Aspect trotted along the road, humming a little tune to himself. If today worked out like he thought it would, they’d be reforming a major threat. All he’d have to do is confirm delivery of the elements to Twilight’s place and they could form up and give Sombra that which he’d been lacking for...ages.

Though when the stallion arrived at the door to the library and knocked on it, well…

Spike opened the door and sighed. “Oh… hey Aspect. What’s up?” The poor drake looked tired. “Eh, maybe you can help… hopefully without making it worse since this is your fault to begin with.”

“Ohboy, what happened this time?” Aspect asked as he stepped inside. He was feeling much better. Give it a month and he’d be able to replace the star he took without upsetting his magical core.

Inside was well… he wondered if Discord had escaped again. Books lay in haphazard piles around the room. Charts with diagrams, equations and pie charts depicting god knows what, and at the far end of the room was…

Was that a fort made of books?

“Twilight, you have ten seconds to come out before I make you come out,” Aspect threatened.

“No Twilight’s here, go away,” came a very Twilight-sounding voice. “I’m busy. Apologise to Realm that I can’t continue his magic studies.”

“And ten seconds are up,” Aspect said, reaching out with his magic and surrounding the mare within the fort. “You’re coming out one way or another. You can fight it or not, it won’t make a lick of difference to me.” With that being said, he began to gently tug her out of her bookfort, trying to talk to her face to face.

“GO AWAY!” she yelled as a book was hurled at his face…

Aspect caught it in his magic and looked at the title, humming before looking inside the fort. “Twilight, you can either talk to me, or I can talk at you. I’ve had thousands of years to practice my debating and listening skills, you can choose which ones I’ll be using on you.”

“She’s been like this since she got back, sans yesterday,” Spike said. “And… there’s been something weirder. I don’t think I’ve seen her use magic the whole time. Like, not even once.”

“Magic doesn’t solve everything Spike,” she said from her fort. “I am perfectly capable with or without it.”

Aspect sighed and sat down. “Twilight, do you know how abnormal you’re sounding? I’m trying to picture Rainbow Dash say she’s too cool for flying, and it grates on my nerves.”

“What, so I haven’t used my magic for a bit, big whoop!” She crawled out of her fort, straightening some of the books. “I don’t see you using your Sorcery, Runes or Aeromancy for every little thing.”

“Because using them to do things would be like...burning down all the houses on a street because one has a cockroach infestation,” Aspect replied. “I use the right amount of magic for the task at hand. But willingly avoiding your magic, a part of you, tells me that something is wrong.” He cocked his head at her. “Twilight...when did you start being afraid of magic? It certainly doesn’t sound like something the bearer of Magic would be.”

“A-Afraid?” she snorted and forced a loud laugh. “I am not afraid of magic. That’s stupid, a unicorn afraid of magic. I can do magic just fine thankyou very much!”

“Oh, so that means you can go back to teaching Realm how to avoid having little outbursts of magic as he grows into it,” Aspect quipped. “As a powerful unicorn, I’m sure you’d understand that all too well.”

“I don’t have the time, too much research,” she muttered as she gathered up some books with her hooves. “That painted Starswirl can use magic. He’s a better teacher than me anyway.”

“Avoiding the topic, changing the topic, and,” he used his magic to pull up one of her hooves and stare at it dramatically, “Denying the topic. You could do this much faster with your magic. Why are you punishing yourself by doing it the way an Earth Pony would?”

“Because I don’t have to prove anything to you, Balanced Aspect. Or is it Christopher? Bloodwing? I get confused.” She slung a bag over her back and headed for the door. “I’m going out Spike.”

Aspect waited for her to leave, before turning to Spike. “She needs help. Think you can get a message to her friends about the fact that she’s afraid of even her own magic and is denying the situation exists?”

“I’ve never seen Twilight like this,” Spike said. “Aspect, excuse my language, but what the horseapples happened in the Crystal Empire. And why was Twilight later than anypony else getting back. Why is she jumping at her own shadows worse than Fluttershy!?”

Aspect sighed. “Sombra...hurt her with magic, Spike. He hurt her badly. It was only because I pulled off a trick that she didn’t have to go without her horn for a while. And then my daughter decided to keep her close, to cherish her presence...it was only when I pointed out how obsessed she was becoming that she let Twilight go. I don’t think Twilight’s handling the combined news well. The tyrant is in the guardhouse with more suppressors on him than would be used on most criminals, and Celestia is...I don’t know where. She needs something normal right now.” He looked to the outside world and shook his head. “She needs the pillars in her life, because the biggest one is missing.”

“Is that Sombra fireproof?” he growled, emerald flames licking at his lips. It’d be more scary if it was coming from a bigger, scarier-looking dragon. But he just swallowed them and sighed. “I don’t know what to...do…” he looked up at a photo on the wall, of Twilight and her friends. “Maybe the others can help then?”

“It would be nice, because we need them all to try and hit Sombra with the Elements,” Aspect rejoined.

“Yeah well… guess we’ll see,” Spike sighed. “Mind if you do that? I’m gonna tidy this place up and make some of her favourite snacks.”

“Can do,” Aspect nodded as he walked out the door. He knew who to ask first. Rainbow was fast and Pinkie was...Pinkie. They’d spread the word amongst the others fast about Twilight needing help.

Well, he had no idea where Pinkie was. She was always popping up unexpectedly, figures she can’t be found when he actually wants to.

Rainbow was as inconspicuous as always however, her rainbow contrail streaking across the sky as she bust a series of clouds. Aspect fired up a small firework that sparked in the colors of the rainbow to get her attention.

*thoom*

A cloud of dust and the pegasus had landed in front of him. “You rang?” she asked, dusting herself off.

“Twilight’s had a bad couple of days,” Aspect explained. “To the point where she’s even afraid of her own magic, and is in denial about it. Think you could gather the rest of your merry little group and bring her back to normal?”

“Twi’s freaking again?” Rainbow sighed. Wait, what did she mean again? “Well, I can go have a chat with her. My work’s done for the day anyway.”

“I tried talking to her on my own,” Aspect warned. “She denied the issue, ran off, and is apparently so busy she can’t even teach Realm magic anymore. I think you’d need more than one.”

