The night of Nightmare Moon's return also brought with it a dark warrior from another world.
Darth Maul, a powerful Sith Apprentice-turned-Criminal Warlord, has traveled far and wide to the reaches of the galaxy, but never expected to see something like this in his life. Now he stands in not just another world, but in another universe entirely where humanoids are mostly replaced with equines, and his body has been malformed to become one of them.
And now, he's off to change the timeline in his own dark, twisted image.
His head throbbed with pain and suffering as he flashed back to the death of his brother. The two crimson blades belonging to the Sith Master piercing Savage's body. He then remembered the pain that came from experiencing the blue glow of Sith Lightning also from his former master. All the pain and suffering that coursed through his veins, and all he left was but a single tear. He was weak, broken, and outcast.
"I take it you've been defeated too?" A dark voice spoke. Maul saw himself in a dark room with but a grey fog around a transparent floor.
"Show yourself!" The angered warrior yelled, summoning a mare quite larger than that of Maul. The being had a black body with silver armor and a mane resembling that of the stars. The being also featured a glowing horn and large wings spanned out in front of Maul, who failed to be intimidated.
"Behold, for I am Nightmare Moon, bringer of the Eternal Night," The mare introduced herself in a large, bellowing voice "And I am in need of your services." She continued, confusing the former Sith.
"What do you want with me?" Maul asked, raising his hand as if holding a cup, and strangling the mare with all his rage and hate. The mare gasped for air but surprised Maul with a lack of fear.
"I need you to retrieve something for me, and once you are done, then I may transport you home," Nightmare Moon explained, and with her choice of words confused Maul.
"Transport me home? Explain yourself!" Maul ordered, tightening his grip on her.
"I was banished to the moon for 999 years on my world's moon, and once it reaches the one thousand year mark, the stars shall aid in my escape. It's also said that the stars will also summon a much darker warrior into my world," Nightmare Moon said, despite the lack of oxygen she was receiving.
"And I'm that 'darker warrior'?" Maul questioned her, after letting her go.
"Yes, and I thought I could use you to my advantage," Nightmare Moon prompted the former apprentice. Maul, despite his better judgment, was honestly tempted by what she had to say.
"What is it you need from me?" Maul asked, showing more interest in his upcoming visit.
"The Elements of Harmony. A powerful weapon when, with all six elements combined, can defeat me," Nightmare Moon told Maul, who chuckled at the mention of the word "Harmony".
"Harmony? Sounds like some Jedi relic if you ask me," Maul said, confusing his new accomplice. Nightmare Moon shortly sighed and continued briefing him on the whereabouts of the elements.
"You should head to the Castle of the Two Sisters. That's where the Elements should be," Nightmare Moon informed Maul, as the 1000 year point was drawing closer and closer. Nightmare Moon gasped.
"We don't have much time. When you get into my world, you won't have any of the articles of clothing you are currently wearing," Nightmare Moon quickly mentioned, gesturing to his clothing.
Suddenly, a small white light appeared miles away, drawing closer and closer to Maul and Nightmare Moon. Maul realized not only will he be stripped of his sith robes and his lightsaber, but also his synthetic legs, replacing the ones he lost in a fight with an old enemy of his. Maul flashed back once more, this time to when he first met his brother, Savage, and how broken he was when Savage found him. He was reduced to a monster that one would find in their nightmares. Maul panicked for a second as he realized he'll be just as broken as he was before.
"Wait!" Maul said before the bright light finally caught up to both him and Nightmare Moon. Suddenly, Maul found himself bathed in nothing but white light for what seemed like hours, but he couldn't block the light from his eyes. Pain and suffering once more filled his body as his robotic legs and robes burned off, leaving a black and red body. It was only the beginning, however, as Maul felt his fingers sinking into his hands, which were swelling along with the rest of his arms until they were transformed into front equine legs. Maul's neck felt a twinge of pain as it too was starting to transform. The pain Maul felt as his neck was slowly sliding into his back was almost immeasurable. And finally, Maul's face changed it's shape, causing more and more suffering, which Maul just had to accept. Suffering was the way of the Dark Side after all.
When Maul opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the ground. His robotic legs were nowhere to be found, and neither was his lightsaber. The only thing he saw around himself was a broken-down shack, but with no way to get there, and pain coursing through his body, Maul did not have the strength to get himself over there. As tears started to fill his eyes, his heart filled with the anger of when he first lost his legs to Kenobi and used that anger to survive. He outstretched what used to be his right hand at the cabin. The Dark Side was with him, as the wood from the cabin started to fall apart.
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion," Maul started reciting, using the Force to place his body on a wooden plank, and some toughened cloth to tighten it to his body.
"Through passion, I gain strength," Maul continued, as he constructed himself back legs with the broken shack. Small long boxes were used for hoofs as they were nailed to wooden planks without a hammer. Maul had no need for one.
"Through strength, I gain power," Maul bellowed, as he finally nailed the wooden legs onto the wooden plank supporting his body. He still wasn't done.
"Through power, I gain victory," Maul roared, as he placed a sandbag onto the wooden plank supporting his body, using it to make a rear end, and covering that with a black cloth.
"Through victory, my chains are broken!" The former apprentice finished reciting as the remaining broken pieces of the shack finally fell to the ground. Maul continued using the Force to make his legs work like normal legs, as he stood up in his newfound pony form and snarled to himself. He looked at his new wooden legs and viciously smiled. He was on the path to achieving great things once more, but first, he had a job to do for his new accomplice: Hunt down the Elements of Harmony.
The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place where no normal pony should ever be. But Maul was no normal pony. On the contrary, Maul will soon learn he would be welcomed by the dangers of the strange forest. But, before he set forth to begin his journey to capture the Elements and return home, he was confronted once more by Nightmare Moon, this time in the flesh. The dark alicorn once again towering above Maul to finish their previous telepathic mission briefing.
"Ah, Ms. Moon. So glad to meet you in person finally," Maul snarled. Nightmare Moon was honestly impressed with his attempts to intimidate him, even if they did fail.
"The honor is all mine. I have some news about your objective," Nightmare Moon informed the former apprentice, as the two glared each other with the evil gleams in their eyes.
"Let me guess; I have some competition?" Maul took a guess. And by the look on Nightmare Moon's face, he was right.
"Yes. Apparently, my sister's student has tasked herself with retrieving the elements," Nightmare Moon said, lowering her head to meet Maul's. Maul seized his glare at becoming puzzled by his new accomplice's choice of words.
"You failed to inform me you had a sister," Maul said, threatening to choke Nightmare Moon with the Force again.
"There are a lot of things WE don't know about each other!" Nightmare Moon pointed out, lighting up her horn, as if ready to fight back this time. Maul stood down, not out of fear, but respect for the remark.
"Anyways, what I'm getting from all of this is you want me to retrieve the Elements, and stop your sister's student in the process?" Maul further questioned her. Nightmare Moon nodded in response
"Very well then. I'll be on my way, but I need something from you first." Maul pointed out to Nightmare Moon, believing that she could provide whatever it was with what power she believed she had.
"Okay then Maul, what is it?" Nightmare asked, causing a smirk on Maul's face.
"I need a weapon. Specifically a staff." Maul ordered as he sat down, waiting for a new weapon. With but a raise of an eyebrow, Nightmare Moon summoned a large thick branch and enchanted it with her magic. The magic removed the leaves and smoothed the branch. Maul watched in awe as the branch slowly transformed into a staff. Nightmare Moon's magic then summoned some nearby cloth, the same kind Maul used to fix himself and tie it around the middle of the staff as a handle. The staff slowly levitated towards Maul as he reached out with his front leg, standing on his wooden legs as if he were still humanoid, and casting a firm grip on the new weapon.
Maul saw no hesitation in giving his weapon a test. Soon enough, he saw himself spinning the staff as if it was his old lightsaber. Maul leaped up and fell right through the trees, using his staff to break the branches. Once he landed, the wooden legs started cracking, and Maul felt they might break any second. He thought none of it at the moment, however, as he had to start his task. Soon enough, Maul leaped into the shadows and became like them.
Screams soared from the side of a cliff, as a lavender and violet unicorn was holding onto dear life thanks to an orange earth pony. The orange pony had the strength to hold onto her, but not enough to hoist her up. Around the cliff, a pair of pegasus mares are getting ready to catch her, unbeknownst to the unicorn.
"Applejack! What do I do?" the unicorn asked. Applejack then gave her friend a look of concern.
"You're gonna have to let go, Twilight." Applejack instructed. Twilight's eyes shot out with fear, as two other ponies from below the cliff, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, were watching.
"Are you crazy?" Twilight yelled at the cowgirl. She thought this was just plain suicide. While Twilight was hanging on for dear life, a third spectator watched with fiery yellow and red eyes. Maul had just found his prey.
"No, I ain't. And I promise you'll be safe." Applejack said, calming her new unicorn friend. As Maul spectated, he sensed 2 other ponies, this time with wings, one blue and the other yellow, flying in. Maul's eyes lit up with rage. He knew what Applejack was talking about. Just then, Maul's rage was replaced with a smirk as he stared at his hand-turned-hoof.
"Well then, you'll have to learn how to live with yourself when you break a promise," Maul muttered, keeping himself hidden. Just then, Twilight let go and fell, with the 2 flying ponies racing in to catch her. Maul extended his hoof and focused heavily on the Force. Just then, the yellow pony started hurting.
"Rainbow Dash?" the yellow one asked, struggling with her flight pattern.
"Not now Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash yelled, more focused on catching Twilight than anything else.
"But I'm losing..." Fluttershy stuttered as she completely lost control of her wings. Suddenly, Fluttershy jolted off course, ramming herself into Rainbow Dash, and the two of them into the ground. Twilight continued to scream as she descended to the ground along with them until she landed on some very hard ground. Twilight struggled to get up, screaming in pain. Her front left leg was hurting terribly. Without hesitation, Pinkie ran up to help Twilight up.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Pinkie asked, with more concern in her tone than what she usually has.
"Pinkie, I think I broke my leg." Twilight cringed and in pain, as she got up and limped to see Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash in similar pain.
"Rarity, how are Rainbow and Flutters?" Pinkie exclaimed to her fellow spectator, as Rarity had also run up to help her friends.
"Not too good Darling. Fluttershy's right-wing, her back left leg, and both of Rainbow Dash's wings broken." Rarity explained to Pinkie. As the three crash survivors are comforting their broken limbs, Applejack came to join the 5 of her friends to check upon them. The 6 friends set up a camp to comfort each other in the long night.
"I'm sorry that I caused your leg to break," Applejack said, with tears in her eyes. "It's not that I was lying, it's that..." Applejack tried to explain when suddenly...
"I forgive you," Twilight said. She had resented no anger towards Applejack. Applejack just looked back, confused, but smiling at such good news in desperate times.
"It's not that you meant to have me crash, and I think I now know what your plan was, so I don't see any reason to get mad at you," Twilight explained to Applejack, whose eyes were shedding tears.
"Thanks, Twilight. It means a lot from you." Applejack said, almost starting to cry, but stopped to keep her tough girl appearance.
"If anyone should be sorry, it should be me," Fluttershy said, shying her face from the staring and judging faces of her friends.
"It's just that I think I felt something grab hold of me. I just dunno what." Fluttershy said, starting to sob, not at her admitting guilt, but at fear at what caused it. Everyone took this into consideration and tried to figure it out.
"It must be Nightmare Moon," Twilight assumed in front of her friends.
"If it was Nightmare Moon, we would have seen some magic," Pinkie Pie mentioned, causing everyone to freeze. How did she notice such a minor detail?
"Pinkie does have a point," Twilight agrees "So if it wasn't her, then who was it?" Applejack asks. While they were discussing this, they were still stalked in the bushes. Maul continued monitoring their progress, snarling at them if he could, but had to keep quiet. Maul set up his own camp and ate some food to himself when Nightmare Moon decided to check on his progress.
"How is your mission going?" Nightmare asked her accomplice.
"Not bad, though I do have some thoughts," Maul said, concerning Nightmare Moon.
"If, I'm not saying when, but if we get these elements, then you rule the land, and I go home," Maul explained. Nightmare Moon just looked at him with disgust.
"What is your point?" Nightmare Moon asked Maul as if he were dragging a boring presentation.
"But, if they get the elements, and you lose, this land, and everything in it, will have to face a power much greater and more threatening than you," Maul explained, angering Nightmare Moon. The alicorn lit up her horn.
"You dare!?" Nightmare Moon yelled, ready to attack, but was immediately halted by Maul's darkened choke. It was here where Nightmare had felt something she had not felt in a long time: fear. Fear of what Maul can do.
"You forget this is how we first met?" Maul taunts, snickering with a sinister tone, as Nightmare had now realized the dark truth: She is now the minion of Darth Maul.
The eternal night continued as Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity comforted Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash due to their injuries, while all 6 of the friends decided to get their rest. As the ponies slept, Maul watched on, schemes and plots brewing in his head. As he stalked his prey, Nightmare Moon checked up on her new master.
"Any ideas for how to stop them?" Nightmare Moon asked Maul, as he stood there pondering.
"Not really. What were your ideas?" Maul asked Nightmare Moon.
