> Traces of a Hidden Shadow
>  by Teotle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Family's Back Together
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot has happened after Teotle reunited with his sister, Scarlet Rose. Twilight became the princess of friendship. She got a crown, wings, and even her own castle. She and her friends have traveled to many places in Equestria, where they spread the magic of friendship to the ponies who live there.

There has been some trouble from time to time, but they always managed to prevail in the end. Starlight Glimmer, Twilight's new student, had tried to help as well, after she was reformed from her wrong doings. Everypony was happy to have her as a friend, However, Teotle and Nyx we're still skeptical about her. On occasion, she shows signs of self interest, but the two of them are slowly and steadily warming up to her.

Hearths Warming Day had arrived at the crack of dawn, everypony, large and small, were inside there homes with their families, giving gifts and telling the tail of how the three pony tribes, unicorns, Pegasus, and earth ponies, joined together under one kingdom, allowing piece and plenty in land.

Twilight's family had come to visit them this year and were just getting up out of bed to start their own hearths warming. This was Scarlet and Teotle's first time celebrating the holidays, and they couldn't be happier. Twilight's father, Nightlight, was setting up the fireplace, as part of his family tradition.

Every variable of starting the fire must be exact to make it the best possible flame. This year, Nightlight had decided to include Nyx and Teotle in setting up the logs. They were in charge of handing Nightlight the logs as he put them in position.

Twilight, Cadance, Velvet, and Starlight were setting up breakfast in the kitchen. They were making pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup, pouring hot chocolate with marshmallows on the side, and finally, some gingerbread and candy canes for desert.

Spike, Shining Armor, and Scarlet were setting up the area in front of the fire place, setting up small tables and treys and eating utensils for when the Hearths warming breakfast was ready.

"How's the fire coming, dad?" Shining Armor asked, looking back at the fire place.

"Almost there." Replied Nightlight. "i just need a to put this last piece on." He then used his magic to put the last piece on top the stack of logs before saying, "Ok, it's done. Teotle, you and Nyx can go and tell everypony in the kitchen that the fire place is ready. I'll stay here and help the others set up the table settings."

"Ok." Teotle said, giving a playful solute. He and Nyx then made there way to the door and went down the hall on their way to the girls in the kitchen.

"I'm so excited that we can spend Hearths Warming together." Nyx cried out with joy.

"Me too." Teotle said with a wide grin. "I've waited for it ever since you told me about it."

"is it every thing  you hoped it'd be?"

"No." Teotle answered. "Its even better."

Back in the kitchen, the girls were almost finished making the hearths warming breakfast for everypony. Twilight had just finished putting the last pieces of silver wear on one of the many trays they had prepared when she said, "I'm so happy we can have hearths warming with all of our new friends. It's amazing how far we've come."

"Tell me about it." Velvet added. "You became a princess, Nyx and Teotle have a pretty good partnership going, and you have a bright new student."

"Oh, stop." Starlight said with a blushed expression. "I wouldn't say..."

"Come on now." Cadance interrupted. "Give yourself a little credit. If it weren't for you and Sunburst, the Crystal Empire would be a frozen waste land."

Starlight smiled and said, "Well, that is true, but..."

"No  buts." Teotle said, coming into the kitchen with Nyx behind him. "I'm still a little skeptical about you, but if Twilight trusts you, then I trust you."

"Me too." Nyx added."

"Um, thanks." Said Starlight, trying not to be offended. It was true that she and Teotle never got along from the start, but she wanted to try and take any positiveness she could get out of him.

"Ok." Nyx said, trying to change the subject. "The fire place is all set and we're ready to start breakfast. How are things here?"

"We're all finished." Twilight said. "Now we can take the food and dishes to the fire place."

"Great." Velvet added. "Now, everyone, lets all grab what we can carry, on double."

Everypony picked up parts of the breakfast they prepared and began to make there way down the hall to meet the others when a ring od the castle door bell rang. Somepony was at the front door.

"Hey, Twilight?" Teotle asked, carrying a platter of stacked pancakes with one arm.

Twilight looked at Teotle and then back down the hall where the front door was. She then said, "Ok, go answere the door. I'll take your load, but hurry. We don't want to keep everypony waiting too long."

"I will." Teotle replied, handing Twilight the pancakes and racing to the door. When he opened it, however, nopony was there. All he could see was Ponyville in the distance, decorated with lights and ribbons. But when he looked down, he saw a small red and white present with a label that read, "To Nyx, From A Friend".

Teotle wondered what it was and also who left it here. But at the same time, he realized that he needed to get back to the others before they get impatient. He picked up the gift and went back inside, closing the door behind him. Once he wiped the snow off his feet on the welcome mat, he went back down the hall to meet the others for their hearths warming breakfast.
> Opening Gifts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teotle had entered the room with the others, who had been waiting for his arrival. He sat down next to Nyx and Scarlet, still holding the gift in his paws. He placed it in front of Nyx, who had wide eyes and a hanging jaw.

"Teotle..." Nyx said, still looking at the gift. "Did you...?"

"No, I didn't." Teotle replied. "My gift to you  is still under the tree. I found that at the door. I don't know who or why. All I know is that it's for you."

"Well, you can open it with with the rest of your gifts later." Said Twilight. "But right now, lets start breakfast."

"Ok." Nyx and Teotle said together.

Nightlight lit the fire in the fire place joined the others in watching it grow and change color. Once the fire was set, he stood up to propose a toast. "I'd like to be the first to congratulate everypony for their hard work over this past year, allowing us all to be here today."

"I'd like to welcome our granddaughter, Flurry Heart, Twilght's new student, Starlight Glimmer, and our families newest friends, Teotle and Scarlet. May this Hearths Warming bring us closer together for years to come." Nightlight and everypony else raised there glasses and began to sip from their glasses of orange juice.

Once everypony had eaten their meals and concluded breakfast, they took the dishes to the kitchen and worked together to wash them. After that, they gathered back around the fire place as Spike passed around the presents. Once everypony got their gifts, they took turns in a circle opening each gift they had received.

A few minutes go by until everypony opened their gifts, except for Nyx, who left two gifts for last. One was from the front porch, and the other was from Teotle. Nyx liked the presents she got from he rest of her family, but she was more excited about the two that remained.

She started with Teotle's gift. after tearing off the wrapping paper and opening the box, she pulled out several blue cubes that appeared to be made out of a type of crystal.

"I know they don't look like much." Teotle said. "But they're just the first part of your gift."

"How'd you get the crystals to look like that?" Twilight asked.

Cadance then answered, "I helped him sculpt them like that, using a special transfiguration spell to give them their shape. They're made of a rare crystal that is only found in his homeland. They aren't perfect, but they will get him and Nyx started."

"Started for what?" Starlight asked.

Teotle's smile grew as he replied, "I signed Nyx and I up for this years science fair at school."

Nyx looked at him in surprise, her cheeks forming the widest smile she could make. "YOU DID?!", she asked excited.

"Yep, and then some. In order to make our project, we need to send one crystal to each culture we've made ally's with over the years, the dragons, the griffons, the buffalo's, all of our friends from far away lands. They will help us out with some instructions I've written off for them."

"Why?" Shining Armor asked. "Shouldn't you be doing the project?"

"We are." Teotle replied. "But we can't do that without a few necessities, things that only they can provide."

Night Light interjected by saying,"Shouldn't you ask the princesses before you..."

"Already done." Teotle interrupted. "But I can't say anything else, because I want you to be surprised."

Everypony nodded and let Nyx open her next gift. When he looked inside, she was dumbfounded. It was a box of gourmet chocolates, shaped like a heart. There was a letter taped on the box as well.

Nyx opened the letter and took out a  card read allowed, "Dear Nyx, I have heard much about you, how you were nightmare moon and how everypony used to treat you. I'd don't believe you are what they say you are. I want to meet you. Meet me at the playground at school in spring, before the first bell. We'll talk there."

"Aw!" Twilight said. "I think you have a secret admirer."

"Nyx blushed and replied, "I don't know what to say."

"Should we confront this person?" Teotle asked, putting his paw on his chin.

"We?" Twilight asked. "I think Nyx should talk to him by herself and see what she thinks."

Teotle interjected and said, "But what if they're mean to her? What if they're a secret assassin? What if..."

"Assassin?" Twilight interrupted. "Teotle, you've been hanging out with Pinkiepie too much. I'm sure whoever sent Nyx this gift is just wanting to make friends."

"Or maybe something more." Cadance added, giving Twilight a humorous nudge on the shoulder.

"That's a pretty big maybe, Candance." Teotle groaned.

"That's enough of that topic for now, everypony." Velvet said, trying to keep them from giving Nyx a panic attack.

"I agree." Night light added. "I say we read the tale of the first Hearths Warming together. Luckily, I have the family book."

Night light then took out a old book that told about the history of Hearths Warming. The book was a bit ragged with a few folds and stains on the pages, but it was still readable. He opened the book to the first page and began to read. Teotle however wasn't listening. He still had worries festering in his mind about this mysterious person who left Nyx that gift.

"Teotle?" Nyx asked, waving a hoof in front of Teotle's face.

"Huh, what?" He Stoddard, breaking out of his thoughts.

"Is everything alright?" Night Light  asked, looking up from the book.

"Yeah, I'm ok." Teotle answered.

Night Light raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He knew what was wrong. He's a father/grandfather now, so he knows when something is wrong in a child's mind. However, he didn't want to hit any nerves, and with that, he went back to the paragraph he left off on.
> Spring Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One morning, a few weeks after the Winter Wrap Up, it was time to go back to school. Teotle and Scarlet were getting ready for school. They were assessing their saddle bags when Teotle hollered down the hall, "Nyx, It's time to go. Do you want to be late?"

"Nyx isn't here." Twilight replied from the kitchen, helping Spike wash the dishes after breakfast. "She went to school early to meet that admirer from Hearths Warming."

Teotle's face went from curious to worried in a heartbeat. "WHAT?!" He shouted in a panic.

"Teotle." Twilight said reassuringly. "Nyx can handle herself, thanks to you're teachings. We both know she can hold her own."

"Why didn't she say anything to me?" Teotle asked. "She always tells me."

"Well, Teotle, she was worried you would but in between them."

"If this person s a threat." Teotle snapped. "You bet I would."

"Chillax, brother." Scarlet said, patting Teotle on the head. If anything goes wrong, we'll handle it."

"Besides, Nyx only left five minutes before you woke up." Twilight added. "I'm sure she just arriving to school right now."

Later

Teotle and Scarlet walked to school to meet Nyx and their friends before class started. Scarlet was older, so she didn't go to the same class as them, but she wanted to make sure Teotle didn't sprint to school and interrupt Nyx's private chat.

They didn't go at a slow casual passe though. It was sort of half and half between walking and running. Teotle tried to pick up some speed while Scarlet did her best to keep up with him. Eventually, she just stayed in front of him as they walked down the street.

When they finally arrived, Teotle didn't see Nyx or the anonymous friend by the playground. Instead, he saw Nyx in the classroom through the window. When he and Scarlet went inside, he saw her, Ms Cheerilee, and nopony else.

He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but Cheerilee called out to him and said, "Welcome back, Teotle. Scarlet, I don't believe you have class yet."

"No, I don't." Scarlet replied. " was just making sure my brother got here safely."

"Well, that's nice of you." Cheerilee said with a smile.

"Yeah, but now I got to get back and get a few more hours of sleep." Scarlet added.

"Just don't sleep too long." Cheerilee said. "You don't want to be late and fall behind, again."

"Ok." Scarlet replied, in a semi-sarcastic voice, as she made her way out the door. "What ever you say."

Cheerilee then gave Teotle an assigned desk next to Nyx and began to write the lesson up on the board. As she did that, more students entered the class room, including the Cutiemark Crusaders.

When they all got to their desks, Cheerilee began and said, "Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Ms Cheerilee." the students answered back.

Cheerilee continued, "Ok, today we're going to review our lesson from last semester, before winter break. Can anypony tell me what topic we were going over?"

Everypony was silent, as usual, until Teotle raised his paw. "Yes, Teotle?" Cheerilee asked.

Teotle huffed and answered, "We were reviewing the study of chemistry and how it is applied to certain daily activities. I remember because you I found a foot note on alchemy on page 25 in the book."

"Very good." Cheerilee answered with an approving smile. "And which chapter did we leave off of?"

This time Twist raised her hoof and answered, "I think we were in chapter 3, on page 28. I remember seeing that page Teotle mentioned before we left for break."

"Exactly." Cheerilee relied. "Now, everypony open your books to that page and lets read together."

Cheerilee had the students take turns reading paragraphs, one by one. For a time or two, some students were lost or were not following along. That set them back a bit on time, but they made it up with some of the faster readers.

