> Son of Sombra
>  by Stargazer42
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Marshal Saber sir,” Lieutenant Fire Shine said snapping to attention and slightly panting “sir. Begging to report.”

“What is it Lieutenant?” Field Marshal Frost Saber said nonchalantly.

“Sir,” he said excitedly “the war’s over. The king has just announced it. We can…go home sir.”

Frost Saber paused and thought. It had been two years. Two long years since he had seen his son Lock Light. He wondered how big he’d gotten. Had he learn to fly faster than the other Pegasi in the Crystal Empire? He didn’t know, but he was secretly excited to find out. 
He nodded toward Fire Shine “Good job Lieutenant,” he said “inform the troops. We’re going home.”

Frost Saber boarded the train which would take them to the capital.  When they finally arrived after two days, amid the cheering crowds was one Pegasus flying above them which caught his eye. A pudgy butternut tan, black maned foal with a…was that a…cutie mark?

Field Marshal Frost Saber was ecstatic. Before he left, his son was a blank flank, and now he had his cutie mark. Lock Light caught his father’s eye, and dashed over tumbling into his arms as they rolled over each other on the platform. Laughing together, Lock Light shouted “Dad, dad! I got my cutie mark!”

“Really son?” Frost Saber exclaimed trying unsuccessfully to feign surprise “what is it?”

“Do you wanna know how I got it?”

“Well,” Saber said bouncing up and down with his son “first, tell me what it is.”

“It’s a golden bow shooting an arrow shaped like a key!” Lock Light said “now do you want to know how I got it?”

“Yes son,” Marshal Saber said smiling “tell me about it, on our way home.”

They trotted out of the crowds, though only an earth pony, Marshal Saber proudly carried his own suitcases and bags in a cart just like every other pony. He didn’t do anything himself which he wouldn’t ask of his soldiers, and they loved him for it. Lock Light flew around in lazy circles, in front, above, to left and right, all the while relating his story of how he got his cutie mark.

“…and then,” Lock Light said “then I was like swoosh! And then I shot the arrow and I got my cutie mark after that, because, I had spent all day in trying to find out how to get that perfect shot, and instead of trying and failing like the other ponies, I read everything I could about archery and applied it and the moment I hit the bulls-eye, it just suddenly appeared!”

“That’s just great son,” Saber said “that’s fantastic! Now, what would you like for dinner?”

“Mmmm,” Lock Light pondered “how about, some hay burgers?”

“Haven’t you had enough of those already son?” Saber retorted.

“Good point,” Lock Light said “probably, wanna just have some fresh vegetables I got from the garden? I’ve been doing a good job of tending it while you were away.”

“That will do us just fine son,” Saber said as they approached their little stone cottage. Lock Light darted in and got the cooking fire going, he then put a cooking pot over the fire, and promptly made a vegetable soup. Marshal Saber tasted it, and his face brightened.

“Son,” he asked “where did you learn to cook like this?”

“My teacher taught me,” Lock Light said “I never told her that I was living alone, and said that mom needed a new recipe, so I asked if she could teach me.”

Frost Saber felt a large lump in his throat at the memory of the loss of his wife, when he suddenly shook his head and asked “You’ve lived alone for two years?”

“Yeah,” Lock Light said nonchalantly “I didn’t want a babysitter for that long, I’d seen the other foals…”

“But you could have been killed!” Frost Saber said standing up furious “I thought I had arranged everything! Why didn’t obey me! I just wanted to keep you safe!”

“I know,” Lock Light said hanging his head “but…I also knew that if I’d did everything you’d taught me, and that if I’d follow the rules of our home…then…I’d be okay. And, here I am.”

Frost Saber looked down at his brave son, and suddenly, embraced him with tears coming to his eyes “Oh,” he said “I’m sorry son. It’s just that if I lost you, I would have lost the last thing that I loved in this whole world.”

Embracing him back Lock Light cried “I’m just glad you’re home dad.”

With that, they let go and began eating together again. That night, Lock Light had slept more soundly than he had ever done in two years. His father, after all this time, was finally home.

Marshal Saber on the other hand wasn’t having a great dream. The clash of swords, the whoosh of arrows and the bashing of shield against armor raged in his mind. He tossed and turned in his bed as he worried about what may have happened to his son. In his dream, he was fighting a yak, a gigantic one. He had four eyes and stomped around him crushing his soldiers. He screamed “No!”

Waking up, he found himself in a cold sweat. He looked down at his son and saw him curled up next to him, fast asleep. He smiled. The war is over, he thought they’re all memories now. He wiped his brow with a hoof, tucked his son in again. And fell asleep.
The next morning they got up. Even though the war was over, Lock Light still had to attend school. 

They were going on a field trip that day, Frost Saber volunteered to act as a second chaperone for the trip into the Crystal Mountains. In a high mountain pass, after about two hours walk, they were attacked by Chimera. The beast leapt down from the cliff edge from where it had been stalking the group and pounced on the back of Frost Saber. Frost Saber valiantly fought the beast, though he was clearly outmatched. The foals and the other chaperone fled to a small cave that was beside the trail and hid themselves. The Chimera slashed left and right, but Frost Saber taunted him, trying to lead him away from the foals. When the Chimera caught sight of easier pray and stalked towards them.

Frost Saber head butted him and stent him skidding across the trail. There was still some snow fall above the cave roof, so Frost flew up and kicked it down in a small avalanche, which protected the foals. Lock Light, desperate to help his only family, tried to dig his way out of the snow, but the other foals and the chaperone held him back. He screamed, he bit, he fought, and kicked, but nothing would make them let go. The snow had only partially covered the entrance, and a small hole, big enough for him to poke his head out was open. He did so and saw his father still fighting off the Chimera. His father met his eyes and worked his way to him so that his back was almost touching the snow wall. He then said to Lock Light ‘Remember this my son, I’ll always love you, always protect your friends and family!’ Lock Light screamed ‘Dad!’ and Frost Saber was slashed in the back from behind. The Chimeraroared in triumph as Lock Light screamed in terror.

Lock Light, his sloppy mane folding over his forehead causing him to constantly brush it away, his eyes brimming with tears as he struggled and fought out of the tiny hole to go to the cliff’s edge. He stared downwards, but he saw nothing. He tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but eventually, he broke down in tears. The next pony to follow him, was another Pegasus, he was black, except for bolts of white lightning on his hoofs and in his mane. He trotted over and asked him “Are you alright?”

“No,” Lock Light said “my dad is dead.”

“I’m sorry,” the other foal said putting his arm around him “would you like some help?”

“I don’t know how you can help me,” Lock Light said “I…”

“LOCK LIGHT,” a harsh voice said from behind the snow barrier “get back here this instant! Step AWAY from that edge!”

“I won’t go!” Lock Light said standing up indignantly and wiping away his tears “my dad died protecting us, and this is where he fell. I wanted to see...”

“There could be another Chimera about,” the chaperone said also coming out “you will stay with the rest of the group. We’re going back to the Royal Palace.”

“I’ll go when I want to go,” Lock Light said glaring up at his chaperone, who was also his teacher “my dad died today, don’t you get it!”

“I understand your grief,” the chaperone said “but we’ll ALL get in trouble.”

“Don’t worry Miss Prim,’ said the pony next to Lock Light “I’ll see to that father doesn’t punish any of us.”

“Your majesty,” said Miss Prim “I doubt that your father…”

“Could see reason from his own son?”

“Well,” Miss Prim said “you’re only a foal…”

“You forget your place ma’am,” the pony said “I AM your superior. You swore fealty to my father and therefore to me. YOU will do as I say, whether you like it, approve of it, or desire of it or not.”

“Yes, your highness,” Miss Prim said sheepishly.

The prince turned to face Lock Light “What would you like to do now Lock?”

“Could we just wait here a little bit? I’d like to spend some time…”

“I understand,” turning to face the rest of them “we’ll wait here for a few minutes until Lock Light has recovered, and then, he will lead us back down.”

Lock Light looked up at his new friend “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“White Lightning old chap,” he said lifting his hoof as Lock Light shook it “and don’t worry, as I said, I understand.” ===================================================================================================
Several years later, Lock Light and White Lightning flew over the rooftops of the Crystal Empire, zigzagging through lamp posts, and darting through the back allies of their home. White Lightning, a fully fledged Alicorn now, looked back at his brother “Last one to the colosseum is bird turd,” he exclaimed.

Lock Light spurred his wings to go faster and shot past White Lightning “Not if I can help fat belly!”

White Lightning flew so fast that they were neck and neck. They both broke the sound barrier and several windows as they shot towards the main court yard of the Crystal Castle. A pony drawing a heavy cart loaded with mason bricks was walking in the middle of their flight path. White Lightning looked worried, but Lock Light grinned and sped onwards. Not to be outdone by his brother, White Lightning flew parallel with him. The pony drawing the cart looked up and spooked, but his cart got caught on a cobblestone he couldn’t get over. Trying desperately to get out of the way, he ducked, and White Lightning and Lock Light shot over his head like twin ballista bolts. The cart pony looked back at them, and breathed a sigh of relief, when the sonic boom slammed right into him and knocked him over and smashed his cart, spilling all of the bricks. Getting up, he shook his hoof at the two princes as they dashed headlong for the castle.

Once there, they both flew under the central archway, and split up, Lock Light going right and White Lightning going left, then together, they slammed through the doors which led to the main balcony and skidded to a halt. The older ponies of the court, which were heading towards them and about to shoo them out of the way, were suddenly knocked back on their haunches because of the sonic boom which burst in and shattered all of the stained glass. Laughing uproariously, they both trotted over towards the entrance to the lower halls, when they were confronted by King Sombra.

Looking at both of them, he gestured and said “Colts, to my throne room, at once!”

In King Sombra’s throne room, he looked at both of them, closed his eyes, and sighed “Why,” he said “must I have to deal with such reckless and fool hardy sons as you two.”

“Father,” White Lightning said “we weren’t in any harm.”

“Yes,” he retorted “perhaps you weren’t. But others were. Though I may rule this kingdom with an iron hoof, I will not have it destroyed because of your arrogance and negligence.”

“Father,” Lock Light said “I am the one who challenged White Lightning. Please, let me face the blame.”

“No,” White Lightning interjected “you’re right father. I am the one to blame, and will take my responsibility.”

“Why must it always be you,” Lock Light said “why can’t I share your responsibility brother, after all, it takes two to make a disaster.”

“Silence!” King Sombra shouted, and then he looked at them both, embraced them both, and smiled “my sons. If anything were to happen to you. I don’t know what I would do. You, White Lightning, the heir to my throne, and you Soldier’s Son. I love you both as my foals. But you must be more responsible. For one day, I will die, and be lost forever, and you will have to rule in my stead.”

White Lightning and Lock Light looked at each other, silently mouthing their father’s words to each other. They’d heard the lecture a thousand times.

“I will punish neither of you,” King Sombra said finally when he let go of them “for I see that no wrong was done, nor justice need satisfying. However, I’m sure that you will attend the welcoming ceremony that I have for our dignitaries from Equestria tonight?”

“Certainly father,” they both responded.

“Because White Lightning,” King Sombra said facing him “today, I will announce you as my one true heir, formally and officially, in front of the entire Empire. Are you ready for our Tournament?”

“Yes father,” White Lightning said standing to attention.

“No you’re not,” King Sombra said arrogantly “if you were ready then you would have been training up until I sounded the start of the tournament instead of wasting time with your brother.”

White Lightning put his head down and stood there ashamed. King Sombra looked at him and said “You both have my permission to go.”
White Lightning walked out of the court room and slammed the door with his magic. Lock Light still stood there. Quizzically, King Sombra asked “Why are you still here my son?”

“Father,” Lock Light said “why can’t I also share responsibility and blame for the faults and problems which I bring to both White Lightning and I? Surely, it mustn’t always be his fault.”

“He must learn responsibility my son,” King Sombra said “you are a stronger and faster flyer than he will ever be, perhaps, even a better fighter. But he will be king one day, even as I am king. He must learn to control his emotions, but above all, to judge wisely and to act on it when he has done so.”

“But father,” Lock Light said “must he always have this burden?”

“The one who is king,” King Sombra said “will always carry the blame. History, will be written by those who survive to write it. Those who seek to lay blame and call one evil or good, great or lesser, are mere irrelevant scholars who know nothing of what it takes to rule and govern a nation with a scepter. Neither a prince nor king can rule, if they have not the heart for it.”

“But can’t one also have the heart to show compassion father?” Lock Light asked.

“Compassion is for those who are weak my son,” King Sombra said “love and fealty, loyalty and respect, are attributes of those who are at heart, weak. One cannot be king and have such feelings son, for sometimes, a king must decide to do what is best for his country, when others would shrink from the prospect.”

King Sombra nodded at him and Lock Light bowed and left the throne room.

The ceremony for that night was for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna who were the Diarchy of Equestria. They were attending the Royal Tournament of Champions. Only the best fighters and flyers could attend. They were drawn from the furthest corners of the Empire for Sombra’s pleasure, and it was in this tournament, that Lock Light wished to participate. He couldn’t formally, because he was a member of the royal family, and traditionally, it was a right of passage for the heir of the throne to fight in and win. Whomever won, received the title of heir to the Empire.

He knew that he probably wouldn’t win, that was White Lightning’s job. White Lightning was a good flyer and had a strong kick, but Lock Light always let him win at the last minute, just so that White Lightning could save face with their father. It was more important for him to do that than anything else. 

White Lightning stood behind the doors which led into the colosseum. He was shaking slightly, with nervousness, and Lock Light flew up to him. Startled White Lightning said “Hey, watch it.”

“Sorry,” Lock Light said “did I scare you?”

“Scare? Me?” White Lightning laughed nervously “why would I be nervous on a day like this? If I lose, I won’t be proclaimed heir. Well, maybe, but it won’t be a clean reception and father will be irate with me if I don’t…”

“Then don’t think about it,” Lock Light said punching him in the shoulder “you’ll do just fine, just take a breath and kick rump!”

“That’s easy for YOU to say,” White Lightning said “YOU’RE not actually IN this tournament.”

“Oh really?” Lock Light said taking out a mask and putting it on while flying slowly away “let’s just say, let the best pony win and I’ll see you on the field.”

“Hey!” White Lightning shouted after him, but at that moment King Sombra’s voice bellowed over the combat grounds.

“Mares and stallions,” King Sombra “tonight, we have the honor of two Princesses from the land of Equestria joining us, for our Royal Tournament of Champions!”

The crowds cheered and went wild, as King Sombra continued “Please welcome, before our presence, is Princess Celestia and Princess Luna who are the Royal Sisters of Equestria. They will be joining me, as we watch this tournament, which has brought the toughest, the meanest, the fastest, and the brightest fighters from within the borders of the Crystal Empire! The stage is set, the pace is established, let the tournament BEGIN!!”

The doors slid open, and one hundred fighters stepped out and immediately began attacking each other. The ponies cheered or booed one fighter or another. In the sky, Lock Light, now wearing his blue mask, knocked out two other Pegasi with four swift kicks and they fell. The earth ponies down below finished them off. He scanned the floor and saw White Lightning desperately fighting three other ponies. He slashed and stabbed with his horn but he wasn’t going to last long. Lock Light dove and pounded one of White Lightning’s attackers to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. He kicked the other in the back right leg and then across the chin. 

White Lightning recovered and kicked the last assailant to the ground by kicking at his knees. He looked at the strange pony with the blue mask, who suddenly winked at him. Understandingly, they jumped up and flew together. Lock Light bowled several attackers over and they leapt into the fray, legs kicking, teeth biting, horns stabbing, and soon, there were only six ponies left. One, who was three times the size of Lock Light, charged at him bellowing a war cry. Lock Light darted upward at the last second, and the pony’s spear caught the pony who was attacking White Lightning in the face. White Lightning broke the spear in two, and Lock Light kicked the pony in the back of the head. There were now four others apart from them. White Lightning and Lock Light fought back to back, two ponies each. They wheeled around like a furious windmill of horns and hoofs, their wings beating so strongly that they created a miniature tornado which sucked in the remaining attackers and launched them out of the arena. Panting, and breathing hard, they started to laugh, when King Sombra’s voice brought them back to reality,

“Mares and stallions,” he said “I give you your final contestants. Who will be proclaimed heir to my throne? Let’s find out, let the winner bleed the other to the death!”

They looked at each other, but White Lightning was suddenly back on his feet and ready to go, Lock Light braced himself, and they charged at each other. Their horns flashing in the bright light of the arena, both bruised and battered, worn out through continuous fighting which had lasted a good ten hours. But suddenly, White Lightning tripped on the body of a fallen fighter and collapsed face first on the ground. Lock Light stood over White Lightning, who was groaning and slowly getting up. 

“What are you waiting for contestant,” King Sombra said “finish him!”

Lock Light looked up. All around him the voices of the ponies were chanting “Finish him, finish him, finish him!”

Then, Lock Light walked over White Lightning and helped him up. The crowd booed and King Sombra was incensed exclaiming “What?”

He teleported down to the arena floor from his box seat and slammed a hoof into masked Lock Light’s chest, knocking him down asking “Who are YOU to defy me?!”

“Father,” White Lightning said rushing to Lock Light’s side “please, don’t hurt him.”

“You coward,” King Sombra shouted at White Lighting “how dare you stop me from killing him!”

“But father,” White Lightning began, but at that moment Lock Light removed his mask.

The crowd gasped. King Sombra was shocked into silence. A deadly calm hushed the entire arena. Sombra looked from one pony to the next, and then asked “How…did this…happen?”

“I planned it father,” Lock Light said, getting up slowly and standing rigidly before him “I wanted to see how well I’d do in your tournament. I didn’t know I would make it to be the last pony, but it should be White Lightning who has the honor. He is YOUR heir.”

King Sombra turned his back on them and said “Heir, no longer.”

“What?” White Lightning exclaimed “you can’t do that father!”

“I can,” King Sombra said turning back and facing them with passionate fury “because I AM KING. My word is law, and my will is my word! You may be an Alicorn White Lightning, and you may even be my flesh and blood, but you are NOT, MY, HEIR!”

His words echoed across the stadium which caused every pony within earshot to flinch, but they daren’t do anything to obvious. They could be killed for even flinching in Sombra’s current mood.

“Father,” White Lightning began but Sombra cut him off with a gesture.

“Mares and stallions,” he said shouting “today, I was going to appoint the heir to my throne, your future king and the one who would have proven themselves worthy to take my place when I am gone. I hereby name, with my authority and my power, in front of all of you, my subjects as witnesses, Lock Light, the son of Frost Saber, to be my heir and Prince of the Crystal Empire!”

The ponies remained silent. Princess Celestia nodded towards Princess Luna, and silently, they teleported out of the castle and then flew off into the night back towards Equestria .White Lightning, tears of hot fury running down his cheeks, choked as he said “But father, Lock Light would then have to be an Alicorn. He’s only a Pegasus, he can’t be royalty unless he’s…”

“Then let it be so,” King Sombra said as his eyes glowed white and his horn did likewise. Lock Light screamed as a tormenting pain in his forehead grew and grew. He shut his eyes, fell into blackness, and remembered nothing more.
> Lock Light is Called
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The next morning Lock Light woke up with a sore headache. He stood up, and reeled back from a looking glass. On his head was…a…horn. He poked at it, it was his bones alright. But what could he do with it?

“You can cast magic spells now,” White Lightning said sounding annoyed “you’re the King’s favorite, you have to now learn magic. It’s part of being royal.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t remember last night?” White Lightning said “you REALLY don’t remember?”

“I…” Lock Light began but White Lightning slammed him on the floor and pressed hard with one hoof down on his chest.

“The night you ruined, my life?” he asked his voice oozing in loathing and contempt.

“White Lightning,” Lock Light said “I never meant.”

“Never meant?” White Lightning retorted “after all I did for you? Convincing father to let you live with us? Being your friend? Of being your BROTHER?!”

“I never meant…”

“What?” White Lightning “you mean, you never WANTED any of this to happen? Don’t make me laugh brother.”

“I swear by anything that I didn’t,” Lock Light said pleading “I just wanted to see how well I’d do in the tournament that’s all.”

“Your highness,” a stern voice from behind them called “unhand the Heir to the Crystal Empire at once or be thrown into prison on your father’s orders.”

“Father can go boil in a pit of lava,” White Lightning said.

“Lightning,” Lock Light said “father’s always been fair with us…”

“With YOU,” White Lightning said “you’ve always been his favorite, he even TOLD me so after the tournament yesterday. He said he was glad for an excuse to get RID of me.”

“But that’s not how I feel brother,” Lock Light said getting up “please understand…”

“I’ll never understand snakes like you,” White Lightning said stomping out of Lock Light’s bedroom “never in a thousand years.”
As he left, Lock Light said “I hope we’re around for much longer than that.”

The guard faced Lock Light and said “Prince Lock Light, if you would please accompany us to the Royal Study where your father sits and is awaiting you…”

“Very well,” Lock Light said and followed them. King Sombra was waiting for him and ordered the guards to leave. Facing Lock Light he stopped pacing and stood before him saying
“So, you are to be my new heir are you?”

“Yes, Lord King,” Lock Light said bowing.

“You have no need to do that now my son,” King Sombra said “I will teach you everything I know, from the deepest magic arts, to how to rule your subjects through fear.”

“And why must I learn that?”

“Because you will be in my place one day,” King Sombra said “and I wish for you to rule as I have ruled. That you maintain the status quo and the iron grip which we have here.”

“Yes father,” Lock Light said.

“Very well,” King Sombra said “let us begin.”
====================================================================================================
Over the next several months Sombra taught Lock Light the basics of using magic. He taught him to teleport and to lift objects, to fight with magic and to control one’s environment. He said one day “You are already a good flyer Lock Light, that was something White Lightning was never good at, you were always better, since when White Lightning was born he was a unicorn and not a Pegasus. You will be much better than he will ever be.”

Ignoring Sombra’s compliments and being ignored and avoided by White Lightning gave Lock Light a growing feeling of shame and guilt. He never wanted to be Prince, let alone king, he was fine being a friend to White Lightning, but will he ever see them as friends ever again? He hoped so. He never wanted any of this, but it happened and so he had to do it. 

Sombra continued then with leadership skills and how to command armies and the tactics that were involved. Sombra was a good but harsh teacher, any mistakes which Lock Light made were punished severely and immediately. But as time passed, he grew stronger and more noble. He became handsome too, the mares of the Crystal Empire were falling in love with him. One day, as scores of mares were falling over in love, and he strode by King Sombra the king grinned at him and said “See son, it’s not bad to be one of us.”

He and White Lightning eventually got back to their old terms, but things were never quite the same between them forever. A deep underlying jealousy reigned White Lightning’s ever waking consciousness, and his one thought was to get back into his true father’s favor.

Then one day, while Lock Light was alone by himself in the Crystal Mountains, an extraordinary messenger appeared. Lock Light had often rode by himself into the Crystal Mountains, usually to ponder or to get out of the capital, but while he was resting by a pool in the forest, a tall pony with a flowing rainbow mane and large bright purple eyes with a magnificent horn walked up to him. Lock Light blinked and shook his head, but the pony kept coming towards him. Her body, wings and legs were white as ivory, and on her upper rear leg was a bright yellow sun. She wore a crown and chest piece of gold and in the center of each was a large gemstone of the most luscious and elegant purple, and her hooves were shod in gold. The light of the sun emanated from her body as her glory swept over him and a wave of love and instant trust came over him. 

She looked at him and said “Hello Lock Light. It has been many years.”

“Who are you?”

“Perhaps you do not remember me,” she said “I am Princess Celestia of Equestria.”

“My lady,” he said getting up and bowing.

“Arise young prince,” she said smiling in compassion.

“I am no prince your grace,” he said stammering “merely, an accident.”

“I know,” she said “I remember when you became heir, Lock Light.”

“I see,” Lock Light said “then why are you here?”

“I understand your father has taught you many things,” she said “of what has he taught you?”

“How to rule,” Lock Light began “how to fight, how to use magic. What works and what doesn’t when governing your subjects, the various dignitaries and important ponies of our society and others and…”

“I understand,” Celestia said “But I wish to show you something which your father has not.”

“What is that?” Lock Light asked.

“Will you trust me?”

“How can I not fairest of all mares?” Lock Light said. Celestia giggled and said “Do not trust on appearances alone dear prince. I ask again, will you trust me?”

Lock Light thought for a moment “What will you show me?”

“I wish to show you what your father has created,” Celestia said “and what your real father help build. A kingdom of sadness and of slaves, a society of darkness and evil power.”

“Why do you want to show me that?”

“Because you deserve to know the truth,” she said “a good ruler always acts on the truth.”

