next.”

Peter Pan nodded his head. “Don’t forget, Sora. You have to bring Kairi to Neverland. You’ve got to show her how to fly.”

Sora smiled earnestly at Peter Pan. “You bet. Let’s go Donald,” said Sora, ushering his friend to get up. “It’s time to fight Ansem.” Donald muffled a groan of protest but finally got up. The two waved good-bye to Peter Pan and Tinkerbell as they made their way to a save point. I won’t let the Heartless devour anymore hearts. It's  time to defeat Ansem.
> Enchroaching Darkness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phantom felt him flowing in an endless ocean of darkness. His body felt weak, he couldn’t even muster the strength to lift his own arms. Phantom could see nothing, feel nothing. Darkness surrounded him in every sense.

“It seems that even you were no match for the keyblade wielder, Phantom.”

A figure began to form from somewhere within the darkness. A human with bronzed skin and white hair began to form. “It seems young Sora has gained much strength. Pity on how he continues to foolishly follow the Light.”

Phantom recognized this human. This one human had the strongest heart he could remember sensing. His power reigned supreme over every Heartless, even him. What did it want with him though? Was his humiliation at the hands of the Keyblade wielder not enough?

“It is I, Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness” announced the human. His tone carried the same amount of confidence as that keyblade wielder, Phantom thought grudgingly. His want to lash out at this human was subdued by his fear of the power that he radiated. It was like darkness that had molded into human form.

“I can sense you desire to take my heart, Phantom.” Ansem lowered his face closer to Phantom until his nose was only an inch away from Phantom’s hood. Ansem’s golden eyes peered into the darkness, unafraid. It was face of a predator ready to strike down its prey. “Know this. It would be unwise to try to attack your king.”

Ansem raised an opened hand above his head. Several purple bands appeared in the air around Phantom’s body. Closing his fist, the bands began to ensnare and wrap around Phantom, slowly squeezing and crushing him. Phantom writhed and flailed weakly as the bands began to pull tighter and tighter around him.

For what felt like an eternity, the constricting bands continued to squeeze Phantom as Ansem watched in sick amusement. The bands snapped, shattering like glass. “I think that’s enough for now, don’t you?”

Phantom recoiled away from Ansem. Yes…

Ansem looked down at Phantom. “Do not be afraid, Phantom. Despite you defeat by Sora, I do not intend to send you back into the endless depths of darkness. I may have another use for you.” Ansem, watched as the Heartless remained silent, staring back at him. At least he thought Phantom was looking at him. It was rather hard to tell with this Heartless’ face shrouded in darkness.

Ansem pondered for a time as to where he could send this Heartless. It had lost a lion’s share of its power but still it proved to be much craftier than a Shadow. It would pointless to waste such a valuable Heartless. The only problem was that Sora and the king’s lackeys continued to be an eternal thorn in his side.

That boy has already been to several of the worlds and sealed their doors. As far as his Heartless spread, there were still worlds out there that needed to submit to the darkness. There had to be one that he could send this Heartless to. A world with a keyhole that still had not been locked by the keyblade.

A stray thought came to mind. He had remembered seeing through his Heartless one world that caught his attention. However, it still remained too dangerous for him to send his Heartless en masse. Fortunately, he wouldn’t need to send an army to conquer this pathetic world.  Adjusting his white pauldrons, Ansem turned to face Phantom. The Heartless, unsurprisingly, hadn’t moved an inch from the spot. It seemed that he had broken this Heartless' spirit.

“There is a world I just discovered that is completely devoid of any keyblades.” Phantom shifted it head. It seems this one retained what amount of intelligence it had, mused Ansem. “However, this world is overflowing with Light. To remain hidden, you will be stripped of all of your power, returning you back to your basic form. Consider this the only warning I will give you, Phantom.”

Ansem stretched out his right hand towards Phantom. A corridor of darkness tore open between the two. Phantom felt his body being pulled inside. “Remember this, Phantom. Do not fail me again.”

Phantom felt his body being pulled into the corridor. I will not fail again…my king…

Ansem watched as Phantom was sucked into the corridor and vanished out of sight. “Now, I must find a way to open that accursed door. Kingdom Hearts, what lies behind you?” With that, Ansem disappeared back into the realm of darkness.


- - - - -


A tear opened far above the Everfree Forest. If anypony was looking, they would’ve seen the briefest glimpse of a white, smoking creature falling out it. Phantom fell through the tree line, branches battering at his now diminutive form and onto the cold, hard forest floor.

Righting himself, Phantom began to take in this new world. Everything around him seemed so much bigger than normal. As he hovered over the ground, he began to sniff out any hearts nearby. Reverting back to a lesser heartless, he had to use his basic skills to find hearts.

Grrrggrghh A low, rumbling growl came from behind him. A wooden creature with four legs made its way out of the bushes. More and more began to appear until several of these creatures now surrounded Phantom. The mashed their fangs, yellow eyes locked on him as they began to move in closer.

Phantom felt something familiar as the timberwolves grew steadily closer. Hearts…hearts…these beasts have hears… It was unmistakable, Phantom could sense and smell the hearts inside of the timberwolves. Hearts…I hunger for hearts… A small ball of violet fire erupted in front of Phantom, causing the timberwolves to leap back. Their prey wasn’t as helpless as they first thought but they outnumbered it. 

A unusually large timberwolf, the alpha of the pack, leapt forward. It would claim its meal. As its jaws descended down at his prey, the ball of fire erupted upwards. The alpha’s body began to crack and burn until a smoldering pile of ashes was all that remained. A small red heart rose up out of the ashes and disappeared somewhere inside of Phantom’s hood.

The rest of the pack began to edge away. They had foolishly decided to fight a predator they had never seen before and now their leader had paid the price. No…I still hunger…for more hearts… All of the timberwolves watched in horror as the creature conjured even more fire. Hearts…hearts…

In a futile attempt, three of the remaining timberwolves decided to charge at Phantom. Each one was reduced to nothing more than smoking ash in a matter of seconds. Phantom devoured three more hearts as the remaining survivors of the pack decided to flee.
Phantom watched them run but didn’t give chase. He craved stronger hearts, hearts of greater power. Slipping into the darkness, Phantom concentrated as he tried to sense more hearts. A powerful heart was here inside of the forest. It could sense it was close but wondered if he was strong enough to take it.

I must not fail… Phantom rose out of the dark corridor. He could sense the heart nearby. He flew unheard between the thick trees, the wind rustling his hood.

Plip.

Looking down, Phantom noticed that the bottom hem of his cloak was soaked with water. He had been hovering over a small puddle of rain water the entire time and hadn’t noticed until now. For the first time, he could see his reflection. He looked like a tattered old cloak, a floating white with no sleeves or core beneath him. The bottom of his cloak was frayed and there were holes within his hood. Overall, he was noticeably smaller, smaller than even the keyblade wielder himself.

A light could be seen inside of a large tree off in the distance. As Phantom continued forward, he could feel a strange power coursing through the air. As he neared his potentially prey, he flew lower to the ground. Phantom listened as whatever inside began to speak.

“Snip of the stem of an Everfree Flower, boil it in the cauldron at the midday hour. Add two drops of Forget-Me-Not, to make the cure for your balding top.”

Phantom crept up near the edge of the creature’s dwelling. Through hidden eyes, he peered inside to see two of the strangest creatures he had ever seen. One was a dark grey with black stripes. Gold bands wrapped around one its front legs with a gold earring in its ear. It stood on four legs and its eyes were a rather light blue. A small grey tail sprouted out its backside.

“Much appreciated, Ms. Zecora,” rumbled a deep voice. Beside the first creature, a large red creature that towered over the smaller one stood by its side. It ran a leg over its head, a look of worry on its face. “My manes starting to fall apart and want ta at least keep it fer a bit longer.” Phantom could feel the discord within this creature.

The stripped creature chucked. “No need to explain yourself to me, Big Mac. Your personal life, I will not judge or attack,” rhymed the stripped creature. It ran a leg affectionately over the large red’s ones, causing it to blush.