Time went on as they read and reviewed the book until the bell for recess. Teotle met Nyx and the others by the swing set, where they usually hang out, and began to push Nyx on the swing as he asked her questions about this morning.

"Nyx?" Teotle asked.

"Yeah, Teotle?" she answered back.

"Who did you meet this morning?" Teolte continued. "Was he nice to you? Was he suspicious? Did he hurt you? Was he...?"

"Teotle, calm down." Applebloom interrupted. "You're getting worked up over nothing. Does Nyx really have to tell you everything in her life?"

Nyx blushed and said, "No, Applebloom, It's ok. I did leave this morning  without telling Teotle what I was doing. I don't blame him for being worried."

Nyx looked back at Teotle and went on. "I met a really nice colt this morning. His name is Day Dreamer. We talked about who I am and what led ponies to believe I was Nightmare Moon."

"How much did you tell him?" Teotle asked. He was worried that if Nyx told thuis colt too much, then he will do something irrational, like spread some lie about Nyx.

"I only told him the main story, not the details of what I did or why I did it. He was patient enough not to ask me yet."

Teotle sighed in relief and said, "That's good, I don't want anypony to hurt you over things that were no your fault."

Nyx didn't say anything about it after that. She still felt guilty about what she did, but she dare not tell Teotle or their friends. If they knew how she felt, then they might try and get in the middle. She didn't want to burden them.

Nyx got off the swing and said, "Ok, Teotle, It's your turn."
> New Visitor (part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After recess, Cheerilee continued to discuss the study of chemistry to the class. They had a few notes to take and a pop quiz at the last half hour of class.

When the final bell rang, and all the students were dismissed, Nyx, Teotle and their friends went back to the castle for lunch only to find Twlight and Spell Nexus sitting at the dinning room table, together.

Nyx took a few steps back, too nervous to speak. Teotle, however, growled and began to reach for his sword, which was strapped to his back in case of an attack.

Twilight reassured them and said, "It's ok, he's not going to hurt anypony. He's just here to talk."

"Talk about what?" Teotle asked. "About how he thinks we're monsters?'

"Not really." Nexus replied, looking down at the table. "I intend to do quite the opposite." He then got up from his chair, walked over to the children, and knelled out of respect. "I have come to apologize on behalf of myself and the former Children of Nightmare. What we did to Nyx and to those around her was inexcusable and I feel terrible because of it."

"So do I." Filthy Rich added as he stepped out from the hall way.

"Daddy?" Diamond Tiara asked, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be at your business meeting?"

Rich chuckled and answered, "I rescheduled it for later today. I heard that Spell Nexus was here and I wanted to apologies to you all on my own behalf."

"For what?" Twist asked.

"Yeah, it wasn't your fault anyway." Apple Bloom added. "You were under some kind of mind control."

"That may be." Spell Nexus admitted. "But that doesn't relieve the guilt we share for what we did. We all feel accountable for what had been done."

"We're not asking you to forgive us." Said Rich. "We just want you to understand that we're sorry."

The children looked at each other, using their facial expressions to deliberate on the topic at hand. One by one, they all nodded to each other in agreement.

They all faced Spell Nexus and Filthy Rich and said, "We forgive you."

"Well, now that's settled, Who wants lunch?" Spike said, as he pushed in a cart with trays of food. "Because I'm starved."

"What do you two say?" Teotle asked the two stallions. "Want to have lunch with us?"

They both looked at one another for a moment. "We'd be honored." Nexus replied.

Later that day

Teotle was walking down the hall to Nyx's  room with a package he had just received in the mail. When he got to the door, he gave it a knock. "Nyx?" He asked.

"Come in." Nyx replied.

Teotle walked into the room to find Nyx sitting at her writing desk with a teal colored pegasus with a white spiky mane.

"Nyx...?" said Teotle. "Who's this?"

"Teotle, this is Day Dreamer." Nyx answered, pointing at the colt next to her.

Day Dreamer then said, "Nice to finally meet you, Teotle. Nyx's told me so much about you."

Teotle's eye began to twitch a little bit as he stared at the two of them. Why would Nyx let this guy into the castle so soon after meeting him? How did Twilight, Spike or even Starlight not even notice him?

Eventually, Teotle calmed down and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you too. Hey, Nyx, I have something to show you."

"Sure, what is it?' Nyx asked.

Teotle opened the package he had in his paws and revealed the crystal cubes he gave her on Hearths Warming. "I sent these all across Equestria, like I said I would. half of them have come back after being inspected by the princesses, and when the others ge back here, we can build our science fair project."

Nyx smiled and said, "That's great."

"What's your project?" Day Dreamer asked.

Teotle furrowed his eyebrows and said, "Well, I was going to keep it a surprise, but I guess that won't work since me and Nyx are partners." Teotle took one of the cubes from the box and held it in front of Nyx and Day Dreamer. "These Crystals are from my home land, remember?"

"Yeah." Nyx answered.

"Well, these Crystals radiate pure spirit energy from the landscape and animals around them. They can also have more transferred into them. I have devised an experiment to create an ultimate Crystal with all the different types of spirit energy from all across other countries around the globe."

"Why?" Day Dreamer asked.

Teotle looked at him and said, "To create an arc."

"What kind of arc?" Nyx questioned. "Do you mean like a boat?"

"No." Teotle replied. "It's kind of like a universal library that can contain all the worlds knowledge at its core. The arc will know everything every culture has learned over centuries of growth and be able to calculate other things we, ourselves, don't even know yet."

"How can a crystal have knowledge?"

"Spirit energy of basically the manifestation of our souls." Said Teotle. "When we put our spirit energy into it, our knowledge goes into it also. And that's not even the cool part. When there is enough knowledge put into the crystals, the knowledge and memories will manifest and take form."

"It will become a whole other soul?" Nyx wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." Teotle said with glee.

"So, your creating artificial intelligence?" asked Day Dreamer.

"Sort of." Teotle replied. "However, this will have natural intelligence, rather than artificial."
> New Visitor (part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, what you're saying is that this project is a hand held library that has a conscious? Day Deamer asked.

"There's more to it than that." Teotle said. "We have biological, mental, and physical limitations to what we can do. This Arc Crystal will have none of those limits. Who knows how much it will be able to process and learn."

"That's a pretty big leap in science." Nyx added.

"I know." Teotle said. "It'll be perfect for the science fair."

"Teotle continued to talk tov Nyx and Day Dreamer about the science project. He mentioned many of the variables and mathematics up until Nyx told him that it was time to talk about something else. It wasn't that she wasn't interested, it was just that he was talking for a long time. 

Day Dreamer then began and said, "So, Teotle, before you came in, Nyx was telling me about you and your friends. Can you tell me anything about them?"

"Sure." Teotle said. "Nyx introduced me to them after she found me in the forest up on the mountain side. They were supposedly on a camping trip. I was stuck in a bear trap and couldn't get out, so I sort of blocked most of that memory out. All I really remember is that I heard one of them howling by their campsite. When I howled back, they found and helped take me to a hospital."

"Huh." Day Dreamer replied. "That's a heck of a story. Is that how you got your bionic leg?"

"Yeah." Teotle answered with a blushed face.

Just then, Twilight entered the room. When she saw Day Dreamer, she said, "Hello, who's this?"

"Your Highness, my name is Day Dreamer." He said, bowing at her hooves.

"Oh, you don't need to do that." Twilight smiled. "It's nice to meet you. Are you the pony who met Nyx this morning before school?"

"Yeah, that's me." Day Dreamer answered.

"Well, it's nice to know you aren't a trouble maker." Twilight said, looking at Teotle.

"Where did you get trouble maker from?" Day Dreamer asked.

"Oh, nothing." Twilight laughed.

"Mom..." Nyx said with embarrassment. 

"I'm just saying." Said Twilight. "Most boys are pretty rambunctious at your age. I was just a little nervous about Nyx's safety when I woke her up this morning to meet you."

Teotle looked at Twilight in shock. It was her who sent Nyx to meet Day Dreamer? Why did she do it? How long was she planning this, and why did she keep it a secret from Teotle? These questions rang in the young wolfs head as he stared at Twilight, who he thought would never keep secrets from any of them. But here she was, admitting to how she sent Nyx alone to face this stranger.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Teotle said nervously.

"Ok." Twilight said. " I have something to do too. I'll  just give these two some privacy."

And with that, Teotle and Twilight went into the hallway. Teotle had hoped Twilight would go the other way but, as expected, that didn't happen. She followed him to the bathroom door, where she stopped him in his tracks.

"What's the matter with you today?" She asked.

Teotle grunted and answered, "Why did you send your daughter out to meet that guy this morning?"

Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "Oh stop, you know this is a good thing. Somepony is reaching out to her for the first time in a long time. How do you not support that?"

"Its not that I don't want Nyx to have new friends." Teotle replied. "I'm just upset that you purposely chose to leave me out of the loop."

"Really?" asked Twilight. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Teotle then answered, "NO! I just don't like not being included in stuff. Especially of this guy turns out to be a jerk."

"I spoke with his Mrs Cheerilee at the parent teacher conference two days ago, she says he's an strait A student. Anypony like that would be perfect as a friend, maybe even more."

Twilight stepped out from Teolte way and walked down the hall. As Teolte opened the door to the, bathroom he whispered, "Maybe even more huh? Hmm, that's what worries me the most."
> Time for Dinner
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By that time dinner was on the table, Nyx and Day Dreamer had spent hours talking about each other about their interests and similarities. They also talked about school, what their favorite topic is, and who they hang out with at recess.

All this time, neither of them asked Teotle anything, which made his fears and frustration grow inside of him, like a weed in a flower bed. Everypony was sitting at the dinning room table when Spike brought dinner. There was celery soup, some daisy sandwiches, and a big loaf of sliced bread that had just been backed in the oven.

Twilight and Starlight passed the food to everypony. Nyx, who sat in between Teotle and Day Dreamer, began to eat right away, since celery soup was her favorite food, and soon everypony followed. Teotle, however, Just stared down to the floor.

Over time, everypony began to notice Teotle's odd behavior. Nyx bumped him on he shoulder and asked, "Are you alright?"

Teotle snapped out of it and replied, "Yeah, I'm just not hungry."

Scarlet looked at Teotle with concern. "Brother?"

"Yeah?" Teotle answered back.

Scarlet then said, "I've lived with you guys for a long time now. In all that time, you've never turned down a good meal. What gives?"

Teotle looked his food, that had gone cold, and then back at his sister. "I'm not sure."

"Teotle." Twilight said, rolling her eyes. "You've known how to get into everypony's head and find out what is wrong. You really can't tell us what's wrong in your own head?"

Teotle said nothing for a moment. In truth, he knew what was bothering him, and it was eating him up inside. He wanted to say what was wrong, but the words were locked within him by his fear and doubt. What would they think of him if he told them? Would they understand, or would they be ashamed?

Just when he foudn the currage to speak, Day Dreamer interjected and said, "I think I know what's wrong." He took a deep breath and continued on. "Its me, isn't it?"

Teotle began to shake and quiver. "I...I..."

"It's ok, buddy." Day Dreamer insured. "You're afraid that I'll take Nyx away from you. I know she means a lot to you. I mean why wouldn't she? She saved your life from loneliness and despair. I want you to know that I'll never hurt either of you. I promise that on my life, and I never go back on my word."

Teotle looked at Day Dreamer, who wore a kind and warm smile on his face. Teotle the looked at Nyx, who had joined him in his sniffling. At that moment, he felt their love and friendship rain down onto him.

Teotle smiled and said, "Thank you, all of you."

After that, Teotle finally was able to eat his dinner. Everypony was tired from the long day, so Day Dreamer went home to his family while everypony else got ready for bed.

Nyx and Teotle stood in front of the bathroom sink, brushing their teeth, when Nyx asked, "Hey, Teotle?"

"Yeah?" He answered back.

They both looked at each other as Nyx continued and said, "Did you really think that Day Dreamer would replace you?"

Teotle chocked on his toothpaste as he tried to think of an answere. He then said, "I...well...yeah."

Nyx shook her head and said, "That could never happen and you know it, Teotle. You protect me and everypony around you. You're kind and gentle. You're my best friend. Why are you so worried about it?"

Tears fell from Teotle's cheek as he replied, "Because, you're my only friend."

Nyx wiped his tears as she asked, "What makes you think that? What about Applebloom, Sweetiebelle, Scootaloo, Twist, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon? 

Teotle then said, "They're your friends. The only reason they hang out with me is because your there."

Nyx tilted her head to the side and said, "That's ridiculous. They let you be a Cutiemark Crusader, bagged Granny Smith for two hours to let you play at the club house. They even introduced you to Babs, and I think she likes you too."

Teotle smiled and said, "You mean it?"

"Of course." Nyx answered. "You're our friend, we love you, and we'd do anything for you. You know why?"

