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Ponyville grew in size as I swiftly descended; it's populace unaware of my arrival. Well mostly unaware...

"What's with the hurry? No time to stop and say hello?" Rainbow Dash stopped in front of me, forcing me veer aside to avoid a collision. "Too important for us now that you are a prince?" She asked as I stopped and looked back at her.

"I- uh." I thought about my current predicament. I needed supplies to make it back to the Gryphons, and I doubted Discord had been able to stall Celestia's command to have me found very long.

"Pfffff, if you could see your face!" Rainbow laughed, moving out of the way to fly along with me. "I thought you were still chilling with the Gryphons, what gives?

"I was, but something bad happened. Rainbow, can you do something for me?" I asked.

"Yeah, anything for a friend."

"I'm going to need some basics for a trip, and I don't have any time to spare. Can you help me get some supplies for a two-day flight? Just the basics." I thought about how suspicious that sounded before making up a lie to tell her. "I don't want to disappoint Anypony, considering I have to leave right away."

"All right..." It looked like she wanted to pry further, but accepted my excuse for the moment. "But you are gonna owe me one, big-time."

"Sure thing Dash, but I can't promise you I'll be able to ever return the favor. To be honest, I'm not sure how I am going to fix things over in gryphon kingdoms."

"Uh oh. Something big? You sure you won't need us to save your flank?" Rainbow joked, even though they actually had saved me at least twice.

"This time it's too dangerous. I've already lost too many people I care about, and I don't want any of you on that list." I cleared my head of those thoughts and cleared my throat." I still need those supplies. Sorry I can't talk more."

"Yup," Rainbow mock saluted and sped off in search of what I needed.

Just seeing Ponyville, even from a distance, brought back memories. I hadn't been away for that long, but I realized I would miss it and all the ponies there. Damn Celestia, she never did like me, and one mistake was all it took...

Hiding above the clouds I impatiently waited. If I had to I would fight anypony who wanted to take me back to Canterlot, but I would rather just stay ahead of any word or pursuit. Let's be honest, Ponyville was predictably the first place I would go and it wouldn't be long until someone checked.

"Hey, I'm back." I heard Rainbow Dash's voice calling out. Coming out from hiding I flew over looking questioningly at her lack of the supplies I asked for.

"You got them right?"

"Yeah, pfff. Like I would forget. I just, uh. Had to hide them somewhere to avoid suspicion." Rainbow seemed edgy, like she was hiding something. Why would she need to hide anything, unless...

"Who knows?" I questioned

"Knows what?" Rainbow evaded.

"Dash." I spoke condescendingly, "You never were a good liar."

"Yeah," Rainbow laughed looking a bit embarrassed. "AJ said the same thing when I tried to get the stuff from her. I kinda spilled the beans but she says you can have the it if you come down to the barn and say hello. She should be getting a saddlebag together right now."

"Fine," I sighed, glad it was only AJ and that my flimsy cover story hadn't been broken by advanced word that I might show up here. "But it has to be quick, the longer I stay here the more danger the Gryphons could be in."

"Yup, you'll be on your way faster than a Wonderbolt's 200km dash. Not quite as fast as mine though." Rainbow assured me.

~

I pushed open the door to Applejack's barn, the sudden spray of confetti nearly causing me to flail back. On instinct I prepared for attack.

"Surprise!!!!" I heard the distinct and joyous declaration of Pinky Pie. "Happy super secret super short super-duper spectacular surprise party!"

My eyes focused past the falling confetti, the barn full of many more familiar faces than I expected. I quickly dropped my guard after the initial surprise. "Ummm, hello everyone..." I spoke giving Applejack a questioning glance.

"I know yall didn't want to stir up a commotion. But I couldn't find a saddlebag that wasn't falling apart at the seams. I needed Rarity's help to fix one up." Applejack trailed off.

Rarity continued where Applejack left off." And it was a travesty, I was entirely out of the proper color thread. I knew I had borrowed a spool to Fluttershy and I couldn't just go ask for it back without letting her in on things."