"Well, my ideas were to have them fall down a cliff..." Nightmare Moon started off with. Maul remembered well what he did with the cliff, but never realized Nightmare Moon caused the cliff incident.
"Go on," Maul continued. There was no need to change that plan, seeing as it already happened.
"...Then I was gonna put a thorn in a baby manticore and have it attack them," Nightmare Moon explained. Maul looked at her with a disappointed look, as if she answered a question incredibly wrong. Maul just sighed and had her continue.
"...Then I was gonna have trees with scary faces," Nightmare Moon stuttered. It was clear she wasn't impressing Maul with her plans.
"...Then I steal a sea serpent's mustache..." The mare continued, stuttering and shaking more and more as Maul disapproved of her plans.
"...And then I tempt one of them with a new position?" Nightmare Moon finished. At this point, Maul has had enough of his new minion's trickery.
"You really think that would stop them?" Maul asked. He then directed Nightmare Moon to the cliff she had them fall off of.
"Had I not intervened, your enemies would have landed safely. It's clear you don't know who you're messing with. If you want to beat them, you have to know your enemy," Maul said, putting his staff up against Nightmare Moon's neck.
"Now, let's work on your plan and improve on them. I think I might have a few ideas of my own," Maul said, growing a small smirk on this face. Nightmare Moon smirked back devilishly. Maybe he's onto something.
"Wakey Wakey eggs and bakey!" Pinkie Pie said, being the first to wake from the camp. The other mares slowly woke up, groggy and tired. It's possible they could have been oversleeping. They couldn't tell because it was still the middle of the night. No matter, they got ready to continue their quest for the Elements of Harmony. As they continued to venture through the Everfree Forest, Maul and Nightmare Moon followed close by.
"May I start it up now?" Nightmare Moon asked, concerning their new plan. Maul smirked and nodded at Nightmare, who then turned into a cloud of smoke, and summoned a nearby manticore to attack them. Roars filled the quiet forest and alarmed the nearby ponies. The manticore came closer and closer to the ponies, as it alarmed the six friends. All the ponies, with the exception of Fluttershy, prepared for an epic fight against the beast. Applejack leaped onto it's back like a rodeo bull, Rainbow Dash swooped in on sturdy vines time and again to distract it, but to no avail as the manticore's opponents were knocked over with relative ease, and the manticore prepared what appeared to be a fatal charge against the ponies.
"WAIT!" Fluttershy shouted, which caused the Manticore the halt in its tracks. Fluttershy walked calmly towards the manticore, who revealed to have a thorn in it's left paw.
"Oh, you poor thing. My friends and I are injured too, just so you know," Fluttershy said, comforting the manticore, much to the disbelief of her friends.
"THAT THING is a Baby?" Rainbow Dash asked in outrage. Fluttershy simply giggled and nodded. Flutershy turned her attention to the baby Manticore once more.
"This might sting a little," Fluttershy said to the manticore, as she pulled out the thorn, causing the manticore the roar into the night. Her fellow ponies were shocked, but the manticore did not retaliate in cold blood but thanked her with loving licks.
"If that thing's a baby, I'd hate to see what the parents look like," Rainbow Dash commented, and by commenting, accidentally tempted fate.
"Oh, you will," Maul said, miles away from the ponies position and in front of a giant cave. Maul, with his continuous use of the Dark Side, gestured his front hoof in front of the cave, causing a pair of glowing red eyes to emerge from the cave and let out a massive roar, bigger than the baby manticore's roar.
"What was that?" Applejack asked, as the 6 ponies felt rumbling, as it got bigger and bigger. Suddenly, a bigger manticore showed up and shielded the baby, threatening the six friends. The giant manticore let out a giant roar, blowing all six of them into a giant tree.
"We have to try to reason with it," Fluttershy explained. Rainbow Dash was halfway to recovering.
"Yeah, tell it that it needs to brush its teeth," Rainbow Dash said, dazed by the beast's foul breath, holding her nose to shield herself. Fluttershy got closer and closer and tried to talk to the parent.
"I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. Your child was hurt, and I decided to help it," Fluttershy told the adult manticore. The parent calmed down and listened at first, but felt as if its brain was being pulled at, causing a mighty roar of pain.
"It's not listening!" Fluttershy panicked. The beast went wild and knocked down a couple of trees.
"Well, we'll just have to make him listen." Applejack said and hopped onto the hairy back of the Manticore. She struggled to fight a good seat to tame the beast, but as she got closer and closer, her throat was suspended in midair. There, she could see the black and red silhouette of Maul already controlling the beast. What scared her the most was that he was an Earth Pony, although he telekinetic lifted her as if he was a unicorn. Maul rocketed Applejack into a boulder using the Force, knocking her unconscious, and using the Manticore, scared of the rest of the mane six, albeit in the same direction the Mane Six were headed before. Maul knew this was only the beginning.
The Mane Six continued to run after their run-in with the Baby Manticore's parent and continued to run until they were fresh out of breath. And it certainly didn't help that Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were still injured after a crash landing, and Applejack was knocked unconscious after spotting Maul on the back of the giant Manticore, so Pinkie Pie and Rarity did most of the heavy lifting. When they stopped running, the six friends decided to set up camp once more. Once camp was set up, Fluttershy took off Applejack's hat and wrapped a white cloth around Applejack's head to treat the nasty bump on the head, possibly a concussion, that she received.
"Well, I have some good news," Twilight said, holding some joy back. "At least our injuries are healing". Twilight moved around on her own, still limping, but getting better nonetheless. Rainbow Dash followed suit and tried to test her wings, but she got a cramp mid-flight and fell face-first into some mud. Fluttershy decided not to fly to see if her wing was getting better but instead decided to help with a makeshift soup with Pinkie Pie's help. While the two were off gathering materials, Applejack was coming to and regained consciousness.
"Mah aching head." she moaned, as Applejack felt almost groggier than the last time they set up camp. Twilight ran over to Applejack and decided to catch her up to speed.
"Applejack. While you were unconscious, we escaped the parent manticore, and Pinkie and Rarity helped us all get to safety, and we decided to camp for the night. The good news is that our injuries are healing. Not done yet, but still," Twilight explained.
"Guys, I'm not sure about this, but there was someone controlling that Manticore." Applejack said. Twilight considered Applejack's words.
"It's obviously gotta be Nightmare Moon. She's trying to stop us." Twilight impatiently deduced though she was only partially right.
"The only thing she's doing is slowing us down," Rainbow Dash said, commenting on Twilight's quick assessment of the situation. Rainbow Dash decided to ignore the rest of the conversation and help Rarity start the campfire.
"Ya really think Nightmare Moon could ride one of those things? I know it's big, but I'd say it's still too small for a giant alicorn like her to ride," Applejack observed. Twilight wasn't sure if this was the concussion talking or not.
Meanwhile, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were gathering materials for their soup. It might not have tasted the best, but it still would have sufficed. The two of them were gathering delicious looking flowers, grass, and some leaves for good measure. Little did they know, they were under the watchful eyes of Maul and Nightmare Moon.
"Scary tree face time?" Nightmare asked Maul, who personally couldn't believe how well he's putting up with her.
"Fine. But wait for my signal, then you can scare the living bantha poodoo out of them," Maul told his lackey as he hopped down into the shadows and started to sneak closer and closer to the duo.
"You go collect the flowers over there. I'll gather the grass over here," Pinkie instructed to Fluttershy, making herself more vulnerable to attack. Maul couldn't help himself any longer. The time to strike was now. Maul leaped out of the shadows and bushes and knocked the grass and flowers out of her hooves. Pinkie was startled by this, but not afraid of him. In fact, she was quite annoyed with him.
"Hey! You'd better clean that up, Mister. We're just trying to save the world here," Pinkie demanded. Maul was honestly amused. Is Pinkie really gonna try to stand up to him with no training whatsoever? It honestly amused Maul.
"I can't tell if you're being brave or being stupid. I guess I'll go with both," Maul said, swinging his staff with such speed and force that Maul whacked Pinkie unconscious and took her captive. Immediately afterward, Maul returned to Nightmare Moon with Pinkie as their prisoner.
"OK, now is scary tree face time," Maul told Nightmare, who turned into a cloud once more and darkened the skies, even darker than how dark the night really is. Fluttershy continued to collect flowers and grass, but couldn't find anything in this strange blackness that now covered the forest. She couldn't take it anymore and decided to return to camp with Pinkie.
"Pinkie, I got the materials," Fluttershy whispered, but only found the materials Pinkie had gathered. Suddenly, Fluttershy looked around and saw a whole bunch of intimidating faces in the trees. The faces were too much for her, and she ran off back to the camp with a crazy theory about what happened.
"Girls! Pinkie was eaten by a tree!" Fluttershy cried out to her friends. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity looked at Fluttershy with great concern.
"I thought I was the one who hit my head," Applejack said, concerning Fluttershy's theory about Pinkie's disappearance.
"I think it's just one of Pinkie's pranks. She does do it all the time," Rainbow Dash theorized. Applejack and Rarity nodded in agreement.
"As much as it is a good theory, Dash, I think it could have been Nightmare Moon," Twilight said, joining in on how Pinkie could have vanished.
"What about her new friend?" Rarity asked. "It could have been either one of those two," Applejack nodded in agreement with Rarity. Applejack was at least comforted that somepony at least believed her that somepony was in cahoots with Nightmare Moon.
"I don't think Nightmare Moon is capable of making friends," Twilight said, believing Maul was some sort of figment of Applejack's imagination.
"Whatever, or whoever it is, let's get in there and see if we can find her," Twilight said. The five friends went in after Pinkie Pie, believing she could be nearby.
Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie was tied up to a tree stump, surrounded by large flowers the same shade of blue as Nightmare Moon's mane. Though Pinkie was gagged as well as tied, the flowers emitted an aroma that flooded Pinkie's senses, which caused her to hallucinate her worst fears. Maul and Nightmare Moon looked on at their panicking prisoner.
"And why do you think these flowers are scarier than the faces I placed at the trees?" Nightmare Moon asked Maul, who was cautious not to get a whiff of the dangerous flower.
"With this one as our prisoner, the others will panic due to the scary faces on the trees. Then, once they calm down, we'll plant the flowers everywhere, and douse them in pure fear. Not 'scary' monsters, mind you, but a fear they cannot control. The fear of failure," Maul explained. As he monologued, he read Pinkie's mind with the Dark Side of the Force. Pinkie could not see Maul, but instead thought she was at a comedy night, where she tried to make everyone laugh, but kept on getting booed off the stage every time. This was Pinkie's fear, and Maul could see that with the Force.
Fluttershy cowered in fear of the scary faces at the trees and hid behind Rainbow Dash, who honestly wasn't intimidated, neither were the other 3.
"Is this what ate Pinkie?" Rarity asked Fluttershy, giving the tree a confused glare?
"Yes," Fluttershy stuttered, fearing the trees could eat her too. And she was supposed to be "one with nature".
"Honestly, sugar, if Pinkie were here, we would have just acted scared to make both you and Pinkie feel better." Applejack confessed. Nightmare Moon was enraged by her honesty. She thought it would have worked for sure.
"Told you trees aren't scary." Maul taunted. Nightmare gave in and caused the same kind of flower to bloom directly around Pinkie's friends. The friends took immediate notice of the presence of the flowers due to the strange aroma it produced.
"What even is that smell?" Rarity asked, sniffing around. Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash also sniffed around, seeing if they could find the source. Once they found individual copies of the flowers, the hallucinations started to kick in. Their heads started to feel dizzy, and all passed out for a few seconds. Once they recovered, they saw they were no longer in the Everfree Forest.
Twilight thought she was in Magical Kindergarten, being laughed at by the other students for being older than them. Applejack thought she was at a run down Sweet Apple Acres and thought her family had gone out of business. Rainbow Dash thought she was at tryouts for the Wonderbolts, but was humiliated and kicked out, and Rarity thought she was living on the streets of Canterlot as a homeless mare wearing a potato sack as clothes.
Maul looked on as he saw their worst fears with Nightmare Moon. Nightmare cackled with glee to see her enemies come to a complete stop. Maul was not the kind of guy to give a maniacal laugh, but couldn't help but smile as he triumphed over the Mane Six.
"Now, you understand what it truly takes to bring your enemies down? You gotta get inside their mind." Maul said, pointing at Pinkie for reference. Nightmare looked on at Maul.
"I understand completely now," Nightmare Moon said, as she planted the flowers everywhere around Maul and flew off. Maul glared at her betrayal but was too dizzy to retort back. Soon enough, he too was going to see his worst fear.
Maul awoke and found himself in the Jedi Temple. It felt strange because he went to the Jedi Temple once before with his old master, Darth Sidious, and at those days, he felt the urge to jump in and slay all the Jedi single handily. And yet, he didn't feel that urge now, considering he saw himself in the heart of the temple. In fact, he couldn't even remember much of his time with Sidious, He roamed the temple, wondering what has happened.
