Zealus happily trotted along the path to Ponyville, just as the sun was beginning to rise.  He looked up at it, then straight ahead, letting out a slow breath.  It has been awhile since anything this calm, this serene.  He wondered if-

Dragon Knight Draco-Equestie was standing right in front if him, with his back to Zealus.  Zealus slid to a stop and looked around carefully. 

What's wrong, equest?"  He asked quietly.

The dragon whispered  "He is here."

"Who equest?  Ra?"

"No."

Zealus' eyes narrowed.  "But... How?"

"I know not."

"Equest..."

Equeisie turned to face Zealus.  His blue snake lips curled into a smile.

"I want a stab at him..."

Equestie vanished.  Beyond where Equestie had been stood a valiant, defiant, posed pink pony with short yellow mane and tail.  She was deathly skinny, with cold, hardened eyes that seemed somehow farther away than the rest of her.

Zealus and the pony stared at each other for a moment, then Zealus blurted out "ha!"

There was another pause as stared at large pink pony, with Zealus giving her a crooked smile. 

"I was honestly scared there for a moment!"  He continued.  "Equest has never let me down before."

When the pink pony opened her mouth, the voice of a stallion came out.  "He was right!"

Zealus eyes went wide.

"Cirendomor?!"

"Yes, my dear, beloved friend!  I am here, and you are finished!  Leave now before foil all your plans!  This world will never fall to likes of you!"

Zealus put a hoof to his head.  "For the last time, I don't destroy worlds.  I am just here for a vague grudge match or something.  Ra doesn't like competition.  Now go away before I turn you into..."  Zealus grimaced.  "Why are you a mare?"

Cirendomor looked down at his mare body. "It's a long story.  I'll tell you if you win."

"Cirendomor, no.  If you lose, you go back and that girls body and soul belong to me.

"Alright Zealus, but I only possessed her because of you.  WHEN you lose, you forfeit your body to me, your soul to the shadow realm, and your power to Sogan."

Zealus gave the most smug grin he could.  "Don't you ever get sick of losing?"  He asked.

"I would ask you the same thing!"

"I asked first!"  Zealus said indignantly.

"I-" said Cirendomor, "summon the agent of creation!"

A yellow pony with long golden mane and tail and angel's wings appeared in front of the pink mare.

"The agent of creation can create this mythical shine ball!"

A small orb appeared next the golden pony and started to rotate around her.

"Then I activate the sanctuary in the sky!"

Far above them, a floating temple appeared.

Zealus' eyes opened wide.  "Somepony will see that!"

"They'll never find out what it means.  I end my turn."

"Good."  Zealus sneered.  He started to glow with black energy.  "I summon the Hieratic Dragon of Gebeb and Black Skull Dragon!"

The two dragons appeared on front of Zealus.  Zealus sneer turned into a full faced grin, his tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth.

"Attack!"  He yelled.

Each dragon pounced on its foe, the back dragon eating the orb and the golden dragon delivering a killing punch to the anent of creation.

Meteor Dragon appeared next to Zealus.  When the Hieratic Dragon of Gebeb attacks and destroys a monster, he can call out another dragon, at the cost of taking all it's attack and defense points, Zealus thought to himself.

"All done," Zealus said out loud.

Cirendomor looked down at the ground.

"I set one card, and I'm done."

Zealus eyes lit up.  "I tribute that meteor dragon for a summoned skull!"

The meteor dragon turned into energy, and then reformed into a summoned skull.

"...attack."  Zealus whispered more to himself.

Each monster charged forward, Gebeb jumped and landed near a glowing spot on the ground.  Nova summoner emerged and was destroyed by shock waves from Gebeb.

Zealus slapped himself on the head.

"Go ahead..."

Cirendomor looked up.  "I call air-knight parshath!"

The move summoner transformed into the knight-fairy.

Zealus gave his black dragon a sarcastic look.  "We are terrified,"  Zealus said. 

The black dragon grunted.

"You should be-" started Cirendomor.

"Attack!"  yelled Zealus.

The summoned skull took a moment to gather lightning around himself, then shot it at the air knight.  It simply fell over, and became a blue mist.

"Now Black Skull Dragon... Have your fun!"

The black dragon lifted himself off the ground with black, bony wings and flew towards the pink pony. 

"Do your worst,"  came Cirendomor's voice.

The black dragon took in a deep breath as black flames leeched from its mouth.  It leaned forward and spat out a sea of black light, shrouding the entire area in blue flame.  The black flames completely enshrouded the pink pony, who didn't react at all.