In his mind Celestia showed him the Crystal Empire, the conditions of the slaves which worked in the mines beneath the palace, the poor and the hungry, the wretched and the weak. She showed him Equestria, how all the ponies were hardworking but happy, how they provided for themselves in a society where they truly were striving for equality and happiness. Lock Light’s heart swelled with grief and sadness as he saw foals separated from their parents, as he saw the old whipped and beaten with the young as the fires belched forth from the smelters and as black smoke choked them from the coal pits. He saw another young filly, barely out of her diapers, scrabbling around the kitchen from scraps and crumbs of food begging for the position of a scullery maid because she had brothers and sisters to care for. When the vision was over, his eyes swelled with tears and he faced Princess Celestia saying “Is it truly this evil? Or do my eyes deceive me though your magic?”

“They do not deceive you,” Celestia said “your father has built an empire on the backs of slaves and sorrow. He has either already happened, or is happening. He destroys families, he murders those who do not agree with him, all for his own power and control.”

“But he took me in,” Lock Light said “that must count for something surely.”

“He saw the incompetence of his only son,” Celestia said “everything he saw and did for you was pre-planned. Nothing was by chance. Not even the death of your father.”

“You mean,” Lock Light said “he murdered my father?”

“Not personally no,” Celestia said “but he created the circumstances in which your father died. Many predators have been forced to move south and downwards from the mountains because their prey was driven in that direction. The Chimera which killed your father, was actually being hunted by Sombra’s nobles that day, and they drove it in that direction. It was already in a maddened and wounded state when it confronted your father.”

Lock Light couldn’t believe all he was hearing, his entire life, was a mere dream. Lock Light looked at Celestia’s divine radiance and asked her “Does he love no one then?”

“None but himself,” Celestia declared “Sombra is only pure evil and will do nothing to achieve his own glory and his own ends. None but him shall have true power. Did you not see how he set your brother against you?”

“He MEANT to do that?” Lock Light exclaimed “surely not!”

“He did,” Celestia said “King Sombra saw you grow into a strong and powerful pony, a fast flyer, and an intelligent and creative thinker. All of the attributes of a real king. The tournament was a means to an end, he knew that when it came down to it, that his son would lose to you. However, he also saw and sees that your bond with each other is close, too close, for his comfort, and so he created this environment to separate you two. The more you keep fighting, the more he can wield his control over you.”

“But this can’t be,” Lock Light said walking towards Celestia “I still don’t believe it.”

“Lock Light,” Celestia said “that is why I asked you to trust me. I knew your father well, even from the time he was a foal. He was brave and courageous, and would want you to do the right thing.”

“How could you POSSIBLY have known my father? And what does HE have to do with it?” Lock Light raged.

“I am old as time itself,” Celestia said “from the time before the dawning of the sun for which I am named after, from the time before King Sombra I have lived and still live. I knew your father, for I am immortal, as you are now.”

“What do you mean?”

“You became immortal when you became an Alicorn,” Celestia said “whether willingly or unwillingly, you can now never die. There is deep magic flowing within you which you must learn to control, but a teacher such as King Sombra can only teach you the wrong lessons and what NOT to do.”

“How do you know?” Lock Light said furiously “you WILLINGLY became an Alicorn. This magic was forced upon me.”

“Yes,” Celestia said “but you can still learn to control it. Think of all of the good you could do. Think of the freedom of the slaves, the equality for all ponies in the Empire. Surely, that is a more noble cause than any personal power which Sombra could give you?”

“But he’s MY father,” Lock Light said “he took me in and raised me, even if it WAS planned. I was able to HAVE a life because of him, and not die in despair and grief.”

“I know Lock Light,” Celestia said “but you can give happiness to others. What good is personal happiness if you steal it from others, when it is something to be shared? My sister and I rule together, and not only are we happy, but our subjects are also happy. The Crystal Empire can be the same, but only if you will it so.”

“Wishing won’t bring us anything,” Lock Light said pacing “wishing only gives us dreams which cannot be achieved.”

“All dreams are possible,” Celestia said.

“Not the ones which I have,” Lock Light said as he stopped pacing “of seeing my mother, my father again. Of getting rid of this stupid horn which has ruined my life.”

“Use your power for good Lock Light,” Celestia said “it can be done, for I will help you.”

“How?”

“First you must try and convince your brother,” Celestia said “and then, my sister and I will show you.”

Lock Light saw the sun begin to fade and Celestia ascended with several strokes of her powerful wings “Meet me in Canterlot dear prince,” she said “and I will show you more.”

Lock Light watched her go, until she was merely a bright speck, as if the first star of the morning had appeared. He decided that he must go back. When he arrived at the Crystal Castle it was night time and the torches of the guards were lit. 

He bumped into White Lightning who was watching the stars. Lock Light looked at him and asked “Brother, may I speak with you?”
“Surely,” he said and Lock Light proceeded to tell White Lightning everything he’d seen and heard.

“Come with me brother,” Lock Light pleaded “you and I, we are both Alicorns like Celestia and Luna, surely we, as they rule as sisters over Equestria can rule together here as brothers?”

“But wouldn’t that be betraying the memory of father?” White Lightning said “He gave me life and you a new one. If we betray him now, we’d be giving up everything he’s built, both the great as well as the evil. Apart from that, we are already conspiring against the king.”

“But brother,” Lock Light interjected “what good is great or even good if your subjects are unhappy? I used to not see it, and I understand that you don’t know as well for I didn’t know, but Celestia has shown me the hearts and  minds of our subjects in a way that I’ve never seen them before. I wish to bring smiles to their faces, and warm their hearts. This cannot be if their necks are tethered by chains.”

“Surely brother,” White Lightning said “you are a sentimentalist, how can one show you the heart and mind of another?”

“As certain as I know that both you and I are good,” Lock Light said “I have seen it. I know that you are doubting merely because you have not seen what I have been shown. I wish I had her power to show you as well.”

“Perhaps she has deceived you brother,” White Lightning said.

“I believe her brother,” Lock Light “as assuredly as I see you standing before me right at this moment.”

“But,” White Lightning interjected “father has said that all civilizations, all kingdoms, all powers, are built on the backs of others, why should ours not be any different?”

“Is it better,” Lock Light asked rhetorically “that a kingdom be built on the cracking of whips and the groaning of slaves than to be built together with all subjects as equals?”

“Even in the eyes of a king?”

“Yes brother,” Lock Light said “even if that means giving up being or ever becoming a king, is not the happiness of others greater than any power that you or I could ever hold by sitting on…on…a decorated chair?”

“The throne represents more than just power brother,” White Lightning said “as does our scepter and our justice. We, who have governed this kingdom..”

“Have governed it too harshly,” Lock Light interrupted

“…Have actually done rather well,” White Lightning said “these…all of these our subjects, are nothing but the grass which we tread beneath our hooves.”

“Yet it IS upon the grass that we feed upon,” Lock Light said “without the grass we cannot survive.”

“So you are suggesting brother,” White Lightning “that we let the grass grow over the streets and cobblestones?”

“No brother,” Lock Light said “not to let the grass grow wild beneath our hooves, for that is anarchy, and without order, one cannot have freedom. But what I am saying is that we let the grass grow, and then we trim, we make things beautiful and expand. Certainly, this is a better dream than anything which we can achieve by force?”

“But it is a dream brother,” White Lightning interjected.

“But it is happening in Equestria brother,” Lock Light said “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have achieved what we can do as well. What we can dream!”

White Lightning stopped pacing and faced Lock Light “Brother,” he said “you know I love you right?”

“Of course,” Lock Light said “I know that with all my heart.”

“Then brother,” White Lightning said “I must let you know. I can’t side with you.”

“But why?”

“Because,” White Lightning said “regardless of what happens between us, I’ll always love you. But…I can’t be with you on this. I…I can’t fight against father.”

“But it’s the right thing to do,” Lock Light pleaded “I know it is in my heart. YOU’VE always have said that I had a good disposition on situational awareness. I know that this is the right thing to do.”

“Brother,” White Lightning his eyes watering with tears “I just…can’t.”

Lock Light walked up to him to try and embrace him, but White Lightning pushed him away “Go brother,” he said “go now and I won’t tell father.”

Lock Light opened his mouth to speak, but White Lightning turned away and walked back towards the Crystal Castle. With that, Lock Light hung his head, flared his wings, and flew off into the night.

King Sombra looked down and glowered at the courtyard where White Lightning and Lock Light met. He pondered over the words he heard. So, he thought Lock Light wants a rebellion does he? Well, we’ll see about that. He stepped back and into the palace out of sight. He’d let Lock Light go, oh yes, he’d let him go and raise an army, let him think that he could win, and then he, King Sombra, would bash his skull in and it’ll be the last thing he ever saw. 
===================================================================================================
Lock Light’s eyes watered up with tears as he sped off into the night. Celestia was right, White Lightning’s heart was turned to stone as was his fathers. He didn’t know what to do, but he knew that whatever he did, it would have to be the right one. On and on he flew, southward, over the Crystal Mountains, over the waterfalls of Rainbow Falls, through the mists of Cloudsdale and upwards onto the top spire of Canterlot. Princess Luna was asleep, but Princess Luna was watching the night. He landed and she greeted him “Lock Light,” she said surprise “I didn’t expect to see you here. It’s rather dangerous.”

Panting Lock Light spoke “I know princess, but I had to see you and your sister, immediately.”

“Of course,” Princess Celestia said stepping out into the night “what is it son of Sombra?”

“I’ve agreed to your plans,” Lock Light said “the reign of King Sombra must end, and it is for the good of the Crystal Empire.”

He prostrated himself before them “I offer my services to you as your slave.”

Celestia raised him to his feet “You are a Prince, Lock Light,” she said “you were never a slave and shall never be a slave. Your father is the only one who brought slavery to the Crystal Empire. He became corrupt and let his power consume him. The same won’t happen to you.”
“But my lady,” he began. 

Princess Luna interrupted him “You are equal to us Lock Light, both in magic and in influence. But unlike your father and unfortunately your brother, you can now use that influence and magic for the good of your subjects, as we do.”

“I see princess,” he said “what will you have me do?”

“I will give you insight into what your subjects truly feel,” Princess Celestia said “I will have you live for a while with their pain.”

“And I,” Princess Luna said “will haunt your dreams with theirs, so that you may feel the sting of the whips and the pain which Sombra causes your subjects.”

“But,” Lock Light said “why lady?”

“For it is expedient that you,” Princess Luna said “should understand completely as we understand, so that the choice to do what’s right, will come easy to you.”

The next day the slaves were back to work. Groaning under their loads and the cracks of whips could be heard. Lock Light awoke in his bedroom, feeling strangely exhausted, as if everything from the night before was a dream. The wagons creaked and the wheels rattled over the cobblestones built over the centuries. White Lightning knocked and entered, Lock Light grinned up at him “Hello,” he said cheerily.

“Do you not remember last night?” White Lightning asked.

“Was it how I think it went?”

“Unfortunately yes,” White Lightning said sitting down at the foot of his bed “and I’ve rethought what I said.”

“You have?” Lock Light said sitting bolt upright.

“Yes,” White Lightning said resolutely “I will not have our kingdom suffer any longer under father. If Princess Celestia and Luna can do it, than so can you and I. We can erase the memory of Sombra forever from these halls. We can make them once more a place of life, and music, of laughter and when the minstrels sang the poems and sagas of olden times. We can make this a hall of feasting, a castle of celebration and happiness. No more will our subjects be given chains, nor will they be given heavy loads. They will not be given more than they can bare, and you and I brother, together, we will work beside them. We’ll show our ponies that we are two Princes who can make change.”

Lock Light got up, and embraced White Lightning, weeping silently “Brother,” he said “I had feared the worse when you first came in here. I love you dearly, and would never have raised a hoof against you, even in battle.”

“And neither would I to you dear brother,” White Lightning said “shall we break our fast?”

“Yes,” Lock Light said and they both got up and went to breakfast.

Servant mares dressed and prepared the tables, serving food for the noble ponies of the court. Lock Light looked at one, a pretty young pony who was giving wine to the goblets they were drinking out of. One of the Dukes trips her and makes her trip, spilling the wine everywhere. The Duke got a little splash on his coat and stood bolt up right shouting “You clumsy fool!” and looked as if he were about to lay out a vicious kick at her. In Lock Light’s heart swelled terror, sadness, and a thousand different emotions which he had never felt before. A deep, deep sadness, as her emotions were torn asunder. He reached over with his magic, and held back the hoof that was prepared to strike, the Duke looked around and back at the young prince. White Lightning stood up “Lock Light,” he asked “what are you doing?”

“I won’t let you hit her,” he replied grinding his teeth “I won’t let you harm a slave just because your joke went badly and you’re a sore loser.”
“Unhoof me this instant!” the Duke bellowed “King Sombra, your son is being insulant to me!”

King Sombra merely laughed uproariously as the rest of the court joined in. Wiping some tears from his eyes and slamming his hoof on the table he said “And rightly so Duke Swift Chaser. He IS my son after all, and well, you must admit, HIS joke was certainly better than YOURS.”
Furious, Duke Chaser turned around and faced Prince Lock Light “Your highness,” he said “I must insist that you unhoof me this very instant!”
“Only,” Lock Light said “if you apologize to the mare.”

“Apologize?” Duke Chaser indignantly exclaimed “apologize? Are you serious? To…to…a slave?”

“Either apologize to her,” Lock Light said “or never eat properly again.”

There was a moment’s pause, and then reluctantly, Duke Chaser spat “I’m sorry girl.”

She had been wiping up the wine, curtsied, and dashed out of the room weeping down the passage way. Lock Light glowered at Duke Chaser “Shame,” he said “for shame your grace, to use such authority so as to pick on a lowly slave. Surely you are better than that?”

“Your highness,” Duke Chaser said “I will NOT be lectured by YOU.”

“Surely,” White Lightning said standing by his brother “you would not insult the HEIR to the throne would you not? After all, even without father’s permission, YOU can be removed from office Duke Chaser.”

Spluttering Duke Chaser spoke impeaching the king “But your grace?”

“My sons have all the authority that I do,” King Sombra retorted “ever since they became Alicorns and you did not your grace. They ARE the very essence of royalty and are my sons. If they wish to remove you from office, then they have the power to do so.”

Duke Chaser glared from one to the other, and then lowered his eyes and sank to one knee “My apologize your highness,” he said to Lock Light pleading “the wine had gotten to me, and I was out of turn.”

Once again, Lock Light, strangely, could feel remorse, drunken remorse, but all the same, it was genuine. He looked at the Duke “Your eminence,” he said “you and I need not quarrel in the future over a silly thing as apologizing to a slave girl. Do you swear by your allegiance to my father and your allegiance to the Crystal Empire, that you will never harm another slave again?”

“I…,” Duke Chaser began, and then seeing the look from White Lightning he finished “I swear.”

“Good,” Lock Light said “then rise and continue to break your fast with us your grace.”

King Sombra laughed loud and long again, slapping his thighs so hard that they clanged off his armor. He looked at Lock Light “You did well my son,” he said “you did very well. All though, I have the final say in this matter don’t you forget.”

“Father?”

“I have full authority here, at this table, and at any other table within the boundaries of the Crystal Empire,” King Sombra said “your judgement was just, but his grace the Duke Chaser disturbed my breakfast. Therefore, your eminence, I hereby remove you from your office and make you a common slave. Guards, strip him of his symbols of office and give him the symbols of his new one.”

He laughed again and Lock Light turned furiously on the king when the door was shut “Why did you do that father?”

“Did what?”

“What do you mean did what?” Lock Light said disgruntled “the Duke posed no threat to us anymore.”

“Answer me this,” King Sombra said “and I’ll answer your question. Why did you all of a sudden take an interest in a puny little slave girl?”

“I don’t know father,” Lock Light said “I…I suddenly just feel things. The mare, for example, her sadness and her terror when she looked into my eyes, the fear and…passionate loathing she had for me…for us, all of us. It swelled in my heart to where I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing.”

“Your heart?” King Sombra said laughing again and standing up he continued “Learn this lesson early my son for when you finally become king yourself. A good king mustn’t ever let his emotions get in the way or cloud his judgement. The Duke I dismissed was dismissed of course for disturbing my breakfast, but more importantly, his region of my empire has been slack of late in the production of the raw materials needed to make the slave wagons and clothing for my soldiers. How can my army face down the winter without proper clothing? Without our army, we are nothing, and you ALWAYS, must take care of your soldiers first before anyone else.”

“What about your family father?” Lock Light interjected.

“Family is always taken care of,” King Sombra continued “family, and then your army. If you lead them right, your army is like your family. Everything about it is an interworking clock, when a cog breaks in the mechanism, the whole thing stops working until it’s repaired.”

“And is it better,” Lock Light interrupted “that the whole clock be polished and respected? That every gear and cog is maintained and if possible strengthened? Just like the stones which protect us in this wall, if they were not all working together and supporting one another, do you not think that it would be better and support everyone?”

“What are you saying Lock Light?”

“I’m saying,” Lock Light began but he realized he’d gone to far but had to continue “why not free all the slaves father. Think of it, the more freed slaves you have, the more soldiers you have for our army, the more conquests and lands we can add to our great empire. The more the ponies are free, then the less we have to worry about them uprising against us.”

“Do you fear the slaves my son?”

“I fear many things father,” Lock Light said “but one thing I do fear most above all else, is losing everything I know and love. You, my brother, this Empire, this castle. Everything can be lost in a single moment if we do not lead by a better example and do what is right.”

“Who has been feeding you these lies?”

“No one father,” Lock Light said, wishing desperately to protect Celestia and Luna’s names from King Sombra “I came up with these ideas.”

“No you didn’t,” King Sombra shouted “I desire to know the names prince! Who told you these things?”

“I thought them myself,” Lock Light said stamping firmly. White Lighting, always a cooler head and often a mediator between the two, then stepped in. 

“Father,” White Lightning said placing a hoof on Lock Light’s shoulder “what brother is perhaps desiring would be very simple and logical. I say this not because I am merely his brother, but I do see the wisdom in treating our slaves better.”

“What wisdom is that first son?”

“Father,” White Lightning said “our forces are spread thin throughout the Empire and are stationed on the border lands. If the slaves were to revolt, and that is a large if, then we would be in a too weakened state to strike back. May I suggest something?”

“What?”

“How about we either do one of two things,” White Lightning said “I understand that we can’t simply free all of the slaves. They wouldn’t know what to do with their freedom. How about we gradually give them their freedom? Or allow them to win it in some way?”

“Such as?”

“May I humbly suggest that the slaves be allowed to enter into the Imperial Army for a term of service,” White Lightning continued “to be determined by you and upon completion of that service, to be granted their freedom or, we could simply have them work less, but over a longer period of time.”

“They already work for a long time,” King Sombra said “they work for life!”

“Yes,” White Lightning said “but if we were to perhaps shorten their day, but maybe double their loads, or lighten their loads and have them work longer, possibly, even pay them in some way, double rations for the work load, or maybe even a coin or two. That would encourage them to work even more because they are getting rewarded for their service.”

“That is indeed wishful thinking son,” King Sombra said “anyways, HOW in the Crystal Empire did we get on this subject?”

“You made the former Duke Chaser a slave father,” Lock Light reminded him “for disturbing your breakfast.”

“Ah,” King Sombra said “yes. Well, perhaps that WAS a bit too irrational for a consequence for the Duke. I do believe that the punishment will suffice, but I will make it temporary. Scribe!”

A scribe near galloped into the court room and skidded to a halt before Sombra’s throne saying “Yes sire?”

“Take this note down to my dictation,” King Sombra said “firstly, I decree that from hence forth, all slaves shall have to be given double the 
work load, but given half of the work time. And secondly, after a fortnight of slave labor, the Duke Chaser may regain his title and his office.”

He looked at Lock Light and White Lightning “Are you satisfied now my sons?”

“Only one more thing father,” Lock Light said “I desire to not only know the name of the slave girl who was humiliated today, but I also want her as my own personal slave.”

“Very well,” King Sombra “now go away, I’ve had enough politics that I’m not hungry anymore and want to be left alone.”

With that, everyone in the banquet hall left and the servant girls cleaned up everything as the two princes also left.

There’s too much going on between those two, King Sombra thought far too much.
> The Great Civil War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Lock Light walked back into his room and closed the door. He then trotted to his bed and collapsed on it closing his eyes. Was it just him? Or were those emotions real? They weren’t his, did he really fly off and see Celestia and Luna in the middle of the night? What was going on?

A little cough brought him back to his room. The little filly was there, the one he had saved. She was a blank flank, so young that she hadn’t even received her cutie mark yet. He slid off the bed and gestured to her asking “What’s your name filly?”

“My name is,” she began her lip trembling but then she started to cry. Lock Light understood, usually fillies were abused in more ways than one by the nobility of the Crystal Empire, and she was terrified. Hurriedly he brought her close “Oh no, no, no, no, no” he said quickly wiping her tears “I’m not going to hurt you.”

An overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety washed over him as he rephrased what he said “What I mean is, oh how can I put it? No harm of any kind will come to you. I made you my servant to protect you.”

The emotion he previously felt began to waver, and she looked at him, her big sky blue eyes silently pleading to him “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Lock Light stammered “is that I want you to be with me wherever I go, I want you to help me.”

“With what?”

“I, uh,” Lock Light was struggling to think of something “I have a lot of princely things to do now, and uh, well, I need things like my room cleaned, a prince can’t have a messy room.”

She giggled a little as he continued “And, well, my books need to be dusted. And my clothes mended and washed, and I…um…I’ve never had anyone apart from myself really do…those things…”

He faltered towards the end, but the filly’s eyes lit up and she smiled “Is that all sire?”

“Oh and one other thing,” he said ruffling her hair “you don’t have to call me sire or your majesty or your highness or anything of that sort. It’s Lock Light to you.”

“Yes, Prince Lock Light,” she said.

“No, no,” he interrupted “just…Lock Light.”

“Alright, Lock Light,” she said, and then giggled again “that rhymes doesn’t it?”

“Yes it does,” and he also snorted a little with laughter, then in embarrassment, he put his hooves to his mouth and looked away, but she laughed saying “was that YOU?”

“I…I guess it was,” Lock Light said “I’ve never laughed like that before.”

“What do you like to do for fun Lock Light?”

“What?”

“What,” she asked again “do you like to do for fun?”

“I don’t’ see what that’s got to do with anything,” he said “I’ve never…”

“No one’s ever asked you?”

“Well,” he said “it’s not that…it’s just usually such things come as part of a conversation you know, one pony says that they like doing things usually after saying hello…”

“You talk a lot don’t you?”

“Oh,” Lock Light said “do I?”

She giggled again. It sounded like morning sunlight dancing on golden autumn leaves. Lock Light’s heart melted, he wouldn’t let anything harm her and he would protect her with all the power that he possessed. He looked at her and asked her again “What’s your name filly?”

“My name’s Apple Rose,” she said.

“Apple Rose,” Lock Light said smiling back “That’s a pretty name. Where does it come from?”

“Nearly everyone in my family has a name with something to do with apples,” she said 

“I’d like to get to meet your family one day,” Lock Light said “are they good to you?”

“Well,” she said “when they’re not working in the fields all day.”

“How did you come to be here?”

“Some of his majesty’s guards came to our home and took me away,” she said starting to sniffle “I never saw them again after that.”

“Would you like to see them someday?”

“Oh please,” she said excitedly “I would like that very much.”

“How about tonight?”

“Really?” Apple Rose asked.

“Certainly,” Lock Light said confidentially “but we’d have to sneak around a bit. Are you up for a bit of hide and seek from the guards?”

She giggled quietly “Always.”

“Alright then,” Lock Light said “I promise that if you do your chores, that tonight you’ll get to see your family.”

He could now feel a tidal wave of excitement flow through her. When she smiled, he didn’t realize it, but it was the brightest it had been for a long time. That day, she eagerly did everything he asked her to do. She cleaned the carpet and mopped the floors, she cleaned the bathroom and his bedroom until it was completely spotless. That night, when the torches were still burning bright, Lock Light whispered to her “Are you ready to see your family again?”

“Oh yes please,” Apple Rose said “that’d be delightful.”

“Alright then,” Lock Light said hop on my back. She climbed on and gripped tight. With that, he silently glided over the battlements and walls of the Crystal Castle like a dark cloud. He looked back at her asking “Which way to your home?”

“That way,” she said pointing to the left “and a little bit down.”

“I know when to land dear one,” he said and in a few moments they had glided to a landing in front of their door. The house was a little homely shack, one door, which had a broken hinge, a roof with several holes in it, and two broken windows. A little light glowed in one and Lock Light looked inside. He saw three families crammed around a little table, and even though they had nothing…they were…happy. He puzzled, surely, only wealth could give you the things you’ve always wanted, influence, and power. That was more valuable than…

Apple Rose slid off his back and took his hoof in hers “Come on,” she said “come meet my family.”

