Four days had passed since Daring and I had our adventure in the Saddleline Pyramids. In that time I was able to talk Gaia into sending all she had of Grimwand's research to my home in Ponyville and had her chief of medical to take a look at my wing. It seems that I indeed did break it, so I had to have it reset and bound. Unlike Equestria, Saddle Arabia didn't rely much on magical healing like those of unicorns. They more focused on the tonic and potion kind of healing. So I was given some rather strong tasting medication, the nastiest thing I have ever tasted. After that, I finished up my little shopping before I said my goodbyes to my half-sister and her coltfriend. I was told that I should expect a visit from them sometime in the future. All I could really say to that one was, it going to be rather interesting... I think. But after that I was on my way back to Equestria when Daring had to talk to me about our adventure.

“Firestorm, I need to talk to you about our little adventure.” She said as she looked up from that table to me on one of the beds.

“Let me guess, you want me to keep my mouth shut about our adventure?” I asked.

“For the most part yes, as well as the fact that you are going to show up in the next book.” She tacked on.

“I'm not surprised since Shining Armor showed up in one. I don't have much of a problem but one thing. I don't want to lie to my marefriend.” I said as my gaze went back to the file in my hooves.

“But you know that you have to keep the fact that A.K. Yearling and Daring Do is one in the same a secret.” She said eyeing me. I had to think about this for a moment then I came up with an answer to both our problems.

“How about this, I will say that I went on an adventure with a pony Celestia trusted. Namely A.K. Yearling, but I won't tell her who you really are unless we meet again with her around while your identity is revealed.” I answered, with the look on her face, she could accept that deal. I found a large golden ring wrapped up in the cape artifact. It had inscribed markings covering it. I didn't know if it was a different language or something else. Daring took one look at the thing and swiped it from my magic. Still can't get use to having something yanked out of my magic like that.

“How is one of the Rings of Scorchero here?” Daring asked and I blinked.

“What?” I asked sounding like a duck. Daring then began telling me that she's been searching for a series of rings that was used to curse a valley to unrelenting heat and Ahuizotl has been doing the same. It seems that this ring is one of the last ones needed to finish the curse. I questioned her why she didn't just destroy it, and got crash course in curses. Most cursed artifacts needed a very strong spell user with the right spell to dispel it. Other wise the cursed artifact in question is near invincible. A lot of curses or enchantments can interact and disable each other but this wasn’t the case with the ring. It seems that this curse if triggered would go on without a hitch. The pedestal how ever had the enchantment where if the last ring was removed in a set of thirteen or so, the whole temple for it would crumble. In doing so would make the ring breakable. “Then why don't you just go in and do that?” I asked.

“That's Ahuizotl main base of operations, it's heavily fortified. So entering would be Celestia near impossible.” She explained.

“Well you could always try to break in and get caught. Then break out of your trap and enter there with less resistance. Granted that would be a high risk chance of it going south, but beyond going in with an army. It's the more stealthy option.” I part suggested, part rambled to her.

“I'll have to think about.” She said before she eyed me for a moment. “Firestorm about the books.” She started and I simply said.

“I'm fine with it.” I said, she simply blinked at me. “What?”

“Do you even know what I was about to ask?” She said eying me.

“About me as a character in the story, either it being me directly or as a changed named character. Which like I said fine with it.” Once again she blinked at me. “Was I right?”

“Um... yes.” She said as she blinked at me.

“Look if you're trying to figure out how I knew what you were going to ask, then it was a pretty easy guess. Especially if you factor in the book discussion we had on the way to Saddle Arabia.” I said looking back with a very neural glance. “Fair enough.” She said.

Later on It seemed that my mind wanted me to return to the set of doors, but unlike before the door to kindness was now fully there. I decided before I had somepony enter my head for the umpteenth time, to enter one of the doors. It didn't help the feeling I got of somepony watching me. I decided since I got the kindness artifact, that door may as well be my next one to enter. As soon as I entered the world disappeared until a forest surrounded field began to fade into existence. I glanced around to see if there was anypony or anything around to get an idea of what the hell was going on. I tried to fly out of there but it seemed that I was only allowed to fly within the forest surrounded grove. Other wise it felt like I was being blown out of the sky. I landed somewhere around the center to give my wings a rest. Lucky for me dreams aren't completely impacted by my current health or inabilities. I sat there for a few minutes just taking in the rather peaceful setting this door wanted to give me. Of course as soon as I relaxed that's when shit hits the fan.

The ground began to shake before I was thrown into the air as the ground erupted from under me. A large segmented snake like creature, that seemed like a mixture of living crystal and crude iron. The only organic part that I could see was the inside of the mouth and the acid green eyes. I hovered in the air as the snake landed on the ground, then coiled up as the rather gagged spiked tail shook like a rattlesnake as I got a better look of this creature. The crystal parts of the body was in a multitude of colors while the crude iron had an almost rusty earth brown color. The head of this snake was that of the cobra where it's head was covered mostly by the crude iron, like a helmet for it. While the snakes tongue was iron as well, as for the fangs they were a ruby red crystal. The beast hissed before lunging at me. I was able to dodge the first strike but the tail was able to swat me out of the air and into the ground hard. I felt the pain but it seemed nothing had broke from it. I didn't have time to think about it as the snake was fast for it's massive size. It used it's own momentum to U-turn around one of the trees and flew right back at me. I rolled onto my back and used a strength enchantment on my hind legs. As soon as the head was right over me I bucked it up into the air. It flew up into the air and this time the tail didn't catch me like before. I used the time with it in the air to get myself some distance from it. It came down with a rather booming impact that left a sizable crater. It's tail laid out of the hole and that's when I noticed something in it's tail. I flew over quick to notice a broken off barbed black bladed spear head in the tail by the rattle snake like tail. This reminded me of an old story I heard when I was a kid.

I tried to fly closer to the spear head, but it was then it flung up and nailed me under the chin. The spikes on the tail cut into my chin just enough to get a slow trickle. The tail stopped before it reversed direction to slam and impale me. I dived back using my wings for the added momentum. The tail slid into the crater before the snake's head raised up out as the hood spread out further and hissed again. This time I was ready for the damn thing as it lunged at me again. I jumped up and landing on the back of the snake's head, I galloped down the length of the snake until I was close enough to the spear head. I quickly twisted my body so I began to slide on my side until the spear head was within my muzzle's reach. With my draconic fangs gripped it as I tried to hang on for dear life. Which is a little harder to do when you're being trashed around by a snake's tail. I was smashed into the ground and trees before the snake was able to whip me into the air. I landed safely, well as safe as it could be when you're facing a snake the size of a house coiled up. I turned around to see the snake staring directly at me, and hissing, again. It's tail thudded against the ground hard enough that it bounced me a few inches off the ground. It drew back for a moment before it turned it's head to look at it's tail. I couldn't help but grin at the snake with the spear head still in my teeth. I spit it out of my mouth and then grabbed it by the blade in my claw. The snake turned back at me and before I could react wrapped me up with it's tail. I began to panic as my hooves were pressed to my side. The spear head dropped when I was picked up so rapidly. Of course that was all a moot as the snake began to nuzzle me with it's rather large head. It was a very odd feeling having crude iron rub against you.

It was then when the whole world went back, it was a few seconds of this and I found myself launched out of the door. I ended up landing on my face, before rolling over onto my back and staring right up to an amused looking Luna. She floated me back onto my hooves, which I simply planted my rump on the white ground.

“Long time no see Luna.” I said with a smile, Luna returned the look with a smile of her own.

“It hasn't been that long Storm, how's things in Saddle Arabia?” She asked.

“There alright I suppose, pretty warm in the desert.” I answered back.

“Well it is a desert after all.” She smirked.

“Yeah... honestly besides a few moments this trip hasn't been all that bad.” I said with a smile as I began to change the dream scape into a peaceful cityscape. This was a place I knew about, and had visited many times. The night sky of Chicago covered over head as Luna and I sat on the balcony of a hotel I had stayed at before.

“This is a rather interesting place.” Luna commented as she looked around to see the cars below us a few stores under the balcony.

“This here is Chicago, a city from earth.” I said as I made a glass of lemonade appear on the table next to one of the lounge chairs that sat next to us. I took the time to get myself up into the seat and began to sip on it.

“Chicacolt?” She asked.

“No Chicago, really must every city have some kind of pony pun to it?” I asked.

“Pony pun?” She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Well yeah, let's compare them to the earth equivalents. How about Canterlot? On earth the city would be called Camelot. Then how about Manehattan, on earth the city would be Manhattan.” I pointed out as she got to the other seat.

“That last one has a more human pun to it.” She countered.

“Well in all fairness, I didn't name it.” I said.

“Still I can see where you're getting the idea of these puns. Honestly I never really noticed that until you said something. It is very punny isn't it?” She asked with a hoof to her chin giving it a light scratch.

“Punny indeed.” I said as I leaned back in the chair. Honestly this chair reminded me much of a chair I use to own back on earth. It was some of the stuff I got from my late grandmother. That of course sent my thoughts down a different direction.

“Storm, is there something wrong?” She asked and I turned to her.

“Not really, why do you ask?”

“The look on your face just had that distant sad memory look to it.” She said as she looked at me with worry.

“I'm just thinking about my family on earth again.” I said as the night sky began to be filled with little shooting stars.

“I don't think that I could stand being you at times Storm.” She said and I looked back over to her.

“What do you mean?”

“Just the thought that your friends and family were in a place you can't be anymore. That they are left to think that you passed away. But having to know that you can't ever return to the life you once had.” She said, and I could just hear the heartbreak in that voice of hers.

“That's the cruelty of life Luna, you never realize what you hold truly dear in your life until it's gone. I mean just coming to Equestria meant that I had lost so much, a home, friends, family, and my old world. Granted sometimes I thought it wasn't much of a life, but it was mine to do with as I pleased.” I said as my gaze returned to the sky.

“Do you miss it?” She asked.

