Hot Shot stood outside the room, hesitant to knock on the door. Inside was a very strange and mysterious pony known only by the name the Seer of Kell. She had always been the one to talk to when you needed some answers, but she had a tendency to answer questions you didn’t want answered. She pointed out the important things, but the important things liked being things that sucked to know.

Still, Hot needed someone to talk to… He lifted his hoof to knock on the door when a voice came from inside. “Come in, Child~”

He opened the door, glancing around once he was inside. Dream catchers hung down from the ceiling along with small lanterns. The room was lit by the lanterns and a few purple candles that gave off a strange scent that made Hot yawn. He looked at the Seer. She was standing at the small table in the room, pouring herself a glass of tea into a small chipped glass. “Um… Hey.”

“Hello Hot,” she said with a small smile, her eyes shaded by her hair. Hot saw all sorts of beads and bands scattered through her mane.

Hot sat down at the table, sensing that was the right thing to do at the moment. “Been awhile, eh?”

She nodded softly, setting down the teapot. “Awhile indeed, young one. Tell me, did you care for some tea?~”

Hot smiled at the offer, relaxing slightly. This room was strangely comforting. “No thanks, I’m good.” He looked around as she nodded and sipped her tea. “So, uh… Having fun at Sugar Cube Corner?”

She chuckled at the question, bringing the cup down from her mouth. Hot saw a small cut on her lip, probably from the chip on the cup. She must’ve been using that cup for years to get a cut like that. “Your town is very accommodating, and I do enjoy living here. However… we both know you have not come to visit me on a mere whim~” Hot sat in silence, not knowing how to answer. The Seer simply smiled as she brought the cup to her lips again. “Tell me… how is the Blind Child?~”

Hot sat, keeping his eyes down. “I take it he’s doing fine.”

The Seer smirked slightly. “’Take it’?~”

Hot felt somewhat tired… He was very relaxed now, sitting down on the soft pillow. “Think you better ask dad how he’s doing…”

The Seer smiled and set down her glass once more. The candles were all lit, and the smell of cinnamon drifted through the air lightly. Hot yawned as the Seer spoke. “Your father?~”

Hot closed his eyes angrily. “It’s like he’s paying more attention to Card than he does to me, his firstborn son.”

The Seer laughed slightly. “Now now, child, do you truly believe that?~”

Hot sighed. “When I see it, yeah. Dad pushes me aside to granddad while he trains Card for the big fight.”

The Seer smirked, glancing up at Hot with her eyes covered by her glasses. “Then perhaps you have answered the question of WHY you act this way with your actions~”

Hot glanced at her. “How I act what way?”

“Like a Child~”

Hot was silent for a few seconds. “…Y-You’re saying I’m childish?”

“I’m saying you see yourself as a child~”

Hot sighed. “I guess… It’s just that, I want dad to notice me, you know?” The Seer nodded, holding her head on her hooves. Hot looked up at her. “Like, I really look up to him, and I want to be like him… but how can I when he doesn’t even notice me?”

The Seer looked at him. “You and Card are quite alike in that regard.” Hot looked up at her curiously. “Card has come to me in the past with much the same problem. Though, not of his Father leaving him for another, but as his father merely not being THERE~”

Hot looked up quickly at her. “Do you think Dad really left me?”

The Seer smiled. “No.”

“I don't...No, dad didn't leave me behind for Card...did he?”

The Seer shrugged and sipped her tea. “Why ask me?~ I know not of children~” To this, Hot could not respond. The Seer sat down her glass. “I will say this, Hot. Your father has trusted you so much that he has let you train with the man he hated… His own Father. Yet Card is training with YOUR father... Where is the Hatter? How do you think Card feels?~ Perhaps he feels the same as you… or perhaps he feels untrustworthy?~”

Hot sat, thinking. Did Card really feel that way? “I guess you’re right… But it's not about dad trusting me, I want him to notice me...”

The Seer smiled. “Notice? But, my dear boy, he already has~”

“He has? How?”

“He knew you well enough to notice your power. To notice your connection to Card~”

Hot smiled. “So this training...is all because he trusts me? :) B-because he notices me?”