And before Lock Light could protest, she had opened the door. 

There was dead silence in the Apple Family home. All eyes were fixed on Lock Light as he awkwardly stood there, raising a hoof to scratch the back of his neck “Uh,” he said “hello.”

The parents instantly dropped what they were doing and bowed before him. Several dishes clattered to the ground and a few broke. The fillies and colts averted their eyes or buried them in their parent’s chests. Lock Light felt surprise and shock at his arrival. He knew why. He was royalty, and they’d only heard of King Sombra. But Apple Rose walked forward and saw a mare she recognized “Smith?”

“Apple Rose?”

They rushed towards each other and gave each other a big hug. Smith looked at Apple Rose and said “I thought I’d never see you again after they took you away.”

“I only came back because of my new master,” Apple Rose said “Apple Family, meet Lock Light, the nicest pony in the Crystal Empire.”

Lock Light’s embarrassment was growing every minute, but suddenly there was excitement that erupted in the Apple Family. They rushed forward and lifted Apple Rose off her feet and she was carried around the house. Lock Light stood in the background and smiled to himself. He’d done this, he’d brought happiness to a single family, and the feelings he had were worth more than all the power of King Sombra’s court. Could every pony feel this way? They do in Equestria, certainly they could in the Crystal Empire. He watched them dancing, their thin scraggly bodies worn out from the day’s work shambling in a dance of pure joy. Lock Light closed his eyes, and turned to leave. Apple Rose called out “Wait, Lock Light. You gotta come join us.”

“Well,” Lock Light said sheepishly “I don’t know if I should intrude.”

“None sense,” said one of the ponies whose name was Apple Pie “you might as well join in the festivities!”

“Well I,” Lock Light began, but his hoof was taken in Apple Rose’s and he was whisked around. He laughed and when they settled down, Lock Light joined in their meager feast. When Lock Light saw how little they had, his eyes swelled with tears, he instinctively wanted to give his portion to Apple Rose, but he knew the etiquette for such things. To refuse would be an insult to the Apple Family’s hospitality. When they were done Apple Rose’s favorite cousin took her by the hoof and asked “Do you really have to go?”

“Unfortunately yes,” Lock Light said “the guards might be looking for us even as we speak.”

Apple Rose looked at her cousin “Don’t worry cousin, everything’ll be alright.”

“More than that,” Lock Light said “I’ll do everything I can for all of you.”

“But we’re slaves,” Honeycrisp said “what can we do?

“Not much,” Lock Light said “but what I can do is much more. You forget to whom you are speaking to Honeycrisp. I am heir to the throne of the Crystal Empire, much can be changed when I ascend.”

“Then,” Elstar, another member of the Apple Family said “we believe you Lock Light.”

They all then embraced. Lock Light looked at Apple Rose “Come on you,” he said “it’s late, and you need your sleep.”

With that, they flew off back to the Crystal Castle. When the Apples shut their doors, a shadow stepped out from the gloom, it was White Lightning and he watched as Lock Light flew back with Apple Rose and quietly said “Oh brother, what have you done?” 

Over the next several days, the Apple Family received personal, but subtle, attention from Prince Lock Light. Not only for them, but all of the slaves in the district. When he was in charge of the feasting later that week, he ordered that the cooks give the second best vegetables and wines to the slaves to reward them for their work and to celebrate in the festivities. When there was a drought that summer, he ordered that the slaves be given twice the water ration of the soldiers. When questioned by Sombra, he simply said “Father, we built our Empire on the backs of slaves, without them, our Empire wouldn’t survive.”

Acknowledging this, Sombra agreed, and the water ration wasn’t halted for that entire summer. When fires swept through the border lands of the Empire, Lock Light ordered that all the slaves be also allowed to find sanctuary from within the city walls. He created a slave district, from which the slaves could feel what it was like to live inside the city by arguing that it would be easier to control them from within the walls than beyond them. Slowly but surely, the slaves were gaining happiness. They were shocked when he ordered that the drivers pay a slave for a good days work one coin from his personal treasury. He had the drivers also destroy all of the whips in the city and work production doubled. The ponies all wanted to earn a little money for their families and Lock Light was giving them an opportunity. One day, King Sombra summoned him to his personal chambers.

“Lock Light,” King Sombra said “you seem to be doing the slaves a lot of favors of late. In fact, you seem to favor them more so than the soldiers.”

“Not necessarily father,” Lock Light said “I have looked after them as well. I doubled their pay and improved their living conditions as well.”

“You forget my son,” King Sombra said rising from his seat “that an Empire is built on the backs of slaves and with the spears of soldiers.”

“But surely father,” Lock Light said “the happiness of both parties concerned is more important than how far we can extend our borders?”

“Happiness?” King Sombra scoffed “why should happiness matter? Only a will of iron and a intelligence as sharp as steel can forge the might and power which I have created.”

“Father,” Lock Light said “surely, you know that I do not seek to undermine that power?”

“Is that so?”

“Most certainly,” Lock Light defended “through my reforms our soldier’s morale has doubled, the slaves have also increased their production rate by nearly seventy-five percent, which means that we can build faster than we did five years ago. And not only that, but because the slaves now have a motivation, they no longer need the whips and work twice as hard.”

King Sombra sighed “My son,” he said “I see that you are an idealist and have a good heart. But you must remember that sometimes a king must make decisions which are hard. You can’t please every pony who is your subject.”

“I know that father,” Lock Light said “but I can certainly try to please as many of them as I possibly can.”

“I know you desire to do so son,” he said closing his eyes “but you will never be able to help every pony you see.”

“Father…”

“Enough son,” King Sombra said “I’m afraid I’ll have to make some more changes.”

Lock Light was dismissed, and over the next few days, everything he had tried to build over the past several months was reverted back to the way it originally was. Lock Light sobbed as he once more felt the grief and sadness which swept once more throughout the kingdom. In his private chambers he sobbed as the cries and groans of the slaves as they were whipped and beaten once more. His heart felt as if it would fall out of his chest and his eyes never ceased weeping. 

“Why,” he asked “why must all that is good come to evil. Why cannot one be happy and remain so?”

Because, Celestia’s voice said to his mind as long as evil remains in power. It will always be so, only when good is in power, can things be created so that all are happy.

“Why must I feel this way?”

So that you have a greater understanding and compassion for your subjects, Celestia told him when one is a ruler, one must make tough decisions, that is certain, but one can also always show compassion where it is needed. You have done so. You tried to bring about happiness while your father was still in power and you never questioned his authority out of respect for him. But now you must make a choice.

“What is that?”

The choice before you is to either free those whom you love and serve, Celestia said or remain in misery and darkness forever. For those are only what King Sombra brings.

Lock Light got up and wiped his eyes. Apple Rose was there watching him curiously and said “Is everything alright Lock Light?”

“Alright? Alright?” Lock Light asked and brought her to his window where he had wept saying “Look out there Apple Rose, what do you see?”

“I see,” she began “I see thousands of those forced to do that which they don’t want. I see sadness and misery. I see a loss of hope, and I see many sunken hearts.”

She looked up at Lock Light and smiled “But I also see a shimmer in the darkness. I see the first star which appears on the horizon. I see the glimmer of hope which you brought my family and those around us…I…I see you.”

“Why do you believe in me Apple Rose?” Lock Light said, his eyes brimming with tears once more “I have failed your family and their friends.”
She placed a tiny hoof on his and said innocently “No you haven’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“You tried your best,” she said “you did everything you could while his majesty still is on the throne. For a while, life was great for us, and we were proud to be living in the Crystal Empire. Even if it was only for a moment.”


“But why do we need to go on living in a world like this Apple Rose?” Lock Light asked her “why?”

“Because unless somepony changes it,” she said “it’ll always be that way.”

A feeling entered Lock Light’s heart which swelled with a new brilliance and fire. He looked at Apple Rose who looked back at him with eyes bright and shining “Lock Light,” she said “you gave me hope. You gave me a second chance to be with my family again. You gave me a new life and a second chance. I’ll never forget that or you.”

With that she hugged him and her love spread to him. He clutched her tight to his chest. She was like the little sister he never had. There was an emptiness which she filled and which brought him joy and laughter. And more importantly, she was right.

Lock Light looked down at Apple Rose “Apple Rose,” he said “I need you to come with me. We have to do something together.”

“What is it?”

“It’ll be dangerous,” Lock Light said “but it’ll be worth it. Will you come with me?”

“I’ll follow you to the ends of the world Lock Light,” she said. 

“Then climb on my back,” he said. And with that, they flew up into the sky and over to the Crystal Mountains. For many months he had would now live in the mountains with Apple Rose. He had her help him build a forge, and with that, he began to make many weapons. Bows and arrows, swords and axes. They may not be enough, but he would lead the slaves to freedom or they would all die trying. Normally for an Earth Pony, it would have taken longer, but since Lock Light was an Alicorn and he had magic, it took him less than a year. When he was ready, he sent Apple Rose secretly back into the Crystal Empire and to her family. They spread the word to meet Lock Light who would meet them in the center of the slave district of the city. 

When the day came, it was sunny and warm. Celestia’s rays bathed them all in an almost ethereal light, showing the grubbiness of their faces and their hooves. Lock Light stood there, several bags surrounding him as he stood on a wooden box and said “Slaves of the Crystal Empire. Those of you who know me as a prince of this kingdom, hear my words. I was never born a slave, nor was I ever made into one. I was always free, but looking upon all of you and having been blessed by the grace of Princess Celestia of Equestria, I have seen the sorrow, misery, and despair which lingers in your hearts.”

He paused as he saw he was drawing a crowd “My friends,” he continued “for I have never seen you as my subjects, but as my equals. You and I deserve to feel and enjoy happiness…”

High in Sombra’s castle, he looked over and saw the crowd gathering around Lock Light. His son had gone missing for several months and he didn’t know if this was him. He could hear catches of what was going on, but he didn’t like the tones, so he sent guards to look into what was going on down there. He looked at White Lightning who was standing beside him and said “Do you want to prove your value to me son?”

“How father?”

“Here’s what you must do,” Sombra said and whispered his plan in his ear. With that, White Lightning flew off down to the slave district. As he got closer, White Lightning heard a pony who was a midnight blue with a golden comet for a cutie mark say something. Lock Light, for it was Lock Light, asked him what his name was and he responded that it was Blue Comet. 

Blue Comet looked at Lock Light and said resigning “Don’t you see Lock Light? King Sombra still has power over us. We will never be free.”
Placing a hoof on his shoulder he said “Of course he does. He is your king. He can take away everything you know and love. But there is one thing that he can never take away, no matter how powerful, no matter how much magic he has.”

“What’s that then?”

Turning to the group of slaves with him Lock Light said defiantly “Your hope. Your hope for a better life, your hope for freedom, your hope for a better world and a better Empire. One in which every pony is free and equal. Where no one pony is king unless YOU decide to put them there. The power of King Sombra is derived from fear, your fear gives HIM strength.”

“Then how can we fight that?” said another pony.

Facing him Lock Light said “You combat that fear by acknowledging it exists and then move forward. You all were born with the right for the freedom of choice. You all have free will, whether slave or free, and no pony can take that away from you.”

“But you’ve seen his might Lock Light,” another pony said “you’ve seen it first hand, you are a prince of the Crystal Empire.”

“Once I was a prince,” Lock Light countered “once, I took the life which was given me for granted. I looked upon you with the same eyes and contempt which your king has always shown you. But my eyes have been opened, my soul has been uplifted, and I have been enlightened. You are my subjects, but you are also my friends and those whom I call family. I won’t see another slave be harmed. You are all free!”

There was a gasp. Every pony within earshot couldn’t believe what they just heard. One pony spoke up “But can you do that Prince Lock Light?”

“I can,” Lock Light said “with the power vested in me through our King Sombra, I release you from your service, and make you all free. Every slave, both mare and stallion, filly and colt, shall live under the bright sun of freedom!”

The ponies cheered and whistled, their deliverance had finally come. Lock Light was their Freedom Giver, their Deliverer. He would free them when no other pony could before. The civil war had begun.
===================================================================================================
The slaves had armed themselves with Lock Light’s weapons. White Lightning landed beside him and asked to know what was going on. Lock Light embraced him and said “Oh brother, how long has it been since I saw you last? Do you not see what is happening? We are rebelling against father! We are finally giving the slaves back their freedom!”

“Alright brother,” White Lightning said “let the war begin!”

The slaves had liberated the slave district in the city and were sweeping through neighborhood by neighborhood. Sombra had sent most of his armies to the border regions and had never expected a slave uprising. He immediately called for his armies to return to the capitol, but they were several days away. Within three, the slaves were on the steps of the Crystal Castle itself. The guards fought desperately to keep the rebellion at bay, but eventually the slaves burst through the castle doors. Lock Light led his troops to the very throne room of King Sombra himself with White Lightning by his side. 

With his ponies beside them, Lock Light and White Lightning strode into the throne room. Sombra was sitting there perfectly nonchalant. He even laughed “So my son,” glaring at Lock Light “you thought you would rise up against me?”

“It is for the good of the Empire father,” Lock Light retorted bracing himself “the freedom of all ponies is more important than any power you have.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” Lock Light declared “you have taught me much, but nothing which I didn’t already know. You are a tyrant father, a loathing spiteful tyrant.”

“Then I don’t suppose you would mind,” King Sombra said “if I stripped you of your title and your office?”

“Take everything which belongs to me,” Lock Light shouted “but you die this day Sombra!”

A very chilly silence followed after Lock Light said those words. Then suddenly, and without warning, White Lightning stepped out from beside Lock Light, did an abrupt turn, and faced him. Lock Light was shocked “Lightning,” he said “what are you doing?”

“Proving to me,” King Sombra said “that he was always more of a loyal son than you. He is now MY HEIR as my FIRST BORN!”
> King Slayer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Lock Light looked at White Lightning’s eyes “You knew,” he asked “you knew? And you never told me?”

“I did tell you brother,” White Lightning said “I told you that I could never be with you and free the slaves.”

“But it is for a nobler cause,” Lock Light said “than personal power?”

“And loyalty to father,” White Lightning retorted.

King Sombra watched the interchange down below, he was really enjoying this. He loved double crossing ponies no matter who was involved. The brothers bickered back and forth about meaningless things like freedom and equality, loyalty and trust. What did it matter to him? He was king, if his two sons wanted to kill each other off, one for freedom and the other for loyalty, who cared? He could always have more sons. 

Suddenly, White Lightning darted up above Lock Light and thrusted downwards. Lock Light saw what was happening and he dodged, White Lightning following. Lock Light thrusted with his horn, Lightning parried. These weren’t just two ponies, but they were two ideas. On the one hoof, the idea that all ponies were created equal under the sun and that they deserved their freedom, on the other, centuries of traditions and direct political control and power of over their lives. Lock Light dodged to the right and avoided a kick from Lightning but returned the favor with a swift kick of his own. He clipped White Lightning’s wing and he grunted in pain, but he recovered and battered Lock Light’s head with two swift jabs from his hooves. They bit, kicked, lashed out with their horns at each other, sometimes striking, sometimes pinging off the floor or columns by the walls. The fight seemed to last forever. White Lightning spurred forward and leapt high into the air, slamming down hard with his horn and forcing Lock Light to his knees. He pushed upwards with all of his strength and used his magic to grip White Lightning’s hoof and pulled him under. White Lightning used his magic to push Lock Light forcefully off and slam into a column, causing him to slide to the floor. White Lightning redoubled his effort and fought like a dragon, Lock Light parried, dodged, and moved slowly up the steps of the throne room. When he got close to King Sombra, Sombra kicked him in the back and sent him sprawling to the ground. The king laughed like a foal as Lock Light struggled to get up. Leaping high again and using his wings for extra speed and momentum for the final blow White Lightning dove. Lock Light could hear him, but he was still too weak to get up and out of the way. Closer and closer White Lightning flew towards him, when, like spearmen lifting their pikes at the last moment, Lock Light turned around and pointed his spear at White Lightning’s stomach. 

It was too late for White Lightning, having gone too fast, he couldn’t change direction, even though he saw and felt the horn pierce his side. A howl of agony and regret came from both his lips and that of King Sombra’s. Lock Light’s horn had stabbed straight through his chest and right through his rib cage. White Lightning was still on top of Lock Light, thick frothy blood oozing out of his mouth as his tongue lolled in exhaustion. He then closed his eyes.

Lock Light got up from the collapsed body. He withdrew his horn and fresh hot blood still dripped from nearly half the length of it. His eyes brimmed with tears as he whispered “I’m sorry brother.”

And then, in a dark cloud and a rushing onslaught of despair, King Sombra, in all of his fury leapt down from the throne and attacked Lock Light. He knew the game was up, if he could kill Lock Light he could end the rebellion in front of the eyes of the slave army which stood in front of him. Just as suddenly, from the west, two ponies, who looked like Pegasi, burst through the stained glass which sent millions of pieces everywhere. The slaves looked up and gasped. They had never seen two ponies who were more beautiful than this before. One was dazzling white with a flowing rainbow mane, her eyes a deep rich royal purple, the gold on her crown and on her chest gleamed in the sunlight and seemed to give radiance of its own. The other, a majestic midnight blue whose mane seemed to flow with the stars which twinkled brightly in the heavens, and whose eyes were a bright turquois. The darker one was also the fairer of the two, but the lighter one might as well have been a goddess for her regality. King Sombra stopped dead in his tracks and looked at them both. He laughed “Celestia and Luna of Equestria. I thought you two were behind all this.”

“Your reign of terror has come to an end King Sombra,” Princes Luna said “it is time that all of  your subjects now be free.”

“Freedom,” King Sombra retorted “freedom, I’ve heard a lot about freedom these past couple of days, mostly from that wretched whelp.”

“You have lived on the sorrow and misery of those who serve you for far too long,” Princess Celestia said “and this day, we will defeat you King Sombra.”

“Oh how pray tell,” he said turning to face the new threat “are you going to cast a puny magic spell for love and hope? Don’t make me laugh fillies.”

Before all of their eyes, six orbs floated around Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. They spun faster and faster and faster, acting as a floating shield barrier of their own. King Sombra took a step back “What are you doing?” he asked.

“The doom of your time has come,” the two Princesses said together “your reign of terror shall come to an end!”

With that, the stone orbs light up, one red, one pink, one orange, one green, one sky blue, and one purple. They formed a glistening awe-inspiring rainbow of power which sped towards King Sombra. The two princesses eyes lit up with white fire and their horns glowed with palatial magic.

“Sombra,” they said with their voices united once more “we hereby exile you from the Crystal Empire and banish you to the cold north, never to return again!”

“Noooooooooooooooo!”

King Sombra was then hit squarely in the chest by the powerful magic and sent flying off into the nether space. From that day, for many years, Sombra was never seen or heard from again. 

Lock Light rushed over to his brother’s side, White Lightning was groaning slightly and he looked up at Lock Light panting “Is it done?”

“It is finished,” Lock Light said weeping over his brother’s body “you can rest now, we’ll get you healed.”

“I can’t stay here brother,” he said struggling to his hooves.

“But your wound,” Lock Light said “please let me heal it.”

“Don’t touch me,” White Lightning said thrusting his hoof away “ever since you came into my life, it has been nothing but sadness for me. You took away everything I held dear, including my father, and now…I…I can’t live here.”

“Brother,” Lock Light pleaded “we can rule together though.”

“I’ve had enough of kings and rulers for one day,” White Lightning said “leave me.”

With that, he flared his wings for one last time, and sped off towards the mountains. Lock Light was about to go after him, when a dark hoof placed itself on his wings “Do not follow him Lock Light,” Princess Luna said.

“But why?” Lock Light asked “he’s my brother!”

“Look around you,” Princess Celestia said “do you not see the destruction which has come about this great palace and the city below it?”

“Well…”

“Your subjects will need food and shelter for the coming winter,” Princess Luna said “and you cannot let your personal emotions get in the way for the needs of the many.”

“But,” Lock Light said “I don’t want this power. I never asked for it, I never had a desire to exercise authority over ponies, I just…I wanted a simple life.”

“Sometimes,” Celestia said comfortingly “we must do that which we find uncomfortable.”

“But,” Lock Light said “we ALWAYS have a choice.”

Turning and facing his ponies, Lock Light said “Spread the word ponies. You are free!”

They cheered and erupted in a chorus of joy, dropping their weapons and hugging one another. Lock Light raised his hoof for silence “This means,” he said “that you have the right to choose for yourself. When you want to fight, whether your fight or not, what you can or can’t eat, when you sleep, when you wake up. You can do whatever pleases you.”

They cheered again, but Lock Light continued “But there are somethings which we cannot change. We can’t always have leaders and rulers who will ask you do to that which you don’t want to do. We can’t always have them in power, for as we’ve seen, a bad leader can only bring evil upon you and he will surround himself with his guards so that you cannot change what has been enacted in place. But a good ruler can bring happiness and joy…that is why, as of today, I am resigning from my office as your Prince and now your King.”

They were shocked, voices of outrage were heard and a chant of “We want Lock Light” began. Lock Light quieted them down “I know and have the feeling in my heart that you wish me to lead you,” he said “but within me, I carry a dark legacy and memory. For one cannot think of me, without thinking of King Sombra, and the evil which he brought on our great empire.”

The ponies were silent as they listened to Lock Light continuing his speech “We have fought, we have bled. We have lost friends in this great conflict…and I, have lost my brother. But we cannot let that which has been done, that which will happen, and that which is happening, determine who we are. There are something we cannot change, but there is always a choice that should be made. Is it better that I, who was given a birthright which was thrust upon me, rule over you? Or is it better that there is somepony more qualified than I? Somepony who has a great heart, who has compassion and love, who will cherish you as their children. Somepony who will do everything they can to protect you and to serve you. Somepony, who will let you be free?”

The ponies nodded and understood “That is why,” Lock Light continued “as of this day, I surrender my power and authority to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria. They, who know what to do to bring about true happiness. They, who are compassionate and loving. They, who are the very essence of nobility itself. They will lead you to a greater and brighter future. They will lead you to one which will make the Crystal Empire shine throughout the centuries as a beacon of life and hope, light and knowledge. They will guide you through the dark times which will come many decades from now and they will lead you to victory, so that you can keep, your, freedom!”

The ponies cheered and stomped their hooves. There were chants of “We want Celestia, we want Luna” heard all throughout the room and the chant echoed loud and long, reverberating through the castle halls and across the streets of the Crystal Empire. Celestia looked at Lock Light and nodded. She turned to address her subjects, and though Lock Light wanted to listen, Princess Luna took him aside saying “That was very noble of you Lock Light.”

“Well,” Lock Light said “I’ve never been one for speeches. I always got nervous at public events.”

“Then,” she said “how about I give you an offer?”

“That depends on what it is.”

“How would you like to serve as a member of my guard?” Princess Luna suggested “I need a strong pony like you, and Celestia’s guard is all full. Mine isn’t. I need those who are brave and courageous enough to stand with me and protect the ponies of Equestria from the dangers of the night. Would you be willing?”

“Let me think about that for a little bit,” Lock Light said and turned and listened to the rest of Celestia’s speech.
> Servant in the Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A Thousand Years Later
It was another day at Sweet Apple Acres for the Apple family. Applejack was busy bucking trees, Apple Bloom was helping Granny Smith with making the grape juice, and Big Macintosh was carrying carloads of buckets loaded with apples to the barn. They toiled all day but were working to getting everything settled before the winter came in. The wind started to blow as dead autumn leaves blew in Applejack’s face “C’mon ya’ll,” she said “you know the consequences if we don’t get these here apples picked.” 

The wind increased in volume so much, it spun the wind vane until it came off the roof! It flew through the air continuing to spin until it hit Big Macintosh’s cart and broke the side of the cart spilling all the apples on that side. Applejack rushed over to help, the mounting stress obvious on her face. Granny Smith shouted “Them Timberwolves be a comin’!” over the dirge of wind which raced across the farm. Applejack took one look at the cart and exasperatedly whinnied “Does this really have to happen now? Come on Big Mac, looks like we have to take this load in by hoof.”

The work went slower this way, but at least they finished it. Applejack galloped back, three buckets dangling from her mouth as she placed them, bucked a tree to load them with apples, and then hauled them one at a time to a second cart Big Mac was pulling up. The day continued like this, hour after hour they strained and sweated even in the cold winds racing down from the chilly north hard the heels of the Wendigo’s that proceeded them.  That night they went to sleep. Granny Smith had gone in earlier to bake their supper. When they came in, exhausted, breathless, and sweaty, she had had a wonderfully aromatic array of apple pies, fritters, and a cobbler spread out on the table. They ate greedily with voracious appetites, even Granny Smith ravenously devoured one of her own loaves slathered with Zap Apple Jam. 