Over the inferno, Zealus said something to summoned skull.  "Cirendomor is already gone!"

In an instant, the monsters, the fire, and the sanctuary in the sky vanished, and Zealus stood over an unharmed, but passed out pink pony.  "Good thing that wasn't a shadow game.  But why is she passed out?"  He asked nobody in particular.  "Only one choice..."  He said.

Slowly, he hoisted the pink pony up onto his back.  He grunted from the weight and struggled to balance her. "Oh Ra, this is gonna look bad," He complained.  "I wonder who this girl is?"  He continued to babble to himself up until Ponyville was in sight.

As soon as it was, Zealus heard loud, surprised and worried voices, that quickly became suspicious, confused, even angry.  Zealus heard ponies ask each other "who is that?"

"Did he find her?"

"Where did he come from?"

"What smells?"

Zealus grimaced at each question like it was an insult, his anxiety building within himself.  He wanted to turn around and run the other way, but he knew that he had more to gain from facing the people of the town.  This wouldn't be the first time Cirendomor wrecked a plan of Zealus.

A small group of ponies from the town organized themselves and marched towards him.  He stopped his approach to the town and stood perfectly still.  He was sure that he would start sweating soon.

The leader, a gray stallion, marched right up to him.  Rage burned in his eyes.  "Thank you for finding my daughter.  Now turn around and go back the way you came!"  Several ponies rushed forward and transferred the pink pony from Zealus to another, whom the group took into town, leaving Zealus, the gray stallion, and a yellow mare alone. 

As they did so, they started to ask each other "why is she hot?" 

"Why is he so hot?"

"Why does he smell?"

After they had left, the stallion grumbled at Zealus "I said to go away."

Zealus started to speak up, but was cut off.

"What part of go away don't you understand?"  Continued the stallion.

Zealus looked down at the ground, anxious rage feeding off his wounded pride. For the love of Ra, I'm in a good mood!  He thought.  Any day I get to squash that possessive punk is a good day.

Zealus spoke very quietly.  "I don't understand, why do you hate me?"

The yellow mare shed a single tear.  Zealus gave her a quizzical look, but the stallion glared at him.

From behind the angry stallion came a voice.  "That's enough."

Zealus and both ponies looked in the direction of the town to see 7 ponies, six young mares and one who looked much older.  The older one had spoken, and stated to speak again.

"Doctor, I know your daughter's condition is a strain on you both-"

The stallion shed a tear this time.  Zealus made a face.

"-that is no excuse to treat the first pony to wander into town like a monster... No matter how suspicious the circumstances.  Have I made myself clear?"

The gray stallion finally relaxed.  He gave Zealus one more suspicious look before he turned back the older mare.  "Look," He said "your clear, but if this ever happens again ill do what I need to do to protect my daughter."  With that, he and the yellow mare marched back into town.  Each of the seven mares grew visibly relieved, before growing serious again.

A purple unicorn turned to the older mare.  Zealus mouth dropped open, as he stared.  She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, though real beauty was something Zealus had no real experience with.  He shook himself to banish his darker thoughts, and listened to what she was saying.

"Well take it from here, mayor mare." Said the purple unicorn.

Mayor mare sighed, then looked at Zealus.

"Report to me when your done.  I still want an investigation on the girl's condition."  She seemed to be talking to the others.  Mayor mare turned and left, and the others turned to Zealus.  Each one had a different expression, from confusion to suspicion, to rage.

Zealus just stood there, his eyes jumping from one pony to the next.  The purple unicorn stepped forward.

"Explain." She said simply, her expression unreadable.  The pink hopped up in front of him and pressed her head against his face.  He scowled.

"Confess!"  She said.  Then she jumped off him and yelled out "ouch!"  As she rubbed her burned nose.  "Applejack, he hurt me!"  She ran over to an orange-ish pony wearing a hat and she nuzzled the pink one.  The orange one glared daggers at Zealus as she started to mutter to the pink one.

Zealus blinked, and stood still for a moment.  Nopony moved.  Zealus let out a long breath, as he always did when he told his story.  He briefly considered lying, but saw no good reason.

"My name is Zealus."  He began.  "I am from far, far away."  He looked up to an entirely pink pony, then shifted his gaze to a yellow one with pink mane.  She avoided his gaze, and he smiled.  He always felt so intimidating when he scared ponies in that way.  He returned his gaze to the purple mare.

"I have been wandering for a long, long time.  I sleep in dirt-"

Zealus got a few disgusted expressions, especially from the white unicorn.