"Was everything with Equestria and whatnot just a dream?" Maul thought to himself. He went into one of the temple's many restrooms and looked into a mirror to see what happened, and Maul couldn't believe his eyes with what he saw. His black tattoos were missing, instead replaced with thin wind-like lines streaming across his face. His legs were whole once again, and his robes have transformed from a pitch-black to a light brown. The one thing unsettling Maul the most was his eyes, instead of being a fiery yellow with red veins, he saw a light blue shade with no amount of darkness in any bit of his reflection. Maul then understood what had happened: He had become a Jedi.
Maul left the restroom, hand over his head. He couldn't believe any of what he was seeing, and yet he can. Maul knew he's not really a Jedi, but yet, he couldn't remember what he originally was. His head throbbed with what he just saw. As he roamed, another Jedi, one with a familiar voice, called out behind him.
"Maul, old friend, how have you been?" the familiar voice called out. Maul turned around and recognized the face and voice immediately. It was that of famed Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Maul knew he had a connection with Kenobi, but he couldn't remember what that connection was. Wait, did Maul hear that right? Did Obi-Wan call Maul an "old friend"? Maul's head throbbed once more.
"I take it your last mission didn't do so well?" Obi-Wan asked Maul, comforting his fellow "Jedi". Maul looked at Kenobi and lost track of everything.
"Yeah, I think so." Maul fibbed, trying to blend in with all of this. Maul was followed by two other Jedi, a human male with dark robes, and a female Togruta with an acrobatic style suit.
"You've met Anakin and Ahsoka yet, right?" Obi-Wan asked Maul, catching him up to speed. These questions made Maul's head spin faster and faster.
"Oh, my head," Fluttershy mumbled. The effects of the flower were starting to wear off of her, and her head was throbbing as if she had overslept for three days straight. She saw her friends also passed out from the fumes of the flower. She tended to each and every one of them to get up. Unfortunately, Fluttershy wasn't able to get her friends up from their intoxicated nightmares, but she reckoned they will come to, eventually.
"Fluttershy! Get me out of here!" Pinkie yelled from Maul and Nightmare Moon's hiding spot. She had the gag Maul and Nightmare placed on her removed, and the effects of the flower were wearing off of her too, though she was still tied up. Fluttershy followed Pinkie's cry for help and found Pinkie tied up next to a seizure-induced Maul. Fluttershy squeaked and fluttered a few feet away from the unconscious dark sider.
"Pinkie, what is that?" Fluttershy asked, as she slowly untied Pinkie.
"I don't know. But if we hurry, we might just find out," Pinkie said. As Pinkie was freed from the bonds, she and Fluttershy decided to wake the rest of their friends up and bring Maul in for questioning.
"Did I forget to tell you about the time Maul and I stopped a bunch of pirates from raiding Corellia?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin and Ahsoka as they and Maul through the corridors of the Jedi Temple.
"Oh, do I ever remember that day." Maul chuckled as if it was a very fond memory for both him and Obi-Wan. The four roamed down the halls of the Jedi Temple, and into an elevator to meet with the Jedi Council, where Obi-Wan told their story to Anakin and Ahsoka.
"Remind me, why are we meeting with the Council?" Maul asked. He couldn't recall why they were headed to meet up with the Masters of the Jedi Order.
"I almost forgot to tell you this Maul, but congratulations," Anakin said, confusing Maul even further.
"You passed the Jedi Trials, right?" Ahsoka asked.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Maul replied, not realizing that he was being given fake memories. The four Jedi made it to the Jedi Council Chambers, not a light to be lit. Maul entered the chamber, not realizing Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka weren't following. As Maul made it to the center, the bright green and blue lightsaber blades of the Jedi Order, with the exception of one purple blade, lit up the room surrounding Maul.
"A knee, you must take," a wise old voice spoke. Maul obeyed and was face to face with a small green Jedi with his lightsaber half the size of the rest of them. Almost instantly, whether by fake memories or real ones, Maul recognized the voice as Master Yoda. As Maul knelled, Yoda hovered his lightsaber over Maul's shoulders.
"By the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, Maul, you may rise," Yoda announced. Maul was overjoyed and filled with pride, and yet it didn't feel right. Almost as if all of this was wrong for him.
"I can't, Master," Maul said, speaking his mind. The other Council Members looked at Maul with confusion. Was a Jedi really willing to pass up being knighted? Obi-Wan spectated the knighting and was immediately struck with a sense of fear for his old friend.
"As much as this is an honor to me, I can't be a Jedi, and I never will be," Maul said, sterner than before. Suddenly, the lightsaber blades surrounding Maul were swallowed by shadows. Maul's robes turned pitch black. His legs felt like they were burnt off and immediately replaced with that of a droid's. Tattoos started forming around his face, and his eyes burn into an insidious yellow color. Suddenly, Maul remembered everything and can tell the real memories from the fake. He remembered what he was. He was Sith, and nothing could change that. As Maul saw the entire Council Chamber engulfed with shadows, he thought he was the only one there.
"I'm sorry you figured it out," Obi-Wan said as he placed his hand on Maul's shoulder. Maul felt like grabbing him and throwing him off but decided not to.
"Even if you belong to the Dark Side, just remember I'll be here for you," Obi-Wan said to Maul as he stepped back into the shadows. Maul realized this wouldn't be the last time Maul will see Obi-Wan, in person or in a hallucination.
A small bright door opened, and Maul ran towards it. The former Sith Apprentice realized the effects of the flower Nightmare Moon gave him are wearing off, and didn't hesitate to escape his nightmare. And when he awoke, he expected to get away freely, only to find himself bound by rope to a tree.
"Alright, buster! Who are you and what did you do with Nightmare Moon!?" Pinkie Pie roared at a helpless Maul. Maul slowly regained his consciousness from passing out into a nightmare of his own design. His body was bound to a tree by a rope and was surrounded by Twilight and her friends. The ropes that bound his body down squeezed down on his chest keeping him in place, His wooden prosthetic limbs were also removed to hold him down, and he was simply too tired to use the Force and escape.
"Just tell them who you are." A disembodied voice said to Maul. Maul looked around and found Obi-Wan Kenobi once more. But he wasn't in the dream world anymore.
"What are you doing here?" Maul asked Kenobi. Or at least, so he thought.
"I'm not even here. Apparently you took such a huge dosage of that nightmare flower that I'm stuck haunting you." Kenobi explained. Maul wasn't happy with what could happen next.
"So I'm stuck with my worst nightmare: having you as a friend?" Maul asked Kenobi once more. Maul realized Kenobi was just a hallucination, and that he couldn't do anything about it, except put up with Kenobi.
"I'm afraid so, Maul. Just explain to them who you are, and we'll sort this all out later," the Kenobi hallucination advised, as Maul decided to do just that, much to his disbelief.
"Okay, you win. My name is Maul, and I'm a former Sith Apprentice," Maul started explaining. Twilight raised her eyebrow at Maul. She had no idea what a "Sith" was, and her curiosity peaked.
"Maybe he's lying. Or maybe he's delusional," Twilight thought to herself, as she examined Maul closely. Maul eyed at his legs, who were being guarded by Fluttershy to make sure Maul doesn't get his hooves on them, though she felt more fear than her peers, despite Maul being their prisoner.
"You there, yellow one," Maul called out to Fluttershy, who suddenly felt like she was the prisoner.
"Umm...yes?" Fluttershy replied, her voice quivering.
"I take it you're curious about my prosthetics?" Maul asked, probing Fluttershy's mind in the process. He felt an overwhelming sense of fear in her that just wouldn't go away. Maul even pondered taking her in for a few seconds. Fluttershy blushed and didn't answer Maul's question.
"We ask the questions here Maul! Besides, I actually am a bit curious about them. How'd you bring them to life if they're just wood?" Applejack asked. She couldn't read minds, like Maul could, but she could tell he was thinking about doing something to Fluttershy, and Applejack didn't like what could happen, so she decided to ask in Fluttershy's place.
"I'm glad you asked. I used my anger to fuel the Dark Side of the Force, therefore giving me the boost I need to control the wood and become a support for my broken body," Maul explained, sneering at his six captors.
"Hold on. Dark Side? Force? What is all this?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"The Force is an energy field harnessed by powerful warriors. A large portion of these warriors used their powers to help others," Maul explained, intriguing Twilight.
"These warriors sound like nice people," Pinkie Pie commented, evoking Maul's wrath.
"Well, they were fools!" Maul yelled startling Pinkie Pie "These warriors call themselves 'Jedi' and are only rivaled by another band of people, my people, who harnessed the Force for themselves. Those rivals called themselves the Sith," Maul continued. Twilight started to understand Maul.
"So you're a Sith, and that means you use the Force?" Twilight said.
"Yes," Maul replied. Twilight smirked a little at her new discovery.
"So You were the one who kept us stalling, by breaking our wings and summoning a mama manticore out on us? And it wasn't magic Nightmare Moon used at all?" Twilight yelled. Maul was honestly impressed with her rage.
"Magic? Isn't that what Nightmare Moon used to create those flowers with?" Maul asked. Suddenly, everyone's eyes shot out at Maul. They almost forgot about her.
"Tell me! Why were you with Nightmare Moon?" Rarity lashed out at Maul.
"She promised me a way home," Maul said.
"Can you tell us where she went?" Twilight asked in Maul's face. She can't believe they were almost distracted by his stories.
"Of course. But you have to get me out first," Maul explained. The six friends hesitated. They knew what he was capable of now, and they were worried they would unleash something terrible if they did. On the other hoof, they could just leave Maul behind and face Nightmare Moon themselves. They'd be throwing away someone who would help save their hides.
"Well, what are we waiting for? I've got a score to settle," Maul said impatiently. Rainbow Dash grabbed the wooden legs and re-attached them to Maul's body. Applejack untied Maul, as he fell on his four hooves. Twilight levitated Maul's wood staff, but pulled it away from Maul's hoof as soon as he almost grabbed it.
"You'd better not stab us in the back," Twilight warned Maul, before finally handing the staff over.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll be out of your hair as soon as she's dealt with," Maul promised, as the band of seven marched forward. The six friends, with Maul as their guide, paused at a large river, too far to jump across and too steep to swim in, and no bridge to cross. They suddenly heard crying, and after some investigation found the crying coming from a giant purple sea serpent.
"Oh my beautiful mustache, gone!" The serpent cried. The ponies gathered around the crying sea serpent, while Maul just scoffed and walked off.
"What happened?" Rarity asked the poor serpent.
"My mustache was taken by a big black cloud, and now I'm hideous," The serpent cried. Rarity empathized, and wanted to help. Maybe he'll repay them by giving her friends a bridge.
"Hey, ponies. I made a bridge for you!" Maul yelled, showing the six ponies a tree that Maul toppled down with the Force, and used it as a bridge.
"You're no fun, you know that?" Pinkie groaned as all but Rarity crossed.
"Before I go, I just want you to have this." Rarity said, as she shaved her tail clean and attached it to the serpent's mouth with her magic, restoring the serpent's once broken mustache.
"Thank you, oh thank you," The serpent cried out. The serpent gave Rarity a hug before putting her down to the other side of the river, where her friends and Maul waited for them.
"We don't have time for this!" Maul scolded at Rarity for her generosity. Rarity did not like Maul's behavior one bit. and it wasn't just her. All six of the ponies were not happy with him.
"She could have made a bridge too, with that serpent," the Kenobi hallucination returned to comment.
"You know what, Kenobi? I really don't give a bantha poodoo. At least Nightmare Moon didn't listen to my advice," Maul remarked at Kenobi, as the seven of them marched forward.
"And what did you tell Nightmare Moon to do instead of that?" Rarity asked Maul, thinking he was talking to himself. The Kenobi hallucination was no longer there, leaving Maul by himself at the moment.
"I was gonna have her build an ice wall with that river," Maul commented. Twilight was puzzled by how that was possible, but decided not to ask too many questions and continue trekking forward.
The journey continued for Twilight, her friends, and their new guide, Maul, as the seven of them set up camp once more after a long day. They may no longer have the sun at the moment, but they can still tell the time. As their small but bright campfire burned, the six friends gathered supplies for makeshift tents to sleep in for the night. They only had enough for three tents, so they decided to sleep in pairs.
"Quite the slumber party you ponies got there," Maul taunted, who volunteered to stay up and be the camp's lookout.
"Hey, if this was a party, then we would have fun. And so far, this has been anything but fun," Pinkie Pie explained to the former Sith Lord, who got in her tent with Rarity.
"Who said any of this was supposed to be fun?" Maul asked, evoking the pony's anger more and more.
"Sheesh. what happened to you to be this grumpy?" Rainbow Dash asked, as irritated as her peers are, then proceeding to lie down in her tent with Applejack.
"I was taken in by my master as a young child. I trained for years in the Dark Side and was taught how to hate," Maul confessed. He didn't care about what they thought. They must have had much better childhoods than he did.
"Oh, you poor thing," Fluttershy said, confusing Maul. Either Maul underestimated their kindness, or he was wrong. Either way, he was not happy being sympathized with.
"Fluttershy, Come on!" Twilight called out, as Fluttershy crawled into her tent with Twilight, but not before wishing Maul good night. Maul scoffed and began to keep watch. All Maul saw approach the campsite were a couple of squirrels and raccoons trying to take their food. Maul didn't hesitate and scared them off with his staff. It was hard, however, because his rage had just reached the boiling point, and he didn't want to wake up his peers.