Applejack looked at them all “Well ya’ll,” she said “it was tough today, but it was worth it. We’ve got to keep going ahead but at a faster pace tomorrow because winter’s comin’ in. I’ll talk to Rainbow Dash about possibly redirecting some of this dog gone it wind. But if she can’t, we still gotta press forward.”

Big Mac nodded his head “Eeyup!”

Apple Bloom’s face fell as she took her spoon and played with what was left of her apple fritter. Applejack looked at her “Cheer up Sugar Cube,” she said comfortingly “it’ll be over before you know it. Besides, there ain’t nothin’ we gotta worry about. I believe in you and in us.”
Apple Bloom simply sighed, completely tuckered out from that day’s work and Applejack knew it. They all were. She got up from the table and started walking up the stairs to her bedroom “Night ya’ll,” she said looking back over her shoulder “get to bed early, especially you Apple Bloom. We’re gonna need all of the energy we can get.”

As they filed off to bed, Applejack chanced a glance back again and smiled. She really wanted them to have enough money this year to buy Apple Bloom a nice birthday present. Hopefully Pinkie Pie wouldn’t be overly extravagant again this year…but who was she kidding? It was Pinkie Pie after all. But Granny Smith needed a new hip and they now needed to replace that broken cart. She sighed and continued walking up the stairs. Collapsing on her bed, she drew the covers in and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Outside of her window, the night was at its full. A hunter’s moon waxed high in Princess Luna’s magnificent glittering night sky. Billions of stars were visible on a night such as this, only Twilight Sparkle would be up this late though, documenting the various orbits of planets and observing the constellations. There was one other though. A masked pony, covered hoof to nose in black. His wings were exposed and his shaggy long mane hid most of his face and forehead. He’d been watching and heard everything which Applejack had been saying all day. He also knew their work habits. He’d been doing this for a long time, it was clock work. Unknown to Rainbow Dash, he was the second fastest flyer in all of Equestria. His experience, agility, and speed had made him Captain of the First Wonderbolt’s squadron. Though his story, erased from the official history books, allowed for only three ponies in their entire world to know him, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia…and the Doctor.

He stepped out into the moonlight, his long black grey tipped mane fluttering in the gentler night breezes. He took a breath and dashed to the side of the barn. Grabbing five buckets in his mouth, he flew as fast as he could to the further edges of Sweet Apple Acres. Setting those down, he returned, making nearly sixty trips, placing the buckets in groups of three underneath every tree he could just like Applejack did. That was all he had time for this night, but he had to keep up his average. He then in a blaze of speed flew into the branches of each tree that had buckets and shook them. The apples plummeted to the buckets below. Twenty trees, done in about thirty minutes. He then took each full bucket and flew back to the barn. If he timed it correctly, then when the Apple family reached those portions of the farm, then they would be three weeks ahead of schedule by the time he was done. He’d been doing this all season long, only working when they were asleep. He was nearly finished. Sixty trees per night for the past five months. He didn’t want to make too big of a dent, but Sweet Apple Acres was enormous. He always felt sorry for them, especially the little filly who dragged her hoofs in at the end of every single day. 

The more he observed, the more he came to respect and admire them. Particularly Applejack. She had a strong air of confidence about her that he liked. He wanted to do something nice for them, but he didn’t want them to know but he loved doorbell ditching and other such activities where he would do acts of unexpected service for other ponies in Ponyville. It seemed to brighten the other pony’s days, and so he continued. For the past seven years he did the same service for the Apple family. A different stretch of the farm each year. So far, Applejack didn’t notice, and that was just fine with him. When he was done, he took out a small bag of coins and quietly placed it on the cart where Big Mac would find it. It would be enough to cover the cart. He looked around, everything in order? He asked himself I believe so. Then he remembered. Earlier that week when Applejack and Apple Bloom were shopping in Ponyville, Apple Bloom pointed to a toy she wanted for her birthday. It was rather pricey and after much convincing and pleading Applejack promised that she would get it for her birthday if she worked hard and was good. He secretly purchased the toy and kept it hidden, waiting for just the right moment. But it wasn’t now.

He flew off at near the speed of sound out over through the hills of Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville. He looked around him, and when it was clear, he started doing other works of service around the town.

The dawn broke over the horizon as the ponies began to awaken. Fluttershy began to make her morning rounds. Carrying a basket of vegetables as she gently flapped over to the various holes which her favorite animals lived, she greeted them “Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Vole,” she said cheerfully “you sleep well last night? How about you Mr. Hedgehog? I brought you all breakfast.” She looked down at the first hole and saw that there was already that morning’s breakfast laid out for them “Oh my,” she said “did you take anything from the pantry Mr. Hedgehog?”

He shook his head vigorously and started to speak “Oh,” Fluttershy said “somepony gave you the food? Who was it? You don’t know? A Pegasus? How long have they been doing this? All year! Is it always the first day of the week? Oh, I guess I didn’t notice.”

She flew back to her cottage saying “I’ll have to thank Rainbow Dash for helping me out with my chores that was very thoughtful of her.”

Pinkie Pie bounced through Ponyville and gave her usual morning greetings. Her eyes went wide when she noticed something different about it. She dashed inside excitedly exclaiming “Mr. and Mrs. Cake, come quick! You have to come see this!” Like lightning, she ran up the stairs, burst open the door, and repeated “Come! You won’t believe what I found!” They staggered out of bed. The little colts wide awake after Pinkie’s outburst, smiled in greeting to Pinkie Pie as their parents picked them up and brought them downstairs. Still bouncing, they opened their eyes wide with amazement as the previous night’s mess which had been caused by ten rush orders and a wedding had vanished without a trace. Countertops and windows which formerly covered in flower, icing, and egg yolk sparkled in the morning sun. 

“Pinkie Pie,” Mrs. Cake asked “did you do this?”

“Nuh-uh,” Pinkie Pie responded her eyes narrowing “I didn’t, but I think I know who did!”

With the blink of an eye, she was out the door and running to Twilight Sparkle’s house. She got there, and gently tapped on the door. Spike opened it and let her in, “Hello Pinkie Pie,” Spike said “how can I help you?”

“Is Twilight inside?”

“Well yes, but?”

“I need to talk to her right away,” said Pinkie Pie “tell her it’s really, really, really urgent!”

“Okay,” Spike said “she’s up in her bed…”

She was gone again. Up on Twilight’s bed and bouncing up and down in her excitement. 

“Thank you so much Twilight,” she shouted.

“Pinkie,” Twilight said “stop jumping on me.”

“Oh,” said Pinkie Pie as she hopped off. She rapidly continued “I just wanted to say, it was really, really, really, really, extremely, thoughtful of you to do that. I mean Mr. and Mrs. Cake were up nearly all night wondering how it was going to get clean, and I couldn’t do anything about it because I was not only watching the colts, and then they were stressed because of the ten last minute orders and the wedding they had to do…”

“Pinkie,” Twilight said “thank you, but it wasn’t me.”

“What?”

“I was up all night watching the stars,” Twilight continued “There was a Hunter’s Moon last night. I wanted to watch it because there was the possibility of there being a meteor shower. Not a big one but still significant. Spike had gone to bed and Owlowiscious was busy restacking the books. I was behind on several assignments I had to Princess Celestia this morning and when I came out, every book I needed was on my writing desk. I thought Owlowiscious had done it but he told me that he took an early night. I got my work done in record time.”

“So you didn’t help out Mr. and Mrs. Cake?”

“No,” Twilight said “it’s strange you thought so.”

“Yes indeed,” Pinkie Pie said slapping on a deerstalker and smoking a bubble pipe “this sounds like a mystery. One that needs solving!”
“It’s probably just some pony doing a good turn,” Twilight said “we shouldn’t…”

“But what if,” Pinkie Pie interrupted “it’s not! What if it’s a burglar! Or a ghost! Or a supernatural?” 

“Pinkie,” Twilight answered “there’s no such thing. Now, is there anything else you need?”

“Well, no.”

“Alright then,” Twilight continued “how about we walk together.”

“Okiedokie, then!”

They walked downtown Ponyville and met up with Fluttershy. They also asked her how her day was when she told them about the animals already fed the first day of every week without her noticing. 

“Strange,” Pinkie said still wearing the deerstalker. She tapped the underside of her lip with the mouthpiece of the bubble pipe “there seems to be a correlation here.”

“Pinkie,” Twilight responded “it’s just a coincidence, nothing more.”

“Ha,” she exclaimed and darted over Applejack had come into town to buy that day’s ingredients for her family’s lunch “we’ll ask Applejack if she’s seen anything.”

Sticking her nose into Applejacks she asked in an interrogating manner “Applejack, did somepony do something nice to you earlier this morning?”

“Well,” she said “as a matter of fact yes. Yesterday the family and I were working on the farm, but due to the wind blowing so hard yesterday, the weather vane on the barn spun off and broke the side of one of our carts Big Mac was usin’. This mornin’, I found not only a small bag of coins on the broken cart which will cover the costs, but when I went out to work this morning, I found that the section of the farm which we were gonna work today was already done!”

“What?!”

“Yeah,” she said “at first I thought that I had simply forgotten that, but then I remembered yesterday that the trees hadn’t been bucked over that way yet. When I looked around the other parts of the farm, there were similar sections. By my calculations we’re two and a half weeks ahead of schedule. So I came into town today to by some groceries.”

“Hold on a minute,” Pinkie Pie asked “don’t you think there could be Apple Rustler’s stealing your apples?”

“Nope,” continued Applejack “because when I opened our storage cellar where we keep the apples, I saw it stacked, organized, and right in front of our cider machine, already sorted!”

“Ah ha!”

“What is it Pinkie?”

“We have to ask Rainbow Dash next!”

With that the group moved on, not before Applejack gave a questioning look to Twilight who answered with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash startled and fell out of the small cloud she was snoozing in right on top of Spike “Hey guys,” she said rubbing her head “sorry Spike.”

“No problem,” Spike said.

“Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie interjected “did something nice for you happen today?”	

“Well you guys showed up.”

“No,” Pinkie Pie said “I mean like did somepony do something nice for you today?”

“Well,” she said “somepony gave me tickets to this upcoming Wonderbolts show! I didn’t know if I could afford it this year. I remember talking about it with you guys. Did one of you get it for me? It’s a group ticket so we all can go! Its box tickets too! Best in the house!”

“Once again,” Pinkie Pie said “there is a growing and established pattern here. Now, the facts are these. One of us knows everything about the others and is doing nice things for them. However, it has to be the most unlikely pony to do something like this?”

Rarity was humming to herself as she arranged clothes on a mannequin when her door burst open and Pinkie Pie blew out a bubble on her pipe. She paced in front of Rarity as Rarity sat there dumb founded.

“Rarity,” Pinkie Pie said “we have ample evidence to prove that you are guilty of…”

Pinkie Pie gives Rarity a hug so big which makes Rarity’s eyes bulge “…giving the best thing to all of us ponies. I had no idea that you were such a considerate pony!”

“Um,” Rarity said “well, thank you, but it wasn’t me actually.”

“Huh?”

“I came home to find that all of my chores for the day had been done,” she continued “you remember that Hoity Toity asked me to make an entire line for her. I was so busy yesterday that I couldn’t think of anything else or get anything else done. So I continued on with my work. When I was finished, I was surprised that somepony did all my daily chores! I knew it obviously had to be my favorite Spikey-Wikey as he’s the only one who knows what to do without me asking.” 

“Actually,” Spike said sheepishly, scratching his neck spikes “much as I’d like to take the credit for it, I was busy helping Twilight with all of her school work.”

“But then who…”

“Exactly!”

All eyes turned to face Pinkie Pie as she enlightened them “Some amazing pony has been doing all of these nice things for us, and it’s not just us, look around you. Every pony in Ponyville is happy because of this pony. We need to find this mare or stallion and have him be recognized, because trust me, as Ponyville’s chief happiness bringer, it’s a lot of hard work.”

“But Pinkie,” Twilight said “what if it’s just like the time when we were Mare-Do-Well. What if they’re doing these things because they’re just good ponies, like you.”

“I agree with Twilight,” said Applejack “a good pony who does this doesn’t need recognition.”

“Pinkie’s got a point though,” Rarity interjected “I’m sure it’s such a drag doing all of these kind things for other ponies. I for one think that any pony who does good works, be given proper thanks for their work. Why certainly, if I were such a pony, and ran around giving ponies desperately needed make over’s, I would want to have somepony give me a simple thank you.”

“It’s settled then!” Pinkie exclaimed “We need to find out where this good pony is doing their noble deeds and watch. Then we catch them, bring them before all of Ponyville! They should be given a parade, and presents, and…”

“Pinkie,” Twilight admonished “I don’t think that would be a good idea, at least for the party and the parade. But we could definitely find out who is doing this.”

Suddenly Applejack jolted “Oh my gosh,” she hollered out “I forgot its Apple Blooms birthday today! What with everything with the harvest going on, I’ve been working so hard I forgot! Later girls, I gotta go buy Apple Blooms present!”

With that she galloped away down the street looking for the Joke Shop that held the funny toy Apple Bloom wanted. She got there too late, another pony had purchased the last one right as she got there. Dejected she started walking back to Sweet Apple Acres, I don’t know what I’ll tell Apple Bloom she thought but she’ll be heart broken. I know she was really looking forward to getting that present.

As she walked into the kitchen where they were going to have lunch, Apple Bloom rushed over and gave her a big hug “Thanks Applejack,” she said “for being the best sister ever!”

“Shucks,” Applejack said blushing “why’s that? I didn’t do anything special.”

“Are you kidding? The toy you bought me was everything I wanted!”

“What?” Applejack looked over and saw the very toy which Apple Bloom had pointed out a week ago that had a note still attached to the colorful wrapping paper To: Apple Bloom From: Applejack. Bouncing all over the kitchen due a sugar high from eating a cake with zap apple icing which Granny Smith made, Apple Bloom gave her sister another big hug “This was the best birthday ever!”

Yeah Applejack now fully curious Pinkie’s right, I gotta find out who’s doing this.

“Hang on ya’ll I gotta go tell Pinkie something,” she said and ran off to Pinkie’s house. 

The stake out was organized that night. Spike carried all of their supplies and they were dressed in black. Rainbow Dash was up in a cloud and she would point out where the mystery pony was, Applejack and Twilight would attempt to pin the pony down and reveal who it was. They decided that the first night, since it was the first day of the week that they should try Fluttershy’s home. Gathering their gear, they headed off and set up camp. Rarity wore a homemade but fashionable insect net hat, while the others had to be content with ointment. They needn’t have bothered though, what with the onset of winter bearing down on Ponyville, all of the insets were hiding at this point waiting for spring. Then they began to wait. Rainbow Dash began to nod of when she noticed movement down below and out of sight of the others. She whistled their signal down to them and they got ready. They watched as a pony, also dark clad, creep up to Fluttershy’s food shed, unlock it, and enter. The pony came out with a bucket of food in its mouth, then it stretched out its wings, and with a flurry of speed it darted to every single hole, placing the correct amount and specific food type for each animal before returning back to the shed. Gently the pony placed the bucket back inside and locked the door.

At breakfast they all talked about what happened the night before. Fluttershy said “I don’t know if I feel safe anymore. That pony opened my lock without a key, as if it knew it was always unlocked.”

“Well it is isn’t it?” Inquired Rainbow Dash.

“That’s aside from the point,” Fluttershy said “this pony, clearly knows my habits at least. It’s kind of creepy.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash agreed “I mean the fact that this pony knows so much about us I mean. They’ve obviously been watching us for a very long time. That’s what spooks me.”

> Lock Light and the Doctor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“But this pony is only doing good,” Twilight retorted “they’re not stealing or damaging anything. And Fluttershy, you did say that this pony helped you get ahead of schedule, just like they did with Applejack. If Applejack had to work yesterday, she would’ve completely forgotten Apple Bloom’s birthday instead of nearly forgetting it. The present which this pony bought Apple Bloom was a obviously a backup plan in case Applejack was still too busy…”

“But Fluttershy’s got a point,” interjected Rainbow Dash “I mean I don’t know how you guys feel, but I don’t want someone completely at home and familiar with all of my stuff. I don’t want them touching anything, even if they are helping. It’s an invasion of my personal space.”

“Yeah,” said Pinkie Pie “personal space!”

“Pinkie,” Applejack retorted “you always invade people’s personal space to throw parties.”

“True,” Pinkie Pie said “but that’s not…”

“And you love throwing surprise parties,” Twilight said “what if ponies had the same attitude towards your parties as you do towards this pony doing good deeds?”

“But…”

“Girls,” Twilight said getting up “I think that we should just give this pony the benefit of the doubt. Now let’s pack up. It was fun, but I still have to finish those reports to Princess Celestia.”

They all got up, but Pinkie was insistent “Wait!” she said “how about one more stake out? Just to prove you’re right Twilight. Let’s say, at Applejack’s place?”

“Well,” Applejack said “I don’t know…”

“Oh come on,” Pinkie Pie said “please?”

“Oh alright,” Applejack replied “but one night only, and that’s because I don’t have to work today.”

They repeated the same plan. They slept until dark and then began their nightly vigil. The wind was chillier this time, keeping them all awake. Rarity threw a thick navy blue scarf over herself “Anyone else want one?”

“Shhh,” the others said.

“Alright, alright,” Rarity whispered “no need to get in a fuss.”

The full moon waxed high in the night sky again but it was clear due to the night breeze blowing all of the clouds away. The dark clad long maned pony stepped out from behind a tree. Pinkie Pie elbowed Twilight Sparkle who woke up and nudged Applejack. They watched as the pony went to the barn, got the buckets, and dashed off, flying as fast as he could. Applejack whispered “If the pony thinks they can steal my apples…”

“Wait,” Twilight said “let’s just watch.”

A few moments later he came back with a bucket of loaded with apples and placed them in the barn. In the blink of an eye, he was gone again. The pony returned, sixty times, doing a full day’s work in a few hours. The pony then proceeded to separate the good apples from the bad ones. After taking one look around the pony locked the barn, placed all of the buckets back in place, put a small sack of coins in the same spot and then flew off into the night. Applejack got up, Twilight whispered after her “Applejack, get down!”

“No,” Applejack said back “I can’t let them go without telling them how I feel. I know how much money they gave us and it was quite a lot. They can’t keep doing this, otherwise they might not be able to provide for themselves. It’s generous and all but now knowing what I know, I can’t simply stand by and let it happen.

Pinkie followed her “She’s right,” she said “I have to know who they are.”

The others followed after the pony. Twenty minutes later, they arrived in the town square of Ponyville just in time to see the pony land by the fountain next to the town hall. They were by the bridge opposite to the fountain when out of nowhere, they heard a low grinding metallic sound which gradually got louder and louder as next to the fountain, a small blue police box appeared out of thin air. A door opened light emanated from it as a pony with an hour glass cutie mark stepped out. 

“Twilight,” Applejack said “I can’t hear anything. Can you cast a spell or something to help out?”

“Okay,” she said “but magic shouldn’t be used to spy on other ponies.”

“I think this is a necessary exception,” Applejack responded. Twilight’s horn briefly glowed and the sound came through her horn so that they were all able to hear the conversation that followed between the two ponies by the blue box.

“Hello Lock Light,” said the Doctor looking at him quizzically “it’s been awhile my old friend.”

“Indeed it has,” said Lock Light “not since we fought in the Revolution together in the Crystal Empire.”

“Revolution,” whispered Pinkie Pie “what…”

“Shhh,” Rainbow Dash whispered as she nudged Pinkie Pie with her elbow “I’m trying to listen.”

“It’s me Doctor,” Lock Light said smiling “I know you’ve been through a lot but really, it’s me.”

“Can’t ever be too sure,” he said “I remember once when the Dalek’s made a robotic replica of me and nearly took my friends in.”

“Fair enough,” Lock Light said as the scan was completed “but I still told you the truth now didn’t I?”

“Yes,” the Doctor said smiling “you’re looking rather sweaty and out of breath. What have you been up to?”

“Oh just doing some service around Ponyville Doctor,” Lock Light answered “the Apple family mostly. They work so hard with so few ponies that I just had to chip in, but I don’t want them to see, so I’ve been working at night while they’re asleep. It’s actually kind of sweet how Applejack reacted this morning. She was so shocked. It’s all worth it when you see that.”

“And a little something besides?”

“Doctor,” Lock Light said admonishingly “I don’t have any ulterior motives with her. They need help and so I gave it.”

“Right,” said the Doctor “I haven’t been around for thousands of years just to be deceived by that little line which I’ve heard equally as much. But that’s okay if you want to keep your secrets…”

“Alright,” Lock Light said “I do have some feelings for her, but that isn’t the only reason why I do it. I mean after all we’ve saved Equestria a couple of times haven’t we? And not once did we ask anything from Princess Celestia.”	

“Well she probably wouldn’t have given me a copy of the special edition of Casablanca if I asked for it,” said the Doctor “but I get your point. Anyway, we’re needed. I informed the Princess that we’ll be going to Halcyon in Sector ZZ 7 Gamma 1.29…”

“How far away is it,” Lock light asked interrupting and gesturing with his hoof “and when?”

“About three thousand years ahead in the year 4,242 in Equestrian time that would place us in the fourth celestial year of peace and about five thousand light years across the galactic disc. You coming?”

“Do you really need to ask that?”

“Don’t you want to know the dangers before we go?”

“I’ll figure that out on the way,” Lock Light said “besides, my work here is done for the night. I could use a shower and a good brush."
“Everything’s onboard the Tardis.”

“Right then,” Lock Light said “let’s get going, besides, I think I was followed here.”

With that, Lock Light and the Doctor entered into Tardis and disappeared.

“Whoa,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed “that pony’s a lot cooler than I thought! And to think he’s a Pegasus!”

“Certainly,” Twilight said “and he’s friends with a time travelling pony called the Doctor.”

“What,” asked Spike “was that he said about traveling to a different planet?”

“The Doctor said Halcyon in Sector ZZ 7 Gamma 1.29,” Twilight answered “I don’t know where that is, I’ll have to check my guide to astronomy. But Halcyon if I remember correctly is…there!”

Twilight pointed upwards and they all looked, a bright twinkling blue-white star, larger than the others around it was seen. 

“Seriously,” Rainbow Dash said “I have to meet this pony. What was his name?”

“Lock Light,” Pinkie Pie said “that’s what his name is, Lock Light. Funny though, I haven’t seen him before tonight. I guess I didn’t notice he was here!”

“True,” Spike said “but maybe you didn’t see him because he didn’t want to be seen. I mean it’s obvious that he’s a good pony, and he probably gets nervous around others.”

“That’s right,” Twilight said “so far we’ve only seen that he’s a good pony, I mean, he goes off to different stars and saves others. That’s an admirable quality.”

“What do you think Applejack?” Pinkie Pie asked “he does like you after all.”

“Yes,” she stammered awkwardly “well, that don’t mean nothin’. He told the Doctor that he did it because we needed help and that’s all fine and well with me.”

“But…”

“Pinkie,” Twilight said “you don’t need to pester Applejack about it. She’s embarrassed enough as it is.” 

“But…”

“Come on girls,” Twilight said “let’s get some sleep.”

They then trotted back to Twilight’s house and did so. The next morning shone bright and warm on the dead autumn leaves which were about Ponyville, yet everyone was about their daily business. Shopping, chit chatting, and enjoying themselves on this fair autumn day. Suddenly a pony galloped into the square “Run for your lives!” she screamed as she reared and then continued onwards. A huge two legged pony with one eye, four horns and six arms slowly trailed in her wake. The other ponies scattered while the Ipopony smashed buildings left and right. 

The Ipopony uprooted the Sugarcube Corner and shook it causing all of her cupcakes and the friends to tumble out. The Ipopony tore the house in half and threw the pieces, the top smashing into the town hall and the rest of the trunk falling on the homes surrounding it. The 		Ipopony bellowed in rage as it stomped and smashed. 

Its voice rang out “Where is he?” it said “where is Lock Light?”

“I’m right here, Ipopony,” he said stepping out of the Tardis with the Doctor.

“Looks like we got back here in time,” the Doctor said “never a dull moment with you is it?”

“That’s not the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Fair enough,” the Doctor said “anyway what are we about to…”

The Ipopony charged at them.

“Usual plan Doc,” Lock Light said as he flew off towards the Ipopony. 

“Lock Light,” the Ipopony raged “I’ll tear you to pieces like I did that building.”

“You can’t win White Lightning,” Lock Light said back “no matter what creatures you spawn to send after me, they’ll all suffer the same fate.”

Lock Light dove and missed the first punch the Ipopony swung at him. He butted against the second arm’s arm pit causing the Ipopony to clutch itself in pain. A swift kick to the back of its left knee brought it crashing down on the town square fountain. The one eye glared hatred and fury at Lock Light as he missed more punches.  A burst of fire belched from its mouth as he tried to incinerate Lock Light.