“Yeah well, let’s face it love, you suck at solving problems you can’t actually fight,” Rainbow giggled and booped his nose. “Relax, I’ve got this.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Aspect said before kissing the tip of her nose. “Take care anyways. Cornering her might entice her to fight back.”

“Hey, I said I got this… sides,” she smirked and flared her wings. “There’s more than one way to skin an egghead.” And on that ominous note, she rocketed into the sky. Ooh, her aeromancy takeoffs were getting better.

...Now he kind of wanted to watch…

...Eh, it would be intruding. He’d check on Bon and Lyra instead.

Wheeeere were Lyra and Bon Bon? The candy mare’s store was closed, and they hadn’t been at the house either.

Then his day got worse.

One of the Guards assigned to Sombra ran up to him, out of breath. “S-Sir Aspect,” he panted. “S-Sombra… it’s… he’s gone!”

“Bucking Tartarus, is it Tuesday?” the stallion muttered as he threw out his magic senses in a wide net, looking for the wayward Umbrum stallion. It didn’t take long. He could feel the Aspect of Shadows in…

Sugar… cube… Corner.

Buck.

“Soldier, I have good news and bad news,” Aspect said, reigning in his magic. “The good news is, I know where he is.”

“A-And the bad news sir?” the stallion, barely out of colthood gulped. He’d hard horror stories of this place. Some guards had even outright quit because of them.

“He’s in Sugarcube Corner,” the stallion replied seriously. “I’ll go and handle this one. You all can form up outside of the place...but do take care to not scare off the customers. The Cakes wouldn’t like that. Neither would Pinkie.”

“Yes sir!” the stallion saluted. “Problem is… the others are missing too.”

Because of course they were. This reeked of Pinkie. “Nevermind then, just come with,” he muttered. He only hoped that they weren’t walking into the mouth of madness.

Aspect… honestly had no idea what he was looking at.

Pinkie had thrown a party… for Sombra. Because of course she did. The stallion just sat there rather stoically with a party hat on his head as Pinkie bounced around the room. The missing guards were here, just chatting around the punch bowl.

“Pinkie, I just...what?” Aspect asked, looking around. “You know he can’t feel the same range of emotions as a pony, right?”

“Well duh,” Pinkie said as she cartwheeled past him. “Why do you think I’m throwing him a party silly. Nopony can be a grump at my parties. I’ll have him smiling in an hour tops!”

“Pinkie, he doesn’t know what happiness is,” Aspect clarified. “We can’t make him smile until he’s a pony like the rest of us, instead of one that was built by things that don’t feel like us.”

“Then I just hafta show him what happiness is,” Pinkie hummed, undeterred by her self-appointed task. “He can’t be gloomy after that. I mean, if I can make an old grumpity grump like you smile…”

Did… did Pinkie Pie just take a jab at him?

“He’s ten times older than I am,” Aspect pointed out.

“Then I just have to work harder… ohh, maybe if I got him a harem too…”

Aspect facehooved before changing tactics. “Twilight’s afraid of magic. Because of what he did to her. She’s gone crazier than normal and could use her friends right now.”

“Dashie’s got it,” she sang as she pulled Sombra out of his chair. “You know how to dance Sombry?”

“I believe I know the mechanics behind such actions, yes,” he nodded once.

“Wheee!” Pinkie giggled as an upbeat polka song started to play.

“...Arguing with you about this is going to be about as productive as slamming my head into a brick wall, isn’t it?” Aspect asked.

“Yup! Like you expected this to go any other way,” Pinkie mused as she spun Sombra around. “It’s okay Aspy. Just leave the Gloomy Gus to me. You’ll get a bigger role in the next reformation.”

“I just...what?” Aspect blinked, before shrugging and walking away. No point in fighting the pink one. Maybe he’d have better luck looking for Lyra and Bon Bon.

“So… you’re down in the dumps huh?” Rainbow said as she sat next to Twilight. She’d literally scooped the unicorn from the ground and they now sat on a hill overlooking the town. “Come on Twi, we’re pals. Best friends. You can tell me.”

Twilight frowned and looked down. “He’s right you know…” she murmured. “I am scared. Ever since my horn was broken. Ever since I found out my own teacher and princess was enthralling me! I’m scared to cast magic!”

“Yeah… those prolly sucked pretty bad,” Rainbow said. “But look Twi, you see these?” she spread her wings. “How many times do you think I’ve injured them to the point of useless?”

“At least… once I know of,” she answered.

“A bunch, I’ll tell you that,” Rainbow replied with a nod as she put a wing around her. “Look, not gonna lie. These last few months have been bananas! I mean, Aspect, then all the mojo that seems to surround him. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra… It’s been rough.” She tightened the winghug. “But, each time, we’ve gotten back up. No matter how banged up we get, or how scary it is. We get back up.”

“I… suppose,” Twilight murmured.

Rainbow sighed and rubbed her head, before she got an idea. “Hey, how about you help with my training?”

“Huh?” the unicorn raised her head. “What training?”

“Aeromancy. I don’t really get the eggheady stuff surrounding it. But you’re super good with it.”

“But I don’t know anything about that.”

“I’m sure Aspect has a book on it somewhere,” she said. “You head home, and I’ll go grab it. See you in twenty?”

“Well I guess but…”

“No buts, we’re gonna get you back to normal,” Rainbow said and pat her back. “See you soon.” And like that, she took off with a gust of wind.

“...Guess I don’t have a choice,” the unicorn sighed and started heading for home.

Written Script saw the curtains fly off as Rainbow streaked in through the window. “Now…” the pegasus murmured. “If I was an aeromancy book… where would I hide…”

“There are no surviving tomes on Aeromancy, Sorcery, or Geomancy,” the painting spoke up. “Apparently ‘Tia was quite thorough in her purge. But...you don’t need a book on it.”

“Huh?” Rainbow turned to look at the mare. “I don’t?”

“Have you forgotten who all is painted here?” Written asked. “Back in their day, they were the leaders of the pony tribes for a reason. Each one was a master of their art.”

“Hurricane,” Rainbow concluded as she looked around. “Know where the old warmare is?”

“At this time of day...probably napping in her painting in the foyer,” Written concluded. “She claims the clouds are comfier there.”