The Seer merely smiled and said, “What do you think?~”

Hots smile grew as he thought of his previous doubts and how silly they sounded now… Down the hallway, far away from the room, another colt was facing his doubts as well.
~*~*~*~*~

Card walked out of his room, yawning. He had stayed up all night reading about Discord, having come no better for it all. He had some suspicions as to who Discord truly was, but they were suspicions at best and nothing more. He hadn’t slept nearly at all the night previous and was very tired.

He began walking to the lobby when he stopped suddenly. A pony was blocking his path, his head down… Cards eyes widened as he realized the pony standing there was… himself? But he didn’t look like Valkyrie… “W-what…” Am I dreaming, he thought to himself.

“Good day… me,” the pony in front of him replied in a stolen voice.

“W-who are you,” Card said, somewhat shaken up by the pony before him. “You aren’t Valkyrie…”

The pony in front of him stood with his eyes closed and a serene smile on his face. “Why, I am you. The real… blind… you~”

Card glared at the pony. “I wouldn’t call myself blind.”

The other Card laughed. “Would you not?~ So you see all of your doubts?~”

Card kept his eyes on this fake Card, untrusting of the pony in front of him. “That is for me to know, isn’t it?”

The other Card continued to smile. “Exactly. I DO know~” Card glared at this imposter, who chuckled at this. “Why the glare?~”

“You know the answer already, if you are truly me. I don’t trust you.”

“And thus, not yourself~”

Card took a step back, unsure how to handle… himself. “S-shut up…” Card didn’t know how to deal with a situation like this. How to make himself stop talking…

“Yes, shut up me~” The other Card took a step forward as the real Card took a step back. “’Boo hoo, help me, Daddy, I’m scared~ Big bad Draconequus is gonna kill me, where are you?~’”

Card backed up against the wall, trying to ignore his own voice saying all his inner doubts and fears. Where was his father when he truly needed him? “I-I SAID SHUT UP!”

The fake Card merely continued to smile. “’Daddy will come and save me~ He'll scare away the monsters with his eyes~’”

Card held his hooves over his ears, trying to block out the sound of his voice. He leaned against the wall. “Y-you aren’t real…”

“I am as real as you, Card… I am thou… and thou art I…” The fake Card grinned and continued the charade he had started earlier. “Then again, where ARE the Hatters eyes?~ ‘Daddy, where are you?~’”

Card opened his eyes, using their unnatural powers of fright, hoping beyond hope that they would frighten the imposter away. “I do NOT need my father!”

Card faltered as the other Card looked at him with the same eyes, horrifying him to the core. He had always been able to stand his own gaze, or even his fathers, but now… Card was scared. “You don’t,” the fake Card asked, grinning as Card backed down. “You try to inflict fear with your eyes… yet the eyes are the mirrors of the soul. You are afraid of me… of yourself~”

Card sunk down the wall, unable to look away from his own eyes. “N-no…”

“Two mirrors reflecting each other creates an infinite image. You live in infinite fear of your own image.” He laughed as Card closed his eyes tightly and covered his ears again, trying desperately to refuse the image before him. “It’s no use… You can still hear me… and yourself~” His grin grew as he saw Card crying under his closed eyes, finally beginning to break the colt through the series of events. “Look at you… The Joker doesn’t cry~”

Card opened his eyes, tears streaming down his face. It was no use… This was one battle he wasn’t going to be able to win.

He couldn’t defeat himself.
~*~*~*~*~

Hot glanced at the Seer as she sipped her tea. He had another thing he had wanted to ask her. “Do you think Card is ready for this battle?”

The Seer was quiet for a second or two. She sat down her glass and looked at Hot. “No.”

Hot looked surprised. “N-No? W-why not?” Hot knew Card would have to be ready for the final battle… if they weren’t, they had no hope of defeating Discord.

The Seer sighed slightly. “He does not know peace yet. He still has so many doubts and uncertainties…” She hung her head slightly. “He is not ready for what is to come.”