"Why?"  Teotle asked.

Nyx smiled and said, "Because you'd do the same for us."
> Bath Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following weekend, Teotle, Nyx and Day Dreamer sat in the bedroom, working on the science fair project. Nyx had convinced Teotle to let Day Dreamer compete in the science fair with them. This made Teotle uneasy, however, Nyx's pleads eventually made him accept it.

Nyx and Daydreamer were opening the packages, containing the small crystal cubes, that were shipped to and from all the different cultures across Equestria. Teotle, analyzed the cubes they have already received. He used his mind control spell to look inside the cubes and read the knowledge stored inside them, seeing if there were any faults or anything missing to the data.

While he did this, Teotle seemed as little nervous about something. He quivered and flinched at anything that made a sound, as if he was suspecting an attack from something or somepony.

Day Dreamer took notice to this and whispered in Nyx's ear, "What's wrong with Teotle?"

Nyx looked over at Teotle, rolled her eyes and whispered back, "Today is his..."

"BATH TIME, TEOTLE!" Twilight said in a half singing voice as she opened the door to the bedroom. 

This made Teotle nearly jumped out of his skin as he sprinted for the open window, attempted to jump out. But Twilight was too fast for him. she used her magic to grab Teotle by his tail and pulled him back into the castle through the window. Once he was all the way back inside, She grabbed the rest of him and carried him out into the hallway.

Nyx then stood up and said, "Come on, lets go."

Daydreamer tilted his head to the side and asked, "Why, where?"

Nyx looked back at him and said, "To the SPA. That's where we take Teotle to get him cleaned up."

"Why doesn't he get a regular bath every day?", asked Day Dreamer.

Nyx the said, "He doesn't like other people to wash him. It's just that he never had his mom teach him about personal hygiene. Now, When he bathes by himself, he forgets to clean certain areas and he sometimes leaves soap in his fur, causing him to itch."

Day Dreamer then asked, "Why wasn't she there to teach him?"

Nyx frowned, walked to the door and said, "I'll tell you on the way, lets go."

Day Dreamer got up to and followed behind Nyx out into the hall behind Twilight.

"Ok, so here's the thing..." Said Nyx. "Teotle is one of seven other kids who were foretold to bring back Shadowflame, their father, by killing each other until only one remained to become his vessel. Shadowflame was an evil tyrant who took control of the wolf country and wanted to expand his kingdom over Equestria. Teotle's mom, Frost, wanted Teotle to live a happy and free life, so she sent him here in secret, to save hm from Shadowflame's plan."

"Why didn't she go with him?" Day Dreamer asked.

"Because the sisters of the shadow knew her sent." Nyx answered. "The wolf scouts would have caught them before they could reach the borders of Equestria. Teotle, on the other hoof, is just a cub. Not only could he escape, but he was also young enough to adapt to Equestrian culture."

"So, how long was he alone before you found him?" Day Dreamer asked.

Nyx looked back at Teotle, who was still struggling to be free from Twilight's magic. She then said, "I don't know, and I won't ask. If you really know my story, you'd know that I was only alone for a few hours, tangled in a thorn bush, before Twilight found me. Teotle could have been alone for a lot longer. Can you imagine how scared he must have been every waking moment?"

Day Dreamer looked down at the floor, unable to speak. He did his best to swallow the knot in his throat as he replied, "I can't even fathom it. But, now know why he cares about you so much. You must have been his first and only friend through out his whole life."

"No." Nyx added softly. "He also had Twilight and all of our other friends."

When they finally arrived at the SPA, the greeter met them at the front desk and said, "Good day, Princess Twilight. I see you've brought Teotle for his weekly treatment."

Twilight smiled and said, "Yep, he really needs it this time. So, I was thinking about the usual lavender bath soap, along with some brushing."

"I see." The greeter replied. "I suppose he has knots again, right?"

"Yeah." Twilight said with blushed cheeks. "It's difficult enough to brush him when he struggles so much, but he also has really thick fur."

"Not to worry, Princess." The greeter insured. "We'll take good care of him."

Twilight then levitated Teotle back down to the ground, still holding him with her magic so he doesn't run off. They then followed another escort to the bathing room, where the staff take care of the customers. The escort then handed the employee who ran the baths the note pad on what to do for Teotle.

The employee then turned the waster on, making sure it was warm enough to plug the drain and let the water rise. She then asked Teotle to remove his metal leg. When  he did that she helped him ease his way into the bath tub. When he was in, she and the other staff began to scrub his fur front and back, over and under.

The manager came up to Twilight and whispered in her ear, "Princess, I'm afraid it is time for his hair cut as well. That might cost a little extra, so I wanted to check with you first before I add it to your bill."

"That's ok." Twilight replied. "In fact, can the rest of us spend some time in the steam bath while we wait?"

"But of course." answered the manager, pointing her hoof down the hall. "Right this way."

Twilight, Nyx and Day Dreamer followed the manager to the steam room. When they went inside, they saw Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy, who had also arrived for their weekly SPA outing.

"Oh my," Rarity gasped. "Twilight, Nyx, and Day Dreamer, what ever brings you all here? Is it time for Teotle's weekly bath?"

"Yeah." Twilight answered. "He really needs it this time. He smells like a stink bug and he has enough knots to hog tie a full grown stallion."

"Well shoot." Applejack said. "If he stayed at Sweet Apple Acres for a week, he's learn to take baths three times a day. The only problem is that Granny Smith still doesn't let him come within twenty yards of the farm, well, accept for the club house."

"Don't worry, Applejack, I'm sure she'll come around." Fluttershy remarked. "But for now, lets just try and relax."

Twilight smiled, took a seat, and said, "I couldn't agree more."
> Teotle On The Run
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight, Nyx, and Day Dreamer spent a good thirty minutes in the sauna with Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy. It was calm, relaxing and peaceful. Until, that is, one of the SPA manager poked her head through the doorway and said, "Princess Twilight?"

"Yes?" Twilight responded.

The manager blushed a little as she said, "We have a slight problem with Teotle. When  we tried to sit him down for his haircut, he ran off down the hall and locked himself in the closet."

Twilight huffed, took the hot towel off her face, and followed the manager, with Nyx and Day Dreamer not far behind her. When they reached the closet, Teotle peeked his head through the little window. Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "Teotle, you come out from there this instant."

Teotle shook his head and said, "I already got a bath today, I don't need a haircut too."

"Teotle." Nyx sighed. "You have knots in your fur, they need to cut and brushed."

Teoltle felt around in his fur and noticed the knots Nyx talked about. "Can't I just cut them off with my sword?"

"No, Teotle." Twilight groaned. "They are too deep in your fur, you'll end up having bald patches if you do that."

Teotle grunted, opened the closet door and the said, "Fine, I'll come out."

"Great." the manager said with glee. "Because your stylist awaits you." She grabbed Teotle's paw and let him back to the grooming department, where everypony would send their pets for grooming. Teotle didn't like that room, not because of the animals, he likes animals, its just that he hates getting his haircut in a place where they occasionally treat him like a house pet.

The mares who washed, cut, and brushed his fur would always talk to him in a "lovey dovey" voice and say he was so cute. They would also treat him like he was a tender flower. He always thought of himself as handsome or charming, not cute, and he was strong, not tender.

Teotle waited patiently as the stylist trimmed and combed his whole coat. Teotle winced and yelped a few times when his fur was fulled too hard by the brush, but after a while, the stylist was finally done.

"Ok, Teotle." the stylist concluded. "You are now free to go."

Teotle sighed with relief and stood up from where he was sitting. He walked over to where Twilight, Nyx and Day Dreamer had been waiting. He nudged Twilight and asked, "I'm ready to go."

Twilight looked down at him and said, "Not yet. Did you say thank you?"

Teotle quickly looked back at the mare from behind the desk and said, "Thank you."

The mare smiled and replied, "You're welcome, sweetie."

Later that night, Teotle, Nyx, and Day Dreamer had spent quite a while doing the finishing touches on the crystal cubes, making sure that the knowledge and memory that was put in to them was stable. After that step was done, the next thing was to assemble the pieces to fit together, like a puzzle, only you don't have a pattern or picture to use as a reference.

"How do we know which pieces to connect first?" Day Dreamer asked.

"Many things could go wrong in the assembly process." Teotle answered. "If the pieces are put together in the wrong order, they won't be able to sustain the knowledge within them. I'm not saying it's hard to do, but it is kind of like building a living brain from the ground up."

"Has anypony ever done that before?" Nyx wondered.

Teotle then said, "One time in my homeland, Ironeye talked about how Shadowflame would dabble in that sort of thing. He succeeded, but it didn't live for very long."

"Why not?" Nyx and Day Dreamer asked together.

Teotle looked at them and said, "He didn't want to risk it being too smart for him to control, so he killed it an hour after it was brought to life."

The two of them looked at Teotle with concern. "That's awful." Nyx said.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Day Dreamer added.

"Don't worry, you guys." Teolte said with assurance. "We totally got this. We're not going to kill it. its too important."

"How so?" Day Dreamer asked.

Teotle smiled and said, "Not only will it hold all the history in Equestria, but it will also be a symbol of unity. It will be a transcendent creature that can have a life of it's own. It will be able to guide us throughout our lives. It can advise our leaders, teach new ways of medicine, math, farming, technology, and a thousand things in between. What we do here will revolutionize the world and make peace.

"Wow." Nyx added. "This is amazing."

"I know right?" Teotle asked. "And we're so close to being done making it too." Teolte then picked up two pieces and merged them together to one bigger cube. "Let's get started."
> What's His Name?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teotle, Nyx, and Daydreamer spent the next hour assembling the cubes, making sure to connect them in the right order. As the assembly progressed, the main piece began to glow brighter.

"Teotle?" Day Dreamer asked.

"Yeah?" Teotle replied, still attaching more cubes together.

"...I...um...never mind."

Teotle looked away from his work and up to Day Dreamer. "What is it?"

Day Dreamer was dead quiet. He stared nervously at Teotle and Nyx, who had just looked up at him. "I don't think now's a good time."

"Why not?" Nyx wondered.

Day Dreamer stayed quiet for a moment before answering, "Because we're working right now. I don't want to mess us up. I'll tell you later."

Teotle and Nyx were curious about what was bothering Day Dreamer, but they respected his decision and got back to their part of the assembly.

Once they were finished, the finished product was one big crystal cube. Teotle took out a book from his saddle bags and began to read aloud. He spoke a strange incantation based off the language of the wolf country. Hieroglyphics appeared and were floating around the cube.

The spell was similar to that of the one the Crystal Empire used for every Crystaling when a new baby was born. But Teotle had modified the spell to merge all the memory and spirit energy from withing the cube together to form one single mass.

Once Teotle finished the incantation, the cube began to glow brighter and brighter. It lifted off the ground and started to spin and fly arund the room uncontrollably. It flew faster with each second, now bouncing off the walls and crashing into the furniture. It was amazing that it didn't hit anypony as it flew by.

Eventually, it began to stabilize and set itself back in the center of the room, where is had lay in the beginning. Nyx and Day Dreamer looked at Teotle and then at the mess that was made by the cubes rampage. They were horrified.

Teotle, however, smiled and said, "Perfect." He then approached the cube and observed it closely to see if anything had changed since its current reaction to the spell. Teotle tapped on the cube and asked, "Hello?"

They stared at the cube for a solid minute, but no response came from it until, finally, it said, "Yes?" This left them astounded. The cube actually had a mind of it's own, the spell worked. Nyx and Day Dreamer wore dumbfounded expressions. Teotle, however, was more excited then an army of Pinkiepies at the Grand Galloping Gala.

"THIS IS FANTASTIC!!!" Teotle shouted. "IT WORKED!!! We did it, you guys. are you as stoked at this as I am?"

Nyx and Day Dreamer, who were still a bit surprised, put on big grins that stretched from ear to ear. "Yeah.", they said together.

"I am glad to bring such joy to you all." The cube said in a marry voice.

"We need to capture this moment." Day Dreamer urged.

"I got that covered, buddy.", Teotle said, pulling out a tripod camera from the bed room closet.

"Here..." the cube insisted. "Let me get that for you." And just like that, the camera was lifted off the ground and put in the corner, facing in the center of the room, where the everypony lay sitting, next to the cube. They all struck a pose, allowing the cube to telepathically click the button  on the camera to tale a picture. A photograph then began to print from the bottom of the camera. Teotle pulled it out and shook it, allowing the photo to cool down and begin developing. 

After taking a few more photos for prosperity, Teotle, Nyx and Day Dreamer then began to ask the cube various questions. Was it friendly? How could it talk to soon? Was it a boy or girl, and how? What else could it do?