“Of course, I'm going to miss it. I spent most of my life in that world. With those I held dear to my heart.” I answered.

“And what about here?” She asked.

“As in Chicago or Equestria?”

“Equestria.”

“Honestly if it wasn't for the whole Grimwand and Vermom trying to kill me or torture me. I honestly would think this place would be the best so far. I mean here I have a new family, new friends, hell I even have a marefriend.” I said as my forelegs spread wide in a jester to what I meant.

“What do you mean I even have a marefriend?” Luna asked.

“Well it's no secret that after Jessica passed I was devastated. But as time went on I tried to date again. But each time ending in failure mostly because I wasn't the right person for them. Some of them just because they wanted a bigger guy. The one's that stayed the longest were nice, as I spent what time I could between work and family talking to them.” I said as all happiness left my face at that.

“I have a feeling a huge but is in there.” Luna said watching me.

“Yeah... but in the end they realized stuff about me.” I said.

“Like?”

“That when I'm left to think that I go down very dark paths, I understand that I have a lot of self doubt to myself. That I don't see what I do as good, in the sense of quality work. I mean I get told that I do great works in the sense of art or music. But me... I don't see it. I mean I got to the point that I only faked what I thought about it in the sense that everyone saw me say it's good. When I still don't see what they see. It's like they can see the window, and see what's through it. Be me I only see myself staring back at me. I don't see the outside, the nature or wonder of it. Just the same old me, being the same old being that I always was. All the ones I was with realized that in one way or another. I mean yeah they tried but like most of them, cheated on me because of a shallow reason. Or at least that's what they told me.” I sadly said.

“I... I don't know what to say about that Storm.” She said.

“Not many do Luna, it's one of the sad things about my life.” I said as I finished my drink only to watch it fill right back up.

“But you do realize you're with Twilight Sparkle right now.” Luna said and I could tell she was trying to cheer me up from the very depressive mood I had began to take.

“I know, and I have thought about it a lot.” I said as I began to drink more of my refilled drink.

“What do you mean?”

“Well... I mean I get that this all started from a kiss. But, I suppose I wonder what she sees in me and if things are going to happen again?” I asked.

“I don't think Twilight would be that shallow.” Luna shot back.

“I... I know but it's just...” I sighed. “I can't help but worry, just as the saying goes. Hope for the best but plan for the worst.”

“That’s very...”

“I know, I know. I shouldn't think like that but it's one of my nasty habits I kept.” I said. “Luna... what do you think of omnivores?”

“Omnivores? Well I don't have any problems against those that have to eat meat to survive.” She said looking at me, I couldn't help but lightly gulp at her choice of words.

“I see.” I answered not looking at her.

“If I may inquire, what's with the odd question all of a sudden?” She asked.

“Well... um... it's just a thought that popped into my head.” I sort of lied, it was true that the question did pop into my head. But it was from the context of what we were talking about that triggered it.

“Storm what's the real reason?” She asked in a serious tone.

“Well... what would you think of a pony eating meat?” I asked, it was that long Luna gave at made me regret opening my damn mouth. There was a level of disgust in her face, if a princess couldn't handle that bit. How was I suppose to expect Twilight to feel any better about it.

“You haven't have you?” She asked and I shook my head in a negative fashion.

“No... but as a drony... I can.” I answered the other question.

“Oh.” She said which was followed by a louder. “Oh!” like it finally clicked with her.

“Yeah, honestly that's what I'm more worried about. From what I can tell, a pony eating meat is quite taboo.” I started looking back to the sky.

“To a point, as it would reflect poorly on the pony in question. It isn't against the law itself since Equestria serves more beings than just ponies.” She explained.

“Ah I see, well the problem I have and I don't know if I should bring it up is Twilight. During one of my nights out in the desert I had thought about everypony back in Equestria. Granted it triggered a rather odd moment but none the less. I had to think about our relationship, I mean what if Twilight found out that a drony is an omnivore instead of just a herbivore and a gemivore.” I began.

“I can see why this bothers you so, but I don't think Twilight would hate you for being able to eat meat without the backlash that most ponies bodies would give them.” Luna explained.

“I'm guessing if a pony has too much meat their bodies start to shake uncontrollably?” I asked.

“Well yes and no, those that have had it for years face a far worse case of the shakes in their later years. But it's more a bowels kind of problem where ponies bodies can't digest the meat correctly making it rather... oh what's the word I'm looking for?” She said.

“producing a blockage.” I offered.

“Close enough I suppose, yes producing a blockage.”

“Well... I just hope Twilight doesn't pull what she did with flowers when or if I tell her.” I said.

“What did she pull with flowers?” Luna asked as she looked at me with an inquisitive gaze. So I explained that humans don't eat flowers and the whole wanted to try it on my own, before I explained what Twilight did during the date. “I see...” She said in a very neutral tone.

“I mean, yeah I get why she did it. But there is somethings I want to try on my own.” I explained.

“That is very understandable, I suppose you have the same issues with gemstones?”

“Very much so.” I answered as I drank from my drink again.

“Storm, I would suggest speaking with young Spike about this. Since I nor my sister would have any opinion or wisdom to give about that. Other than try and do it at your own pace. If you don't mind I did have a question about earth, if you would indulge me.” Luna said.

“Sure go ahead.” I said with a wave of my left foreleg as I gently snuggled into the seat I was in.

“Well, as you know I deal with the night skies here in Equestria. Who does it on earth?” I glanced at her for a moment before looking up at the dream space's night sky.

“No one, the night is done by itself.” I answered.

“No pony does anything with the night sky?”

“Yeah, but doesn't change how beautiful they can be.” I commented.

“Care to explain?” She asked.

“Well... better yet why don't I show you.” I answered as I got out of the seat as I began to change the dream around me into a nice balcony on a log cabin surrounded by a thick forest. In the sky the stars twinkled like diamonds in the sea of black and blues. Small wisps of clouds hovered high above, just with two of them over the crescent moon. With the moon how it was, it almost looked like it was smiling down at us. Luna looked around to watch as this change took place. I had made sure to put some of my favorite constellations up in the sky. Luna and I just sat there quietly as we watched the night roll by.

“This is... this is quite beautiful Firestorm. I didn't think that your earth would have such a lovely sight like this.” Luna commented.

“Yeah... it a shame that most of them don't take the time to really look up at it.” I commented just watching as a star shot across the sky.

“That seems to be one of the things ponies and humans have in common.” Luna commented and I could see where she was going with that.

“What makes you think that?” I asked turning to her.

“I'm not naive to know that most ponies sleep through my nights and a lot of them stay indoors during them. I mean it's nice knowing that ponies are out and about during them but... I don't think many take the time to truly enjoy them as you and a few others do.” She said and I could tell from her voice that she was crying on the inside. I couldn't help myself, I went over and sat next to Luna who had some time ago during my change left her seat and just sat on the hard wooden deck of the balcony. I then placed my wing around her for comfort. She looked down at me as I did this with a curious look about her.

“Luna do you want to know what I think?” I asked as I looked up at her, she simply nodded. “I think it's not that ponies ignore your wonderful nights. I honestly think that they find comfort in them. As you say you're the princess of the night, while Celestia is that of the day. So as ponies feel safe and comfortable in Celestia's sun. They feel the same in your nights, because they know you will protect them. Both during the waking hours and in there dreams.” I said with a light smile on my face. Luna took a few moments to think about it for a moment.

“I... I never really thought of it that way.” She said as her gaze returned up to the heavens of the dream's sky. “I suppose that does make a lot of sense now that I really think about it. You know for as much as you say your not, you are a very bright pony. With wisdom that isn't seen in many.”

“Well as the saying goes. An idiot is a wisest among many, they learn the do and don't of life the hard way to save those smarter to learn them the hard way.” I said with a light smile.

“It's a rather odd saying, was that from a famous human?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not really, it's one of my little ones that I make.” I said with a light scratch to the side of my jaw. “And since we are speaking of wisdom. Do you mind if I ask for a little in return?”

“Of course Storm.” She said with a light smile.

“Well as you know that Twilight and I have been together for most of my life here in Equestria.” I began with and Luna nodded at this. “Well I got to wondering about our relationship during my trip, like if I should try and move it along. Like progress it in a way. But I really don't know how they work here in Equestria, hell on earth I was pretty much in the dark there. Um... no pun intended.” Luna took a few seconds to catch the possible joke and just gave a smirk with a slow shake of her head.

“I can see why you question this. How far have you gotten into your relationship, if I may ask?” She said looking at me.

“Well... besides the fact that I'm living with her at her place. We've slept in the same bed together. Not in the whole 'slept together' context mind you.” I said turning a little red at this. You have no idea how much I hate having a sex talk with someone when it comes to my own sex life is involved. Granted it wouldn't stop me with the dirty joke from time to time, but still.

“What about dating?” She asked.

“Well the first one, I was dropped into a poison joke bath for. Just so I would be a mare for our first day which ended up with... why am I explaining that to you. You already know this.” I said slapping myself in the face with my hoof. “anyway, beyond that not really. We do spend time reading books together. We were working on the Daring Do series and have a good chunk of them done with. There is the whole science and magic talk we have. Of course she has that glint in her eyes when we go back and forth with magical theory. It's even cute seeing how she lights up when we talk about new spells, or new ways to use them.” I began to ramble.

“Storm I think your getting off topic there.” She said with a smirk.

“Oh right... sorry, anyway. We did agree to go to the Canterlot Caravel after estrus.” I said looking back up at the princes of the night.

“That does seem like a lovely idea, I may see you two there as I have to oversee it.” Luna tacked on.

“Oversee it?”

“Yes since my return, my sister and I take turns over seeing the caravel.” She said before she looked around like she was trying to find somepony trying to listen in. “But if you ask me, I think Celestia uses this time to be around other ponies and have fun.” She whispered holding a hoof to the side of her muzzle like she was trying hide what she was saying to some pony that could read lips.

