It took Shadow Reaper a while to find it, especially now that he was having to watch his back as a fugitive, but after a good twelve hour search he finally stumbled upon the entrance of the mirror pool.
Ash had sent out his best men to track down Shadow Reaper, forcing Shadow to use a variety of cloaking spells to try to stay as hidden as possible. This life on the run would only be temporary though, he was sure of it. For once he got every piece into place, Shadow Reaper would make his strike, and get his revenge on Ash, and Equestria.
The mirror was just the first step though in his plan. Blasting the rock that Twilight had placed over the entrance many years ago Shadow used a floating spell to gently float down towards the pool. Despite no pony being down there in ages the pool spill sparkled and shined. Shadow Reaper let out a menacing chuckle as he quoted the poem while entering the pool.
"And into his own reflection he stared, yearning for one whose reflection he shares. And solemnly swear not to be scared, at the prospect of being double stallion.
As Shadow Reaper exited the pool there he saw that he had successfully created a cloned version of himself. Shadow smiled knowing that he had successfully made a clone, but he knew it wasn't enough, not even close. Him and his clone went in again creating two more, then the four went in and created fore more. Each time they went in they doubled their numbers until Shadow Reaper had well over a hundred clones of himself.
"Yes!" Shadow cheered looking at his new army. "Step one is complete."
Shadow turned and addressed his clone army, "Listen up clones!" Shadow Reaper roared, his echo booming in the cave. "For many years Equestria has been a kingdom of peace, friendship and magic. I say they have had it to good. Time for peace and friendship to end. Now it is the time for a knew era in Equestria, together we will burn Equestria to the ground, still it's magic, and enslave the survivors, with me as their master. Years ago Celestia outlawed dark magic, said it was to dangerous and meant only for evil. It's time for dark magic to be the only magic Equestria possesses. Will you join me my clones and help bring Equestria to it's knees!"
The clones cheered and stomped their hooves with excitement as they chanted "Down with Equestria! Down with Equestria!"
"Then let's not waste any time. The second step in my plan awaits!"
After the defeat of Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Chrysalis years ago Twilight had locked Grogar's bewitching bell in the castle of the two sisters, keeping it locked with only a spell she knew, it was meant to be sealed in there forever. But even though the door was locked, Shadow Reaper knew with the right amount of dark magic he could blast throw the door. Charging up his horn Shadow Reaper sent a powerful blast that split the metal doors right in two. That's when he saw it, sitting on a shelf collecting dust from over a decade of neglect, Grogar's bewitching bell. Slowly approaching the bell Shadow Reaper laughed manically as he grabbed it in his hooves. But despite his excitement over the bell there was still one last thing they needed to pick up here in the castle. One last artifact that Celestia and Luna locked up centuries ago.
"Now, step three."
Down in the basement in the castle, a room so dark it was hard to see even if a unicorn lit his or her horn, sat a steel door chained up with a magical lock. Shadow Reaper fired a blast but the blast bounced off the lock and hit a stone wall on the other side of the room.
"A force field Celestia?" You really must not want any pony getting what is inside there. But unfortunately for you, I will not take no for a answer." Shadow Reaper had fifteen of his clones join him in firing at the lock. And eventually after two tries they were able to put enough pressure on the force field to collapse and break the lock. Then firing one last giant blast the giant steel doors broke in two and revealed what was inside. There was a giant white orb, encased in a glass jar hovering in the air.
"I don't get it?" One of the clones asked "What is so special about this?"
"This is the orb of anarchy." Shadow Reaper smirked. "Once charged with enough dark energy the orb will create an explosion big enough to level an entire Kingdom. This orb my clone, is how we are going to bring Equestra to it's knees."
Alone in the throne room Ash sat up a dozen candles in a circle around a small cauldron. After putting in a few potions he sat down right outside the candles of circles and waited, hoping that the spell he cast worked. The spell was to contact the spirit of Star Gazer, who he lost shortly after he was turned to stone. He was at a huge lost on what to do. While he had agreed to step down from the throne peacefully and was a changed pony, now that he was reformed he wondered if he could actually do some good and be a honest king. Since becoming a Alicorn Ash wanted more than anything to prove he could be a great ruler for Equestria, but after everything he had done, the damage he had caused, he also knew he didn't deserve it, at least yet. Maybe with Screwball's help he could earn his way back to the throne, maybe be given a special prince title like Twilight before she was official ruler.
It was not knowing what his future held after he stepped down that scared him, and made him doubt if he was truly ready to leave the throne behind. As he waited for spell to work, he closed his eyes and called out for his lost love.
"Star Gazer are you there, I call for you.
I'm at a lost, and I don't know what to do.
I wear this crown, I sit on the throne,
but there is still this guilty feeling in my bones.
I need your guidance I need your wisdom.
What is best for me, and the kingdom?
Is this the only way, should I step down
Am I truly ready to give up the crown.
I know I've messed up done a lot of bad things
But I still believe I can be a great king.
Answer me my love, hear this song I sing
is it to late, to do the right thing.