Phantom could sense an underlying storm of emotions emanating between these creatures. No wonder he had been drawn to them, their hearts were overflowing with energy. Perhaps he could catch them unaware. If he timed it right he could devour both of their hearts.

All of a sudden, the stripped creature’s head swiveled around. It’s eyes locked onto his ghostly form before opening wide in fear. “Beast of darkness, why are you here? Leave my home and disappear!” it screamed at him. It grasped a small brown jar from a stand close by and flung it at him. The frothing red contents of the jar exploded, burning him.

Phantom cried out in pain as he fled back into the woods. It cursed to itself as he retreated back into the darkness.

Zecora and Big Mac rushed out of the hut. “Zecora, what in Celestia’s name was that all about,” asked the farm pony. One minute he was thanking the zebra for solving his shrinking mane. Then out of nowhere, she was screaming and throwing jars out her window. True, Zecora was a bit of an eccentric that lived out on her own. However, Big Mac knew she wasn’t a big a loon that most ponies in Ponyville thought she was.

“Oh, Big Mac, what can I say? I felt darkness like no other, on this day,” Zecora cried as she fell to the ground.

Big Mac had never seen Zecora look like this before. For a zebra that could brave the Everfree, she was acting like she was about to stare down an Ursa Major. “Well, this is the Everfree, Mrs. Zercoa. Der’s been stranger things in this forest no pony ever seen before,” he said as he peered through Zecora’s window. Maybe Miss Twilight will know something about this thing. She knows all those fancy magic formulas, maybe she could find out about this.

Phantom remained as still as a stone amongst the tree tops, the thick foliage hiding him from sight. Small insect and spiders scurried around him but he remained oblivious to their presence care. His focus was on the two creatures he encountered. If there were more like that in this world, then he was already doomed to fail. Reaching out with his senses, the two creatures remained where they were. In this forest were even stronger hearts but Phantom knew he was incapable of defeating them.

A small heart caught his attention. He sniffed at the air as his hunger grew stronger. Not one but three. Three young hearts were near the edge of this forest. Diving down to the forest floor, Phantom made his way towards his newest prey. As he neared the edge of the forest, he could make out three creatures. They were considerably smaller than the two he previously met.

“Come on girls, we gotta at least take a quick peak.” The first one was yellow with a arge red ribbon in her hair. It’s legs were a blur compared to the other two behind it. “Big Mac told me it wasn’t none of ma business but I know he’s meetin Zecora.”

“How long has he been courting, Zecora?”  squeaked out a white one. A small protusion could be seen peeping through the purple hair on this one.

A winged orange creature with purple hair brought up the rear. “Who cares, this means we could earn our Match Making Cutie Marks.”

Phantom stayed near the edge of the Everfree Forest, leering down at the three fillies from the tree tops. Their hearts weren’t particular strong but now wasn’t the time for him to be choosy. If they were to enter the forest, perhaps he could separate them. Pick them off, one by one.

“Uhh, Scootaloo. Didn’t we decide to not ever trying matchmaking again. Especially after that Hearts and Hooves fiasco?” said the white one.

“Pfftt. It’s not like we hurt anypony, Sweetiebell,” replied Scootaloo, brushing off her friends worries. “Right Applebloom?”

Anypony. The word stuck out as Phantom continued eavesdropping on these creatures. So that is what they are.

Applebloom came to a halt before stepping into the Everfree Forest. The other two Cutie Mark Crusaders crashed into her, toppling the young filly over. “So, who wants to go in first?” asked Applebloom nervously.

Sweetiebell and Scootaloo both stared back at her expectantly. “Well, you’re the one who came up with plan, Applebloom. I think you should go first,” said Scootaloo. Sweetiebell nodded in agreement.

“Well fine, see ya’ll are gonna be scardy ponies about it,” Applebloom said through chattering teeth. Stilling herself, Applebloom stepped through the invisible barrier separating the Everfree Forest from the rest of Equestria. Applebloom’s friends followed immediately behind her, she was one of the ponies who knew this forest well enough to not get lost.

Phantom followed behind the three ponies as they walked on, blissfully unaware of the monster that lurked in the shadows.

> Black Diamond
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

           Phantom trailed behind the three fillies, never falling too far behind as they journeyed further into the forest. The yellow one that led them would often stop and look around before advancing onward again.

“I think it’s this way, girls,” said Applebloom, pointing a hoof down a worn-looking path. The yellow filly sped off, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo chasing after her. “I just know that this time for sure we’ll get our cutie marks.”

Phantom began to make his descent towards the trio of fillies. Alone in this dark forest, these young ponies wouldn’t be able to properly defend themselves against him. As he began to prepare to strike, he heard a rustling of leaves and stopped.

His senses burned to life. A familiar scent stung his nose as apprehension struck him. He flew up into the nearest tree, rocking the branches in his haste and knocking a few stray leaves from them.

“Applebloom, what in tarnation are ya doin’ out here?” Big Macintosh walked out of the foliage, a stray twig caught in his golden mane. He shot all three of the little fillies a disapproving glare as the fillies shared a worried look.

“Big Mac, hey, uh, fancy meetin’ you out here.” Applebloom plastered a toothy smile on her muzzle. “I was just comin’ over to see if Zecora needed any-”

“And Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are with ya because?” asked Macintosh, cocking an eyebrow at his youngest sister.

“You can never have too many helping hooves?” chimed in Sweetie Belle.

The stalwart stallion leaned down closer till he was face to face with Applebloom. All three Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled up against each other as Macintosh’s temper began to flare up. “All three of ya’ll should know better than to be in this forest so close to night. You know how restless the monsters in here get,” said Macintosh.

Phantom continued to observe as Macintosh disciplined the young ones. After he was finished, he ushered them to follow him. Phantom remained up in the tree, cursing to himself as he saw his prey evade his grasp.

If they are anything like humans… perhaps they live... close together. These ponies acted oddly similar to the humans he used to feed on. If he followed them, surely they would lead him to more. Weaving through the tree line, Phantom caught up to the four ponies. His gnawing hunger drove him forward, but he did not allow it to control his actions.

As they neared the edge of the forest, Phantom immediately came to a halt. The ponies exited the forest first, with Macintosh bringing up the rear. “I hope ya’ll know that you’re grounded for this lil’ stunt.” Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle all groaned in perfect unison as they trudged forward with their heads hanging low.

Just when Macintosh was a good yard away from the forest, he snapped his head back towards the trees. His eyes scanned over the dark green leaves and the twisted boughs of the Everfree oaks. “Just my mind playin’ tricks on me, I guess,” he muttered to himself, but with a small tinge of uncertainty.

Phantom watched as his potential meal grew further and further away from him. Had the red pony seen him? Did he have the same abilities as that striped one? Ridding himself of these doubts, he looked towards the setting sun. As it dipped down over the mountains in the distance, the moon rose in its place.

Drifting out into the open, Phantom’s form rippled and then disappeared into the open air. He was a creature of darkness, after all; the night was when he would be at his strongest. The now-invisible Heartless sniffed the air, catching the scent of his prey. They hadn’t gotten far.

Like a leaf in the wind, Phantom moved silently as the cold, crisp night air caressed him. He didn’t pay any mind to the numbing bite of the cold air as he tracked down the ponies. As he traveled on, he could see a growing light glowing off in the distance.

Wooden cottages with hay-thatched roofs were neatly aligned. Small lanterns hung out near the doors of many of the houses, while some had lit candles neatly placed on their windowsills. Other ponies were in the streets, retreating towards their homes as the moon rose up. Phantom flew up high above the houses, sniffing the air again. He had lost his prey, and the overwhelming amount of smells made it too difficult to discern where they had gone.

Knock! Knock!

A faint tapping alerted Phantom somewhere down below. Peering over the ridge of the roof, he saw a conical building jutting out between two ordinary homes. Standing outside the purple building, the red pony, Macintosh, was talking with a white, purple-maned pony.  The small white pony from before was in between the two, her eyes settled directly at the ground. The larger white pony threw her leg to her forehead as she mumbled something indecipherable to him. 