“Perfect,” the pegasus mused as she left the room. “Thanks Written~ Gonna ‘borrow’ her for a bit.”

“...Oh dear,” the painted alicorn mused. This...wasn’t going to end well, was it?

…

In the foyer, Rainbow spotted the painting and nodded as she carefully extracted it from the wall. “Okie doke Hurricane. Time for a little excursion.”

The only thing coming from the frame was the continued sound of her snoring.

When Hurricane awoke… it was to an unfamiliar sight. A library was stretched out around her… kinda reminded her of Starswirl’s place. And she felt that her painting wasn’t connected to the others.

And the only two ponies she could see was her descendant and that Clover look-alike.

“Okay, so one of you is telling me why I’m not back at Aspect’s place,” the painted mare grumbled as she stood up on her cloud and stretched.

“Cause we need your help to—,” Twilight started, but Rainbow put up a hoof to stop her.

“Cause I want to learn Aeromancy from a real master,” she said to her. “Aspect is great and all, but I get the feeling he’s treating me with foal gloves. If I’m gonna be the best Wonderbolt ever. Then I need the best teacher ever.” She finished with a sharp salute.

“Hmm,” Hurricane mused. “Well, let’s see. You got enough fine control to summon lighting?”

She grit her teeth as a few errant sparks shot from her feathers, Twilight taking a step back with wide eyes.

“I didn’t know you could do that!”

“Kinda picked it up after seeing Aspect do it a few times,” Rainbow said. “S’about as good as I can get it though.”

“And that’d probably be because he hasn’t taught you the trick yet,” Hurricane spoke up. “It’s a balancing act. The lightning wants to be free. You have to use your magic to hold it inside your sphere of influence, to turn your body into a lightning trap for it. You can’t just generate it, you have to hold it, let it build...and then pick a target and extend your influence towards it. Give it somewhere to jump to.”

“See, this is the eggheady stuff I don’t get,” Rainbow said with a groan. “They’re so…. Vague!”

“Hmm, so… I have a question,” Twilight said. “Can anypony learn Aeromancy? Like with Geomancy and Sorcery. Or is it limited to Pegasi only?”

“I mean, back in the day, I only taught Pegasi, but once we all came together as a single tribe there was the occasional unicorn that had a knack for throwing around lightning,” Hurricane said. “They were kinda slow compared to a pegasus, but the hornheads tried. I suppose that’s what matters.”

“Hmm…” Twilight rubbed her chin. “I wonder…”

“Okay, so I wanna practice and blow Aspect’s socks off when we train next,” Rainbow said with a wide grin. “Wanna help us out war mare?”

“I can give you pointers,” the painted pegasus replied. “Can’t exactly demonstrate them as I am.”

“Well, I already got the basics,” Rainbow nodded. “And Twi’s like, the smartest pony ever. So feel free to get technical.”

“Oh, well then you’re gonna love the study Chris did into our powers once we all got together,” Hurricane chuckled. “Him and Starswirl really worked us over figuring out everything about how they worked.”

“Well, let’s get studying then,” Twilight smiled as she floated over a quill and some paper, something that Rainbow smiled at. She had a feeling this would work.

Aspect found his mares soon enough, and Midnight too. The trio seemed to be looking for him as well.

“There you are!” Bon Bon exclaimed as she walked up to him. “Where have you been?”

“Oh, you know, trying to cheer up Twilight, trying to track down Sombra, getting distracted six ways to Sunday in my search for you,” he replied, giving Bon Bon a kiss on the cheek.

“Well we have been looking for you everywhere,” Midnight said as she nipped his ear. “We have an important appointment to get to, and you are coming with us.”

“Oh?” Aspect turned to kiss Midnight on the cheek as well. “Dare I ask what this appointment entails?”

“Um, it’s the annual one your mares need to get their foals checked,” Lyra said like it was obvious. “You need to get one every few weeks to make sure the baby is growing the right way and stuff.”

She stopped as she saw Bon Bon staring at her. “What? I read books too yaknow.”

“Mm, sounds like I should be there alright,” Aspect nodded. “So, lead the way ladies.”

“Ah, good of you to join us as well,” Redheart said as she ran a stethoscope over the bellies of Bon Bon and Midnight. “So, you’re the father to both of them then?”

“When you’re thousands of years old, you look at an unstable magical core and say ‘hey, I bet I could have fun with that,’” Aspect explained, shrugging. “It became something of a pastime. ‘How many species can I shapeshift into by mimicking their magical signatures with my own?’”

“I was curious about that myself,” a voice said as she walked into the room. “I knew waiting here would net me the big fish sooner or later.”

Lady Holy Eldena Prime, Celestia’s personal medic and master of holy magicks.

Aaaaah crap.

“Wellyouladiesseemtohaveeverythingundercontrolhere,” Aspect said quickly, edging towards the door as his horn lit up. He’d wink past her and—

And that was a magical aura surrounding him, shunting out his own magicks as she floated him close to her. “Ap! I don’t think so colt. I have a few tests of my own I wish to run. Plus you’ve gone more than a thousand years without a proper physical. Time to correct that oversight.”

Aspect meeped, looking to his mares for salvation.

They all just whistled and looked in other directions. Even Midnight wasn’t brave enough to tangle with Eldena.

“Traitors!” Aspect cried back as he was dragged into another room.

“Now,” Eldena said as she dumped him on the examination bed. “Let’s start with a blood test and a full Arcane scan shall we…” She lifted a needle and syringe out of a drawer.

“Oh geeze,” Aspect muttered as he lay there, only flinching slightly at the sight of the needle.

“Oh don’t be such a filly… I swear you’re as bad as your daughters,” she sighed. “Move the bloody heavens, yet afraid of a tiny little prick. Honestly.” She jabbed his leg and drew some blood into it. “Now… let’s get that scan done.”

Her horn lit up as a wave of energy swept back and forth across him. “Hmm… interesting.”

“Dare I ask?” Aspect said. “Normally, ‘interesting’ isn’t something you look forward to hearing in your check-up.”

“Most have a single colour in their aura… yours is like a kaleidoscope,” she said as she wrote something down. “Now, how do you feel physically?”

“Just fine, like a pony should,” Aspect replied, not sure about the point of the question.