“I wouldn't be surprised really. I'm guessing it's the same for you?” I asked.

“No I honestly enjoyed them when I was little and to go to one again is just... oh what's the words I'm looking for?” She said with a turn of her head to think.

“Guilty pleasure?”

“Ah, yes that's it. Yes, it was like my second Nightmare Night in Ponyville.” She said.

“Oh that's the Equestrian version of Halloween right?” I asked

“I believe so, I think I read something about that in one of Twilight's reports to Celestia.” She said.

“I'm not surprised, I mean to able to get information from somepony not from Equestria. I would have been surprised if she didn't send a copy of it to her.” I commented.

“Well besides the friendship reports that she and the other bearers send her. She does like to send letters about new things.” Luna said like it wasn't the weirdest thing I've ever heard.

“Wait... What?” I said looking at her confused to no end. “Friendship reports?” So Luna took the time to explain about Twilight and her friendship reports. Which this all started with Luna's return from the moon during the Summer Sun Celebration. But to add to the effect a magical window appeared next to her that showed my friends and marefriend using the Element of Harmony against Nightmare Moon for the first time. I watched the aftermath of it with the joyful reunion of the celestial sisters. The party that happened afterwards, but the main point that Luna focused on was Celestia decoration that Twilight would stay in Ponyville to study the magic of friendship. After all that Luna explained that the Elements of Harmony uses the harmony between the bearers to be able to use to full effect. She showed what something that looked like the outcome if some kid took apart the toy versions of a dear, goat, lion, snake, eagle, dragon, bat, and a pegasus pony. Then decided to play mix and match with it to create a long fur covered snake with a pony head. On its head was two large yellow eyes with two red pupils of different sizes, a deer antler, a blue goat horn, a white fang on the left of its mouth, two big bushy white eyebrows and a goat's beard. It had an eagle’s claw and a lion's paw for hands, while it had a dragon's claw and goat's cloven hoof for feet. The damn thing's tail was scaled covered like a dragon with a white tuft of fur. Finally on it's back was a bat and pegasus wing, one on each side. I just stared at this thing while the background of the video I was being shown was that of Ponyville... if it was placed on rolling hills of a checkerboard with floating houses and random floating trees on little pieces of land. On top of that bright pink clouds dribbling what I really hope was either mud or chocolate from the sky. Honestly this was like a scene ripped right from some old Saturday morning cartoon.

Luna started to explain that this was Discord, the “master of chaos”. Please this wasn't chaos, this was just some kids sugar rush fueled day dreams made real. She went on to explain the events of Discord’s “return”, in which he turned the element bearers into their polar opposite. Applejack would always lie, Rarity was selfish all the time, Pinkie was moody, and Fluttershy would be mean for just some examples. She showed me what would happen if those using the elements weren't in harmony. It would do the big flashy bit but in the end was just for show. It made sense if things weren’t in balance that they wouldn't work. So after this long explanation I finally got the whole point of the reports so Celestia can keep track of Twilight and her friends. Makes sense if you really think about, the bearers are pretty much Equestria's best defense against the greater evils. Still didn't change my opinion on Discord, but that was neither here nor there since he's in stone and everything.

***---***

The last few hours since I woke up early from the dream conversation with Luna about past events in Equestria's history. Which honestly I would love to hear more about it but I guess my body decided that it was the time to wake up. I didn't even get to hear all of the royal wedding story. I got up to where Luna had to leave to check out a report when the dreamscape disappeared on me. Daring Do had left a few minutes after I woke up, it seems that she's did not want ponies to think that Daring Do was to be seen as real pony and instead a character in a series of books. I suppose that makes some level of sense in this world. I mean you wouldn't want ponies to know who you are and recognize you, just to mess up some important mission for some artifact to save all of Equestria or world in some degree. So I was left in my room myself. After I had squared away the last of my gifts for everypony, the only thing left out was the black book. I looked at it sitting on top of my saddlebags. Not doing anything special just sitting there. I wanted to try and figure out the book, but part of me wanted to stay as far away from that book as possible. My curiosity was getting a death grip on me, while my trepidation was slowly losing a one sided fight. I suppose a peak couldn't hurt... right? I slowly reached out for the book, a little cautious from Daring getting shocked out. Of course my curiosity would have to wait as there is a sudden knocking at the door.

“Prince we will be arriving shortly.” Caption Windsurfer said.

“Thank you Windsurfer.” I said as I picked up the book in my magic. I gave a sigh as the book slid in with everything else I had. It wasn't really that long until we docked in Canterlot once again. The disembarking was nothing special or was the trip back to the castle. Honestly the only thing really of note was as soon as one of the guards saw me, I had three of them appear almost out of nowhere. They also took over floating some of my gifts, and did protest a little about it. But I got the whole 'it's part of our duty to the crown.' Honestly I just stopped fighting with them. As much as I wanted to really protest, I didn't feel all that great either. My wing was still hurting from the fight with Ahuizotl. With an sight sigh under my breath three guards as well as myself traveled to the castle. I honestly didn't like the fact that I was 'protected' like this. Once we got to the castle, I began to head back down the familiar route I took to my room here. If I really had been paying attention to the area around me I would have noticed something was off. But of course I didn't, it was as soon as I opened the door that I noticed my error. Well, maybe not as soon. No what got my attention first was the fact the Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria was standing in my old bedroom in a suggestive black and white maid outfit. Right next to her sitting in a large chair the I didn't quite remember was in there to begin with was Princess Luna laughing the whole time.

I on the other hoof couldn't help but turn bright red as Celestia's gaze turned directly at me when the door opened. There was a few minutes of silence after two sets of wings pomfed before anypony said anything.

“I'm just going to go now.” Was out of my mouth before I closed the door and took off running towards my real room. The guards followed me and dropped off my stuff before heading back to do their rounds. Well I say that but I could guess that they stopped for one hell of a cold show as I did. Dear god, that was one thing I never wanted in my mind. My aunt in a hot, skimpy, low cut... I'm going to need a second shower now.

***---***

It was after four showers, three of them were ice cold. A little interesting thing, what I could assume was ice cold to everypony is in fact rather nicely cold for me. The only reason I would guess that is because I had that water switch all the way cold, and it was almost enjoyable. Granted on the opposite side of all this the hottest for ponies is lukewarm to me. Granted it probably because I can swim in lava so it's a little understandable. But as I was saying, after four showers which the reasons I really hope don't need to be said or else I would need at least a fifth. I began to crack into a few books. Honestly it was more to drag my mind from recent events.

“Now if you would please hold still your highness.” The nurse said behind me as he worked on re-wrapping my wing. After I completely forgot about my bandage wraps on my wing, I had the guard posted outside my door fetch one of the castle medical staff after I got a clean hoodie on. This is how I met the nurse Defib, and yes just like a defibrillator. Honestly I will give the stallion credit that his voice does help put me at ease. He a sort of Morgan Freeman kind of voice. One thing I will give the medical staff here, outside their beds in the medical wing. They do rather comforting work, when they take care of you. I winced a bit as he pulled the bandage rather tight. Okay, comforting outside of bandaging. “Alright Prince Firestorm, these should do much better. But please be more careful not to get these wet.” Defib said as I turned to look.

“I will try my best.” I said with a smile as I scratched the back of my head. “It kind of skipped my mind when I hopped in. Thank you again Defib, and sorry for having to call you for something as trivial as this.” I apologized.

“It's quite alright, it's my job after all.” He said as his horn gave off an sky blue aura as well as the one wrapped around the medical bag he brought with him, it didn't take me long to see the large red plus sign on his bag with the hearts in each of the blank spots around it pointing in. Which I found a little odd since Defib's cutie mark was a Defibrillator on either side of a pink heart that had a caduceus down the center of it. I didn't say anything as he left, probably to go back to the medical wing. With my wing taken care of, it was time for me to finally take a look at the black book. I sat the book before me on the table as I sat down.

I sat there staring at this book and it felt like hours when it probably was just a few minutes. Just the thought of what this book could hold, filled me with a sense of dread. Yet, it was peaking my curiosity so much that as my prosthetic hoof reached it the door behind me swung open. It caused me to jump and turn to see who had intruded into the room.

“My apologizes Prince Firestorm, but I was sent to let you know that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had both requested your presence in the dining hall.” One of the many guards I have yet to familiarize myself with said.

“Thank you mister...” I said drawing out as to hope he would supply the missing information.

“Gilded Blade your highness.” The dark gray guard said giving me a bow.

“Thank you Gilded Blade, please inform both princesses that I will be on my way shortly.” I requested as I got back onto my hooves. It seemed that the black book was to remain unread at this time. With a sigh, I slid the book into my saddlebags and locked them shut. Then I made my way down the white walled corridors towards the dining room. During the trip, I couldn't help but think of everything that had transpired up to this point. Not for the first time I thought back to my arrival in Equestria. When the flow of my thoughts changed to how I found out that I was a drony. The fact was that all this was planned by some grand scheme still annoyed me to no end, but fighting it was a fruitless endeavor. I guess what I really wanted was some clear answers to everything, I am tired of being clueless in all this. I let out a sigh just before entering the large dining room that both princesses were seated at. They weren't alone however, with them were from first glances two unicorns. Much bigger then most, still not topping Big Mac in height. The only ponies I could think of that could top that was Celestia and Luna. My sister Gaia coming in a third but I did say ponies.

“Princesses, I'm sure you're aware of the chatter coming from the other noble houses.” The white coated stallion with a top part of a tuxedo suit on said. His waved styled slightly paled blue mane was done where only two bits of his mane remained before his ears. He also had a small same blue colored mustache closer to the french style that I haven't seen on anypony. For a cutie mark he had three golden crowns with amethyst gems in the center of each crown. Next to him was a tall thin white coated mare that almost reminded me of Luna in body structure alone. She had a long flowing light pink mane and tail with a lighter shade of pink strip running down the length of them. Her cutie mark was that of three fleur-de-lis, two smaller purple ones above a large golden one.