Suddenly the spirit of Star Gazer appeared before him. Even in death she was a still a sight of beauty. Seeing his lost love for the first time in a thousand years he couldn't help but be overcome with tears as Star Gazer just formed a small smile, her face shining bright against the stain glass windows of the throne room.
You always wanted Equestria to see who you really was.
Prove you wasn't a monster, earn Equestria's trust.
This is your chance for them to show you've changed.
Step down from the throne give Twilight back the reigns
Your journey has been rough, you have come so far.
Now show Equestria the pony I know you are.
You have been given a second chance
Do not give it a second glance
l know you have made mistakes, you have done some wrong things.
Now that you have changed you want to be a good king.
But please my love listen to the song I sing.
It's not to late to do the right thing.
Understanding what Star Gazer was saying Ash looked out at the window at the sunny sky. As much as he wanted to show he could actually be the ruler Equestria deserved now that he could change, he knew that the only way he had a chance to earn Equestria's trust and love was to step down.
Turning back to Star Gazer's spirit they sang the last part a duet
And even though I know it's hard to do what's right
The struggle is real and you (I) want to fight
But to earn the pony's trust
you (I) got to do what you must
You (I) got to do listen listen to the song that we sing.
Step down as king, give up the jewels the rings.
It's not to late to do the right thing.
Star Gazer's spirit disappeared and Ash found himself alone in his throne room again. Stepping out on the balcony Ash pondered everything that Star Gazer told him. She was right, after everything he had put Equestria through these past several days he knew the only way he could truly win back their trust was to step down willingly and give the throne back to Twilight, and hope that in time with the help of Screwball, the kingdom could eventually find a way to forgive him.
"Orion," Ash called out for his captain of the guards. Upon hearing his name Orion came galloping into the throne room.
"Yes my king,"
"Get me a scroll and quill I need to send Twilight a message. I need to let her know that I am officially surrendering to her at sunset, Equestria is hers once again."
"While I do not argue with you surrendering my king are you sure now is a good time with Shadow Reaper on the loose?"
"I will gladly assist her in the search for the scoundrel, but yes, the sooner I step down the sooner I can work on building Equestria's trust."
"As you wish my king." Orion then bowed and left to get a quill and a scroll.
Just outside the castle, Shadow Reaper's army of clones surrounded the castle. One by one they attacked every guard on the outside, with Shadow Reaper following behind and using the bell to steal every guard's magic right before killing them where they laid. With the outside quickly taken care of Shadow Reaper and his clones made their way inside quickly doing the same thing to every guard that stood between him and the throne room.
Taking the bewitching bell, he turned the bell to face him, absorbing all the magic he had stolen from his former students. Shadow Reaper could feel himself getting more powerful as the magic flowed through his veins like electricity.
"Clones, surround the throne room from the outside and wait five minutes before striking. I want to confront Ash alone before we take everything away from him." His clones nodded and ran off.
Once alone Shadow Reaper blasted through the double doors, his head now a fiery skull, and black mist flying from his dark empty pupils.
"Shadow Reaper!" Ash growled, turning around to face his treacherous former second in command. "You have a lot of nerve showing your face back here."
"I have a lot more nerves then you false king." Shadow Reaper roared "I really had a lot of hope in you. You were supposed to bring the school of Dark magic to great heights. But yet you let yourself be manipulated by a pathetic little girl. You weakened, you folded. You only got the throne because of me. I made you who you was, and now I am going to destroy you!"
Shadow Reaper fired a blast at Ash, Ash had to think fast quickly dodging to the right to avoid getting blasted. Shadow reaper wasted no time with his next attack, turning to a black shadowy fog shadow Reaper floated over to Ash's location, returned back to his pony form again and blasted Ash from behind throwing him into a wall.
"You was nothing before me Ash! You owe me everything!"
"Your wrong," Ash growled getting on his feet. "I was a Alicorn Prince before you, and because I listened to you, because you brainwashed me I lost all of that. I had everything before you, and you took it all away!"
Ash returned a blast at Shadow Reaper, but Shadow Reaper just turned to a shadow causing the blast to pass right through him unharmed. Ash then took to the air, using a levitation spell to send Shadow Reaper crashing through the roof before taking to the skies himself. Shadow Reaper had to quickly use his own levitation spell in order to fly in the air and counter Ash, who was firing blast after blast at him.
"I could have been king the honest way. I could have had the girl of my dreams, had a family, been accepted, adored! But no, I had to listen to you, and your lies!" Ash was firing blast after blast, each one of his blast getting harder and stronger. Even with all of the magic he had stolen from his fellow students, he was still struggling to keep up with the alicorn magic Ash possessed.
Shadow Reaper blocked one strike but quickly got hit with another one sending him falling backwards spinning in somersaults. But Ash wasn't done, with one giant blast he sent Shadow Reaper crashing back down to the throne room so hard he left a crater in the ground, filling the whole throne room with smoke and dust.
