> May You Walk On Warm Sands > by Foxbrony > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Beep* *beep* *beep* *bee- SMASH the blaring of the dime store alarm clock ending, shattered under the force of the blow of a furred appendage before it slithered back under the nest of blankets it came from. The figure in said blanket nest stirring from a restful sleep. "Stupid clock, that's the third one this month." The figure croaked his voice still groggy from sleep. Slowly getting up from his comfortable bed and stretching, his hands reaching for the ceiling with a satisfying series of pops along his back, lets out a sigh. He reached his behind him and gently grabbed the appendage growing the base of his spine, a blackish grey brush tail with a white tip, and gave a slight pull releasing the tension from the night before in a series of satisfying pops. Releasing his tail and giving it a quick flick the figure fumbles around the wall he until he finds a switch and flips it briefly wincing from the brightness from the light he trudged to the bathroom and shut the door with flip of his tail. Flipping the light switch on, the figure turns and faces a full body mirror revealing his appearance. Brown colored skin and long black hair braided into dreadlocks that reached down to the middle of his back, eyes still bleary from sleep open further to reveal silvery gray irises with a slit pupils not unlike a cat or fox. A slightly larger than normal nose in the middle of his face and opening his mouth in a jaw cracking yawn shows teeth made for an omnivore, grinding molars near the back and sharper pointed teeth near the front the canines being more pronounced than on a regular person tied everything together. Turning away from the mirror he finishes his bathroom routine and steps out shaking his tail of excess water and dresses for the day ahead. Coming down the stairs we see him wearing a uniform of sorts, a padded dark green flak jacket with an assortment of pouches placed about. Beneath that a long sleeve dark blue shirt covered his torso and riding up fishnet chain mail could be seen beneath above another blue shirt A pair of dark blue cargo pants with white tape around his ankles and around his right thigh were a weapons pouch lay and a pair reinforced open toed boots adorned his feet completed the ensemble. Walking into the kitchen he sad down for a quick breakfast and opened today's newspaper. Reading an article about his assignment, a man-made Oblivion Gate that was going through the final test phases. His mission was to observe the Gate and ensure that any hostile factions were denied access to the Gate, as had been the case months ago where a radical group had interrupted the test and almost made off with the scientists before their guards subdued them. Opening a closet door he reached inside and grabbed several items, the first a bo staff, it was an unusual bo staff in that it had several attachments that made it looked like it was made to change shape into something else. The other was a sheathed ninja-to that he attached to his back and with a quick whirl his bo staff compressed down into a size no more than about eight inches and slid it into a slot near his waist along his back. Satisfied he had everything he headed to the kitchen, and on the way out the door he grabbed his wallet opening it showed several cards and an ID displaying his face and name, Alexander Xavier Brushtail, checking the contents briefly before putting it in a pocket and grabbing his phone on the way out the door and disappearing in a blur of speed on the the nearby rooftops. Making his way across the rooftops Alex was looked out at the city as it went by, humans, bipedal cats and lizards, elves and even small dragons commuted through the city streets and in the skies dragons and other figures could be seen jumping across rooftops and flying through the air to their destinations. But Alex paid them no heed as this was an everyday sight, his eyes set on a central building nearby that towered over the rest; his destination. Landing near the entrance he waves to get the attention of the guard, a mid size green colored dragon. "Greetings, how are you?" Alex said in Dovahzul, the dragon language. "I'm fine, thank you." The dragon replied in a rumbling baritone, inclining his head in greeting. "I'm expected, I have a meeting with a few specialist in research and development." said Alex in Common language, fishing out his wallet and showing his ID to the guard before moving on when he was cleared. Making his way through the lobby Alex spotted several coworkers and gave a few greetings as he made his way up the stairs to the fifth floor or research and development. Opening the door he walks in to the sight of two people arguing about something, but its technical jargon and just flies over his head and ignores them and heads towards a lone female bipedal cat, a khajiit, looking over a clipboard and writing figures down. She looks up and smiles as Alex makes his way over. "Hello Alex, S'mari is sorry for forgetting our lunch date. S'mari's cub came down with a sickness and this one could not leave her alone." S'mari said in greeting. "It's no problem S'mari, I know how it is, I hope little T'masi feels better soon." Alex said smiling; giving S'mari a hug as well. "T'masi knows that her uncle Alex is always worrying about her and she knows that Alex wasn't mad about missing his date." T'masi said chuckling as she nuzzled into Alex's chin, Alex returned it with a smile thinking about his honorary niece. They broke apart and S'mari led Alex to a archway that's been recently installed. It looked like an old Oblivion Gate but with some major modifications, it was reinforced with metal and had a lattice of wires running across it connecting it to a massive glowing soul gem the size of a man as a power source. The gate was off at the moment, but the purpose of the gate was to manually open a gate to another realm without the need of one of the Daedric princes and putting the world in peril from unbound daedra. Of course the development of the gate had seen criticism from factions that felt that there was nothing else but the planes of Oblivion and the realms of the Daedric Princes beyond the gates and that the risk was not worth it. While others felt that there has to be more to the universe than just the Oblivion and Daedric realms, maybe even a path to Aetherium itself or beyond. Beckoning the pair of squabbling scientists over, S'mari directed them to begin the start up sequence for the Gate. Alexander watched as the soul gem glowed making the wires connected to it turn a cherry red from the power flowing through them. The power heading to the gate made it glow an ominous red setting an eerie tone and putting Alex on edge; from experience he knew that things of this magnitude never go this well and he'd be dammed before let something go wrong involving something like a man-made Gate. With sufficient power running through the Gate a deep humming began to build and a visual ripple of sapphire blue energy emitted from the Gate in pulsing waves before coalescing into a whirlpool of color as the Gates stabilized. The scientists and S'mari, too caught up in monitoring the Gate, didn't see the air ripple around an invisible figure but Alexander did and casually put his guard up so as not to tip off the intruder and looked around for anymore intruders. Unfortunately several had managed to get into ambush positions around the Gate and S'mari. Before he could get off a warning they reappeared with shout; several of them charged the control panel and the soul gem smashing the panel before dropping to the ground dead with several kunai sticking from their bodies courtesy of Alexander. With one arm still extended from throwing Alex turned on the ball of one foot sweeping a leg out facing the opposite direction, widening his stance in a low crouch he shot both arms straight out fists clenched sending a chunk of the ground flying at another attacker at high speed. But the attacker saw the projectile coming and dropped into a low horse stance and crossed his arms across his torso bringing up a wall of stone blocking Alexander's attack dead and shot out a fist sending his own boulder back. Unfazed, Alex loosened his stance and with a quick wave motion drew water from his hip pouch and turning in place he quickly flowed through a water blade kata sending the blade of water flying at the boulder cleaving it in half sending the halves past him. Not losing a step Alex body-flickered to his attacker and delivered a vicious right cross that sent his attacker rag dolling across the ground unconscious. In the time it took for Alexander to dispatch the first group of intruders a second managed to compromise the soul gem and flee, disrupting the energy flow and causing it to overload with unstable energy. "Glory onto Dagon!" Yelled the last of the attackers before immolating himself and part of the Gate causing the portal to become unstable and grow uncontrollably. "S'mari, grab the other scientists and get out of here now!" Alexander ordered while bracing himself against the high winds picking up from the vacuum of the Gate. "S'mari will not leave without you, we go together!" She yelled back as she struggled her way to his side against the winds. "Please you have to go-" "No, S'mari will not leave her brother!" "I'm not giving you a choice sister," Alex said under his breath steeling his nerves for what he must do. "What did you say, this one did not-" "I will always love you and T'masi, may you walk on warm sands." Alex interrupted, pulling S'mari into a hug trying to put everything he was and will feel into it before shoving her away with a wave of water out the laboratory door before freezing the water and the door shut in a thick layer of ice... he would never forget the shocked look on S'mari's face as the door quickly froze over. He turned back the the rapidly destabilizing Gate ignoring the muffled pounding and pleas from S'mari to turn back and flee but his mind was made up, he had to try to contain the explosive decompression that was sure to come or else it would take the building and possibly a large chunk of the city with it when it went. Quickly going work, Alexander bent water and stone into a curved wall of sorts making layer upon layer around the Gate hoping to cushion the explosion and absorb as much of the energy as possible, but he was having limited success. For every five layers he added another two were sucked into the Gate