“We are Mr. Fancy Pants.” Luna said before taking a draw at a cup of tea before her warped in her familiar blue aura. The door shut behind me as four sets of eyes turned towards me.

“Ah I see the prince has arrived.” Celestia said as I made my way over to a seat curious to why I was requested here.

“Um... hey?” I replied back with a hoof motion and two prosthetic claws with it, as close as I could get to my old hand I would reply with at times. Without much thought I joined them in one of the free chairs.

“Prince Firestorm allow me to introduce you two fine friends. Mr Fancy Pants and Miss Fleur-de-lis.” Luna introduced. The two tried to move from their seats to bow, but I had to cut them short.

“Please no bowing, I'm just a normal pony like everypony else.” I said, this got both of them giving me a questioning glance at me.

“Of course your highness.” Fancy Pants said as the two of them returned to their seats. There was a few minutes of silence as I still didn't know why I was called.

“Mr. Fancy Pants if you would explain to the prince of the latest issue.” Celestia said with a motion with her hoof to proceed.

“Of course Princess.” He said with a bow to his head before turning towards me. “I'm not aware if you know of more well known of the nobility of Canterlot. Such of the Solarwings family or that of the Jewel family. But a lot of the nobility take strong placements in both political and sociability of ponykind. As such they have been rather alarmed at the numeral amount of gossip and rumors coming from ponyville about the attacks towards yourself prince.”

“I wasn't aware of the gossip or rumors up to this point. As I try to remove myself from things like that as they could spread out of hoof from simple events blown out of perception.” I retorted.

“Be as it may, enough of them have come to regard them with some air of truth. Much like how they show up in the Canterlot Inquirer.” He said this pulling out some papers from next to him and laid them before me on the table with his magic. On the covers showed me from time to time during my stay. All in very states of damage, some of them rather... brutal. I could pick out the scene of me before the elements were used on Shadow Storm. Another one had the attack during Vermom when she came to me after my nightmare as Fluttershy. God did I really look that bad during that time? I looked like I was sent through hell just to crawl out through a land of nightmare just to be tossed right back in, just in different ways in each of these photos. “I've tried to calm most of the nobles staying that these must be fabrications. But they are alarmed that one of the four alicorns in Equestria could be hurt this thoroughly without the culprits being brought to justice.” I noticed that Fleur looked quite worried while Fancy looked rather insulted.

“Mr. Fancy Pants, we are trying to bring said culprits to justice. But as a few of them fled before they could be apprehended. We have sent many guards to find clues to their whereabouts. Even my personal guards have been dispatched to conduct an investigations on this matter.” Luna stated with a very stern look.

“Be it as it may Princess, but the nobles may not see that this is being done. If there was some way that we could see that some precautions are being put in place to prevent another event like this to happen. I'm sure the nobles will settle down and not try to take matters in hoof.” Fancy retorted.

“I agree on this idea.” Celestia said before she turned to me. “That's why a new branch of guards will be formed for the specific purpose to protect Prince Firestorm.” She stated.

“Wait one minute.” I interjected. “As much as I understand the matters on this. I don't agree with that idea.” Celestia eyed me silently as both Fleur and Fancy looked a little surprised at this.

“Prince you must understand that the nobles are-” Fancy started.

“I'm sorry to interrupt but my answer stands. Nopony is going to get hurt just to protect me. I will not have that on my conscience.” I adamantly stated.

“Prince Firestorm.” Celestia said cutting in giving me a rather pointed stare that was as stone cold that got me to choke on my one tongue for a moment. “I'm sorry but I have already begun the proceedings for this."

“Don't I-” Was all I could get out before the shake from her head gave me the answer to that. I was cut off from saying against this. As much as I wanted to say no for very valid reasons, well I thought so at least. I leaned back down into my seat that I had rose from. The fact was that all I could was take this matter. Both Fluir-de-lee and Fancy Pants sat there watching the short interaction between both Celestia and I in silence. Moments passed without a sound beyond the chirps of Celestia's phoenix Philomena. Who in turn flew over to me and nuzzled into my right cheek. I smiled lightly as I returned it as best I could before she perched on the back of the chair I resided in. I pulled up the papers before me to get a better look at the news. Normally I wouldn't really care much about the news beyond the few articles about me. I don't know if that speaks to some sort of vanity about me or not. The articles did get most of the events correct, they linked Shadow Storm as a remnant of Nightmare Moon that took on my likeness to topple the ruling alicorns. The other one was left very vague as to who attacked me when it said that numeral accounts said it was Fluttershy, Rarity, and many others. But like it should and did get tossed away as the element bearers wouldn't do that to somepony. I sighed quietly looking over before I got enough of it and sat it down back on the large dining table before me. What I didn't notice was in that time that food was brought for the six of us. I say six because Philomena was given a small bowl of bird seed to eat. They brought me a nice tasty salad as well as Celestia. Luna had a sandwich like Fancy, while Fluir was having soup.

The meal itself was rather good as I saw that they put bits of roses in the salad this time, which gave them very sweet flavor. Which worked with the dressing they used that gave a nice accent to the roses. Don't ask me what the dressing was but it was a nice light pink hue to it. Once the meal had concluded it was back to the matter at hoof. Which was the nobles that were worried to no end, because of me. That was when the high, mighty, and completely full of himself Blueblood decided to make his presence known to everypony.

“Ah, Auntie Celestia and Auntie Luna. It's lovely to see you two again, as well as for both you Mr. Fancy Pants and Miss Fleur-de-lis.” Blueblood greeted to everypony but me. Granted he shot me a glare after he joined the Fleur and Fancy across from me.

“Good evening Blueblood, I'm rather surprised you decided to join us this evening.” Luna commented with well placed tone that for those not noticing seems an air of a friendly, while to a well known tone of annoyance can be heard by an ear that can sense it.

“Well Auntie Luna, I thought I should meet my friends and fellow nobles.” Blueblood said.

“It's a pleasure to see you again Prince.” Fancy said. The conversation between the three nobles spread through many topics which most of them regarded the political matters of Canterlot mostly.

“Something bothering you?” The clear voice that could only come from a telepathic link with Luna. I glanced over to her before my eyes returned to the three nobles conversing. Her right eye was on me for a few moments.

“At the present time there is a lot that bears on my mind.” I replied over the link.

“Is this regarding the guards?”

“No. Well... partly I suppose. In the grand scheme of it all, it makes sense being a dralicorn or as everypony sees an alicorn that I would have my own guards. I mean Celestia has the Solar Guard while you have the Lunar Guards. Even Cadence has her Crystal Guard. I just don't like the thought that I have ponies trying to protect me like that. Just bothers me is all. But that is not what weighs the most on my mind.” I replied as I took another pull on the tea that was set with lunch.

“Then if I may inquire what is bothering you currently, was it the matter of what you walked in earlier?” She asked and I couldn't help but turn a little red at that thought.

“Again no, but since you brought that up. What was that about?” I asked eyeing her for a moment.

“My sister and I sometimes pass the time with little bets. Not for monetary gain since we have the treasury at our beck and call. No we more bet things of more humiliating fashions. More out of good fun then anything else. You just happened to walk in during Celestia's loss which was to wear a maid outfit for a few hours.” Luna commented and I could just feel the amusement drip for her.

“I still say you played a little under hoofed sister” Celestia chimed in.

“Oh you're just sore that I beat you are your own game.” Luna said giving a devilish smirk towards her sister. I on the other hoof remained silent taking all this in.

“Does somepony want a rematch at a higher stake?”

“Oh? What do we put on the table this time?” Luna shot back.

“Do I need to remind you that you can be heard at this moment?” I cut in which caused both of them start for a moment to glance back at me who gave them an amused smirk myself.

“My apologies, I forgot you were there for a moment.” Celestia said.

“It's alright, you're not the first to forget I was here and surely not the last.” I said as I took a long pull from my tea before the server that stayed refilled it. There was a few moments of silence over the link with Blueblood acting like he was interested in what Fancy Pants was saying about his companies. It seemed that Fancy touched into a few industries: textiles, restaurants, and others. It was still a few more moments of silence between the three of us before Luna ventured to ask again.

“What was bothering you?” She asked.

“It's a matter directly tied to me.” I vaguely answered.

“On which matter?” Celestia asked.

“The whole grand destiny one.” I said over the link before I said out loud. “If you would excuse me I still have a matter I need to deal with. It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Fancy Pants and Miss Fleur-de-lis. I hope you have a pleasant evening.”

“Likewise your highness.” Fleur-de-lis said while she and Fancy bowed their heads. I took my leave and made my way back to my room. Like when I left, the same two guards stood outside my door. They gave me a nod before I entered. When I entered I went back to my saddlebags and pulled out the black book. Then I turned to my table and noticed the new item on top of it. On top of the table was a cream colored file. In my magic I moved the file over to me as I went over to my bed to read it.

