Canterlot Castle, Equestria

After Guardian admitted to him needing to stay somewhere until his magic recharges, Celestia insisted that he stay at the Castle for dinner. The dinner hall, usually filled with servants, guards, nobles, and on some occasions royalty, the only ponies in the room were the Royal Sisters and Guardian. Celestia and Luna were enjoying specially prepared salads, but Guardian wasn't even touching his plate.

"Is there something wrong, my friend?" Celestia asked. "You haven't touched your salad."

"I would if I could," Guardian said, giving a nervous smile. "But for my people, vegetables don't agree with me. I know it's against your people's belief to eat meat, but I would be pleased if I could bring my own food."

"But I thought you said you weren't able to use rifts to return to wherever it is you live?" Luna said. Guardian sounded a bit rude, but granted she knew that the poor soul might have been through a lot.

"That's for teleporting living beings." Guardian answered. And here he goes with the science/magic explanations.... "You see, it requires a large amount of magical energy and focus to send a body and soul through the rifts on time and space, because you have no idea what happens to those who fail and something gets royally screwed up." He looked onward, drifting off into thought again. "That poor boy... his body between the Gate and his soul bound to a suit of armor." He returned his gaze to the princesses and smiled. "It's easier to bring things like objects that only have a physical form and no soul required." Guardian's horn glowed a translucent blue, firing a bolt into the roof. "A demonstration if you will."

A small blue vortex appeared to the side of Guardian, and out popped a bronze knife, a brick, and a red rose. "It would've taken me significantly longer to bring a physical being into this world from another." A small beeping was heard, so Guardian pulled out a small device and clicked a button on it. He put it away and gave an annoyed sputter. "Speaking of, I've got a client I have to meet with now."

"You're leaving?" Celestia asked. Guardian merely shook his head and stepped back.

"No, he's coming here. I hope you don't mind, but I have to change." A black mist enveloped Guardian, consuming the black alicorn in a cloud of darkness. The cloud appeared to change posture and position, much like an artist molding his clay, taking the form of a smaller figure. As soon as the mist cleared away, a new figure was standing before the princesses. He was a human male, wearing a black suit, a black cape, wide-brimmed black hat, and an eye-patch over his left eye. Celestia and Luna stood in awe at Guardian's human form, for this was the first they ever had seen of it.

"Is this your true form?" Luna asked. Guardian merely let out a chuckle.

"No, but this is close." He said. "You should probably pull the tables and chairs back, because this is the kind of meeting you're not used to." Guardian snapped his fingers, and a purple rift opened across the tables. Out stepped an incredibly muscular human, wearing red grieves and leather straps across his chest. On his head sat a samurai helm with a skull covering most of his face, save for his jaw and reptilian eyes.

"Savior of Worlds." The muscular man said, in a gruff and booming voice.

"Shao Kahn, Emperor of Outworld." Guardian said. He was wondering how long it would take for someone to address him by his one of professional titles. "We both know why you're here."

"Indeed." Shao Kahn raised his hand into the air, and in a flash of green light, a very large hammer sat in the overlord's hands. "I have come to take your head and gain control of all worlds, in Mortal Kombat!" Guardian looked to the princesses, who both sat in fear at the sight on this gigantic other worldly being.

"Your Highnesses," He said. "I would suggest moving away. Shao Kahn and I are going to wrestle for a bit, and I don't want to destroy anything." With a prompt nod, Celestia and Luna pulled the tables away, and flew to a nearby balcony to witness the battle.

"Fight!" Shao Kahn roared. The Outworld Emperor charged headfirst at Guardian, hammer in the air and roaring a tone that would make any dragon shake with fear. Guardian stood still, no matter how close Shao Kahn came close. There he stood, unflinching and unmoving, like a statue frozen in time. When Shao Kahn finally swung his mighty hammer, it made in impact on... nothing. Guardian had vanished, faster than lightening, and reappeared behind Shao Kahn. With snake-like reflexes, Guardian kicked Shao Kahn's knees in, leaped seven feet into the air, and brought his feet down upon the Emperor's head, creating a head shaped dent in the linoleum floor. After delivering a lethal blow, Guardian put Shao Kahn in a strong headlock, and would not release him.

"That's an all new record for you." Guardian joked. "Thirty seconds. Have you been working out?" Shao Kahn got up on his feet, trying to swat at the suited man on his throat.

"Get off! I am Shao Kahn! I can never be defeated!"

"You've tried to kill me... eight times so far? And to add to that, your attempts at Mortal Kombat against your Earthrealm have been futile." The 'mighty' emperor got on his knees after Guardian's powerful grip on his neck began to suffocate him. "Now, do you surrender, or am I going to have to play golf with your head again?"

"On the blood of Shinnok, I surrender!" Guardian shrugged his shoulders and sighed. He released his grip on Shao Kahn and began to pose for the non-existent audience. Celestia and Luna could only look at this display in awe. He toppled that giant of a man in less than half a minute! Before the Royal Sisters could descend to congratulate their friend, Shao Kahn picked himself up, grabbed his hammer, and raised it behind Guardian's head.

"Behind you!" Luna shouted. At that mark, an even larger green hammer appeared in Guardian's hand, and smashed Shao Kahn's stomach in in a single blow. The defeated Emperor sailed through the air and was knocked into a recently opened rift.