but he kept it up knowing that the Gate would only absorb so much before the energy building up had nowhere to go but out in an explosion of energy destroying it and hopefully only the room with it. As the vacuum decreased Alex heard an ominous rumbling emanating from the Gate as energy and pressure built up. Low on energy from the amount of bending he'd done Alex turned around as he heard ice crackling from the sealed door, his sister had sent fireballs and lightning jutsu hoping to break in but he knew that it wouldn't be enough and smiled sadly knowing that she knew as well but knew she wouldn't stop. "Don't do this please, there is still time you can make it!" S'mari pleaded her energy spent as she slumped against the frozen doors breathing heavily. "You know I can't, someone has to try to contain this and you know I'm the best, I wasn't ranked S-class for nothing you know." He said softly moving to rest by the door to be near his sister one last time. "This wasn't suppose to happen" S'mari said as she tried her hardest to stop the tears from leaving her eyes, "it was suppose to be a test run." " I know, but you can't predict everything sister." "S'mari won't stop you know, wherever Alex is going S'mari won't stop until S'mari can make a portal to find you." S'mari said with determination wiping her eyes of tears. "This one knows S'mari won't quit, S'mari is to stubborn." Alex chuckled unknowingly dropping back into Khajiit pronunciation. Back at the Gate lighting arced from the Gate scorching the walls as the energy grew to critical levels an explosion being imminent. Reinforcing the walls and the laboratory doors a final time Alex turned and told S'mari to leave and after looking into his eyes a final time S'mari nodded but not before getting a final word in. "S'mari will not say goodbye because goodbye is final, S'mari says she will see you again beloved brother, may you walk on warm sands." She stated new tears tearing down her face as she turn and fled leaving Alex behind. "Farewell sister, may you walk on warm sands, I will see you again." Alex uttered as light from the Gate overtook him illuminating the entire room before rapidly shrinking into a pinpoint of light for a split second before exploding in a sapphire bloom engulfing Alex leaving nothing but shadows burnt into the ground. > Chapter 1: First Impressions > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (10 Years Before Nightmare Moon's return) In an entirely different dimension, deep in the middle of a forest an ominous rumbling started and a spatial distortion, like a mirage, started developing. Small bolts of lightning arcing from a single dense point in the middle of the distortion increased in frequency until a massive bolt of lightning erupted and struck the ground in a massive explosion. The lightning skittered across the ground dissipating around the body of one Alexander sprawled on the ground groaning in pain. Disoriented, Alexander stumbled to his feet blearily looking at his surroundings confused as to where he was. "Okay I'm alive so that's good, but I'm definitely not in the city anymore. Got to figure out where I am though." Alex looked toward the canopy and saw the sun and assuming that this sun also sets in the west he turned right and headed roughly north hoping to find civilization. Walking through the forest for what seemed like hours Alexander stumbled across a rather large clearing with a small grouping of hills near the wood line as the sun started dipping below the horizon. Seems like a good place to set up camp Alex though, the clearing had a river fed pond with fish splashing about near and mid sized cave carved into one of the hills making a natural shelter . Farther to the north he could see the ruins of some building maybe a castle or a fortress but he was too tired to explore any farther. While there was still some light Alexander collected some firewood and built a small fire pit near the mouth of the cave igniting the wood with a campfire jutsu as the fire crackled away merrily Alex leaned back against the cave wall and drifted off the events of the day catching up to him. A lance of sunlight coming through the trees raked across Alexander's eyes rousing him from his sleep. Turning over he tried to fall back to sleep, but it wouldn't come so with a sigh he got up and stretched. Making his way out the cave he stripped out his clothes and jumped into the pond the cold water shocking him to alertness he swan a few laps around the pond. Satisfied that he was awake and warmed up enough he got to work on breakfast scouring the nearby woods for any edible berries or mushrooms. After an hour he made his way back to his clearing with a small sack filled with blue berries and edible mushrooms and sat down near the now dead fire to break his fast. Over the next two months Alexander's life was more or less the same as he made a life in the clearing; he'd built a cabin and moved out from the cave. He'd furnished his home with a decent bed and a fire pit for cooking he'd managed to build an alchemy station and an enchanter's table. In his explorations he'd stumbled upon a decent size coal deposit nearby and build a rudimentary forge as well as a smelter. Using earth bending he'd diverted some of the stream that fed his pond and narrowed the stream making it run faster before feeding back into the pond to drive a waterwheel he'd fashioned to power a millstone to ground the wild wheat he'd found into flour. In a few months with the help of clones he'd managed to turn a mere clearing into a proper thriving homestead. With his living situation taken care of Alex decided to investigate the castle ruins he'd been avoiding and seeing if he could learn anything about his new home. The trek through the forest took mere minutes tree hopping through the canopy and Alex landed near a debilitated suspension bridge that looked like it was ready to come down that spanned a small ravine that separated the castle grounds from the forest proper creating a natural barrier. Nimbly leaping along the bridge Alex made it across without further destroying the decaying structure and went ahead inside the main hall. Looking around the first thing he noticed was that whoever lived here really like horses, he saw them depicted in moth eaten tapestries and in half crumbled statues even in the cracked glass mosaic leading up to the throne room. Looking at the thrones one was made of marble and had an ornate sun depicted on it and the other was made of obsidian and depicted a half moon. Two ruling monarchs maybe the sun and moon are symbolic but for what? Alex thought trying to figure out what the celestial symbolism meant. Leaving the throne room Alex made his way through the castle but asides from a few half rotted books that he couldn't read he didn't find much and decided to leave and make his way home. Leaping back across the suspension bridge he headed back home still pondering what the sun and moon on the thrones meant when a young girlish scream ripped him from his thoughts. Not thinking about why someone would be this far in the forest he took of sprinting through the forest at breakneck speed his surrounding blurring around him. The screams kept coming 'come on kid keep screaming let me know where you are' Alex zeroed in on the screaming pulling his collapsed staff from the small of his back and extending it with a flourish as he burst into clearing and immediately looked for the screaming child but paused for a mere second at the sight of an young orange pony with a blond mane cowering over an unconscious and bleeding young red pony with straw colored mane but got over it when a group of wooden wolves charged at the pair their intent obvious as sappy drool leaked from the mouths with one hand he made a hand seal and a shadow clone sprang into existence in a bust of smoke next to him and they performed a substitution with the two ponies taking their place in front of the wolves and immediately sprang forward swinging their staves and dismantling the wolves in an expert display of martial prowess. The orange pony and the now conscious red pony stared wide eyed an awe at the two strange creatures destroyed the wolves with what appeared to be effortless grace. The two creatures quickly made tinder out of the timberwolves and the few that were left fled deeper into the forest yelping in pain and fear from the two new alpha predators. The orange pony gasped when one of the creatures disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving just the one as is slowly approached them. Taking off his fox ANBU mask Alex smiled reassuringly to the filly and colt and backpedaling from Alex fear etched across her face. "Be calm young one I mean you no harm, are you okay, your friend seems hurt?" Alex asked softly kneeling down to not be towering over them . Calming down slightly the filly approaches Alex cautiously eyeing the red pony nervously but he just nodded his head. "Mah name's Applejack and this is mah brother Big Macintosh, please can ya help us mister he's hurt and we don't know where we are?" Applejack mewled her voice cracking from worry eyes wide and shiny from her tears. She wiped her eyes with a hoof and stared up pleadingly at Alex silently begging for aid. "Well met Applejack, I'm Alexander Xavier Brushtail but please call me Alex, I don't know where you are" Applejack looked like she was going to start crying again but Alex softly rubbed her head calming her down as she leaned into his touch "but my home isn't too far from here I can patch your brother up and we can see about getting you two home after okay, what do you say Big Macintosh?" Alex proposed looking over to the young colt who had gotten to his hooves keeping his injured left rear leg off the ground a rather large bite mark he just nodded his head and limped to stand next to his sister "There is a fair bit of walking to get there Big Mac it would go faster if I picked up you and carried you there if you don't mind." "Okay, whaterver'll you think is best Mister Alex." Big Mac agreed as Alex gently scooped Big Mac up and deposited him on his back being careful not to jostle his injured leg to much. The trio set off making small talk along the way and in no time it seemed they made it to Alex's home. "You got a mighty fine home here Mr Alex, seems comfy." Big Mac stated looking around the developing homestead. Alex nodded his head in acknowledgement and opened the door and gently set Big Mac down on the table and quickly went to another room