"I. Um." Fluttershy mumbled something shyly, too quiet to make out.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Fluttershy wanted to hide some sweets to your bag to remind you of us, silly. So she came by the shop." Pinky exclaimed, "But all I had was cupcakes. Frosting and bags don't mix, so I decided you would have to have dessert before you left! And when is a great time for dessert? A party of course! But it isn't a real party without everypony here, so I hoofed it over to Twilight's. She was reading some scroll thingy, but she should show up any minute. Ooh, I know what we can do in the meantime! Group hug!!!"

I had barely finished processing but I was swiftly tackled, jostled about, and squeezed to near breathlessness by the five pony mob.

I had quickly gotten to the point where the happy atmosphere had begun to rub off. At this point I didn't actually mind being surprised like this. It was actually kind of nice to see all of their friendly faces again.

But everything good comes to an end...

With a blinding flash the doors of Applejack's barn flew open, slamming against the hinges with a groan. Hay flew through the air as the light subsided, the owner of the magic coming into view. "Step away from him, now!" Twilight spoke in the Royal voice, the wooden building shaking from the force.

Twilight stared at me, trembling. My thoughts flew to the scroll Pinky had mentioned. It must be Celestia's handiwork, transported by dragons fire to send a warning. Sometimes I hated magic...

"Whoa there Twi, what ya gettin all rilled up for?" Applejack half scolded as she tenderly rubbed at her ear like she could massage away the irritation from Twilight's reverberating shout.

"He knows exactly what." She spoke in a normal, yet accusing voice.

"Twilig-" I wanted to at least try and explain this somehow but I was interrupted.

"You need Celestia's help Ike. Come with me to Canterlot and we will see about fixing this." Twilight spoke, obviously knowing very little of the situation.

"It's not that simple Twilight, things never are. Please, you have to trust me on this one. Besides I have no time to deal with Celestia's bullcrap, the Gryphons could be wiped out if I don't help."

The moment I insulted Celestia I knew I had lost all chance of convincing anypony but I continued regardless. "You all treat her like a god, but she's not. For fucks sake Twilight you of all people should know that being an Alicorn doesn't just put you on a shelf above Everypony else."

I continued to stare down Twilight in the silence that followed my outburst, she trembled. I couldn't tell if it was fear, anger, confusion, or any combination of the three that caused it.

"Everything I know, everything I am is because of Celestia. And you want me to just throw that away?" Twilight's voice which had started at almost a low whisper rose in intensity with each word. "You want me to betray my mentor and Queen?" Twilight looked to the scroll in her hoof, the parchment crumpled by her steely grasp. "A real friend wouldn't force me to make that choice." She quieted down once again. "So please, come with me."

"You know I can't Twilight." I reached out and grabbed the pack of supplies that had been assembled for me, sliding the straps to the base of my wings so they wouldn't get in the way of flight.

"I can't let you leave." Twilight barred my path as I took a step towards the doors.

"You know the right thing to do." I spoke, slipping past her.

As I prepared to leap into the air just outside a strange sense of danger washed over me. Ignoring it I took flight, planning to leave five of the six ponies without an explanation as to what was going on. Only two meters from the ground did I realize I should have trusted my instincts, a painful surge of electricity jolting through my body, causing me to plummet downwards.

I struck the ground like a rock, dazed by the sudden magic. Did Twilight just-?

"I- i warned you." Twilight stammered, struggling internally. "By Celestia's command I have to stop you, friend or not. Twilight dropped the crumpled scroll, letting it tumble away in the breeze.

I shakily got up, her surprise attack more powerful than I had thought her capable of. Shaking the numbness off I remembered why. Twilight had put on the fourth band of power the fateful day I became an Alicorn. It gave her a greater power than any unicorn could hope to muster.

All four of the bands of power were accounted for...

Celestia- The Heavenly Sentinel wielding the Solar Bracer.