“Mhm… and you do well enough sexually I assume, given the circumstances next door?”

“...Why would you even ask that question,” Aspect blushed.

“Transformations can affect the body, at least to those that can’t do it naturally like Changelings. Some recorded cases include severe and permanent loss in stamina and infertility. Mental side effects can occur too, identity crisis being top of the list. Yet you seem to suffer no consequences at all.” She looked at him. “Tell me, why do you choose pony over your true form?”

“Preference is all,” Aspect replied. “Humans used to be important back in Dream Valley. Then they left, leaving the world to the ponies and the other races. My first daughters are ponies. I like to blend in wherever I go, which is why I have a form for almost every occasion.”

“Hmm, interesting. So these transformations are merely practical use only… and for impregnating mares hm~?”

“I’m not answering that question,” Aspect blushed again, looking away stoically.

“That answered it well enough,” she mused, very much enjoying her teasing. “Well, according to the last test, your Quilin… sorry, Kirin child and the thestral one are doing fine. Though do try and keep the earth pony away from certain things, like if she craves a lava bath.”

“...Noted,” Aspect said with a stiff nod. Hopefully that meant the teasing and torment would be over.

“You don’t like me very much, do you?” she said as she took a few measurements and then pressed a stethoscope to his chest.

“I don’t mind doctors,” Aspect replied. “I know you fulfil a vital role in society. It’s just...hard to like someone that looks at me like a specimen or test subject rather than a patient.” Memories of his last doctor visit sprang to mind. Restraints had come out, along with testing apparati.

“Please, I’m one of the few willing to deal with you alicorns,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “The last time Celestia saw a doctor, she teared up at the sight of a needle and the stallion felt so bad about it he quit his job. Luna on her return, threatened to ‘behead the barbaric druids’.”

“Eeesh,” Aspect shuddered. “Still, that’s not nearly as bad as what happened the last time we hired a doctor for me back at the Everfree castle. He got...excited by the idea of a patient that could assume any form.”

“I can scarcely imagine,” she sighed as she pulled back. “Well, I’m done for now. I could examine your other forms, but I see little point in it for now. Your health is fine. Though your magic seems a touch low. But I’ve been briefed on what occurred some days ago, so it’s to be expected.”

She floated a lollipop into his mouth and pet his head. “Good boy.”

The stallion tried giving her the stink-eye. Tried, and failed due to the sweet in his mouth.

“Your mares should nearly be done… oh, I do have one last question.” She paused and turned to him. “Have you been feeling any… negative feelings lately? Greed, anger. Depression?”

“Not that I can tell, no,” the stallion replied honestly. “Why?”

“Just a query… and a theory,” she said as she packed up her medical equipment. “Also, your eldest daughter has gone missing. She took several guards and teleported from Canterlot last night, we have yet been unable to track her.”

“I figured something like that might happen when the sunset last night was off,” Aspect replied. “If you want, I could try reaching out with my connection to Light, see if I can’t find the greatest sources of magic related to it.”

“You can try,” she said. “Her outbursts and behaviour have me concerned. If she is indeed in the grip of a Nightmare-like entity… then stopping her will be difficult.”

“She’ll listen to her father,” Aspect said sternly. “If I have to use Runes to restrain her, I will. But I’m not losing another daughter to their darker halves.”

“I have a theory…” Holy said. “That this may be an affliction that any Alicorn could suffer. If possible, I would like to examine Cadenza and Realm as well.”

“Well with Realm, it’d more likely take shape with him using his Gale King skill to...well, in time, he’d make Hurricane look tame,” the stallion replied. “I don’t know how Cadenza would react if something like this happened. And it’s pretty clear how I’d snap.”

“You are the most worrisome, as you would be all but impossible to stop. Thanks to your ties with the Element of Loyalty in particular. The Elements of Harmony would likely not work together to stop you…”

“Guess I’d have to make the matter clear with Dashie then,” Aspect said. “Namely, if I ever snap and start taking over the world, to stop me, no matter what. Because if I can’t lift the sword, I’m not me anymore.” He cracked his neck. “Right, see to the mares next door, make sure they’re all okay, then go hunting my daughter. Simple stuff.”

“This is serious Christopher,” Holy said with a stern look. “There’s also the report of the entity you encountered in the Shadow Realm. That too, worries some of us.”

“Why?” Aspect blinked. “The crystal is gone, she can’t get to us anymore.”

Holy sighed. “I pray that you are correct in that matter.”

Deep within the Frozen North…

A figure gazed out at the frozen wasteland, a gleaming crystal city in the distance.

He wasn’t there though. There would be no fight to be had. He needed to be found… but his power…

She would need an advantage, a way to even the scales. She turned to the south, reaching out and feeling the Light. Yes… he was there.

Time to go.

Aspect stopped by the bakery, to see if Sombra hadn’t murdered the Pink One yet.

….The fuck?

He sat at the table, the guards standing outside as Pinkie regalled him with a story.

“And… you say that despite just proving she could teleport, she tried to jump the gap physically?”

“Yeeaahhh. TwiTwi can be a silly pony sometimes.”

“Heh, so it would seem,” the dark stallion chuckled.

He…. chuckled?

That...that didn’t seem right. The Sombra he knew and fought against didn’t know how to laugh...or have a good time. He was a cold pony, as cold as the North.

“Oh! Heya Aspect!” Pinkie waved to him. “I was just telling Sombry some stories.”

“Riveting to be certain,” the stallion said. “But I believe he is here to return me to my confines.”

“Awww,” Pinkie deflated.

“That does not mean I will say no to visits… and more of these delicious treats,” he said with a slight smile.

“Actually, I was just here to make sure Pinkie hadn’t incited you into some sort of rage,” Aspect replied casually. “Seeing as everyone is fine and enjoying themselves, I’ll just end off with...Pinkie, you better return that stallion where you found him before dark, and in the same condition.”

“Haaaai!” she saluted and and beamed before hugging Sombra.

“Wonderful,” the stallion deadpanned.

“Now if you’ll pardon me, I have a mare to go find,” Aspect said, heading off in search of Dash next. He had an experiment to try. Hopefully it’d help him for his next trick.