“Doctor,” Lock Light yelled as he missed another punch “is the machine ready?”

“Just a few more calibrations,” he said with his sonic screwdriver in his mouth, it’s blew light glowing as the sounds emanating from it whistled and whined “I have to get it so that the black hole it generates won’t suck the whole planet in.”

Lock light spun and kicked the Ipopony in the jaw sending it the ground knocking the wind out of it “How much time?”

“Five minutes!”

That usually means three, Lock Light thought then said “You got it!”

Lock Light dove, he took his hoof and elbow dropped the Ipopony as it tried to get back up. The Ipopony’s face cased a small crater to form after it was slammed against the green grass. It pushed itself up with all its strength angered at being beaten so badly and urged on by the master who was controlling it. Lock Light flew higher and began dodging as the Ipopony threw pieces of roof timbers at him. 

“Doctor!”

“Nearly there,” the Doctor said “almost…”

“We don’t have enough time,” Lock Light said “he’ll destroy the entire town if we don’t act now!”

“Done!” the Doctor pressed the activation switch and the machine came to life “Ha ha!” he said excitedly as he danced around it “It works! It works, it works, it works!” 

Lock Light repositioned himself so that he was in front of the machine pointed straight at the Ipopony’s tusked face. 

“On my mark Doctor,” Lock Light yelled as he flew closer and closer to the Ipopony. The Doctor braced himself against the machine and got ready. It had to be timed at the exact right moment. Lock Light flew past the Ipopony, it jumped trying to grab at him. Lock Light dodged flew back towards the Doctor, spun around and kicked the Ipopony square in the jaw again in one quick loop. 

“Now!” he screamed at the Doctor. A brilliant beam of orange light which flew towards the Ipopony, Lock Light flew underneath, and cast a spell of banishment with his unseen unicorn horn underneath his shaggy mane. A small black hole began to emerge and sucked the monster out into deep space before it winked out of existence. The town was dead silent as Lock Light landed next to the Doctor. Everyone stared at them in utter amazement. Then first one, then another, started applauding with their hooves. Rainbow Dash cheered “Wahoo! That was awesome!”

She flew to Lock Light who was talking with the Doctor. As she came closer she heard him say “Congratulations Doctor. That was a brilliant piece of engineering you did there.”

“Well, nothing that your…”

“Excuse me,” interrupted Rainbow Dash “can I get your autograph? You’re so cool! That was the coolest pony I’ve ever seen!”

“Not half as cool as your Sonic Rain-Boom,” Lock Light said nodding towards Rarity “I was in Cloudsdale that day. I remember you saving your friend there.”

“But I mean your flying,” Rainbow Dash said excitedly “that was almost as good as the Wonderbolts!”

“You’d be insulting him if you really believe that,” said the Doctor “after all he was captain of the first Wonderbolts Squadron and is Co-founder of the Wonderbolts Academy.”

“Doctor…”

“Wow!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash “Twilight, did you hear that? He was captain of the first Wonderbolts Squadron and Co-founder of the Wonderbolts Academy. No wonder you were able to get those tickets so fast!”

“Pardon?”

“The box tickets to the Wonderbolt’s show last week! Don’t you remember?”

“Oh that,” Lock Light said “it was…wait…”

He looked around and realized at a glance what happened last night and who had followed him and the Doctor as Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack walked towards them.

“Doctor,” he said “gotta go. Now!”

“Wait,” Rainbow Dash said following him as he flew off “was it something I said?”

No one was supposed to know it was me Lock Light thought as he tried to get rid of Rainbow Dash I just don’t like talking with people about it.

He headed towards the Everfree Forest and he flew into the tangled web of trees as Rainbow Dash followed. Lock Light sped up and with a turn of speed, he flew pulled so many tight maneuvers that he lost Rainbow Dash in the branches. 

“Humph,” Rainbow Dash said to herself “well that was rude. All I wanted to do was say ‘thank you’.”

She flew back to Ponyville and saw the others crowding the Doctor.

“What’s this machine for?” she heard Twilight ask.

“Oh this?” said the Doctor “it’s a simple worm hole generator. I picked one up while I was on Pepion last week. Thought it’d come in handy in a place like this. I recalibrated it to…”

“Just a minute,” Rainbow Dash said “who are you?

“I’m the Doctor.”

“The doctor of what?”

“Space and time travel I suppose,” the Doctor said “are you a doctor?”

“No, I most certainly am not,” Rainbow Dash answered “anyway, who was that pegasus who helped you? I tried to thank him but he left and lost me in the Everfree Forest.”

“That’s Lock Light,” the Doctor said “and he’d probably hate me for the rest of his life if I told you more. But he’s a good sort, he just is shy around other ponies and doesn’t like recognition. He says it’s embarrassing.”

“But,” Pinkie Pie asked “why? Doesn’t he like it when other ponies are nice to him? He does so many nice things for other ponies that he never asks for anything back?”

“That’s just who he is,” the Doctor said “it’s a long story.”

“Well,” Pinkie said “how about you come to my place and…”

“You mean the one that was just torn to pieces by the Ipopony?”

“I see,” she said.

“How about you all come onboard Tardis, we can chat there.” 
> Doctor's Consultation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“So tell me,” Twilight Sparkle began “what exactly is this?”

“This is the Tardis,” the Doctor said “which is an acronym for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. In other words, it’s a very large time, space, and interdimensional travelling…um…”

“Box?” Pinkie Pie mused.

“Yes,” Doctor Who said “that’s actually quite right. A box, but not just any ordinary box.”

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash interjected “prove to us that you can travel backwards through time.”

“Backwards AND forwards,” the Doctor said shaking his head “why does this always have to happen? When and where do you want to go?”

“How about,” Rainbow Dash said “Three thousand years into the future, right here, in Equestria.”

“Alright,” the Doctor said flicking a couple of switches, pressing some dials, and spinning a couple of nobs “oh,” he continued “and you might want to hold on to something or strap yourselves down.”

“Why?” Fluttershy said scrambling to tighten a seatbelt and looking at the Doctor.

“Because,” the Doctor said as he walked up to a lever “it’s going to get a little bumpy.”
===================================================================================================
With that, he pulled the lever. The Tardis shook violently and all of them were thrown around. Twilight’s head bumped against the floor, Applejack’s hat flew off and she went with it, Pinkie Pie slid across the floor and while she spun yelled “WEEEEEEEEEEE!”

The Tardis spun round and round in circles and the Doctor did some mental calculations and then said “…and, here we are!”

With that, he abruptly pulled up the lever and they all came to an abrupt halt. Pinkie Pie slid back to her original position and Applejack also flew back slamming into the wall. The Doctor ran over to her “Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said “no thanks to you. Where are we?”

“We’re here,” the Doctor said laughing.

“Where’s here?” Twilight asked.

“Three thousand years into the future,” Doctor Whooves said “in the land of Equestria.”

“No we’re not,” Rainbow Dash interjected “we haven’t even moved!”

“Well,” the Doctor said “not exactly speaking yes, a couple of your friends did a lovely dance across the floor though.”

“I don’t believe you,” Rainbow Dash said again.

“Very well,” the Doctor said “why don’t you just step outside?”

“Is it safe?” Fluttershy asked unbuckling herself.

“Of course it is,” the Doctor said “well, at least most of the time. But especially here. Since…well, you’ll see.”

They all stepped out and were shocked at the change of scenery. What was once a lush, green, and thriving landscape, was now a barren and wasted desert.

Rarity turned to the Doctor “What happened to the Everfree Forest?”

“Gone,” he said “dried up in the last hundred years. Most of the trees were brittle anyway. You could pick up a piece of bark and it would blow away in the wind, it was so crumbly.”

“And all the animals?” Fluttershy asked horrified.

“Dead and gone,” the Doctor said smiling “most of them went extinct thousands of years ago. Mostly lizards and insects here.”

“So,” Fluttershy asked again “there’s still some life?”

“Oh yeah,” the Doctor said “always gonna be life, no question about it. Just none of the bears or bunnies you were used to back home.”

“What about our families?” Applejack asked

“Also dead,” the Doctor said “the last pony here died out about the year two thousand five hundred AC.”

“A.C.?” Twilight asked “what’s that?”

“After Celestia,” the Doctor said “she’s gone too.”

“But how…” Twilight began but the Doctor cut her off.

“No, no, no,” the Doctor said “I won’t tell you everything. Now can we PLEASE get back to Ponyville? I’m simply dying for some muffins.”

“How can you think of muffins in a time like this?!” Rainbow Dash asked enraged.

“Well,” the Doctor said “I’m rather peckish, and anyway, you can all go back home.”

After a pause he looked at them “Coming?”

They all piled back into the Tardis, and after a few seconds they were back home. They stepped out, and were excited to be instantly back. The Doctor coughed “Now will you believe what I’m about to tell you?”

“Okay,” they all said and sat around him.

The Doctor addressed his audience “Look,” he said “Lock Light is a good soul. There’s no need to judge him for what he’s done or going to do. Everything he does is for the good of Equestria and also for the good of those around him. I’ve worked with him for many years and I’ve never seen any big fault with him.”

“Then why is he so mistrusting of pony folk?” Applejack asked “especially since everything he’s done is good.”

“It’s really complicated,” and I don’t think I have the right to tell you the complete story. But just to let you know, he’s had some very special ponies to him, whom he loved and respected, betray his trust. He feels that the only pony you can trust is yourself and no one else.”

“So that’s why he acts so weird?” Rainbow Dash asked

“It’s not weird,” the Doctor said “it’s cautious. Cautious to the point of near complete isolation. He does get along well with other ponies, but he treats them like soldiers treat replacements.”

“How’s that?”

“He doesn’t grow attached to them,” he said “and there’s only one pony that I know of who even comes remotely close.”

“Princess Celestia?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“No,” the Doctor said “but that’s also not my right to tell. You’ll have to ask him yourself if you want to know.”

Twilight looked sheepishly to the ground as the Doctor’s gaze shifted towards her.

“So,” Rarity said “how do YOU fit into all of this?”

“Me?” the Doctor asked “oh, I come and go, pop in here every once and a while.”

“No but really,” Rainbow Dash interjected “how?”

“Well,” the Doctor said “Lock Light and I first started working many years ago. Since, before most of you were born in fact. We fought many monsters together. The Ipopony was a creation of…well, it doesn’t matter who. But we’ve come across monsters like that before. It’s nothing new to us.”

“So,” Fluttershy asked quietly “you don’t even get to know them?”

“Why should we?” the Doctor said “we haven’t go the time nor the resources to, and if you knew who sent them, then it doesn’t matter. You KNOW that they’re pure evil.”

“But who…” Twilight began but was interrupted by the Doctor.

“We’ll explain later,” the Doctor said “anyway, we’ve actually had quite an  influence on all of your lives.”

“Really?” Pinkie Pie asked “How?”

“How about we begin,” the Doctor began “with your Pegasus friend.”

“Who Rainbow Dash?”

“Yes,” the Doctor said “with Rainbow Dash.”
> The Sound of Sonic Rainbooms
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was a bright day in Cloudsdale and puffy white clouds inched along the blue sky. A group of twelve Pegasi flew in perfect formation. They arched lazily through the clouds and then sped up so fast that they broke the sound barrier. Racing past an audience sitting in the seats beside them as they rocketed passed, the aftershock slamming them back into their seats. The ponies cheered as multi colored smoke then was released and a rainbow was formed. 

The crowd went nuts. These were the Wonderbolts, and elite squadron of the best flyers in Equestria. Their captain was a light tan pony with a long black shaggy mane. They all wore tight fitting blue flight suits and flight goggles. The years that followed since the squadron was created, they held many spectacles and functions. They knew they were the best, and so did their leader. Even Princess Celestia herself commented on their skill admiringly. The pride which these fliers felt was immense, but earned. In order to be the best one must train hard, not only in speed, but in technique. You had to be masters of both in order to be in the Wonderbolts.

When the show was over, they landed in front of the crowd which swarmed them. Pictures were snapped of the fliers as they posed, flicking back their manes, removing their goggles, and smiling dazzling smiles. However, their captain noticed a blue Pegasus eagerly trying to get through the crowd, but getting pushed back. She was in the last row of people to meet the Wonderbolts and was looking disappointed. However, the captain flared up his wings and glided over to her. She was shocked into silence, her mouth opening wide as the captain reached down with his hoof “Hello little Pegasus,” he said “I’m Lock Light…”

“The captain of the WONDERBOLTS!” the Pegasus screamed excitedly.

“Yes,” he said “what’s your name?”

“It’s Rainbow Dash,” she said hesitantly and grabbing his hoof and shaking it violently. Lock Light grinned, he let her have this moment in her life. He didn’t know whenever she’d have it again.

He looked down at her and said “Would you like to take a picture with me?”

“Yes,” Rainbow Dash said breathlessly.

“And,” Lock Light said whispering in her ear “afterwards would you could hang out with us at the after party, what do you say to that?”

“Uh,” Rainbow Dash gawked “really? You mean, I get…”

“You can have this chance to hang out with myself, and all of the Wonderbolts,” Lock Light said.

“That,” Rainbow Dash said emphasizing each word “would, be, AWESOME!”

“Alright,” Lock Light said putting an leg across her shoulder “how about you come and take some photos with us for a starters.”

Rainbow Dash could barely keep in her excitement. However, she quickly got over herself and got into the photo shoot, posing for the camera like she’d done it her whole life. 

One reporter asked “And who is this lucky filly?”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash,” she said “I get to hang out with the Wonderbolts for the after party and even with the team captain!”

“And are you excited?” asked another reporter.

“Of course,” Rainbow Dash said “I mean, who WOULDN’T want to be a Wonderbolt if you’re a Pegasus?”

“I’m sure a lot of other Pegasi sure would,” another reporter said “would it be accurate to say that the Wonderbolts are your heroes?”

“Oh,” Rainbow Dash said “most definitely. These guys are the best flyers in Equestria’s history. Didn’t you see the way they spun, dove, and were constantly in formation? That takes skill.”

“Do you think you’d want to be a Wonderbolt someday?” asked another reporter.

“I’d love to,” she responded “I mean, I think that it’d be a great opportunity.”

Lock Light stepped forward and spoke to the cameras “I personally think that Rainbow Dash here would be a great asset to the Wonderbolts,” he said and then turning to Rainbow Dash “if you can fly fast enough, and work hard enough, you can one day join our ranks.”

“You really think so?”

“I don’t think,” Lock Light said grinning down at her “I know. Wonderbolts!”

The Wonderbolts snapped to attention and faced him “Let’s take our new protégé out for a Wonderbolt blast! What do you say?”

They all cheered and with that, they all darted upwards with Rainbow Dash and went to go to their party. 

Rainbow Dash had no idea what to do or what was going on. She was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t even really think straight. The food was good, the Wonderbolts were cool, and Captain Lock Light…was the best. Lock Light showed her around their special quarters, he gave her a full grand tour. He showed her the mess hall, sleeping quarters, the dressing rooms where they got into their jump suits, and even outfitted her for one. Lock Light spent a lot of personal time with Rainbow Dash. He’d asked her a lot of questions, about her home, her parents, what she liked to do for fun, and so on. Lock Light secretly looked at her like the sister he’d never had. She adored him, and followed him around everywhere like the perfect wing pony. They talked for what seemed like hours, and they didn’t even pause once, except to eat the delicious food of course. When they were finished later that evening, they were sitting on some puffy clouds and watching the sunset, Lock Light turned to the little Rainbow Dash and said “Have you ever heard of the Legend of the Sonic Rainboom?”

“No,” Rainbow Dash gasped “what is it?”

“It’s a tale which stretches back before the time my father was even born,” Lock Light said “do you know how rainbows are normally formed?”

“Uh,” Rainbow Dash said “no.”

“Well,” Lock Light said “a rainbow is formed when water droplets in the clouds or in the sky reflect light. Do you understand?”

“Not really,” Rainbow Dash said.

“That’s okay,” Lock Light said “let’s take this glass for example. Light penetrates it and you can see right through it. It bends, even in the water. Do you see?”

“Oh,” Rainbow Dash replied “okay I get it now.”

“When light is split enough,” Lock Light said “it changes from the color white, into seven separate colors. This spreads beauty and joy where ever it goes. Have you ever seen a rainbow?”

“Well,” Rainbow Dash said “yeah, of course, but they’re common place.”

“Not the Sonic Rainboom,” Lock Light said “the legend I spoke of says, that if a Pegasus, and ONLY a Pegasus flies fast enough, that the SAME thing can happen. There’s something which happens in the air, I don’t know, maybe it’s the fliers sweat, maybe it’s the desire of the heart being released for all the world to see. I don’t know. But, when it happens, the Sonic Rainboom, not only is seen by those below you, as a normal rainbow, but it rockets across the sky and can be seen by the whole world. No pony knows, what exactly may come of it. Some deep magic lies in the Sonic Rainboom.”

“Have you ever done it before?”

“No Rainbow Dash,” Lock Light said “I’m nowhere near fast enough. But I think, YOU might be able to do it?”

“Really?”

“If you work at it,” Lock Light replied “anything is possible.”

“How do YOU think it could be done?”

“Well,” Lock Light said “if I knew, I would have already done it by now.”
> Spike Me I'm Dreaming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“So what you’re telling me,” Rainbow Dash then said bringing them all back to the present “is that Lock Light was the one who ‘inspired’ me to do a Sonic Rainboom?”

“To be quite frank yes,” the Doctor said “as I said, he’s been very influential in all of your lives. Without the Sonic Rainboom, none of you would have even come close to finding your cutie mark.”

“Wait a second,” Twilight said “what about me and Spike? He didn’t talk to us or do anything of that sort.”

“Oh really?” the Doctor said “Lock Light and I were fighting a dragon in the Everfree of Equestria. It had come too far north and was threatening to attack Equestria itself. We were fighting it and it scattered all of the animals in the local area. It even set fire to the forest. When Lock Light and I were done and had sent that dragon packing, we discovered why it had even come this far north in the first place.”

“Why was that?”

“It had laid one single egg,” the Doctor said “a very precious possession. It was a miracle that it hadn’t had been crushed in the ensuing battle. But there it was plain as day. We took it back to Canterlot and gave it to Princess Celestia, who made it the main stream for her test in the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns…or whatever she called it.”

“So they already had the egg?”

“Twilight,” the Doctor said “we’d never steal or do anything of the kind just to get a dragon’s egg. Though they are very rare, it is still a living creature and deserves the utmost care. Celestia wanted somepony like yourself to take care of the dragon who would become Spike.”

“But Spike was already,” Twilight began but she was cut off by Rainbow Dash.

“Wait a second,” she said “let’s go back to my story real quick. How come he was already the captain of the Wonderbolts?”

“Oh,” the Doctor said “he’d been captain for a very long time. He’d fade in and out of the Wonderbolts history. If you look back, you’ll see more than one Captain Lock Light, but they were all the same pony.”

“But how could that of worked?”

“Unlike most other ponies,” the Doctor went on “as you know Lock Light is immortal. He’d just wait until there was a new commissioner and do the try outs just like every other Pegasi. When he passed and if he was asked if he was related to THE Captain Lock Light, he’d simply grin and say yes. It was quite an easy deception. Most ponies can’t conceive the possibility of immortality you see.”

“How come he never gave them his real identity?”

“Would YOU have believed a pony which claimed immortality?” the Doctor retorted.

“Well,” Rainbow Dash said sheepishly “no, but it’s just…”

“I know it’s difficult to understand,” Twilight said “but it DOES make sense. Didn’t you say that he formed the first Wonderbolt Squadron?”

“Yes,” the Doctor said “to protect Equestrian air space and to defend against all threats from above or below. That was his motto.”

“And why hasn’t Celestia ever told anyone before about his presence?” Twilight asked “surely, she’d tell me.”

“The problem,” the Doctor said “is that it is too deep of a secret. You already know about how Alicorns are made and why they are created. And YOU understand that, but most ponies don’t. Their only concept of an Alicorn is the Diarchy and that’s already complex in itself, NOT only that, but if you knew his DEEPER story, then you would understand even more.”

“So,” Pinkie Pie asked “what is it?”

“I can’t tell you,” the Doctor said “it’s not my place or position to tell you. To tell you without hearing it from his own lips would be betraying our trust. I’ll tell you that everything will become clear ONCE you know, but I simply can’t tell you.”	

“Alright then,” Rarity said “what about me? How could Lock Light have POSSIBLY influenced MY life? I WOULD like to know that certainly.”	

“Well,” the Doctor said “that one’s a bit easier to explain.”

“How do you mean?”

“Do you remember the time when your horn glowed,” the Doctor asked Rarity “and you had felt that it was your ‘destiny’?”

“Yes,” Rarity said “I remember it as clear as day.”

“That wasn’t because of your destiny,” the Doctor said looking awkward.

“I still don’t understand,” Rarity exclaimed “it WAS my destiny to find those gems.”

“I know,” the Doctor said “but the circumstances under which you FOUND those gems AND that your horn glowed, were not unprecedented.”

“Not following dear,” Rarity said.

“I created the environment which created the power which mean your horn glow,” the Doctor said “and drag you to the place where you found the boulder.”

“Why?” Rarity asked.

“I’ll tell you…”

> Meeting the Mane Six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Doctor looked straight at Rarity and said “Lock Light and I were fighting an Ursa Major on the outskirts of Ponyville. I was testing a new device called an M.W.G. or Micro Wormhole Generator. In fact, it was the same one we used on the Ipopony earlier today.”

“Then why didn’t I feel any of the affects?” Rarity quizzed.

“Because this version was more fine tuned than the last. The wormhole actually had a little side effect, any unicorn within an undetermined radius was pulled towards it. It used Lock Light’s magic for the final blow to banish monsters to deep space.”

“So you killed all of those creatures?” Fluttershy asked again shuttering.

“Like I said earlier,” the Doctor said “if you’d known who’d sent them, you wouldn’t want to get to know them. They’re nothing but evil.”

“So you’re saying,” Rarity said “that it was YOUR machine which dragged me ALL the way to that stupid rock!”

“In a simple way,” the Doctor responded “yes.”

“So what you’re saying is,” Rainbow Dash said haughtily “is that without you and Lock Light, none of us really would have had our cutie marks?”

“Oh,” the Doctor said “I’m not saying that at all. You would have found them eventually, I’m just suggesting that you wouldn’t’ve found them in the manner in which you did, and they may have been different cutie marks all together.”

“I think I understand,” Twilight said “you didn’t actually MEAN to set out to help us find our cutie marks, because that would have been too risky, and you didn’t even know that we would have found our cutie marks, but you were just at the right place and at the right time so that all of these events could be triggered when they did. They were simultaneous events, but you actually weren’t planning to do it, everything just fell into place.”

“Exactly,” the Doctor said turning to Twilight “you’re a clever one aren’t you.”

“So,” Applejack said “when do we actually get to meet him?”

“That might be a little difficult to arrange,” the Doctor said “I...”

“Wait a second!” Pinkie Pie interrupted.

“What Pinkie?” Twilight asked

“Isn’t tonight Nightmare Night?”

“Yes,” Twilight said “but I don’t see…”

“What a perfect opportunity,” she said “everyone will be so distracted, that they won’t be even remotely paying attention to when we actually meet him…I mean, he doesn’t strike me as kind of a crowd’s type pony.”

“That’s a good idea Pinkie,” Twilight said “what do you think Doctor?”

“Splendid,” the Doctor said “I’ll send him a message.”

On the evening of Nightmare Night, they were all gathered on the outskirts of Ponyville. The Doctor paced back and forth, he was alone. He had told the others to wait and hide and come out when he told them too. But Lock Light was late, he should have been there by now. As if on cue, a flutter of wings was heard and Lock Light landed gracefully next to him.

Panting slightly he said “What’s up Doc?”

“Very funny,” the Doctor said “all you need is a carrot, buck teeth, and longer ears.”

“Sorry?”

“Oh,” the Doctor said “you wouldn’t get that reference.”

Suddenly, a party cannon fired from out of nowhere, showering confetti all over the place and nearly giving Lock Light a heart attack. Pinkie sprung up as the cannon fired and shouted “Hello!”

Recovering from having fallen to the ground in shock, Lock Light glared slightly at the Doctor “You told me there wouldn’t be anybody here.”

“And you told me you were going to have fun for one night in your life,” the Doctor retorted “Lock Light, I want you to meet the ponies you’ve been helping.”

The rest stepped out from the bushes and walked toward him, he braced himself wings flared ready to fly at a moment’s notice.

“It’s okay Lock Light,” Twilight said “you don’t have to be afraid.”

“Sorry Twilight,” he said “with my experience, it’s best not to trust appearances.”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash said “you know us already.”