Twilight- The Guardian of Knowledge equipped with Dusk Armlet.

Luna- The Keeper of Dreams and bearer of the Greave of Night.

And it was the Shackle of Dawn that showed me my fate, Vanquisher of Darkness.

"Twilight... Don't try that again." I warned her.

"I've been practicing, and I will fight you if I have to. Last chance, give up."

I sighed mournfully as I let the familiar and nearly endless flow of power course through me. "If it's between what I think is the right course of action and my place in Equestria, then I'm sorry Twilight. You can try and stop me, but you will fail."

Twilight gave a somber nod, squaring off against me. I could only wonder what she felt right now, having to turn against a friend. Was she just as worried as I was about taking things too far and doing irreversible harm?

Twilight blinked out of existence, leaving me to wonder where she had gone. As suddenly as she had disappeared there was a bright flash behind me. I spun around to face where her short range teleport had gone, throwing up a quick barrier.

Twilight's spell fizzled out as it made contact with my own. I replied with a quick blast aimed high, channeling my magic afterwards into the ground.

As Twilight's eyes flicked to the wayward spell the earth erupted around her, mud encasing and drying around her hooves.

Twilight might lack practical combat training but that didn't mean she was a pushover, as I rushed towards her she didn't hesitate or panic. Instead Twilight was coldly calculating, treating the fight like a game of chess, not wanting to be tricked again.

I could sense something off as I prepped for the running takedown I had planned. Twilight's cold, almost lifeless looking stare, off-putting. Sensing the danger I slid to a halt, unleashing a small energy blast that emanated in every direction.

I heard a grunt of mixed surprise and pain, the image of a trapped Twilight falling away with a shimmer. Twilight, who had covered over another teleport with the illusion fell to the ground beside me.

"Stay down Twilight." I warned looking over as she started to stand. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You are going to have to, unless you give up." Twilight attempted to appeal to me. She pushed herself up, facing me with determination.

"Damn it Twi." I muttered, preparing a spell to finish the fight. I was holding back, and so was she. Deep down Twilight wanted to believe me, even join me but that would mean loosing her place in Eqestria just like me. I had to cut ties to keep her safe, and I knew just the way to do it.

Using this magic felt wrong as I thought of where I had seen and experienced it. Twilight's hooves were pulled from the ground with a levitation spell, the air around her thinning until there was almost nothing left.

Her small opportunity for a counter spell fell away as her body's desire for air quickly distracted from any magic. Twilight's eyes glazed over as she gasped for air, getting barely enough to maintain consciousness. She was helpless, unable to fight back or even cry for mercy. All she could do was look at me in desperate fear, Twilights eyes questioning if I would kill her. The fear that I had actually gone dark would keep her from joining me, it would keep her in Equestria and on Celestia's good side.

It would be easy if I felt like stealing the life from her very lungs. So easy to get carried away and cause irreparable harm. But I couldn't, not to Somepony I cared about.

I dropped Twilight, letting her gasp and sputter for breath. She wasn't trained like I was, she would be too unfocused at this point to cast even a simple spell for a minute.

Leaping from the ground in a magically accelerated burst I left the other five ponies to rush in to care for Twilight. No words of apology, no farewells.