"Are you okay Maul?" a voice in Maul's head asked. Maul saw Obi-Wan Kenobi once more but remembered that, once again, it was just a hallucination.
"Shut up!" Maul bleated at "Kenobi", as he returned to his post to keep watch.
"Maul, calm down. I'm trying to be your friend," Kenobi once again explained. Maul knew this but didn't care.
"That's the last thing I need," Maul commented, as he picked up a rock, and tossed it across the forest. Kenobi sighed and sat down next to Maul.
"Please listen to me. I know you don't like this, but I realized that the best way for you to survive in this mysterious world, is if we work together. I know I'm not really here, but I can act as a voice of reason for you," Kenobi proposed. Maul looked at Kenobi with interest in his offer, something he had not felt for Kenobi before.
"Very well then Kenobi. If you're going to act as my advisor, then I call the shots at what our goal is in this world," Maul pointed out. Kenobi sighed. He knew that Maul wouldn't give up the Dark Side that easily.
"And what is our goal?" Kenobi asked Maul, as Maul threw another rock into the woods.
"To conquer this world, of course," Maul whispered, making sure none of the ponies could hear him. Kenobi sighed in defeat. There was nothing a hallucination could do to get in the way of his goals. So Kenobi might as well play along with Maul, just as Maul is with Kenobi. Maul chuckled as he checked the time and Kenobi departed from Maul's view. A good amount of time has passed, and the ponies started waking up from their rest.
"Evening, ponies," Maul greeted at the ponies.
"Evening, Maul," Twilight replied, rubbing her eye and stretching her body. The other five ponies yawned and itched and stretched as they woke up, and the six friends decided to continue their adventure, with Maul as their guide. The group came across a great crevasse, with a broken bridge on the other side.
"I think I can make it across and help get you guys across" Rainbow Dash noted, stretching her wings, both well and injured.
"Correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't your wings break?" Maul asked. Rainbow Dash leaped across, and although she was too injured to properly fly across, she was still able to glide across with ease.
"I'm getting better, by the way," Rainbow Dash yelled from the other side and pulled up the other end of the bridge and prepared to glide across once more. Then, without warning, three figures, one female and two male, wearing black and dark blue jumpsuits with glowing yellow eyes gathered around Rainbow Dash. Twilight and Maul viewed on, as they both knew this had to be Nightmare Moon's doing.
"Hey there Rainbow Dash. We're the Shadowbolts, and..." The female figure paused. Rainbow Dash was highly concerned about this, as Maul judged from afar. Maul guessed Nightmare Moon was gonna use her original plan and have these figures test her loyalty.
"...You're coming with us," The female finished, as the three of them closed in on Rainbow Dash. Maul was shocked to see that happen.
"That witch!" Maul exclaimed, snarling with anger "She actually went with my idea!". Without a second thought, Maul leaped across the chasm and beside Rainbow Dash as he pulled out his staff.
"You're actually gonna defend her?" One of the male Shadowbolts taunted. Maul's eyes lit up a bright yellow, almost matching the Shadowbolt's eyes.
"I can't have my revenge without her," Maul replied, as he swung his staff with incredible force and speed. One of the Shadowbolts lunged at Maul, who countered by bludgeoning him on the head with his staff, knocking the Shadowbolt unconscious, and sending him plummeting into the chasm. The other two Shadowbolts paused at the defeat of their comrade, as they did not want Maul to outsmart them like that. Maul then bounded forward at one of Shadowbolts, but not before the other Shadowbolt lunging in at Maul, breaking the attack and his staff in the process. Maul grunted in pain. He did not expect such an impressive counter. Maul eyed his enemy and chuckled.
"It's actually funny, the fact this bridge was to test Rainbow Dash's loyalty, only to prove yours," Maul chuckled. The Shadowbolt gasped inside. He failed his one purpose. Rainbow Dash, confident enough in her strength, attempted to fight the female Shadowbolt off. The blue pegasus was overconfident though and was quickly pinned down. Maul eyed this happening and lunged to Dash's rescue. The remaining male Shadowbolt, however, dispatched him and beat him into submission even more.
"I thought you were better than that," Rainbow Dash commented, thinking Maul could fight better. Maul agreed but had a plan. The former Sith Lord winked at Rainbow Dash and realized he had a plan. Much to her dismay, it involved both of them being taken prisoner.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the bridge, Twilight and Rarity were using their magic to fix the bridge themselves and defend their friend and guide. The five friends fixed the bridge, but not before the Shadowbolts flew off with Maul and Rainbow Dash in their possession. Pinkie Pie sat down, comforting Fluttershy, who shed about 4 or 5 tears before completely breaking down into tears. Rarity huffed and puffed in anger, holding back tears, while Applejack simply growled in a manner rivaling that of Maul. Twilight, however, was smarter than that, as she too noticed Maul's wink. Twilight then theorized that he meant for Maul to take Rainbow Dash and himself prisoner.
"Come on girls," Twilight ordered "Rainbow's counting on us," The 5 friends, still distraught, followed through with Twilight, and apparently Maul's plan.
Meanwhile, Maul was awakening from passing out after capture and found himself bound by rope once more, this time tied to Rainbow Dash. The two were in an old, run-down castle, surrounded by 6 white orbs. The two Shadowbolts guarded them and made sure they didn't try to escape. The farthest entrance to the castle room opened up, as a familiar figure walked through. Rainbow Dash was worried about what would happen, while Maul was both glad his plan worked, while at the same time furious at their captor.
"Hello there, old friend," the figure said to Maul, revealing herself to be none other Nightmare Moon.
As Maul and Rainbow Dash were tied together, with no one but two Shadowbolts and Nightmare Moon to watch over them, the former Sith Lord fell into a meditative state, where he once more spoke to his old enemy.
"What a fine mess you've gotten yourself into," Kenobi teased, as Maul just stared back.
"What is it, Kenobi? Make it quick," Maul snapped at Kenobi impatiently. It was clear Maul and Dash didn't have enough time until whatever it was Nightmare Moon was planning, so Kenobi decided to indeed make his message fast.
"Okay, you see the silverish orbs?" Kenobi pointed out. Maul looked around and saw 6 pillars with silver orbs on the top of them. Maul nodded.
"If I were to take a guess, I'd say these are what Nightmare Moon pulled into this universe after, but I don't think she has noticed," Kenobi explained, stroking his beard, while Nightmare Moon walked around Maul and Dash ignoring the orbs. Maul smirked and grinned.
"Hey, who are you talking to?" The Male Shadowbolt interrogated, noticing Maul talking to someone, though no one was there.
"Didn't your master ever teach you not to poke your snout in other people's business?" Maul taunted, evoking the Shadowbolt's wrath, causing him to strike Maul on the head.
"Night Streak, we don't have time for this." The female Shadowbolt ordered, while the male stood down and continued guarding.
"So, your name is Night Streak?" Maul asked his captor, hoping to get some information on him.
"Why does it matter to you?" Night Streak asked, glaring at Maul with his moon yellow eyes.
"I just wanted to ask you. Has no one told you of the potential you carry? I mean, you held yourself well back there when you saved your friend, and I'm most pleased by your anger, and yet your gifts are squandered by being Nightmare Moon's servant." Maul explained to Night Streak.
"And you want to know why?" Night Streak snarled at the Dark Sider. Maul nodded and snarled back.
"Allow me, Night Streak. You and Shooting Star go on the lookout," Nightmare Moon ordered, as the two Shadowbolts bowed and guarded the palace's entrance.
"So? I'm waiting," Maul taunted. Even in bonds, Nightmare Moon kind of felt intimidated by the former Sith Lord.
"I found these three when I first got down from the Moon. Not only did they have the courage to face me, but they faced me personally just to pledge their allegiance to me," Nightmare Moon explained to her prisoners.
"Sounds like blind loyalty to me. I'm not sure I would condone it," Rainbow Dash said, trying to imitate Maul's snarls to intimidate Nightmare Moon, but failing to do so.
"And now these three are my Shadowbolts, my personal army. Sure it may be small, but over time, I will grow it," Nightmare Moon explained, conjuring lightning from her horn and electrifying Rainbow Dash and Maul. Rainbow Dash seethed in pain while Maul just chuckled at her remark.
"More like two. I've already killed one of them," Maul remarked. Rainbow Dash didn't know whether to fear Nightmare Moon, or the fact she and her friends were forced to work with such a monster.
Meanwhile, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy were trekking to rescue Rainbow Dash and Maul, get the Elements of Harmony. They were following the long gone shadows of Night Streak and Shooting Star. Even though they were far from sight, they still had hope that they weren't too late. Little did they know, they were being followed. The third Shadowbolt, the one Maul tossed from the cliff, had been following Twilight and her friends. Twilight, followed by everyone else turned around and found the third pegasus battered and beaten after surviving an impossible fall. Everyone fell silent for what they should do to him.
"Are we gonna nurse him back to health?" Fluttershy asked.
"Why should we? He tried to help kidnap Rainbow Dash," Applejack objected.
"How did he even survive the fall?" Rarity asked out of curiosity.
"Besides, Twilight, I think he could lead us to Nightmare Moon. I don't know about you, but I think we might have taken a wrong turn," Pinkie Pie explained. Twilight felt really stupid now. They might have taken a wrong turn and just not notice it. Besides, Fluttershy's itching to help the poor thing, so it's best to help him out at least. So, they might as well.
"Where...where am I?" The Shadowbolt said weakly. Fluttershy had a makeshift rag and placed it on where the Shadowbolt was very injured.
"Where you've been lying down for the past 5 minutes. You've been following us." Twilight explained, as Twilight had a rag herself and dabbed it on the pains along with Fluttershy.
"Oh. Yes. Thank you for this by the way," The hurt Pegasus said, before wincing in pain after an injured part of him was dabbed by a rag.
"Hold still please," Fluttershy said, as she continued dabbing him with the rag.
"Who are you by the way?" Applejack asked him.
"My name is Light Gazer," The Shadowbolt said, who was starting to feel better but not by much.
"How did you survive that fall anyway?" Rarity continued to ask.
"I caught on to a ledge and I climbed back up the cliff. When I got back up, I saw you walking away and I decided to follow you. I couldn't fly up the cliff because my wings were rammed into the cliff and now my wing bones are broken." Light Gazer explained.
"You and me both," Fluttershy giggled. Light Gazer smiled and stood back up.
"Alright, I reckon you're either gonna leave Nightmare Moon and join us, or you're gonna take us, prisoner?" Applejack asked Light Gazer, tending to his broken wings, which Fluttershy kindly bandaged up.
"I actually don't know which one to go for, to be honest." Light Gazer said. He never thought he would actually catch up to them that far away. Then again, he never thought he would survive the fall.
"How about both?" Pinkie Pie asked, gaining everypony's attention.
"That idea..." Light Gazer pondered
"...is actually kind of brilliant," Twilight Sparkle finished smiled. Light Gazer smiled back and decided to lead them back to Nightmare Moon, in the guise of their captor.
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Maul meditated on the Dark Side, calculating his next move. Soon enough though, Maul would get another visit from his old friend.
"Still bound in ropes I take it?" Obi-Wan asked Maul, almost taunting him.
"I think you need your eyes checked, Kenobi." Maul retorted back at his rival.
"Says the one who's seeing things," Kenobi joked once more. Maul snarled because Obi-Wan was right about it after all.
"Now listen, from what we can both gather, there are six Elements of Harmony here. However, I...sensed something. I wouldn't condone using them, but I feel like you would use them anyways," Obi-Wan explained, grabbing Maul's attention.
"There are four more elements. Elements of the Dark Side. I can't necessarily see them, but I can feel their call to you." Kenobi said, expressing his worry for Maul. Maul focused on the Dark Side, and sure enough, he could feel the Element's call as well.
"How do you expect me to retrieve them?" Maul asked. Obi-Wan dissipated before Maul's eyes, leaving Maul with finding out how to get them himself. Fortunately, for the former sith, an advantage may be found.
"Your Majesty, I've captured the other five ponies," the third Shadowbolt bellowed, storming in with Twilight and the rest of her friends all tied up. Maul was shook with disappointment and confusion. Did he really fail to kill the Shadowbolt? And could this be his ticket out of his binds?
Maul fidgeted with the ropes binding himself and Rainbow Dash as Light Gazer brought Twilight and the rest of her friends to Nightmare Moon. As much as he couldn't believe that the Shadowbolt survived a fall like that, Maul thought best to use him as a distraction.
"I must say, it is impressive you were to survive a fall like that," Maul lied to Light Gazer, flattering him.
"Oh, well...thank you, I guess," Light Gazer replied, awkward about being complimented by the man who tossed him off a cliff. Light Gazer cleared his throat and continued his own lie to Nightmare Moon.
"Anyway, as I have mentioned before..." Light Gazer said, before being cut off.
"Yes, yes, yes. You caught the other five ponies before they could get the Elements. Well done," Nightmare Moon said, patting Light Gazer's head.
"Gotta say. It is a relief seeing you alive," Night Streak commented. Shooting Star patted Light Gazer on the back as the three Shadowbolts went off to congratulate each other for their victory with Nightmare Moon.