“Consider this a formal introduction,” the Doctor said “and believe me Rainbow Dash, with what Lock Light and I have seen, his mistrust is completely understandable.”

Taking a breath he continued “Lock Light, I’d like you to meet Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, of course you’ve already met Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and…Applejack.”

Upon seeing Applejack he lowered his wings slightly but still kept a weary eye on all of them. In his own mind, he was going over the best tactics for the situation should he escape, looking at their strengths and weaknesses. There were a tense couple of moments, but then Applejack walked up to him and reached out a hoof. For one of the first times that her friends have ever seen, she looked bashful, and said “I…I wanted to thank you for all the help you’ve done around the farm. I’m sure we would have lost it a long time ago if it wasn’t for you.”

Lock Light’s expression changed as he looked at Applejack, and then, slowly, completely lowering his wings, he took her hoof, and shook it lightly “It was, and always will be my pleasure.”

Everyone felt the air become normal again, Twilight walked up to him “That’s actually why we’re all here,” she said “we wanted to formally thank you for helping us.”

Upon seeing Twilight he instantly dropped to one knee and said “Your Grace, my humble apologies, I didn’t realize I was in the presence of royalty.”

“That’s alright,” she said “you’ve had it rough the past couple of days.”

“I was also distracted your grace,” he said getting up and glancing quickly at Applejack “I simply didn’t realize…”

“I understand,” Twilight said smiling at both him and Applejack. Applejack blushed and turned her eyes away and Lock Light did as well. 
Rainbow Dash walked up to him and said awkwardly “I also wanted to thank you…I didn’t realize how much you had affected my life. Really, everything, it’s because of you…”

After all of the formal introductions and the awkward first five minutes were over, Applejack looked at Lock Light “Would you like to come down with us to Ponyville for Nightmare Night? It’ll be fun, I could show you around.”

“Yes,” Lock Light said “I would like that.”

They all walked together, the Doctor chattering away with Twilight about the complexities of metaphysics and quantum teleportation, and the others either ignoring them or having their own conversation. As Lock Light and Applejack walked together, he looked at her and asked “So, how’s Granny Smith?”

“She’s good,” Applejack said “can’t complain too much.”

“I’d like to see her again,” Lock Light said “it’s been a long time.”

“How long?”

“A while,” he said “I hope I’m not making this awkward for you.”

“Not at all,” Applejack said.

“So where are we going to anyway?”

“Why, we’re going to Nightmare Night,” Applejack said “it’s a celebration, where all the foals dress up and they get scared by Nightmare Moon.”

Lock Light suddenly stopped in his tracks “Wait a second,” he said “I thought she was banished?”

“Nah, shucks,” Applejack said “she’s good now, back to good old Princess Luna.”

Lock Light relaxed, but Applejack was curious to see how much of an effort it took him. 

“Why,” she said “what’s the matter?”

“It’s just…,” he said “history, that’s all.”

“What do you mean?”

“Princess Luna and I have a history,” he said “it’s kind of awkward.”

“Ah see,” she said “do you think it’ll be a problem?”

“Shouldn’t be,” he said “at least, as long as it’s really just Princess Luna.”

Before long they found themselves in the town square. The foals were laughing and playing games, the ponies were also happy and eating food. Lock Light allowed himself a quick smile. Applejack noticed, based on what the Doctor had told them, he didn’t do it very often. Then suddenly, in a flash of blue smoke and lightning, Nightmare Moon appeared before them.

> A Recurring Nightmare on Nightmare Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Step back Twilight,” Lock Light barked as Princess Luna came towards them.

“Lock Light what are you doing?”

“Step back,” he ordered again “she’s pure evil.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight interjected “she’s no longer bad Lock Light.”

“She’s no longer Nightmare Moon,” Fluttershy said as a whisper.

“What do you mean, no LONGER?” Lock Light said backing up as Princess Luna came closer.

“We mean,” Applejack said “that she’s no longer Nightmare Moon. Just that, she’s not evil, and quite nice actually.”

“You all don’t understand,” Lock Light said still backing up “I was there Applejack, I was there the DAY she became Nightmare Moon.”

“But that was…”

“Lock Light,” Princess Luna said “I assure you…”

“Don’t treat me with your lies and deceits again Luna,” Lock Light spat now standing his ground wings flaring “I remember clearly the last time you spoke to me.”

“Wait you two know each other?” Applejack asked

“Yes,” Princess Luna said “but it’s a complicated relationship.”

“You shattered everything I believed in Luna,” Lock Light spat and the others gasped.

“Shouldn’t you address her as Princess?” Pinkie Pie asked shocked.

“It’s alright,” Princess Luna said trying to calm the situation down “Lock Light please, listen to me.”

“Why should I?” Lock Light snorted and then Applejack stepped between them.

“Now hold on ya’ll,” she said “why don’t we just calm down here. What the hay is going on?”

“She is evil,” Lock Light said his eyes flashing in the night. They had drawn quite a crowd by this time and ponies who were enjoying the festivities of Nightmare Night had stopped what they were doing and stared. Lock Light looked nowhere else except at Princess Luna.

“How could you have Princess,” he snapped “after all we had been through together. After we had spent many moons fighting off evil, from convincing Scorpan to join us, to the fall of Lord Tirek, you were there every step of the way.”

Twilight thought furiously, that was hundreds of moons ago. How could Lock Light know…

“You were the one pony that I looked up to,” Lock Light went on “after my past which you know better than any of these ponies here. After everything I had been through, to see you turn to the evil which you swore to protect Equestria from.”

Princess Luna’s eyes brimmed with tears as Lock Light, in his furious indignation “I was loyal to you, I served you as a soldier. I counselled you as my friend, and yet you let your jealousy rack your heart until you brought Equestria down to the foundations upon which it was built. Did joy and happiness of others not matter to you anymore? Do you know how difficult it was for me, to betray the one pony whom I thought I could rely on? Whom I had trusted with my soul?”

“Lock Light,” Princess Luna said “I…”

“And not only that,” Lock Light interrupted “but to not see you, for the many life times it seemed. To see the flowers wither and fade, and the trees pass into fall, and the winters come, and always remember the joy I once experienced at being by your side and serving you, when I had every right not to.”

“Lock Light,” Princess Luna said “please let me explain.”

“Tell me,” Lock Light said “pray, tell me, in fact, tell every pony within ear shot of what changed  you to become the real Nightmare Moon. Tell us what drove you to such madness and insanity so as to shroud the world in eternal night. To take away the freedom which we once restored to the Crystal Empire together. Tell us!”

There was a moment of silence as all eyes turned to Princess Luna. She raised her head, and her midnight blue star streaked mane flowed effortlessly in flawless beauty towards the ground. 

She looked at Lock Light and spoke in a sheepish tone of voice “You’re right Lock Light,” she said “I did grow jealous. I wanted every pony to enjoy the night as much as they enjoyed the day. I wanted ponies across Equestria to look upon the beauty of the stars and the dusk. To not look upon it with fear and apprehension, but to see the deeper beauty of the heavens as they looked up above. I wanted…I wanted them to feel more than fear at my creation.”

“But you can’t force that upon ponies Princess,” Lock Light said “I told you that back then as well.”

“I know that now,” Princess Luna said “and though it’s taken me many years, I realize that not every night can be as this, where ponies thrill and are excited to be in the night. But I see that I must help them sleep and protect them while they can’t protect themselves.”
She looked directly into Lock Light’s eyes “I’m sorry old friend,” she said “I wish things could have been different. But my jealousy blinded me and I fell…”

“You fell into a darkness from where I couldn’t go,” Lock Light said, his eyes suddenly brimming with tears as well “I couldn’t follow you. And instead, I had to go denounce what had once been the only constant in my life…the one thing that I could rely on was that you could be there…”

“Lock Light,” Princess Luna said “you were always right. I was wrong, I was young and naïve. I had let the lust for power cloud my mind. It…it…”

“It doesn’t seem so impossible now does it?” Lock Light asked “how one can fall from prominence and grace…down to the very depths of below Tartarus.”

“What are they saying?” Pinkie Pie whispered as she poked Rainbow Dash who nudged her back and said “I don’t know, I want to keep listening!”

“So what in the hay is going on here?” Applejack again asked. She was still standing between them blocking both of their paths. Her hat was obscuring one eye but she caught everything which had happened “Why are you both mad at each other then?”

“It’s…complicated,” Lock Light said finally after thinking about it “you wouldn’t understand Applejack. I think that the only pony here who truly understands is Twilight, but even she doesn’t have the clearest picture.”

They all turned to her except Luna and Lock Light who kept looking at each other. The argument still raged inside their minds.

I loved you once, Lock Light thought angrily to Princess Luna that is partially why I served you so devotedly. How one so young, and beautiful, and regal, would have me of all ponies, protecting her and fighting for her. If another pony had done what you did when you became Nightmare Moon, I would have killed them. But…I couldn’t raise a hoof against you.

“So,” Rainbow Dash asked Twilight “what is going on?”

I know Lock Light, Princess Luna thought in turn back to Lock Light but my love for you at the time was different. You were, are, and always will be good. But I could never love, especially after what we had gone through. And you’re right…the over throwing of King Sombra, the defeat of Lord Tirek, and then…me.

“Well,” Twilight said “I think it would be better if we were in private. It is rather a long story.”

My whole life was kept a secret after you left, Lock Light thought back she thought it would be safer if no pony even knew I or my brother existed. Only one pony apart from her knew about me, and that was YOU. I would have gone with you, I would have gone with you to the very gates of Tartarus and back. But my heart wouldn’t, couldn’t, let me.

The ponies began to shuffle away and Twilight said “Let’s go back to the castle girls.”

“No way,” Applejack said defiantly “no how. These two still have to explain themselves.”

And for that I will always be grateful, Princess Luna thought back to Lock Light if you had come with me, I would have stayed as Nightmare Moon. With you at my side, I would have thought that we could have defeated Princess Celestia.

“Lock Light?” Twilight asked looking at him. He and Princess Luna were looking intently at each other, and had been staring at each other for the past ten minutes without blinking. Lock Light spluttered “Huh? What?”

“Are you coming?”

“Coming where?”

“To my castle of course,” Twilight said “didn’t you hear anything?”

“Oh,” Lock Light said “the castle…right. Do you mean, the Castle of the Two Sisters? The Canterlot Castle? The Crystal Castle or…”

“No Twilight’s castle,” Rainbow Dash said “she has one of her own you know.”

“Alright, alright Rainbow Dash,” Lock Light said “no need to bite my head off. We’ll both come.”

“I’m still gonna walk between you two,” Applejack said “until I get the full story, from both of you.”

As they walked, the conversation between Lock Light and Luna continued oblivious to Applejack, but Twilight picked up a tingling in the back of her mind. She knew magic well, and had studied briefly on telepathy, but she’d never perfected it. She attempted to try out what she’d read now. Focusing her mind, but also walking steadily, she listened in on the conversation.

…Overthrow Celestia? Lock Light thought how could you have possibly thought, that even a thousand moons ago? Not only that, but with the Elements of Harmony, she could have defeated anything or anypony. You really were insane back then. You do realize that now don’t you?

Yes, Luna thought ashamedly but as I said, I was young and didn’t understand the way things properly worked. Just because the night isn’t loved by all, doesn’t mean that it should be forced upon everypony.

But why didn’t you come up with that before? Lock Light asked then none of this would have happened. I could have still been with you. I could still have been serving you.

But then were would you be? Luna asked you wouldn’t be here, and there are far better reasons why you should be here and not with me.

Such as? Lock Light thought.

I have seen your dreams, Luna began but was interrupted.

I thought I learned to block those and keep them private? Lock Light interjected.

Dreams cannot be protected, Princess Luna thought not the true dreams which come from your heart in the realms of deep slumber. I have seen your heart’s desire, and it’s very sweet of you.

What do you mean? Lock Light asked.

You and Applejack would make a lovely couple, Luna mused and Lock Light blushed slightly when the thought danced across his mind.
Is it that obvious?

Of course it is, Princess Luna thought but only to those who know what to look for. Why do you love her so?

I guess, Lock Light thought it’s because of my relationship with her Aunt Apple Rose. Do you remember?

The slave girl you helped? Luna thought back yes I remember. She was sweet when she was a filly.

She never speaks of that time, Lock Light thought or so I’m told. 

Could you ever blame her?

No, Lock Light thought back resigning but Applejack’s different. Honest, loyal, true, direct…

You have always liked direct ponies who were straight with you, Luna thought after all, that’s why you liked my sister and I so much.

But I didn't like you guys for that reason, and I think somepony’s listening by the way, Lock Light thought looking directly at Twilight who gasped having fun?

Oh, Twilight thought I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hear anything. I was trying out a new telepathy spell.

And what exactly, Lock Light mused did you think would happen if the spell worked?

I just…she began but then she ran smack into a tree. Rainbow Dash looked down at her “Are you okay Twilight?”

“Um…” Twilight said “yeah, I’m fine.”

“You do know you’ve walked this path like a million times and you’ve never hit that tree before,” Rainbow Dash said “right?”

“I know, I just,” Twilight said “I lost focus.”

“How can you lose focus walking?” Pinkie Pie asked bouncing up from behind.

“Uh,” Twilight began gesturing awkwardly “it doesn’t matter. And oh, ha, look right there. There’s the castle. How about we all go inside?”
Lock Light and Princess Luna both looked at her, Luna with sympathy at her innocence, and Lock Light with slight annoyance. 

Hurriedly she thought back to Lock Light I promise, I won’t tell what I heard.

It wouldn’t matter if you did, he thought back she would never go for a pony like me, not in a million years. 

I don’t think that’s fair, Twilight thought to rule out Applejack like that. I’m sure if she knew…

If she knew the truth, Lock Light retorted she’ll reject me with an abstinence and horror…just as you will.

No I won’t, Twilight thought and what do you mean by that?

All will be explained in due time, Lock Light thought, and instantly she saw an impenetrable thick wall which soared into the sky. She walked in, and they sat at the table in the central atrium. The map wasn’t there, and two more seats were brought up for Lock Light and Luna. She looked at them all, and asked “What would you like to know?”

“What I wanna know is,” Applejack started “why you two hate each other so much? And why it’s SO darn complicated?”

“That,” Princess Luna said “is something that I can’t fully tell. I can’t start it at least.”

“Yes you can,” Rainbow Dash interjected “you can tell us anything.”

Princess Luna looked at Lock Light who then spoke “It’s complicated because I’m not as young as you all think I am…you see…I was there a thousand moons ago, on the very day that Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon.”

“But that means,” Pinkie Pie said “that you’re really, really, really, really, really, really, really, SUPER old!”

“Yes,” Lock Light said “I am able to retain my youth through magic, and immortality.”

Fluttershy countered “But I thought you are a Pegasi, you can’t use magic.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said “there’s absolutely ZERO magic in our veins we can’t even levitate rocks and things. The only thing we can do, is be better fliers than anyone else in Equestria.”

“That…is where you’re wrong,” Lock Light said “I am a Pegasi yes…but also…I’m an Alicorn.” And flicked back his mane.

They all gasped “Twilight,” Applejack asked quizzically “can’t only mares become Alicorns?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said “that’s what I thought. But a stallion Alicorn? How is this possible Princess Luna?”

“As you know,” Princess Luna said “Alicorns are created through the use of deep magic. Only when a unicorn, earth pony, or Pegasi is ready, do they usually become Alicorns. But with Lock Light…it was a different story.”

“I never wanted to be an Alicorn,” he said “when I was born, I was a Pegasi just like you Rainbow Dash. But it was forced upon me when I became an Alicorn. As Princess Luna said, you can only become an Alicorn through the use of magic, but once you know the spell which creates Alicorns, you can use it at will just like any other spell.”

“But you’re immortal,” Twilight said “and you aren’t automatically immortal if you are an Alicorn.”

“There are special ceremonies and rites which one must undergo to become immortal,” Princess Luna defended “Lock Light, just as myself, has performed those rites.”

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said “we get the picture, but why do you hate each other again?”

“Before I became Nightmare Moon,” Princess Luna said “Lock Light had served faithfully in my guard for many years. Together, we fought against many enemies, including Lord Tirek, and his brother Scorpan before we turned him…I…betrayed every pony I loved, all for the sake of power…”

“And for many years,” Lock Light “I was bitter. My whole world was shattered in an instant. I thought that no royal pony, especially one like Princess Luna, could turn evil. At least, not after the horrors she and I both witnessed. I was devoted to her…and the day that she invited me with the other captains and revealed to us the desire to become Nightmare Moon…I couldn’t follow her.”

They all listened to his narrative, eyes not even blinking “You must understand how difficult it was for me. I am a very loyal pony, and especially when after Princess Luna offered me a second chance at life…I wanted to be with her, to defend and protect her. But where she was going I could not follow. And I loathed and hated her for it, even as I sped off into the clouds and to the Castle of the Two Sisters where Celestia was and told her. I hated her for making me turn against the pony I came to know and love so much. But I had to do it for the good of Equestria.”

He paused, and then continued “In the battle that ensued, it was mostly between Celestia and Luna. However, myself and Doctor Whooves also helped. He used a vortex teleporter to banish her to the moon. But Celestia cast a spell to keep her there, which was that only on the night when all the stars were aligned would she be able to come back. I didn’t see her again until tonight, over a thousand years.”

“Now do you understand?” Princess Luna asked looking at them all.

Twilight nodded “Of course,” she said “it’s completely understandable. The last time Lock Light saw you was when you were Nightmare Moon. It would have been difficult for anypony.”

Applejack kept starring at Lock Light who looked back at her. Suddenly things were starting to make sense but she asked him “How old were you when you became an Alicorn?”

“Well,” Lock Light said “I was about Shining Armor’s age.”

“Why didn’t you tell us before?” she asked again.

“I thought you wouldn’t understand,” Lock Light said.

“Apparently,” Applejack said “you thought wrong. We’re not as stupid as you think.”

“Applejack,” Twilight asked “what’s wrong with you?”

“Everything is making sense now,” she said “how he was able to get so much done in one night. Why he is able to work so fast. Remember when he was working on the farm? How he MAGICALLY seemed to open your locked doors Fluttershy?”

“Why yes,” Fluttershy began but was cut off by Applejack who whirled around back and faced Lock Light.

“Why do you care?” she asked “why do you care so much about my family? What have we ever done for you?”

“Please Applejack,” Princess Luna said trying to calm the situation “you need to calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to be calm,” she said “I AM calm!”

Her eyes darted back to Lock Light “You helped out on the farm so that we were always on schedule, even though there was way more work that should have needed to be done. You left enough gold over the years to be able to BUY Sweet Apple Acres, AND, you knew EXACTLY what to get Apple Bloom for her birthday. So WHY do you care about the rest of us…and me?”

Lock Light looked at her bright emerald green eyes and sighed “I have a long relationship with your family Applejack. I was there when your family first moved to Ponyville and settled here. I helped them plant the Zap Apple trees which gave them their first crop, I helped them build their first barn. I knew your Granny Smith, her cousin Apple Rose, great grandfather, and your father very well. I…I was even there the night your parents died.”

“What?!”

“I was,” Lock Light said “I…”

“If you were there,” Applejack said angrily, so furious that none of her friends had ever seen her this mad before “then WHY didn’t you save them if you cared so much about them?!”

“I wanted to,” Lock Light said “I helped them fight off the pack of Timberwolves which were attacking your family. I was out on patrol that night and in the Ponyville area when I saw what was happening below. Your parents fought bravely…but when things looked their bleakest, they told me…”

“Told you what?” Applejack barked stomping her foot.

“…that I had to keep you safe,” Lock Light said after a pause. Applejack was stunned into silence. The only thing keeping her from being even more angry was her shock. She stared at Lock Light, who sniffed and brushing away a tear he continued as he looked up “I had to keep you safe at all costs. No matter what, even if it meant sacrificing my own life, I had to keep you and your brother safe and get you back to the farm. So, following orders, I picked both you and Big Mac up, and sped back to the farm as quickly as I could. I’m not as fast of a flyer as Rainbow Dash, and it was too far away to teleport. I dropped you off and then flew back to the Everfree Forest to rescue your parents…but by then, it was too late.”

“You mean,” Applejack said “you rescued me? YOU’RE the reason I’m alive?”

“Yes,” Princess Luna said “I saw it all happen. I couldn’t go because I wouldn’t have reached there in time.”

“But at least you could have TRIED to save them,” Applejack blurted out her mind racing “at least Lock Light TRIED!”

“I couldn’t do it Applejack,” Princess Luna said “your parents were already dead by the time Lock Light got there and he was miles ahead of me. He even fought off the Timberwolves that were trying to eat the bodies of your parents and bore them back to Sweet Apple Acres.”

“The burial took place later that week,” Lock Light said “you wouldn’t remember…but it was a good ceremony. Princess Celestia herself gave the eulogy…I even held you in my arms that day as you cried on my shoulder.”

After another pause, Twilight spoke “Are you alright Applejack?”

“No,” Applejack said, and for the first time since their friendship began, she burst into tears “I just don’t get it. I don’t understand anything anymore.”

“It’s alright,” Fluttershy said embracing her “we’re here for you.”

They all gathered around her, but only Twilight saw Luna look at Lock Light and them both fly off into the night. 
> Daemons of the Dead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	My time has come. For over a hundred years, I’ve waited, and grown stronger. While you wrestled for the reins of power and wielded the sword of justice, for one who would also betray you. I have festered in the dungeon of my own making, licking my wounds and waiting for the day when I would resurface and breathe the free air again…and gaze upon Celestia’s sun. The power I possess, deep magic granted to me from my father has echoed in the shadows of our time. There is none which can stop me. Perhaps you brother, yet I know not. There are no stars where I dwell which can tell me the foreseeable future. However, there is nothing from which blood can tell. Blood, which more often than not is spilt from my own hoof, and written upon the altar of sacrifice. I have learned much from father, more than you would ever know…

In the darkness, White Lightning brooded, his tower, located high and deep in the Crystal Mountains, loomed like a dark tree limb stretching forward towards the sky, blocking out the light from the surrounding countryside. Evil and forbidding, his tower was constantly swathed in a shroud of mist which only dispersed at its master’s command. Storm’s Tower he called it. Made of mighty stones which he hewn himself with magic and lifted painstakingly into place as if it were made by a perfect mason. His rage, his desire for revenge against his brother, were all that he sought in this life. With every scrape of dirt, every bush burned, every stone lifted and every stone set, he thought and plotted, schemed and recollected. No armies would he have, no followers to betray him as his father had, no grand empires to simply rise and fall. The rule of one, that was his desire, for that was all he needed. No need or thought to love, no purpose in swaying legions of followers to his side. In time, as his magic grew, he could summon those legions, cast illusions to make himself greater, and as tall as the mountains. He would grind his enemies to dust.

White Lightning, the one true heir to his father’s throne, not his degenerate upstart of a brother. White Lightning, the one true king. When he came back, he would surpass his father’s wildest dreams and bring a new Age of Darkness to the Crystal Empire. Darkness conquers light and light can be contained. White Lightning brooded on how he could defeat his brother and reclaim his right as the one true heir to the Crystal Empire, when it came to him. 

He waited and watched in his now finished tower, he gained in power, summoning monsters to find his brother. When he finally had, he harassed him consistently. Oh, they were easily defeated enough, but they were a mere distraction from his real goal, finding his brother’s weakness. There would be no mercy, and above all, no regret. White Lightning then came across some very startling information…his brother was in love. 
=================================================================================================
Applejack and Lock Light were sitting together in front of the Apple’s barn on Sweet Apple Acres. He had his arms around her and kissed her on the neck. She looked up at him and smiled saying “Hey Lock Light, do you wanna come with me to the Grand Galloping Gala this year?”

“Possibly,” he said grinning down at her “I usually go, but I’ve gone by myself.”

“Same here,” she said “so why not go together?”

“I don’t know,” Lock Light said “it’d be kind of awkward, for me…”

“Why?”

“I have two right hooves,” he said jokingly “I can’t really dance.”

“How come you’d go there then?”

“Well,” he said “I knew it would be a sure way of seeing you.”

“And what did you think when you saw me?”

“Every time I saw you,” he said “you took my breath away.”

“Even all glitzed and glammed up like that?”

“Yes,” he said smiling “but I especially like it when you have mud on your face. When will I be able to attend one of these famous Apple family reunions?”

“Next year sugar,” she said getting up “for now we got too much work that needs to be done.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the moment,” he said pulling her close to him “isn’t it okay to relax and take a break every once and a while?”

“I guess so,” AJ said settling back into his arms and closing her eyes. 