Hot looked at her, disbelieving. “H-he has to be… Even though Dad is relying on me, I can’t do it alone.”

The Seer glanced at Hot. “Nor can he. He is coming apart at the seams, child. He does not wish to hurt anypony, and because of this, he is hurting himself. He will push away any help he sees, merely because he does not wish to see it.”

Hot stared at the table, thinking. Card never did like asking for help in the past. He had always tried to be perfect and unfailing. That was a LOT of pressure to put on anypony, kid or not. Hot got why he didn’t want to ask for help now. Card was scared that in the process of somepony helping him, they would get hurt. “What happens if he keeps refusing to see?”

The Seer looked at Hot seriously. “… The Joker will fall.” Hot nodded, knowing the answer before she had given it to him. “I suggest you go to him now, Hot. Before he falls. He faces another enemy as we speak, and it is one he cannot run from.” Hots eyes widened as he heard what she said. Card was fighting somepony?! “You are his eyes, child. Now make him see.”

Hot nodded, standing quickly. “Right.” With that, he ran out of the room, looking for Card. Whatever Card needed, Hot would be there.

How else would Card see the truth?
~*~*~*~

“You and I are full of doubts,” the fake Card was saying. “I am your mirror~”

Card opened his eyes once more, knowing they had no power on him. He glared at the pony in front of him, feeling a burning hatred… for himself. “Then shatter.”

The fake Card grinned. “Hmm?~”

Card stood angrily, sick and tired of this fight. He wanted to go to sleep and not have to worry about his doubts and his fears and everything else that kept him up at night. This pony needed to go away. “There is only ONE Card Trick. You are NOT me.”

Card took a step back as suddenly, shadows began to swirl around the fake Cards hooves. The imposter laughed, his voice warping slightly. “Indeed… I am a MUCH better you… a stronger you~” The shadows engulfed the imposter Card, changing his form entirely. Card took a step back, speechless as he saw himself transform into a shadowy beast. He heard a smooth voice in his head, much like his own, but more sinister. I am a shadow… The true self…I am Hanafuda, the real you… Card gasped as this. Hanafuda summoned the same cards he used. Card closed his eyes, unable to think as Hana created a Card Whip and attacked him, sending the rope of cards his way. Card braced himself for the attack…

… And opened his eyes as he was left unscathed. Cards eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him. Hanafuda was glaring at the pony in front of him, who had intercepted the attack. The chain of cards had wrapped around… HOT’S hoof. “You alright, Bro?”

“H-hot?!”

Hot glanced at him, grinning as he winked. “Didn’t think your eyes would let you down, right?~” He tugged on the rope, pulling Hana close to him. His spare hoof grew flamed, burning blazing hot. “Now back…” He punched Hana with the said hoof, sending him flying. “OFF!”

Hanafuda crashed into the nearby wall, smashing through it. “Good throw,” Card said, gaining a small smile. Having Hot here made everything better. He didn’t have to face this all by himself…

Hot winced as a smaller section of wall fell. “We’re SOOOO gonna get in trouble when Pinks sees this.”

Card chuckled. “IF she sees this~”

Hanafuda stood, his face a storm cloud of anger. Hot turned to Card, grinning. “Goin’ all out?” Card nodded and turned his back to Hot. Hot did the same. Card summoned his cards to him, shadows swirling around him as he smirked. This battle would be short with Hot at his side. Hot grinned as well, both his hooves burning with intense flame. “Take that as a yes then~”

Hot vanished into flames, appearing behind Hana. He punched him in the neck quickly, sending him stumbling towards Card. Hana raised a hoof to attack Card. “Ah ah ah,” Card said, sending a chain of cards at Hana. They wrapped around one of his hooves, causing him to fall as he tripped through the semi – solid shadows. “Perhaps I see more than we thought~”

“Damn right we do,” Hot said, laughing.

Hana rolled to the right, getting back on his hooves. He send a chain of cards at Hot, slamming him into the wall as he laughed. “See that? You hurt your brother!”