I had a mission to complete, even if it was suicide, I had to stop my copy no matter the cost. Even if that meant turning my back on friends.

~~~

The mutual pact between gryphons and pony kind prevented sea and sky three miles from a shoreline from being claimed by either side. That meant was out of Equestria and out of Celestia's grasp.

There were plenty of islands between the two factions, but most were populated by a mix of species and allowed governing freedom. The day drew to a close and I kept on flying, wanting to make the trip as fast as possible to make up for lost time. With that in mind I passed the tourist island that marked the halfway point, choosing instead to fly onwards.

The moon seemed to weigh down heavily upon me, or maybe it was just my imagination. I felt like I was being judged for my failure and shortcomings, and damn were there plenty. My wings grew tired and began to ache as the night dragged on.

Midnight found me flying closer to an island just large enough to have a port to service the small fishing village. Tired to the bone I decided it was best to finish the night here and start again tomorrow.

Rest? Well, I was sorely mistaken if I thought rest was what I would find there...

~~

I winced as I placed a hoof over my side, attempting to stem the bleeding. The twisted creatures were nearly all that was left of this island and every last one of them was ravenous and bestial. I had seen this before in dream when my dark copy put one down... These poor husks of creatures were the end result of a failed possession, brutally strong but uncontrollable. Was this an advancement of my doppelgänger's plans, to sow chaos in his wake?

I had only intended to stay for a night, my journey back into gryphon territory nearly complete. But upon arrival I had been beset by at least ten of the snarling abominations. Whoever else had been to this island was gone, taking nearly the entire population with. I barely managed to escape, but only due to the fact that just one of the creatures could fly. The supplies I had scrounged up for the trip had been lost in the fight, and I had sustained a nasty injury in my aerial fight. From my encounter it seemed these creatures were both incredibly strong and could shrug off injury as if it were nothing. They might not even feel pain, as one of them kept coming at me even while coated in fire. It was evident that these creatures were no longer intelligent gryphons or ponies, unlike the walking talking variety I had met and dreamed of created by demon possession. And if the abominations were this powerful it meant the successful versions must be terrifying.

I tore the cleanest strip of fabric I could find, tying it tight with magic. It was the best I could find in the abandoned hut I had taken refuge in; I would just have to hope my wound wouldn't get infected. I might have fought better if I hadn't been so exhausted, but sleep is a luxury when on the run.

The place was hardly damaged except for an upturned table with half eaten scraps of now inedible food littering the floor. It was as if a storm of locusts had swept through the village, but instead of crops they had reaped inhabitants.

Knowing what had likely happened to the villagers made me shudder. Was the Imperium even something that could be stopped? From the stories he only thing that held them at bay were the bands of power. Sombra's convenient sacrifice of the entire race only postponed the inevitable swarm.

I stepped on a pile of Palm fronds and nearly stumbled into a small hole in the dirt floor. Pulling them aside I found a clay jar resting inside, cool to the touch despite the humid climate. The familiar sting of alcohol wafted up my nose from the opening. There were even some various leaf wrapped shapes that were likely food.

I pulled the clay jar up, instantly regretting not using magic to do it as my side throbbed. Bracing myself I tipped the jar back, knowing this was probably the safest thing I could drink considering the water from the village's well was a diluted red. I nearly choked on the foul liquid, somehow bitter along with the overwhelming burn as the alcohol traced its way down my bone-dry throat.

I shook my head and let out a cough, taking another, and far less painful, gulp. I pulled my bandage aside, soaking another rag with the jar's contents. Clenching my teeth as I placed it up to deep gashes I had received from the twisted gryphon's claws was all I could do to silence the hiss. I let the stinging pain seep in, knowing it would help in the long run, as I tenderly felt my around the wound as I wiped it clean.

Finishing, I placed the makeshift bandage back over in an attempt to keep the wound clean. I had to keep moving, there was nothing for me here. I transferred some of the alcohol into a hollowed gourd that my gracious but likely dead or possessed host had left me, grabbing as much of the food as I needed in a tattered cloth bag. I couldn't help but wonder how long the twisted creatures would persist after I had left.

I would stay and finish the fight, but this island was already lost. I didn't have the time to waste mopping up my doppelgänger's reject soldiers when he was out there recruiting.

Flying the rest of the way to the Nest wasn't the brightest plan while injured and low on sleep, but I didn't want to risk staying here or on any other island along the way. For all I knew none of them were safe from assault.

Author's Note:

~

Thanks for reading!

Lazy mode activated, motivation cell set to trickle charge. Average fucks given per day: 0.

Translation.

Done with the semester but I feel so drained and unmotivated to do anything now. Uploads whenever I get around to it / write things. Kappa