The questions kept coming, and Teotle kept writting each answer down on one of the pages of his sketch book, until Twilight came in. "Ok, everypony, it's getting late. Day Dreamer, I'll walk you home. Nyx, Teotle, it;'s time for bed."

"Aw." The three children cried.

"But we just made a breakthrough in science." Teotle protested. "Can we have a few more minutes?"

Twilight looked at the cube, still sitting in the middle of the bedroom floor. Here eyes opened wide as she asked, "Is that what made all that noise earlier? What is it?"

Nyx, Teotle, and Day Dreamer all looked at each other nervously. They were so focused on the questions that they never gave their project a name. Just calling it "The Cube" was too simple for something as great for what they just made.

Nyx and Day Dreamer look at each other and nodded. "We think Teotle should name it.", said Nyx.

Twilight then looked at Teotle and asked, "Well, Teotle, What do you think it should be called?"

Teotle thought about it for a good while. He flipped through his noted and none of his ideas sounded any good. It took a few minutes, but he finally found a name that fit the cube's profile. "It's the Arc."
> The Red Palm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, Twilight was escorting Day Dreamer to his house after sending Teotle and Nyx to bed. They were silent for a majority of the trip, until Twilight asked, "So, Day Dreamer, how do you like working with Nyx and Teotle on the project?"

Day Dreamer cleared his throat and replied, "Yeah, it's fun."

"Good, glad to hear it." Twilight said with a grin. "I'm glad that they met you. They spend so much time together, they need room to grow a little. I think you're just the pony to help."

"Thanks." Day Dreamer answered back. "Say, do you know what Teotle's cutiemark means?"

Twilight stopped in her tracks, with wide eyes, as she looked at Day Dreamer. "Well, actually, it never occurred to me what his cutiemark meant. Huh, why does he have one?"

Day Dreamer cocked his head to the side as he asked, "Haven't you ever told him what it means to have one?"

Twilight's cheeks blushed as she replied, "Um, I never got around to it."

Then Day Dreamer said, "I know just the fillies for the job."

The next day, after school, Twilight had asked Nyx, Teotle, Day Dreamer and the Cutiemark Crusaders to gather in the throne room, where they began to discuss Teotle's Cutiemark.

"So, you never knew what a Cutiemartk meant until now?" Scootaloo asked.

"Not really." Teotle replied. "I never thought about it until Twilight and the other came back from the town Starlight made."

"Well..." Applebloom said, finding it hard to continue her sentence. "A Cutiemark is a sign of your special talent. It defines who you are and what you have to offer everypony around you."

Then Sweetiebelle said, "It's based off your personality traits. The three of us got our cutiemarks at the same time, and they show how we are meant to help other ponies with their cutiemark related problems, whether it be what their cutiemark means, or how to get them in them in the first place."

"So you can figure out what mine means?" Teotle asked.

"Sure." Twist answered. "We'll try. But first, let's see what it is."

Teotle then stood up and showed his flank, which had a red paw print with a red ring circling around it. They all looked at it in wonder of what it meant. However, nopony could think of anything. Eventually Twilight asked Spike to write a letter to Celestia.

"Dear Princess Celestia, I don't know if you recall, but Teotle has a mysterious Cutiemark on his flank and we can't figure out what it is. I was wondering what you and Luna think it means. I patiently await your reply. As always, your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle." And with that, Spike drew Teotle's Cutiemark at the bottom of the letter and sent it off with an exhale of fire.

A few minutes later, Spike had received Celestia's responding letter from Celestia saying, "My dear student, Twilight, I had thought of what Teotle's cutiemark represents, he is the first wolf to have one after all. However, I have not yet found any sensible explanation as to what it means. I am sorry for not being much help in this matter. As always, Celestia."

"Well." Day Dreamer commented glumly. "It looks like we're on our own."

"I'm sure if she wasn't so busy, she could think of something." Teotle added.

"But, regardless, we need to get started if we want to find out your special talent." Twilight said with a sigh.

And with that, they began to discuss all the things they know about Teotle and what things he's good at. But after an hour of debating and comparing ideas, they came up short on their endeavor.

"What did we not think of?" Nyx wondered.

"We have an idea." Spike said, walking into the throne room with the arc flying behind him.

"What is it?" Teotle asked.

Spike grinned and said, "Well, the arc can think and calculate different ideas and thoughts at once, right?"

"Yeah." Teotle replied. "That's one of many things it was made for."

"Well, why not have it calculate what it knows about you, and see what it can come up with?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.

Teotle thought about it and said, "You know, that might work." Teotle then got up from his seat and walked to the arc, who had been patiently waiting for him. "How about it, can you find out what my cutiemark means?"

The arc was quiet for a moment before saying, "Yes, I think it's worth a try."

Teotle looked back at everypony at the table, seeing approval in their eyes, he then faced the arc and said, "Lets do it."

The arc then began to glow bright blue and hover over Teotle as it scanned his body, all the way to his heart and soul. It saw many things, memories of his past, his thoughts, and feelings.

It continued its analysis until it finally said, "I have reached a conclusion."

A wide grin opened up on Teotle's face as he asked, "What is it?"

But before the arc could say anything, a black smoke cloud seeped through the closed door and began to surround everypony. The smoke grew and spread out around the whole room.

"What is this?"  Nyx asked.

Just then, a familiar voice began to laugh in the air, along with the appearance of two red and green eyes with dagger shaped irises.

"I think I have an idea." Spike said, trembling where he stood.

Twilight's eyes widened as she concluded, "King Sombra."

> The Return of the Tyrant
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The black smoke continued to shift and twist around the room. The demonic laughter rang in the ears of everypony in the room, and the green and red eyes glared down at them with devilish intent that speared all of them in the soul as they stared back.

The smoke then began to gather on the center of the throne room table, funneling down in a tornado formation. When all the smoke had finished collecting in one spot, it took the shape of a shadowy gray unicorn who wore a crown of dark silver and red spikes.

His back was covered with a red royal cloak and he was padded with armor of steel armor. His mane shifted and twisted like wild fire and his teeth were jagged and sharp. King Sombra had returned.

He continued to glare down at everypony as he grew an unpleasant smile that went from ear to ear. "Well well, isn't this a treat? Princess Twilight, Spike the Brave and Glorious, the Cutiemark crusaders, Nightmare Moon and her boyfriend, Daydreamer. And last but not least, Teotle, the embodiment of Wrath, and one of the seven children of Shadowflame. At last we meet."

"How do you know about my father?" Teotle growled with clenched teeth.

"Oh, I know plenty about you, Teotle." Sombra answered back. "In fact, I know about all of you. I've kept watch over all of you in my time of exile from my kingdom."

"It was never your kingdom." Twilight argued firmly. "You took of control of the Crystal Empire through fear and violence, and were defeated for it, twice."

Sombra's wide grin fell to a deep frown as he said, "An error that I don't intend to let repeat for a third time." With that, he set his gaze on the arc and began to walk toward it. "That cube is just the thing I need to begin my work."

"What makes you think we'll let you take it?" Spike said, stepping in between Sombra and the arc.

Sombra chuckled and said, "Who said I wanted your permission?" He then rushed at Spike, as a cloud of smoke, and began to surround him and the arc. Spike's eyes began to shine green as he started to hallucinate from Sombras power of fear. He panicked and began to speak to somepony who wasn't really there, just in his mind.

Spike quivered and fell to the floor, dropping the arc in the process. But Teotle leaped into the smoke and threw Spike away from Sombras grasp and to safety. Teotle then swung his word wildly with one paw while holding the arc close to his chest with the other. However, he wasn't hurting Sombra. There was no scream of pain or any form of damage in the smoke cloud. Just a light chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Teotle asked, starting to feel dizzy. Just then, his surroundings began to blacken, and within seconds, Teotle couldn't see a thing. After a moment of silence, He saw a bright round light coming from above him. It was the moon, just staring at him from the night sky. How could this be? It was not night time so soon in the day.

He contemplated this anomaly, but just before he could think of an answer, he heard a strong triumphant chuckle from the distance. it wasn't Sombra, the voice sounded too much like a mare. He squinted his eyes in an attempt to see through the darkness. Eventually, he saw a tall and dark mare, who's eyes looked an awful lot like Nyx's, only these eyes were full of hate and spite.

"Nyx?" Teotle asked the figure.

"No." The figure replied, spreading her wings. I am no longer Nyx, I'm who I was meant to be. I am Nightmare Moon." She then smiled, showing her teeth, which had been ground to a jagged point. It was terrifying, one of only a small handful of moments when Teotle felt fear surging within him. His eyes were wide open, his body began to quiver, and his metal paw, which had been holding his sword, fell limp.

The sword fell to the ground with a loud clank. Teotle grabbed the arc with both paws and held it tightly to his chest. He knew Nightmare Moon wanted it, and he shuddered to see what she'd do with its dense and powerful magic, but even more than that, he knew that if Nightma... Nyx had that power and used it against others, then there would be no going back, not for a second time.

Teotle tried to say something, anything to stop Nyx from attacking, but it was too late. She lunged at him with full forge, all the while she laughed maliciously. She cast a spell to  summon  a sword of magical energy, and raised it to make a deadly blow. However, at the moment of the strike, when Teotle's heart and soul were shattered from the loss of his friend, the sword didn't make its mark.

Teotle heard a small tender voice say to him, "Please be ok." He opened his tear soaked eyes and saw himself in the embrace of the real Nyx's front legs. They were back in the castle throne room, where everypony was watching nervously. Twilight and the rest of the Main Six were floating in the air with glistening and colorful manes. They had just used the elements of harmony to send Sombra away. They came back to the ground and went back to normal.

"Please be ok. Please be ok. Please be ok." Nyx continued to say those same three words over and over as if they were the only words she knew.

"I'm ok, Nyx."  Teotle said, putting his paw on her cheek.

Nyx opened her eyes, which were soaked to the brim with tears. She looked Teotle in the eyes, which still had a bit of green in them from Sombras spell. She made a soft squeak and clung to Teotle tighter. "I was afraid you were dead." She said, trying to hold back the knot in her throat.

"What happened?" Teotle asked, looking around the room.

"Sombra cast a spell that made you see your worst fear." Twilight said. "We couldn't get close you without Sombra surrounding you like that."

"Every time we tried, he would reach out and try to pull us in, so the Spike and the four of us went into town to get my big sister and the others to use the elements of harmony." Apple bloom explained, still a little nervous.

Nyx loosened her embrace on Teotle, who had shied away from her in disbelief of what he saw while under Sombras spell. Nyx raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong, Teotle?"

Teotle however couldn't find the strength to speak. Whether or not it was real, Teotle had just confronted who Nyx once was, and it was eating away at his heart and the resolve he relied on to protect his best friend. Eventually, he got to his feet and answered, "Nothing."
> Filly or Monster?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that day, Teotle, Nyx and their friends were playing "filly in the middle". Teotle and Nyx were in the middle of the circle, trying to catch the ball while is flew in all directions in between their dear friends. Everypony giggled and laughed, they were happy.

However, the ball popped and fell to the ground, and all the happiness that compelled them quickly melted away as they stared at the middle of the circle, toward Teotle and Nyx. Teotle looked at them with worry and asked, "What's wrong, guys?"

They all stayed silent, until a shriek of terror escaped their lips as black colored fire began engulf them. They screamed louder than a banshee as their flash began to wither and crumble away from the flames intense power and heat.

When nothing but bone was left, they all stood back up from where they lay and began to talk in one voice, saying the same thing over and over, "You could have saved us, Teotle."

Teotle was horrified, trying to reach for Nyx for comfort, but she was no longer next to him. She was up in the sky, which changed from bright blue, to blood red. The moon had risen to cover the sun, making an eclipse, and with that, Nyx began to laugh. It was the same laugh Teotle had heard while he was under Sombras spell. It was Nightmare Moon's laugh.

Nyx then began to grow in size and age. Her mane began to glow bright as the night sky, and armor began to appear on her body. Nyx was no longer there, only her nightmarish self remained. All of Teotle's skeletal friends began to crumble apart and fly in the air with the wind. Their ashes then shifted over to Nightmare Moon.

She twisted it around with her magic until she finally transformed it into a sword of bone, that bore the faces of the Cutiemark Crusaders, Scarlet Rose, Day Dreamer, Twist, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. All of them were engraved onto the sword, each with terrified expressions.

It was horrifying for Teotle to see this, and even more so with every passing second. Nightmare Moon then began to charge at Teotle, still laughing demonically, thirsty for blood. But before The blow could be made, a magic shield appeared from nowhere and blocked Nightmare Moon's sword.

It was Princess Luna. She had swooped down from the sky and cast her magic to stop Nightmare Moon's attack. Luna the  waved her hoof and made Nightmare Moon disappear, along with the eclipse and the ring of dark fire that surrounded them.

"It would seem that something is troubling you, Teotle." Luna said with a warm voice.