Card smiled serenely. “I’m afraid YOU haven’t hurt him. However…” Card summoned a large, flat card above Hana’s head. With a flick of his hoof it crashed down on him, sending his head barreling into the floor. Hana grunted, being crushed by the card. “You HAVE done a great deal today to PISS ME OFF!” He applied more pressure as he said this and turned to where Hot has fallen. “You alright, Hot?~”

“Had worse!~”

Card smiled and leaned down to Hana, who was stuck being crushed against the floor, unable to move. “Now… for you…”

Hana grinned, his voice echoing in Cards mind once more. I am the true self, Card. The real you~

Card sighed as he stood again. Hot walked on over as Card looked Hana over. “Fighting myself,” Card said “seems an utter waste of time.”

Hot looked at Card. “W-what, CARD! This THING isn’t you!”

Card looked directly into Hanas eyes. The mirror of the soul… “I don’t think you’re right, Hot.”

Hot rolled his eyes, his hoof burning once more. “Just watch!” He quickly pulled Hana up and shoved his hoof through his chest. Card winced slightly, seeing the shadowy blood seep onto Hots hoof. Hana groaned in pain, dissolving into shadow to reappear a few feet away, looking once more like Card and less like the beast they had fought. Hots eyes widened. “TWO CARDS?!”

Card chuckled. “At least he’s attempting to look like me now…”

The other Card looked at Card, repeating the same thing he had said earlier. “I am thou and thou art I… I am your Shadow… your inner self…”

Card sighed with a slightly rueful smile. No more running. “Yes, I do believe you are.”

The other Card smiled, the shadows around him fading. Finally, Card understood. The beast would not fade until acknowledged as the one it impersonated. The imposter faded into nothingness, leaving Hot and Card to stand in the hallway. Hot glanced around. “Is… it over?” Card nodded. “Card… what the HELL did we just fight?”
Card shuffled the deck in his hoof, smiling softly. “It is of no circumstance now. We fought an inner demon. Living on the hell mouth, demons are fairly common. It could be a number of different things. A certain ponies talent, or something more. In essence, we fought my worst nightmare.”

“Inner self?...” Hot laughed. “Dude, your inner self is UGLY!”

Card made a slightly pained face as he laughed along. “Um.. Yes. It is.”

They both laughed at their joking around. That is, until they heard a voice across the hallway. “Very impressive, both of you.”

Both Hot and Card turned to the hallway. “You saw us,” Hot said, more of a statement than a question.

Drake walked out of the hallway, smiling brightly. “How could I not?~” He glanced at them both in turn, his face taken up by his ear – to –ear grin. “I am impressed with both of you.”

Hot smiled. “You are?”

“Not only have you two worked in a team… but you also did something most ponies could not. I saw who your enemy was.” Card hung his head slightly, somewhat ashamed to have been taken so far down the wrong path by that imposter. Drake continued to smile, however. “To fight an inner demon takes a lot of courage, Card, and courage is something forged by the bonds of friendship.” Card turned and smiled at Hot as Hot laughed and winked at him again. They were more than two ponies fighting alongside each other. They were brothers, and nothing would ever change that bond. Drake glanced at the two brothers, seeing their bond before his very eyes as they both grinned at their success. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen such a strong bond and such teamwork… Be proud, you two. You’re ready.”

Hot laughed and threw a hoof around Card. “And with ME as your eyes, NOTHING can stop us!~” Card laughed along with him, finally starting to believe in himself. Their victory against… well, himself had shown him that they DID have some skill, at the very least. If they could defeat Card Trick, then how hard could a God be? Card couldn’t help but smile at his brother as they both laughed.

Drake smiled to himself. He was extremely proud of his son, and of Card as well. You better be proud too, Hat… You have one amazing son.

Suddenly, 2 pink hooves grabbed both Cards and Hots ears. Card gasped in surprise and Hot winced in pain. “Owowow, what gives?!”

Behind them stood a very annoyed looking Pinkie. “Oh yes, nothing will be able to stop you two.” She turned to the remains of her wall. “NOT EVEN MY WALL.”