Macintosh left with the yellow and orange one as the two white ponies went inside their home.

Phantom’s hidden eyes flicked between the two groups. He could delve inside of the white ones’ dwelling, yet the red one’s heart was much stronger than either of theirs. Phantom decided to continue to stalk Macintosh and the fillies.

For what seemed like hours, Phantom remained high in the sky as Macintosh dropped off the orange filly at her home. Now all that remained were Macintosh and Applebloom. The two walked silently. Occasionally Macintosh would say something, earning him a small answer from Applebloom. After walking a great distance, the three of them were on the outskirts of the small town. Dropping down from the rooftops, Phantom slowly began to creep up closer. The red one first... He could almost taste the heart essence as he came closer. Right before he could strike him down, a voice shouted out.

“Mister Macintosh!”

Phantom reeled back, somersaulting backwards in the air. A few yards away, a brown pony waved his hoof at Macintosh. At his side were a pair of fillies, one bright pink and one a dull, steel grey. The trio walked over to him at a hurried pace while Phantom positioned himself behind a rain barrel placed behind a house.

Despite still being invisible, if anything were to pass through him, his façade would break and expose him. Phantom hovered just above the lid of the barrel as he listened in on the group of ponies.


- - - - -


“Well, Macintosh, I know Zap Apple season is right around the corner. Are you sure that we can’t possibly work out a deal for more jars?” pleaded Filthy Rich. Running a hoof through his greased mane, Rich felt his heart racing as the stern earth pony remained steadfast in his decision. True, his sales had exceeded his projected expectations, but with a current windfall in the market, he needed to rake in the bits.

“Ye’ll get what we can only give ya, Mister Filthy.”

“Rich, if you please, Mister Macintosh,” corrected the business pony. “Perhaps we could discuss this later, at Rich Manor, perhaps? My family and yours haven’t actually sat down before. We should change that.”

Macintosh was no fool to the art of subtlety, but he knew it could be equally as bad to flat out refuse a benefactor’s proposal. “That’s mighty kind of you, Mr. Rich. I’ll be sure ta let Applejack and Granny know then. Come on, Applebloom, we got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Goodbye, Macintosh.”

“See ya later, blank fl-I mean, Applebloom.” Diamond Tiara sneered at the youngest Apple as her older brother pulled her away. She smiled up at her father but was greeted by a frown from him.

“Diamond, I’m tempted to send Silver Spoon back home and cancel your little sleepover. Ms. Cheerilee wrote me a letter today about your attitude towards your classmates. You’d be hurting daddy if the Apples decided to stop doing business with us because you upset Miss Applebloom too much.”

Despite her father’s warning, Diamond merely tossed her white-streaked purple mane. “We’re just funning around, daddy. There’s no need to worry.”

“Yeah, Mister Rich, it’s not like there’s nopony else who could sell the Zap Apple Jam like Barnyard Bargains,” added Silver Spoon. Better say something, or else Diamond is gonna be in one of her moods. The two squished their faces together, smiling up at Rich.

Filthy Rich let out a sigh. One of these days, Diamond, you’ll go too far. “Alright you two, let’s head home. I bet your mother is worried sick, Diamond.”


- - - - -


Phantom slowly edged himself out from behind the barrel. Macintosh and Applebloom were now far gone up the hill covered in apple trees. Now he felt his attention drawn to the three ponies in front of him. The one called Rich, his heart was a mixture of fear and hope. The small grey one, she reeked of anxiety and a small sense of joy.

Shifting his gaze towards the pink filly, he felt his form flicker. He could feel the malcontent pouring from deep inside, small traces of anger and sadness swirling inside of the darkness deep within. His previous thoughts of trying to obtain Macintosh’s heart forgotten, Phantom felt his hunger rise as he smelt the darkness wafting from Diamond’s heart.

As the ponies turned and left the scene, the Heartless glided behind them. He had found his newest victim.


- - - - -


Rich Manor was far above the average dwelling for anypony in Ponyville. Compared to the high-ranking society one would find in Canterlot, it would be deemed ‘adequate’ by a noble. Rising up four stories and twice as wide as the average home, it stood out proudly amongst many. Filthy Rich prided himself on what he had achieved, building his store chain from the ground up. Quite literally.

When Filthy and the two fillies passed through the oak doors, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon scampered off to the theater room. While Filthy retired to his room, the two friends lounged in the warm confines of the goosedown pillows. Both happily munched on a tub of popcorn as Randolph, the family butler, placed a film reel on a projector.

“There we are, Miss Tiara. Will there be any further need of my services tonight?” said Randolph. The aged earth pony cricked his neck as the young mistress of the house tapped a hoof against her chin.

“Nah, I’ll call you if I need something, Randolph.” Waving a hoof of dismissal, Diamond rolled over onto her back as she watched the previews begin to roll. She grumbled to herself as the different promotions for upcoming film premieres played out on the screen. “Ughh, I thought I told daddy to buy the films without these stupid premieres.”

Diamond grabbed a wad of popcorn from her bucket and shoved it into her mouth. Munching quite loudly as the movie began to play, she reached out to her side for a drink, but saw that she had knocked over her soda. Darn it, daddy is going to be so mad when he sees the carpet stained.

Standing up, Diamond rang a small, crystal bell on a nearby table and paused for a few seconds as she waited patiently for Randolph to come. A minute passed before she rung the bell again, shaking it to the point that the clapper cracked the sides. Grunting in annoyance, the pink earth pony set the bell down roughly before making her way towards the kitchen. “Silver, pause the movie, will you? You don’t want to me to miss out on anything, right?”

Silver Spoon immediately pressed the stop button on the projector. “No way, D.T. I’ll be waiting for you to come back. As Diamond left the room, Silver Spoon let out a pained sigh. For once, I wish she’d treat me like a friend rather than a punching bag for once. One of these days, Diamond, I’m going to tell you to shut up. Resting her head on her forelegs, Spoon nestled into her pillow as her thoughts of talking back to Diamond played in her mind.

Diamond Tiara stomped into the kitchen, a deep scowl etched on her face. “Randolph? RANDOLPH?” called out Diamond Tiara. The spoiled filly looked around, her frustration bubbling over as her faithful butler failed to respond. Giving up on a response, Diamond opened up the fridge and retrieved a soda. She popped off the aluminum lid and took a quick swig before returning to watch her film.

Fwish.

Diamond let out a small squeak of surprise as the curtains of the kitchen fluttered wildly. Her eyes remained glued to the closed window, wondering if a small crack from underneath had disturbed the curtains. Minutes passed until she thought better of it and once again was on her way towards the foyer.

Hearts…

A low, sinister voice invaded her ears, and she froze in place. One hoof remained in the air as her eyes swiveled in their sockets to locate its owner. Diamond found herself breaking out in a cold sweat as she turned her head to both sides. The perpetual darkness of the night was the only thing to greet her.

Ughh. Come on, Tiara. Don’t be such a scaredy pony, like those stupid blank flanks. Nearing the archway, Diamond took one last look around. As she took a single step forward, she felt something brush against her hoof.

Diamond’s eyes widened in pure horror. A billowing, tattered white cloak hung in the air. The hood of the cloak was bent forward, as if something was looking down at her somewhere deep within.

Hearts…Give me…

“W-who are you?” stammered out Diamond as she began to backpedal away from the cloak. The cloak lurched forward, slowly making its way towards the cowering filly.

Your heart…give…

“Do you know who I am? Who my daddy is?” stuttered out Diamond Tiara as she felt her back leaning up against the wall. She could feel her heart pounding within her chest as pure terror told her to run as fast as she could.

Give…me...your…Heart!

The high-pitched scream of a filly sliced through the air and then immediately stopped, like a needle suddenly pulled off its record.  Silver Spoon ran into the kitchen along with Filthy Rich and his wife and Randolph. All four of them saw a bright pink light shine and then disappear.

Tink, tink, tink.

A wiry silver tiara dropped to the floor, splitting apart from the sudden impact. The center gemstone clattering along the floor. Above it, a tattered cloak hovered in place, flapping in an unseen breeze. It spun around, turning to face the ponies.

“Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?!” yelled Filthy. The stallion stood in front of his family, pointing an accusing hoof at Phantom. His eyes narrowed at the Heartless with rage.

Heh…hehehe… A ball of purple fire roared to life in between Phantom and the ponies.

Disappear…into…darkness… The dark fireball exploded outward, shooting forward. Silver Spoon felt somepony wrap their forelegs around her, pulling her out of harm’s way just before the roiling ball of cursed fire made contact.

A blazing inferno erupted out of the Rich Manor, sending burning timbers flying across the manicured lawn. Ponies ran to their windows as the explosion boomed outward, rocking the very foundations of the wealthy estate. Those who were closest to the incident that night saw a lithe figure escaping from the scene, enshrouded in purple fire. The side of Rich Manor began collapsing as the timbers burned at an unnatural rate, decimating the estate.

Four figures fled from the scene of the incident: one elderly pony with a badly burned stallion slung across his back and a mare with an unconscious filly across hers. Just as the moon began to descend while the sun rose to take its place, half of Rich Manor was nothing more than smoldering cinders.

> Weight of the Crown
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Friendship Express chugged into Ponyville Station, emitting a loud hiss at it came to a stop. Normally, this train wouldn’t stand out to anypony in Ponyville; however, today it had hauled something extraordinary into this bland earth pony village.

At the very end of the train’s cars was a very absurdly decorated and uniquely made caboose. It was painted a beautiful purple hue with brass trimmings around the windows’ edges. It held a magnificent aura that radiated importance. Ironically the opposite of what the occupant of said train car wished to stray away from as far as possible.

“Hurry up, Spike. We need to gather everypony for the Summer Sun Celebration next week.” Her Royal Majesty, the newly crowned Princess of Friendship and Magic, Twilight Sparkle, exited her royal train car. Ponies bowed out of respect, as well as reflex at the sight of an alicorn, as Twilight made her way on to the platform. Blushing at the sight of ponies gracing her with such a profound amount of respect, Twilight Sparkle walked out of the train station with her number assistant trailing behind her.

“I wish ponies would stop doing that silly bowing thing,” said Twilight as she fluttered down off the edge of the station. “I’m still Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville’s resident librarian. It’s not like I changed or anything.”

“Twi, in case you hadn’t noticed, you’ve got a pair of wings sprouting out your back. Kinda makes you a big deal to ponies now, ya know?” Spike Sparkle, number one assistant and wisecracking younger adoptive brother of Twilight Sparkle, hopped down beside her as they continued on their journey home. She blushed as ponies all around greeted her with a smile and a bow.

Adjusting the straps on her saddlebags, Twilight felt her thoughts return back to what Princess Celestia has asked of her earlier. “Can you believe it, Spike? Princess Celestia wants me to perform for the open ceremony for the Summer Sun Celebration? I need to get Rainbow Dash to help me with this one. She knows how to razzle-dazzle everypony.”

Snrk. “Razzle-dazzle? Twilight, you need to get out more,” snorted Spike, earning him a reproachful glare from her. “I’m joking Twi, sheesh. You’re going to be a princess; you need to lighten up.”

Twilight sighed inwardly as the two rounded the corner on Sugar Cube Lane. "Thanks, Spike. Like I didn’t have enough on my hooves as it was." Making a mental note that having Spike reshelve the library by title would certainly keep him too occupied to make smart remarks, Twilight collided into something very solid.

“Princess Twilight!”

A glint of sunlight reflecting off of metal caught her violet eyes as she squinted at the source of the voice through half closed eyes. Standing above the now dirt-covered princess was a white stallion clad in golden armor and a blue-plumed, golden helmet. The stallion’s voice carried a mild hint of hidden panic while still remaining placid as he bent low to the ground.

Dusting herself off and removing a small pebble from a wing, Twilight raised an eyebrow at the sight of no less than four fully-armored Royal Guards by her front door. “Rise, please,” said Twilight. She took a small moment to make sure she had been properly cleaned by running a quick cleansing spell over herself to make herself presentable. I guess Princess Celestia needs me. “Hello, sirs. It’s good to see you all.”

“Thank you, Princess Twilight!” all four of them said in perfect unison.

One stallion broke away from the line and bent down on one knee towards her. “Princess Twilight, I am Sergeant Edge. We have grave news for you.”

The guardstallion remained silent for a moment before Twilight realized he was waiting for her command to relay his message. “Oh, please inform of your charge to me. Sergeant Edge,” said Twilight, hastily adding in the sergeant’s name at the end. She could tell that she looked nervous but suppressed the sudden urge to facehoof in front of the guards.

“We received a request by Ponyville’s police force to have you come to Ponyville Hospital immediately to give aid in an investigation.” Producing a scroll from underneath one of his wings, he hoofed it over to Twilight as delicately as a mare would handle a foal.

Edge’s words registered in Twilight’s ears, but she couldn’t comprehend what he meant. “Uh, Sergeant, I’m not a detective or anything. Why would Ponyville’s police force need me?” Taking the scroll from the guardspony, her eyes flitted over the words written inside. While the message was not long, a few things stuck out to Twilight. The names of Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara caught her attention, however, near the end; they nearly made her drop the letter. “An attack on the Rich Manor?” sputtered Twilight.

Sergeant Edge nodded. “Yes, princess.  We wish to escort you personally to the hospital to ensure this arsonist doesn’t try to attempt to attack you, if you will permit it.” Despite the lack of any kind of emotion in his words, it was easy to tell for Twilight that they’d follow her if she didn’t allow it.

“Of course, sirs. I would be happy to have you escort me.” Each guard snapped to attention and immediately flanked Twilight’s sides as Edge about-faced. The fourth guard trotted up to Spike and lowered himself to his belly, allowing the young dragon to clamber on to his back. “Well, let’s get going, then.”


- - - - -


Throughout the course of two years, Ponyville Hospital had seen its fair share of victims of bizarre incidents, weird ailments and flat-out horrible accidents. Today, however, was one that certainly would be whispered about for years to come. Four armored stallions marched through the glass doors in lockstep as they entered the facility. In their midst was the newly-christened Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight felt her stomach drop as everypony’s eye became locked on her. As the once-pleasant atmosphere began to turn sour, a lone cobalt blue mare walked over to the new arrivals. “Princess Twilight, it’s an honor to meet you.”

Sergeant Edge’s wings spread out, forming a protective wall between the newcomer and the princess. “I take it you're one of the police ponies assigned to this case, correct?”

“Yes, sir. My name is Deep Study, acting crime scene investigator.” The mare flicked a stray purple hair from her mane that had fallen over her eye. “I need to ask that, for secrecy reasons, the royal guard remain outside of the room as we conduct our investigation.”

Edge lunged at Deep Study so fast that Twilight could feel the pull in the air. “Out of the question, Study. We have no clear idea as to who or what the supposed attacker is. I refuse to comply with your request,” spat Edge.

Twilight sidestepped between the two as the searing tension started to unsettle everypony present. “I have an idea. Sergeant, why don’t you keep an eye on me in the room? Surely one more won’t cause any problems, Study?” inquired Twilight with a pleading look.

Deep Study raised a hoof to her police badge pinned to her red tie around her throat. Edge remained steadfast, his face implacable as he continued to observe Study while keeping an eye on Twilight.

“Very well, princess,” said Study. “However, he must remain at the door, so as not to get in the way. We’ve already passed the allowable amount of ponies within one room by hospital standards. Even we can’t violate these rules any further without facing punitive charges.” Study turned and began walking down the hallway before anypony could utter another word.

“Well, that settles that,” muttered Twilight. Taking a step back, Twilight turned to face the guard with Spike on his back. “Spike, stay here with the guard, alright?”

Spike scrunched up his face but bobbed his head in understanding. Giving him a quick peck on the cheek, Twilight and the guards all trotted after Study, who remained standing at the far end of the hall.