"Princess Luna?" Teotle asked. "What's going on?"

"You're having nightmares in your sleep." Luna replied. "Nightmares about your best friend, Nyx, I'd imagine?"

Teotle tilted his head in confusion and asked, "This is a dream?"

"Of course." Answered Luna. "Why do you think I'm here? It is my sworn duty to help fillies and colts when they have nightmares. I help provide guidance to help them adjust into confident adults."

"But I'm not a pony, I'm a wolf." Said Teotle.

Luna walked closer to Teotle, wrapped her wings around him, and gave him a warm and gentle embrace. "It does not matter who or what you are, where you come from, or whom you were born from. Me and my sister will always love you as we love our subjects. You are part of Equestria's people now."

Teotle pondered for a moment and agreed with Luna's kind words, he then returned her embrace. He noticed that Luna's lip was quivering and her eyes began to water. She was crying for some unknown reason.

Teotle then asked, "Luna?"

Luna was startled a bit, returning from some deep thoughts of regret. "Yes, dear...Um... I mean...Teotle?"

"Why am I having Nightmares?" He asked, disregarding Luna's tongue twist.

Luna wiped her tears and answered, "That depends on what you're afraid of. What did you see when you were under Sombras spell?"

Teotle hesitated, but he knew that if anypony could help him in his time of need, it was Luna. "I saw Nyx reveal her true self, Nightmare Moon."

"Her true self?" Luna asked.

"She said that she was the mare she was always meant to be." Teotle answered. "She was after the arc and its power. She tried to kill me to get her hooves on it."

Luna sighed and said, "You know Nyx very well, Teotle. I know you do, Nyx is not the true Nightmare Moon."

"Why's that?" Teotle asked.

"You must understand that Nyx and Nightmare Moon are two different psyches. Nyx was the result of a failed attempt to give Nightmare Moon her own body and soul. The Spell that meant to resurrect Nightmare Moon was interrupted by my sister and the royal guard, resulting in the birth of a damaged shell of a young filly with no memories of her own accept those of my own past, when I was Nightmare Moon.

Teotle listened with wide eyes and flattened ears. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing, about Nyx being born from a spell and how she was meant to doom the world to eternal night. However, he couldn't help but process every word.

"Really?" Teotle wondered.

"Yes, thanks to Twilight nurturing and raising Nyx as her daughter, she began to make memories of her own. She was her own mare. Which leaves me to ask you something. Why do you fear Nyx, after all she did for you in the past?"

Teotle wondered why, why he would he be afraid of Nyx, of all the people in the world? But the more he thought about it, the less he felt confident about his answer. "I don't know."
> A Sister's Word of Advice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, after his night talking to Princess Luna, Teotle spent the next few hours pondering on why he was afraid of Nyx. He couldn't imagine why, but he also couldn't imagine why not. It was true that Nyx was made from a spell to bring back a tyrant, but she was his closest friend. They did everything together, she's being raised by Twilight, she loves the sun and has friends. So why this new founded phobia?

It was recess time at school, where everypony went out to play on the playground. He and Nyx were with their friends at the swing set, talking about the science fair that was coming up in three days. They were talking about what their projects were and how they've been working on them, all except for Teotle.

"Our potato battery should be just about done by now." Applebloom said with a smile."

"Who knew that potatoes had electricity in them?" asked Scootaloo.

"Not me, but it's pretty awesome." Sweetiebelle answered. "Which reminds me, Nyx, how is your project coming along?"

Nyx smiled and said, "Well, Teotle, Daydreamer and I had made the final adjustments to the arc and are ready to present it to the judges, we just want to test it some more on its functions."

"That's good." added Diamond Tiara, who was being pushed on the swing by Silver Spoon.

"The three of us have just a few more tests to make sure our new plant pesticide works." Twist remarked, nudging at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "It's supposed to keeps the pests away without the use of hazardous chemicals."

"It also works for a great fertilizer." Silver Spoon added.

"Say, Teotle?" Applebloom asked, noticing the cub's silence. "You're awful quiet, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Teotle replied. "I just have some thoughts, questions that need answers."

"Why not go and ask Ms Cheerilee?" Twist asked.

"No, I don't think she can help." Teotle sighed.

"Couldn't hurt to check with her." Scootaloo assured.

With that, Teotle finally said, "Ok." He walked down the playground of running and shouting fillies and colts to reach the school door. He walked inside and went to the teacher's desk, where she was currently grading the pop quiz they just took before recess.

Cheerilee looked up from her papers and said, "Hello, Teotle, do you need something?"

Teotle told Cheerilee about what he was feeling, his visions, his nightmares, his fears, all of it down to the last detail. Cheerilee needed a minute to process what she just heard, but after a while, she said, "I'm sorry, but I can't imagine why you'd be afraid of Nyx. She's a good student and a wonderful filly. Have you told her about this?"

"How can I?" Teotle asked. "It would badly hurt her if she knew."

"If you're afraid to tell her, then maybe you should try asking your sister, she's going to be in my next class this afternoon. I'll let you stay after class if you want to talk to Scarlet."

Teotle smiled with relief and said "Ok, thank you."

Later at noon, class was dismissed and everypony was heading home, all but Teotle. He told Nyx and the others that he wanted to talk to Scarlet Rose for a little bit and get some advice from her. When Nyx asked what kind of advice, however, Teotle only told her that it was private matters just between the two of them. Nyx was unconvinced, but she respected Teotle's privacy and said nothing else.

Scarlet arrived early for her classes, like she does every day to ask Ms Cheerilee for help on any homework. However, before Scarlet could say anything, Cheerilee said she couldn't count any unanswered questions against her this time. They had more important things to discuss.

When Scarlet asked what they needed to talk about, Teotle filled her in on what he told Cheerilee. Scarlet then said, "Isn't it obvious what's going on?"

"Is it?" Teotle asked. "Because I'm confused and scared."

"Exactly." Scarlet said back. 'Sombra wanted you to see Nyx as a monster so you two couldn't work together when fighting him. He made the whole scenario up just to compromise you."

"But he didn't just make it up, I know that, I was shown something that I never thought of before."

"What is it?" asked Scarlet.

"I don't know." Teotle said through his clenched teeth.

"Then why do you think it was actually something to worry about?" Scarlet asked again.

Teotle held back a deep urge of rage and said, "I don't know."

Scarlet crossed her arms and asked, "What do you know?"

"I don't know." Teotle said again.

Cheerilee put her hoof on Teotle's shoulder and asked, "What do you want to know?"

Teotle thought about it for a moment and replied, "I want to know how to not be afraid of Nyx anymore."

"Well..." Scarlet said, thinking of what would help. "I think you should talk to Nyx about it. I'm sure she'll understand."

"But what if it hurts her?" Teotle asked abruptly.

"Just tell her what you told us, Teotle. Cheerilee said reassuring. I know Nyx very well as my student. She would never think badly of you because of your concerns."

Teotle looked at the ground and said, "I don't know if I can."

"Well, you better find out." Scarlet said, raising Teotle's chin up with her paw. "Because if you keep it a secret, sooner or later,  you two will drift apart."
> Malfunction!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later, after consulting with Cheerilee and Scarlet Rose, Teotle had just arrived back at the castle to help Nyx and Daydreamer with doing on the final tests of the arc. When he went to the throne room, however, He found the two of them, along with Spike and Starlight, chasing the arc as it flew in the air, bouncing off the walls and sealing.

"What's going on?" He asked, following them with his eyes.

"The arc's going crazy!" Starlight explained. "All of a sudden it's blue glow changed to purple, and to red, then it starting acting up."

Teotle watched the arc as it violently began to increase in speed and became wild, like a hungry manticore running after its prey. Teotle started after the arc, jumping into the air and reaching out for it with his paws. Eventually he made a transfiguration spell on his bionic leg with some crystal from the walls, making a twenty-foot chain connecting his hand to one end and his wrist to the other. He swung his chain hand like a wrecking ball, threw it at the arc and grabbed it in mid air.

The arc tried to break free, it even tried to deconstruct Teotle's paw with its own magic, but as long as the bionic leg remained attached to Teotle, he could still keep it in his leg in its current form. As Teotle pulled the arc closer, it began to calm down and regain its blue glow.
When Teotle finally got the arc close enough, it said "Thank you, Teotle, I don't know what got into me."

"Why were you acting up?" Nyx asked.

"Well..." The arc said, contemplating how to answer her. "I think I had just unlocked some of my new knowledge and power a little sooner then expected. The new level of power must have overloaded me. Did I hurt anypony?"

"You kind of bonked me on the head when you turned purple." Day Dreamer answered. "But, other then that, I think I'm ok."

"I'm sorry." said the arc.

"It's fine." Daydreamer said, accepting the arcs apology.

"So, other than the incident, how has he been performing?" Teotle asked looking at Nyx, who held a clip boar with her magic.

"Let me see." She replied, scanning her eyes over her notes. "Everything seems to be working fine. We just need to run a few more tests and it'll be ready for the Science Fair."

"Great." Teotle said with a triumphant smile.

" I have to say..." Starlight remarked, "This is history of the making, you three must be really proud."

"Thanks, Starlight." Nyx said with a light chuckle.

"You're welcome." Starlight said back.

Later that night, Teotle and Nyx were in bed in their room. They hadn't fallen asleep yet, for they had just finished brushing their teeth, but they were still pretty tired. Before they went to sleep, however, Teotle sat up from his bed and asked, "Nyx?"

"Yeah?" She replied back.

Teotle wanted to take Scarlet's advice and tell Nyx about his nightmare, but he was still so scared he would hurt her feelings. So, instead, he just asked her, "Do you think we'll win the science fair?"

Nyx sighed and said, "I hope so, we worked super hard to make the arc. I can't imagine us not getting recognized, at least."

"Me too." Teotle replied, sounding unsure.

"Teotle?" Nyx asked.

He then replied, "Yes?"'

"Are you ok?" Nyx asked, sitting up in her bed to look back at Teotle.

"Yeah, of course." He answered back.

"You sure? You've been acting a little weird lately." Said Nyx. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I'm fine, really." Teotle said reassuringly.

Nyx furrowed an eyebrow, not really sure of Teotle's comforting words. "Is there something you want to ask me?"

Teotle, unable to move from where he sat, began to choke. He coughed in his paw and then looked back at Nyx, who was still watching intently for an answer to her question.

"Well..." Teotle said, still choking a little bit. "I had a nightmare a while ago and Princess Luna came to me and tried to help me understand what I was afraid of."

Nyx climbed down from her bed and walked over to the closet. She then pulled out the frame of an old tent. It was the same tent that she and Twilight were going to use on their camping trip. It, however, was only used once, that trip, when they and their friends found Teotle in that nasty bear trap that the wolf scouts planted.

Nyx assembled the frame under Teotle's blanket to set up a little cave for them to sit underneath. The two of them usually do this when they want to read books to each other, gossip to each other, or just talk in secret with each other when Twilight and the others were asleep.

Nyx shoved Teotle into the bed cave, used her magic to make a sound proof barrier, if only to keep the conversation to themselves. She then lit up her horn and softly asked Teotle, "What was your nightmare about?"

Teotle was now cornered in their tent. Nopony could hear them, nor could the two of them be interrupted unless somepony came into the room, which was very unlikely.

With that, Teotle told her everything about his nightmare, what he and Luna talked about, and what he was afraid of. The only thing Teotle didn't tell her was what he didn't know, at least not for a fact. It was why, why he was afraid of her, why the nightmare happened, or what triggered his fear from the start.

All the while, Nyx listened intently, changing from many different stages of horror and confusion. "You really don't know the reason why you're afraid?"

Teotle took a deep breath and said, "I don't know the reason."

"Had it crossed your mind that there might not be one?" Nyx asked calmly.

Teotle then asked. "What do you mean?"

Nyx huffed and replied, "Well, sometimes, on rare occasions, you have dreams where you feel afraid, but when you wake up, you realize how unrealistic the dream was."

"Have you ever had a dream like that?" Teotle asked.

"Sure, all the time." Nyx chuckled. "I even had a nightmare about you once too."

"Really?" Teotle questioned with blushed cheeks.

"Yeah, it's happened twice." Nyx remarked with a crooked smile. "In both dreams, you were killed by your brother, Brimstone, or your aunt, Smoke, but I know that could never happen. Do you know why?"

Teotle shrugged his front legs and asked, "Why?"

Nyx then leaned forward and kissed Teotle on the forehead and answered back, "Because you are the strongest and bravest person I know. Your heart is kind and your courage is like iron. You love everypony and you would never let the enemy hurt them. You would fight to your last breath and you would never give up until you keep everypony out of harms way. And most of all..." Nyx stopped and wrapped her hooves around Teotle and continued to say, "... its because I love you and I would do the same thing for you."

