The Grand Masquerade

"No... Andy's always been moody," Bella said with a sigh then smiled. "Com'on, I was making dinner and I'm sure your father will be happy to see you."

"I-I can't stay for long mother..." The heartbreak was clear in his voice, and his eyes.

"No! Nyx you just got back please don't just leave," Bella said and clung to her son. "I haven't seen you since you were tiny or heard from you since you graduated from school. Please... don't just leave..."

"I-I'll stay the night, but I have t-to get back to Prance soon..." He hugged her tight, and whispered to her "Been gone too long Mama, I've got no place here anymore...my hearts broken...."

Bella frowned and shook her head. "No baby, you're always going to have a place here, this is your home and don't worry about Andy, it's just been so long since she saw you," She said, pulling back and nodding to the house. "Come along now, it just so happens that I was making your favorite tonight."

"Mama..it hurts...." He'd never been hurt like this before...it was like someone had torn his heart in two.

"I know baby, I know," Bella soothed, leading her son inside. Who could've broken Nyx's heart like this? She gave him a nuzzle and opened the front door. "Just? Can you come here?" She called out, getting a large towel and draping it around Nyx to get him dried off.

"One minute love, I just need a second long." Just called from upstairs as he tinkered with his armour

"Don't tell me he still goes on class eight missions...." Nyx said as he gazed towards the door of his father's workshop, remembering how he used to sneak into it and mess around as a boy.

"Not very often anymore, but you know your father," Bella said, taking the towel once he was dry and depositing it into a laundry basket.

"I suppose he's still ranting about the coming darkness then?" He'd never tell his mother, but after what Nyx had seen on his travels across Prance, he had begun to believe his father's once crazy theories. The Darkness WAS coming.

"Not so much ranting as just muttering. Why don't you go see him? You'd probably have an easier time pulling him away from what he's doing than I can," Bella said.

"Yeah....alright." As Nyx slowly climbed the stairs, he reached out with his magic 'Fine...I'll do it. Just...just give me Quick.'

Evil laughter screeched through his mind 'Good, good! Do it now! NOW!!!'

He flinched a little as he walked into the workshop, summoning his sword to his side. He silently trotted up behind his father, his stomach churning just from the thought of what he was about to do. He supposed his father should hear his son's voice one more time... "Oh, s'il vous plaît pardonnez-moi le père..." and with that Nyx drew his rapier, and thrust it through Just's back and heart.

In the fading twilight of his life, Just Heart's last breath carried words meant for only one person in the world. "Je vais toujours, quel que soit le crime, mon fils..."

Andromeda had poked her head out of her room when she heard hoofsteps going by her door. Just catching Nyx's dark coat as he entered their father's study. Ears laying flat, she supposed she should go and say she was sorry, Andy started to follow but slowed as she heard them speak, her heart clenching at the strained tone of Just Heart's voice. She rounded the corner and her eyes widened at the horrific sight.

"P-Papa..." She whispered then clenched her eyes shut and charged up a spell that would've thrown Nyx back. "You murderer!" She screamed.

Nyx turned around, his eyes filled with sorrow. He watched Andromeda's spell slowly fly towards him, he tilted his head. 'There was no other way, right?' He walked around the ball of crackling energy, and leaned forward to study Andromeda's face. He'd caused her so much pain, he could see it in her eyes and feel it in her magic. He could only imagine what his mother would feel...was Quick really worth all this pain and betrayal? 'Y-Yes...he has to be...' He just sighed, and whispered to Andromeda's slowly moving body "I'm so, so, so very sorry Andy. I know you must wish to kill me...and I can't blame you...I wish I had never gone to prance. I wish I hadn't been born a coltcuddler, I wish a lot of things, Andy. Do you remember when we used to make wished together..? No...I don't think you would. You were still a young filly back then, but every night I'd help you sneak out of the house. And I'd climb up to the roof with you on my back, and help you make wishes upon falling stars, and there would always be a star for you to wish on. Well, that's because I'd spend all day charging up my magic and sending it into the sky, so there'd be a star for you that night. If you ever find me again...tell me your wish and I'll grant it if I can, and if I can't, I'll let you take my life. My wish is to have never fallen in love."

