"OK... OK... Just a little more, Applejack!"

Pinkie ushered her farmpony friend forward, stepping back with her as she carried a speaker the size of both of them. Grunting as she made a few more steps forward, she halted when Pinkie stopped her.

"That'll do! Set her down!"

Applejack huffed as she set the speaker down, brushing off her arms and she wiped her hands clean of dust.

"Thank you, Applejack! This'll work perfectly!"

"No problem, Pinkie. Need any help gettin' the other speaker up here?"

"Oh no. Vinyl said that was the only speaker that was detached from her setup. She'll handle the rest."

Applejack nodded, heading towards the exit of Town Hall.

"Whatever ya say, Pinkie. Ah'm gonna go see how the food's goin' at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Okie-dokie!!"

Pinkie waved to her friend as she left, turning to another as she flew up to her.

"Hey, Pinkie. I know you usually got everything under control when it comes to parties, but how exactly are you gonna get him to come here? He doesn't look like the type of guy who likes parties."

Pinkie giggled, patting Rainbow Dash's arm.

"Don't be silly, Dashie! Everypony likes parties! He just needs a little push to come out of his shell, and the costume."

"OK, but that still doesn't answer my question."

Pinkie bounced over to a window, Dash following close behind. Opening the window to Town Hall, she took in a deep breath.

"HEEEEEEELP!!! HEEEEEELP!!! RAAAAPE!!! RAAAAAPE!!!!"

Rainbow's jaw dropped as she heard this, watching in awe as Pinkie pulled out an envelope and attached it to a balloon. Sticking it outside, she released the letter, letting it float up and out of view.

"There! Now, he'll definitely get the invitation."

She bounced back where she came from to continue preparations as Rainbow just hovered there, eyes wide and jaw slack.

'W-Wha...? What the... What did I...?'

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts and leveling out her mind.

"Oooooooh wow... I... did not expect that..."

She turned and went back in to help Pinkie with the preparations.

"Hopefully he won't be pissed with the way he got it."

No more than a second after she said that, she could have sworn she heard someone yell outside. Blinking, she perked up an ear to listen.

"... WHAT THE F***?!?!?"

She deadpanned as she recognized the voice.

"Yup. He's pissed..."

-----

"An invitation?"

Scorn sat on his usual spot in Zecora's hut as she took the note he was lured to, reading it to herself as the human rolled his wrist.

"Yeah. It's a party made specifically for me, apparently, but who sends an invitation by balloon after screaming bloody murder about a rape?!"

Zecora let out a hearty laugh as the human she cared for placed his face in his hands.

"Jesus, is this mare always like this?"

"Unfortunately, her attitude is her character. Such eccentric behavior is meant for joy and pleasantries with nothing sinister."

Scorn huffed as he looked back down at the invitation.

"It says here that they want to celebrate the fact they have a new hero in town. I'd wager it's mostly for what happened a week ago with Sugarcube Corner burning down and that robbery."

"Ah, I see. If it is for you, this conversation I will not pedal. Will you be going to the party to meddle?"

"I... I don't know."

Zecora rose an eyebrow.

"Oh? And why is that? Is there, perhaps, something amiss striking you like a bat?"

Scorn's eyes read through the letter, his eyes focusing on two names: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

"The two monarchs that wanted me enslaved and made into a breeding bull for the Ponies of Equestria are going to be there. I don't know if I can take a confrontation with them without it going bad."

Zecora's expression softened. She'd learned by Scorn's words as a child that Celestia and Luna were the ones to bring him here, to this world, with near-wiped memories. To be honest, she didn't expect the fair maidens that ran this country to do such a thing, even if the intent was for their Kingdom. Everypony is entitled to a choice, and right now, this was up to him.

"I cannot make you stay, but I also cannot make you go and play. This is your decision, whether you go and mingle, or stay in derision."

"..."

Scorn scanned the paper one last time, sighing as he put it down on his lap.

"... The party's later today, in the late afternoon..."

He turned his eyes to Zecora, licking his lips before popping the question.