As Ash landed back in the throne room he waited till the dust settled to find Shadow Reaper laying on the ground looking defeated.
"Stand down Shadow, now. You know you are no match for me, you never was. I was just to naive and fragile to see it at the time."
"Your right Ash, alone I am no match for you, but lucky for me, I made myself a few friends of my own, and by friends, I mean a few clones!"
Suddenly every single one of Shadow's clones came crashing through the stain glass windows, using hovering spells to surround Ash. Ash tried to fight back but even with his alicorn magic he couldn't fend off a hundred heavily skilled clones. The clones tackled Ash to the ground and pinned him down, four had him by the limbs, and another one had their hoof on his back.
As Ash struggled to get free his eyes went wide as he saw one of the clones hand Shadow Reaper Grogar's bewitching bell.
"How, how did you get that thing? It was hidden away!"
"Oh Ash, a true master of Dark Magic can track anything down if he looks hard enough, and if you was the master in dark magic I thought you was you would have known that."
Outside the throne room doors Orion hid behind a curtain as he watched everything unfold. He was drawn back to the throne room by the sound of all the commotion and returned just in time to see Ash overpowered by Shadow Reaper's clones. Frozen in fear he watched helplessly as Shadow Reaper used the bell to drain Ash of his alicorn magic. Then his eyes went wide and it took everything in his power to hold in a scream as he saw Shadow Reaper turn the bell to himself and absorb the alicorn magic.
Shadow grew twice his normal size and two giant wings formed on his back, he let out a loud sadistic laugh as electricity flowed through his body and he became a alicorn.
"Now I am the most powerful wielder of magic in all of Equestria, and you false king are overthrown!"
"If you are going to kill me Shadow Reaper just do it!"
"Oh I will kill you Ash," Shadow replied as he lowered himself to Ash's current level, "but not yet, I want you to watch as Equestria burns to the ground, you see clones and Grogar's bewitching bell ain't the only thing I brought with me. Another clone suddenly showed Ash the Orb of Anarchy and Ash's eyes went wide.
"No, you can't use that Shadow Reaper, you have no idea how dangerous that thing is you are only going to kill yourself to!"
"Oh I know exactly how dangerous it is, but I will be out of the blast radius long before it goes off. I'm afraid though, any survivor is going to be forever enslaved in my version of Equestria. Once Equestria is destroyed, then I will kill you. Until then though, you are just going to have to watch from your stone prison.
Ash's eyes went wide as he suddenly felt himself becoming stone again. Looking down at his leg's he screamed as he saw they were already turning to stone.
"No Shadow please, no, no, no!"
"I didn't want to do this Ash, you had great potential, but now you are nothing to me."
"Twilight will stop you, Screwball will stop you."
"Twilight can try, but she will fail. And as for Screwball, I am going to kill her slowly, and drain her blood over your stone corps while you watch and listen carefully as she screams!"
Ash's eyes widened and he tried to send one final blast at Shadow Reaper before he was fully stone but he failed. Ash was stone once again.
Orion had seen enough, before Shadow or his clones spotting him he turned around and fled. Heading towards the Everfree forest. He had to find Twilight and her friends. He made a huge mistake, and now Equestria was about to parish for it.
Back at Zecora's, Fluttershy and Discord was listening completely overwhelmed in pride as Screwball explained everything she did to help Ash.
"I can't believe it," Fluttershy explained, tears of joy filling her eyes. "My little Screwball helped save Equestria and change a misunderstood pony's heart."
"Speaking of which were is Ash?" Screwball noticed "I thought he would have officially stepped down and joined us by now?"
"That is a bit strange?" Twilight thought starting to get concerned.
"Oh no?" Screwball thought "What if he in in danger, what if Shadow Reaper...?"
"I'm going after him." Twilight replied, thinking the same thing as Screwball "If he is in danger, I'm going to save him."
"We're coming too." Rainbow Dash said as Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack and Fluttershy joined by her side. "We are not letting you leave our sight again."
Twilight smiled, it was good to have her friends back again.
As they opened the door they were suddenly taken aback when they saw Orion running towards them.
"Twilight I need to..." Orion didn't get a chance to finish speaking before Twilight's friends attacked him, tackling him to the ground. Rainbow Dash gave him a massive punch to the face, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie held him down while Applejack tied his four feet together in rope.
"You ponies don't understand!" Orion protested "I'm not here to fight."
Orion then saw a familiar silhouette approach him, looking up he saw a very angry Twilight glaring down at him.
Orion gave a nervous chuckle "Hi Twilight."
The last thing Orion remembered was Twilight's hoof striking him over the head before his entire world went black.
Original song title is "The right thing." I almost cut out that song completely because I didn't know if it was on par with the other original songs I put in. But I kept it in because I wanted a scene with Ash reuniting with Star Gazer in spirit form and I thought that a song sequence was a good way to do it. Hope it turned out alright.
And yes I know I changed the poem up for the mirror pool a little but it was written for a mare and I needed it for a stallion so I needed to change it up just a little bit even if it didn't actually rhyme each time.