and came back with a mortar and pestle and a handful of dried plants. "I'm an master in restoration magic, that's healing magic and the like, but I don't know how your body would react to my magic so I'm not going to chance it, these are some herbs I've picked from the forest that have some very powerful healing properties and it'll go a long way to healing you." Alex explained as he set ground up the herbs and mixed in some water in a bowl mixing everything together in a thick slurry that looked extremely unappetizing. "I know it looks terrible and probably smells just as bad and I can tell you from experience that the taste is the same but the best medicines are usually the ones that do." Alex chuckled at the disgusted looks on the siblings faces. "Ya mean I gotta drink that?!" Big Mac squealed his voice cracking. His ears folded back and nose scrunched up from the smell. Alex just laughed at the sight and transferred the concoction over to a clean pad. "No you don't have to drink it you got lucky. if the bite had been left unattended for a few more hours any diseases would have had more than enough time to set and make it into your bloodstream. Then you'd have to be drinking this and another concoction to purge your body of the disease and I can assure you Big Mac when it comes to purging diseases your body only gave you two ways to violently expel foreign entities and both are unpleasant." Alex explained mirthfully as he gently placed the pad on Big Mac's leg and tightly wrapped it keeping it in place. Big Mac winced as the concoction settled into his wounds stinging them but the sting started fading as the pain started to die down to a dull numbness. "I forgot to ask ya before but what are ya mister, I ain't never seen nothin' like you before. Are you an Everfree spirit" the filly asked her curiosity overriding her fear. "No young one I'm not a spirit, I'm an... oddity" Alex implied wanting to keep his heritage to himself for now so as to not scare his new charges. "What's that mean Mr. Alex, do ya not know what ya are?" Applejack questioned "Now Applejack don't pry in Mr. Alex's business if'n he wants to tell us then he will." Big Macintosh admonished softly wanting to respect Alex's privacy. "So how did ya do all those fancy moves to take down them timberwolves an makin' two of yerself, I ain't never seen no magic that kin make more of yerself before." Big Mac suggested changing the subject "Those were jutsu, shinobi techniques, that I use in my line of work." Alex explained "Whats a she-nob-knee, I don't think we got those in Equestria." Applejack pondered uncertainly rolling the foreign word over in her mouth "It's pronounced she-no-be Applejack, and shinobi, just say ninja if you can't, are essentially mercenaries. We do jobs that we are paid to do whether it is for our nation or a client. Everything from babysitting to...other stuff" Alex trailed off near the end not wanting to go into the gorier details of his job. Taking a look out the window he saw the sun dipping down and decided that if they were going to make the journey they'd need to go now. Making there way to the east Alex asked the siblings a few questions about their home and family and found out that their mother's name was Pear Butter and their father Bright Macintosh and their grandmother Granny Smith all worked on the family farm called Sweet Apple Acres. After carefully navigating the forest, which he now knew was called the Everfree Forest, they emerged from the forest line near the fence spanning the length and breadth of a massive apple orchard which Alex assumed was Sweet Apple Acres. He let Big Mac lead him down the apple rows from his back to a massive red barn and group of ponies bearing torches frantically searching all around the property calling the siblings names "Ma Pa we're over here!" Applejack yelled waving a hoof gaining the attention of a yellow stallion wearing a stetson with a red mane and a clearly pregnant bisque colored mare with a curly yellow orange mane and an older green mare with a graying mane who came charging over. Alex gently set Big Mac down and slowly got up and kept his hands in plain sight not making any sudden moves but already had a shadow clone made to substitute with in case things got any more heated. "Peace, ponies, this one means you no harm, I ran into your children in the forest and returned them home." Alex stated slowly "Where in the hay do ya live, I ain't never seen a critter like ya in Ponyville before." The green mare probed giving Alex a stink eye. "I live in the forest, elder one, I have made my home in a clearing about three miles-" Once again Alex was interrupted "The Everfree Forest?!" the three adults shouted in disbelief "Yes, I have been living in the Everfree Forest for a few months." "How in the hay are ya not monster chow?! That place is one of the most dangerous places in Equestria!" The green mare blurted waving her hooves around emphasizing her disbelief. "I can assure you elder one, that I am more than likely more dangerous than anything in the forest." Seeing the distrustful looks on the adults faces Alex quickly clarified "that being said, as I stated earlier I have no intention of causing anyone intentional harm so long as no harm comes to me." Clearing that up Alex rose to his full height towering over the ponies, 'Land's sake that critter's bigger'n the princess' he heard the older green mare mutter and chuckled, the older mare blushed having been overheard. "Now that that has been cleared up I believe introductions are in order, I am Alexander Xavier Brushtail of the Brushtail Clan" Alex formally stated bowing slightly in greetings. "Now that's a right formal greeting there partner, my name's Bright Macintosh just call me Bright Mac and this here is mah wife Pear Butter, this is my ma Granny Smith and ya already know our young ins." Bright Mac introduced the Apple family. Alex briefly bowed again after introductions he looked around the farm and noticed that near the edge of the farm several pairs of glowing eyes belonging to the same creatures he'd fought off earlier peered at the ponies from the safety of the forest. An idea sprang into being and he decided to offer his services to the Apple family in exchange for their product and their silence. "What do ya mean services, what can ya do?" Bright Mac asked "You look like ya might be a good farmhand but I'm not sure what else ya could do." Bright Mac scratched his head with a hoof looking around the farm trying to think of something. "To put it shortly you have a problem, look at the eyes from the forest" Alex pointed to the treeline and the ponies gasped noticing the eyes glaring at them "Those animals wouldn't be anywhere near your farm if they were wary of you, to them you're food and the moment I'm gone they'll make a move on your family. The only reason they haven't already is because they know what I'm capable of and they're cautious. I can do everything from espionage to body guarding to even babysitting if need be," Alex shuddered briefly thinking about the times he was commissioned to babysit, the fur on his tail took forever to grow back in" I was quite good at body guard missions myself when I was an active shinobi. I'm willing to patrol your farmlands and keep predators and the like away from you and yours so long as you'll have me. All I ask is that you keep my existence a secret and supply me with a few starter trees so that I may start my own apple grove." Alex proposed, extending he senses he knew the creatures in the forest getting restless and knew that they were going to act soon so he decided to give a little demonstration of his skills. He sat down cross-legged his back to the creatures and listened as the family debated his offer, Applejack looked up from the family huddle to look back to Alex looking past him and gasped her eyes shrinking to pinpricks and screamed "TIMBERWOLVES" at the top of her voice alerting everyone to the oncoming danger. focusing his senses Alex felt out for the timberwolves and once he figured they were close enough he jumped to his feet and turned around a kunai knife flying into his hand so fast it seemed like it teleported and sent if sailing at the nearest timberwolf impaling it dead center in its head. The timberwolf went limp mid leap its eyes dimming and landed behind him scattering across the ground like a broken puppet. Not missing a beat he raced past the slain wolf and drew his staff from the small of his back and with a quick flourish extended it to its full six and half feet trailing in back of him as went to engage the rest of the pack. Smashing his staff into the head of one timberwolf he used it as a balance as he cartwheeled over it pulling his staff out of its ruined head and spun in a wide arc catching another in the jaw shattering it and its head along sending bits of rotting wood flying like shrapnel. They rest were quickly and masterfully dismantled in no time leaving nothing but broken piles of wood and awed ponies in the aftermath, a gout of fire from his hand turned the former timberwolves, now kindling, to piles of ash that scattered with the wind. Dusting his hands off he turned around and smirked at the gobsmacked look on their faces. "So how'd I do?" "Yer hired" the Apple family said in unison. > Chapter 2: The Return of Nightmares and the New Master of the Everfree > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (The Day of Nightmare Moon's return) From his vantage point on top of the Apples barn Alexander looked over the orchard and the town of Ponyville bathed in the early morning sun, ponies went about their morning going from place to place stopping to talk to friends and browsing the marketplace. 