"Look, Zecora, I don't think I should, but... do you think you can go for me?"

"Go... for you? To become a substitute, how can one pursue?"

"Hey, I'm only asking, Zecora. I can't go, even if I wanted to. If I went there and ran into Celestia and Luna, I don't know what would happen..."

He looked down as Zecora slowed her stirring, the two of them knowing that what he said was a lie.

"Well, actually... No, we BOTH know what will happen. It reacts to vulnerabilities... The corruption..."

"Yes... A grave consequence for weakness. You must be strong everlasting, and never show such meekness. If you reunited with your would-be captors, you would lose yourself, and become like a raptor."

Scorn snorted at the analogy Zecora used, but otherwise didn't correct her. She was right, in a sense. After taking the large spoon out of the cauldron, Zecora nodded to herself.

"Very well. I will go, but only till sunset rings its bell."

Scorn looked back up at her as he willed his suit away, giving a smile to her as she walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Z. I'll hold down the fort while you're gone."

"That would be most favorable. Finding my toxins and potions gone when I return would not be enjoyable. Don't fret any further, I will attend and your name, I will murmur."

She turned away as he got up, walking to the cauldron as she put on her old cloak. Bidding Scorn farewell, she made her way down the path towards Ponyville. Little did she know that somepony else was there in the trees, watching carefully before turning and speeding off in the other direction.

-----

"Ah, sister. What is it you have there?"

Celestia looked up from the dining hall table, seeing her tired baby sister wandering in with a cup of coffee in hand. Seeing her like this always made the white goddess smile with sympathy. Luna does so much in the night. She protects her ponies in and out of dreams, and the pressure of that work shows every time she comes for breakfast. Holding a letter in her hand, Celestia ushered her baby sister over.

"An invitation. It appears that Ms. Pie down in Ponyville has requested our audience at a party."

"A party, you say? By the Element of Laughter?"

Luna walked over to view the invitation herself.

"How strange. Could this party involve the new arrival of the human, sister?"

"It would seem the case, most likely. Isn't it exciting? I have not met a single human in eons."

The younger deity nodded.

"Nor have I, Tia. The last we've seen of their race was just before Equestria was founded, and their race was, sadly, dying away from the magic that flowed throughout the world."

Celestia frowned at the memories, closing her eyes upon the reminiscence of a human named Marcus. The two were close, very close; One might even say they were friends, as ludicrous as that may be for a commoner and royalty. When he passed away, it disheartened Celestia, losing yet another subject she loved so dearly, but in the end, she honored his wish in keeping Equestria strong and letting it grow to be all it can be.

"It was a sad time, Luna."

"Indeed, but now, there is hope. Not only is this new arrival a human, but he is a male. The resurgence of the gender has begun!"

Celestia chuckled at her sister's enthusiasm, putting the invitation down and pulling over a blank parchment to send to Pinkie Pie.

"Calm down, little sister. We mustn't rush him into something he may not want any part of. Every creature has his or her right to choose how they live, and while it would help Equestria greatly, I am more intrigued with how Twilight described him."

"Hmm? Whatever do you mean, Tia?"

The white monarch's demeanor grew serious as she wrote.

"This human, according to the Element of Laughter, has adopted the name: Scorn. He proclaims himself a 'dark guardian'. Such a name can only entail a bleak history, perhaps even a dangerous one. I do not wish to antagonize this human, but I will also ensure the safety of my subjects, especially now that he's taken his first life."

Luna perked up at this news.

"He has... He has what...? Sister... You don't mean to imply that-"

"He has murdered a mare in cold blood. By the circumstances Twilight has explained, the action could be seen as justifiable, but only barely so."

"But still, a crime like that is met with severe punishment, Tia. No murders have occurred in quite a long while, not since we've achieved a negative harmony in our land."

"Be that as it may, it is still possible, Luna. As you say, we are in a time of negative harmony. Threats will always oppose us and the roots of evil can corrupt my little Ponies. We may never achieve positive harmony."