As he finished, he leaned down and gently kisses her forehead. He then drew back, and walked out of the house. Once he was in the lawn, he looked up and watched the rain drops fall. He then looked down and shook his head as he dropped his sword in the mud. There was a flash of silver light, and Nyx was gone again.

Andromeda stamped her hoof into the floor, filled with rage when her attack missed and he vanished. She turned when she heard her mother frantically calling out and running up the stairs. Andy couldn't stop her before she saw Just Heart lying on the floor.

Bella froze for a moment before rushing over and trying to wake him up, hoping and praying to Celestia and Luna that this was just some bad dream. "Just! Just, please wake up, don't do this to me again!" She screamed, kneeling down and nuzzling her husband's neck and cheek, tears beginning to stream down her face. "Please! Don't die!"

Bella's ring pulsed with gentle light, that slowly formed into a beam that closed Just's wounds as it passed them. He then took a gasping breath "Nyx is in danger Bella!"

Bella jumped and looked at her husband, stunned before sobbing and hugging him close. "Don't do that ever again," She choked out. Andy watched in silence, looking down the stairs before heading down them, preparing a tracking spell.

"The Darkness is back Bella! It's coming for our son!" Just Heart spoke frantically as he struggled to his hooves, and limped to his work station.

Nyx appeared in a flash of light in front of Quick's house, and began to knock on the door. He was determined to prove to Quick that he'd changed, that he was stronger now. That he wasn't just a colt who followed Quick everywhere he went.

"JUST, STOP!" Bella demanded, moving in front of him. "You need... You need to stop. At least rest a little, you were just dead a few seconds ago! Wait... Where's Andy?"

Quick was still stuck in Canterlot, the next train not leaving for Ponyville until early the next day. And so Quick decided to check into a hotel and enjoy a few drinks in the bar while idly flirting with a few giggly mares.

"I will not stop! OUr son is in danger from a foe even I could not best!" Just shouted in frustration as he poured over his tomes and scrolls.

Nyx furrowed his brow as he realized Quick was most likely stuck back in Canterlot "Well...I certainly could have planned that better, but no matter. Now all I have to do is....search..all..of Canterlot for...one stallion...hmmm.."

"And you think I don't want to do anything!? That is my baby out there too you know!" She yelled back and winced, putting a hoof to her chest as it began hurting.

Andy teleported to where her spell said she'd find her brother, glaring as she saw him. "Well. You're not a murderer anymore, that doesn't mean what you did won't go unpunished," She snarled.

Nyx's face donned a small smirk. "is that so, Andy? And what exactly will you do?" As he spoke he used his magic to create a massive explosion of smoke, from which sixteen exact compies of him emerged, and spoke as one. "Well then sister, which one of us shall be punished? If you can even hit this time."

"You aren't the only one who had schooling in magic. Whenever our father was around, he schooled me in magic and I happen to be more than good enough to do this," Andy said, her horn glowing as she activated a seeking spell that shot a magic arrow at the real Nyx.

The arrow shot straight forward, before curving back and shooting behind her. Nyx deflected the arrow easily, and smirked a bit. "Well done little sister, but how much will it really help you?" He gently tapped her back with his horn, and teleported her to appleloosa. You may be schooled in the art of magic sister, but you are not a duelist like I. Now...to make sure she can't fine me again." He then closed his eyes, and cloaked his presence from detection.

Quick Stitch finally went up to his room after several more drinks, quite a bit tipsy and very much alone, wanting to just go to sleep and head home in the morning. He got his door open and heaved a sigh before flopping onto the bed and drifting off into a sound, troubled sleep.