Chapter 46

Strong Shield stepped into the castle, his eye glaring at the floor as he slammed the door behind him. Odio floated gently down from the roof and hovered around the unicorn’s head. “Well?” the fog asked impatiently

“Battering Ram and Flux have left and it means we will have to consider getting our flanks to Tartarus soon,” Strong Shield rubbed his chin as he looked up at the black smog above him. “Make sure Dave is ready, we will have to leave at a moments notice and we will end this”

Odio made a hoof using his fog and gave a salute, “Well yes sir!” the embodiment of hatred hummed before looking back at Strong Shield. “Why am I detecting a mixed set of reactions in this castle?”

Strong Shield frowned, “What do you mean?”

“You are angry, as is your ‘friends’,” Odio looked up at the roof, almost looking through the ceiling and walls at the various occupants in the castle. “Nox and Applebloom are having fun, Celestia is having a slightly more adult version of fun”

As the fog sighed it instantly made Strong Shield narrow his eye, “What about Dave? You missed him on purpose”

“He…” Odio shook the part of the fog that was the closest resemblance to his head. “He is the happiest he has been since… forever”

“And you are worried about ruining it?” Strong Shield grumbled, “Dave needs to realize that he has a duty and has to see it through!”

Odio sneered as a bolt of lightning crackled across him, “You placed that responsibility on him because you made a mistake”

Strong Shield just walked away as he quietly grumbled to himself, his face glaring at the floor as he disappeared from Odio’s sight. The spirit of hatred swirled around before seeping out through the tiny gaps in the castle door and floated up the outside of the white castle

The fog made fake gagging noises as he heard the partying still resonating from the city. His attention was interrupted as he heard the soft noise of children laughing, his burning eyes peeked over one of the large segments of castle to see Nox and Applebloom running around Canterlot garden

Odio snarled as he floated down towards the castle gardens, “Why are you two so happy?”

The colt and filly both stopped to look up at the black fog that loomed over them, Applebloom’s face almost filled with fear but was stopped as Nox hopped forwards with a beaming smile

“Hey Odio!” Nox smiled, “We were just playing around, wanna join?”

The floating red eyes quickly grew slim, “No, not really.” He turned to float away before a devious thought crossed his mind. “Should I? No, it will definitely get me destroyed”

Nox tilted his head, “What’s up? If you aren’t honest then others can’t help you”

“Well I was wondering… what is going to happen with you?” Odio hummed as he turned to stare at the grey alicorn. “I mean, you did jump a considerable age gap and who says it won’t happen again?”

Applebloom glowered at Odio as his fog seemed to swirl in curiosity, “What are ya getting at?”

Odio rolled over to look at Applebloom, “Well if he does suddenly jump to being about the age of… Applejack for example, why would he want to stay with a filly when he is a fully grown stallion that attracts plenty of mares?”

“Well Nox would… would,” Applebloom fell into a quiet silence as Odio allowed himself to smirk slightly

The prince stepped over and wrapped a wing around Applebloom, “I’ll wait!”

“Huh?” Odio gawped, “You would wait all those years for Applebloom to grow and develop while you sit here with your hoof up your ass?”

“My hoof up my what?” Nox’s face tightened in confusion before a smile broke out across his face. “But I am sure that Applebloom will be just as great as she is now!”

Applebloom smiled as she quietly nuzzled her cheek against Nox’s head, his smile continued to grow as he nuzzled her back. Odio fake-heaved again as he slowly turned around, “I’m gonna be sick,” he groaned

“Excuse me Uncle Odio but why are you so glum?” Nox asked, his face looking disheartened that the large evil fog seemed sad

“Why? Because everypony is finally getting everything sorted and I seem to be the only one that can see this all going wrong and everypony losing everything!” Odio groaned loudly before his eyes burst into large circles, “D-did you call me Uncle Odio?”

Nox nodded, his mane bouncing carelessly, “Well yeah! I heard my dad call you his ‘bro’ and that means brother right?”

Odio swirled slowly, his eyes scanning to floor and the surrounding trees as he hopped to find answers. “Well… we are best buddies,” the fog slowed to a halt as Nox stepped forwards with Applebloom beside him

“Well dad said you were irritating but he couldn’t see much point in having you around if you weren’t,” Nox chuckled at Odio’s confused glare. “He meant that you wouldn’t be his friend if you weren’t the pony… fog that you are!”