"So... what do we do?"

Celestia rolled up the scroll and held it in the air, engulfing it with her magic and sending it away.

"We wait until we have the full story, then judge accordingly. For now, let us prepare for the party."

"Of course, sister."

-----

"Oh? He has returned, has he?"

Two eyes peered from the looming shadows of a darkened throne room, looking down upon another as she stood before her. The figure sitting upon her throne was donned with a white coat, and the wings and horn of an Alicorn. The same traits could be found on the one standing before her, though her fur was a dark blue. Teal blue eyes returned the gaze of the first pair.

"Yes, sister. I have been informed that he now goes by the alias: Scorn. He possesses a new variety of powers and abilities, and quite frankly, capturing him will prove difficult with the Elements of Harmony growing closer to him as well."

"Mm... Yes. Let us remain behind for now. If the cards are played right, the seeds of doubt and distrust will grow, and our chance will come much sooner than anticipated. Keep the scouts on standby till then. If what I've heard recently about his whereabouts, we can send them to capture him with ease once he's alone."

"Right away, sister."

-----

"Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!"

Pinkie Pie stood at the door of Town Hall as she welcomed in all the patrons, giving each a balloon on their way in and tying it to their wrists. As she did this, Fluttershy approached her from the side, tugging at her sleeve.

"U-Um, Pinkie. None of my animals have seen him yet..."

"Don't worry, Fluttershy! He's just a bit busy. He's a hero, after all. Lots of crime fighting to do here and elsewhere. He'll be here, though. I know he will."

"Well, um... OK."

Fluttershy backed away before going further into the party, mingling with the rest as Pinkie kept welcoming in the Ponies that resided in Ponyville. Soon, she was met with a familiar face from the Everfree.

"Zecora! So happy you could show up!"

"Ah, Pinkie Pie, young and eccentric. I come here on behalf with no egocentric."

Pinkie tilted her head, trying to make heads or tails of Zecora's rhyme.

"The human named Scorn, I know quite well. He was asked me to come and represent while he remains in his shell."

Pinkie perked up at that, her eyes shooting straight up.

"You know Scorn?"

Zecora stepped into Sugarcube Corner, pulling down her hood as Pinkie followed her to the side.

"Indeed I do. I have have been taking care of the human since his arrival was new. For seven years, he has been in my care."

"Oh, wow! So is he at your hut or something right now?"

Pinkie gasped.

"Does he have, like, a secret cave where he plots his daily crime-fighting routine?! Like Batmare?"

Zecora rose an eyebrow.

"Why do you many comparisons to Batmare...?"

She shook her head.

"Nevermind that. No, he does not have a lair. He stays in my hut, where he tends to my brews with care."

"Ooooooh, OK. Is he coming?"

Zecora shook her head.

"Some of the party's give him pause. I wish I could say, but I cannot reveal the cause. Dark forces, he controls, but when vulnerability shows, such as fear, you will undoubtedly find Ponies disappear."

She ushered to herself.

"Thus, I am here in his stead, to answer questions that linger in your head."

"That's wonderful news!"

Both Pinkie and Zecora turned to the side, seeing Twilight walking up to them with a yellow Unicorn with a fiery styled mane and tail in toe.

"I have a few questions of my own I'd like to ask about Scorn. Do you mind? We can take a seat over there."

"Yes. I can answer, but I will not strike his privacy as a lancer. I will answer primitive questions, but none that will cause tension."

Twilight hummed before nodding.

"That's fine. I can always ask the more deeper questions to him if I can. I'll just go over the basics."

She motioned to the mare standing beside her.

"Oh, and this here is Sunset Shimmer. She opened up an alchemy lab a little ways down from where my library is."

Sunset held out her hand, shaking Zecora's.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Zecora. As Twilight said, I'm Sunset Shimmer. I was the one who she helped... reform, and integrate the Equus-Earth technology into Equestria."

"The pleasure is all mine. If you have an alchemy lab, my assistance will be given without anything to deny."