10 years had passed since Alex came to Equestria and he'd learnt and experienced so much since then the Apple Clan had kept their word; in his clearing Alex had a small orchard of apple trees he'd nursed to maturity harvesting the fruit every season since, they also kept quiet about his existence but he suspects that another pony saw his demonstration that day all those years ago and his disappearing trick because he'd began to be known as the 'Spirit of the Everfree'. He supposed that as far as names went it wasn't too far off base he was a spirit of the Everfree technically, but in actuality he was the lord and master of the Everfree and the forest was his domain. A few years ago while he was exploring the Everfree Forest he'd come across an absolutely ancient oak tree that was smack in the center of the Everfree Forest. The tree was noticeably larger than the others towering over its neighbors and while it was mostly bare of its leaves it appeared unnaturally healthy, what drew his attention were the motes of yellow light that lazily floated around the tree. As he approached the tree he must have triggered a defensive response because the motes of light whipped up into a frenzy circling around the tree before shooting into it making the tree glow ominously. Preparing to defend himself Alex was taken aback when the tree crackled and groaned and started to move and change. Alex was confused about what he was seeing until he gasped at the recognizable shape the tree was taking, what was mere minutes ago a massive oak tree was now an absolutely massive timberwolf. The timberwolf towered over him at about sixty feet, and while it was a timberwolf it didn't look like the regular timberwolves he'd tangled with in the past, this one had willow branches that acted like fur covering its body and its head was more realistic than the less refined ones of regular timberwolves giving it a truly lifelike, if wooden appearance. Alex drew his staff and extended it with one hand and readied a fireball with the other prepared to do battle he noticed an ugly burn near the center of its chest where it's heart would be the wood blackened and cracked, he decided that when it made it's move that's where he'd attack first and bring it down quickly. He waited for a minute but the timberwolf just sat there staring at him with what he was coming to guess was amusement as its tail lazily wagged behind it. "If I drop my weapons will you attack me?" Alex asked thinking himself somewhat foolish for talking to a timberwolf but was shocked when it shook its head. Narrowing his eyes as he tried to suss out its intentions, his gut told him that he was in no danger and he tended to listen to it. Dispelling the fireball and collapsing his staff he gave the timberwolf a look that said 'now what'. Dropping down so that it was laying on its belly the timberwolf brought itself down to his level so that Alex could look into its glowing yellow eyes, the motes he'd seen before comprising its eyes giving it a truly mystical look. "Greetings, young one" The timberwolf said its voice gravelly from disuse, "my name is Aconis, Master of the Everfree Forest" Aconis introduced "at least I am for a while longer." Aconis hissed in pain and shifted his weight. "Great One, what do you mean for 'a while longer'" Alex asked wondering what Aconis meant. "It means young one that I'm dying, I've been Master of the Everfree for more than twelve hundred years now and I fear that my time is drawing near." Aconis lamented "I've seen you before, you made a home in my forest some ways away from here a few years ago" Aconis turned his head in the direction where Alex's house was. "I did not know that anyone owned the forest Master Aconis, while I don't have much to offer I could give you something as rent if that is what you desire" Alex offered feeling somewhat guilty that he'd been essentially squatting on someone's property for so long. But the feeling disappeared when he heard a deep sort of short coughing sound from Aconis. Wondering what was wrong with him he was about to voice his concern before it dawned on him that he was laughing. Getting himself back in control Aconis took a breath and steadied himself and looked at Alex reproachfully. "Sorry I did not mean to laugh, but it is not money that I need from you young one. But there is something that I'd like from you if you'd be willing to hear me out." Aconis asked looking nervous before he steeled his nerves and stated the facts "I saw it when you first arrived here in an explosion all those years ago and I saw you fend off those rouge timberwolves and save the ponies they'd caught and I even saw you befriend the ponies on the apple farm on the edge of my forest so long ago. I have a request I'd like to ask of you, but first I have a question" Aconis looked into Alex's eyes and he got the impression that Aconis was looking at more than just him, but rather at his very soul. "Why do you fight?" It was a simple question but the answer not so much it had more weight than it should. Why did he fight, Alex thought hard and long listing the reasons why he'd fought all those years ago before he'd left his home world and even now why he fought. All the battles he fought and the opponents he'd faced all the lives he'd taken and the lives he'd saved the choices he'd made an the people he'd damned with them. Taking a few more minutes to come up with an answer Alex combed through his very being and came to his conclusion and stood straighter and prouder and looked Aconis in his eyes and gave his answer his voice strong and unwavering "I fight because I must, I fight because if not me then who. I fight so that those who cannot fight do not have to, I fight so that mothers and fathers don't lose their children and children their parents to the flames of war. I fight so that the weak have a chance against the strong and the strong are kept in check. I fight because i am a guardian and an avenger, a sword and a shield and I make the sacrifices so that others don't and I stain my soul with the blood of others so that they don't have to." Alex proclaimed passionately never breaking eye contact. Aconis maintained his stare peering into Alex's eyes for a while longer before he blinked and relaxed the tension leaving his body. "Thank you young one, you've made my choice so much easier than I though it would be." Aconis said smiling "What choice do you mean," Alex asked confused "I need a successor, someone to take my place as Master of the Everfree and the lands beyond and I believe that that successor is you." Aconis admitted "The position that 'Master of the Everfree' entails requires fortitude, strength, character, wisdom, a warriors mentality, as well as a compassionate nature all of which I believe that you possess Alex. I'd like to take you on as my apprentice and teach you what I know to take my place as Master of the Everfree Forest and the lands beyond." "But why me, there have to be others you've considered." Alex wondered "That is true, I had considered several some time ago but none have come as close as you have and have experienced what you have. Your heritage and your upbringing makes you the ideal 'Master'." Alex blanched at the fact that Aconis knew what Alex was and feared what he'd do "Yes, I know what you really are, you're not the first of your kind to appear here and I promise you that I don't care about that either and I'm confident that your pony friends feel the same. But I digress, you don't require much training and as I fear I don't have much time left as well." Looking closer at Aconis Alex started to see it as well as well. Cracks ran along Aconis's body and his fur was a wilted sickly looking brown. Thinking it over Alex realized that Aconis had a point, it was in his nature to protect others and this was another way to do so. He accepted Aconis's offer and officially became his apprentice. "I am more grateful than you can know Alex, for I fear that dark times are in the future and the world will need it's Master Everfree more than ever." Aconis cautioned gingerly getting to his feet and stretching and motioned for Alex to follow him further into the forest to start what would be some of the more vigorous training he'd done. He'd learnt about the purpose of the timberwolves and why some went rogue and attacked ponies over the years. Apparently timberwolves were the guardians and wardens of the forest and the Tree of Harmony that resided in the forest but the spirit of disharmony, Discord, had managed to change a vast majority of them and corrupted them turning them into rabid creatures that attacked and killed anything that ran into them. It took some time but he'd managed to slay most of the corrupted timberwolves and remove Discord's taint from the forest. As the Master of the Everfree he'd have dominion over the natural denizens of the forest like the hydras and manticores, cockatrices and even the fierce ursa major and could call on them for aid in his defense and the defense of others. He learnt about Animus politics and was even able to learn wood style over time and was able to master it. After experimenting on his own and with advice from Aconis he was able to create his own timberwolves, and like they were initially created for, they served as guardians and wardens being his eyes and ears when he couldn't be there. He made sure that his timberwolves where able to be told apart from the rogue timberwolves, his timberwolves where more defined and wolf like as well as having a symbol that looked like a fox burnt onto their heads that told the Apples or the other visitors to the forest that these timberwolves wouldn't attack and probably give aid if asked. One of his favorite wood style techniques was something he'd called 'Grovestep'. Alex had discovered the ability during a spar with Aconis when he'd collided with a tree that he'd fused with the tree and was able to reappear in the trunk of an entirely different tree on the other side of Aconis. So far he'd been able to figure out that if he was in contact with a tree and concentrated he could fuse with the tree and for lack of a better word 'link' with any other tree and jump to it and exit through it and that his senses still worked inside the tree he was able to see and hear and speak from inside the tree. So far his limit is about three miles but he was trying to increase his range and he's been working out on how to take others with him but so far no luck with that one. His training went on more or less the same and the results showed for themselves; the very forest was his to command he could make trees sprout up from seedlings and he could command the creatures within. He learnt about his duties as the Master of the Everfree, how he was a last defense of not just Equestria but Animus as well. If all else failed he was the one who was to step up and put down a threat hard. When it came to matters that effected more than just one nation he was the one who was the last arbiter in the matter. In a nutshell, The Master of the Everfree was as much of a last resort and a deterrent as well as an neutral judge on matters that affected entire nations. In just a few years he'd learnt all he could from Aconis, but according to him there was still a few things he'd have to learn on his own, as every 'Master' had to. Unfortunately just as Aconis predicted his chest wound started taking a more deadly turn and his health took a turn for the worse and sadly passed after officially passing the title of Master of the Everfree to him. Alex remembered the day that Aconis passed and how the forest itself mourned the loss of its master, the trees creaked and moaned and the animals howled and cried their sadness to the heavens. Alex mourned his friends loss for some days before he was able to pull himself together and move on and begin his duties as Master of the Everfree Forest. He had his friend and mentor buried in a plot of land he'd cleared out and marked it with a gravestone marking Aconis's final resting place. Breaking away from his thoughts he looked back down at the Ponyville square and spotted several ponies he'd come to know over the years, Miss Cherilee the school mare, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch roommates and musical masters. He gaze drifted over several more ponies and did a double take at the sight of Pinkie Pie staring straight at him eyes narrowed she then did a 'I see you' hoof gesture before she disappeared in a blur leaving behind a trail of confetti and the squeal of a party favor. 