After some asking about, he eventually found her at Twilight’s library, the pegasus in question simply… sitting there, wings folded and eyes closed. Twilight was conversing with Hurricane’s portrait and hadn’t noticed him enter.

So he opted to just sit and watch for a moment, to see what was going on that they needed Hurricane here.

“Hey Aspect,” Rainbow said without moving. “You need something?”

Twilight flinched as she noticed him, but didn’t say anything, opting to inch towards a quiet corner of the room.

“Don’t mind me, I’m just here to check up on the pair of you, and maybe try a little experiment of my own,” he said, sitting down and watching. “So, what were you up to?”

“Educating these two on how the finer points of Aeromancy work,” Hurricane spoke up from her portrait. “You’ve been good at teaching them the basics, but the lookalike is ready for the advanced stuff.”

“Really, still calling me that ya old windbag?” Rainbow teased. “Also, what did I say before Aspect?”

“Remind me, I’ve had an eventful day since I saw you last,” the stallion replied.

“What did I have again?” she said as she made a small cough. “Twi, could I get some water. I’ve been meditating like… forever.”

“Oh… sure,” she said as she floated a glass out from the kitchen. “Here you go Rainbow.”

“Thanks,” she smiled, giving Aspect the smuggest of smiles as she drank it.

“Alright, alright, so you maybe had a point then,” Aspect begrudgingly admitted. “Anyways. I have an errand to run, and I wanna try out my fancy new powers. But before I do, I think I should have something that I can easily lock on to for the return trip. So…”

He brought his front hooves together as he closed his eyes, his horn only glowing faintly as...either he was glowing, or the rest of the room was darker by comparison. It lasted a few seconds...before something crystallized between his hooves.

A spark of pure Light magic, crystallized in a starburst pattern.

He huffed and caught the crystal, before passing it to Rainbow Dash. “Hold on to this, please,” he said. “It’ll be my anchor for my return trip.”

“I’m not gonna ask, if I ask, I’ll want to know how you did that,” Twilight sighed and shook her head as she left the room.

“Congrats, you’re now in the same tier as Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow laughed as she took the gem.

“And for my next trick,” Aspect said, holding a hoof up dramatically. “I will make this stallion disappear!”

“Drama queen,” Rainbow mused and booped his nose with a feather. “And to think you're in love with him Hurricane.”

“He was the only stallion that could keep up with me and wouldn’t take no for an answer back in the day,” Hurricane groused.

Aspect flashed Dash a cheeky wink before his body dissolved into motes of light, fading quickly away.

“Wonder where he’s going?” Rainbow said aloud.

He appeared on a large open field… before a beam of light scorched the ground inches in front of him, singing the fur on his face.

“Is that any way to say hello to your father?” Aspect asked. The speed of light was fast. Incredibly fast. He’d circled the planet a dozen times before managing to land in front of her.

He took in the scene, three guards lay panting, their armor scorched and cracked as the alicorn stood some dozen or so feet away, her mane and tail flickering like wildfire.

“Shouldn’t just pop in then should you?” she snapped at him.

“Well when you take your retinue of guards and disappear off the face of the earth, ponies worry, Cel,” Aspect replied. “Now, you can either hurt the man that raised you, or let me approach. Either way, I’m coming closer.”

He put action to word and began trotting closer to Celestia, intent on showing her some affection…

“You think I wanted to leave?” she said with a small growl. “I became that thing against Sombra. And then I tried to enslave my own student. The mare I care about…” She sighed as her mane fell to a limp, pastel pink state. “My feelings of greed… selfishness. What I want, damned be the wants and needs of others.”

And then it made sense.

A thousand years of looking out for Equestria. Of doing the job he was supposed to be tasked with. For a thousand years, Celestia hadn’t been able to indulge in her own desires… and the well she buried those feelings in had finally overflowed.

“What you need is a specialist in meditation, to help you with these feelings,” Aspect said. “I can find someone for you in moments. Beating up your guard isn’t going to help you deal with the issue, Cel.”

“What I need,” she said sternly. “Is for you to back off!” She took a deep breath. “I will handle this, just as I always have.”

“Handling it like you always have is what created the issue, Cel,” Aspect calmly pointed out. “It’d be like trying to fight a fire by feeding it more wood.”

“Then what am I supposed to do!?” she yelled at him, her magic flaring. “Nightmare Moon, I couldn’t do a thing. I had to banish my own sister because I wasn’t strong enough. And the second time, I threw six young mortals at it. Discord, Sombra, you with Arabus. Each and every time, I have sat on the sidelines while others did what I should be doing!”

“You cannot be everywhere, doing everything,” Aspect calmly replied. “That power is reserved for one who invites runes into his being and becomes as a god. Which I will never do and fight against with every waking breath. What you need is a therapist to help you with these feelings and isn’t afraid of you.”

“Oh, so I’m just crazy, is that it?” she stomped a hoof. “Be a good filly and talk it out. Yes, what a wonderful fucking idea. Is that what you did when we lost Luna? No, you pissed off for a thousand years doing only the Creator knows what!”

“I tried to die!” Aspect shouted back, finally cracking himself. “I broke myself, but I didn’t turn angry. I went the other way. I tried to take the selfish road out. I...I don’t want to lose you like that.” His voice went to a whisper at the end. “I couldn’t bear losing my family.”

“I don’t intend to kill myself,” she snorted, her mood diffusing as she put a wing over him. “I’m training. I want to be stronger, so I can assist with threats. I’m tired of being the pretty princess, locked away in her castle.” She leaned down and nuzzled him. “I should have brought more guards, they’re a little worn out…”

“Celestia, if you had seen yourself before I arrived, you would have thought Daybreaker was minutes away from breaking out,” Aspect warned. “Please. If I go get someone for you to talk to about your darker half, will you promise to work out these issues with them so it doesn’t happen?”

“I’m close…” she murmured as she looked up. “I’m close to… I don’t know. Something. Something I haven’t felt before.” She let out a breath. “I scared her you know… what I did to Twilight. How can I ever expect her to forgive me? ‘Oh, sorry Twi, but I talked out my problems and I’m good. We should date’. Yeah… that’ll go down a treat.”

“Your doctor wants to do a study on alicorns, to see if every one of them has a Nightmare just waiting to break out,” Aspect replied. “I’m sure if she presents her study, it’ll go down a treat.”