Teotle began to let out a light sob. Tears were flowing from his eyes as he returned Nyx's embrace and replied, "I love you too, Nyx."
> The Day of the Fair
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day of the science fair was finally here. Ponyville's Town hall was filled to the brim with the science fair projects of the fillies and colts of Cheerilee's school. Each station was lined up in rows of ten to fifteen. Every grade level student was giving their own presentation as the judges walked by.

The five judges, Ms Cheerilee, Applejack, Zecora, Filthy Rich, and Jeff, the sea serpent, examined each project. They all watched and listened as the students gave their presentations. Cheerilee gave them points for effort. Applejack looked for functionality in the design. Zecora watched for any mystical and wondrous properties. Rich expected beneficial aspects while looking to invest in anything that could bring bits to his pockets. Jeff looked forward to seeing sheik and style in the mix of the projects.

The students who worked solo on their projects were somewhere between enthusiastic, nervous, or just embarrassed. Many of the students who decided to collaborate together tried to steal the show from one another, couldn't remember what to say, forgot who was going to talk about what.

However, that wasn't the case for Teotle, Nyx, and Daydreamer. They had rehearsed their lines over and over again to each other days in advance. They know every detail of their project all down to the numbers, every step, every calculation, even every mishap during the build itself. When the judges had finished watching the presentation next to them, the three of them were ready.

Twilight, Spike, and Starlight had arrived to see the arcs presentation. They were pumped to see the end product of their hard work. They stood behind the judges with Daydreamer's parents, who were more then happy to support their son's new friendships. 

Nyx began and said, "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to our little corner of the future."

Teotle picked up the arc from the table, where they had their notes all taped to a big poster board for all to see. He then taped the arc with his finger and said, "Arc, say hello to these fine people."

"Hello." the arc said in response. "It is nice to finally meet you all. I have looked forward to this day for quite a while now."

Daydreamer then said, "This is the Arc, a crystal cube that is capable of containing the memory and intelligence of certain people from all across the many different kingdoms of the world. Teotle had scattered the arc in pieces and sent them to each civilization we've made allies with over the years."

"What benefits does the Arc have for society today?" asked Rich.

Teotle then said, "The Arc can calculate and simulate different possible variables within its matrix's to make solutions to our problems."

"What problems?" Jeff asked, raising his shoulders.

"Problems with medicine, society, politics, anything." Nyx replied. "If we are under attack, or if we are at war, the arc will be able to find a wide variety of resolves for both sides."

"What else does it do other than talk?" Applejack asked.

"The Arc can also cast spells using the magic and spirit energy that it occurs naturally in the world around it." Said Teotle. "The Arc, so far, can use transfiguration, telekinesis, teleportation, deconstruction and reconstruction."

The judges listened intently, then Cheerilee asked, "Why do you think we need this device?"

"Well..." Teotle replied. "Are you aware that the Crystal Empire has a similar item called the Crystal Heart?"

Day Dreamer then said, "Teotle explained to us that the Crystal Heart also has knowledge and memory inside it, and it increases every time a baby is born there."

Nyx went on and said, "When a baby is born in the Crystal Empire, they have a ceremony called a Crystaling, when that baby is accepted as a resident to the empire. During the Crystaling, the baby pours it's love into a crystal shard, that shard is then placed into the Crystal Heart, making it stronger."

Teotle went on and said, "The Arc is a small prototype of that same principle."

Suddenly, the Arc spoke in a dark voice, saying, "Which is why it is the perfect part to my plans." The Arc began to change from blue to purple and then to red. It flew out from Teotle's paw and projected a dark magical energy, which Teotle was all too familiar with after he tried to fight it a nearly a week ago.

The energy then started to take the shape of a familiar pony, Sombra. He looked down at everypony with pure joy, for he had finally taken what he wanted from the start, control over the Arc and its power. He looked down art Teotle and Nyx, who had struck battle stances, ready to defend the other ponies in town hall.

"How are you back?!" Nyx shouted.

"Before your mother and her friends used the Elements of Harmony, I put part of myself into the Arc, allowing my spirit to take control of it." Sombra said gloatingly. "I must say, you three have done so well in helping me in my return. If you hadn't foolishly made this power, I would still be a lingering spirit. I should thank you for this, however, I would enjoy it more If I just kill you."

And just like that, Sombra swooped down at them and surrounded them with a wall of dark crystal. Everypony in the fair saw all that had happened and were now in a huge panic, screaming and running away from Sombra's wrath.

Applejack was the only pony that stayed put, for she didn't want to leave the three kids behind. She knew that Applebloom and the others were being watched by Rarity, so they were safe for now, but Applejack had to stay and watch closely for any sign of life inside the crystal barrier Sombra had made until Twilight and the others arrived to help.
> Hidden Shadow of the Past (part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teotle watched as Nyx and Day Dreamer fell under Sombra's fear spell, unable to help them. Soon following after, he found himself in a desert of black sand, only it wasn't sand. Teotle could sense spirit energy in the ground, not the kind he normally found in equestria's landscape, no, this was the ashes and crushed bones of millions of ponies and animals. It was as if they all just crumbled away from the erosion of fire and decay. The ground felt hot under his feet, like a furnace set ablaze.

Teotle looked around for any sign of his friends, or any life in particular, but there was no one, no villages, no trees, no rivers or lakes, not even a mountain or a small hill, it was like they all were swallowed by the earth. He  All he found in this wasteland was the burning atmosphere and the odor of a world that was long dead. He heard nothing, no wind, no birds chirping, no fillies and colts playing together. The silence was deafening.

"Hello?" Teotle called out. He then said to himself, "What happened here?"

"You happened here." Sombra said, appearing from behind Teotle. "Or, at least, you soon will.

"What?" Teotle asked in confusion.

"You know of what I speak. You remember your past, don't you?" Sombra asked back.

"I know that I'm one of seven children who were born to kill each other." Teotle replied.

Sombra laughed and said, "You still don't know."

"know what?" Teotle asked again.

Sombra then asked, "Haven't you ever wondered why Celestia and Luna allowed you to stay with Twilight Sparkle when they found you?"

"They told me that they trusted Twilight's judgment on how to help me, mostly because of what happened with Nyx when she became Nightmare Moon." Teotle replied.

"Yes, they did tell you that, but did you ever wonder the real reason?" Sombra snapped, shaking his head.

Teotle stared at him for a moment, unable to think of an answer, until finally he said, "Not really, I didn't care what the reason was. After being sent away from home by my own mother and being turned away by everypony I met in equestria, I just wanted to belong somewhere at that point."

Sombra grinned and said, "Then let me enlighten you. A long time ago, after I was banished from my empire, Princess Luna wanted someone, anyone, to enjoy her night as much as she did. She wanted to raise a child of her own, but Celestia forbade it. She didn't think Luna was ready to take care of a foal of her own. She hadn't even found her special somepony yet, but she wanted a child so badly."

"What does this have to do with me?" Teotle asked.

"Well, I'll tell you." Sombra replied. "One Night, many years after telling Celestia about wanting a child, Luna was watching the night sky, gazing at the stars that she so carefully placed for all to see, but with no surprise, nopony stayed up to look at them. So, after much debate with her self, she made a wish upon those stars, she wished, she hoped, she dreamed, she prayed that she could find someone who would appreciate her night sky."

Teotle listened in wonder and confusion, why was Sombra telling him this? What was the purpose? Was it meant to trick him, was this all true, did it really happen? He couldn't be sure until he heard the whole story.

Sombra went on and said, "When Luna made that wish, something happened that she didn't expect. A gateway, a portal to another world opened up from the face of the moon. When it opened, Luna saw something fall through and land into the Everfree Forest. She went to investigate the spot where it landed, when she did, she found something extraordinary."

Teotle raised an eyebrow and asked, "What was it?"

Sombra replied, "The object made a huge clearing in the forest with a large crater in the center. Within that crater, Luna found a black wolf cub."

Teotle was shocked. He then asked, "Who was it, how did it get there?"

"Luna never found out. He had no memory of anything when he woke up." Sombra answered. "All she knew was that her wish was granted. Luna took the cub to the Castle of the Two Sisters in secret. She bandaged some minor injuries the cub had from the impact of the fall. She nursed it back to health, fed it, even gave him a name."

"What was his name?" Teotle asked.

Sombra's grin grew as he said, "She named him Shadowflame."

The desert was silent after those last few words. Teotle's jaw hung open with disbelief. "No!" Teotle shouted. "That can't be. If what you say is true, then my father was over a thousand years old before he had me sand my siblings."

"That's the tricky part of the story." Sombra explained. "You have been deceived, Teotle, you don't know who you truly are."

"Teotle shook his head and asked, "Then tell me. Who am I?"

"After a few years of raising him in secret..." Sombra continued, "...after she became Nightmare Moon, Shadowflame felt betrayed. He felt that his love wasn't enough to make her happy. When she was banished by Celestia, that is what truly devastated him. Shadowflame was soon discovered by the royal guard and captured. Celestia believed that he did something to her sister to make her try and doom the world into eternal night.

Suddenly, Teotle had a flash of memory. He found himself laying on the floor, shackled in a dungeon where two royal guards stood over him. They began to kick and stomp on him, asking questions like, "What did you do to the princess? Why did she turn against us? How did you get into the castle?" They shocked him with their magic and threw him across the dungeon cell like a rag doll. All the while, Teotle pleaded for them to stop, begging for mercy, and calling out to his mother.

"Teotle!" Sombra shouted, snapping Teotle out of his memory.

Teotle then asked, "They blamed him for what happened and then they tortured him?"

"You are correct, sir." Sombra said, as if he was the host of a game show.

"Celestia would never result to torture." Teotle protested.

"Are you sure?" Sombra asked. "Remember, Celestia was forced to banish her only sister for a thousand years. That can have ever lasting effects on someone."

Teotle turned away from Sombra, unable to meet his gaze.

"Teotle?" Sombra asked. "Why do you think you had that flash of memory just now? Did it not feel like you were there, taking the beating yourself? Remember, Nyx had the same memories as Luna when she became Nightmare Moon."
> Siblings Unite
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Twilight and the others showed up at town hall, after being rounded up by Rarity and the Cutiemark Crusaders, it was too late. Sombra had covered the building in crystal, keeping anypony from going in or out. Celestia and Luna were informed of the situation and were rewriting the meaning of haste to arrive at the scene. Everypony had escaped except for Applejack, who stayed behind to watch over Nyx, Teotle, and Day Dreamer, still under Sombra's spell.

"This is bad." said Twilight. "This is really really bad."

"How in Celestia's name could this happen?" Rarity asked. "I thought we banished Sombra with the elements.

"Does it matter?" Rainbowdash asked. "If you ask me, all I care about is how to kick his..."

"It matters, Rainbowdash." Fluttershy interrupted. "He shouldn't have come back so soon after we fought him only a week ago."

"You didn't let me finish." Rainbowdash Protested. "How can we beat him if we can't get to Applejack to complete the Elements of Harmony?"

"You're both right." Starlight interjected. "Do you remember hearing about the malfunction the Arc had two days ago?"

"Yeah, why?" Pinkepie asked.

"Well... I think that is because Sombra did something to it when he attacked Teotle during our last fight." starlight explained. "The Arc is designed to disassemble and reassemble matter and is able to generate and manifest Spirit energy, so if my theory is right, then..."

"Sombra put part of his spirit into the Arc?" Twilight asked.

"Yes." Starlight answered. "We've been tricked into making the key component that Sombra needed to make a brand new body."

"But, how can he just split his soul like that?"

"He didn't." Celestia said, climbing from her chariot with Luna by her side. "The Teotle has told us much of the Arc's development, so I think we know what he did."

Then Luna said, "Much like how Nyx was born to be a copy of Nightmaremoon, Sombra probably used the Arc to make a copy of himself. When he did that, The copy must have overpowered the Arcs core to take control of it and its functions."

"All Sombra needs to do now is rebuild his old physical from." Celestia said, staring at the crystal barrier.

"Well, how do we stop him?" Spike asked nervously.

Luna frowned and said "I'm afraid we can't do anything but pray that Nyx and Teotle will prevail."

"Why?" Twilight asked. "Why can't they just be safe? Why do the two of them always have to do things like this alone?"

"What makes yum think they're alone?" asked a familiar female voice from the distance.

Everypony turned around and saw Teotle's sisters, Scarlet Rose, Fracture, Ill Heart, and Empty Heart, along with his brothers, Brimstone, Ulcer, and Coma. All of Teotle's siblings had come to aid the others in defeating Sombra

"You're all here?" Twilight asked. "How, why?"

"Scarlet wrote to us, telling us about Teotle's science fair. "Fracture answered.

"We wanted to make a surprise visit and see what he's been working on." Coma added.

