Freedom Through Harmony: Book II

Chapters

Two
Three
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-one
Twenty-two
Twenty-three
Twenty-four
Twenty-five
Twenty-six
Twenty-seven
Twenty-eight
Twenty-nine
Thirty
Thirty-one
Thirty-three
Thirty-four
Thirty-five
Thirty-six
Thirty-seven
Thirty-eight
Thirty-nine
Forty
Forty-one
Forty-two
Forty-three
Forty-four
Forty-five
Forty-six
Forty-seven
Forty-eight
Forty-nine
Fifty
Fifty-one
Fifty-three
Fifty-four
Fifty-five
Fifty-six
Fifty-seven
Fifty-eight
Fifty-nine
Sixty
Sixty-one
Sixty-two
Sixty-three
Sixty-four
One
Four
Seventeen
Thirty-two
Fifty-two

Two

Two

Year 504, Equestrian Calendar

Alright, so there's this really cool guy, right? At least, some people think he's cool, sometimes... You know what? He's freaking awesome. Screw the haters. So there's this super amazingly awesome guy. He's just hanging around, being all chill as cool guys are known to do sometimes. And a guy this awesome must have a pretty cool name to go with him, right?

... Yeah, I've heard worse.

"Scootaloo, what's takin' you so long?" A voice called. I smiled smugly before making my final preparations. My shoulder-length violet hair and unfittingly small, orange feathered wings were both already groomed to perfection. Shrugging on the black leather jacket I always wore on stage, then the strap of my thin, angular guitar, I strode around the edge of the stage and entered the backstage area where my band mates were waiting.

"What kept you?" Sweetie Belle asked, while looking around the corner at the audience. Her curly, soft pink-and-violet streaked hair had recently been trimmed to shoulder length as well, save for a longer bit that fell in front of her right shoulder: a style she must have picked up from her father. "Audience is getting impatient."

"You know I wouldn't have it any other way." I responded. She wasn't kidding: even from back here I could make out the sounds of the audience cheering for us to get on with it. Looking around, I saw Applebloom seated upon a crate near the exit, looking both annoyed and slightly bemused. Her stark-red hair fell past her shoulders, a pretty pink bow tied in at the back. A few cute freckles were dotted around under her soft bronze eyes. I flashed her a cheesy smile before flipping my guitar pic expertly between my fingers, and dramatically pointing onstage in one move. "Let's not keep 'em waiting any longer!"

I brought my hand down on the strings of the instrument, the magical energies stored within amplifying the sound and silencing the crowd. Imagining their bated breath and excited gazes, I smiled devilishly and began to play, standing just beyond the curtain of the stage. The audience knew exactly what song I had chosen, and a big cheer began to rise. At what I judged to be its climax, the three of us charged onstage to our positions, but I could sense that all eyes were on me.

Applebloom hopped up to her seat behind the drum set stationed onstage, scooping up the drumsticks laid across its surface and backing up my guitar with a rapid but steady beat. Sweetie Belle leaped forward to the front of the stage, skidding to a halt on her knees, and began to sing, the crowd joining in when prompted. We were starting with one of our more energetic songs, after which we would move on to some of our other songs; less well-known perhaps, but which I honestly enjoyed playing more. As the first song concluded, and the crowd cheered, I turned to Applebloom, then to Sweetie Belle. Both nodded, and we began the next song.

_____________

The three of us managed to escape the ravenous crowds after the show, and hid out in the old clubhouse at the Acres. While other kids our age might have abandoned their clubhouses years ago, allowing nature to have its way with them, this old fort had remained the main base of operations for the Crusaders after all this time. The other was my house- the one Rainbow Dash used to live in, and gave me for my fifteenth birthday for the purpose of 'partying and whatnot'- but I felt it would have been too obvious. We were trying to avoid attention for a change.

"Man, that never gets old." Sweetie Belle remarked. "I'd just be bored to tears with all this royal princess crap if I didn't have these shows to look forward to... You guys... You guys are the best..."

Applebloom and I laughed warmly at her cheesy comment. "Sweetie Belle, be honest- how drunk're you right now?" She asked, calming.