'that mare terrifies me.' Alex thought a shiver racing down his spine at what she would do to him if she ever caught him, and believe you me she's gotten too damn close several times. 'how the hell does anyone pop out of a jacket pocket. I swear she's related to Sheogorath.' Shaking his head bemusedly he got up and stretched getting ready to do his rounds around the farm. These days he didn't have to do much the denizens of the forest knew that the farm and ponies on it were strictly off limits and heeded the command of their master and left them unmolested During his rounds around the orchard he saw signs up near the barn for something called the 'Summer Sun Celebration', apparently Sweet Apple Acres was commissioned to cater for the event and the Apples called in their family from all over to help in the preparations for the event. A blur out the corner of his eye caught his attention but too late as a lasso shot out and wrapped around his torso binding his arms to his sides. "I got ya this time Uncle Alex ya ain't getting away from me that headband is mine." Applejack exclaimed from behind Alex the end of the lasso clamped firmly in her jaws a smirk on her face but it quickly disappeared when she went to pull it and Alex disappeared in puff of smoke indicating a clone. This particular activity started years ago, Applejack had gotten her own lasso from Bright Mac and practiced her skills on Alexander whenever she could but she could never catch him. they made a game of it years ago; Big Mac, Applejack and Applebloom would try to catch and hold him for more than five seconds and whoever could would get his old shinobi headband to wear as a trophy. He said that anyone who could catch and hold him for that long was an honorary ninja. Applejack and Applebloom still tried to catch him but Big Mac stopped a while ago saying that he'd catch him eventually. "Nice try Applejack, you almost got me this time." Alex's amused voice came from behind her, she whipped around and saw Alex stepping out from the trunk of one of the trees the wood crackling as he disengaged from the tree. "I hate it when ya do that Uncle Alex, and ya know what Granny said bout fusin' with the trees on the farm," Applejack grumbled sourly at being foiled again. Alex laughed and turned around only to see a yellow and red blur collide with him putting him on his back foot. Looking down he fake glared at Applebloom who was snuggling into his vest giggling at having caught him off guard. Setting her down he knocked the dust and pony hair off his vest and asked Applebloom what all the excitement about. "Hey Uncle Alex did ya hear tha news, we're caterin' fer the Summer Sun Celebration!" Applebloom shouted excitedly pronking around Alex. 'Uncle Alex' they started calling him that about five years ago. He'd help raise the Apple children especially Applebloom and after a while it was only natural they'd consider him family. even Granny Smith considers him another one of her sons and gets upset when he doesn't call her 'ma'. In ten years he'd gone from having friends and family and a home only to be ripped away from him in a terrorist attack just to gain something like he'd once had before it might not be the same and he'd never forget his sister and his niece and her promise to find him, but he's proud of the life he's built here with his new family. "I did Applebloom, with all the ponies that are going to be around I decided to get my rounds done earlier today and head on home." Alex said while keeping an eye out for anything out of place he had a bad feeling about today that something was coming and he wasn't going to ignore the feeling. The last time he did he wound up here in an laboratory explosion. "Ah come on Uncle Alex," Apple jack rolled her eyes at her uncles reluctance, "ya got to meet other ponies sometime ya can't just disappear whenever somepony comes by and its not like no one knows who ya are. For Celestia's sake the whole town knows that ya exist they just think that yer a spirit from the Everfree we 'summoned,'" Applejack air quoted with her hooves "to protect the farm. An' Pinkie Pie has been tryin' ta catch ya fer the last what, year and a half now" Applejack exclaimed pointing a hoof towards town she turned back to Alex and a mischievous grin crept up her face "and last ah heard she's been tryin' ta wrangle Rainbow Dash inta helpin' her." Applejack sing-songed, she knew of course that Rainbow Dash can't turn down a challenge so she's been trying to catch Alex just so she can say she did, but she hasn't gotten any closer than the rest of them. "They don't know where ta look but maybe somepony drops a few hints here and there where a certain spirit might be found." Applejack said innocently as she buffed a hoof on her chest trying to look nonchalant. "You wouldn't dare" Alex stated glaring at Applejack. "Try me" Applejack grinned wolfishly daring him to call her bluff. Alex shuddered at the thought of those two teaming up to catch him, one was crazy, pink, broke all the rules of reality, and still was unsure if she was related to Sheogorath and one was dangerous, cocky, a prankster, and fast; combined and he wouldn't be surprised if they didn't somehow blow up Ponyville trying to catch him. Seeing the grin widen even further on Applejack's face he sighed and capitulated, "If and I mean if I stay around and meet a few ponies once everything has settled down will you call off those two." Alex asked annoyed at being blackmailed by his niece. "You know I have very little tolerance for either of their shenanigans and you know how they get once they get an idea in their heads." Alex said "Fine, ya got a deal, I'll convince Rainbow Dash to leave ya alone and.......... well I don't know what I can do about Pinkie Pie but I'll think of somethin'" Applejack promised shaking Alex's hand sealing the deal. Once Alex had finished his patrol he and his nieces went their separate ways, Applejack went back to bucking trees with Big Mac and Applebloom went back to the farmhouse to annoy her parents. Looking around to make sure that Granny Smith couldn't see him he placed his hand on an apple tree and quickly sank into it, just in time as an skillet came flying out of nowhere and hit the tree with a loud clang. "Darn it Alex what did I say bout fusin' with the trees!" Granny Smith shouted brandishing another skillet "Sorry ma," Alex said poking his head out of the tree only to jerk it back in with a yelp as another skillet impacted it a second ago where his face was. Near instantly Alex appeared in the trunk of one of his apple trees and stepped out of it and looked around landed and he couldn't help but stop and admire what he'd done, he'd grown a small orchard courtesy of Apples. He'd grown a garden to help sustain himself along with the fish from his pond and wild fruits and vegetables from the Everfree, several wooden training dummies littered with pockmarks from years of abuse stood near his training grounds a few kunai and shuriken littering the ground. He expanded his cabin so that he had another room that he turned into a study and he added a cellar that he used as both storage and an armory. All in all he'd really done pretty well for himself sure he had to do without a few modern conveniences like TV and radio but at least he had indoor plumbing and hot water, he added the plumbing a few years ago because he got tired of using an outhouse and bathing in his pond. Now he had a decent bathroom with an extra large bathtub and a shower and toilet donated by the Apples. They had also helped furnish his kitchen as a house warming gift so he had a oven and a refrigerator. Entering his cabin, he went to his kitchen and opened the fridge and pulled out a salmon fillet as well as some mushrooms and prepared himself a quick lunch. While his fish was cooking he sauteed the mushrooms in a bit of butter until they were just right. Plating the fish he placed the mushrooms on the side and got out a bottle of orange juice and ate in silence his mind still wondering about the gut feeling he'd had. He didn't know what it meant but he wasn't going to lower his guard in any event. After finishing his meal he put his dishes in the sink and headed for his study and pulled out one of the many books that lined the shelves on his bookcase. The fact that the Equestrian language wasn't that hard for him to learn was a blessing because he'd secretly dreaded not being able to read anything here, he'd made many trips to the local Ponyville library by Grovestep just appearing inside the library and grabbing a few books then leaving, the old librarian never noticing his pilfering. As the hours went by he finished book placing back on the shelf he sighed stretching his back letting out a series of satisfying cracks. He went about his cabin cleaning up here and there trying to kill time but his thoughts kept going back to his deal with Applejack. 