=================================================================================================
Twilight paced back and forth in the Castle of Friendship’s throne room. She was puzzled. How could there be male Alicorns? What spell allowed magic users to create them? Why were they made? How old exactly was Lock Light? She didn’t know why she was so curious about him, but she still wanted to know the answers. Diving deep in to her library, she also wrote Celestia a letter asking for help.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have studied all I can about Alicorns but this Lock Light character confuses me. No doubt, Princess Luna told you all about him last night. But what I would like to know is why there can be male Alicorns, and more of Lock Light’s history. Would that be possible? Could you send me a book or something so that I can read about it?

Your faithful student,

Twilight

In a puff of Spike’s breath it was gone. Spike walked over and asked “Why do you care so much that he’s an Alicorn?”
“Because I feel that something bad is about to happen,” Twilight said “and I don’t know why. I want to know as much as I can before it happens so that I know what to do when it happens.”
“But Twilight,” Spike said “if you don’t know, then why bother? You might as well relax.”
“Relax?” Twilight said suddenly “Spike, you know me, there is nothing in this world I hate more than relaxing! We have to know more of why these monsters are suddenly attacking Ponyville. That last one nearly took out half of the town, and from what I understood, it was solely after Lock Light. I need to know more of his history so that I can prepare for the future.”
“But what if…”
Spike was cut off because he belched a return letter from Princess Celestia, and then he belched a book. It was entitled The True History of the Crystal Empire and Equestria by Princess Celestia. The letter read:

To my best student,

I know it seems difficult to believe but a lot of the events which you know to be our ‘ancient’ history, actually happened only one hundred years ago. The oldest event, the Downfall of King Sombra, happened at that time, the Rebellion of Princess Luna when she became Nightmare Moon happened only fifty years after that. There’s a lot one can do with regards to time, illusion, and other spells, but one of the best ways to help ponies forget these dreadful events is to simply rewrite the history from which it took place. I hope you enjoy this book, and glean as much information from it as you possibly can. It will help you in your ordeal.

Yours truly,

Princess Celestia

Without further ado, Twilight picked up the book, and began reading. It was large, but she didn’t mind, she was up all night. 
=================================================================================================

A masked pony, covered hoof to nose in black. His wings were exposed and his shaggy long mane hid most of his face and forehead. He’d been watching and heard everything which Applejack had been saying all day. He also knew their work habits. He’d been doing this for a long time, it was clock work. Unknown to except to Lock Light, he was the second fastest flyer in all of Crystal Empire. He stepped out into the moonlight, his long black grey tipped mane fluttering in the gentler night breezes. Walking up to the house, he knocked and then dashed away. Applejack answered the door, holding a lantern she peered out into the darkness. 

She then asked “Hello?”

A black pony started walking towards her from across the flat lawn in front of the door, a strong wind started to pick up. Applejack slightly worried about the other pony said “Come on Lock Light I know it’s you.”

The pony laughed, a deep, almost regal laugh. It flared its wings as the leaves and grass swirled around him and he said “Oh no, I am not my dear brother.”

He opened his eyes, a crimson purple color and they flashed in the night. Applejack tried to shut the door, but a spell kept it wide open. She tried to dart back inside, but the stranger pulled her back with magic, slamming her into the ground. She tried to get up, but she soon fell unconscious. In a flash of light, they were gone.
> Lightning and Power
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Well, well, Applejack” White Lightning cooed as he paced around Applejack. She was strapped spread eagle on an X shaped platform, with her back and front exposed. She strained against the bonds as she glowered at him.

White Lightning continued “Oh,” he said “I am going to enjoy this. You know, I do love getting to know the real deal. I need to know, what is honesty? Of course there’s the scholarly definition of honesty which I know but what is a pony who’s very life and essence is the ultimate epitome of honesty? Nay, the pony who actually represents that very element of harmony…it’s curious, don’t you think?”

“You wanna know what I think?” Applejack began but she was cut off.

“Not really,” White Lightning said “I just like talking to myself. It’s all I’ve had to do for the past hundred years. You know, the last pony I talked to was during the slave uprising in the Crystal Empire. That was a long time ago…and I haven’t forgotten a single day of that. Do you know why you’re here?”

“No,” Applejack said straining “I just…”

“You know,” White Lightning said “I could have had any one of the six elements here. But you, Applejack, you’re my brother’s favorite.”

“Why the hay’s that?”

“Because his whole life has been,” he sighed “a tragic secret. I love honesty in ponies. Did you know, that he’s actually had quite an impact on the history of the Crystal Empire AND Equestria? But Celestia wanted to keep him hush hush. I mean, could you imagine? A MALE Alicorn? Not only that but a SON of the EVIL King Sombra? Ponies simply wouldn’t have it.”

“I don’t understand,” Applejack said “nor do I care. You untie me this instant and I swear I won’t cave your face in with my buckin’ hooves.”

“Very brave of you to be sure,” White Lightning said, and then he got closer and whispered in her ear “but, I’m afraid I won’t be doing that for some time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I...,” he said “I’m going to have fun with you. Did you know that the mind is a very complicated organ of the body?”

“What?”

“I mean,” White Lightning said continued without hearing Applejack “it can take so much, and yet so little. It all depends on the will of character of the pony enduring whatever trial…or in this case torture. Let’s take your friend Fluttershy for example, she wouldn’t last two minutes with my techniques. Neither would Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash could probably last about twenty four hours…Twilight? Well, I could manage her, but she’s not the one I want. You, on the other hand, you have strength, you have will and character…let’s see how long you can REALLY last.”

“I’m pretty strong,” Applejack said confidently “I think I’ll disappoint you.”

“On the contrary,” White Lightning said glowering at her “your strength, will be your downfall. Now, let’s get to know the real you.”
Applejack strained against her bonds, but suddenly, a bolt of electricity raced through her nerves and throughout her body. She shook violently, but didn’t scream, her hair stood up on end and sweat beaded her brow.

White Lightning nodded as he looked at her “Impressive,” he said “you were right, you are strong.”

With that, he increased the settings to two. Applejack’s head slammed backwards in pain as her body contorted as if she had a seizure. Her pupil’s dilated and she bit her lip until it bled. White Lightning increased the setting to three. Her body kept contorting and she was shaking violently and uncontrollably, but still no scream left her lips. Growing impatient, White Lightning switched to the maximum setting and started walking out the door.

Singing quietly to himself he sang “The hills are alive, with the sounds of screaming…”

Cocking his ear to listen, and as if some cruel director was conducting Applejack, she let out a long pitiful wail of pain.

It was several hours later when White Lightning returned. He’d switched off the electricity the moment that Applejack slipped into unconsciousness. He didn’t want to kill his prized patient. Her head slung down on her chest and her hair was frizzled and slightly smoldering. He stepped up to her, and closed his eyes.

====================================================================================================

Applejack was in her brain, trying to recover from White Lightning’s torture. She didn’t know how long it would last, but at least she was safe here.

“Well, well, well,” a dark voice said from the shadows.

“Who the hay are you?”

“I’m the same one who’s been enjoying this all day,” White Lightning said stepping from the shadows.

“How did you get in here?”

“Oh pah,” he snorted “I’m an Alicorn, I enter into ponies mind’s all the time. It’s a trivial matter once you know how to use magic. Anyway, I’m not finished with you.”

“Please let me sleep,” she begged.

“That’s part of the point,” White Lightning said “is to PREVENT you from sleeping. You can’t have any strength what so ever.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Why?” White Lightning asked “well.”

Then from out of nowhere, music started playing and the scene changed to a stage and he was surrounded by dancing pony skeletons. The song, went like this:

Do you know anything about me?
I know the look on your face
You don’t have an single clue
Therefore why should I explain anything to you
You think you’re a victim but in reality you’re not
Everything that you have, I have got
You want to be somepony perfect
But you know that it’s not ever worth it
Take a little lesson from me
Maybe you’ll open your eyes and you’ll see
Nothing can change what you have become
Unless you decide to make it all undone
It doesn’t matter anymore if you are alone
Your life is governed by you, it is set in stone
You have no further choice to make
And you’re mind it soon will break!

Then he spoke to the skeletons “You know friends,” he said “I think it’s time that we have some more fun with Applejack…well?” 
The skeletons laughed, and smiling, he continued:

You think I’m evil, and maybe it’s true
I am vindictive, and I know just what to do
I see your future and your past
I can’t wait when you run out of hope at last
You see that you’re friends are there
But it’s just smoke and mirrors, all thin air
Why don’t you understand there’ll come a day
When their loyalty will go and fade
I had friends, I had family
Everything was taken away from me
You know the pony who had done these things
And that’s why you’re here.

The music kept playing, but White Lightning stopped singing, he conjured up images of everything Applejack feared. She was terrified, she crouched in a tiny ball as the pictures swirled around her, through her, and over her. She cried out “Oh please Princess Luna!”

“She won’t help you here,” White Lightning giggled “I have a spell to counter every single one of hers.”

Applejack fell through a pit which appeared from nowhere. She was falling, endlessly falling. Then she landed on a gigantic mattress of feathers. The feathers turned to snakes. She cried out, and when one bit her, she screamed, but they suddenly disappeared. White Lightning’s face loomed downwards at her and she cringed.

“In three days,” he said “you’ll be mine.”

Then laughing hysterically, his face disappeared, but then it floated right beside her ear. He breathed a ghostly breath and she turned to find a scarier monster. She started running, but she smacked into a brick wall and became dizzy. The skeletons appeared floating around her and then popped out of existence suddenly. White Lightning was puzzled because the music also stopped. From the shadows a pony, whose horn glowed with power and whose form never came to light, advanced on him. White Lightning fought back, but was driven out of Applejack’s mind. With a shriek of anger he vanished with his illusions. 

Applejack stared at the newcomer, her eyes red with exhaustion at her ordeal and asked “Princess Luna?”

“I have come to help you Applejack,” the figure said “White Lightning may be able to harm  your body, but he won’t be able to harm your mind. I will be a shield and protect you, your pain will be mine so as to give you strength. I will find you and I will release you. You will be free again.”

“But who are you?”

“One who care's deeply for you, but one whom you also despise,” the pony said “but worry not, your friends will know and come for you.”

“But what about you?”

“It matters not what happens to me,” the figure said “I will also be there with you and liberate you from this trial.”

“When?”

“I will not speak of it,” the figure said “there is still a chance that White Lightning may hear us. I must leave now before my presence is protected.”

“Please,” Applejack cried out as the form slowly disappeared “can I at least know your name?”

“You already do,” the figure said “and you will remember soon enough.”

With that, the figure promptly vanished into thin air. Applejack cried so much in her mind from pain, that only one tear trickled down her face.

Lock Light opened his eyes and gasped “We don’t have long,” he said to the others “I know where she is, but we have to get there as fast as possible.”

====================================================================================================

“How is she?” Twilight asked urgently.

“She’s strong,” Lock Light said “but she’s on the brink, if we don’t get to her now all will be lost.”

“What about White Lightning?” Rainbow Dash asked “he’s kind of a big problem.”

“I’ll deal with him,” Lock Light said with an angry passion none of them had ever seen before “our fight isn’t over yet, but I’ll end it.”

“Will Applejack be okay darling?” Rarity asked.

“She’ll pull through,” Lock Light said “one way or another, she’ll make it, even if I have to use all the magic I possess, she’ll make it.”

The others looked at him determinedly “Let’s go get your friend back,” Lock Light said. And with that, they all dashed off from the Crystal Castle, and towards the Crystal Mountains. 
====================================================================================================

White Lightning rubbed his head from a slight headache. He didn’t know who that pony was who had beat him off, but he looked familiar. It wasn’t Princess Luna, he knew that for sure. She had a distinct psychic energy which was easily detectible to those who knew how to read it. No, it was somepony else. Somepony who hadn’t had a signature like that since…

White Lightning got up and started pacing, had it really only been a hundred years since the last time he saw his brother? All of the blasphemy of the historians calling his brother’s rebellion a “Liberation” and also saying that it was a thousand years ago was simply preposterous. Old mares simply perpetuate the stories of their great father in order to scare their foals, but historians should be scholars, not tale bearers. He stopped pacing and looked at the unconscious form of Applejack, and asked himself Why does he love her?

He himself, never found any interest in love. He supposed it was because of that slave filly which his brother had kept like a pet, which made him sympathetic to this mare’s family, but it still didn’t make sense. She was pretty, but inner strength? Power? Influence? Sophistication? Even a remote idea of intelligence? She had none of these qualities, so what did his brother see in her?

He decided to put it out of his mind, the only thing which mattered was that he used her to lure his brother into his trap. A trap which he had planned over the last thousand years. No Doctor to help him, no Princesses either, just himself and the pony he once called brother.
He walked over and picked up a knife from the table with his magic. Then walking over to the unconscious Applejack, he grinned. Time to wake up the sleeping beauty.

====================================================================================================

Lock Light and the others rode a train high into the mountains, but they’d have to disembark in order to get to the more remote regions where White Lightning was hiding. Lock Light suddenly clutched his abdomen and winced. 

Twilight asked “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Applejack,” Lock Light answered panting “White Lightning’s begun the torture again, we have to move fast!”

They galloped or flew over the valleys and canyons for what seemed like ages. They had to stop every so often because Lock Light would grunt or sometimes cry out in pain. This spurred them even faster onwards, and upwards, closer and closer to the doors of White Lightning’s Tower.

Applejack screamed in pain as the knife drew out, her blood oozing slowly down the blade from the tip to the hilt. White Lightning laughed “Wake up buttercup. My brother’s nearly here. I just wanted to get to know you a little bit better before he shows up.”

He thrust the knife in again and she screamed. White Lightning laughed again and said “No one will hear you scream just yet. I can’t get inside your mind, so I’ll just work towards getting inside your body…one thrust at a time. So how’s this, what do you like to do?”

“Why the hay do you wanna know that?”

“I don’t,” White Lightning said “I simply want to try and learn what my brother sees in you…so that I can take it away and replace it with something he won’t ever forget.”

“I don’t know who your brother is,” Applejack said.

“There you go again,” White Lightning chimed “you call yourself the Element of Honesty and yet you tell me a lie just like that…I’m afraid that for every lie, you get a stab, doesn’t that seem fair?”

“I don’t know what you call fair,” Applejack retorted “but untie me from here and fight me. That’s fair.”

“Oh,” White Lightning said “but then that wouldn’t be fun. Stomping you into the stones of this tower…I’d get blood all over it and I won’t be able to actually remove the stains…it’d be a pity. I kind of like the drab charcoal grey don’t you think?”

“No,” Applejack “and THAT’S the truth.”

White Lightning laughed “Well,” he said “I can see that my brother loves your sense of humor, that’s definitely a trait considering…”

“Considerin’ what?”

“Well,” White Lightning said “you’re not very bright, ARE you?”

“What is THAT supposed to mean?”

“I’m calling you stupid you oaf,” White Lightning said “did you REALLY need that explanation?”

“No,” she said “it’s just…I’m smart, just not in magic.”

“You can’t be smart in something you don’t have dearie,” White Lightning said “all you do is buck apples all day and don’t do any studying…how ever do you manage?”

“I get by…”

“Barely,” White Lightning interrupted “you country hicks are all the same. Even from the days of my father’s glorious empire, your kind haven’t evolved in intelligence or any kind of social grace. You’ve called me scum before, but if I’m scum, then what are you?”

“The shoe that treads on you,” Applejack grunted.

“Clever,” White Lightning mused “I do see that you do possess some wit. But what else does my brother admire about you?”

“I’m hilarious,” Applejack said, only slightly giving up to resist White Lightning. She regretted saying that instantly as the hot knife pierced her scream.

White Lightning grinned “You don’t see me laughing now do you?”

“No,” Applejack panted “but…I did make you smile.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Not much,” Applejack said “but you maybe don’t think that I have a sense of humor, because you yourself don’t have one.”

“Charming,” White Lightning said and thrust the knife in a different spot “I didn’t that one for spite, not because I found you were lying.”

“So,” Applejack panted “what’s your beef with Lock Light anyways?”

“He stole everything from me,” White Lightning said “my crown, my glory, my legacy. He took that away from me and he pretended to be my friend.”

“Why,” Applejack grunted again “would anypony want to be friends with YOU?”

“Oh,” White Lightning said “I WAS different once. But then I stopped giving a care as to what others thought and started doing what I thought was good for me for once.”

“Pity,” Applejack said “I thought that you could never be good and turn evil.”

“Oh,” White Lightning “it isn’t evil, when it’s justice.”

“Justice,” Applejack said “how is any of this justice?”

“If only you knew the real story,” White Lightning said.

“That’s what your brother kept sayin’ too,” Applejack said “I wish somepony would just plain tell me what the hay is going on?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” White Lightning said “for now, you’ll just have to be content with me having fun with you until my sweet brother arrives.”

White Lightning stabbed Applejack again and she wailed in pain.
> Blood, Brothers, and Oblation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“If you want her,” White Lightning said grinning “you can have her.”

From out of nowhere Applejack appeared as if summoned. But she wasn’t the same. All the color was drained from her, and she had an insane look on her face, and apart from that, she was old, as old as Granny Smith. Barely able to walk, when she saw Twilight and her friends, she tried to rush over and see them, but her legs gave out and she started to fall. Lock Light rushed over grabbed her just in the nick of time. She looked up at him and asked “Hey? Who are you?”

She even sounded like Granny Smith. Twilight glared at White Lightning “What did you do to her?”

“To me?” Applejack said “Twilight he didn’t do nothin’ to me.”

“Applejack,” she said “look at yourself.”

She refused to listen and without even acknowledging Lock Light’s presence, she walked towards her friends. She started talking to them, when Lock Light turned and faced his once loved brother “Why did you do this?”

“You know perfectly well brother,” White Lightning said as he paced back and forth in front of him “you ruined my life, you stole everything away from me.”

“I thought we resolved this a hundred years ago,” Lock Light said sighing with exasperation “you know that what I did was the right thing.”

“For YOU maybe,” White Lightning said his grin disappearing in a flash “my entire world was destroyed because of your slave loving ego.”

“They were being murdered every day,” Lock Light protested “whipped, beaten, molested, and often slaughtered.”

“But they were only slaves!” White Lightning countered “ponies that weren’t worth a single thought. Worthless! Yet you sided with them, befriended them, and loved them, after everything our father had done for us.”

“You talk about your world being destroyed?” Lock Light yelled “Sombra killed MY father!”

“Yes,” White Lightning said “but YOU killed mine!”

“We never killed him,” Lock Light said “Celestia and Luna only banished him.”

“To the frozen north to die!” White Lightning interrupted “you know nothing of the lands beyond these walls. Of the creatures that live there, of the weather which turns on a mere thought.”

“I do actually brother,” Lock Light “but we’re not talking about that now. Why did you take Applejack from her friends? She was innocent. Your quarrel is with me, not with her.”

“How else was I supposed to get you here,” White Lightning said “you would never have answered my summons.”
“You still didn’t need to bring her into this,” Lock Light countered.

Twilight interrupted them “What did you do to Applejack?”

“I simply accelerated her aging,” White Lighting said nonchalantly “and also toyed with her brain.”

“More like destroyed it,” Rainbow Dash snorted.

“Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said “you don’t have to say that. I’m sure that deep down, where it really count’s she’s still the same strong, honest…”

At that moment Applejack twitched so violently that she went into a seizure. It startled Fluttershy so much she jumped in the air. 

“On second thought,” she said ‘perhaps she does need a little help.”

“Lock Light,” Twilight asked “can you do anything to help her?”

“There might be one thing,” Lock Light said “but…”

“There’s actually nothing you can do Lock,” White Lightning said “no magic can cure her.”

“There’s always a cure for every disease,” Lock Lightning said “even one caused by magic.”

“Well then,” White Lightning said “it would at least take you many years to figure it out, and that’s time that SHE doesn’t have.”

“What do you want from me brother?”

“I want you to die,” White Lightning hissed “I want you to suffer as I have suffered for these past thousand years. I want you to die a thousand deaths. I want you to lose everything you love…just as I have…”

“Brother,” Lock Light said “you’ve always had me. I know it’s hard, but you’ve always had me as a brother, and always have known that I love you.”

“Not…anymore.”

With that, White Lightning flashed up in the air and dove on Lock Light. Lock Light dodged, twisted around and fired a burst of magic. White Lightning deflected it, then countered. The blasts of magic shot between them made it look like a contained firework show. Pinkie Pie was ecstatic “Oh,” she said “I love this game!’

“It’s no game Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said.

“I’d help,” Rainbow Dash said “but they’re moving so fast! I can barely see them!”

Lock Light parried a thrust by White Lightning’s horn, then created a shield using a spell which deflected flew upwards again and kicked White Lightning, White Lightning lashed out with his own hoof kicking Lock Light in the stomach. Lock Light gasped for air when White Lightning again took his hoof and brought it crashing down on his head. Lock Light bloced and countered with another thrust from his horn. Like two expert swordsman, they blocked and parried, thrusted and cut. Finally, as if by a blessing from Celestia, White Lightning exposed himself briefly, a window of an opportunity exposed itself, but that was all Lock Light needed. He thrust his horn forward, and pierced deep into White Lightning’s side.

With a howl of agony, frustration and fury, White Lightning crumpled to the ground, his life, slowly ebbing away from him. Lock Light ran over to him and checked to see if he still breathed, but he felt nothing. Tears brimmed Lock Light’s eyes and he sobbed. Twilight and the others watched him as he rocked back and forth with White Lightning’s body the water streaming down his face and into the hole in White Lightning’s side, the blood mixing with his tears on the floor. Fluttershy turned away and was being held by Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie started balling with Lock Light. Twilight, strangely enough, also had tears. She was curious as to why she had them. She’d never felt any strong emotions really for Sombra’s Prince. But now, she realized, it was because she understood why Lock Light was crying so much. 

He was all alone. The last of any family that he’d ever had or known. He would probably wander the world forever and ever, in sadness and misery. Twilight’s heart swelled with compassion and sympathy, but she kept her distance. Perhaps this was part of what it meant to be an Alicorn, to be royalty, to understand not some, but all things, when to give comfort, and when to let others mourn their loss. Lock Light got up from his brother, blood still dripping from his horn. He cleaned it with magic and walked over to Applejack. 

She was still giddy, but had recovered from her previous seizure. Lock Light grabbed her and held her close her eyes darting back and forth, not recognizing him. Twilight walked over and asked “Will she be alright?”

“I don’t know,” Lock Light said “she’s had it pretty bad, three days of torture with White Lightning’s techniques are bound to make any pony insane. She was strong, but her strength was her downfall. She wouldn’t give up, and as a result, she was still able to be toyed with and manipulated by White Lightning.”

Lock Light sniffed “I have something I can try, but it’s pretty risky.”

“What is it?” Twilight asked “and can I help?”

“You can’t help me unfortunately,” Lock Light said “for it’s personal and more powerful than any magic you have yet performed. But I will tell you.”

He turned and faced the rest of the mane six, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence and said “When one becomes an Alicorn, many think that you automatically become immortal. This is not the case, immortality is only granted after conducting certain ceremonies, and of course, it grants the performer the ability to keep youth forever and ever. That is why Celestia, Luna, and myself look so young even though we are ancient by your standards.”

They all looked at him paying attention as he continued “However, there is a way for the spell which is cast upon you to be broken. It can’t be done by any outside force, but it must be given up freely.”

Pinkie Pie gasped “You mean, your…going to give it up?”

“Yes,” Lock Light said “as I’ve told you before, I would give everything I own for Applejack, as many of you have sacrificed for each other. But now, I need to give her my greatest gift…and she will be young again.”

“Will she be immortal?” Twilight asked quizzically, scholarly curious as to what was about to happen.

“No,” Lock Light said “but she will be given a second chance at life.”

With that, Lock Light embraced Applejack, tears threatening to pour again and whispered “Oh Applejack. I’m sorry that any of this had to befall you. The only regret I have, is that I wasn’t able to grow old with you.”

“Hey?” she said “what’s that? Quit buzzin’ in my ear like a mosquito and talk proper!”

Lock Light then stepped towards Applejack. She shied away from him, but he gently reached and held her. She still couldn't remember who he was. Then to their surprise, he began to sing a soft lullaby, one which his father once sang to him, and one which he used to sing to Apple Rose:

Through the wilds of night
And under Luna's moon
While Celestia sleeps
And the loud thunder booms

Underneath the stars
We know the dawn will come
And though we can't see
It's always dark to some

See Celestia's rays
And the white clouds do break
Morning doves do sing
Just for the old one's sae

Will we live again?
I do not know my friend
But while I'm with you
I know life will not end

Friendship never dies
And love will there remain
Find yours little one
And you won't be the same

Then Lock Light closed his eyes, a little tear streaked down his cheek, and raising his head, he touched Applejack’s forehead with the tip of his horn. Closing his eyes, his horn began to glow a bright brilliant white. It was so bright that all of Equestria could see it in the evening light, Celestia and Luna saw it, and immediately took off from Canterlot and flew towards the source. Lock Light’s cutie mark glowed and his whole body became illuminated. He opened his eyes and there was nothing but white shining forth. Applejack, in her crazed mind could only stare into them, she couldn’t shut her eyes against the glory. The whole throne room in Storm's Tower shook violently. And then, as if from an inward explosion, the light burst forth like Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom. It was a brilliant white fire which flew across the evening sky and knocked everyone except Applejack and Lock Light off their hoofs. 