"I'm not!" Sweetie Belle insisted. I raised an eyebrow at her, holding her gaze for a few moments. Finally she looked away abashedly. "I'm not that drunk..." She corrected quietly.

"I just don't get that about you." I admitted, getting serious. "Drinking's terrible for you anyway, even if we were old enough to drink. I don't get how you can stand to do that as much as you do, especially when we're only seventeen."

"Oh, don't you go preaching to me, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle said indignantly, but I could tell she was enjoying herself and didn't quite see a problem. "Last time, you got drunker than I did."

"Yes..." I began, preferring not to remember the event in question. "But the terrible hangover I had afterwards ensured I'll never do it again. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't get very put-out about it afterwards, too."

"What can I say? I'm a forgiving person... Besides, I never have really bad hangovers."

"Y'know, tonight might not've been the best night to be drunk, anyway." Applebloom commented. "Or rather, you prob'ly don't wanna be hung over in the mornin'."

Sweetie Belle lowered her eyebrows, confused, and seemed to be trying to figure out what Applebloom was talking about. Finally, realization dawned on her face. She covered her eyes in exasperation and groaned.

"Agh, tomorrow's the twenty-first, isn't it..." Sweetie Belle complained.

"Yeah..." I agreed, not particularly enthusiastic about tomorrow’s event either. "Luna's coming to town to say hi, then she'll fly us all over to Eclipse for another show." As much as I loved playing music- this show would not be an exception- it was the audience we would be dealing with that put a damper on this event.

"I mean..." Sweetie Belle mumbled, "I love Luna to death and all- especially since she pretty much gets what I'm going through- and my sister Rarity of course, and even Blake is pretty cool too. Just... Augh, I hate everyone else up at Eclipse... It's snobs like them that make me hate being princess..."

"And so, instead of doin' that, you're hangin' out drunk in a clubhouse in the middle-a'-nowhere." Applebloom concluded.

Sweetie Belle seemed to take absolutely no offense to the comment. She chuckled slightly, folding her arms over her chest. "What's important is, I'm among good company. I'd pick you two over a bunch of snooty noble people any day."

"Aw, I feel special now." I joked at her. "Hard to believe that before becoming a princess, you were born a noblewoman yourself."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't a snooty noblewoman. At least I had some freakin' humility... But, I mean, when I was raised only by Rarity and Opal for most of my life, and then by my dragon-dad these last five-and-a-half years, what can you expect? I was born to be awesome, not proper."

"Yeah... You staying here for the night?" I asked. House Icarus still operated independently of Eclipse, under Opal's leadership, but Sweetie Belle had spent maybe a week total in her old home since becoming a princess. Much of her time was regrettably spent in Eclipse City, and she stayed in the castle with her sister, the queen. Almost all the remaining time was spent recovering and unwinding from said, and she always elected to stay at the Acres with her closest childhood friends, Applebloom and I.

"Of course." was her response. "But, uh... Do you think... Do you think we could maybe... sleep right out here tonight? Like we used to? For old time's sake? I'm feeling a little nostalgic."

I smiled fondly and looked to Applebloom, and she nodded. Tonight, we would go back to when we were just kids, almost six long years ago. A couch that was already ancient back then still sat against the wall of the Crusader's fort. We started by vigorously beating the majority of the dust out of it, clouding the air. Underneath the battered cushions was a newer, warm fleece blanket, and several pillows were strewn about the rooms, serving as seats.

We threw the pillows onto the couch haphazardly, then kicked up the front legs of the sofa, making it into a bed. I was the first to throw myself onto the bed, kicking up additional dust. Applebloom was on a second later, landing halfway on top of me. Last but not least, Sweetie Belle launched herself at us, knocking the breath out of me as she tackled us playfully. We laughed and laughed, enjoying the easy pleasure of wrestling each other.

Finished with that, we scrambled up the couch into a more comfortable horizontal position, all wrapped up in each others' arms. The blanket was pulled over us tightly, the three of us cuddled up snugly against each other. I could feel the gentle heartbeats from both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle, wedged between Applebloom and I without much room to maneuver, sniffed quietly. I swiveled my head slightly to look at her, and was alarmed when I saw genuine tears in her eyes. She sniffed again and said quietly: "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Applebloom asked, concerned.