[From the Department of Constructions and Safety]
From: Iron Forge
To: Royal Mage Grimwand
~~~~
This is to inform you that your requested project has been finished. The specialized lab that you requested has be built in the tunnel of A9 half way down followed by a turn at junction of G4. From there it's a straight shot to it. Please remember it's just to the left tunnel entries from the Luna Castle in the inner mountain caverns. We have built everything to your specification.

That was all I could get through as a thought struck me. If there was an untouched lab here in Canterlot. Then I may find a clue to how to combat him. I mean know your enemy right? I could even get an upper... hand. Wait... where are the tunnels anyway? I went to my door and opened it to see the same guards as before.

“Excuse me.” I started with, which caused both of them to turn at me at the same time.

“Yes your highness?” They asked at the same time.

“Could I get a map of the cavern and tunnels connected to them?” They both looked at me for a moment.

“Of course your highness.” They said before the one on my left walked to probably go get said map. Then a thought crossed my mind and I thought it was best to ask.

“Is Nightling back from Ponyville?”

“She arrived yesterday.” The remaining guard answered.

“Could you please have her come here when she isn't busy?”

“Of course.” Said the last guard before he left. With that I closed my door and went back to the table. I sat the message back in the file and set it a side. I sat there quietly for a few more minutes looking at the black book's cover before I finally opened it for the first time. The first three pages were completely blank, the four however I wish was as well. The simple passage written there made my blood turn to ice.

You have paid my price.

***---***

It was several hours before Nightling showed up and she brought both maps with her. Which honestly was probably for the best after my hour freak out with that first line from the black book. In all fairness, I kind of had every right. When you've been through enough magical hell just to have a book say that. It didn't take long to get Nightling on board with the idea I had. She was still pretty sore at Vermom's impersonations during my bout of crazy. So getting an upper hoof on both Grimwand and Vermom were selling points for her. I also found out that Nightling was very versed in those tunnels. Not the direction we are going but in general. So after heading through the giant door into to the cavern side of Canterlot. We found ourselves in the massive network of tunnels going off an outdated map. Lucky for us that they did update the map they had at the entrance. You would think that they would have an updated map on file?

“So... how's Pinkie?” I asked mostly to break up the silence that surrounded the two of us. There was a few moments of silence before she finally answered me.

“To be honest, I think she's worried.” She said.

“What about?”

“Us namely.” That I wasn't expecting.

“What do you mean us?” I stopped to look at her.

“Well between all her... well pinkie-ness. She is very worried about all her friends, a lot more then she leads everypony to know. She's known that the two of us have had issues.” She stopped for a moment. “I think she's worried that one of her friends isn't going to like me because of something between us.”

“I thought that we are good after well... the flight back to Canterlot?” I sort of asked.

“For the most part... yes we are.” She answered before we continued down the path until we took our next turn.

“Most part?” I asked.

“Well, I'm still weary of you. Just knowing you could at any moment go off like that... just unnerves me a bit.” She answered. “The more I think about it the more I'm scared that something like that could happen around Pinkie and I won't be able to keep her safe. Don't get me wrong Firestorm, I know you would never do that intentionally. But it is still a possibility that I'm afraid of happening.” As much as I would like to say against that. It was a rather big point that I had to agree with. The worse part was what if that happened and I ended up hurting Twilight? Silence filled the gap once again as we walked down the carved tunnels towards one of the labs or safe houses. I'm a little surprised how uniform these tunnels are. Not saying that it couldn't be done but straight flat walls was not what I was expecting in tunnels with wooden bracers to help hold up the wall. I noticed a yellow box connected to each bracer that had a cable attached that lead to the one further down. I doubted it was there for lights since the lamps here was lit by a crystal lamp. Well more a lamp that instead of the wick in the middle of it had a bright glowing crystal. That and the randomly placed posters saying that everypony should have their hard hats on and tunnel indicators, was all that could be seen on the tunnel walls for miles. So seeing something of interest to keep our minds away from the possibility of me going off the deep end for an encore act.

Of course the universe didn't want that to be the only thing on our mind. A warm wind blew from the tunnel ahead of us followed by a series of booms. At first I thought it was just something closer to a dragon walking down the tunnel. That idea was shortly blown out of the water or wall in this case, by the yellow boxes exploding by supports ahead of us.

“Run!” Nightling said as she about faced and high tailed it outta there. With me hot on her hooves. Of course it wasn't that simple for us. After a few minutes of me running from the explosions behind us, bits of light and another set of explosive booms ahead of us. It seemed that somepony didn't want this tunnel around anymore. We continued to out run the series of detonations behind us as we saw a t section come up.

“Left!” I yelled as we took the turn to find ourselves headed off by a dead end. It's very strong on the dead part of that as on the beam on the wall was another one of those yellow boxes. We slide to a stop as I could see that Nightling was panicking, hell so was I.

“What are we going to do?” Nightling said as she danced on her hooves. Me on the other hoof was going nuts as I could hear the explosions getting closer. Then an idea hit me, these were knocked with a wire so if I cut the wires on the side then it may save us. With that I used my claws to snap the lines and before the blasts got to the other side. I floated up the yellow case and magically flung it down the tunnel. Then tried my best to place myself between the entry and Nightling. With that I tried to raise my shield spell up in time. It was up, but I didn't have the strength to take a blast point blank like that. When it hit against my shield it applied enough force to puncture right through it and caused me to black out. It felt like I was out for a few hours but in likeliness it was more a few minutes.

“Oh no, oh no.” Was all I could hear coming from the dark area I had found myself in. The voice sounded like Nightling but was off. It could be the ringing still going in my ears that I tried to shake out of it. I tried to get to my hooves and found a strong spike of pain lance up from my hind legs to my back.

“Ah, did anypony get the license plate of that donkey cart that hit me?” I groaned as I tried to get some bearings to where I was.

“Firestorm!” Nightling sounding voice said before a pair of yellow slit eyes turned to look at me directly.

“Nightling?” I asked as I tried to get up again, just to have the repeat performance of pain.

“Don't move your trapped under some of the tunnel.” She informed me.

“What?” I said as I tried to force some magic to my horn. I could get enough to get a dim glow going to see that a third of my body was pinned by the rocks. This included both of my hind legs as well as my already damaged wing.

“Here let me get you a better light.” She said before I could hear the scraping of metal against stone and a click before the light blinded me to see that we were trapped within the tunnel. Luck for me that I could still use my forelegs. “I'm so glad that you're alright.” She said before a few moments pause then corrected herself. “Well as alright as you can be.”

“Nightling” I said trying to get myself comfortable as I could.

“Don't you dare say it's alright.” She snapped at me which caused me to jolt back.

“I wasn't going to say that.”

“Oh? What were you going to say?”

“I was going to say that I'm glad that you're alright.” I said as I was able to the rock under me away so I could lay a bit more comfortably.

“I'm not alright. I'm trapped in a tunnel where no pony knows where we are. I'm freaking out Storm, and on top of that I get saved by a pony that I was suppose to protect.” She began to go off on a tangent. “I'm stuck in the same tunnels that my mother died in, and I'm going to go out the same way. Which means I'm going to starve like she did and then all that will be left is my dad but he's not going to care. Since he's in the Ponyville Asylum because he couldn't handle Mom's disappearance and he's not going to be able to stand it and Pinkie is going to be...”

Smack! She stopped for a moment as my prosthetic hoof was sent across her muzzle. I watched her breathe hard as it began to sink in with me floating my hoof back to me.

“Better?” I asked.

“Kind of.” She replied.

“As best as I could expect.” I began to wince as the adrenaline from everything began to wear off and the pain of having my hind legs being crushed finally caught up with my body. Which made thinking rather harder.

“Storm!” She said coming over to me.

“I'm still here, just hurting.” I answered as I tried to get a better view of my predicament. As I saw before the third was covered in a mass of rocks of various sizes. My wing on the other hoof wasn't as lucky, I saw what looked like a stalactite pierced through the softer part of my wing. It didn't feel like it had struck the bone though. And all the rocks probably applied the right amount of pressure to keep me from bleeding out. I turned to look around our cavern or more likely if something isn't done our tomb. It seems that we had probably a good ten feet high roof with enough space to fit a large black bear in here. So we should have plenty of breathing air, barring that anything happened. I turned back to Nightling who at the current time wasn't wearing her armor as it was in one of the corners of our space. Next to it was her saddlebags which seemed to still be full of stuff. “By any chance do you have some bandages and water in those bags of yours?” I asked. She turned to look at them.

“I might, let me look.” She said before walking over to them. She flipped the one side open with her wing while she opened the other with her mouth. After a few minutes and much hoping on my end. She came back with some basic bandages, sealing salve, and a bottle of water. “This is going to hurt... a lot.” She said as she picked up on my idea. I bit onto my prosthetic claws as Nightling began to remove the rubble from my wing. From that I could see the stalactite wasn't as big as I first thought closer to size of a young fillies hoof. She bit into the thicker top of the stone spike and began to wiggle it out of the ground. With a wet sliding sound, the stone was removed and tossed as I could feel every bit of blood now rushing to that wound. Nightling then took the water and began to clean the wound as best she could. After pain that my mind could have swear that I felt for hours passed, and Nightling put the sealing salve on it enough to close it. At least until a medical pony could look at it. She also help me get a drink from said bottle so I could help get a few more fluids in me for the probably pint or two I just lost. We tried to keep ourselves level headed. I say tried as for me, I had my pain to keep me focused. Nightling did not, and it showed as I could see her nervousness plastered all over both her body language and face.

“Nightling.” I said before I moved and caused a lance of pain to shoot up my back.

“Don't move Storm!” She ordered.

“I will try, I can't promise anything.” groaned in pain.

“Here let me check to see what I can do.” She moved over to get a better look at my entrapment. Honestly it was a little awkward to have her face so close to my rear end. But I took the wiser side and kept my mouth shut. Several minutes passed until she pulled back. “From what I could see nothing is that bad, but I can only guess that your hind legs are broken.” She came back over to look at me directly in the face.

“What do we do now?” I asked.

“Are you able to teleport back to the castle?” She asked. I winced again as my leg twitched.

“I only know the blink spell and I don't think I could concentrate to try to do so.” I answered as my breathing got a little harder.