Ulcer then said, "But the train tracks that connect Equestria to home was still under construction. And on top of that, our twin sisters stole my snacks during the trip here."

"DID NOT!!!"  Ill Heart and Empty Heart said together in unison.

"Oh shut up." Brimstone grumbled. "It's bad enough that I had to tag along to save my idiot brother, but I shouldn't have to deal with you foolish cubs."

"Cubs?" Coma asked, inspecting the sharpness of his battle-axe. "You're only a year older than me and Ulcer and Fracture's taller the you."

"I'm the oldest between the eight of us." Scarlet said with grin. "So, technically speaking, I out rank all of you."

Brimstone growled and said, "Why you..."

"Enough!" Luna shouted. "Excluding Scarlet Rose, you all share a part of your fathers power, yes?"

"Yeah." Fracture answered.

Luna continued and said, "If you are all here, then you should be able to use that power to break through the barrier. Am, I Wrong?"

"No, we can do it." Empty heart answered.

Ill Heart then added, "However, since Sombra has that Arc thingy, it will take a while."

"Especially without Teotle." Empty Heart continued.

"Just tell us what you need." Celestia said.

"We need a lot of space to work." Fracture said, signaling everypony to move to a safe distance. "And we'll need something to use as a conductor."

"I know just the thing." Applebloom said, pulling out a potato Battery from her school saddlebags. "I made this as a backup in case the original project got eaten or something."

"Perfect." Fracture said with an approving smile.
> Hidden Shadow of the Past (part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Teotle?" Sombra asked. "Why do you think you had that flash of memory just now? Did it not feel like you were there, taking the beating yourself? Remember, Nyx had the same memories as Luna when she became Nightmare Moon."

Teotle looked up at Sombra with disbelief and said, "No, no way."

Sombra pointed a hoof at Teotle and said, "You are Shadowflame reincarnated. The thing is, however, you are only a fragment of his soul, the last good fragment."

"That's impossible." Teotle protested, but finding it difficult to believe his own words. "Why would my father allow his good part to be born again?"

"It was a small gamble, yes, but there was only one seventh of a chance that you would be the strongest among your siblings." said Sombra. 

"Your father was hoping that he would be rid of you once the fighting started among his children, but as you know, that didn't happen."

"So if Shadowflame was Luna's son, in fact, that makes her my grandmother?"

"No." Sombra replied. Luna is not even related to you. She abandoned you a thousand years ago. She lost the right to call you son."

"You're wrong." Teotle argued.

"Why was your love for her not enough to make her happy?" Sombra remarked. "She does not love you enough to stop herself from striving or more. She thought of you as second best."

"Shut up!" Teotle yelled angrily.

"Teotle..." said Sombra. "I want you to know something, we're not so different, you and I."

Teotle then asked, "What?"

"You and I both can control dark magic, we both have the power to command legions, and we have a connection that you are not fully aware of. Give me the Arc, let me have its power so that i can have a body again. Together, with the power of the Arc, we can do great things. Let me be your friend, your brother, your father."

Teotle stood silent for a long time. He was stunned by what was being offered to him. It was true, Luna did betray him in the past, and she kept their history together a secret from him all this time, and yet... "I have parents." said Teotle. "Their names were Frost and Crimson Arrow. I love them, my siblings, my friends, and Luna, my grandmother. I will not let you win this fight, nor any other fight ever."

With that, the desert began to fade away, like when a person wakes up from a bad dream. Teotle snapped back into reality and looked at Nyx and Day Dreamer, who were still under Sombra's spell. He put his paws in both their heads and concentrated on channeling his spirit energy to break the spell. As time went by, their nightmares were at an end. They both got up slowly as they processed what they envisioned and what was really going on around them.

"You kids ok in there?" Applejack asked, who had noticed the sudden movement from behind the crystal wall separating her from them. "What happened?"

"It's ok, Applejack." Teotle replied. "We're free from Sombra's dark magic."

"That was messed up." Day Dreamer said. "I'm not even going to ask what you guys saw."

"We'll discuss this later." said Teotle.
Just then, they heard a boom coming from outside the building. Someone was trying to get inside Town Hall. After a few more times of hearing the noise, Teotle's brothers and sisters finally came through one of the walls.

"I told you we were missing the door." Coma snapped.

"So what?' Brimstone asked.

"It's easier to fix a door than a heavy load bearing wall." Coma answered.

"Guys?" Teotle asked, trying to listen for their voices. "How did you get here?"

"We got Scarlet's letter." Fracture replied, shoving Brimstone and Coma out of the way. "Now we're here to help." She then gave Ulcer a pat on the back and told him, "Go get em tiger."

"With pleasure." Ulcer said, raisin his wooden club and charging at the crystal barrier. He swung his club with full force and made the wall shatter to pieces. "There you go, you're free."

"Thanks buddy." Teotle said back, giving Ulcer a fist bump.

"Not so fast!" Sombra shouted still hovering in the air with the Arc in his magic. "You have not won yet! "I gave you a choice, Teotle, a choice to rule by my side. You would have been a good son, but not is the end of days and I am the reaper."

"I don't think so!' said Scarlet, signaling for Ill Heart and Empty Heart to make their move.

The twins had their daggers connected to Applebloom and Scootaloo's potato battery with metal wire to conduct all the dark magic all six of them poured into it. They jabbed at Teotle from both sides and said, "We submit." The dark magic then moved from the potato battery and into Teotle's body, allowing him to have all the power of Shadowflame.

Normally, this would cause Shadowflame to posses any of his children, but then again, Teotle had what the others never achieved. Teotle had the power to resist, and since not all of Shadowflames fragments were snide, his spirit was incomplete. Frost took the final piece to Shadowflames soul away and Crimson Arrow when he was possessing Scarlet, this gave Teotle the advantage of control over his evil self.

Teotle's body began to radiate with black fire, but it didn't burn, it just surrounded him like armor. He then took out his sword from it sheath, and swiftly swung at Sombra. He however, evaded Teotle's attack, and blasted him with magic, sending him across he room.

"Teotle!" Nyx called out in terror for her friend.

Sombra charged at Teotle and pinned him to the wall. He then used his magic to rip Teotle's bionic leg out of its socket and throw it to the ground. "You are nothing but an abandoned toy made for a princess who has out groan you." He said.

"NO!" Luna shouted, knocking Sombra to the floor, away from her grandson. "it doesn't matter if he's my son or not, I love him now as much as I did all those years ago, you wiggling worm."

Sombra tried to get to his hooves, but Teotle was quicker. He decked Sombra in his gritted teeth, forcing him back on the ground. He then 
held Sombtra there and shouted to the Arc saying, "Voice command authorization requested!"

The Arc then began to resist Sombra's control by using a secret protocol that Teotle installed in it's memory. It then said, "Voice command authorized, Teotle."

"What?" Sombra asked. "No, wait!"

Teotle told the Arc, "Initiate deconstruction sequence."
> Dead and Alive Again
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Initiate deconstruction sequence." Teotle told the Arc.

"What?" Sombra asked. 'No, wait!"

Just then, an energy field surrounded Teotle and Sombra where they sat. The field was covered with ancient hieroglyphics from every country that contributed the Arcs construction. Teotle, Nyx and Day Dreamer managed to input them all into the Arc specifically for casting powerful spells. Right, now, those symbols were meant to tear apart anything within them."

"No, Teotle, you can't do this, not while you're still inside there!" Nyx cried out. "It'll kill you both!"

Luna rushed to stop the deconstruction sequence, to stop Teotle's plan, but it was too late, Teotle and Sombra were already crumbling away. Time moved faster inside the energy field than it does on the outside. Teotle couldn't hear everyones words fast enough as they all pleaded for the Arc to stop. They knew Teotle would die, and they were helpless to stop it. This time, they knew he wouldn't be able to bounce back from the fight like he always did before.

Still being held down by Teotle, Sombra watched as his new body was being torn apart into pure energy, then looked at Teotle and asked, "Why, why do you choose to die for them?"

Teotle  continued to watch everypony else as he answered, "I can't fight you when you're this strong now, However, with Shadow... with my powers, I am just strong enough to hold you here in the barrier. If I don't, you'll just try to escape again."

Sombra struggled violently to break free, but the more he struggled, the faster his body faded away.

Teotle contnued to hold Sombra down as he said, "You will never win, Sombra."

"Why is that?" Sombra asked.

"Because you're alone." Teotle replied. "As for my friends, and my family, we have each other to overpower you. Because of who we are, because of what we can do and share with other people, we thrive. You could try for many life times, but you can't stop the most powerful magic of all, the power that lives in me and my loved ones."

"What is this power?" Sombra asked, before he completely disappeared.

Teotle soon followed him in death, but before he did, he looked back at his friends and family and answered, "The magic inside them is about Love and Friendship." At that last moment, he then said, "Thank you, and goodbye, my friends. You gave me everything I could want."

When Luna finally reached the barrier, it had already disappeared, along with her son. The room was dead silent. Everyone stared in shock at the spot where their friend once sat at one moment and was gone the next.

"Teotle!" Nyx shouted, trying to run to where he once was only to be caught by Twilight and given a hug for support.

"Nyx..." twilight said, trying to think of what to say to comfort her daughter.

"No!" Nyc cried out, struggling to break free.

Eventually Celestia used her magic to restrain Nyx from struggling and said, "I'm sorry Nyx, but there was nothing else we could do to stop Sombra. Your friend did something very brave to save us."

"But why did he have to die too?" Nyx asked with tears running down her cheeks.

"Die?" asked the Arc. "No, not die, physically taken apart."

"You're not helping." Twilight said looking at the Arc with anger. "Why did Teotle have to invent you in the first place?"

"He didn't invent me." the Arc remarked "All of you did."

"What?" Applejack asked

"It makes sense, actually." Day Dreamer added. "The Arc is basically a collection of memory and knowledge from all of us."

"Correct." Said the Arc. "Anyway, I do believe that you misinterpreted my words when I described Teotle's physical condition. He is not dead, not yet anyway."

Nyx looked up at the Arc and asked, "What?"

"Do you not remember the application of the deconstruction sequence? It was meant to take apart an objects structure and resemble it if needed." The Arc then recreated the magical barrier and began to create a familiar structure; one that everypony knew and loved as a friend.

"What happened while I was out?" Teotle asked, stepping out of the barrier in one piece.

Celestia let Twilight and Nyx out of the restraining spell and allowed them to run to Teotle, with Spike and Day Dreamer to soon following after them. They all dog piles on top of Teotle and gave him loving embraces, holding him tight as if he would disappear if they let go.

"How did you know the Arc could bring you back?" Luna asked, walking toward them.

"With the help of all the kingdoms of the world, I managed to assemble a super smart artificial intelligence within the crystal from my home country." Teotle answered. "It was smart enough to bypass the deconstruction program and save part of my soul in its personal archive. All it needed to do was rebuild my body and put my soul back into it."

"Why have so many steps to your plan?" Starlight asked, coming out from behind the others. "Why not skip the part where we were scared for your life and just deconstruct Sombra?"

Teotle then answered, "The Arc isn't yet smart enough to calculate what to rule out of the deconstruction process. It was kind of a gamble, but I believed it would worked."

"Just belief alone isn't enough to put your life on the line!" Luna said with frustration."

"I'd have to agree." Celestia added. "It was unwise to do that over an assumption."

"You may be right." Teotle said, putting his bionic leg back on. "Just believing isn't always smart, but it's always fun."

"Hold on one apple picking minute." Applejack said suddenly. "If the Arc couldn't tear apart just Sombra, how did it put just put you back together?"

"It didn't." Teotle replied making a hand gesture to a dark grey colt who stood inside the barrier. It was Sombra, but he was different. His mane was black, but it didn't wave around like it used to, and from the look of it, it was combed back with blue highlights.

"What kind of game is this?" Fracture asked walking over the Teotle, who was still in his friends embrace.

Teotle then answered back, "He's like us, sister. He was born from dark magic, just like us. I couldn't just erase him, I had to find a way to help him."

"Think of what you're saying!" Luna snapped. "He enslaved an entire empire, waged war on all of Equestria, and he even..."

"I know, Grandmother, but think about all the things you and I have done." Teotle interrupted, making Luna show a worried expression. She turned to Celestia, who over heard what Teotle called her.

"Grandmother?" Celestia asked. "What, how, when did..."

"Sister..." Luna said, trying to find the right words to say. Eventually she huffed and told her sister and everypony else everything She told about how she found Teotle, how she named him "Shadowflame", what happened to him after her banishment a thousand years ago, all up the point where she received word that Twilight and her friends found him in the forest, caught in a bear trap.


> The Past Made Right Again
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Princess Luna explained everything about her past with Teotle, Celestia, along with everypony else, stared at both of them for a good long while. It was as if all their understanding of the two of them were just turned upside down.