Rainbow Dash bowed her head in sorrow and defeat. She didn't realize the deception created to blind Nightmare Moon, and fell blind to it as well, believing that Nightmare Moon actually had won. Her sorrows were halted, however, when her hoof was poked with a jagged rock, causing her to jump.
"Oh, sorry," Maul sarcastically commented. Rainbow Dash was confused and heard a low sawing noise. She felt her binds getting looser by the second.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash whispered to Maul.
"Escaping. What does it look like?" Maul explained, as Rainbow Dash looked down and saw a sharp rock in Maul's front hoof cutting the binds off of them.
"Wait, what about..." Rainbow Dash asked before being cut off.
"When you're free, reunite with your friends. I've got other things to worry about," Maul explained as he continued to cut the ropes off. Soon enough, the binds were broken as Maul got up and snuck into the dark corridors of the castle while Rainbow Dash got back to her friends.
"Hey, guys," Rainbow Dash whispered to her friends.
"Rainbow Dash? How'd you get out?" Applejack whispered back.
"Maul cut the ropes. Anyway, I'm gonna get us out of here," Rainbow Dash explained.
"But we got here to get you out," Fluttershy whispered back.
"You didn't think all five of us would actually be captured by an injured pony, right?" Pinkie Pie asked, confusing Rainbow Dash.
"Where's Maul by the way?" Rarity asked. Rainbow Dash shrugged as she realized that leaving Maul unchecked was a bad idea. He was the one who broke everypony's bones and delayed them from getting the Elements longer than Nightmare Moon would have.
Meanwhile, Maul roamed the dark halls of the castle with only the Force guiding him, as well as the pale moon lighting up the hallways. Where were these "Elements of the Dark Side" Kenobi spoke of? And what did they do? Only one way to find out. Maul continued to roam the castle finding the answers to the questions swirling his dark mine.
"I see you're lost," Kenobi's voice said, startling Maul. Maul stared at Kenobi and growled.
"Well, I haven't found the Elements of the Dark Side you told me about, so yes. Yes, I am lost," Maul said, as he stomped off with Kenobi following him.
"Turn right," Kenobi said, as Maul looked at Kenobi, wanting to yell at him so badly, but didn't want his cover blown.
"'Turn right'? What's that supposed to mean?" Maul asked. Kenobi shrugged at Maul, almost chuckling.
"I'm helping you find your Elements. Now turn right," Kenobi explained. Maul looked to his right and saw another couple hallways, one of them illuminated with a red light. Maul followed the red light, changing direction from corridor to corridor until he came face to face with a door with two torches on both sides, each torch lit with a red flame. Maul examined the flames a bit further, as they reminded him of the many red lightsabers he saw in his path. Maul's head flashed back, as he remembered every lightsaber duel he has ever been in, tears swelling down his eyes. He saw the dead body of his brother, Savage, as the green mist of the nightsisters slowly left him, leaving Savage from the powerful juggernaut who once served him faithfully, to the weakling he was born as on Dathomir. As much as Maul hated to admit it, he loved his brother, so much as to even take him in as his apprentice.
The door lit up, revealing ancient text reading "From sorrow comes purpose, and from purpose comes power," Maul read the text, and by reading the text causing the door to open. Maul walked in and saw 4 pedestals half the height as the ones he saw before, and instead of housing silver orbs, four large red crystals, each of them encased in pieces of dark grey armor. The armor appeared to be two cuffs that were worn on the front legs, a chest piece with artificial wings, and a helmet with an artificial horn. Maul was about to touch the helmet when the temple started rumbling.
"Kenobi, tell me what's happening. Is this place booby-trapped?" Maul asked.
"No. In fact, this rumbling might be because Twilight and her friends are facing off against Nightmare Moon. They have the Elements of Harmony." Kenobi guessed. Maul realized that he didn't want to miss out on the fight, and took the armor for himself. As he placed the armor, he wondered what kind of power this armor would bring. He didn't have too much time to think, as the armored Maul raced towards the room he was kept a prisoner in, and planned to join in.
Maul came out of the dark corridors and saw a bright light surrounding the six ponies. The Shadowbolts lied down unconscious, as they have been beaten by the six mares. Nightmare Moon just stood there petrified. Maul just watched them as nobody noticed him.
"You see Nightmare Moon when those elements are ignited by the Spark, it ignites and creates the sixth element. The Element of Magic!" Twilight monologued. Maul clearly missed out on what happened but went with it. Twilight and her friends fired a beam of pure white magic at Nightmare Moon but was shielded by a dark magic. Nightmare turned around and saw Maul using the Elements to defend her.
"You? What are you doing here?" Nightmare Moon asked, concerned about how long Maul's shield will last.
"You didn't think I was done with you, didn't I?" Maul asked, hissing like a snake. Nightmare Moon gulped in fear. Maul wasn't going to rescue her, but rather imprison her with the Elements of the Dark Side.
"What happened?" Night Streak asked, his head throbbing from an aching fight. He woke Light Gazer and Shooting Star up, and the three Shadowbolts saw Nightmare Moon being pulled apart by the Elements of Harmony and the Dark Side.
"You think it's a good idea to disrupt this kind of thing?" Light Gazer asked as he placed his hoof on Night Streak's shoulder.
"It'll be fine. You wanna save your queen or not?" Night Streak asked as Light Gazer conceded and followed his fellow Shadowbolt into battle. Maul saw the two pegasi charging at them, but as they were, two bolts of red lightning lunged from Maul's armor and into Night Streak and Light Gazer, rendering Night Streak unconscious, while incinerating Light Gazer.
"That's what you get for surviving the first time around," Maul muttered, as he returned his attention to Nightmare Moon and the Mane 6. Shooting Star was shocked by Light Gazer's disintegration, and grabbed Night Streak's body and escaped the battle to prevent any more casualties.
Maul concentrated his use of the Elements of the Dark Side to his fullest potential, clashing with the magic of the Elements of Harmony, causing a massive explosion blowing the entire palace to the ground, and stunning everyone.
"Did we get her?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight, as the six friends saw an unconscious blue mare with horns and wings, like Nightmare Moon, except looking less evil than before. Twilight and her friends examined her up closely, as the mare got up and felt like she slept forever.
"Where am I?" the recovering blue alicorn asked as she was surrounded by Twilight and her friends.
"Princess Luna? Is that you?" Twilight asked, assisting the alicorn on her hooves. The other ponies were too busy admiring each other's necklaces with the Elements of Harmony resembling their cutie marks to help Twilight out with Luna. Luna's head pounded like a drum, as she was still recovering from such a magical blast.
"Oh, I can't wait to tell Princess Celestia what happened," Twilight smiled with Princess Luna finally recovering.
"No need Twilight," Luna explained, as she pointed her hoof behind Twilight. Twilight turned around and saw a larger white alicorn with a blue, green, and violet mane, and golden armor.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed, bowing her head in front of the princess. Twilight's friends trembled before Celestia and bowed along with Twilight.
"There is no need to bow, Twilight. You were the one who saved Equestria after all," Princess Celestia explained, as Twilight and her friends slowly got up from bowing. Celestia walked past Twilight to speak with her sister.
"Are you okay, Luna?" Celestia asked. Luna walked closer to her sister and lunged in for a hug.
"I am now, thanks to your student. At least Nightmare Moon is gone," Luna explained, tears trickling down her eyes with a loving smile to go along with it. The princess' moment would be cut short, after a dark and sinister chuckle filled the room.
Maul walked into the light filled room, almost darkening it with his presence. The armor he once wore was gone, instead replaced by a satchel containing the Elements of the Dark Side. His wooden legs have been replaced by metallic ones, the same color as the armor he sported, and in his hoof, he held a crystal ball, which was filled with the dark of the night.
"I wouldn't necessarily say she's gone." Maul taunted, showing the eight mares the crystal ball. Luna glared inside it, and cannot believe what she saw.
"Luna! Help! I'm sorry!" A voice from inside the crystal ball cried out. Luna gasped, then almost trembled at Maul's feat.
"It's one thing to preserve Nightmare Moon, but as your prisoner?" Luna asked. Rarity and Fluttershy gasped, as Rainbow Dash and Applejack started backing away from Maul, as Pinkie Pie jumped to hide behind Twilight.
"Well...If you're going to keep her prisoner, then I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be friends," Twilight stuttered, stretching her hoof out, expecting Maul to shake it.
"You do have a point, Twilight. I really should thank you," Maul said, putting the crystal ball in his satchel, declining Twilight's hoofshake.
"Because thanks to you, Equestria has a bigger threat to face. Bigger than Nightmare Moon. And let me tell you, you were a fool to trust him," Maul explained. Applejack gasped and ran at Maul in a fit of rage.
"Why you no good..." Applejack muttered, attempting to kick Maul in the face with her hind legs, but was caught as Maul picked her up by her legs and tossed her into a nearby wall, knocking Applejack unconscious.
"But...but we trusted you," Fluttershy exclaimed, almost tearing up.
"That was your mistake. And now that we've taken care of Nightmare Moon, I declare our little truce over," Maul snarled. Celestia had enough of Maul's cynical attitude.
"Maul, it doesn't have to be this way. Stand down, and we can..." Celestia explained, before Maul hoisted her into the air by her neck. Celestia grasped it, trying to get some sort of invisible arm off of her, though she was unsuccessful.
"I'm no longer just Maul. I require a title now, and I have no other choice but to reclaim my old title. The title of Darth." Maul said as he smiled sinisterly at his new enemies. Twilight growled and aimed a blast of purple energy at Darth Maul, causing the ground beneath him to explode and to drop Princess Celestia. The smoke, rubble, and debris, however, gave Darth Maul his chance of escape, and no trace as to where the self-anointed Sith Lord went.
"Well, that could have gone better." Rainbow Dash explained as she flew over to Twilight.
"I agree." Rarity said, mending to Celestia, while Fluttershy mended Applejack.
"You think we'll ever see him again?" Pinkie asked Twilight, looking onward into the distance.
"You know what girls? I think we will. And when we do, we'll be ready for him," Twilight explained. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash smiled, causing everyone else to regain their confidence.
Meanwhile, Darth Maul trekked through the Everfree Forest, back through the adventure he's had. Unlike before, however, the sun was shining, and lighting Maul's way back to where he first found himself, the old abandoned cabin he found himself at.
"What use have you for this old place?" Nightmare Moon asked Maul through the crystal ball. Maul lifted his front hoof as if he was aiming it at the door.
"I need a base of operations, do I not?" Maul explained as he concentrated on the full extent of his connection to the Dark Side of the Force. Suddenly, large trees were pulled out of the ground behind Maul. As the trees floated around the new Dark Lord, Nightmare Moon's crystal ball started glowing a deep blue, causing her to scream out in pain. The trees started glowing the same shade of blue, and in a flash of light, the logs turned into multiple planks of wood. Darth Maul then repaired the old broken home with his dark power.
As Darth Maul finished, he collapsed onto the ground, exhausted by his hard work, but proud of it. Maul stepped inside and toured his new abode. Granted, it did look like a normal home, Maul could fix that up sometime he went into Town. Maul pondered about his new life in Equestria. Would Maul fail once more to obtain his vision of power, or would he actually succeed, as he did on Mandalore? Maul pondered about this. There was no Death Watch, no criminal gangs, and no Savage to help him out this time.
"Mourning your brother again?" the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi called out to Maul, who continued contemplating his life and plotting his next scheme.
"Of course not, Kenobi," Maul explained, as he placed the crystal ball of Nightmare Moon on a pedestal. Kenobi simply shook his head.
"Of course not," Kenobi repeated with a smirk.
"What is it this time?" Maul asked his hallucination.
"I just came to say that you should probably check the mail," Kenobi said as he left Maul's view. Maul, continuing his tour around his new house, gained confidence that his schemes of power would actually come into fruition like before. Before he could begin, however, the doorbell rang, as Maul looked outside the door. Maul saw a gray pegasus with a crooked view and bubble tattoos on her rear.
"I got some mail for a Darth Mail." the pegasus explained, handing a package to Maul.
"It's Maul, not Mail. Now please leave," Maul ordered as he took the package. The pegasus flew off as Maul closed the door and opened his package, revealing a brilliant black cloak, blending in with the night. Darth Maul put the cloak on and felt invisible. Maul smiled sinisterly at his new fortune.
"I have a good feeling about this," Darth Maul said, raising the hood of the cloak, and heading off into the town of Ponyville for the first time, where they'd least expect him.
Darth Maul awoke on a desolate battlefield. Many sentient species lay dead around him, and those alive were severely wounded and dropped dead in front of the Sith Lord. Maul toured what seemed to be a battleground, and found many of the dead bodies to be that of Jedi. As satisfied as Maul was to find his enemies laid beaten, it does not look like they were killed by Sith. Maul turned one of the bodies over, a twi'lek female, and found puncture wounds in the chest, as well as bites around the body, and a green poison oozing from the wounds. Maul could not recognize a weapon that would be able to do this.