"That's the third time he tried that tactic." Guardian said. "He either needs to be less sneaky, or get a bigger hammer." With the notion of his victory, Guardian tossed his hammer behind him, and it vanished in a puff of green smoke. Celestia and Luna descended from the balcony and gave praise to Guardian.

"That was an incredible battle!" Luna said. "We wish to know what it was about, though."

"As the Guardian of Worlds, it's my duty to make sure all universes remain whole and intact. However, there are others who wish to gain control of said universes and challenge me for control. Shao Kahn is just one of them."

"So this happens often, then?" Celestia pondered.

"At least once every week. Just be glad I wasn't dealing with a Void being. Those monstrosities make a big mess." The trio chuckled as Guardian transformed back into his Alicorn form. After Guardian used his magic to reset the dinning room, Celestia realized the time and embarked to lower the sun and allow Luna to bring up the moon.

"You are welcome to the guest room, my friend." Celestia said. Guardian merely bowed his head and his horn glowed green.

"No need," Guardian said. "I just built myself a temporary house outside." Celestia and Luna looked outside, and sure enough, there was a floating temple-like structure suspended several feet in the air. "It's based on the ancient Mayan dwellings from one of the Earth Universes. Quite a people they were." The Alicorns did their duties and went to their rooms. All except for the curious Princess Luna. She knew that Guardian was hiding something within his mind, heart, and soul, so she intended to find out through his dreams. She flew to the window opening where Guardian sat in his human form, sleeping in a meditative pose.

Now to see what lurks in thy mind.... Luna thought. She closed her eyes and felt her subconscious enter the mind of the Wanderer of Worlds. There she stood in an empty white room. In front of her stood a large stone gate, designed with a tree featuring different names on the branches. Sitting in front of the large gate was a completely white figure, save for the dark, smoky outline around it. It was of the exact same build as Guardian's human form, but completely devoid of any color.

"Who are you?" Luna asked the being. A wide smile spread across the blank face of the being.

"I am referred to by many names." The being said in a calm, echoing voice. "I am the Truth, God, the All, the One. I am Him, but more importantly..." The being stood up, and it's form changed to the shape and exact build of Luna. "I am you." Luna was taken aback by this unnatural creature.

"Why are you in the dreams of my friend, the Guardian?" Luna demanded.

"I am the Keeper of the Gate of Truth. All of the knowledge of the worlds lies beyond. The Guardian, as you call him, was the only being to ever walk through the Gate and learn everything. You came here to learn his secrets, and this is what he chose." Truth vanished into the blinding whiteness as the gate slowly opened to a black abyss. A horizontal eye opened up, and a flurry of small arms burst from within. They grabbed at Luna, and dragged her into the awaiting darkness. She frantically dug at the ground to escape, and began calling out for help.

"No! This is not what I desired!" Luna continued to scream as she saw the darkness pull her apart and into the Gate. Truth floated towards Luna's face and gave a monstrous grin.

"You wished to learn the Truth about the Guardian?" Luna's eyes gaped with fear as she saw herself become merged with Truth. "Wish granted." Those were the last words the Princess of the Night heard before completely vanishing the Gate of Truth, and it closing behind the smiling keeper.

The Following Morning...

Celestia awoke in the morning, at least, that's what she presumed. It was six in the morning, but Luna hadn't brought the moon down for herself to raise the moon. She felt this peculiar. Celestia wandered the castle, in search of her sister. It wasn't like her to shirk royal duties. After arriving to the outside courtyard, she saw Guardian's makeshift home floating above, but a frightening sight below. Luna was collapsed on the ground, completely unconscious, but there was blood on the ground. Celestia ran up to her injured sister, turning Luna on her side, but found an even worse sight. Her entire right eye was gone, ripped completely out of her skull. She was bleeding heavily, but Celestia had no idea what to do.

"What's all the noise about?" Guardian asked, sticking his head out through a window. He looked down and saw Celestia standing over a heavily injured Luna. "Oh no." Guardian flew out the window and landed to his injured friend.

"What's wrong with her?" Celestia frantically asked. "Who stole her eye?!"

"I have a failsafe in case someone tries to enter my mind without permission." Guardian said, attempting to treat the wound. "Anyone who tries is mentally sent to the Gate of Truth, and physically loses a part of the body Truth chooses. She must've wanted to see what lay in my dreams, so Truth took half her sight away." Guardian's horn glowed a deep blue and a small briefcase appeared behind him.

"You know all of the healing spells!" Celestia stated, through stifled sobs. "Can't you do anything for her?"

"Whatever Truth takes, he keeps. However, I'm the only being in existence he will ever bow to." Guardian opened the briefcase with his magic, and levitated a small spherical device resembling that of an eye. After carefully inserting the device, it began to expand until it filled the place where Luna's eye once was, finally creating a completely accurate hologram of her eye. "I'll pay Truth a little visit, but for now, I'm going to give her a temporary eye." He looked towards Celestia with a dead serious eye. "Keep her as calm as possible, make sure nopony knows she's missing an eye because of a foreign friend, and whatever you do...." His voice turned ominous enough to scare even the strongest of dragons. "Don't attempt to use your magic yourself." Celestia gave a grave nod, and levitated her sister onto her back. Guardian opened a Gate and entered, and when he would come out on the other end, Truth would wish he was able to die. Next Chapter: Chapter Seven: Blood Estimated time remaining: 42 Minutes