“But Dave has every right to kick me out, he can do it if he wanted to,” Odio sighed, ignoring Nox‘s previous comment. “He must think he owes me or something”

Applebloom picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it at Odio, the rock hardly moved the fog as it bounced into the ground but it managed to get Odio’s attention. “I think what Nox is trying to say is that Dave knows what you are like and doesn’t mind that because he is your friend”

“But why would Dave protect me unless he thinks he can get something?” Odio turned his gaze to the earth pony. “Everypony else seems to think I am around to help and nothing else”

“Because he is your friend,” Nox sighed, his cheery attitude seemingly faded. “I heard that my dad… died to protect somepony and that you were the one that killed him”

Odio snorted, “Yeah, and?”

“He forgave you and fought on your behalf to let you stay,” Nox frowned in return to the fog. “I would be happy to help somepony that did that for me”

“W-well I would be but…” Odio paused, his fog freezing as his eyes slowly closed. “I have been a massive idiot and it took a child to help me realize it… what a cliché”

Applebloom looked away from the fog as it began mumbling to itself, “Hey Nox, are we gonna try and get ya cutie mark again?”

Nox nodded before he hurried over to stand opposite Applebloom with a determined stare, “Alright, I’m ready!”

Odio floated aside as Applebloom picked up an apple and threw it up into the air, the alicorn’s horn glowed as he focused his eyes on the round fruit. His tongue poked between his lips as he concentrated and forced his magic towards his target

Applebloom ducked behind a tree as the apple froze in midair, its skin vibrating as it slowly failed to keep its shape. Odio’s eyes widened as he quickly retreated behind another tree, his fog compacting so nothing was exposed

Nox grunted as the apple exploded, the chunks only flying a few inches apart before they were sucked into a growing hole, the fallen leaves quickly being swept into the whirlpool. He panted as the hole disappeared and the colt sunk to his belly, smiling as Applebloom cheered

“I managed to get it this time!” Nox quietly cheered, he began laughing as Applebloom ran over and gave him a celebratory hug. Odio slowly left his hiding spot as he stared at the spot where the apple previously was

“T-that was a black hole,” Odio chuckled as he smiled at Nox. “You mom moves the sun and your aunt moves the moon, so it makes sense for you to have something space related”

Nox looked up at the giggling fog, “What is a black hole?”

“It is thought to be a gateway into other places but that’s nonsense,” Odio floated through the spot where the fog was and laughed again. “Nox means night, at night you can see space… now it makes sense”

Applebloom ignored the fog as she rubbed her face against Nox’s mane, “I knew we could get it eventually!”

“Yeah!” Nox exclaimed as he began to arch his neck, his eyes moving to look at his flank. “Aww…” he sighed as his flank remained completely grey

The earth pony also sighed in disappointment as she saw the blank area where Nox’s cutie mark should be. “Maybe ya didn’t do it right… or maybe your talent has to do with meteors!”

“Meteors?” Odio gawped, his eyes filling with wonder as he began inspecting Nox. “Well I dare say you might just have a talent in everything space related… if you inherited your dad’s love for doing too much without realizing it”

“But I thought that if I knew what my talent was then I get my cutie mark,” Nox sighed as he glanced at his clear rear before standing up

Odio shook his head, “you have to realize, not force it” the fog rolled over to Applebloom. “She might be good at lots of things but she will eventually realize the extent of her abilities and then poof! Cutie mark achieved”

“So I just have to wait?” Nox groaned

“But you are immortal so…” Odio was cut off as Applebloom threw her hooves around Nox
“Don’t worry, I am positive that your cutie mark will be great!” the enthusiastic pony smiled
Odio shook in annoyance, “Don’t mind the giant fog of death, just interrupt me mid-senten…”

Nox smiled up at Odio, “Do you know where my dad is?”

“I don’t know why I bother,” Odio grumbled to himself before returning the smile. “I imagine he would be with Celestia… seeing as he proposed!”

Applebloom and Nox both gasped before cheering and bouncing on the spot, both the children hardly able to contain their excitement. The fog extended a pair of tendrils as he smiled at Nox

“Celebratory hug?” Odio asked, his answer returned in the form of Nox leaping at him. The alicorn flew through the fog and smacked into the tree behind the fog of hate. “Oh… well that was unfortunate, I am going before I get blamed,” Odio sighed as he quickly whizzed away and left Nox to rub his sore head