'Knowing that mare if I don't show up she'll definitely sic those two on me just because'. He thought, sighing before deciding to bite the kunai and get it over with. It had to happen eventually he supposed he couldn't avoid other ponies forever 'Yeah right, I could have hidden as long as I wanted. It just sucks that my niece is such a savage blackmailer........... I think I taught her too well'. He could practically hear Aconis laughing from beyond the grave, him Alexander Xavier Brushtail, Master of the Everfree, and decorated ninja, outsmarted and blackmailed by a orange pony. Leaving his cabin he looked up and saw the sun getting brighter and then just as its luminescence was reaching its peak it suddenly disappeared leaving nothing but darkness and the moon glowing bright in its place. That can't be good, better go see what's up. Alex though preparing to journey to town, anonymity be damned. But before he could he sensed a malevolent presence enter his forest from the Ponyville side putting him on high alert and instead left to pursuit it thinking the situation with the moon and it being linked with each other. Meanwhile on the outskirts of the forest six mares charged into the forest in pursuit of the villain who' kidnapped Princess Celestia, Nightmare Moon. "Hang on girls we cain't go inta the Everfree from here its too dangerous." Applejack said baring the way "We need to head to my farm, we can go through that way, its less dangerous an-" "We don't have time for that Applejack we have to catch Nightmare Moon and we can't take a detour to your farm when were so close to catching her." A purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, cut in shaking her head and charging ahead anyway not hearing the rest of Applejack's warnings about the forest. "Darn it, I hope this part of the forest is safe enough, Uncle Alex where in the hay are ya at?" Applejack grumbled to herself but chased after the other five determined to keep the others safe from the dangers of the forest. She may not know the forest like her uncle but that didn't mean that she couldn't navigate it well enough to steer clear of the more dangerous parts of the Everfree Forest. Back with Alex he'd scoured the forest following the residual taint left by whatever this creature was and followed the trail to the end leaving him at the old castle which he'd learnt from Aconis was called the 'Castle of the Two Sisters' the old home of Princesses Celestia and Luna. 'Aconis talked about them before, they were friends a long time ago but what was it he said something about a bad dream.... no wait Nightmare! that's what it was Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna descended into darkness and was corrupted into Nightmare Moon and banished to the moon. Upon that revelation that the monster Alex was chasing was a corrupted Princess Luna Alex just face palmed That's just great since the whole 'no more sunlight' thing threatens the whole damn planet I've got to go stop a genocidal alicorn that's got a murder boner for her sister and is more jealous than a butt-hurt Uchiha that can't copy jutsu. Thanks Aconis the whole 'Master Everfree' thing is all kittens and sunshine so far Alex though snarkily picturing Aconis laughing at his misfortune............stupid giant timberwolves. His rant finished he centered himself and walked into the from gate of the castle his destination the throne room where the taint was strongest. Walking through the corridor Alex went through his plan on dealing with Nightmare Moon, first he'd try talking her down and try to convince her to release Princess Celestia and move the moon back to its proper place. If she didn't go for it he try to convince her that an eternal night won't make her anymore beloved than her sister is. The rest of his plan was left undeveloped as he reached the throne room door; taking a calming breath he threw the doors open and strode into the throne room and beheld Nightmare Moon herself sitting on Princess Luna's throne, Celestia's being shattered into pieces. "Really you broke your sister's throne, what are you five" Alex said exasperated pointing at the pile of rubble. He couldn't stop himself from blurting that out he forgot for a split second he was dealing with a genocidal alicorn and not his little sister S'mari when she was young. But Nightmare Moon quickly reminded him who he was dealing with. "SILENCE FOOL DOETH THOU NOT KNOW WHO THOU ADDRESS?! I AM NIGHTMARE MOON RULER OF THE MOON AND ANON EQUESTRIA AND THOU WILT BEWRAY ME THE RESPECT THAT I DESERVE OR THOU WILT PERISH UNDER MINE WRATH! Nightmare Moon declared in the Royal Canterlot Voice the wind whipping around Alex from the sheer volume of her voice. "Apologies Nightmare Moon, I meant no disrespect. Your actions regarding your sister's throne just reminded me of my own sister that is all." "I seeth didst thy sister imprison thou for a thousand years because she doesn't liketh to share the affections of thy subjects as well?" Nightmare Moon drawled sarcastically eyebrow raised. "No she just had the tendency to break my things when she didn't get her way, you know like a child does" Alex shot back equally sarcastically. Nightmare's face scrunched up like she was building up to shout at him using the RCV (Royal Canterlot Voice) and Alex braced himself but relaxed when instead she laughed. "Thou art an interesting creature to dareth talk liketh that to the likes of me, what is thy name creature and what does thou want withal me." "My name is Alexander Xavier Brushtail, Master of the Everfree, and if you recognize that title then you know why I'm here Nightmare Moon." Hearing Alex's title brought back Nightmare's anger tenfold as her eyes shrank to pinpricks. "A plague on thou! Master of the Everfree indeed, what happened to thy predecessor Aconis! Is he still around lurking liketh the coward he was a thousand years ago! BETRAYING ME AND ALLYING WITHAL MINE SISTER TO BANISH ME TO THE MOON?! I BETHOUGHT THE WOUND I GAVE HIM WOULDST HAST KILLED HIM BUT I GUESS E'EN COWARDLY MUTTS CAN GET LUCKY NOW AND AGAIN! Nightmare spat her vitriol slipping back into the RCV in her anger. But Alex didn't care about that he only picked up on what she said before. "Hang on you were the one that gave Aconis that wound on his chest?!" Alex barked his anger rising "Yes art thou paying attention to what I'm declaring fool! Anon where is Aconis, I wouldst have words with yon traitorous mutt!" "He's dead" Alex stated coldly his anger honed like a knife "It took about another painful thousand years but the wound you gave him eventually killed him." Alex glared at Nightmare Moon, his mind made up, to hell with diplomacy, if this bitch wants eternal night then she'd have to go through him first. "I will ask you once and once only; Nightmare Moon, will you surrender peacefully and release Princess Celestia from her bondage on the sun and move the moon, or will you refuse and suffer the consequences of your bruised ego." Alex declared steely dropping into a combat stance his left leg forward and his staff drawn and held at the ready. In response Nightmare Moon's horn flared an indigo colored aura and her weapon of choice a scythe sprang into existence encased in her aura as she too lowered her stance for battle. "So be it then, prepare yourself Nightmare Moon, I won't stop until you admit defeat or you die and on your head be it." Alex stated before he disappeared in a burst of speed only to appear in midair above Nightmare Moon his staff held over his head. As he started falling he brought his staff down with thunderous force on Nightmare Moon's head, but before it could connect Nightmare brought up her scythe and blocked the blow sparks flying from the contact as the force from the blow continued on fracturing the ground beneath them. Not one to waste an opportunity Alex charged up a fireball spell and cast it at Nightmare Moon. She easily dodged the bolt as it impacted the wall leaving a large scorch mark. Jumping back to create some room Alex went through a quick series of hand seals and shot out a concentrated jet of water from his mouth blasting Nightmare Moon into a wall with enough force to indent her into it and leaving a large area covered in water as well. While she was still stuck in the wall Alex quickly bent the surrounding water into an ice prison securing her to the wall and went through another quick set of hand seals and shouted out his jutsu "Lightning Release: False Darkness" A massive bolt of lightning shot from his mouth speeding towards Nightmares trapped form and impacting it in a flash of light destroying the iceberg. The mist from the destroyed iceberg quickly disappeared revealing nothing but a large crater where Nightmare once was, Alex cursed and twisted and turned trying to find her but was too slow as she popped into view behind him and quickly drove her scythe deep into his back the tip emerging from his chest. Nightmare Moon grinned viciously as Alex coughed up blood and turned his head to look at her triumphant grin but her look faltered as Alex gave her his own bloody grin before his form glowed white and turned into lightning electrocuting her making her scream in pain. The real Alex lept from his spot on the ceiling twirled midair gaining momentum and landed a devastating roundhouse kick to the side of Nightmare's head mid scream knocking her crown off and sending her tumbling to the ground where she rolled briefly before jumping back on her hooves her stance wobbly as she shook the cobwebs from her head from that last kick. With blood leaking from the gash on her bruised face Nightmare snarled and lit her horn up and she machine gun fired bolts of magic at Alex forcing him to duck and weave his way between spells while using his staff to reflect her bolts back at her in between dodges. but she just simply raised her scythe and blocked whatever bolts came back her way. Getting frustrated with the lack of results Nightmare quickly charged up her horn and released a larger bolt of magic far faster then the others leaving no time for Alex to dodge so instead he slammed his foot on the ground raising a wall of earth to take the hit instead. Just before the bolt struck the earth wall Alex used the split second outside of Nightmare's sight to substitute himself with a pile of rubble to the mares right. When the bolt hit the earth wall it was instantly disintegrated leaving nothing behind but dust but Alex had already left. To Nightmare's surprise, he appeared to her right in a burst of smoke launching himself at Nightmare and quickly engaging her in taijutsu. She reacted too slowly with her scythe her slash missing him entirely and Alex was suddenly within her guard. Rapid blows to her face and neck rained down on her in a blistering combo that sent her head reeling with every strike ending with a vicious right-left cross followed by an axe kick knocking her off her hooves briefly. Not finished Alex grabbed her rear hooves and using her own momentum flung her into the wall again. Not giving her a chance to recover Alex raised his hand and made a grabbing motion with his hand making the wall come alive and flow over Nightmare holding her in place. Alex then charged her his staff once again in his hands closing the distance quickly. Wanting to give her a taste of her own medicine Alex sent chakra roiling through his staff making a sickle blade of chakra form and solidify on his staff turning it into a scythe. Closing in on the trapped Nightmare he whipped his scythe around and twirled it above his head like a rotor and planted a foot into the ground and brought the scythe around in a wide arc intent on driving it as far as he could into her chest. Seeing what he intended Nightmare's mouth hung open in shock unable to break free as her eyes shrank to pinpricks and tracked the path of the glowing scythe blade getting closer to her chest. 