“Oh yes. Hello ponies, all your leaders are prone to fits of insanity and world domination desires,” she groaned and thunked her head into her hoof.

“Still, you could explain your behavior like that,” Aspect noted. “Say it happened because of repressed negative emotions that you’ve worked out with a very good therapist and that it’s unlikely to occur again. What happens next is up to her.”

“What would happen is a revolt,” she sighed. “Even my ponies have limits on forgiveness.” She sighed and shook her head. “Luna made peace with Nightmare Moon somehow. Perhaps… I can do the same.”

“Do you really think you can just forgive your other half for what it wants?” Aspect asked. “Especially if you share those desires with it? You need to figure out what brought it out, what triggers it, if you intend to avoid it taking over again.”

“Oh I know what triggered it,” she said. “That feeling of helplessness. That Twilight got hurt because of my inability and uselessness. The desire to just…” she sighed and shook her head. “But none of that matters, because you don’t trust me. You expect me to just screw this up and make it worse.”

“All I’m saying is, a little extra help might go a long way to helping you work out your stress in a more...constructive way,” Aspect said. “If you say no, I’ll understand and listen to your wishes. I just worry about my children when they pull a me.”

“Don’t worry… I won’t go out and get a herd of stallions to marry,” she said with a sly smirk on her face.

“Oh har de har,” Aspect chuckled as he sighed, leaning into Celestia. “You’re sure?” he asked one last time. “Last chance, then I’m going back to Dash.”

“Oh, leave her tied up in a cute uniform somewhere?” she teased further. “Look, if this doesn’t work, then we’ll go with your idea alright?”

“Mkay...as long as you don’t forget about the sun again,” Aspect teased her.

“One. Time!” she yelled at him and swatted his flank with her wing. “Wow dad, buns of steel there. No wonder your mares like you.”

“And that’s a mental image I did not need,” Aspect shuddered. “My own daughter complimenting my physique.”

“What?” she mused and looked at her trio of guards. “Boys? What about me? Do I have nice flanks too?”

The three guards looked at each other, each one daring the other to go first.

“Oh come on!” Celestia sighed and shook her head. “I’m going to go down as the world’s oldest virgin…”

“Depends on if you hold out another twenty years or not,” Aspect mused.

“...fuck,” the mare sighed and groaned. “Go back to your harem already. I’m depressed and there’s no cake here.”

“Ah, the perils of running off to be on your lonesome,” Aspect mused, before booping Celestia’s nose. “I’ll bring something from Sugarcube corner in a week. Sound good?”

“You better bring the whole bakery,” she sighed as she flared her wings. “Alright boys, back to training!”

The guards groaned at the thought of another round so soon. At this rate, they might as well not wear their armor. There wouldn’t be anything left of it soon enough.

“Oh quit whining, we’ll get a bath at the hotspring after this and relax.”

Okay, that had them in considerably higher spirits.

“Take care,” Aspect said as his horn started to glow.

“Apologise to Luna for me,” celestia said before he vanished. Once he left, her magic flared to life. “Alright men… let’s play dodge. As in, dodge or you get vapourised.”

Good feelings gone. The guards whimpered as she started up her training again.

When Aspect returned using his crystal anchor, he found that Rainbow was now hovering off of the ground, her wings folded as she propelled wind from her hooves, as Twilight paced in a small circle around her, nodding a few times.

“Your output is steady, and it’s been…” she stared at a pocketwatch. “Twenty minutes. A new record Rainbow.”

“Phew!” the pegasus crashed to the ground with a ‘whump’ sound. “Guuuh, I’m exhausted!”

“As well you should be, exercising your mana channels like that,” Aspect spoke up, alerting the mares to his presence. “Normally you only use those channels passively, when you’re cloudwalking or working with them. Forcing them into active use is going to wear you out.”

“Ohh, heaaaay,” Rainbow raised a wing, her face still laying on the hardwood floor. “Soo, you find Princess Sunbutt?”

“She’s easy to find,” Aspect replied casually. “She’s...training. She wants to overcome her own personal downfalls before her own Nightmare takes control. I promised to leave her alone for now, but bring something from Sugarcube Corner in a week to check up on her. Just to be safe.”

“Did she say anything?” Twilight asked, though she sounded a little hesitant. Seems her faith in her idol had been shaken quite a bit. The infallible Princess Celestia wasn’t perfect. She made mistakes, terrible ones.

“Yes,” Aspect nodded. “But I want her to say it to you, so that it’ll have meaning. Just know that her mistakes around you have shaken her to the point where she recognizes there’s a problem, and she’s trying to fix it. Even she has something to learn still.”

“Oh…” Twilight wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

“Hey Twi,” Rainbow practically vibrated. “Show him!”

“Huh? No, I should refine it a little more.”

“Aww come ooon, I want to see him actually react to something for once,” the pegasus whined and gave her the Cute. “Pleeeaaaassseeeee~”

Twilight groaned and sighed. “Fine,” she mumbled as she walked up to the stallion.

“I’m missing something,” Aspect noted aloud.

Twilight raised a hoof, like she was going to boop his nose.

*puff!*

Thaaaat….. That was a tiny puff of wind. From her hoof… a unicorn’s hoof.

Aspect blinked a few times, looking from the hoof to Twilight’s face as his jaw slowly dropped and his eyes widened. Just...what? A unicorn...doing Aeromancy?

It didn’t compute.

Eventually the mares noticed he seemed to have...frozen like that.

“Uh…. Aspect?” Rainbow waved a hoof in front of his face. She frowned, then beeped his nose with a firm press.

The stallion fell onto his side, still frozen.

“OhmyCelestia I killed him!” Twilight exclaimed, only to have Rainbow roll her eyes.

“Bloody drama queen,” she mused and put her primary to his side and giggled.

*ZAP!*

The stallion let out a yelp as he was jolted back out of his frozen state...his fur poofing up from the static electricity, and getting another giggle from Rainbow.

“Morning sunshine,” Hurricane called out. “Have a nice nap?”

“I...just...bwah?” Aspect asked, reduced to simple syllables to try and form a complex question. It didn’t make sense to him!