"I'll have to take you up on that. Twilight said you were good with potions and brews."

"That I am, but let's settle and discuss the human that dwells. Let us begin before the ringing of the dinner bells."

-----

*POOF*

"Agh-!!"

Scorn jumped back from the cauldron as it puffed out a cloud of pink smoke. Watching it dissipate in the air, he looked back in, watching the mixture carefully before consulting Zecora's alchemy book.

"Um... I think that's right. Is it supposed to be brown...?"

He looked back in.

"Kind of a bluish tint to it, so I think that's right..."

He flipped through a few pages as he picked up three individual vials of different serums. Studying the labels, then examining the book again, he poured in the orange one, waiting for a reaction.

...
...
...
...
...

"Oh, I guess nothing-"

*knock-knock-knock*

Scorn immediately fell to the ground on reflex, thinking the cauldron was gonna explode. He covered his head, then rose it when he heard the knocking again, this time coming from the front door. He blinked as he stood up, donning his suit once more as he walked to the window to peek out at who it was. His heart dropped instantly when he found it to be a group of trained guards from the Celestial Empire.

"Oh, shit...!"

He turned and rushed back inside as the knocking turned to banging. Flying up to the tallest window in the hut, he smashed through it, cruising down to the ground as the guards all swarmed the interior of the building. Hitting the ground with a thud, he jogged to the treeline, stopping and looking back. None of them seemed to know he was here. That is, until one guard turned her head to the window, and spotted his figure outside.

"There! Outside!"

He widened his eyes and quickly turned, sprinting with magically-induced acceleration through the forest.

"Go! GO!!! Don't let him get away, or the Queens will have our heads!"

'Queens...?'

He shook his head as he kept running, from clearing to clearing as he tried to shake the pursuers rustling the shrubs and bushes behind him. Using everything he taught himself, and learned from the Alicorn Amulet's power, he kept himself ahead of the guards both in flight and on the ground.

Going up the slope of a hill, he saw another squad off to the side of the trees, circling around to cut him off. Seeing a web of vines up ahead, he smirked, flying up again and whirling through them. The guards chased after, but as soon as they touched the vines, they stuck to it as if it were a spider's web. Some of the trees and plants actually came to life and pulled at them, tearing off their armor and swallowing them underground for god-only-knows what kind of fate.

Seeing his pursuers' body count rise, he launched up to the top of the trees, using the branches to stay above and below the guards. Luckily for him, he managed to cloak himself in the darkness, finding a place to stop as the Alicorn Amulet was beginning to react negatively to this chase, his fear for being captured making it turn against him. Clawing at the tree next to him, he fought back against the corrupt grips of the power infused with the Amulet, attempting to calm himself down as he did it to ensure control was held.

He looked down at the Alicorn Amulet as it was seeping a black smudge from the gem, pouring out slowly onto his body. He growled as he gripped the bark tightly, tearing into it as he gritted his teeth violently.

"Remember, Scorn. CONTROL the Amulet. Fight them back as an OUTLAW, not a... not a... a..."

He felt more of the smudge drift over him, going inside the suit as he looked down at the guards looking around for him.

"These Ponies... They... They're herbivores... I can smell them... the sweet, sweet juices... They're so... so..."

He twitched in place before his body went limp. All the guards turned to him as he fell out of the tree, hitting the ground with a thud.

"There! Quickly, grab him before-"

The voice didn't have time to finish before one of the chains silenced it, skewering the guard through her face. A multitude of other chains thrashed around with Scorn's wrist wires as his body convulsed painfully.

"A-Aaagh...!"

He rolled to and fro as the sludge covered his entire body inside the suit, the mask now breaking at the jaw and creating a large, horrifying maw filled with... bones. Jagged bones. Not teeth, not flesh, just bones.

"HHHRRAAAAAHHH!!!"

-----

"So, it really is true, then?"

