After walking further into the forest I spotted Wasp and Zanny flying above the forest, they had chosen pegasui disguises. I waved to them and they flew down to meet me. I handed Dinky and Sweetie Belle over to them and told them to take the two foals to their guardians. The nodded and flew towards Ponyville with me in tow. They flew above the town searching for Rarity and Derpy as I headed home.

I spotted the main six (minus Rarity and Applejack who were mothering their siblings) waking in my direction, I didn't know if they were going to talk to me or what, so I just kept walking. When I was in front of them they froze at the sight of blood on my clothes, face and hands. I just kept walking as they stared, I was holding my normal neutral expression.

Celestia and the royal guard arrived at the cave, a few soldiers had went in to secure the area, one of them came running out and saluted. "Your highness, the cave has been secure, you can now enter...although you may not like what you see."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. She walked into the cave, after taking a few steps she found a dented steel door that had been torn of its hinges, when she entered her eyes widened in shock. In the cave was several corpses, all of which had claw wounds except for one who was stabbed by his own sword. There was small drops of blood on the floor and walls. "Did any of the foals see this?"

"No ma'am, they claim that they were taken out of the cave before the fight began."

He was decent enough to get the foals out before they saw something that might have scared them for life. She thought, she looked over at a wall where there seemed to be a pony shaped dent in the stone. She held the bruise that Symbol had given her when she tried to stop him. "What else did the foals tell you?"

"Apparently the leader of the deceased gang grabbed two foals and headed out in a secret exit, which is now wide open due to some kind of large force destroying the door. Symbol pursued the criminal and that's all the foals know."

Just then Twilight teleported to Celestias side, unaware of where she was and didn't pay attention. "Princess, Symbol returned to Ponyville and the two remaining foals are with their carers, although he came back covered in blood." She sniffed the air and was about to turn around when Celestia put her hoof over her eyes.

"Don't look, you'll never be able to get it out of your mind! Just follow the sound of my voice and only open your eyes when I tell you to." Twilight followed Celestia to the place where the door was meant to be. "You can open your eyes, just don't look back into the room."

Twilight opened here eyes to see the dented door. "Wait, this is magic steel, it's supposed to be immune to brute force!"

"What caused those dents was not brute force, it was dark magic."

"Dark magic, but who..."

"I will explain it to you and your friends after the Grand Galloping Gala, just don't ask Symbol about what happened here." Twilight looked unsure but agreed.

I was in my house washing off the blood on my hands and clothes, I had my clothes duplicated to save the ponies the trouble of making me new ones. After I had a shower and scrubbed the blood out of my clothes, I replaced my bandages and put disinfectant on my newest wound, I got dressed and walked outside where I was tackled by multiple mares thanking me for saving their children. Derpy, Applejack and Rarity were among the crowd. There was no way I was getting out of this so I accepted my fate. I saw the girls trying to suppress giggles at the side.

After what seemed like an hour the mares let me go. I then told everyone to gather the ponies in town to the stage outside town hall as I had an announcement.

Ten minutes later the town was gathered and even the princess was in the crowd. I stepped up to the stage. "What I am about to tell you might be disturbing to many ponies, but it has to be said."

I got a few looks from the crowd. "The pony known as Time Turner, is dead!" There was gasps from the crowd. "He was the ringleader of this stunt, and in an attempt to flee he grabbed two of the kidnapped foals and made a run for the Everfree Forest, in which when put into a corner by myself, he fell off a cliff, and was attacked by a group of timberwolves!" I spotted a group of ponies in the back that looked devastated, I assumed they were Turners family. "Now I know he had many friends and family in this town, and I will personally handle the funeral!"

"Why, didn't you hate him?" A mare I knew as Colgate asked.

"Because I am the one that backed him into that corner, his death is my responsibility!" The crowd fell silent. "I know that you will never look at me the same way again, but know that this was not a deed out of hatred or personal desire. This was an accident and I never intended for him to meet such a grave fate, this was to protect the foals of this town, and I'm going to make sure nothing like this happens ever again!" Then came something I wasn't expecting, Time Turners brother, who I knew as Doctor Whooves, stepped up to the stage.

"Hello, I am Time Turners brother, and I just wanted to say...thank you!"

"What?"

"In that group of kidnapped foals was my younger brother, Tick Tock. You saved him and that's what I am thankful for. I am also thankful that you have gotten rid of Turner. Many ponies don't know this but Turner had a condition that caused him to act violently and selfishly, it had been haunting him and our family for so long, there was no cure. Now you have given him the release of that curse, and for that I thank you." He held out his hoof. I was honestly surprised by this, I took his hoof in my hand and shook. I mean, seriously, I just killed his brother and he's thanking me, who does that?

He nodded his head and joined the crowd, he stopped beside Derpy. "Miss Hooves, I apologise for any harm or emotional stress that my brother has caused you." I left the area and was met by Celestia in the middle of the street.

"I'm not apologising for hitting you earlier."

"I don't expect you to, I'm just here to deliver a warning."

"And what would that be?"

"You have a dark power inside you, handle it with care, or the consequences could be catastrophic." She walked by me and flashed me a grin. "See you at the Gala, I look forward to our dance."

I didn't respond to her comment and just headed home.

Author's Notes:

Note that I am now accepting crossover requests, if you wish to crossover please PM me so we can organise the collaboration.