When they all got back up and the light started to fade, Applejack’s color had returned, her face was normal and she blinked several times “Howdy ya’ll,” she said “what kept you so long?”

Everyone except Lock Light cheered and rushed forward to Applejack embracing her and chattering incessantly. Lock Light quietly smiled to himself. The spell had worked flawlessly. It was the one good thing he’d done in his mind that he’d ever done in his entire life. Everything he’d caused was set right. He saw Applejack smile and that same warm glow he felt when he first saw her sparked within him. Slightly abashed, he turned his head…and saw White Lightning standing up.

He was shaky on his legs, quivering nonstop, but his face was a mask of fury and indignation. He shouted “Brother! I’ll have you yet!”

With that, he fired a blast of dark crimson red magic which ripped a hole the size of a dinner plate in Lock Light’s side. He screamed and collapsed on the floor. White Lightning laughed hysterically and panted “Now…it…is finished.”

And then, he too fell again on the floor. 
> Love Sweet, Love Forever
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Lock Light? LOCK LIGHT?” Applejack shook Lock Light’s spent and wrecked form. White Lightning’s final blast of magic had done its work and a huge hole, the exit wound, was about the size of a dinner plate. The spell punctured his lungs and several arteries, four of them major, as if by a spear thrust. He was bleeding profusely and had slipped into unconsciousness. 

It was then that Princess Celestia flew over, her huge angel like wings, majestic against the new dawn morning which always followed in her wake “Step aside Applejack,” she said “I may be able to do something yet.”

“But,” she said in a barely audible whisper and beginning to sob “he’s gone.”

“Not if we can help it,” said a voice from behind Celestia.

“Princess Luna?” they all exclaimed.

“Yes,” she said trotting quickly over “Lock Light has been of great service to both my sister and I. We owe him a great debt of gratitude which we can now repay.”

Applejack began biting her toenails in nervousness, but first Twilight, then Rarity, then Rainbow Dash and the rest embraced her. She tried not to cry, and she soon had her emotions under control, but her body, still recovering from the aftershock of White Lightning’s three day torture, her own high levels of anxiety and exhaustion caused her to collapse in a seizure. In a panicked voice Twilight called “Princess Celestia!”

In a flash Celestia was there assessing the situation “Poor Applejack, I was too busy attending to Lock Light that I didn’t see your own wounds. I was a fool. Sister,” she said jerking her had towards Luna “can you handle Lock Light for now?”

“Yes,” I should be able to,” she said “I’ll need your help for the more difficult magic sister, but you help Applejack for now.”

“I can help with Applejack too Celestia,” Twilight said stepping beside her.

“Good, then we’ll work together,” with that, their horns and eyes glowed with a bright white light, a sphere of blue encircled Applejack as her body contorted from the seizure, it then formed her silhouette as she was raised from the ground and she absorbed the dark blue light. Her eyes then went white and were rimmed with blue fire, her mouth opened and a stream of black poison left her body and vanished into the bright sky of day.

Applejack collapsed after Twilight and Celestia ended their spell. Rainbow Dash darted over to support her. Eyes rimmed with lack of sleep, Applejack asked “What happened?”

“You fell into a near cardiac arrest,” stated Pinkie Pie grinning “probably from eating too many cupcakes!”

“No,” said Celestia “it was when you were poisoned by White Lightning while he tortured you.”

Applejack shuddered “I’m so plumb tuckered out, I could go to sleep right now.”

“Then rest dear one,” Celestia said “go and sleep.”

With that, Applejack walked slowly over to Lock Light, gently rested herself against his neck, pulled him close, and fell asleep. Twilight was touched by Applejack’s devotion to Lock Light, yes, they’d been through a lot together now, but Applejack had never professed her love for anypony, let alone a Prince of Sombra’s. She wanted to ask Celestia about, but she was busy right now and thought that it could wait. Celestia meanwhile had trotted back over to Princess Luna and they had used their magic to heal the deep wounds caused by White Lightning’s dark magic. Before Twilight’s eyes, the wounds began to sew themselves with their own flesh and the bleeding began to stop. It was slow, but it was working. She would have helped herself, but she didn’t know the magic spell. Sensing this Celestia, her eyes still alight with white glory, turned to her and said “I will give you the spell you must say, we need your help Twilight.”

Instantly Twilight knew what to do. She stood next to Princess Celestia and together they accelerated the healing process. In a few minutes it was all over, and Lock Light, although still unconscious, was breathing quietly. As if feeling her next to him, he curled up in a perfect embrace in her arms and they both continued to sleep. Celestia breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The others did too.

“Awe,” Pinkie Pie said breaking the silence “they look so cute together!”

“Shhh,” the others except Luna and Celestia said turning to her.

“We don’t want to wake them up,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a harsh whisper “we need them to rest as much as possible!”

“Indeed,” Luna said equally quietly as she and Celestia trotted away “but you are right Pinkie Pie, they do look cute together.”

“Shouldn’t we get them a blanket or something?” Fluttershy asked timidly.

“I think I know where to place them,” Twilight said and knowing what she meant, Luna and Celestia helped carry the two sleepers with magic to Sweet Apple Acres, up the stairs to Applejack’s room, and tuck them under the covers.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said “they do look cute together. I hope it works out.”

“It will,” Celestia said “but Twilight. I believe you have some questions for me?”

“Yes,” Twilight said awkwardly “I’d been meaning to ask you a few questions about Lock Light’s past, but we were busy, and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“All very fine and well,” Celestia said “let’s first go outside though and sit on the grass. It’s a beautiful day, and it shouldn’t go to waste. We also wouldn’t want to arouse them with our voices.”

They all went down stairs and were greeted by Granny Smith, Applebloom, and Big Mac.

Applebloom bounced up to Celestia “Is my big sister okay?”

“She’ll be fine little one,” Luna said regally “she simply needs rest now. She’s been through a great ordeal.”

They all then gathered in a circle in the lawn on the left side of the house. Granny Smith was rocking in her chair and knitting silently, and Applebloom and Big Mac were sitting in the circle as well in front of Luna and Celestia began Lock Light’s story.

Celestia looked at Twilight and nodded for her to ask her questions. She started “Well, first, I would like to know what you mean by his being a Prince of King Sombra’s, and second, I’d like to know why he is an Alicorn. I thought that only Princesses could be Alicorns, Sombra wasn’t an Alicorn, he was only a unicorn, so how come Lock Light is an Alicorn? Also how come he is the heir to the Crystal Empire? I thought that was given to Princess Cadence?”

“Lock Light,” Luna began “was the second son of the evil King Sombra of the Crystal Empire. He wasn’t always so though, he was made King Sombra’s son through magic. He actually isn’t related to Sombra at all, it’s simply a title.”

“I’m confused,” Applebloom said “how can you be someone’s son but not be someone’s son?”

“Oh dear,” Celestia said looking at Luna “I guess we’ll have to go all the way to the beginning, it’ll be a long story though.”

“Oh please,” Applebloom said “we’d love to hear it!”

“Alright,” said Luna smiling “We’ll begin at the very beginning.”

“Lock Light,” Celestia said “was born at the time when Discord was still ruling Equestria, before we banished him the first time and encased him in stone. His parents were poor, as most pony’s were during that time, because Discord didn’t allow for anypony but himself to prosper during his reign of chaos. His father was a farmer, and his mother died at a relatively young age. He had a younger brother, but he died of one of the sicknesses which was brought by Discord. His mother, an Earth Pony, died of grief, and his father, a Pegasus whose name was Frost Saber, refusing to suffer the same fate, fled to the Crystal Empire where he could raise his son in relative peace. As he grew, he found that he had inherited his mother’s wings, speed, and love of flying. He helped his father build their home, they had a small garden, and were able to grow food for themselves to survive the harsh winter. Discord, too absorbed by his narcissistic pleasure of controlling the ponies in lower Equestria and the Crystal Empire, never really noticed them. After we overthrew Discord, they were some of the few ponies who were relatively unaffected by Discord. 

“We then held an election in the Crystal Empire. It was for the people to decide who should be a ruler over them. We exempted ourselves, because we needed to govern all of Equestria and not just the Crystal Empire. There were two large parties, those in favor of Princess Cadence, and those in favor of King Sombra. Lock Light’s father became attached and a favorite of King Sombra. At the time, Sombra was viewed as a bringer of order and prosperity. After the reign of Discord, he was seen as a savior to the ponies in the Crystal Empire. His father admired King Sombra greatly, and rose through the ranks to become a prominent officer, a field marshal in King Sombra’s military and was given the title of Baron. They had a happy new life under King Sombra’s reign. Sombra admired Frost Sabers cunning, resourcefulness, daring, and above all, his loyalty.”

As Princess Celestia took a breath Luna continued “He was raised in the court with the other noble foals. One day, the foals were led by two chaperones, one of them, was his father. Frost Saber became a military pony of great renown. They had fought against the Yaks of Yakyakistan in several campaigns and had beaten them so badly that year, that King Sombra gave his all of his soldiers two weeks off for rest and recreation. Field Marshal Frost Saber, decided, for the first time in two years, to spend this time with his son. He volunteered to act as the second chaperone for the group of foals. 

“In a high mountain pass, after about two hours walk, they were attacked by chimera. Frost Saber valiantly fought the beast, though he was clearly outmatched. The children and the other chaperone fled to a small cave that was beside the trail and hid themselves. The chimera slashed left and right, but Frost Saber taunted him, trying to lead him away from the foals. When the chimera caught sight of easier pray and stalked towards them, Frost Saber head butted him and stent him skidding across the trail. There was still some snow fall above the cave roof, so Frost flew up and kicked it down in a small avalanche, which protected the foals. Lock Light, desperate to help his only family, tried to dig his way out of the snow, but the other foals and the chaperone held him back. He screamed, he bit, he fought, and kicked, but nothing would make them let go. The snow had only partially covered the entrance, and a small hole, big enough for him to poke his head out was open. He did so and saw his father still fighting off the Chimera. His father met his eyes and worked his way to him so that his back was almost touching the snow wall. He then said to Lock Light ‘Remember this my son, I’ll always love you, always protect your friends and family!’ Lock Light screamed ‘Dad!’ and Frost Saber was cut in the back from behind. The Chimera roared in triumph as Lock Light screamed in terror.”

Celestia now took up the narrative “Lock Light saw the chimera die that day. His father, recovering from the slash across his back, recovered and head butted him in the ribcage again, but his momentum took him over the cliff’s edge and the chimera, sensing what could happen, latched onto Frost Saber’s wings, preventing him from flying away. Lock Light saw his father’s head disappear over the edge, and he never saw him again.”

Silence followed this portion of Lock Light’s life. Applebloom started to sniffle as Granny Smith put her knitting down and pulled Applebloom up on her lap. Rainbow Dash spoke next “What happened then?”

“Perhaps,” Luna said “it would be best, if we showed you.”

She closed her eyes, and a pool of air spun to reveal a young Lock Light, his sloppy mane folding over his forehead causing him to constantly brush it away, his eyes brimming with tears as he struggled and fought out of the tiny hole to go to the cliff’s edge. He stared downwards, but he saw nothing. He tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but eventually, he broke down in tears. The next pony to follow him, was another Pegasus, he was black, except for bolts of white lightning on his hoofs and in his mane. He trotted over and asked him “Are you alright?”

“No,” Lock Light said “my dad is dead.”

“I’m sorry,” the other foal said putting his arm around him “would you like some help?”

“I don’t know how you can help me,” Lock Light said “I…”

“LOCK LIGHT,” a harsh voice said from behind the snow barrier “get back here this instant! Step AWAY from that edge!”

“I won’t go!” Lock Light said standing up indignantly and wiping away his tears “my dad died protecting us, and this is where he fell. I wanted to see...”

“There could be another Chimera about,” the chaperone said also coming out “you will stay with the rest of the group. We’re going back to the Royal Palace.”

“I’ll go when I want to go,” Lock Light said glaring up at his chaperone, who was also his teacher “my dad died today, don’t you get it!”

“I understand your grief,” the chaperone said “but we’ll ALL get in trouble.”

“Don’t worry Miss Prim,’ said the pony next to Lock Light “I’ll see to that father doesn’t punish any of us.”

“Your majesty,” said Miss Prim “I doubt that your father…”

“Could see reason from his own son?”

“Well,” Miss Prim said “you’re only a foal…”

“You forget your place ma’am,” the pony said “I AM your superior. You swore fealty to my father and therefore to me. YOU will do as I say, whether you like it, approve of it, or desire of it or not.”

“Yes, your highness,” Miss Prim said sheepishly.

The prince turned to face Lock Light “What would you like to do now Lock?”

“Could we just wait here a little bit? I’d like to spend some time…”

“I understand,” turning to face the rest of them “we’ll wait here for a few minutes until Lock Light has recovered, and then, he will lead us back down.”

Lock Light looked up at his new friend “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“White Lightning old chap,” he said lifting his hoof as Lock Light shook it “and don’t worry, as I said, I understand.”

“Wait,” Rainbow Dash said bringing them all back to the present “so, White Lightning wasn’t always a mean, malicious, scumbag?”

“No,” Celestia said “quite the opposite in fact. He once was a very kind and thoughtful pony. He and Lock Light became best friends over the next several years. White Lightning convinced Sombra to let Lock Light live in the Royal Chambers with White Lightning and they had fun together. White Lightning helped Lock Light to remember his father but to forget the tragedy which caused him so much heartache. They both enlisted in the Officers Academy, with Lock Light graduating second in his class. They became inseparable in their early year, when they were like Shining Armor. They became King Sombra’s top officers, not Generals, but great field commanders. They led their troops into dire circumstances and always came out victorious.”

“So what changed all of that?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

"I will show you," Princess Luna said. They were shown snap shots, snippets of Lock Light's life. His becoming an Alicorn, his father showing him more attention than White Lightning, the feelings of jealousy which deepened and grew. After a short while, they all understood. They knew Lock Light's entire story, and great sadness at the loss of his father, the revelation made to him by Princess Celestia, and when remembering the death of his brother, they wept, but solemnly. They then left when they were told to, and Granny Smith took Apple Bloom up to her room and was followed by Big Mac. The rest left for their respective homes.

Lock Light tossed and turned in his sleep, images of his past recurring as nightmares. He was running towards Applejack, trying to save her, but she was always just out of his reach. Then she suddenly stopped and his horn accidentally went straight through her. She gasped, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She then changed from her distinctive light orange to a jet black. It was White Lightning. His eyes closed and his he exhaled his last breath. Lock Light tried to remove his horn, but it took him a long while, a lot longer than he wanted, and when he tried to clean his horn, the blood wouldn't come off. He rubbed and rubbed and rubbed, but the blood which started to pool around White Lightning's body never reached the floor, but always found it on his horn. When the rooster crowed he sat up startled, eyes wide and his forehead sweating. He felt himself, and realized he'd been sweating all over, and that the sheets were damp with it. He tip toed down the stairs and checked in the kitchen, Applejack was there making breakfast and she saw him out of the corner of her eye.

Looking at him she said "Come in Lock Light, you must be hungry."

"What about yourself?"

"I'll be fine," Applejack said "but first there's a few things you and I need to talk about."

"Okay..."

"And there's no better place to talk about it than at breakfast," she said and slid a plate to him "eat up sugar cube."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"First things first," she said pulling up a chair "I got to know something, why have you helped my family for so long? I mean, I saw how much gold you placed every night and that was enough to buy Sweet Apple Acres ten times over. So why did you do that and help out with the chores?"

"Well," Lock Light said through a mouthful of apple fritter "As I told you earlier, I've known your family for a long time. I knew your Auntie Apple Rose quite well in fact, and though she and Granny Smith went their separate ways, I helped first their family and then, when I saw how much your Granny Smith and her family were struggling before they got the Zap Apple trees planted, well, I just felt that I'd better act as a little cushion for you in case anything should ever go bad."

"But what about me," she said "you've obviously done more apple buckin' than me, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Would you have listened?" Lock Light retorted "I understand your independence Applejack, it's why I admired you from the start. It's just, I know that you don't mind having the world on your shoulders, and though you have your friends to help you, who do you think helped out with the farm when you were gone on all of your quests and adventures? The work still needed to be done."

"“So hold on a second,” Applejack said “I’m confused about this whole timeline thing. How then did he meet my Auntie Apple Rose? She’s not a thousand years old.”

“Oh,” Lock Light said “well, actually, it didn't happen a thousand years ago."

"What?"

"It's complicated, just like the rest of my life," Lock Light said "but let me explain. The reign of King Sombra was so dark and evil, that most ponies just wanted to forget it out right. Celestia, not with magic, but by manipulation of history, changed Luna's Rebellion to happen a thousand years ago, or at least to appear that way in the history books. This would make King Sombra's reign seem like even longer ago in the past...when in reality, it was only several decades ago."

"Wait," Applejack said "you mean, even Nightmare Moon..."

"Was only seventy five years ago," Lock Light said.

"Why would Celestia do that?"

"Do what?"

"Change the timeline," Applejack asked "I mean, don't we ponies deserve to know the truth."

"Sometimes," Lock Light said "something that's evil in our lives is so difficult to accept, that it's just easier to forget rather than make it a part of your life."

"Then how old are you really?"

"Would you like to guess?"

"Well," Applejack said "no, I'm just curious."

"Go on," Lock Light said smiling "take a shot."

"Fifty," Applejack tried.

Lock Light looked at her as if to ask really?

"Okay," she said "seventy."

He gave her the same look.

"Ninety," Applejack tried again getting a little exasperated.

"Nope," Lock Light said grinning.

"You can't be one hundred!" Applejack blurted out.

"One hundred and twenty," Lock Light said matter of factly. 

Applejack blinked, usually, when someone talked about being immortal, she would have thought of somepony like Celestia or Luna, who have lived for, well, what seemed like thousands of years, always raising the sun and moon. However, this threw a whole new light into the picture. Was she really attracted to an old pony?

"Okay, but another thing then," Applejack quizzed "was that you who came to me in my mind while I was being held captive by White Lightning?"

After a pause, where he was staring very fixedly at a crumb, Lock Light answered "Yes."

"Why did you say 'One who care's deeply for you, but one whom you also despise'" she asked "instead of telling me who you were?"

"I thought you were still bitter towards me over the death of your parents," Lock Light said "you would have preferred it be Princess Luna or even your friend Twilight, so I disguised myself to look similar to Princess Luna so that you might think that it couldn't have been me because I was still angry at her for becoming Nightmare Moon when we reunited again. She loathes herself sometimes, as you saw often enough before, but I decided I'd play on the last emotions you experienced with us which might be there to further enhance my disguise. Does that make sense?"

"Not really," Applejack said her head cocking to one side.

"Let me explain," Lock Light said "Let's say that you hated Rarity and liked Twilight, if I was Rarity and wanted to send you a message and possessed the magic to do so, I would disguise myself as Twilight so that you'd be more open to receiving the message because visually I look like Twilight even though in reality, I'm Rarity."

"So you basically cause an illusion and switch places?"

"More or less," Lock Light said "yes. It's rather complicated and there's no simple way of explaining it."

"But I don't dislike or despise you," she said "it took me a while, but I realize what you had to do was for the best, and that you actually WANTED to help. It was the one of the toughest decisions you had to make when you had to leave my parents to their fate just to save me. I understand that now, is what I'm tryin' to say."

Lock Light nodded and, when he was finished with his food, and he wiped his hooves. Applejack reached over and held his hooves in hers. Looking straight into his eyes, she asked "Did you really give up your immortality for me?"

After another long pause, and after looking down at the floor, Lock Light answered "Yes."

"Why did you do that? You'll grow old and die!"

Looking back into Applejack's eyes he said "Applejack, as I told your friends, I would give up my wealth, my fame, my reputation, my power, my influence, my magic...and my immortality for you...because....I love you."

Applejack's heart skipped a beat, but Lock Light went on "I have lived a hundred years and have never loved as I have loved you now, you are the pony that I would give everything up for, that I would do everything I could to live for. Immortality is great, but only when you don't know love. I want to live with you Applejack, yes I'll grow old and eventually die, but I want to grow old and live out all the rest of my days with you. I want to live with you right here under this roof and on the fields of this farm. I want to have foals and watch them grow up and have families and make friends just as you and I have done. I want you to be at my side when I am awake and when we fall asleep at night. I want us to have joy and happiness...and I know that we can give each other that."

After Lock Light was finished and looking a little awkward Applejack walked over and kissed him, the sweet gentleness of her lips mixing with his as a spark of lightning jumped from his lips to hers. Lock Light closed his eyes and enjoyed it. They held it for a while, and when Applejack stepped back, she gazed into his eyes and said "That's what I hoped you'd say."
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Applejack raced Lock Light towards their home on Sweet Apple Acres, but they weren’t alone. Beside and above them were four foals. One, a filly, raced neck and neck with her mother. She nudged Applejack playfully and Applejack grinned back and “Come on now Apple Blossom, you know there’s no cheatin’."

“I don’t have to cheat,” said a voice from behind them. It was her twin brother Big Sky “I’ll beat you both to the grub!”

“Now hold on you two,” Lock Light said “just keep it…”

A Pegasus flashed past him and was ahead of all of them by about ten yards “Last one to the lunch table’s a rotten apple!”

“Ace,” Lock Light said speeding up “you get back here!”

An orange flash caused all of them to blink, but they kept running, another foal, Maverick, who couldn’t keep up by running, was teleporting as fast as he could instead and was catching up with Ace. Ace looked back “Hey,” he said “that’s not fair.”

“You think you’re as fast as Rainbow Dash?” Lock Light yelled “prove it!”

With a determined look on his face, Ace sped up so fast that he broke the sound barrier. Lock Light smiled, remembering briefly the good times he had with his brother. Then, he flared up his wings and sped up to catch his son. They both flew straight towards the open barn and blew the doors off the hinges. Landing they both laughed and then hugged each other. The other soon showed up. Applejack had an annoyed expression on her face “Now look what you’ve done,” she said ‘you’ve gone broken the doors and have caused us to have more work to be had.”

“Oh come on dear,” Lock Light said using his magic to raise the doors “it was just a bit of fun.”

“Yeah mom,” Maverick said appearing suddenly with them “also, why are you all breathing so hard?”

“Because some of us can’t teleport,” Big Sky snorted.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends then showed up “Hey guys,” she said “what’s all the commotion?”

“Princess Twilight!” The foals all screamed and ran towards her, knocking her down and hugging her.

Lock Light chuckled “It’s lunch time with the Apple family."

“I see,” Rainbow Dash said “mind if we join?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Ace said excitedly and slammed into her and giving her a tight hug.

“The one and only,” Rainbow Dash said “I saw that you were flying pretty fast.”

“I was trying to pull of a Sonic Rainboom just like you did,” Ace said.

“You’ll have to fly faster than that,” she said looking at Lock Light and winking “won’t you. But I know if you fly fast enough, that you can do it, just like I did.”

“But darling,” Rarity said to Big Sky “you all look so dreadfully dirty. Here let me wipe that dirt off your nose…”

“Aunt Rarity,” Big Sky said whining “stop it.”

“Would ya’ll like to join us for lunch?”

“Yeah!” They all said and trooped into the kitchen.

“I’ll get to working on this door,” Lock Light said “mind giving me a hoof Big Mac?’

“Eeyup!” he said and trotted over to help him. 

“How’s everything with you AJ?” Twilight said “I know it was rough last month when Granny Smith past away.”

“I know,” Applejack said “but she’d be happy knowing how happy we are. I mean, look around you. Everypony’s smiling and laughing, and content with their lives. That’s the way she would’ve wanted it.”

“Applejack!” another voice called out.

Applejack turned around “Why if it ain’t…”

“How ya doin’ big sister!” Apple Bloom said.

“You wanna join us too?”

“You know I wouldn’t miss an Apple Lunch for anythin’.” She said.

“Well then,” Applejack “sit yourself down.”

She then yelled “Soups up every pony!”

And they all clambered around the table to get a seat. There were apple pies, apple fritters, and a whole host of other foods. They gorged themselves and then sat back in their chairs. They then all went to the living room and gradually fell asleep for an afternoon nap. Ace was snuggled up against Rainbow Dash, Maverick was next to Twilight, his favorite teacher. Big Sky and Apple Blossom were sleeping back to back, and Applejack was embraced in Lock Light’s arms, with his wings folded over them to block the warm sun’s rays from disturbing their sleep. The last words Applejack thought before she went to sleep were, I can get used to this.