"For drinking." Was her solemn answer. "My life sucks, and I know I shouldn't be messing myself up instead of trying to fix it, but... It's just so hard..."

"I understand." I assured her, hugging her tighter. "You got all these responsibilities thrown at you that you never wanted. You're expected to be all frilly and proper like a princess should, and you've got all this pressure from the noble people of Eclipse..."

She nodded vigorously. "I never asked for any of this. All I want is to be able to live a normal life, with you guys." She sighed heavily, then muttered: "All the money and power in the world, and I feel like I have nothing."

Applebloom chimed in, patting her on the head while speaking. "Aw, you just gotta not let it get to you. You can't change who you are, and someday, those noble jerks'll get that. Ya just gotta keep on doin' what comes natural and keep your head held high."

Sweetie Belle sniffed again, but was smiling. She closed her eyes and burrowed deeper into the sheets and pillows, an arm around each of us. "I love you guys..." She said, her words muffled. She was asleep not thirty seconds later, and I was quick to follow.

Three

Three

Scratch's Journal

Year 490, Equestrian Calendar

It all began exactly eight years, ten months and eight days before the second civil war of Equestria; Octavia's Time. I was sixteen years old. And in spite of everything, it was a rather nice day.

Octavia and I had the morning off from school that day. We started early anyway, wandering aimlessly around town, doing anything that struck our fancy. We played games, listened to some live music (played some live music), gorged ourselves on sweets, and just generally had a good, pointless time.

In the afternoon, we retreated to our favorite hideaway- the Starswept Cliffside. It was an overgrown, overlooked spot a mile or so from town, overlooking a rocky ravine that had once housed a rapid river. The cliffs were unremarkable to most, but it was a precious place to Octavia and I- as well as Doc, and Octavia's friend Lyra. As far as I could tell, no-one but us four knew about it. It was called the Starswept Cliffside because of its spectacular viewpoint during meteor showers, which I had watched a few of there.

It was the very same spot at which my aforementioned first memory took place, when Doc, Tavi (my pet name for Octavia) and I had been eating ice cream. Doc was somewhere else this time around, but the scene was otherwise similar. I sat at the very edge, my legs dangling calmly over the drop. Octavia was sprawled lazily across the grass beside me, her head resting on my lap.

I stroked her long, jet-black hair gently with one hand, a mint ice cream cone in the other. Octavia's eyes were closed and a smile was on her lips as she basked in the weak, early autumn sunlight. She held her own chocolate ice cream bar, half eaten, over her chest like a bouquet of flowers. Every once in a while she would lift her head up to take a few licks or a tiny bite, then she would flop back down onto my knees.

"Vinny..." She began, using her pet name for me. She was one of the few people in the world who knew first name- Vinyl. This fact, and my time-travel abilities, were secrets that only Doc, Tavi and Raphael knew. By extension of Octavia, I had ended up telling Lyra most of it too, and thankfully she agreed to keep it between us as well. It wasn't as though having people know my name was dangerous or anything, I just thought using my last name instead was cooler. But Tavi wanted to have something more intimate to call me, so when we were alone, I was her Vinny.

"Yeah?" I prompted, since she had fallen silent. She opened her eyes to meet mine, brilliant pools of violet glinting in the sun, round and curious.

"I've been giving this some thought... Is Queen Celestia evil?"

This was, of course, years before any large scale resistance would form, and Celestia was only spoken ill of in hushed voices currently. I also knew that Octavia would, at some point in the future, enlist in the royal army with Lyra, acting as a double-agent for the Moonlight Resistance. I hadn't told her that of course; one of the first things Doc made clear to me about time travel was not to tell anyone specific details of their future. Don't get me wrong, it wouldn't have changed the future- because anything I was going to do in the past has already been accounted for in the future, and in reality, one cannot change fate. Time may have been nothing but a big ball of wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, but there was some degree of linearity to it. What I had to worry about was people's mental state: if someone learned a detail about their future, they would invariably become obsessed with it- making sure it happened, or trying desperately to stop it- and they would waste their lives in that pursuit.