Eventually, Celestia walked up to Luna and Teotle, not in frustration, but slow and calmly. When she stopped, she asked, "What you're saying is that, due to the circumstances, Equestria is now safe from danger?"

Luna looked at her sister with wide eyes and asked, "You're not mad with me for disobeying you?"

"Disobeying?" Celesia wondered. "Of course not, I am your older sister, not your mother. If you say Teotle is your grandson, then I will gladly accept him as my nephew. However, I must a ask him something." She then turned her attention to Teotle and asked, "Are you alright with being a part of our family?"

"I will gladly call Luna my grandmother, I will also call you my aunt, but I already have a family." Teotle said, looking over at his brothers and sisters, who were smiling from ear to ear.

Celestia grinned and said, "I understand."

"As do I." Luna added.

Just then, Sombra stepped out of the Arcs barrier and walked over to the princesses and said, "I must say that I'm very happy right now. Luna has her child back, and Celestia finally knows the truth."

"Thank you, Sombra." said Celestia, who had turned to face his direction.

Sombra then looked at the ground with sadness on his face. It was the same sadness that Teotle had when he lost his mother, frost, along his adopted mother, Luna. Teotle knew why Sombra had the same sadness, he saw it in Sombra's memories when they were inside the Arc together, and he couldn't let it eat at him again as it did before back at the crystal empire.

"Sombra?" Teotle asked.

Sombra looked up at Teotle and responded, "Yes?"

"Are you thinking about her?"

"I am." Sombra replied.

"Who are you talking about?" Twilight asked.

Teotle then looked at her and answered, "Radiant Hope."

"Radiant Hope?" Spike asked. "Who's that?"

"I know who that is." Celestia asked. After Sombra was defeated the second time, Twilight and Cadance went down below his old throne room and found his hidden private study room. Once there, they found an old diary that he used to record his own life story. It spoke of a crystal pony that he grew up with in a local orphanage."

"Her name was Radiant Hope..." Sombra added. "...and she was my best and only friend I've ever had." He then looked at Celestia and asked, "How did she feel after I took her home away?"

Celestia frowned and said, "The pain was too horrible for her to live with. She was more sadder about losing you then she did about losing her home. She loved you very much."

Sombra looked at the ground and said, "I know that now. I just wish I knew it sooner, so I could fix what I've done."

"Well, maybe I can help with that." said the Arc.

"What do you mean?" Sombra asked.

The Arc then said, "I know the technique Teotle's mother, Frost, used on his sword to talk to him from the land of the dead. I can use the same method to contact Hope."

Sombra's face lit up as her said, "Fantastic, how soon can we do it?"

"It will take time, but I can open a channel leading to her soul so we can make contact." the Arc answered.

"Good." Teole said, proud of the work he, Nyx and Day Dreamer had done. "Make it so, please."

The Arc the began to glow white as it made its calculations. In just a few short moments, contact had been made and Radiant Hope's soul could be projected as a hologram.

Sombra looked back at Teotle, who waved his paw, saying, "Go ahead."

He then looked back at Hope and walked slowly to her. "Hope?" he asked. "Is you really her?"

"I am." Hope replied. "I've been watching you for the past thousand years, waiting for the day that you would be pulled back into the light.

"Honestly, even though I've been saved, I still have fear of the future." Sombra said.

"It's ok to be afraid, for fear helps us to keep going on." Hope assured. Teotle, Nyx, and Day Dreamer helped us both see that."

"I don't understand." Sombra said, looking back up at Hope. "How does fear help people?"

Hope smiled and answered, "It's fear of pain, solitude and death that help us want to keep each other alive, because without each other, we have no future. Twilight was afraid of two possibilities when he found Nyx in the Everfree Forest. One was that she could be Nightmare Moon, and the other was that she could have just been a filly who just looks like her."

"Where are you going with this?" Sombra wondered.

Hope cleared her throat and said, "One meats their destiny on the road they take to avoid it, Sombra. Twilight could have left Nyx at the mercy of Celestia's own fears and doubts, but Twilight's fear of punishing an innocent filly was what kept her from doing so. If Nyx had been sent to the moon, she would have possibly developed differently then she is now."

Hope looked back at Teotle and continued, "The same can be said about him too. When Twilight, Nyx and the others heard him howling in the forest, they could have left in fear of him hurting them, but many of them knew that he was just in pain and were afraid that he would die. If they hadn't helped him escape the bear trap, he could have easily been found the the wolf scouts that night."

"That would mean that he'd have to fight his siblings until one was left to bring back their tyrant father." Nyx added.

"Yes, that's right." Hope said, giving Nyx a smile. "Fear also helped Teotle want to spare you, Sombra, because he knew that you could be saved."

Sombra looked at Teotle with a warm smile and said, "Thank you Teotle, for saving me, and letting me see my friend one last time."

"My pleasure." Teotle replied offering a fist pump. Sombra hesutated at first because he wasn't sure what it meant, but soon he decided to accept Teotle's gesture of friendship.
> Settling In
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been two days since the attack on the science fair, and Sombra still had some catching up to do on current events. The Arc was putting the last finishing touches to the repairs of town hall. Teotle, who had been monitoring the Arcs progress, was eating a nicely made lunch that Spike had prepared before he left the castle this morning.

After the last few bites of his sandwich, Starlight walked up to him from down the street and said, "It's looking good, Teotle. You three kids did a good job building the Arc."

"Thanks, Starlight" Teotle replied. "You've gotten better in your friendship studies too."

Starlight took a deep breath, swung one of her front hooves over the other and asked, 'Hey, Teotle?"

"Yeah?"

Starlight then continued and asked, "Ever since I moved in with you and the others, you've kept your distance from me, like I was up to no good, why is that? Don't you trust me?"

Teotle sighed and answered, "At first, no, but over time you've been improving on your friendliness."

"Why not at first?" Starlight asked.

"Because I was afraid of you." Teotle replied with a huff. "I'm also afraid of what you can do."

Starlight's ears flattened as she asked repeated, "Why?"

"When you stole everypony's cutiemarks, and when you traveled back in time to stop Rainbowdash's Sonic Rainboom, you proved two things to me. First, that a persons individuality can be taken away, that the world can exist without difference, where everyone is exactly the same. Second, that everything we worked for, everything we have accomplished and everything we have protected can be undone, gone, laid in a grave. You made some of my worst fears a reality."

Starlight looked down to the ground and said, "I had no idea you felt this way, and I'm sorry I hurt you and everypony else."

"Forget it." Teotle said, trying to regain his composure.

"No." Starlight demanded. "I want you to understand why I..."

"I understand, Starlight." Teotle snapped. "I'm know where you come from, I know what you've been through, because I went through the same thing when my mother sent me away from home, and when she died to protect me. I felt alone and helpless, I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel, so I tried to take revenge on my aunt, Smoke, for causing all my suffering, but I know the same thing that you know now."

"What we both know?" Starlight asked.

"That no matter how much evil there is in this world, or any other, good will always triumph, even if we don't know how or why. We both know that f anyone can help us find the light at the end of the tunnel, it's the one's we have around us, the one's we love the most in our hearts, and they're worth fighting for."

Starlight smiled and said, "I guess we owe everypony for teaching us that."

Meanwhile, back at the Castle of Friendship, Celestia, Luna, and Spell Nexus were discussing with Twilight about Somrbra being reformed.

"So, what you're saying is that Sombra, the former tyrant of the Crystal Empire, has been purified of all dark magic?" Nexus asked.

"Yeah.", Twilight replied. "And the best part is that he wants to be taught about friendship."

Celestia raised an eyebrow and asked, "Don't you already teach Starlight Glimmer?"

"Yeah, but with the Arcs help, we have plenty of help to teach both of them, especially with the new time displacement equation he made."

"Time displacement?" Nexus asked.

Luna smiled and said, "Yes, Starlight shared her knowledge of Star Swirls time equation with the Arc and helped him make a spell that creates a barrier capable of internally freezing time. The Arc can make seconds outside the barrier seem like hours on the inside."

"Doesn't that seem dangerous to you?" Nexus asked.

"Not really." Said Nyx, who had just walked into the room with Sombra and the Cutiemark Crusaders trailing behind her. "Where not changing the past or the future, just removing ourselves for brief moments at a time."

"So, this is Sombra?" Nexus asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

Sombra looked away unable to meat Nexus' eyes. Celestia took notice to this and said, "Yes, and he is quite safe to be around."

"But, Princess, he has tortured and enslaved..." Nexus said only to be cut off my Celestia, who spread her wings in a way that put chills up Nexus' spine.

"My sister, Luna, has done the same as he. So has my newly found nephew, Teotle, and Twilight's daughter, Nyx.  Are you saying that Sombra does not deserve the same forgiveness?"

"No, of course not." Nexus replied.

"It's alright, Celestia." Sombra said. "I should get used to the questions about my integrity."

"No, Sombra." Celestia protested calmly. "It is not. You should be given the same treatment everyone else has received these past years. It is only fair."

Sombra smiled a bit before saying, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." said Celestia., pointing at Teotle, who had just walked into the door from behind his friends. "Thank the one who gave you a second chance. It is because of Teotle that you were able to be reborn."

Sombra looked back at Teotle and was about to speak when, all of a sudden, Teotle cut him off and said, "It's ok, Sombra, I know."

"No, you don't." Sombra replied. "You taught how to have friends again. I'd turn my back on the world, all of it, for a single friend."

Teotle grinned at his knew friend's comment and said, "Yeah, well, now that you've so many friends already, you don't have to."

Sombra grinned back, a tear slid down his cheek as he finally said, "Thank you, Teotle."
> Son Under the Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, Sombra had been given a room next to Teotle and Nyx, who were brushing their teeth in the bathroom. The room, itself, wasn't decorated to the final detail, but it still felt like home in Sombra's opinion.  He had no possessions, due to the fact that the Crystal Empire's inhabitants threw it all away, but he didn't care. A lot of those things reminded him of who he used to be, but he planned to make new memories.

Teotle and Nyx were under their covers and ready for bed when Princess Luna poked her head inside the bedroom and asked, "May I come in?"

"Of course, grandmother." Teotle replied.

"Thank you, Teotle." Luna said, walking through the doorway. "The science fair was quite the show, even after the attack. I still can't believe you wouldn't accept the award for best invention. The Arc i wonderful."

"Yeah, but if it weren't for Applebloom's Potato Battery, Fracture and the others couldn't have broken through Sombra's defenses." said Nyx.

"Well, I suppose so." Luna said.

"Hey, grandmother?" Teotle wondered. "I remember a lullaby that you used to sing to me when I was Shadowflame, when you were raising me. What was it called?"

Luna made a warm smile and replied, "Son Under the Moon. That was the song. I can't say I'm surprised, because I sang it to you every day before you slept."

"Can you sing it to us, pretty please?" Nyx asked, making big puppy dog eyes.

Luna chuckled and said, "Ok, Let me see if I can remember."

Luna thought about the song, humming it as she remembered the melody and the words that were used. Eventually she began to sing.

"Hush your cries,"
"nows the time"
"for you to dream the day away"

"The night may have gone by,"
"but you will never be alone"

"I'll be there,"
"by your side,"
"so dry up all of your tears"

"I will love, and I will hold"
"you close, my Son"
"Under The Moon"

And with those last few lyrics, Teotle and Nyx were fast sleep. Luna snuck out of the bedroom without a sound. After she closed the door she saw Twilight standing next to hr in the hallway. "That was beautiful." she said to the princess.

"Thank you, Twilight." Luna replied. "Before, when I was raising him, he would always ask for that song to help him fall sleep. It feels good to have sung it to him again, especially after so long."

Twilight then asked "Hey, Luna?"

"Yes?" Luna replied.

Twilight bit her lip, trying to think of how to ask the question that was on her mind. Eventually she asked, "How different is Teotle from Shadowflame?"

Luna sighed and answered, "Not by much, I suppose. Their coat color is similar, but Shadowflame had a more regal black, much like Nyx."

Twilight shook her head and said, "I guess I'm trying to ask, weather or not Shadowflame had a cutiemark like Teotle does. If so, what did it look like? What does it represent?"

Luna raised an eyebrow and said, "Actually, that cutiemark does look familiar, perhaps he did have it before. I'm not sure what it means though, but I think I know how to find out."

"How?" Twilight asked.

"After I found Shadowflame I kept a journal to make notes of him as he as growing up. hopefully it will have a clue as to what the cutiemark means."

"Great, where is it?" Twilight wondered.

Luna frowned as she replied, "I have an idea, but I don't like it."

"Why?" asked Twilight.

Luna looked at the ground and answered, "It's hidden behind a magically sealed door. Only can break the seal, and the door, among many other things there, have too many memories."

To Be Continued.