“I hope that you’re prepared for what you’re about to see, princess,” said Study as the five ponies walked down another hallway. Odd chemicals and cleaning supplies wafted through the air, irritating Twilight’s nose. Study’s head swiveled behind her, and her eyes darted around, taking in everything around her. “The security of this incident cannot be made public; I can’t stress this enough, princess.”

A guttural cough, more like a bark, escaped from Edge, a clear indication of his displeasure of Study’s bluntness toward Twilight. Despite the vocal warning, she didn’t even take a glance back as she continued to talk. “We have no idea how credible the witnesses’ testimonies are, given the description of the chain of events.”

Deep Study halted in front of a door labeled with a purple cross on it. Several voices could be heard inside, loud enough to be heard through the door with clear precision. Whether it was the sudden realization that they had arrived or how she remained in the dark, Twilight felt her heart begin to beat like a war drum.

“Guards, keep your eyes peeled,” commanded Edge in his booming voice. The two positioned themselves on the sides of the door before Twilight could blink.

I don’t care what anypony says about the Royal Equestrian Guards; they sure take their job seriously. Letting Deep Study pass in front of her, Twilight entered the room. Four ponies in police uniforms were leaning against the walls, each sporting a polished police badge exactly like Deep Study’s. A white mare sporting a red cross for a cutie mark was changing out an IV bag on one of a patient hidden behind a curtain. The sound of an EKG monitor beeped at a set pace, a welcomed sign of hope in a hospital.

A caramel-colored doctor was busy reading off a clipboard hovering in the air with green magic. Pulling himself away from his papers, he finally noticed the newest additions to the room. “Princess Twilight, I’m glad to see you’ve arrived.”

At once, everypony leapt to their feet and rushed over to her. A white wing flew out, blocking the oncoming swarm of ponies from the princess. “Everypony stand back from Princess Sparkle, immediately.” Twilight couldn’t see, but she heard all of the ponies stepping away from him. Deep Study cursed under her breath as she shot Edge a disconcerting look.

“Guard, while I find your devotion to royalty admirable, I have to ask that you keep your tone in check around my patients,” snapped somepony from beyond Twilight’s vision. The white wing lowered itself, revealing the guard in a standoff with the doctor. “I’m considering that your one warning. Any future outburst will result in your immediate removal from my hospital, understand?”

Edge leered at the wizened doctor, almost as if he was about to attack him. “Understood.” Edge walked to the side of the room, keeping his eye on Twilight like a bird of prey.

Seeing as the mood had died down, Twilight presented herself to the doctor. “Twilight Sparkle, Ponyville Librarian and newest Princess of Equestria.”

The old pony dropped to a hoof in a bow before rising up with a toothy smile. “Doctor Set Right, Ph. D. and Director of Ponyville Hospital. It’s a pleasure to meet with you, princess. Mind you, I would like to ask that you keep your personal guards from breaking into my hospital in the remaining future.” Dr. Right’s bent horn lit up as he levitated the clipboard from his back.

“There is one question I want answers to, Dr. Right. What do you need me for? I’m not that well versed in medical practices to be of actual help.” While her modesty was in full display, Dr. Right chuckled as he laid a reassuring hoof on Twilight’s withers.

“I can assure you, Princess Twilight, that you will be an invaluable asset in this case.” Pulling back the curtain concealing the first patient, the doctor waved a hoof for Twilight to follow his lead. “Especially with what we’re currently dealing with, I need somepony whose magical expertise extends beyond conventional magical instruction.”

Twilight felt her heart skip a few beats as she saw the pony lying on the hospital bed. Filthy Rich, local businesspony and entrepreneur, had a breathing mask affixed to his muzzle. A large burn pattern ran down Rich’s side. Burnt hair was scattered around the white hospital sheets as the large black scar trailed across his body. Twilight winced, as she could see that the blackened tissue was set deep beneath the skin level. “What could have done this?” Twilight asked as she moved to Rich’s bedside.

“Exactly the problem, Princess. Fire, even magical, couldn’t have caused nerve damage to this level, if the Rich family is to believed.” Dr. Right produced a syringe from within his coat, the white liquid inside swirling inside almost if it was alive. “We’ve administered a hundred CC’s of magically-empowered morphine into his system to keep the pain at bay. Anything less has done nothing to keep our patient from screaming out in pain.”

While she investigated the widespread wound, Twilight shivered at the thought of being pumped full of a narcotic to keep the pain away. Small flecks of skin were scattered around the sheets, dotting the pristine bedsheets as she continued to observe Filthy Rich’s condition. The burns go deeper than the dermis level, searing off some of the nerve endings.

“Glad you’re not the squeamish type, princess. When he was first administered, we had to scrape away copious amounts of skin and sterilize the burn areas.” Placing a hoof above Rich’s side, the doctor checked his hoofwatch, muttering numbers beneath his breath. “Tell me, do you notice anything particularly odd about Mr. Rich’s burns?”

As Dr. Right stepped aside for her, Twilight took her place by Rich’s bedside. While not having an in-depth knowledge of equine physiology, she had a rudimentary understanding of minor injuries. Stray hairs dotted where the skin had been blackened. Red welts wept bodily fluids as they ruptured. Tracing over the outline, Twilight squinted, nitpicking every small detail she could see.

Wait a minute. Taking a step away from the hospital bed, a painful realization overtook Twilight as she saw what Dr. Right meant. At first glance, the injury spread out evenly across Rich. However, looking at it now from afar, it was obvious to see the composition of the wound. It formed a lopsided ring, retaining a healthier, bright shade of pink which grew darker as it centered on Rich’s ribcage.

“Unnerving, isn’t it,” croaked Dr. Right as he stroked the stubble on his chin in irritation. “Magical attack on a pony in their own home. A very serious crime indeed.” Writing down a quick note on his papers, Dr. Right hoofed over the clipboard to the nurse, who left the room in a blur.

“Which is exactly why we’re here, princess.” A squat police pony separated himself from the other officers against the wall and propped himself up on the bed railing. “The name’s Brief Case and I’ve heard all the jokes. I’m acting forensics specialist on this case, and there’s a few facts you need to be aware of.”

Case dove underneath Rich’s bed and reemerged with a cardboard box and a thick, red folder. “This is the current case file on the incident, along with an autopsy report hot off the press and ‘something’ worth looking at.”

Twilight felt her hooves tingle as whatever this ‘something’ was gave off a stomach-churning sensation. Unicorns could sense magical disturbances or high concentrations of magic with their horns. Since her ascension, this particular feeling had increased tenfold in her horn. “What’s in the box, Brief Case?” asked Twilight.

“Before we get to that, I’d like to go over the case summary with you. Deputy Deep, would you bring that table over to the front of the bed? Thank you, darling.” Deep did as she was told, while Case hoofed over his items to the remaining officers. “Last night, Ponyville Police Department had four visitors at our front doors. Two were conscious, while the other two were nearly banging on the white pony’s door if we hadn’t immediately gotten them here.”

Flipping open the case file, four pictures slid out towards Twilight. “These two,” said Brief, pointing a hoof at one elderly stallion and a pink mare with diamond earrings, “were carrying these two.”

Twilight picked up the photographs with her magic, keeping the pairs that Case had designated as separate. She remembered the first time coming back to Ponyville after her coronation. Filthy Rich had been waiting patiently, for hours she guessed, at the library to invite her to a private soiree of his. It hadn’t been the first and certainly not the last. Twilight didn’t exactly have any reason to hold anything against Mr. Rich.

As soon as she saw the other picture, Twilight nearly lost control and tore the picture in half. “Silver Spoon was injured, too?” The filly’s tortured smile in the picture almost looked as if she was suffering from something that the picture didn’t capture at the moment. She had seen the little filly in the library, quite frequently now for some reason.

“Yes, the daughter of Golden Knife and Bronze Fork. Ms. Spoon has already been treated and discharged from the hospital. Her injuries were incredibly light in comparison to his,” said Case, hiking a hoof towards Rich.

Pulling out another sheet, Case pulled out a black and white photograph as large as the papers inside. Several small ones had red circles drawn on them in marker. “This is the remains of the Rich Manor as of this morning. Fire crews were only just now able to contain the blaze before finally extinguishing it. From what we can tell, the fire started from the eastern wing of the manor and then leveled everything down to the foundation from there.”