'This is for you Aconis' Alex pledged in his mind Just as the tip of the scythe pierced her reinforced armored peytral and cut into her chest. Nightmare let out a pained wail and turned into a purple/bluish shapeless shadow letting the rest of the blade sink into the stone wall like butter as her incorporeal form flowed around the shaft and swiftly fled from Alex into deeper parts of the castle. Alex cursed out loud as the watched the Nightmare mist quickly flee into the dark castle ruins, shaking his head in contempt at her escape he yanked his scythe out the wall and noticed a smattering of blood on the blade, 'If you can bleed I can kill you Nightmare.' Alex swore grimly before taking off in pursuit of Nightmare. Back with the six mares they'd made decent progress into the forest, but were a long ways away from the castle. After briefly arguing about which path they should take, Applejack finally convinced Twilight that she needed to listen to her directions if they wanted to get to the castle as quickly as possible. "I still don't understand how you know this forest as well as you do, everypony I've talked to said that this forest is really dangerous so how do you know the way." Twilight groused somewhat annoyed that her decision had been vetoed. Logically she knew that as the newcomer who knew virtually nothing about the forest she should naturally defer to a knowledgeable local but still she was Celestia's prized student and her pride took a bit of damage from being brushed off like that. "I've been in this here forest loads of times before, I know who rules the forest and ya just got ta know the signs so ya know which paths are safe ta take and which aren't." Applejack replied without looking back to the unicorn her eyes peeled for the markings Alex left on certain trees to mark the paths for her when she came through the forest. "What do you mean you know who 'rules' the forest?!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed she then cleared her throat and spouted out some explanation how Applejack was wrong. "The Everfree Forest has been a part of Equestria since its founding and is under the absolute authority of Princess Celestia." Twilight recited as if she was reading from a book, which she probably did knowing the studious nature she had shown during her short time in Ponyville. "While never officially charted the Everfree Forest was also Princess Celestia's first home and her old castle still resides within the forest." Twilight concluded with a smug smile but quickly disappeared when she spotted several pairs of glowing eyes staring at them from the underbrush. The other girls froze and Applejack locked up for a second before she glanced up and saw a glyph that depicted a fox head on a tree and let out the breath she was holding. "Pardon me but are y'all one of the Masters' timberwolves" Applejack asked the others looking at her like she was insane for trying to talk to mysterious glowing eyes. Rainbow Dash was about to ask her why she was talking to a bush with glowing eyes but choked on her question when the most realistic looking pair of timberwolves emerged from the undergrowth. Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity screamed and clutched each other in fear and Fluttershy just squeaked and fainted while Pinkie Pie just narrowed her eyes and glared at the timberwolves so hard that caused Applejack to do a double take. "I don't know if your Master knows what you know but you better tell him that he can't escape me forever." Pinkie Pie declared menacingly actually making a shudder pass through the timberwolf she was staring at before nodding its head in acknowledgement. Somewhere deep in the Castle of the Two Sisters Alex was quickly gaining on Nightmare Moon when he felt a shudder pass through him making him stop momentarily, 'What the hell was that?! I though Nightmare Moon was the only monster I was hunting?! This is bullshit, why does this crap keep happening to me?! Alex ranted internally before taking up the chase once more. Back with Applejack and the others, after overcoming her shock at Pinkie Pie's actions Applejack turned back and again asked the timberwolves if they knew the fastest way to the old castle. Twilight and the others were shocked when one nodded its head and motioned for them to follow it leading them deeper into the forest. On being asked why they were following a timberwolf of all things Applejack went on to explain that the fox marking on their heads meant that these timberwolves where under the control of the Master of the Everfree and that they wouldn't hurt anyone they weren't supposed to. On the way they encountered an injured manticore that Fluttershy helped, a purple sea serpent with a half mustache wailing about his misfortune and a group of shadow ponies that Rainbow Dash dealt with in her own way, by that meaning bragging about herself until the got angry, at least until they turned hostile and were then torn apart by their timberwolf guards. They had a laugh when Pinkie Pie sang about not being scared and completed a trust exercise involving Applejack, Twilight and a misleading gorge prompting their timberwolf guides to chuckle at the purple unicorns theatrics. "It's not funny, I couldn't see the bottom, who'd ever seen a gorge that shallow, and why are the timberwolves laughing?! They eat ponies for Celestia's sake!" Twilight ranted a few hairs in her mane poking out in random directions. Applejack and the others stifled their giggles at Twilight's antics, they traveled along in relative silence until they made it to the castle grounds. "Okay girls this is it, according to the book the Elements of Harmony should be in the great hall. We'll split up and search for them and hopefully find Nightmare Moon before she finds us." A flash of light suddenly blinded the six and as the light faded stood Nightmare Moon in her terrible glory but it looked like she'd already been hurt, her face and neck was bruised and a gash opened up on her left cheek and her peytral was pierced with flecks of blood on it. It had somewhat lessened the terror the six mares felt at seeing her damaged state, but the fear came back when she shouted at them. "TO LATE FOR THAT FOOLS THOU ART ALREADY FOUND, NOW PREPARE YOU- Nightmare Moon was interrupted by a hail of kunai that peppered the air where she just was having barely teleported out the way. "Get back here Nightmare, I'm not done with you!" A tall bipedal figure exclaimed running a high speed down a corridor. He was wearing a grey armored vest as well as grey arm and shin guards but what caught their attention was the scythe he brandished with ease as he raced after Nightmare. "BEGONE WRETCH AND TROUBLE ME NO MORE, THOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME! Nightmare Moon screamed and blasted the creature out of mid air with a bolt of magic setting it aflame. "Uncle Alex!" Applejack screamed and was about to charge Nightmare but stopped when Nightmare whipped around and pointed her horn at the ceiling and shot another bolt of magic making something leap away to the ground. "Well at least you're learning, how's the face doing?" "MARK MINE WORDS MASTER EVERFREE I WILL GET THOU AND THOU WILL FACE MINE WRATH FOR YE INSOLENCE!" Nightmare Moon growled and charged up her horn for another barrage and Master Everfree readied his scythe. As the two clashed something the purple unicorn said earlier gave him an idea. "Hey purple smart" "Twilight Sparkle thank you very much!" Twilight spoke up poking her head up from hiding behind a pile of rubble before ducking back down. "Whatever, listen while I've got miss wet dream over here busy-" "WHAT DID THOU CALL ME?! Nightmare yelled pushing harder against him "Oh shut up! Listen while I've got her busy do you think those element things will fry this bitch?" Alex grunted straining to hold the alicorn back from slicing him to ribbons. "Yes, according to the book, they should destroy her if we can use them." "Good, I'll keep her busy while you search for them" Alex growled pushing back against Nightmare Moon straining against her strength. "IF THOU THINK I'LL LET YOU FLEE TO FIND THE ELEMENTS THOU ART SORELY MISTAKEN FOOLS!" Nightmare Moon shouted and teleported in front of the mares hoping to end them quickly but was forced to retreat by Master Everfree careening through with a flying dropkick. "Dynamic Entry" Pinkie Pie shouted a wide smile plastered on her face striking a heroic pose as a twinkle glinted on her teeth making them sparkle. "How do you even know that?!" Alex raged incredulously keeping up his assault on Nightmare Moon forcing her back from the mares. "Never mind, just find the Elements damn it, I can't risk using anymore powerful techniques against her inside the castle or it'll collapse on us." Alex growled as he dodged Nightmare's attacks and parried when he could. The six mares fled looking for the Elements leaving Alex and Nightmare Moon alone once again. For a time the two exchanged blows trying to gain an advantage over the other in a careful dance of attack and counter attack. Alex overextended a swing with his scythe leaving him open for attack and Nightmare Moon struck out with a hoof landing a harsh blow to Alex's side sending him tumbling to the ground. Before he could recover Nightmare's magic encased his form leaving him unable to move, she then slammed him into the ground one, two, three, four times face first leaving a deeper indent every time venting her rage on him. Picking him up and levitating him to her face Nightmare Moon's face split into a smug grin