Suddenly, without warning, Maul felt a snake-like beast bite down on his back. Maul did not sense anything attacking, and his guard was left down. Darth Maul turned around and found the strange viper slither back into the arms of an armored warrior with near pale skin and bony black armor. The warrior gripped the serpent, as it turned into a spear in his hands. Maul reached for his lightsaber and struck at the Warrior, who parried with his spear and knocked Maul back. Maul could not believe his eyes; the weapon was lightsaber proof! And worse, a poison from the snake sickened his mind and made him weaker.
"We're coming, Maul." The warrior announced before impaling the Sith Lord with his spear! Maul screamed as he woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. He checked his chest and found his hands were now hooves, remembering that he remained in the mysterious land of Equestria still. The Dark Lord realized that it was just a dream he had. And knowing the Jedi and Sith, Maul found it wise to consider dreams like this visions of the future, though he didn't know what to expect. Maul checked his bedside clock, which read as 4:37 AM, and got up from his humble bedroom and went inside his bathroom to wash his face, before hearing a voice from downstairs.
"Had another nightmare, didn't you?" Nightmare Moon asked as Maul went downstairs to speak with her.
"Well, to put it shortly, yes," Darth Maul answered as he looked outside his living room window as if checking for intruders. Maul knew nobody knew where to find him, but he also knew it would be safe to check. Maul sighed and lied down on the couch, his head throbbing from a lack of sleep. It has been almost a full year since Maul arrived in Equestria and used the mysterious Elements of the Dark Side to reclaim his title of Darth, and Maul set up a vineyard and is currently setting up a business as a Grape Juice Vendor.
"How go your grapes, Maul?" Nightmare Moon taunted as she cackled within her crystal ball.
"As a matter of fact, they are going very well. I have made plenty of bottles of grape juice, but I can't seem to find the perfect opportunity to sell them," Maul explained as he checked another room of his humble house and checked the large wooden crates within the room, each crate containing his grape juice. Maul took pride in his work, as he was the only one working on it.
"Oh well. I say you should finish your rest," Nightmare Moon advised as Maul turned off his house lights once more and headed off to bed again. That morning, Darth Maul brushed himself off and got ready for the day, only going outside and heading into town for food or mail. And Maul got some interesting mail that morning. Maul looked inside an envelope and found a large golden ticket, with a letter.
Dear Future Businesspony, I am pleased to inform you that your product has been accepted by the vendor. However, I am afraid we do not have time to test it this late, what with the Grand Galloping Galla and whatnot. So, to compensate, I am inviting you to the Grand Galloping Galla (ticket included with this letter) and you shall begin selling your product there before you have your own booth. I would hurry though, as the Gala is tonight. We shall come by to pick you up, and we hope to see you soon. Signed, the Royal Court
"Oh dear. I should probably get ready," Darth Maul said as he carried a couple of his grape juice boxes outside his front door and rushed to grab his black clock, attempting to obscure his face. He frantically snatched the cloak off of a hangar but stopped when he saw Obi-Wan Kenobi in front of him, though he wasn't really there.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Obi-Wan asked as Maul decided to calm down.
"Well, I just got invited to a big event, which will sell my grape juice, and start up my own business," Maul explained as he hung the cloak around his neck and draped the hood over his face.
"I don't know who you're talking to Maul, but I don't think a cloak would fit the bill," Nightmare Moon explained as Maul and Kenobi looked at each other.
"And just what do you mean by that?" Maul asked as he walked over to her crystal ball.
"I'm no fashionista, but I do think you could use a makeover," Nightmare Moon explained, invoking Maul's wrath before Kenobi stopped him.
"She's actually right, Maul. It's best if you adopt a second persona to hide your current persona," Obi-Wan explained. Darth Maul nodded and searched for anything to help disguise him, unfortunately failing to do so. Maul sighed and reluctantly readied the cloak anyway until he heard a knock on his door. Maul carefully opened the door, obscuring his face so he wouldn't be seen, and checked to see who it was.
"Package from a 'Mr. Mual'." The cross-eyes mail pony said, before dropping a crooked package and flying off in a crooked fashion. Maul opened the package and found a neatly tidy blonde wig, some red makeup, colored contact lenses, and a white necktie.
"What a neatly convenient package I got," Maul commented, raising his eyebrows at his strange luck. Either fate was being kind to Maul, or it was drunk.
"I would rather be thankful for the conveniences, rather than question them," Obi-Wan commented, as Maul headed into his bathroom and applied his new disguise. The door opened a few minutes later and revealed a handsome stallion with a ruby red coat, blonde mane, and emerald green eyes. The cloak remained the same, except Maul decided not to wear the hood and the neck was decorated with the tie. Maul looked at himself and believed he would blend in perfectly.
"Umm, excuse me? We're here to pick you up!" a voice from outside the door called out as knocking was also heard on the door, as Maul realized it was time for him to go. He hurried as he grabbed his ticket and calmly walked out the door, blending in with the gentleponies that he would soon meet.
"Yes, hello. Thank you for picking me up," Maul said as he saw his grape juice boxes being hauled onto a cart carried by two pegasus royal guards.
"Splendid! My name is Jeeves, and I am in charge of your escort," the pony explained. Jeeves was rather skinny, wore a red suit and a white tie, and half of his face was obscured by a large white mustache.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Drake Mandarin, by the way. You have no idea how much this means to me," Maul lied through his fake-white teeth.
"Oh, splendid! Don't mention it, Mr. Mandarin. All the ponies would be delighted to see what you have to offer," Jeeves explained, as all the ponies around smiled.
"Indeed," Maul commented as he hopped onto the cart with Jeeves and the four ponies flew off to Canterlot for the ever anticipated Grand Galloping Galla.
The chariot glided graciously in front of Canterlot Palace, where the Gala was to be held and landed beautifully with the rest of the chariots dropping off their guests. Out of the chariot came Jeeves and Darth Maul as the two "gentle-ponies" entered the large castle and dazzled Maul with bright lights that rivaled the dark of the night.
"It truly is a sight, isn't it, Mr. Mandarin?" Jeeves asked the disguised Maul.
"Indeed," Maul commented, though not for the same reasons. A couple of ponies followed Jeeves and Maul to a large, and beautifully decorated table, where Maul was to serve his products to other guests.
"Oh, Thank you for your assistance," Maul said to the pony helpers, as they unboxed the grape juice bottles and placed them on the table, one bottle at a time.
"Right, everything is all set. The only thing left to say is to wait for the other guests to arrive, and enjoy the Galla." Jeeves explained as he and his assistance ponies left Maul to his table.
"Very well then," Maul grinned as he sat by his table and waited. The minutes ticked by, and Maul flashed back to his Sith Apprentice days.
"You heard me very clearly, Maul. I said wait, and that is what you are going to do," Darth Sidious explained, pointed his cloaked finger on the younger Zabarak.
"But Master..." Maul protested, "I'm afraid I cannot wait any longer. There is a small group of Jedi I could kill, just outside the outer rim, and when the Jedi find them dead, they'll believe it was the work of the Hutts," Maul said, scheming his latest scheme.
"And what will you do when the Jedi find out it wasn't the Hutts?" Sidious asked. Maul stared back, struggling to think of a follow-up move to if that were to happen. Alas, nothing came out.
"I understand your blood-thirst. Many Sith before you have felt the same way, yet they all learned to rely on patience, or else they'd all be exposed." Sidious scolded at his apprentice.
"However, if you are that bloodthirsty, there is a group of smugglers that could use some elimination," Sidious said, revealing a hologram of the galaxy, with a red dot in the Outer Rim.
"Very well, my master," Maul said, taking a bow and heading off to execute some criminals.
"Ah, excuse me?" A voice called out from beside Maul.
"Hmm? Yes?" Maul asked, turning his head and finding a face he thought he wouldn't find in a place like this; Applejack.
"How much for one bottle?" Applejack asked Maul, as Maul re-arranged his disguise making sure it wouldn't come off.
"That seems a bit expensive, isn't it?" Applejack asked
"Well, yes. But if I'm to start a company to make more of these, they might have to be at a high price to start off," Maul explained.
"Ah, I see. Well, I'll be sure to see your company around." Applejack said, buying a bottle from Maul and turning around to go back to her stand of selling Apple Pies. Maul looked around to see if any of Applejack's friends had arrived as well. It's clear he flashed back for a bit. As Maul regained concentration on selling his drinks, his attention, as well as everypony else's attention was turned to a pony trying to pull off incredibly absurd dance moves.
"It's all I ever...dreamed?" Pinkie Pie said, attempting to dance, though everyone stared in disgust and confusion. With the exception of Maul. Even though Pinkie Pie was considered an enemy by Maul, he couldn't help but feel amused. And why couldn't he? Pinkie made herself look more like an idiot than Maul thought she'd be. Maul chuckled to himself as groups of glamorous ponies lined up to buy samples of Maul's drink.
As Maul sold drink after drink, Maul whistled the time away, sitting back in his chair, and daydreamed about his future company, and how he plotted to use the company to fund an army large enough to conquer Equestria. His daydreaming, however, was stopped when yet another familiar mare ran into Maul.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I thought you were a rare type of bird. My..My mistake," Fluttershy muttered embarrassed, as she exited the large regal room. Before Maul could comprehend how his new enemies are even here, another one of the mares came to Maul's stand for a drink.
"Pardon me if I seem rude, but you seem familiar. Have we met by any chance?" Rarity asked as a stallion stood by her side.
"Oh no. I can see where you'd make the mistake though," Maul lied as he chuckled. Rarity handed Maul the fifteen bits and gave Rarity and her companion a bottle of his drink. Rarity and his companion headed to none other than Twilight Sparkle, after the two sampled the drink.
"Twilight, darling, you simply have to try out this new grape juice this one pony is selling. It's practically criminal." Rarity commented as Twilight walked over to Maul's stand.
"Hey, may I have one?" Twilight asked Maul, as Maul looked in his box and found the last bottle in his stock.
"Fifteen bits, please. You're lucky to get the last one," Maul said as he passed the bottle after receiving his money. Now that the Sith Lord was 100% sold out, he had everything he needed to pave the road for Maul's rise.
"Thanks. I feel like me and my friends haven't been having the time we've been expecting," Twilight vented to Maul, before leaving and returning to Princess Celestia, whom she had been with for the whole night. With no bottles of grape juice to sell, Maul felt it was time to sit back, relax, and...
"Hello there," Obi-Wan Kenobi said, interrupting Maul's peace and quiet.
"Kenobi. I hope you're not here to make me look crazy. I've just sold out of my products," Maul acknowledged as he cleaned his table up and bagged his money.
"There is something I found that you should see," The Kenobi Hallucination informed Maul.
"How can you find anything, anyways? You're a figment of my imagination teetering on the brink of actual life," Maul insulted, keeping quiet about his secrets.
"Did you forget how to trust the Force?" Kenobi asked. Maul sighed.
"No," Maul said, snarling at the ghost in his mind.
"Then come with me," Kenobi said, leading Maul outside of the castle, and into a hedge maze. In there, Maul managed to find the center and find a large statue of an unidentifiable creature. As far as Maul could tell, it had a horse head, a lizard body, mismatched legs, arms, and horns. Maul sensed the statue had some sort of connection to reality as if it were alive. Maul and Kenobi examined the statue further.
"I sense...a connection," Maul commented as he touched the snout of the statue.
"A connection to what?" Obi-Wan asked.
"The Elements. Not just the Elements of Harmony, but to the Elements of the Dark Side," Maul explained. Maybe whatever this statue is could help Darth Maul figure out what the Elements of the Dark Side could do, even though he used them before. Maul continued examining the statue until he was confronted by a couple of stallions in golden armor.
"Excuse me, sir? You're not allowed to be in here." One of the stallions explained.
"Oh. My apologies. I just needed a breath of fresh air, and I got lost." Maul fibbed, as the guards breathed a sigh of disappointment.
"This way, sir," The other pony said, as they escorted Maul back inside the palace, where they found a huge mess everywhere, much to the surprise of everypony, including on the inside. the room was covered in mud and pie. And in the center of all this chaos was none other than Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Everyone stood in shock and disbelief.
"Well, I certainly had an eventful evening. Now, I think it's time the Galla was over and we left these menaces be," Maul said, gaining the attention of all the ponies there. Most of them nodded and followed Maul out the door as they all headed home. Those who didn't were in complete shock.
"Who's he to call us 'Menaces'?" Rainbow Dash yelled, as the other 5 ponies, as well as Princess Celestia, were either filled with rage, or pain.
"Well, that certainly wasn't nice of him. Well, I apologize for not having this night live up to your expectations," Princess Celestia commented.
"It was just plain bad before, but now that...that..." Fluttershy tried to explain, before collapsing into tears.
A few minutes later, the seven mares sat down and had sandwiches together, in an attempt to make it up for the horrible night that had just occurred.
"Anybody find it odd that the stallion who called us 'menaces' was the same one selling us the grape juice?" Twilight pondered.
"Twilight, it doesn't do a pony good to dwell on bad memories," Princess Celestia commented.
"Actually, now that you mention it, he did look familiar," Rarity replied.
"And I think I recall the guy talking to no one before heading outside," Rainbow Dash pondered along with her friends.