"-or if im lucky, in a filthy alley.  I eat off the ground, or if I'm lucky, nobles give me their scrapes."  He cleared his throat.  Some of the expressions burning on him began to soften.

"You could say that my world is entirely different from this one.  It is of war torn struggles and political strife, where life means nothing and immortality is everything."

He looked up at Canterlot, then looked squarely at the purple one.  "Who are you?  Why am I under such suspicion?  I have done nothing to you..."

The purple one blinked at him, surprised.  "A long time comma patient suddenly recovered," she said.  "Then she up an wondered off, some ponies say a monster with feathered wings helped her.  Then a smelly stranger appeared carrying her on his back.  Not to mention, a letter from the princess saying that somepony,l potentially dangerous, from a different land might be headed this way.  We didn't know what else to do,"  She explained.  Then her eyes narrowed at him.  "What did you do to May Flower, that comma patient?  What are you, exactly? How did the princess, of all ponies, know about you?"

Zealus looked down.  He wasn't sure he could talk his way out of this one.  His mission had failed before it had begun.  There was just something different about me, he thought with shame.  I can't do anything right!  Then he straightened up.  Yes I can, he thought.

"It's a long story.  I'm hungry, I'm tired, I have no money, and I'm sick of being treated like a monster."  He turned around.  "I didnt do anything to anyone.  That is all i can say.  You wouldn't understand the rest.  So, im just going to leave."  He slowly started to walk.

The purple one stepped forward.  "Wait- She started to say, but was cut off by the orange one.

"Twi," She said. 

Twi looked at applejack.  "We may never have another chance like this again!  I want to research him, we don't even know what he is."

Zealus smirked, but he hoped noopony could see.  He turned back around and took a step forward, trying his best to wear a blank expression. 

The white unicorn spoke up.  "Twilight, darling, maybe it's best to let troublemakers go..."

"Maybe," Zealus offered, "some things just shouldn't be learned"

That seemed to steel Twilight's resolve.  "Nonsense!"  She declared.  She looked Zealus straight in the eyes.

"I want to learn everything you that think i wouldn't understand, and I won't take no for answer!"  She said with pride.

Zealus smiled.  "That'll take awhile.  But... There is a common custom-" he started to say.

A blue mare with rainbow mane spoke up.  "I don't like this,". She declared, and she flew right up to him and jabbed her hoof into his chest, "and I don't like you."  Then she flew off.  Every pony watched her go.

"She'll come around," Zealus muttered.

Twilight returned her gaze to Zealus. "Don't worry about her, she's just a little worked up she had to give up her training time to look for a wandering patient.  Anyway, I'm Twilight Sparkle, personal student of princess Celestia."  She beamed.

Zealus smirked again.  Ra, he thought.  I am good.

She continued, pointing out each of her friends one by one.  "This is Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity-"

Rarity pit her nose to the sky when Zealus looked at her, "-and Fluttershy,"

Fluttershy still couldn't bring herself to look Zealus in the eye.  "Rainbow Dash flew away, but she'll be back.  She always is," Twilight added dryly.

"Twilight," said Applejack, "anything he does is your responsibility.  We clear?"

Zealus spoke up.  "I cannot guarantee that I won't cause anymore problems, not that I've caused any, but I can guarantee that I'll clean up after myself.  No muss, no fuss.  At least, there are ways to get me to do so.  Sound good?"

Applejack walked away, grumbling.  "Get a clear explanation out of him, ya hear?" The others began to follow her, all headed back into town.  Except Twilight, who was quickly becoming Zealus' favorite pony in the world.  This world, anyway.

Zealus breathed a sigh of relief.  Then he smirked.  "Alone at last."  He said, looking at her.

Twiligjt looked after her friends with some concern, but quickly seemed to forget them in light of her new research project.

"Now then," She said.  "We have to launch an investigation.  What do you know about May Flower?"

Zealus grimaced.  "Nothing much.  I was walking the path to here when I came across her.  She was just lying there, and there were all these burn marks on the ground.  I couldn't leave her, so I got her on my back and we walked uneventfully here."  Zealus lied.  His face, he hoped, was unreadable and stone blank the entire time.

She seemed to mull this over for a moment.  "For years she lay there in comatose sleep, and you want me to believe that you know nothing about it?"

"Um... Yes ?"

Twilight put her hoof to her chin.  "I wonder if your presence here is having affects on... coma patients?  It certainly is a thing to be reaserched!"  Twilight proclaimed.  "Come," She said.  "I'll show you where you'll be staying, we will get you fed, and then we have a long talk."

Zealus eyes went wide when he realized he was being treated like a colt.