“It was actually pretty easy to figure out,” Twilight said, deciding to put him out of his misery. “I surround myself with a sphere of mana, and then convert that to Pegasus magic. Similar to how the cloudwalking spell works. I simply cast on on a separate reserve of magic. I won’t be able to fly, seeing as how I lack wings. But with enough practice and refinement, I should, in theory, be able to use lightning and affect wind currents.”

“...I was unaware Unicorns could learn Aeromancy,” Aspect carefully replied, before looking over to the painting of Hurricane.

“I knew they could use magic, but Purple Smart here is something else,” she mused. “I mean, dividing her own mana well and converting some to pegasus magic? HAH! Slap some wings on her and I’ll make a soldier out of her in no time.”

“...So even the paintings are conspiring against me,” Aspect noted ruefully. “What’s next? My own kids conspiring to surprise me?”

“Don’t they do that already?” Rainbow pointed out. “I mean, they did with the whole Arabus thing.”

“...Whelp, I’m boned then,” Aspect sighed. “Things can’t possibly get any more crazy than today. Pinkie actually got Sombra to dance, smile, and laugh.”

“...say what?” Rainbow blinked.

“Pinkie Pie… just don’t question it,” Twilight said. “Besides, I think we can leave it to her. I’m looking forward to when he breaks a Pinkie Promise.”

“Don’t even joke about that…” Rainbow shuddered, curling up into a fetal position.

“We don’t talk about that, Twilight,” Aspect shuddered as well.

“Honestly, Pinkie isn’t that scary,” she rolled her eyes.”Strange, but not scary.”

“Pansies,” Hurricane rolled her eyes. “Even Pansy has more guts than that… thought that said, that pink pony is even weirder than Surprise.”

“That she is,” Aspect shuddered again. “Surprise was at least explainable. Pinkie breaks every rule of physics I know.”

“And probably a few you don’t,” Twilight giggled. “And… thanks for today Rainbow, I feel much better.”

“S’what friends do,” Rainbow nodded. “So, what now Aspect?”

“I dunno, I got everything on my list done for the day,” the stallion replied, shrugging. “I’m just glad nothing happened.”

Rainbow and Twilight groaned and facehooved.

“The day isn’t over… why would you SAY that?” his pegasus marefriend sighed.

“...You know, looking back, I didn’t see anything wrong at the time,” Aspect muttered as he braced himself for the inevitable explosion.

“Hindsight is a bitch,” Rainbow nodded, as they heard a scream coming from outside. Hurrying out there, they found Spoiled Rich cowering as a tall mare stood over her, face twisted in anger as eldritch flames licked at her form.

“Aspect, is that who I think it is?” Twilight whispered.

“Spoiled just poked the wrong pony, yes,” Aspect muttered as he hurried out to stop his daughter from skinning the mare.

“So, you think to insult my child?” Chrysalis sneered, glaring down at the earth pony. “You think material wealth makes you better somehow? How about I peel the skin from your body like a banana hm? Let’s see your precious money save you from that!”

“Ap,” Aspect put a hoof to Chrysalis’ side, pulling her attention away. “No. Bad daughter. Don’t you even think about it.”

“Pah, let’s be honest, who would miss her?” Chrysalis said, before banishing her flames. “Tch, forget it, blood is hard to clean from my coat.”

“H-H-How typical, that this monster be related to you,” Spoiled stammered as she got to her hooves.

Chrysalis was raised on stories from Chris’s home though. He’d regale her with movies and television show’s he’d seen. With a small flash, she modified her voice box and vocal chords…

And with a deep breath, let loose a loud ROAR!

The stallion winced from the volume, his ears instinctively folding back as he tried to not be affected. He’d heard some mighty roars in his day, from all the villains and beasts he’d had to put down. This one...easily topped the list.

Knew he shouldn’t have told her about Jurassic Park…

As for Spoiled?

She just… stood there. Wide-eyed and her coiffed mane blown back. It was a solid sixty seconds after the disguised Changeling walked away that Aspect realised she’d fainted standing up.

...Well, that at least was one problem solved for the day. Hopefully longer. But then again, knowing Spoiled...she wasn’t about to take that.

He wrote a small note down on a piece of paper and stuck it to her nose with a piece of tape.

Dear Spoiled,

If you still want to mess with me after this. If you still somehow think you have a chance…

By all means.

But up until now, I’ve been playing nice. You want to see the damage I can do?

Come at me.

-Balanced Aspect

The stallion nodded, and walked away. With that promise extended...he was feeling good about the rest of the day.

Celestia sighed as she relaxed in the hot water, her bottom half submerged and looking not unlike a swan as she paddled in the deeper parts. “Mmm, now isn’t this relaxing?” she asked her trio of stallions. After she’d spent a half hour magically healing their wounds anyway.

“It’s more relaxing than being shot at,” the unicorn commented.

“Or being pummeled,” the earth pony stated.

“Or having your wings broken,” the pegasus winced. They were still tingly from the magic.

“Dodging should not be so difficult,” Celestia sighed. “Honestly, I am giving the Guard as a whole a complete review when we get home. Perhaps even train you all myself… or call my father to do so.”

The three stallions gulped at the idea. “Isn’t your father...crazy strong?” the unicorn dared to ask.

“Oh yes, he could destroy me in a fight, I doubt I’d last half a minute if he truly went all out.” She shrugged and sighed, ducking her head under the water for a moment, before lifting in back up, her wet mane now dripping as she sighed contently.

“...We prefer this training option, thank you,” the pegasus concluded, the other two nodding rapidly at his assessment. At least here they had a chance of surviving.

The alicorn sighed and gave them a soft look. “If you three are truly uncomfortable, I can send you back. Honestly, you’re more here to stop me going stir crazy from loneliness than anything else. I do apologise if I have been too rough on you.”

“No no, it’s fine,” the earth pony said. “The new captain was going to have us guarding the latrines, so it works out fine for us.”

Plus, the sight of the wet alicorn was just…

She turned her head and saw the stares she was getting. “Hmm, is something wrong?” she lifted one of her impressive wings and looked at it. “Did I miss a spot? My maids usually bathe me so…”

“That’s...not the issue, your highness,” the unicorn said, looking away with a soft blush as he was grateful for the water obscuring her view of anything below it.