at the damage her attack had inflicted. Alex's face was cut up and his left eye was shut with a cut that went from his eyebrow down to the bottom of his eye his nose was bent at a right angle and gushing blood and judging from his wet raspy breathing probably a few broken ribs as well maybe even a punctured lung. "Well thou don't seem so mighty now Master Everfree, but never let it be said that I am not without mercy. I've seen your combat prowess first hoof and I must admit I am impressed. Not many besides mine sister could have held their own against one such as I" She then let her gaze wonder up and down his battered body appreciating his form despite its battered nature "you art a warrior with few as your equal and thou art what is the expression nowadays, 'easy on the eyes', when I take my place as the rightful ruler of Equestria all will bow before me." A faint blush lit up her face as she nibbled on her lip before she continued "But more than that I'll need someone to be mine equal to rule with me, you could be that someone you know, Nightmare Moon and Master of the Everfree, no one would dare cross us. Equestria would know an era of peace like no other under our guidance." Nightmare Moon finished quietly, as she looked away from Alex. What was once a light blush turned into a blazing trail across her face. Alex's one good eye was wide open in shock at Nightmare's proposal he wasn't expecting anything like that, he though about it and remembered his plan he had before when he was to confront Nightmare Moon before he lost his temper and just attacked. He took a deep breath and once again centered himself, knowing that what he'd say next could either be what snapped Nightmare Moon out of her transformation and bring back Princess Luna or would get him killed and doom Equestria and Animus as a whole to both freeze and burn. "That is a generous request Princess Nightmare Moon, but I'm afraid I must decline" Alex said but quickly continued before she could atomize him with her magic. "I'm sorry that you don't feel that the night is appreciated and that you felt disrespected but you must understand that the night must give into day just as the day must yield to the night. For if either refuse to yield to the other then the world will suffer and be destroyed for it." "Explain yourself Master Everfree how would the world suffer under the majesty that is the night." "First off, your species, ponies, eat plants and plants can only grown and thrive in sunlight. If there is no sunlight then there is no plants and if there are no plants then there is nothing for ponies to eat and if there in nothing for ponies to eat, then ponies die. But it isn't just your ponies that would suffer, countless other animals that eat plants would also starve and die out meaning that the animals that ate their meat to survive would also starve and search farther for more food and target your ponies for sustenance. Second, while you may think that ponies don't appreciate your night you can't be farther from truth, and between you and me I much rather prefer the nights than days anyway" he winked at Nightmare Moon renewing her blush "but what you don't realize is that yes ponies do sleep during your night because they feel that its the only safe time to do so. Its too hot and bright to sleep in the day so they do it at night when its cooler and calmer. They feel safe under your watchful gaze enough to lower their guard and put their lives in your hooves when they are at their most defenseless. But most of all Nightmare Moon they love under your moon, they express their love and make more ponies under your beautiful bastion in the sky." Nightmare Moon had tears in her eyes by this point moved by Alex's words. He let her gather herself before he continued needing her to understand what he was going to say next because this is what would make or break everything. "For what I'm about to tell you I want to apologize, I'm going to be as blunt as possible and not sugarcoat this at all so prepare yourself. Are you ready" Nightmare Moon nodded sure that she could take whatever Alex could say. "You will kill every living thing on this planet if you get your way and you will single-handedly be the greatest murderer this world will ever know" Alex deadpanned. Nightmare Moon wasn't prepared for that and choked on her spit losing the magic around her horn and unceremoniously dropping Alex face first to the ground and fell to her haunches eyes unfocused as she tried to comprehend what he'd said. Alex sat up and rubbed his face and sat cross legged across from her and snapped his fingers in her face a few times to regain her attention. Nightmare Moon shook her head and ceased her musing and turned her full attention back to Alex and nodded at him to continue "The world needs both day and night, without one the world goes out of balance and the whole world suffers, if you go through with your plan and Equestria is bathed in eternal night, then while Equestria will eventually freeze the other side of the world will have only sun and will burn to a crisp turning one half of the world to a frozen wasteland and the other to a lifeless desert." He let his explanation sink in and he sat amazed as tears built in her eyes as she pictured the future her actions would lead to. "I never wanted to hurt anyone," by then her tears had overflowed and trailed down her face "I just wanted mine subjects to love me like they love mine sister. Am I not worthy of love what did I do wrong why doesn't anyone love my night?" Nightmare Moon wept trying to stem the flow of tears with her hooves. Alex, touched by her emotions moved before he could think and wrapped the alicorn into a hug trying to convey all the love he could into it. Nightmare Moon tensed briefly before she sank into the hug truly crying and grieving for the first time in a thousand years as she was shown true affection from someone rather than fear or disdain. Alex let her cry and release all the anguish she felt onto his shoulder and pulled back and wiped a few lingering tears from her eyes and when he looked again he noticed that her eyes had changed the left was still slit but the right was rounded, but before he could voice his observation the six mares had returned and as if a switch had been flipped gone was the vulnerable Princess of the Moon and in her place Nightmare Moon had returned. But before either side could go back to attacking one another Alex quickly stepped between them with arms out blocking both parties. "Wait this doesn't have to end this way, we can work this out without anymore violence, isn't that right Princess Celestia" Alex looked to the right where he'd been sensing a vague presence for the past half hour now and only up until a few minutes ago had he been able to figure out who it was. 'I'm slipping, before I came here no one could have been able to get that close to me without noticing.' Alex thought to himself as Nightmare Moon and the six mares looked to where Alex indicated and indeed shimmering into view was Princess Celestia in all her glory. "Indeed Master Everfree, I see no need for anymore bloodshed." Celestia then turned to Twilight and a gentle smile made its way across her face. "Twilight my dear student you and your friends did me proud by finding the Elements just like I knew you would." She then walked over to stand in front of Nightmare Moon and her face turned serious. "What of you sister, have you changed your mind and given up your dream of an eternal night" her face lost its serious look and a sheen of tears appeared in her eyes and she smiled sadly "because I really miss my little sister and I'd love to get to know her again." Nightmare Moon's stern visage held up for just a few moments as an internal debate went on inside her head. More and more tears welled up in her eyes before she wailed and collapsed into Celestia's hooves crying her apologizes into her mane. As the two sisters reconciled Nightmare Moon's form shrank and lost her dark hues and slowly turned back into Princess Luna, albeit a shrunken version of her nonetheless. Alex let out a sigh and let himself relax now that the danger had passed and his job done. He gazed at the heartwarming sight of two long lost sisters reuniting. He was just about to discreetly make his way back home but he noticed his gaze had started to go blurry and the world began to tilt on an angle. He could see the concerned faces of the eight mares but he couldn't make out what they were saying as all he could here was his heart beating in his ears as his vision started to dim. He collapsed to his knees and keeled over face first and blacked out to the muffled sounds of panicking mares. As his consciousness returned to him he took in a deep breath through his nose and smelled antiseptic, bleach, and sterilized air 'I'm getting so sick of waking up in hospitals. It doesn't matter where I am its always a hospital.' Alex though to himself as he sat up and stretched. He hissed in pain as a hand shot to his abdomen and noticed a wad of gauze strapped to him stained with old blood. He heard someone stirring next to him and turned and saw his nieces Applejack and Applebloom on a couch and to his surprise Princess Luna who was draped across his legs drooling into his blanket. 'What I wouldn't give for a camera right now' Alex chuckled silently but not quietly enough because Applebloom stirred and sat up rubbing her eyes and gazed at Alex awoken form. Before he could shush her Applebloom squealed loudly waking the other two and tackled him in a hug making him yelp in pain as she gripped his barely mended ribs a bit to hard. The sound of the filly alert siren was loud enough that in a second the door was blown open and the rest of the Apple family, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Princess Celestia darted in the now overcrowded hospital room. "Alex yer okay" "Darling that was so brave" "Oh you poor thing are you still in pain" "That was so awesome" "Everypony please, quiet down this is a hospital speak one at a time." Celestia said over the din of concerned ponies. The din died down and Big Macintosh made his way to Alex's bedside and with a gentleness belied by his size he gripped Alex in a gentle hug. As Alex leaned into the hug he closed his eyes and just enjoyed the hug. But as he held Big Mac he noticed that his nephew seemed smaller than he was and opened his eyes to a wall of pink and was promptly filled with dread. "Now I've got you and you won't get away." "How did you do that?!"