“Shoot, if only we could get a hold of one of the princesses.” Nightling said and I wanted to slap myself. Why the fuck didn't I think of it earlier.

“Celestia! Luna!” I yelled over the telepathic link I had. It felt like it just echoed on the wind and nothing could be hear in reply. I tried it a few more times with nothing being said back. “No luck, either I'm too far away from them or something is blocking it.” I said and I watched Nightling deflate a bit.

“So this is it for us?” She asked.

“If you asked me months ago, I would say yes.” I said and that got her to eye me.

“And now?”

“I honestly think that we will be alright.” I answered.

“How?” She asked as she gave me a heated stare.

“Simple.” I said with a light chuckle. “The universe doesn't hate me that much.”

“What?” She said in complete confusion and annoyance. I couldn't help but laugh for a few moments until a spike of pain shot through me.

“I'm sorry, I just wanted to lighten the mood a little.” I said before she got right into my face.

“Don't try that again, we are screwed right now. Really not the time to be joking.” She said staring directly into my eyes with her left eye twitching a little.

“Nightling I get that we are in a very bad spot. But panicking will not help us figure out a way out of here. So I'm going to put this as nicely as I can. Calm the fuck down.” I said the last part I broke up nice and slowly to punctuate it to her.

“Fine, what do we do mister I know what to do?” She said looking at me. I started to think quietly as I tried to figure out our way out. There was a few ideas that came to mind, but they hinged on a few major things. One of them was me being able to focus enough through the pain. On top of that was my hind legs safe to be moved. From what Nightling had said they were most likely broken.

“Do you think it would be safe to move me from this spot?” I asked looking up at her.

“Possible, but I'm not a unicorn so I can't tell if your hind legs are in fact broken. I could only see so much through the gap and that was help from my natural low light vision. If I had to guess, if we could at least sprint them before we move you. Then it would at least safe, in case you are.” She explained. I took that into account as I thought about it more.

“Second question and please don't blame me if this comes across wrong. How much can you lift?” I asked, she looked at me for a moment.

“Total?”

“No half way, of course total!” I shot back.

“Well... I was able to push back Shining Armor when he had his footing and you seem smaller than he is both in bulk and height so I believe I could lift you if needed. I'm going to guess that's where you were going with that question.” She said getting spot on.

“Yeah, I think I could manipulate the ground around my hooves to make a make shift sprint for my hind legs. Then have you drag me out of here. So I'm at least not pinned under there.” I said as the adrenaline was really running out, causing me to feel that pain ever so present reinsert itself even more.

“Could you use that ability to get us out?” She asked.

“It's possible in theory, but that's the problem. That's just a theory. I've used the spell in a small way before. This is going to require large levels of manipulation that I'm not even sure I could do if I was undamaged. It's going to be harder because I have to focus through the pain that's coming in since my adrenaline is running out now. This plan hangs on a lot of big if's. Most of all is focusing through pain, not counting my magical pool of energy. I'm no Shining Armor and I don't have the pool he does. So if I can do this we may have to take a lot of breaks for me to recover my magic.” I said laying my cards on the table for her, well metaphorically at least. Nightling took that in and thought about it, or at least looked like she thought about it.

“Honestly, at this point there's no other way I can see us get out without trying at least.” She commented. I nodded as I let my magic flow through my horn as I tried to focus through the pain from my hind legs into the dirt around it. I could feel the gap between the heavy dirt and stone above my legs and under them. I tried to move just enough to give myself a larger gap to work with. That worked a little too well, and I didn't think of putting the sprint on first as I was able to give myself an extra inch or so around my legs. I almost lost more space as that relieved pressure on my legs caused a spike of pain to lance through me. Lucky for me I did get the stone wedged in to stop it. But it didn't stop the painful gasp that came from my mouth. “Storm!” She said in surprise as she got closer.

“I'm alright. I believe you were right about the legs. As soon as I removed the pressure from the stone and earth around it. A pain lanced up from them, if you got some rope or something I could dig my teeth into. I know I'm going to scream in pain while I form the sprint around them.” I said, she dug through and she found a large piece of timber I could bite into. After it was firmly in my mouth I began to fight through the pain as I took a lot of the smaller rocks and pressed them lightly against my legs. After I had each covered, I focused to fuse the rocks together until I had a layer of stone around each of them up to my chaff I think it's called, if not that then my hips at least. In that time the pain got so unbearable that I screamed into the timber. Once I had it formed I spit the timber out to see a smoking spot on the inside where it was. “Give me a few minutes to recover before you can then try and slide me out.” I said. As I let myself catch my breath, I had to think. This was going to hurt... a lot. Without giving me a chance to completely recover Nightling grasped my hoof and dragged me out from under it the stone. Within a few quick motions Nightling had me on her back where I was facing the same way she was.

“Don't get any funny ideas about your placement. I swear one mounting joke and I will drop you like a rock.” She said and I couldn't help but blush at that.

“I wasn't even going to go there.” I shot back.

“Right.” She said in a very sarcastic tone.

“What do you take me for?” I asked a little annoyed.

“A stallion that thinks with his stallionhood.” She shot back without dropping a beat.

“Serious?” I asked.

“Well I could have phrased it worse. I mean your are with Twilight Sparkle. I wouldn't put it past you pounding the prize purple pupil of Princess Celestia.” She said in a matter of fact tone.

“Oh this coming from the pony pouncing the paradox perplexing pink party pony from Ponyville?” I shot back. This caused her to misstep as she turned towards where I was pinned only a few moments ago.

“Oh your a cheeky one aren't you?”

“I would be a bit more if it wasn't for the pain I'm in and the fact that we both are trapped underground at the moment.” I said.

“Well what are you waiting for let's get this plan on the road.” She said, I just looked down at you for a few moments. “Well?”

“Give me a few moments, using magic isn't as easy as it looks.” I gave myself a few more moments before I started to focus on the stones before me. I began to compress the rock to give us a small opening. Something you should know, fusing rocks are easier compared to compressing them. I felt like trying to squeeze coals into diamonds the hard way. Lucky for me that stone was the easier of the materials to compress. It felt like maybe an hour of compressing the stone to give us at least most of a ponies length tunnel before I had to stop as the headache and pain started to really get to me. “Can we go back to the larger room?” I requested as I was breathing harder.

“Spent so soon?” She asked.

“Do you want to try and compress all this rock for a tunnel?” I shot back.

“Can't, I don't have a horn.” She said as she stepped back.

“Case and point, I need to catch my breath.” She sat me down gently since she probably need a break from me on her back.

“Are you sure there isn't another option to get us out of here?” She asked, and I couldn't blame her worry.

“Well, not that I can think of at least. It's hard enough to concentrate on the spell to really make and headway beyond that every hour or so with a break. That is unless you got some way to get in contact with somepony. Otherwise this is our only option until I can get a hold of Celestia or Luna.” I shot back.

“Well what do we do until you're rested up?” She asked and I could tell she was still on edge about being trapped in here, which I couldn't blame her. I mean I doubt anypony would want to be stuck underground with somepony like me.

“We could well... talk.” I suggested.

“About?”

“Anything.”

“Okay, so how's Twilight in bed?” She shot back.

“Okay let me rephrase that. Anything, but my love life.” I shot back with a blush crossing my muzzle.

“Oh? Is somepony a little hot under the collar when it comes to their special somepony?” Nightling teased.

“One, I rather keep that talk between Twilight and myself. Two, you wouldn't want somepony nosing about your love life with Pinkie would you?” I answered getting a little annoyed.

“What's not to tell, she's pretty wild.” She said with a smirk across her muzzle. I couldn't help it as a thought crossed my mind and my blush darkened. That was before I dashed the thought to the moon itself. No, bad Storm. This is one of your best friends, and what would Pinkie say about you thinking about her and her mare friend. Okay, now I really need a fifth shower.

“Okay, different subject.” I said and went with the second choice that popped into my head, because I sure as shit wasn't going with the first one. I think Nightling, Pinkie, and especially Twilight would kill me for speaking the first. “So what did you mean that you're mother died in these tunnel?” Granted not the wisest subjects but frankly, I was in pain and my levels of caring on topics other than my love life was non-existent. Nightling was silent for a bit and I could see that her mood had changed drastically. That's when I finally got the story, well a summed up version of it. As she had blurted out before her mother did die down in these tunnels. But unlike us who were currently trapped in here. She didn't have a way out from the tunnel collapsing because of diamond dogs weakening the supports. She wasn't found for six days after she went missing. You would think that a pony going missing at the same time a tunnel falls apart would tip off somepony? Nope. So after they found the body her father which I found out was the same pony that was in the asylum that both princesses, my friends, and my marefriend stuck my body in during the whole body swap.

With nopony to watch her, Nightling was technically given to the state. So she found herself in a foster home of sorts. The stallion that fostered her was somepony that Celestia trusted. Something about an old head of security. She didn't know much about his backstory since he didn't really talk about it much. But it was from him that she learned out to handle a few choice weapons. But mostly her swordsponyship, she wasn't bad with a crossbow either. Well as she explained it at least. But it was found out that the stallion who she didn't tell me his name yet. I didn't pry into that detail as I figured she was telling me this under a little privilege for the situation. As she explained it that during her training which was done while they traveled all over Equestria, she was taught how to survive in the wild without her wings. Which made sense coming from a unicorn stallion, as she said he went without his magic to help motivate her. Apparently she sort of knew of dronies before I came around. As his sister was a dragasus, but a little different. She couldn't remember off the top of her head since it's been a few years since she saw her. So I took her word for it and let her continue. She was rather fond of this stallion, I couldn't tell in what sense. I chalked that one up to the pain radiating from my hind legs.

I did ask about everything back in Ponyville, and she explained that all the mare's were still on edge but they had overcome their strong points of estrus. Granted she didn't go into heavy details but I figured she and Pinkie had some fun alone. Since both Mr. and Mrs. Cake were not around the bakery during that. She did pop in on Twilight, more for Pinkie's suggestion and to retrieve the box for the Nightmare book I reserved. Twilight was moody, as Nightling put it. When I asked for clarification on what she meant. All I got was a cryptic reply of “You may want to let her deal with the library first before you enter it again.” She wouldn't explain it afterwards. Partly I think was to get me back for sticking her in this mess in the first place. So I suck it up. What I asked next was a bit more about her mother and in why was she down in the tunnels in the first place. I couldn't help the disjointed thinking, since pain made it hard to always focus on one solid detail. Probably missed a lot more what she said about this 'Ghost Pepper' she called him. I wasn't sure if that was a name or rank. I think more name but with Equestria, it was hard to tell at times.