“Hm, then what is it?” she asked curiously. “Oh, are you still injured? I could wash you.”

“That’s not it either, highness,” the pegasus answered next, having to fight to keep his wings down.

“Well what is the matter?” Celestia asked as she moved closer. “You are staring at me for a reason.”

“It would be...uncouth of us to say why, highness,” the earth pony finished, hoping she would drop it now.

“Uncouth?” the alicorn paused. “Colt, how old do you think I am? There is literally nothing you can say that I have not heard of before.”

That was about when the pegasus guard lost control of his wings with a mighty ‘Pomf’ sound.

“Oh dear,” Celestia said as she moved to him. “Are you alright? Do you have a pinched nerve there?” her horn glowed as her golden aura started to massage his wings and joints.

“I-It is not because they are injured, highness,” the stallion gulped, trying to think of how to explain it to her.

“Well then what is it?” she asked, starting to get annoyed with their dodging the questions. She knew they were, she invented that technique.

“A pegasi’s wings react like that because it is an instinct in their blood to try and put on a display...for ponies they find attractive,” the unicorn explained.

“Oh come the buck on, really?” the pegasus grumbled. “Like either of you can resist how she looks when she’s not killing us!”

“...No comment,” the earth pony replied carefully.

Celestia paused, releasing his wings from her magic as she blinked a few times. “I’m… sorry?” she finally said. “Please correct me if I am mistaken. But… you find me attractive?”

The stallions couldn’t bring themselves to look at her, each one staring off at something else...before they all nodded slightly, in turn.

The alicorn frowned. “Did my sister put you up to this? I know for a fact that my own guard do not harbor those kinds of feelings for me. I have tried time and time again…”

Wait, those rumors of her hitting on her guard were true?

“Ah...well, we’re...recent hires,” the pegasus tried to explain.

“Is that so?” she said as she looked at them. “Marital status?”

“Single,” the unicorn explained.

“Single, and my mother wants me to find a marefriend soon,” the earth pony said. “She thinks the uniform will help.”

“Recently single after finding my ex was cheating on me for five years,” the pegasus grumped.

“Interesting,” the mare mused as she looked them over. “So… did you all sit in sugar? Because you have some sweet flanks~”

Instead of laughter, or snorts of derision…

The three guards actually blushed as they looked down at the water.

“I…” Celestia was really confused now. “Ah, nevermind…” she mumbled as she turned around. “Forget I said anything.”

“We just, uh...never imagined your highness would ever find three plain ponies like us attractive,” the pegasus explained.

She paused again. “Why would I not?” shesaid and looked them over. “You all possess admirable traits for your species. A long horn, impressive wingspan and a solid build. And you haven’t run screaming from me, so that’s a plus.” She sighed and shook her head. “Not once… have I ever been successful in this area.”

Wait… what?

“How...many times have you tried, your highness?” the unicorn of the three dared to ask.

“I lost count somewhere after a few hundred,” she said. “I even once said nothing, simply turned and raised my tail. And that time the guard turned out to be not only gay, but married too!”

Well...this was quickly becoming even more awkward. “Um…” the earth pony started. “Are you sure you’ve been trying the right guards?”

“Yeah, there’s a whole orientation process at about the two-week mark that’s supposed to tell you how to behave on the job, once they’re done making sure you’re fit for it,” the unicorn said. “Ours was scheduled for tomorrow.”

“...” Celestia turned and looked at them. “You mean… they’re trained. NOT to approach me with amorous intentions?” Her right eye gave a small twitch.

“I dunno, probably?” the pegasus shrugged. “We haven’t had our class yet.”

Then the mare paused, her frown deepening. “Luna….” she growled in an unearthly tone.

Many miles away, an alicorn blinked and looked up from her paperwork. Odd, where did that shiver down her spine come from?

“I don’t believe this,” Celestia sighed as she dunked her head under the water again.

“Are you...okay, your highness?” the unicorn asked, walking close and daring to put a hoof on her withers.

And from her position under the water, she saw something… else. With a squeak, she shot up out of the water, her face tinged red with a blush.

“Your highness?” the unicorn asked, curious as to why she was blushing now.

“I-Is that… because of me?” she dared to ask, her eyes flicking down briefly.

...If Celestia was blushing, the unicorn was incandescently red now, unable to look anywhere at her as he meeped. She caught that he gave one quick, jerky nod, before he resumed being stock-still.

Well… that… was a thing. She looked at the others, wondering if they were in a similar position. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded slightly. “S-Should I… help with that?” she said, slowly and carefully.

“I...I would not be so bold as to ask the princess to—” the unicorn started to say, before her horn lit up and all three felt a tingle of her magic in a… particular region of their anatomy.

“H-Highness!” the unicorn protested. “You don’t have to—”

Then the three stallions saw their princess, her mane flickering orange as she licked her fangs, her slitted eyes narrowed in a seductive stare. “Oh? But whyever not?” she purred to them. “You’re my guards aren’t you? That means you have to serve me~”

“Y-Your highness, you’ve...changed,” the earth pony pointed out, pointing a hoof at her mane.

“Ahaha,” Celestia waved a primary feather. “No backtalk little colt. The next words I hear better be one of worship, or else~”

The pegasus of the trio frowned, lowered his wings…

And scooped up two wingfuls of water to splash on Celestia to shock her back into being somewhat normal. The water exploded with a cloud of steam, before the alicorn emerged, still looking like that.

“You DARE assault ME!?” she screeched, the water starting to get a LOT warmer. “I will—” She suddenly… slapped herself? Hard enough that she reeled.

The three guards took a careful step back as they watched the self-interaction play out.

Celestia panted as she looked up, a red welt on her cheek as her amethyst eyes looked… scared?

“I…” she started, before shaking her head. “I’m sorry…” And then she teleported, water filling in the spot she just occupied.

“...Who wants to be the one to tell the Captain that we lost the princess after she kidnapped us?” the unicorn asked.

“Not it,” his fellows replied automatically.

“...Buck you two too.”

“That is of course, assuming we can get home,” the pegasus pointed out, reminding them that this island was in the middle of nowhere. The princess having teleported them all here.

“...Aw horseapples,” the earth pony muttered.

Author's Notes:

Things just keep circling around that plot point, don't they?

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