Hot winced as she let go, glancing at Card. “Told you we’d be in trouble…”

Card winked at him, smiling. “Let me handle this~” He turned to Pinkie as she let go of their ears. “Diane, aren’t you always the one who says it doesn’t cost you anything to maintain this place? After all, you never charge anypony for food or lodgings because of that fact.”

Pinkie looked a bit confused at this. “W-well-“

“He’s right,” Hot said, grinning.

Cards smile grew. “Surely if you say such things, you cannot expect us to be so careful around the building.” Pinkie made a face, trying to think about what he had said. However, he was not going to give her enough time to think this through. “So, I assure you, you will fix this wall without a moment’s hesitation, using the magic you so willingly use to remake it~”

Pinkie made a startled face. “W-wai-“

Card turned his head to Hot. “Hot?~”

“Yeah?”

Card laughed, charging past Pinkie in a flash. “RUN!!” Hot laughed and ran after him.

“B-buh-“ Pinkie made a pained face, putting her hoof to her head.

Behind her, Drake was laughing. “Oh, leave them alone, Diane. They’re kids!~” Pinkie couldn’t help but giggle slightly, happy to see Card enjoying himself for once. She waved her hoof and the wall was repaired. Drake smiled at her. “Plus, Card overcame his biggest challenge today.”

“Himself~”

Both Drake and Pinkie turned to see the Seer walking towards them out of the hallway. However, out of all of the laughter and smiled happening since the latest battle, the Seer was one of the few sorrowful faces they had seen today. She walked up to Diane and held up a note. Pinkie looked at it curiously. “What’s that?”

“A note… for the Joker…”

Pinkie reached out and took it, opening it up.

So you think you know who I was now? You do good work, little Trick. I do hope you will reconsider my offer and join me. If you would have noticed, you already have~

- The God Of Chaos

Diane paled slightly, reading this note. “How long has he been getting these?!”

The Seer glared at her. “Maybe you should ask him~”

Pinkie burned the note in her hoof as Drake turned to her. “What… Valkyrie?”

Pinkie shook her head. “Worse… Discord.” She sighed. “I should’ve known he’d be in contact with him!”

The Seer nodded. “It is how he operates, as you know.”

Drake turned to the Seer. “Is he trying to break Card?”

She sighed. “No… He is trying… to ally himself with him.”

Pinkie shook her head, confused. “How the HELL can he think that would work?!”

The Seer glared at Diane. “Perhaps the Puppet should ask herself that.” Pinkie glared back at her. “Do not pretend,” the Seer continued, “that you yourself did not side with him, once.”

Pinkie grimaced. There had been a time, once, where she had sided with Discord, choosing to live in an oblivion dimension he had made instead of living in real life. She had regretted it all her life. “That was years ago. I was insane.”

The Seer smirked. “Question not your own sanity, and then perhaps we'll be getting somewhere~”

Pinkie glared at her. “… Who are you?”

She smiled. “The Seer~”

Pinkie rolled her eyes in anger. “You KNOW what I meant! What is your name?!”

The Seer grinned. “My name is old and forgotten. I am merely a friend of the mad~” She bowed deeply, turning around in the process. “Why else would I be here?~” To this, there was only silence as an answer. She smiled brightly and began to head back to her room. “Now, if you’ll excuse me… It’s tea time~”

Pinkie glanced at Drake as the Seer walked back to her room. “I REALLY hate her sometimes…” Both Drake and Pinkie made a face as Pinkie sighed. Together they walked back to the lobby. Pinkie glanced out the window to where Card and Hot were chatting outside. “Do you really think they’re ready?”

Drake smiled. “After what I saw earlier? I KNOW they’re ready.”

The day went on and everyone went their separate ways. The next few days were peaceful. Both colts trained further and became stronger, learning new techniques and strategies. New ponies came and went from the inn, and life seemed good.

Until the day arrived… along with Discord.

Author's Notes:

LONG. FREAKING. CHAPTER.
Also one of my favorite chapters so far. ^^ Finally brought in the character, the Seer of Kell. Who is she? Where does her power of sight come from? Just how much does she know about the future?
And poof little Card... Where is his father?... Will he be ready to face Discord?...
And the deaths to come?~