"I'm calling it now. That guy's Darth Maul!" Pinkie Pie explained, slamming the table. The other ponies looked at each other and laughed in response to Pinkie's claim.
"No wonder you're the Element of Laughter," Rarity said, laughing so hard, tears were coming out. The only two who weren't laughing were Pinkie and Celestia.
"I'll...keep that possibility in mind," Celestia remarked, returning to her sandwich. Everyone then all had a good laugh and returned to their sandwiches.
Maul returned to his hidden little home after the disastrous gala, and in turn the humiliation of the Main 6. Dark Thoughts swirled his head like a whirlwind.
"Welcome Back, Maul," Nightmare Moon remarked through her crystal ball.
"Hello again, Nightmare Moon," Maul responded.
"How was the gala?" The imprisoned Mare asked
"Oh, it was splendid. The food was fine, the customers were gullible, and the entertainment was astounding," Maul exclaimed, dancing around as if mocking his enemies from afar.
"Wait. The gala doesn't usually have entertainment," Nightmare Moon pointed out.
"Except when someone humiliates themselves," Maul commented as he removed the disguise of Drake Mandarin.
"I see your point." Nightmare Moon said, chuckling to herself.
"Though, if I am being honest, there was something that I found that does make me feel curious," Maul said.
"And what would that be?" Nightmare Moon asked the Sith Lord.
"A statue of a monstrous creature, mostly with mismatched limbs." Maul described, causing Nightmare Moon to gasp under her breath. Maul sighed at her expression.
"You know what the statue is, don't you?" Maul asked.
"I'm afraid I do. In my time with Luna, she and Celestia fought a powerful demon capable of altering reality to his every whim, mostly for his own childish pleasure. Luna and Celestia both used the Elements of Harmony to transform this monster into a stone statue. If I were Luna, I would have smashed that statue to bits." Nightmare Moon explained to Maul.
"I see. Though, you forgot to give me the name of this beast." Maul commented.
"Discord is his name. He is the master and entity of Chaos. And I feel his magic may be too much for you," Nightmare Moon answered as Maul looked over to his Elements of the Dark Side, then back over to Nightmare Moon.
"If that's the case, I sense this Discord will be making a return," Maul explained, stroking his chin and planning.
"I figured that would be the case. Since Luna and I were banished to the moon for a thousand years, I figured Celestia's connection to the Elements must have diminished," Nightmare Moon theorized as Maul continued scheming.
"And now I have to ask. If Discord's return is inevitable, what is our next move?" Maul asked as Nightmare Moon pondered with the Dark Warrior.
The night grew long as Maul meditated heavily in the near future. The Dark Side surrounded Maul, giving him the strength he needed for a coming battle. During this trance, he saw visions. Visions of pure, unbridled chaos. Not of fire spanning across star systems as the galaxy descended to war, but rather just of childish randomness. Just like the kind Nightmare Moon described. Maul's visions focused on the statue he discovered at the gala, but rather glowing cracks of light started webbing around the rock and shattering the statue. Maul expected to see the Statue simply destroyed, but rather met face to face with chaos itself. His long snake-like body slithering around after so long. Maul looked into the yellow and red eyes, similar to that of a Sith Lord, causing a shock so strong it broke Maul out of his trance.
"Had a nightmare once more, my lord?" The apparition resembling Obi-Wan Kenobi asked as Maul snarled at the mirage.
"More like a vision, really. This Discord entity is coming quicker than anyone would anticipate. I need to prepare," Maul explained as the Kenobi mirage simply nodded.
"And just how do you plan on doing that?" Kenobi asked as he turned toward his Elements of the Dark Side, which he kept locked away in case of emergency, but still never truly understood. Just four red crystals sitting away locked inside of a wooden crate. Maul picked up one of the crystals and slowly examined them. He had no idea what they truly were. Of course, he understood the Sith philosophy enough to form a bond with his elements, but he didn't understand Equestrian Magic enough to understand the crystals themselves.
"I'm...not sure. Perhaps the enemy could provide some answers for me," Darth Maul answered as he began to scheme. If he truly is to understand the Elements of the Dark Side from an Equestrian perspective, he'd need an expert. And there's only one pony who came to Maul's mind in order to figure this out. Maul turned to his crystal ball imprisoning Nightmare Moon and pondered what she knew of these long-lost relics. But considering how little Nightmare Moon truly knew about these Sith Elements, Maul doubted that she'd have any answers, no matter how many times he asked. The only other pony with the intellect enough to figure out Darth Maul's Elements of the Dark Side would have to be the same pony who was able to figure out its more Harmonic counterpart.
"Perhaps...Twilight would have the answers I seek," Maul pondered as he snagged his black cloak and headed out into the night.
It was a dark and windy night at the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight laid fast asleep after an exhausting week thanks to the unfortunate events at the Gala and overworking herself on her magic once again afterward. Although the wind would be strong enough to shock Twilight awake. And shock her it did, as the winds blasted the window's open, causing Twilight and Spike to jump.
"What the blazes?" Spike asked, rubbing his eye.
"It's just the wind, Spike. Funny thing though. I don't remember the Weather Station scheduling a strong wind tonight," Twilight said, calming herself down as she closed the window and tucked herself back into bed as she felt herself drift off to sleep once more. However, it would be harder than anticipated as Twilight felt a cold breeze rush up her spine. She reached for her blanket but found the whole thing has been pulled from her bed. She looked up at her bare bed and saw a darkened silhouette with bright yellow eyes staring down at her. Twilight gasped as she lit her horn, revealing Darth Maul breaking into her bedroom. Spike woke up from Twilight's brightened horn and was in just as much shock to find Maul in there with them!
"Maul!? What are you--!?!?" Twilight asked as Maul snarled at the two of them as he usually does.
"You two are coming with me!!" Maul declared as Twilight and Spike let out a horrific shriek as Maul, Twilight, and Spike seemingly vanished from thin air, leaving only the windows open.
Twilight struggled to break free from whatever was holding her. Her heart raced and panicked as a bag covered her head and a thick rope bound her and Spike to a tree. The villainous figure of Darth Maul watched the unicorn and her dragon companion struggle to free themselves from the bonds he created, as Maul yanked the bags off of Twilight and Spike's heads, giving them a breath of fresh air.
"Remind me to use more mouthwash," Twilight said, now that her head was free. Twilight looked around and examined her surroundings. She found herself and Spike tied to a tree at the edge of the Everfree Forest with Darth Maul watching them struggle.
"We meet again, Twilight...Sparkle, was it?" Maul taunted as Twilight scoffed at Maul's attempt at an entrance.
"Oh, I am definitely not glad to see you again," Twilight remarked.
"Twilight, what's going on? Who is this guy!?" Spike begged Twilight to answer, fearing for the worst. Twilight remembered Spike never really met Maul during their race against Nightmare Moon.
"Clearly, our little truce against Nightmare Moon meant nothing to you, did it Twilight?" Maul asked as Twilight was baffled by his words.
"You were the one who stabbed us in the back! You're the one it meant nothing to!" Twilight bellowed as Maul snickered with pride at the reminder.
"Ah, yes. As is the way of the Sith, of course," Maul said, warning her not to underestimate what he was capable of.
"Quit it with the Sith talk! What do you want!?" Twilight asked as she figured Maul must want something from her if he was to kidnap her and Spike. Maul pulled out his four red Elemental crystals and displayed them to Twilight.
"What do you know of these Elements of the Dark Side?" Darth Maul asked as Twilight stared back at Maul with a sense of bewilderment towards his rock collection.
"I'm...sorry? I'm afraid I've never really heard of them until you discovered them," Twilight confessed, much to Maul's rage and disappointment.
"Don't take it personally if I don't believe you. Simply put, you must know something. If you knew something about your Elements of Harmony, then you must know something about my Elements of the Dark Side," Maul said, failing to hide his seething rage from his two prisoners.
"I'm telling you, I don't know anything!" Twilight argued back, making it much harder for Maul to control himself. Spike struggled to break free so he could help Twilight, but the bonds were simply too tight for the baby dragon to break through. Though there was something Maul mentioned that sounded familiar.
"If you won't talk willingly, then I'll make you talk," Maul settled for as he reached out and aimed his hoof at Twilight's face. Twilight was unsure as to what the Sith Lord was doing until she felt Maul's influence breaking into her mind as if a shadowy monster was slowly eating her brain from the inside out for the information it needed. Twilight screamed in pain at this sensation, scaring Spike more and more. Maul broke his way into Twilight's mind in search of knowledge of the Elements of the Dark Side, torturing Twilight's poor psyche more than it's hurting now. As Twilight let out another shriek in pain, Spike was the one who decided to break.
"Okay, I'll tell you!" Spike finally said as Maul halted his assault on Twilight's mind. Twilight no longer cried in pain, but still hurt from what just happened, as a few trickles of tears fell from Twilight's face. Maul, however, felt no remorse for his psychic torture and turned to face Spike, who shivered at the sight of Maul.
"You know something about these?" Maul asked Spike in disbelief. Spike gathered the courage to nod as Maul finally got a hold of his seething anger.
"I...I think I do. You said they were the Elements of the Dark Side, right? I think I might have found a book in Twilight's Library that could help," Spike answered as Maul felt like he was on the trail he needed to be. As Maul cut the ropes, letting Spike tend to Twilight's aching head, Maul watched on as he felt something he did not expect from Twilight and the dragon: envy.
"You know, I didn't think green would be your color, but your jealousy is starting to turn you that color," The nagging hallucination of Obi-Wan butted it, much to Maul's annoyance.
"I want your silence, Kenobi. What is it they have that I want?" Maul asked as Kenobi's sarcasm quickly turned to sympathy.
"As I said before, I've been to your village before. I know the choice to turn to the Dark Side wasn't yours. The Sith took you from your family," Kenobi lectured. Maul's mind flashed back to when he had the real Kenobi in his clutches and used those words against him. As much as he hated to admit it, he did have a point.
"But now, now that your former master isn't here, you do have a choice to renounce the Sith and build up what you once lost," Obi-Wan advised. And, for once, Maul actually considered the possibility of turning away from the Dark Side. But there would be nothing for him without it. Such a choice for him would only lead to disaster.
"No. I'll find my own way," Maul said, staying true to the Dark Side, and disappointing the imaginary Kenobi. Maul then turned his attention to Twilight and Spike, leading him back to the Golden Oak library in the dead of night, to get the answers he seeks. As Spike scoured the thousands of books he and Twilight reorganized time and again, Twilight turned to face Maul.
"Why do you need to know about your Elements of the Dark Side so much? I thought you already know everything there is to know," Twilight said as Maul turned to Twilight.
"I know everything there is to know about the Dark Side of the Force and the ways of the Sith. But not in the form of these four crystals, similar to your four crystals," Maul answered as Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"Where did you get four from? We have six Elements of Harmony," Twilight corrected Maul as the Sith Lord simply rolled his eyes.
"Whatever the case may be, I need to know as much as possible for the coming battle. If you knew what I felt, you'd want to prepare your Elements of Harmony as well," Maul explained, intriguing Twilight further.
"Wait. Coming battle? Who is coming?" Twilight asked.
"What do you know about the Entity of Chaos known as Discord?" Maul asked to answer Twilight's question. Twilight's answer would be brought to an abrupt halt as Spike came dashing to Maul with the book he had read involving Maul's Dark Side Elements. Maul took a peek at the book Spike had given him. It had a rusty-red cover adorned with silver along the edges and decorated with golden patterns much similar to a golden flower. The book was titled "Secrets of the Unknown", which was enough to capture Darth Maul's fancy already. Maul decided not to wait any longer and look through this newfound knowledge. Within these pages laid fascinating tales of strange heroes, bizarre villains, and dangerous relics, all thought to be myth even among the status of myths. Among the many tales Maul had found in the book, he found what he had been looking for.
"Ah, here we go. The tale of the Dark Elements," Maul read, satisfied at his findings. And what he would find would only strengthen that satisfaction.
The story began when a strange warlock, a Changeling King calling himself Darth Strayn, threatened to conquer Equestria. And the weapon he threatened to conquer Equestria with was the Elements of the Dark Side. Strayn used his Dark Elements to lay waste to Equestria and build himself a changeling hive within the heart of Canterlot. The Dark Elements made Darth Strayn extremely powerful, even for a Changeling, as according to legend, the wielder of the Dark Side elements could warp the very fabric of reality. One day, the Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna, challenged Darth Strayn with the Elements of Harmony to combat the Elements of the Dark Side, but the Dark Elements shielded Strayn from the Elements of Harmony and helped him best Celestia and Luna. However, even the most powerful weapon at his hoof tips, Strayn was weak to his own ego. Celestia and Luna then revealed their trap, and a strange hero with the wings of a phoenix was able to strip Darth Strayn of his Elements of the Dark Side, allowing Celestia and Luna to finally trap him. Legends say that the Elements of the Dark Side lay there still in their old castle to this very day.
"Warp the very fabric of reality?" Maul asked himself in disbelief as Twilight and Spike simply listened to Maul read the story out loud.
"That doesn't sound too good, if you ask either of us," Twilight confessed, knowing Maul could theoretically reshape Equestria as he pleased.