Before Twilight could examine the photos, Case slammed down the box from earlier on the table. “This is one of two of the main reasons we needed you, princess.” Pulling back the flaps, the short stallion pulled out a jar that radiated a dim violet light.

“How... no. This can’t be! Is that what I think it is?” mumbled Twilight as her brain swore her eyes must be deceiving her.

A ball of purple fire danced wildly in the jar as it burned on a broken piece of wood. As it continued to burn, the fire never consumed more than what was in the jar. Case passed the jar over to Twilight, who snatched it up greedily. This is impossible, even with advanced unicorn magic in pyrokinesis.

“That’s been burning since last night, and it hasn’t gone out. We tried controlling the blaze with water, but it would reignite as soon as it went out,” explained Case. “We immediately used storm clouds that were seeded with an extinguishing agent. It’s been in development in Cloudsdale for a while now. Luckily enough, its dry run was a complete success.”

Turning the glass around in her hooves, she placed a hoof on the lid. Applying a small amount of pressure, she confirmed that the jar was sealed tight. No steady amount of oxygen was making its way inside to fuel the fire. “This is well beyond anything I’ve ever seen,” said Twilight in a mixed tone of fear and excitement. Her muzzle was so close to the glass that her breaths began to fog it.

“Princess Twilight, you’re one of the most well-versed magic users in Equestria. We weren’t sure if we should send this evidence to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and risk it fading away or ask an expert in the field to come here.” Deep Study whipped out a small notebook from inside the collar of her tie. Licking her lips, she pulled her attention away from what she was reading to properly address her. “There’s one final thing you need to be aware of.”

The finality in Deep’s voice struck hard, as if the words were going to be worse than somepony capable of wielding such dark magic. “And that would be?”

Deep Study sucked in a breath before hoofing over her notebook. “All four witnesses confirmed to seeing a white sheet flying in the kitchen and conjuring fire. Whatever this thing was, it didn’t resemble anything remotely equine in shape or form.”

Twilight’s head swam at the implications. As impossible as it sounds, the only creature in Equestria capable of flight and magic is an alicorn. Not to mention the level and type of magic in play here, there’s not much else it could be. There are no other alicorns in Equestria besides Celestia, Luna, Cadence and myself, right?

“Detectives, I thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will do everything I can to protect Equestria and make sure that the perpetrator is caught,” said Twilight, a strong sense of zeal in her voice. Wrapping the container within a sphere of dense magic, it vanished in a blink back to Twilight’s lab down below the library. “I’ll report any findings that I come across to you immediately, Deep.”

The four officers bowed their heads. “You have Ponyville’s Police Department’s gratitude, Princess Twilight. If you need anything pertaining to this case, we’ll keep our doors open all day and all night for you.”

Giving a small bow herself, Twilight began to walk out the door before coming to a quick halt. “There’s just one last thing before I go. You said that Filthy Rich and Silver Spoon were here in the hospital. I recognize Mr. Rich’s wife, Lustrous Pearl, and the family butler. So where’s Mr. Rich’s daughter, Diamond Tiara?”

One by one, each officer removed their respective hats and placed them across their chest. “I’m sorry to say, Princess Twilight, that she hasn’t been found yet.”

Twilight felt a knee jerking tug deep within her, unable to look the detective in the eye. Whatever had committed this crime would face the severest punishment in Equestria’s history.
> Diving into the Heart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time “Whoovius” Turner was a pony of high repute, despite living in such a rather rustic town such as Ponyville. Having taken up magical mechanical engineering at Baltimare University, a field dominated more than ninety percent by unicorns, making him a stallion of rare caliber. Even more so as he had  surpassed even those who had been given a full scholarship, Turner had received several awards alongside his doctorate, which was given by Celestia herself.  In pony, to him, at the graduation ceremony.

Some called it a waste of talent to have not taken up the many prestigious offers hoofed to the brilliant stallion when he graduated top of his class. Having settled down in his hometown of Ponyville, he had found solace with his wife and childhood sweetheart, Ditzy Hooves.

Since then, he occupied his time with fiddling with the Ponyville clock tower, a creation of his own design. Now and then, he’d receive letters from time to time, asking for his expertise whenever professors from his university faced a rather crippling problem. At times, he had to leave his wife and child behind, but he always returned, usually knocked onto his back with hugs before his hoof knocked on the door.

Regarding the doctor’s current situation, he was walking at a hurried pace to his brainchild, Ponyville Clock Tower. Anypony not familiar with Turner’s methods would’ve never come close to unlocking the door. Rather than a simple set of tumblers to safeguard the entrance, he decided on a much more, mind bending method, for a security system to ensure no pony would be able to trespass beyond his doors.

Three small bronze clocks with their hooves pointed at different times in a single column on the front door. “Time for your monthly maintenance inspection, old friend.” Pulling out a thin, metal tool with a crystal embedded in its end, Turner placed it against the hooves of the top clock.

He spun the hooves on the top clock so that it read eight o’ clock. Okay, month, day and time the maintenance begins. As he adjusted the remaining two clocks to their appropriate times, the tumblers shifted into place, setting off a series of metallic clinks.

Readjusting the straps on his tool bag, Turner whistled to himself as he pulled open the door and began his monthly routine. Traversing up the first flight, the only light that allowed Turner to see came from sun crystals that turned on as he passed by.

Hearts…

An unearthly chill nipped at his neck. A hollow voice whispered a word in the wind. Turner nearly lost his hoofing at the sound of this unseen visitor. He whipped out his crystal-powered tool and brandished it like an enchanted sword. He searched for the owner of the voice, but nothing was there.

Nerves are getting the best of me again. I hope. Resuming his duties, Turner continued on, stopping for a time to scan the area before continuing on his way. Machine oil struck his sensitive nose as he opened the latch to the top floor. Hoisting himself through the trapdoor, Turner dropped his bag to the floor. “Well now, let’s get started.”

Turner felt a craftsman’s pleasure as he began to dig into his work. The clicking of a ratchet, the screwing in of new bolts, it was a mechanical symphony that played out at the conductor’s hoofs that only he could hear. 

Tink.

A small pile of spare parts clattered to the floor from Turner’s work table. A pale form whisked past him, causing him to drop his oil can to the floor. Ignoring the growing spill for the moment,  Turner turned his focus elsewhere. He swore something was moving from beneath one of the balance wheels, next to the bell rope at the tower’s center. His mane stood on end as he watched whatever it was swerve up and down along the poles, inching its way towards the northern face of the clock.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A greyish figure hung in front of the glass outside, its shape distorted behind the paned glass of the clock’s face. Whipping out his screwdriver again, Turner tiphoofed towards the unknown creature, as the sound of the tapping increased.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Whatever was behind the glass was battering against his clock. Inching himself towards the exit door that led out to the terrace, Turner braced himself to tackle the unknown intruder. As the door creaked open, the shadowy assailant dropped down on him with relentless force. 

“Doc!”

The collision sent Time Turner careening backwards; he slammed against an immense gear twice the size of his torso. He found himself staring back into a golden, walleyed grin. The smell of baked goods clung to his attacker as they began to jump up and down on his stomach. “Doc! Doc! Doc!”

“Ditzy, oof, would you kindly, OOF, stop bouncing on top of me like a trampoline. Please?” asked Time Turner. He could feel his breakfast of muffins making its way back up his throat as his ribcage grew a divot. He could feel the life-giving air returning to his lungs as his bubbly wife ceased turning his bones into glue.

As Turner stood back up, Ditzy gave him a quick peck on the muzzle. “Doc, did you forget what today was?” asked Ditzy with an impish smile.

Oh, curse it all. Don’t tell me I forgot our anniversary again, especially after last year. I’m still paying off the damage to the Mayor’s Office for that little conundrum. “Look, Ditzy, I know I forgot last year but--”

“It’s Family Appreciation Day!” chirped the grey pegasus. Pulling her husband into a neck-breaking hug, she lifted him off the floor and nuzzled into his chest. “Our sweet little muffin is just waiting to show off her daddy to all of her little playmates.”