"And-" She added "your not to leave my sight, and you must do exactly everything I say.  Clear ?"

"Yes mm.."  He mumbled.

"Great!" She beamed.  "Lets get going!"  And with that, the two headed straight into town, where everypony was staring at Zealus' blank flank.

After a quick and lite meal, Zealus found himself introduced to Spike and a few very suspicious citizens, then he found himself laying on the floor of a library.  Not exactly his first choice, but it was sure better than the dirt or trash he was used to sleeping on.  Along the way, they had made little conversation, other than small talk.  Zealus hated small talk, but he was more than happy to get some free food out of it.

Finally, after a moment of silence, Twilight conversed with Spike.

"Take a note, please," She said.  Spike got ready to write.  Zealus looked up with interest, wondering what was going to happen.

"Today I met with an interesting visitor," She said.  "He calls himself Zealus, and his presence here has caused quite a stir.  Before he even showed up, a long-term coma patient started walking around like she was never in a coma in the first place.  Her parents were crazy with happiness, until she vanished.  Some reports came of a Pegasus pony helping her to escape.  Then the stranger you spoke of showed up with her on his back, and he hasn't given us any explanation yet.  I intend to launch a full investigation of this stranger and the event, so i have to end here.  Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."  She smiled and said "send!"

Spike breathed fire on the letter and it vanished.

Zealus wondered what kind of spell that was, and also how she got a small purple reptile to serve her.  

"Hey Twilight," he said.  "What is that thing?"

"What, the letter?:

"No, the small purple reptile?"

"Oh," she said slight annoyance.  "Spike is my baby dragon.  I hatched him."

Zealus stood up, walked over to the thing, peering down at him.  He looked around like a deer during a hunt.  Zealus smiled.

"Why do you everything she tells you to do?  You could crush her in an instant."

Spike's resolve sharpened.  "Well, I'm her number one assistant!"  He said.  "We are good friends, and friends don't crush friends."

Zealus turned away, a confused look on his face.  "That was so pathetic, i half expected you to die of embarrassment."

Twilight stepped between them.  "Don't talk to Spike like that!  friendship is magic!"

Zealus turned around again, looking her square in the face.  "My little pony, friendship is many things, but magic is not one of them."

"I wouldn't have expected you to understand.  I have seen proof myself, that friendship can conquer even the bleakest darkness!"

Zealus rubbed his temple.  "You have much to learn."

Twilight looked downright angry now.  "I saw it!  Me and my friends used the elements of harmony to banish nightmare moon and restore Luna to her glory!"

Zealus smiled.  "Do tell..."

"its a long story..."

"we have time..."

"Well," (Twilight quickly tells the story of how she went to Ponyville, met friends, nightmare moon, running off, and blasting her away.

Zealus sat down.  His face revealed deep thought.  Twilight looked happy again, and then he spoke.

"So you bounded yourself to ancient magic, blasted a bad guy, and that makes freindship the best thing ever?"

Twilight jumped a little.  "No!"  She said.  "My friendship was what allowed me to use the elements to blast nightmare moon."

"sounds to me like it was ancient magic."

"It was the power of our bound!"

"Alright, alright." Zealus relented.  "it seems i have much to learn.  But while we are on the subject, you know, binding yourself to ancient magic is never a good idea.  You need to look into getting un-bound as soon as possible."

"Perhaps,"  she said.  "But for now we need to find out how May Flower woke up."

"isn't it possible that she did just actually wake up?  It isn't unheard of, you know.  Actually, can we do it tomorrow?  I'm kinda tired from being accused of stuff.  Also, the traveling."

"No."

Zealus smiled.  "Foiled again!"

"That's not funny."

"The most boring thing in the world can be found funny,"  Zealus said.  "Even you."

Twilight gave him an indignant look.  "Haha."

Zealus just looked at her.  "where should we start?"

"You tell me."

Zealus sighed.  "There is no way to get around this, is there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Gather your friends, the other elements.  They need to be made aware of what I'm about to explain.  Also, understand that i'm giving you an espionage mission."

"Zealus..."

"I promise, ill stay right here.  If we both go to gather the other elements, I mean your friends, it will look suspicious, and they will accuse me of more stuff.  Now go."  Zealus ordered.

Twilight seemed to hesitate for a moment.  "If you hurt Spike, Ill never forgive you."

Zealus gave the most malicious smile he could.  "Wouldn't dream of it"  he murmured.

As she left, Zealus turned to Spike.

"Lets have a chat.  Just us guys..." Next Chapter: 3: The Ancient Ones Estimated time remaining: 10 Minutes