"Wait, so there were these Sith Lord guys here before? From the very beginning?" Spike asked as Maul pondered this to himself.
"It appears so," Maul replied.
"So...what happens now?" Twilight asked as Maul looked at his two hostages.
"I think I'll check this book out some more. You two warn your friends of the coming battle," Maul instructed as Twilight simply looked at Spike.
"So...it's a truce?" Twilight asked as Maul snarled at Twilight's use of the word, scaring poor Spike.
"Right. Not a truce. Gotcha," Twilight responded as Maul scoffed at her smug face and left the library, leaving himself to plot how to take care of Discord, and later Twilight, Celestia, and any later enemies.
It had been an uneasy morning for Twilight. After not only learning of Discord's potential return but of Maul's newfound limitless potential, it would be best to warn everypony of the coming storm of chaos headed their way. But she did not know how to explain what she had learned. And how to best deal with the threat. So she sat there, in her room, pacing and planning her attack on Discord and Maul, and tried her best to account for every scenario.
"Twilight? Are you in there?" Fluttershy asked as Spike let her in to check on her. Planning to save the world from two clashing incoming threats meant less time for friends, unfortunately, and Twilight put a lot of time into planning to save the world.
"Ah, Fluttershy. Just the pony I was looking for," Twilight said, covered in red strings as her eye twitched, unsettling Fluttershy. Fluttershy and Spike looked into her room and found maps, notes, and red yarn strewn all over the place like a spider's web. The longer Spike and Fluttershy looked into it, the more sorry they began to feel for Twilight.
"Spike said you were very worried about something and that you haven't come out of your room all day. I just wanted to check to see if everything is all right," Fluttershy said as Twilight shrugged aside her friend's kindness in favor of her own goals.
"Well, I will be all right, if the next few days go according to plan!" Twilight said, with an almost crazed grin. Then, without warning, Spike got out a spray bottle full of water and splashed Twilight in the mane.
"Twilight, this is for your own good. Just...take a break, and I'll take care of the rest," Spike said as Twilight grew more and more concerned by the second. The ever-looming threat Darth Maul possessed still haunted Twilight. Twilight took a deep breath and got some of the red string out of her mane.
"I understand why you're doing this, but I can't afford to take a break when there are two looming threats heading our way," Twilight said as Spike shook his head.
"That's why you got friends who have your back. There may be two threats coming this way, but there are still plenty of us who stand in their way. We're unstoppable when we have each other's backs," Spike reminded Twilight as she embraced the little dragon in a small hug.
"Thanks, Spike. I really needed that," Twilight said as she finally calmed down and left the room with Fluttershy leaving Spike to take care of Twilight's notes and write a message to Celestia informing her of what they had learned. Among Twilight's notes on Chaos Magic and its effects, Draconequese and their mastery over chaos magic, and strategies on how to best both Discord and Darth Maul, all webbed together in a mess of red string like a spider's nest, one large note sat in the center simply reading: "WHO IS DARTH STRAYN!?"
"And just what do you plan on doing again?" Nightmare Moon asked from within her crystal ball as Maul placed the four crystals in a diamond formation surrounding him as he sat quietly.
"I'm gonna contact Darth Strayn. If I can meditate on the Dark Side through the Elements, I should be able to contact the Element's creator," Maul explained as Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. Maul closed his eyes as he concentrated on his pain and hate. As he did, his mind flashed back to the duel of the fates, when he lost his legs to Obi-Wan Kenobi. And then to Mandalore, when he lost his brother pleaded with Palpatine for mercy, only to be met with the agonizing blue lightning that surged through and tortured his body. As the pain and anger reminded Maul of what he was still fighting for, Maul awoke in a deep dank swamp. The trees were blackened and burnt with not a leaf growing on them. The water was polluted and smelled very nasty, to say the least. And the only source of light, a relatively small lamp, came from up ahead with a small figure underneath the lamp. Maul trekked through the murky swamps to meet with the figure. The figure appeared to be a pony, but upon closer inspection was clearly not. He had a blackened burnt-colored exoskeleton with holes along his legs, mane, wings, and horn. His eyes were a burning yellow and red, much like Maul's own eyes.
"Ah, Darth Maul. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," The lone changeling said as Maul realized the creature's identity.
"You're Darth Strayn, aren't you?" Maul asked as the Sith Changeling smiled at the fellow Sith Lord's quick thinking.
"Quite the perceptive little Sith, aren't you?" Strayn acknowledged as Maul stood bewildered at his presence. He didn't present himself like any other Lord he had learned about from Sidious but rather sat humbled like a hermit.
"But you're not like any other species I've seen. Not in Equestria, at least. What are you?" Strayn asked.
"I am Maul, a Dathomirian Zabarak," Maul answered.
"Through the Dark Side, I have seen and learned many things. All of which proved...Enlightening," Strayn said, bowing his head in humility.
"I see..." Maul said, focusing on the task at hand.
"You created the Elements of the Dark Side, didn't you? Could you teach me how to use them? An ancient evil may be returning, and I want to be prepared to face him!" Maul requested, prompting a smirk from Strayn.
"I can...but I sense that's not the only thing you want," Strayn said. Maul sat back and watched as Strayn practically read him like a book.
"It's...these ponies. They stand between me and wanting to conquer Equestria for myself," Maul explained.
"Very well, can help. But first, you must tell me what resources you have. I need to know who I'm working with here," Strayn explained.
"I have...a prisoner, your elements which have restored my legs...and an annoying hallucination of my sworn enemy," Maul explained as Strayn was taken aback by that last part.
"Okay...Didn't need to learn that last part. But the Element you have can be used as a conduit to bring to Equestria, your Equestria, objects and life forms you wish for," Strayn explained as Maul pondered his meaning.
"So...what you're saying is that these Elements are a...kind of interdimensional portal device?" Maul asked as Strayn nodded.
"Yes, my friend. That's exactly what it is. In fact, if I were to take a guess, I'd say they're what brought you to Equestria in the first place," Strayn theorized, intriguing Maul.
"All you need to do is focus on what it is. Let's start with something small," Strayn instructed as Maul began to meditate. Maul concentrated on the Elements, feeling the power of the Dark Side flow through him like a raging tsunami. And through this dark power, he saw countless worlds, far vaster than his own and Equestria combined. As he focused on any random world, a large hunk of blue rock apparated outside of his hut in the physical world, startling Maul in the spiritual.
"What...was that?" Maul asked.
"I think you might have summoned a hunk of Energon. Not sure," Strayn answered.
"Not what I wanted," Maul snarled.
"If you're trying to get back to your home world, you need to focus solely on what or who you're going for. Otherwise, it'll pull anything at random." Strayn said, frustrating Maul further.
"No! You misunderstand. I was trying to pull something else," Maul explained, much to Strayn's surprise.
"Then...what else would you want?" Strayn asked.
"The Darksaber," Maul answered. Strayn looked at Maul with a hint of confusion.
"Eh...The Darksaber? You're gonna have to be just a tad bit more specific. I've seen plenty of lightsabers with black crystals in my time," Strayn said.
"A symbol uniting the people of Mandalore together. And last I knew, it belonged to me," Maul explained. As Maul described the importance of the Darksaber, an apparition formed between Maul and Strayn, showing the changeling Sith the Mandalorian Blade Maul sought to collect.
"Quite a unique design, I must say," Strayn said, before facing Maul. "But something tells me this won't be enough to face Discord,"
"No, it won't," Maul said. "But it's a start. I'll need an army to conquer with,"
"I believe I may help with that," Strayn responded, prompting Maul to face him.
"You can? How so?" Maul asked.
"That would spoil the surprise," Darth Strayn said. As Strayn gave Maul a quaint little smirk, Maul woke back up to the physical realm, leaving him to his own devices and the Elements of the Dark Side that lay right in front of him.
Meanwhile, far off into the Changeling Hive of Queen Chrysalis, a lone Changeling General by the name of Tarantula slept while his beloved Queen Chrysalis began to scheme to feed her hive an enormous amount of love from a very important wedding. And while the General slept, he heard a voice.
"Awaken, young one," a voice called out, startling Tarantula awake.
"Who--Who's there?" Tarantula asked, his vision blurred from sleep.
"A Changeling from a forgotten era. But you may call me 'Guide'," Darth Strayn introduced to the young general, as the ghostly apparition appeared in front of him.
Night fell on the peaceful city of Canterlot once again as Luna raised the Moon over the skies above. As she looked over at the sleeping city, very grateful to be free of her past as Nightmare Moon, Luna retired to her quarters. As she made her way to her room, she passed by Princess Celestia, frantically reading a letter sent to her by Twilight Sparkle.
"Oh no. Oh no no no no no no!" Celestia muttered to herself, scrolling from top to bottom seeing if a mistake was made.
"Sister? Is everything alright?" Luna asked. She never saw Celestia this terrified. Even when she was turned into Nightmare Moon, she wasn't this scared.
"Quite the opposite, Sister. If what I understand is correct, we have more to worry about than the Sith Lord Darth Maul," Celestia explained as Luna took a look at the letter herself.
"What are you talking about Sister?" Luna asked as she scrolled through it.
"Twilight believes that Discord is planning a return. And even Maul is worried about it," Celestia explained as Luna's eyes bulged out of their sockets reading the scroll.
"What? But how...? Even if Maul is planning to oppose Discord himself, we can't possibly hope to face them both at the same time. We're gonna need some old friends, Sister," Luna said, handing the scroll back over to Celestia. Celestia glanced once more at Luna and sighed.
"I have no choice but to agree, Luna," Celestia said as she pulled out some parchment and a pen and began writing a letter.
"You're writing to them, aren't you? The Pheonix?" Luna asked as Celestia sighed and continued writing.
"She helped us face off against the forces of Darth Strayn once before years ago. I have no doubt she'll gladly help our little Equestria once again," Celestia said as she finished writing her letter and sent it far off, into the stars and fading into nothing. Celestia sighed as she hoped the letter would reach their old ally.
Meanwhile, outside of the palace walls, in the garden labyrinth, the statue at the center began to crack and later animate. And in a big puff of ceramic dust, Discord had broken free. The Draconeques let out a big yawn and cracked his spine, hips, and limbs.
"Guess a thousand years would give you such a crick in the neck after all. Mr. Williams, you ain't lying," Discord muttered to himself as he continued stretching.
"You're out earlier than expected," A familiar voice called out. Discord's ears perked up as he looked around. He thought he was alone in the Labyrinth. He was supposed to be alone, at least. Then he turned around and found...Discord.
"Hello, Discord," The Other Discord introduced as Discord reoriented himself.
"My my. Twice the Discords, twice the fun," Discord said as he pondered the chaos the two of him could cause. The Other Discord pondered the idea with such delight before refocusing himself.
"As much as I'd love for that to be the case, you have...a bit of a problem. Your world's script has been tampered with!" Other Discord said as Discord scoffed at his variant's claim.
"Bah, the script! Who needs it when you can improvise?" Discord asked as Other Discord was more concerned about the situation.
"There's...another villain in this world. One who shouldn't be here. He's already captured Nightmare Moon and caused so much underground chaos, that I'm starting to think it set you free earlier than anticipated. And, forgive me for saying this, but I think his chaos would not mix well with yours," Other Discord explained as Discord's expression shifted from excitement to confusion.
"Wait. Someone who isn't supposed to be here? Wouldn't that make...I take it you have made a designation for this new universe?" Discord asked as Other Discord checked his notes.
"Until further notice, we have designated your universe as Equestria-501. And on behalf of all of your variants across the Multiverse, I ask that you take out this other villain before you begin your reign of chaos. If you don't take this guy as seriously as we do, we legitimately fear the worst," Other Discord warned as Discord scoffed.
"Or it could just be that I'm talking to the Scaredy-Cat Discord," Discord mocked as Other Discord flashed a glare of annoyance at his variant.
"If you keep talking like that, then none of us are going to help you take him down," Other Discord warned.
"I think I can take down one rogue competitor myself," Discord replied. Other Discord sighed a sigh of defeat and turned one last time to the clipboard he carried with him.
"If you insist, then you're on your own. Don't say I didn't warn you," Other Discord said, before snapping his fingers and returning to his home universe, leaving Discord of Equestria-501 by himself to find the villain.
Within the murky swamps of the Spirit Realm of the Dark Side, Maul and Strayn watched Discord's release through a viewport in the Force. Maul stroked his chin and pondered what he had learned from Discord's conversation with his variant.
"Equestria...501? Fascinating," Maul said as Strayn looked back at his new student.
"Indeed. Learn anything new from this?" Strayn asked, testing the Sith Lord.
"They mentioned...a script. Even for an entity of chaos, they followed a script. If I had not shown up and made Equestria-501, then what exactly was it Discord was supposed to do?" Maul asked as Strayn pondered Maul's query.
"Now that's a very good question, my friend. You're gonna need to tune in to the Dark Side and your elements to really see what's going on. Find the scripted timeline they mentioned, and learn how the series of events was supposed to go. Maybe we can use it to our advantage. And maybe we can change things up. The perks of building your own universe. One step at a time," Strayn instructed as Maul listened intently to his instruction. But Maul had to hurry, as Discord's freedom also meant that he didn't have a lot of time.