She did explain that her mother who I found out was called Midnight Echo was checking on an odd sound that was coming from the tunnels. That was later found out to be said diamond dogs from before, from digging closer to some of the more sound amplifying gemstones that could be found down here. I asked her if she knew where one was and she couldn't off hand. That gave me an idea, with my magic I began to look through the rocks for any gemstones around us. It seemed that this part of the tunnels were already mined clean. While I was doing that, Nightling explained that a lot of changes happened with the night guard since her mother's death. Celestia found out what happened and wanted to prevent that ever happening again. So she had each armor set with a special enchantment. Nightling faltered there was it seemed something clicked for her. A few minutes passed as she stuck her whole head into her saddlebags to look for something. I kind of hoped it was something for the pain, it wasn't. What she pulled out was what looked like the cat eyed gem that you would see on the front of the night guard armor. Something I knew Nightling wanted to do without for this mainly because she didn't think she would need the armor for a trip into the tunnels. She did bring this gemstone that she dropped on the ground and with one swift stomp shattered the gem into dust. Part of me wondered why. That was a rather pretty gemstone; the other part was scared out of my mind that she turned solid rock into fucking dust in one attack.

“We should be saved soon.” She said and I looked at her in a mixture of confused and well... happy. I mean you get stuck underground in a cave in and be told you're about to be saved. Of course you would be happy. So she finally explained the enchantment that was in every set of armor in the chest piece. The gemstone was a rather brittle kind of stone something that one strong hit would turn to dust as I saw. Which from there would trigger a spell in the stone to send a beacon of sorts to a command center in the castle. From there they would be able to locate said pony and dispatch a help team. The dust was used as the beacon point and would last a total of two days without outside effects. Made sense to a point, the only question was what if it was windy out when they used it. She then explained that the dust also attaches itself to hooves. On her hoof, namely the bottom of it was another bit of dust but this one had a faint glow keeping it attached. This left us with time to kill before rescue to arrive. In that time Nightling helped me away from the edge so I was closer to sitting in the center of the room.

“It's kind of funny, you know?” Nightling said with a light chuckle. I turned to look at her with a confused look upon my face.

“What's kind of funny?” I asked.

“That I get stuck in here with you.” She said as she wasn't even looking at me.

“Okay, I fail to see how this is funny?”

“It's not really this but something Pinkie said.” She began as she finally turned to look at me. “She said that I just sat down and talked to you. Without me flying off, that I would see that you're not really a bad drony. That you are a byproduct of what you had to go through.” She said and I was a little confused.

“Okay, mind if I ask what brought this all on? I doubt I'm a good judge of character, especially of myself, and if it wasn't for me, we both wouldn't be down here in the first place.”

“True, but you had a reason to come down here. Don't get me wrong, I am rather angry with you sticking us in this place. But you don't just do things for the heck of it.” She said as her gaze turned away from me.

“Um... what?” I asked really confused now.

“Since the attack, I still can't get the thought out of my head of how you looked that day.” She said.

“Sorry.” I said.

“No, don't be. I get why, I mean you had a bit of Nightmare Moon in you. No pony should blame you for something out of your control. But... I did anyway.” She said and I could tell she was saying these out of regret. “When I said I was worried that you could away just snap like you did and attack. I was only half explaining it. Pinkie when we weren't having fun on her large bed, she was telling me stuff about you. A lot more then I got from reports of your first few months in Equestria. The whole Timberwolf attack with you protecting both Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle. The whole being knocked out at Applejack's farm, and even the events leading up to you going into the dream realm after Nightmare Moon.” She began.

“Wait... reports?” I asked. I didn't even know there was any reports of this matter.

“Yeah, I mean a new alicorn or in your case dralicorn shows up. You think that both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wasn't going to have him under watch?” She commented. “How did you think Princess Luna knew where you were when you left Twilight's Library the same night that you went into the dream realm?” The more I thought about it the more it began to make a little more sense.

“Then Celestia's whole keeping me at the castle for a while after my recovering from Nightmare Moon?” I asked.

“I can't say for sure, but my guess was she wanted to see what you would do caged up.” She speculated.

“That...” I paused for a few moments as I tried to figure out what I wanted to say. “That honestly doesn't sit right with me. Don't get me wrong, I understand where Celestia and Luna had to stand in this case. I was an unknown factor in their kingdom, a wild card. So keeping an eye on me wouldn't be out of the question.” I said more thinking out loud. “The question I have was when did they stop suspected me of doing something against them?” She simply shrugged at this, so much for a well informed guard. A few minutes passed as we sat there in silence, something I began to really hate... awkward silence. You have no idea how much it bugs the hell out of me. That was when we felt it, a light rumble at first. Without a moment's thought Nightling had me on her back again, minus the really bad joke. As the rumbling got bigger, the more I began to tense. Was this another collapse? Nightling slowly stepped back as I tried to fight through the pain to get a shield up.

I found out that this was rather useless as a pair of claws ripped themselves through the stone and my shield like it was nothing. It only took a moment for the large hulking beast to completely tunnel in as it had slashed through the lamp. All I could make out was it's slightly glowing yellow slit eyes. Both Nightling and I remained silent as we waited for it to move. The sound of metal scraping was heard before we are blinded for a moment. When my eyes readjusted to the sudden change of light. What stood before us looked like one of the diamond dogs I saw back with Rarity when we were gathering gems. But this one looked like one of those but crossed with a doberman pinscher with it's normally black fur coat with parts of it in dark brown.

“Are you the ponies I was sent down here to find?” He asked, and he didn't sound like the one's from before. Which completely surprised me, I had never heard any diamond dog talk in a normal pattern of speech.

“I believe so.” I answered while I noticed Nightling's wings had flared up when he entered through the stone wall.

“Hello Rex.” Nightling growled.

“And Hello to you too Nighty.” He growled back.

“That's Nightling.” She shot back.

“I know, and I know you don't like being called that.” He said standing up with his arms crossed.

“Then stop calling me that!” She yelled back.

“Easy now Nighty, I'm only doing my job.” Rex said.

“If it hasn't come to anypony's attention I'm rather injured here and I would like some medical attention soon.” I interjected, both out of annoyance at the fact that these two were about to go at each other and I needed the medical help. Nightling glanced up at me before giving out a snort that sounded equine to me.

“Follow me.” Rex said before turning around and heading back through the tunnel that he made. I couldn't help but feel the pain from my wing as well as from my hind legs. It wouldn't stop throbbing to the point that it became the only thing I could focus on. I had lost focus on the conversation that Rex and Nightling were having. I could get the tone of it, and it was more that Nightling has a problem with Rex. The reason I couldn't tell, honestly at this point didn't care. Callous of me I know but when you're in pain and it began to increase in intensity, you wouldn't care much either. It felt like hours but it was probably closer to just an hour. We were able to get out to one of the normal tunnels. I noticed that there were a few guards at the entry that began to flank the group of us. Rex was leading the party while I was in the center of the group. I looked at each the guard and I noticed that they were all night guards. It made sense since this was the darker side to Canterlot. The world began to drift a little in my view, as it began to blur in and out. We finally got out I noticed that outside there was a few multicolored blurs as the pain started to spike as I was flipped over and dropped onto something. I couldn't tell what it was as I felt straps being fastened on my pierced wing to keep it straight. The only thing I could see was the glow of a sun yellow coming towards me, and for a few moments. Celestia's face came into focus before it completely disappeared as well as the world around as I drifted off into a painful sleep.

***---***

Beep... beep... beep. The familiar pattern of beeping was the only thing I could hear before the walls of my private room at the Canterlot Hospital came into focus. I looked around to see the Canterlot streets out of my windows. I couldn't help but shift up and noticed a small swing of pain coming from wing. I turned and noticed that my wing was completely bandaged up with a few splotches of blood on it. It felt like it was whole again but... still a little raw. I honestly couldn't really describe it beyond that the bandages rubbing over that spot just feels cold in a way and just didn't rub right. Beyond that I was able to look to see both my hind legs had the same treatment as my wings. They looked like they were trying to mummify me but stopped right up to my flanks. They didn't really hurt per say, just a little tight. I slid myself slowly out of my bed to see if I could. There wasn't any pain, well besides the wing. I slowly walked over to the window to get a better view of Canterlot. Beyond the simple hustle and bustle that is normal for Canterlot, I noticed a slight layer of fog covering the ground making it hard to see ponies hooves from this angle. My observations where cut a little short as the door to my room opened up to a lime green unicorn mare with a long brunette mane and tail. I couldn't see her cutie-mark with the lab coat she wore. In her magic which was a nice sunset orange color, she held a clipboard with my cutie-mark on the back of it. Her gaze shifted up and looked surprised to see me.

“So what's the verdict doc?” I asked, she looked at me a little confused.

“Verdict? Verdict for what?” She asked.

“How long do I have to live?” I said with a smile, this confused her anymore.

“What? You should have a full lifespan.” She said still completely clueless. “Why would you think otherwise?”

“Oh, well... waking up in the hospital after having part of my body crushed and a stone spike through my wing. Not counting the concussive force for the explosions could have done some major internal damage to my body. So I figured I would ask to see how long do I have to live.” I answered with a smile. She didn't look amused by my comment as she adjusted the glasses on her muzzle she looked over my chart.

“Well it is true that you've put your body through a rather tough endeavor. From what I see here, your hind legs have been repaired from several broken bones. The muscle around those bones how ever have been bruised rather thoroughly. Which would make sense for the bandages. From the notes here the bandages have been magically treated to help numb the pain as well as help heal them. You wing on the other hoof is a different story.” She explained. My gaze looked over at my already bandaged wing as she continued explaining. “Your wings have been fixed as much as we could. The only thing we couldn't do was regrow the feathers in you wing. So you'll be grounded for at least a month for them to grow back.”

“I can live with that. Anything I need to know about dealing with the bandages?” I asked as I continued to observe the doctor.