Twilight looked down at her notes, glancing through the various things she's written down as questions and answers with Sunset Shimmer. Despite not getting personal, she's gotten a lot about the human. She has no need to do tests on him. From what Zecora has told her, his anatomy is almost identical to a Pony's, save for the extra horn and wing appendages, and his structure resembling more of a monkey than an equine. During the time of her interview, the Royal Sisters made their debut to the party, enjoying themselves with the crowd and even allowing Gleaming Shield, Twilight's older sister, to mingle with the Ponies she protects. Princess Celestia had sat down with Twilight to learn about the human herself, and has found out some troubling things that gave her pause.

Zecora was showing animosity towards her, almost in a hostile fashion. She explained her reasons, and that the Princesses should already know about the human, but this turned out to be false.

"Ms. Zecora, I have not seen a human for nigh twelve decades. Nopony in Equestria has the power to summon entities from alternate realms. To do so would require one to break the boundaries of reality itself, a feat my sister and I are incapable of doing."

This caught Zecora off guard. She was sure that day twelve years ago that it was the Royal Sisters she saw try to take the young human away for their own needs, but... if this turned out to be untrue, then who was it she saw? Alternate egos? Copycats? Doppelgangers? It confused her, and she would have to relay this to Scorn when she gets back to the hut. Looking up at the clock, she found it to be late enough to head home.

"While I enjoyed my time here, I believe my departure is near."

She pushed back her chair, finishing off one of Pinkie's delicious cupcakes.

"Your questions continue to rise, but I cannot be the one to abide. Your answers lie within Scorn's mind, so please approach him when he's not in a mental bind."

Princess Celestia stood up, nodding as she took Zecora's hand into her own.

"You have my word, Zecora. My sister and I were not involved with this human until today. We had not even heard about him until Twilight sent me a letter informing me of his new... occupation."

She gave a cheeky grin as she stepped away.

"To be honest, Equestria needs more guardians. While I have faith in my Royal Guards, it often comes down to the Elements of Harmony alone to banish evil. Having someone else watch over my Ponies is a blessing in disguise. However..."

She frowned as she closed her eyes.

"I cannot say I approve of his methods, even if I understand that my Ponies have been unfair and unjust towards him. We are facing a time of peace, Zecora. Having a marauder shedding blood on this sacred Kingdom's land is unacceptable."

"That, you will have to tell him yourself, Princess. My word on that subject is useless."

Celestia nodded, sighing as she knew that, if she were to catch up with this dangerous vigilante, she will have to show him the way of her Kingdom, and give him the friendship he deserves, even if what he saw the day he arrived warped his mind.

"I see... Very well, then, Zecora. I wished I could have met the human today, but his displacement is, once again, understandable. I will not pry-"

"Hrrrraaaaaahhhhh...!!!"

A distant, feral cry broke the three from their conversation, Zecora's ears flattening as a horrified expression laced her features.

"Oh no... Not again..."

Twilight stood up.

"What is it? What's wrong, Zecora?"

"The Alicorn Amulet has taken hold. Something has caused Scorn's weakness to show!"

Both of them shared Zecora's expression, knowing full well what the Amulet can do when unchecked. Zecora herself only narrowed her eyes.

"The only weakness he shows is fear, and that means what troubles him most is near!"

She pointed at Celestia.

"You have spewed lies and deceit! How many guards have you sent for his retreat?!"

The Princess only backed away.

"M-Ms. Zecora, I have... I didn't send ANY guards."

She turned to her Captain.

"Gleaming Shield!"

The white Unicorn with a mane and tail perked up, dropping her plate of cake and speeding over to Celestia, saluting her with a fist on her heart.

"My Princess?!"

"Take your squad and go to the Everfree Forest, and quickly!"

"Right away, Prin-"

"No!"

Zecora stepped between them.

"Bringing more of them will only cause further turmoil. The Royal Court only brings his blood to a boil!"

She rushed to the door, grabbing her cloak along the way.

"I must hurry, for if I do not, whomever he has encountered will be made into curry!"

Next Chapter: Chapter 3: Why Nopony Uses The Alicorn Amulet Estimated time remaining: 23 Minutes