Oh, double drat. Little Dinky’s Family Appreciation Day at school. I’ve got to be the worst father of all time ever to have forgotten that. “Right. Of course, Ditzy. Just giving this old mare a quick look over before heading over to the school. Just hope I’m not going to be late.”

“No worries, doc.” Ditzy grabbed her husband around the waist and began to flap her wings as hard as she could.

“Wait, Ditzy, I haven’t--” started Turner before being whisked out the door and carried through the sky. Clasping his equipment bag to his chest, the clockmaker watched as the ground blurred beneath his hooves. He half-wondered if his wife could feel his heart playing a full ensemble as it tried to fly out of his chest.

Guess I’ll finish everything up tonight, I suppose. Relinquishing his thoughts of where he had left off, Turner looked off into the distance to see the roof of Ponyville Elementary coming into sight. Right, time to put on a smile for our little filly’s schoolmates, Turner.


- - - - -


The perpetual grinding of metal rung out as Ponyville Clock Tower continued to chronicle the time. Gears spun, springs coiled and the bronze bell engraved with a sun and a moon hung high above, a gift from the princesses themselves upon its completion.

A cloaked figure slithered out from the wooden floor, the white hood looking from side to side. Phantom opened his senses, feeling out any more hearts within the area. He had followed the pony up every flight of stairs as soon as it had entered. Oddly to him, he could’ve sworn that there were two hearts inside of it.

Casting away the abnormality from his thoughts, Phantom rose up to the bell hanging high above supported by a hemp rope. His tiny black claws traced over the symbols, raking against the cold metal. All over this tiny village, these same pictures decorated everything, from the biggest structures to even the most mundane object.

After his recent feeding, a few of his old powers and features had returned to him. Flexing his required digits once again, Phantom clasped his black, smoky hands together. The sensation of touch was so foreign to him since he had lost these appendages. His cloak was less worn but still looked mangled and weather-worn. Pulling his cloak’s flaps apart, Phantom looked down to see a white orb with a pink heart beating inside.

Grasping the heart container with one claw, Phantom plunged his other claw inside. Memories deep within his collection of hearts poured into his mind. So much information was carried within a heart. The beasts were of no great source, but the pony, she was a fount of knowledge. Names of others, places, every significant detail imaginable was recorded deep inside of every living creature’s heart. Phantom sorted each memory as he tried to glean the information he was desperate to find.

Give me…your secrets. Images ran through his mind: tastes, textures and smells. It was all here. Everything that made Diamond Tiara was chronicled here, what shaped her into what she was. Memories long forgotten, others that frequently resurfaced and played out. The search was a nearly endless labyrinth of countless pictures with their own story to tell him. The longer he went on, the greater it was for him to divine what he sought.

A quick flash of a sun materialized. There!

Phantom clamped down hard on the heart container, trying to stabilize the memory. A large pony, towering over the one he saw in the heart’s memory. It wore a collar of gold with a large gem embedded in its center. Its mane was oddly alive, fluttering on its own accord. On its backside was an exact replica of the sun symbol that was on the bell.

Both of the ponies were sitting down on a wooden bench. Diamond Tiara was hugging herself as the white horse draped a wing over her in a sympathetic gesture. The pony had both a horn and a set of wings sprouting from its back. Perhaps it was a hybrid of some sort, a rarity amongst its kind. Magenta eyes, filled with love, eased the pink earth pony’s mind as the two talked.

Who… are you..? White buildings dominated the scenery as hundreds of ponies, wearing varying articles of clothing, walked the streets. Phantom watched as the memory played out through the eyes of Diamond Tiara as she followed behind the white pony. This ‘Celestia,’ as she was named, talked of some huge event that she was about to participate in.

Celestia’s mouth moved, but no sound came out of it. Phantom pressed his claws deeper into the heart, forcing it to yield its secrets to him as sound began to play. It was distorted at first, but now the voice began to sync and match with Celestia’s mouth.

-nd I’m sure that once other little fillies and colts get to know you better, I’m sure that they’ll warm up to you. Remember, Miss Tiara, changing one’s self is the hardest challenge anypony can overcome. I know you can do it, you just have to give the other fillies and colts at your school some time to see the real you. Celestia’s angelic voice distorted somewhat every odd word, as if the memory had been repressed, but it was clear to Phantom that the events played out perfectly.

Memory Diamond Tiara wiped a tear from her eye. Thank you, your majesty. Fear, sadness, regret. Inside of the pink filly was a twisting band of dark emotions tied around her heart at this moment. Phantom waited patiently, taking in everything as he tried to glean a key source of information. An event such as this…means many hearts…

Oh, no need to thank me. I love all of my little ponies equally. Now then, we need to head to the town square. It wouldn’t be good to show up late; the nobles would be sent into a tizzy. I find it so tiring to keep with popular demand, here in-

Ding! Dong! Ding!

NO! The vision shattered like a broken mirror and distorted until there was nothing. Trying to draw on the heart again, Phantom failed to discern the exact memory. Releasing a shrill wail that rang louder than even the bell, Phantom felt an immense rage take over him. Purple fire shot out of his claws.

Regaining his cool, Phantom flew over to the northern clock face. The sun had fallen beyond the mountains, and the white moon was now locked into the sky.

I hunger… Phantom phased through the glass and disappeared into the night sky as he began his hunt for more hearts. If this Celestia was well-loved through the eyes of a foal (a term he picked up from the hearts), then surely more ponies would give him the knowledge to find her.


> Black Flowers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily Valley was in a good mood, all things considered. After arranging a floral bouquet for a new couple, a griffoness and pegasus stallion, her chest was absolutely bursting with joy. “Nothing cements a wedding better than a perfect flower arrangement. It’s the small things that make it worthwhile,” Lily said to herself as she pulled a spare forget-me-not from her bag and placed it in her amber mane alongside her trademark lily.

As she skipped to an unheard song, she felt a small twinge of cold ruffle her pink hair. Stopping for a minute, she heard only silence, so she resumed her return home. Huh, guess my heads in the clouds again. Reaching the front door, Lily rapped against the door.

“Well now, look who’s back,” said the cream-colored mare who opened up the door.

“Good to see you too, Roseluck.” Sharing a hug, Lily walked past her sister. “I’m surprised to see the shop up and running. Especially after last time you were left in charge.”

Roseluck rolled her eyes as she shut the door behind her. “One time, one time that happens, and it wasn’t entirely my fault. If Fluttershy could just put a leash on those stupid rabbits, we wouldn’t have lost nearly all our stock.”

“Don’t be so hard on Flutters, Rose. Besides, Applejack and Fluttershy paid for everything those little monsters ate.” A green-maned pony wearing a dirt-covered apron peeked her head through the doorway, a watering can held in her mouth. “If it wasn’t for Applejack siccing that mutt of hers on those poor bunnies, none of that would’ve happened.” Daisy leaned past the arch, keeping her hooves on the other side inside of the indoor greenhouse. Specific plants needed to be regulated and kept away from the harsher elements or even risked being eaten after a freak parasprite infestation a few years ago.

Ignoring Daisy’s bunny phobia, Lily released her green saddlebags to the floor. “Well, I dare say that the flower triplets may just be able to expand outside of Ponyville,” she announced. Rose and Daisy squeaked with joy at the wonderful news. It was no secret that the three wanted to spread their floral decorations across Equestria.

“You won’t believe who decided to place an order already with a down payment.” Pulling out a thick booklet from her saddlebag, Lily tossed it open onto the kitchen counter. "Take a good look at the signature."

Rose snapped up the book before Daisy could muddy it with her hooves. “TheFancy Pants? He was there?”

“I know right? Turns out he’s friends with the groom and even gave his own blessing on the marriage. Big surprise, seeing some big-time noble at an interspecies wedding,” said Lily. The sound of coins knocking against each other seized her sisters’ attention as she deposited a bag of bits on the table next to Rose. “With this, we could even afford a shop in central Manehatten.”