“Besides making sure the bandages remain dry as much as you can and to change the bandages at least once a day, same as before.” She said as she floated up a piece of parchment. The sun over the moon told me it was Celestia's seal. Which that was an interesting thing to learn, if you wanted to send them a letter directly through the mail. It depends on who's seal you use. While Celestia's priority seal was a large sun close to her cutie-mark with a crescent moon lying within it. Luna is a crescent moon and within the space a smaller sun barely touching the moon itself. Something about this was a little different, as I flicked open the letter in my hoof.

Dear Firestorm,
Come to the castle, we have a lot to talk about.
Signed, Celestia.

For one of her letters this was rather short, and I couldn't help but feel like something was off. The doctor who's name I didn't get at the time showed me to hospital door with a set of saddlebags from what I was told was left for me. She placed a few bandages as well as some tonics in to help. The tonics were to help keep the pain numbed. I did ask about the fog at the front desk and it seems that the weather factory was having some issues with fog in Ponyville, Manehattan, and Canterlot for a few days. Makes sense... well as much as magical ponies that control the weather can make sense to a human turn drony still trying to catch up to all this. I left the Canterlot Hospital through the now thickened fog. It felt like the gray fog just started to swallow Canterlot in seconds after I stepped out into it. Of course my thoughts where on everything but the world around. I was familiar with the way back to the castle by now with my trips I did from the hospital and back from before Hearth's Warming. I couldn't help but think about everything I had to change in my way of thinking. The way I saw everything, and the way my life is now. Honestly it was rather funny in some ways, painful in others. Hell, I still remembered Dash's first flying lesson and the many that followed. I found that heights didn't bother as much as they did before. Still scared the hell out of me when I wasn't close to something solid in a ground sense. I was still a little squeamish about being on a cloud, not counting the almost four weeks of it watching over Twilight. Honestly I have started to enjoy flying, how little I do it. Just to feel the wind in my wings... well when they aren't damaged by some outside force, is rather enjoyable when I kept close to the ground that is. My revelry came to end as I came to the large castle doors to find them slightly open. Something was wrong with this, the doors are normally kept shut until somepony comes to enter. Worse yet was the fact that there were no guards near the door. I opened the door wide enough to go in and began to make my way to the throne room. If somepony was going to be here, that would be the first choice. Especially that's where Celestia or Luna would be.

For some reason the fog continued on through the castle, not as thick as it was outside but in here it was more... eerie. This was familiar to me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. As I went things got worse, no guards anywhere, tapestries on the wall all destroyed as well as some of the windows having holes in them or just cracked. The deeper I went the more ruin I found, but I don't know either to be thankful or not that there was no pony dead. That's when I got to the large double doors that looked like they were blasted open from the outside. Even worse was who I saw just on the inside. I pressed myself against the wall while they where looking away from me. Slowly, I made my way over to the door to get a better look at the being who caused this.

“You'll never win pony.” It said in a very distorted voice. This was followed by a large explosion and then silence. Oh this was not good... not good at all. I made it to the door and slowly peeked to see who it was. Standing there with rubble completely around her was Chrysalis, but not as I remembered her. Around there was a dark mist like aura that I could see coming from both her mane and tail. Unlike the normal flat hair as before with it's many holes. This time it looked... foreboding. Both mane and tail took the same dark mist as before while it floated there just shimmering. Like a dark glitter just in a jar of zero gravity space that just bleed some of it out of the top of the jar. It would look nice if it was on any pony but that changeling. She whirled around to look in my direction. Thinking fast I pulled back so I would remain out of sight. Okay, scratch my earlier not good comment. This was fucking bad...

“Come out Storm, we have much to discuss you and I.” She said as her voice had an echo that sounded like it came before she said anything.

“And now it just got fucking worse.” I whispered in a little despair. Fucking hell, what the fuck was I going to do here? I was injured and I didn't have much in the sense of weapons. Nothing around me was large enough to work against her. A bolt of magic struck the door only inches from my head as chunks of it just disintegrated into dust and blew away. “Oh fuck me running.” I mouthed.

“If you don't come out Firestorm, the next one won't miss.” She ordered. So I had to stallion up here. What was that saying again? Fortune favors the bold, or something like that. Slowly I had made my way to the entry, I watched Chrysalis as she smiled at me with a manic grin on her face with her horn at the ready. “Long time no see.” She said coldly.

“Indeed it has.” I said as I removed my eyes from her for a second to get a better look at the husk of the room. Scattered around in littered piles was a mixture of spears, swords, helmets, and body armor of both day and night guards. But not a pony in sight. Mix within the mess of items was a fine gray dust. I turned back to her as her once green eyes were more a teal as it watched me carefully. Her horn was just as jagged as I remembered but it was curved up, near the base of it I noticed a darker acid green helmet on her head.

“I've waited long enough for this.” She said as a blast of magic flew from her horn at me. I rolled out of the way in time to avoid the blast. The spot where I was turned into a small creator with more gray dust with in it. She turned to fire at me again, this allowed me the time to make a dash towards some of the fallen weapons. She how ever had a different idea. Magic lanced them turning what I was about to grab with my magic into the same dust as before. “You won't survive this monster.” She growled as she left loose a torrent of blasts, in hope of catching me. I dived behind one of the already destroyed rubble that was once the throne. I then grabbed whatever I could in my magic. I was able to get a small collection of objects. I turned and readied myself for the next blast to come. Just as I thought the throne disappeared with her blast of magic and I sent two swords and a spear at her the second she was in sight. The swords she was able to blast to dust but wasn't fast enough to get the spear. The spear tip nailed her right in the horn causing a crack to form within it. On the inside of it crack I could see a mixture of the green that I would normally associate with changelings and the teal. She growled as she wrapped the spear in her back and launching it back at me. In a split second choice I tried to form a shield before me with my eyes clinched shut. When I chance and opening them, not feeling sharp poking death in me. I saw that I barely caught the spear in time as it was close to an inch away from my muzzle. My breath began to deepen as I tried to regain my composure. “You think you're so clever?” She growled at me. “After all you did to screw up my plan. What you did to my army, and what you did to me. I will make you pay!” She roared at me magic flared through her horn.

“Not as much as you will for what you did here” I shot back.

“Finally a back bone, so you're going to die like the monster you are?” I couldn't help but laugh.

“Die?” I said as I let magic emit from my horn. “There is something you don't know about me Chrysalis. I don't go down easily.” I said taking a wider stance. Every piece of metal within the room began to glow as my magic washed over everything. That includes the helm on this bitch's head. All the weapons were the first to fly up and pointed at her. She began to laugh as a beam of magic flew out at me. I pulled a few bits of armor in the way as a makeshift shield as I put a sword in my mouth. With the armor turned to dust I took off at a full gallop. She began to fire another bolt of magic as I intercepted it with more armor. I fired a few spears I had wrapped up in magic. She pulled up a shield that surrounded her. The spears snapped upon impact with her shield. I Used the swords in my magic to try and slash my way through. They scraped against it leaving no mark but on the sword as some of the metal chipped off.

“Stupid pony, you won't be able to break through my shield.” She laughed, after a few moments I began to laugh too. Her laugh died away after a few minutes as she first looked confused, followed by pissed. “What's so funny?” She growled, before her face turn to surprise. I continued to laugh as between that and the soft drips of the goo dropping to the ground.

“What happened to your bravado? I thought you were going to make me pay?” I said walking closer to her as her shield disappeared. “One thing you have never learned, and you never will. You've got to keep your eyes open.” I said as her gaze slowly dropped down to the spear tip from my first launch. She left it in the shield and forgot it was there. I was able to slash it upwards into the softer underbelly as most insects had. I jammed it in rather deep as I keep her mind on me. I wanted to finish this, and hope that Celestia and Luna as well as everypony left was safe. I took the spear and jammed it up further.

“I... I won't go down... so... easily.” She growled with her choking breath as her horn glowed bright to the point that crack in her horn got brighter. Oh, shit! Is she... shit! She is trying trying to take me out with her. I tried to make a mad dash for the door but she dropped a shield to contain me in here with her. The crazy bitch is doing what she can to keep my ass in here. I had to think of something. Then if flashed in my head, images of a bolder dropping down, as a horn a glow with magic, and the blast that came from it. I grinned as I turned towards Chrysalis as her horn was erupting with magic to the point that I couldn't see the horn within the aura. I grabbed the closest object and with all the force I could whipped it at her. The helmet collided with her head causing the aura to collapse within itself as the crack expanded and began to travel all over her body. Seconds until that passed as her body glowed a mixture of a bright sickly green and teal. I gathered every piece rubble, armor, weapon, and anything else I could grip within my magic. I placed it between her and I as the energy expanded to the point that it lashed out. The bright light blinded me, as the air began to blow away from the energy she's expelling from herself. In the brief seconds before she exploded there was nothing more than the eerie silence that broke as the room turned into nothing but color and a roar that left me deaf. When it finally died away, she was gone. There was a hole in the floor several feet surrounded the place she stood. I slowly made it over to the hole, as I never knew under the throne room was a massive cavern. Which was odd since normally under the castle was underground tunnels that work with the sewer system. My observations were cut short as the ground around me and the hole began to crack with massive fissure spider webbing through the whole floor. I turned towards the door as my eyes went wide. The shield was still covering the door which meant I was trapped. I didn't have my wings to fly myself out through a window to escape. The fissure began to run up the walls and through the hall pass the shield. There was no telling if I could escape by running for it. I watch the throne room begin to collapse and once the first large chunk of the ceiling smashed into the ground. It was it's resistance, and fell apart taking me with it. I was plunged into the darkness of the cavern below.

With no clue if I was going to survive, I was left to the pitfalls of destiny.

-End of Chapter-

Author's Notes:

My my my, the plot does indeed thicken. New guards, mysterious files, and cryptic messages? Is Nightling finally cool with Storm after getting stuck with a cave in? Who started the cave in while they where there? Finally, what happened while Storm was out and on his way to the castle? Find out what happens next in chapter 28.