Nearby residents all leapt out of theirs seats and beds from the resounding scream of joy bursting from Ponyville’s flower shop. As the sound of laughter died down, Lily headed up the stairs, while Roseluck began to count the bits.

“Don’t try skimming off any extra coins into your pockets, Rosey,” called out Daisy. “I’m heading out to the greenhouse. Don’t lock me out again.”





Humming a small tune to herself as she donned a set of galoshes and her overcoat, Daisy opened the greenhouse door and took in the exotic smells of foreign flora gathered from the farthest reaches of Equestria. Zecora is going to be here, bright and early like usual. Need to make sure that I get her herbs boxed tonight.

After finally clearing up the odd rumors swirling around Ponyville about Zecora, the Flower Triplet had been very welcoming of her advice. Having dwelt in the Everfree for a few years, Zecora seemed to cultivate flowers better than even Applejack knew how to grow apples. She checked the sprinkler system to release the correct amount of water during the night and began to harvest the list of herbs that Zecora requested.

Krack-Koom!

Daisy nearly popped right out her boots at the sudden sound of thunder, followed by a shower of rain washing over the greenhouse. Stupid freak storms from the Everfree. Pegasi can manipulate clouds, but they can’t put up a storm barrier around a town like Canterlot? Shaking off the small case of jitters, the earth pony halted immediately at a bothersome smell.

She pointed her nose high in the air and let her senses guide her towards the source. A small pot, alone and easily overlooked, was smoking on a wooden table stand by the back entrance. The tip of the stalk emitted a red glow, and dark grey smoke hissed upward from it.

Treading cautiously towards the back, Daisy glanced towards the front glass door. Both locks still remained bolted, and none of the panes on the roof were open. “If this is some kind of prank, Rainbow Dash, you’re going to have to pay to replace that.” The only response was the roaring of rolling thunder and crackle of the lightning outside. She doused the blackened stalk with a quick splash from a watering can and deposited the dead plant into a compost heap.

“What a waste,” she grumbled as she pulled out a fresh bag of fertilizer. Dropping in a few scoops of the bag’s contents inside of the pot, Daisy began sorting through her seed packets in the drawer bins. Another flash of lightning lit up the scene, and something reflected in the glass pane. She hurtled the soil-filled pot with a swing of her foreleg, which sailed through the empty air before exploding harmlessly into several shards on the floor.

What’s beating louder, the storm or my heart? Seeing as she was by her lonesome, Daisy grabbed a broom and a dust pan and began to sweep up her mess. If Rose or Lily find out, I’m never going to hear the end of this.

As Daisy filled up the pan, she turned around and was greeted by the most horrific sight of her life. A blackened claw clasped around her withers, lifting her up like a foal. Her eyes peered into a void beneath a white hood, but she knew something was there. The monster’s claws clenched tighter against her pink body, but she couldn’t utter a single syllable.

Who…is…Celestia?

A wail of terror reverberated through the glass walls as Daisy remembered her voice.





“Daisy!” cried out Roseluck. She threw open the door of the greenhouse, shattering the glass inside of it. Roseluck felt the world fade to gray as a white monster released Daisy from its claws only to see her fade away. A bright pink light flashed and fizzled out as the creature’s head turned to meet her gaze.

Roseluck felt her legs turn to jelly as the creature made its way towards her. Grabbing whatever she could from the table next to the door, she hefted a large bright bulb at her attacker. The swollen plant collided and burst into a cloud of golden pollen. The white monster screamed out in pain, clawing at the cloud to no avail.

Seeing her chance to escape, Roseluck ran out of the greenhouse. Rain soaked her body as she ran into the house and bolted down the door, throwing a cabinet in front of it for good measure. Panting as her lung began to burn, Roseluck slumped to the side. Her mind was racing faster than the Wonderbolts as the scene repeated itself behind her closed eyes.

“Rose, what the fluff is going on down there?” Lily ran down the steps, a red hairbrush caught in her golden mane.

“Lilly, we need to call the guards,” said Roseluck as she pulled herself up.

“What? What’s going on? Did something happen in the greenhouse? Where’s Daisy?”

“LILLy! There’s no time! Something broke into the greenhouse and snatched up Daisy,” cried Roseluck, shaking her vigorously.

“Rose, there’s nothing there,” responded Lily as she shot an accusing hoof towards the still-open backdoor, flapping wildly in the wind.

The door to the greenhouse clattered to the ground, small shards of glass spread out across the lawn. Rain pattered down, soaking the wooden floor as the elements raged on. There was no sign of the white creature that had spirited away Daisy in sight. “No, no. Where did it go? Where is it?”

“Okay. Ha, ha. Very funny, you two. Whatever game this is, it’s coming out of your pockets, not mine, to fix everything.” Taking her leave with her nose high up in the air, Lily strutted out of the room and back upstairs.

Roseluck remained seated on the floor, dumbfounded by her youngest sister’s words. She rushed outside again, thencrept towards the greenhouse. Peeking inside, not even the smallest trace remained of her ghostly attacker. Nothing was there; not under the tables, behind the gardening equipment. Where did you go? Spores from the Everfree Burst Berry coated the ground where she had thrown the flowerpot earlier. Golden mites covered the ground, glowing softly in the pale moonlight.

Ahhhh!

Before she could ponder the situation any longer, a pained cry rented Roseluck’s thoughts. 

Whipping her head around, a bright pink light flashed and vanished. Just like before with Daisy. "NO!” Roseluck grabbed another bulb and charged into the house, cupping the red projectile in hoof. No sooner had she stepped a hoof through the doorway than she saw it. It hovered there, a lily clasped tightly in a blackened claw. It toyed with the flower, twirling the white petals between its digits. The oil lantern hanging high above flickered, as if this creature’s presence sucked the light out of the room.

Fwiss.

Burnt petals drifted to the ground, crinkling into ashes as they touched the floor. With a quick jerk of its hooded head, the assailant bolted forward. Surrender your heart.

Throwing herself to the side, Roseluck chucked the bulb with all of her earth pony might. It whizzed through the air, deadlocked on the white creature. Right before Rose’s attack made contact, the creature slashed out at the bulb with its gnarled claws. A golden cloud burst out, obscuring Roseluck’s vision. Keeping low to the ground, she crawled out the door and ran.

Gotta find a guard. Somepony, anypony that can help. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she ran blindly in the night. She could feel the tears building around her eyes as she struggled onward. A wave of vertigo took over as her steps grew weaker, sending her spiraling into the ground. She felt the cold touch of metal against her shoulder.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” A voice called out to her, but she couldn’t reply. Her throat felt parched, crackling as she tried to form the words to warn whoever was coming to her aide. She opened an eye and saw a white pegasus, clad in royal guard armor, fly down towards her.

“Are you in need of assistance, ma’am?” he asked as he lowered his helmeted head and placed a well-polished hoof against her foreleg. For a small moment, she felt warmth from the strong aura coming from the guard.

Whish.

Roseluck sprung up, her innate survival instinct screaming for her to run having returned. Before she could take one step, the guard grabbed her tightly. “Ma’am, I don’t want to use force, so please cooperate.”

“Please, please. We have to get out of here. That thing’s coming,” pleaded Roseluck as she tried to remove the guard’s iron grip.

“Are you saying you’re were just recently assaulted, ma’am?”

“I-“ A white flash appeared above the streetlight. Roseluck felt an invisible shackle snare itself around her throat. The creature had finally caught up with her.

“Who are you? Come down here at once,” called out the guard, his voice taking on a more commanding tone.

Heh, heh, heh…

“I am Sargeant Silent Edge of the Royal Equestrian Guard, in service to Princess Celestia.” Kicking up off the ground, Edge thrust his spear towards the mysterious creature. “Consider yourself under arrest!”

Letting out a frightening hiss, the creature weaved around, narrowly missing Edge’s assault. 

Celestia…Celestia… it repeated to itself. Show me, Celestia! Letting out a soul-rattling wail, the creature raised its claws above its head as it lunged at Edge.