As such, I answered carefully. "Well... It depends on who you ask. A lot of people would say yes, she is evil, but plenty of others would defend her, too."

"But I'm asking you." She insisted. "What do you think about her? And what will become of her in the future?"

"... I can't say I care for her." I replied, deciding it was harmless enough to tell Tavi. "And... Someday in the future, the throne will change hands. That you can count on. Why do you ask?"

"It's just... I've been seeing some of the things she's done lately, and... And I just can't stand by it anymore. The only times she intervenes in other people's lives is to punish them for defying her- otherwise, she just leaves them for dead. So many people have been hurt in this world, and Celestia could have made things better or- or stopped them from happening in the first place! But she doesn't. And she won't. I... I believe we need a new leader, one who cares about their subjects. I don't know what we can do about it... But I know we need to do something."

I nodded sadly. A jolt of sorrow had struck me as she spoke, so vehement about her beliefs. I didn't know exactly when, but sometime soon she was bound to begin her destiny as a double-agent soldier in the royal army. I was happy for her, of course; she would tear through the ranks, earning the respect and love of countless souls, and would live on after the war, right here in her old home. But I was sad all the same. It felt like the Octavia I knew all my life was slipping away from me.

To know someone else's destiny, especially that of someone close to you, is truly a haunting thing, and a part of time travel I would gladly do without.

"I think you're right." I told Octavia. "This country needs change, and the people need to step up and act. Too many people would rather not gamble what they have, and would just as soon sit back and let someone else lead. We don't have enough people who are willing to be the spark."

She hummed lightly in answer, taking a bite out of her ice cream. "Sorry, just... Had to get that off my chest. Thanks, Vinny. I feel much better about my conviction now. I still can't imagine what I'm going to do for it, but now... I know I'll do something."

We lapsed into silence again, but it wasn't an awkward silence. We simply enjoyed each others' presence, basked in the pale rays of sunlight, and finished our ice creams happily. Once she was finished, Octavia sat up and scooted in close next to me, wrapping her arm tightly around my waist. The wooden stick from her ice cream was clutched cutely between her teeth, and it almost sounded like the tiny growl of a small animal when she said 'I love you, Vinny'.

"I know that." I stated. She turned and glared slightly at me. I laughed as I slipped my arm around her. "I love you too, Tavi."

______________

We parted ways to head for home shortly after that. As we reached town, I gave her a parting kiss, before she skipped off cheerily to her parent's large home. It may have been a silly thing to notice, but my lips now carried a distinct minty-chocolate flavor.

I made my own way home as well; Doc's Base 'A'. As I said, we had a few outposts dotted all over the world- small homes that contained little more than two beds, a bathroom, and food supplies. Base A was an apartment in town, surrounded by others so as not to stand out. Having others around did make it seem strange when the base went unused for a while, but most people had gathered that Doc and I traveled a lot. They just didn't know it was through time. Base B was a shack in the middle of nowhere, also Equestria. C and D were in Tellius, while E and F were in Ivoire.

I dug around in my pocket for a moment, then pulled out the old brass key to the apartment triumphantly and let myself in. The apartment had a small living-room area at the entrance, with a set of bunk beds set up in the room off to the side. Strangely, though, two backpacks were splayed out atop the table in the center of the room, halfway finished with being packed.

Curious, I moved over to the table, examining the contents of the backpacks. All the basic traveling supplies one would expect were there: clothes, food, two sleep rolls, hunting knives, a tool kit, a med kit. What didn't add up was why it was being packed up in the first place. We had all this stuff at all our other bases. Why move the belongings out of this one?

"Doc?" I called, not sure if he was even home. I got no response. He must have gone out to grab something else... I wonder what all this is about. Having nothing else to do but wait, I decided to do my part in whatever this was and make sure my pack had everything I would want in it. It wasn't easy, since I didn't even know where we were going. My pack was upside-down, so I wasn't able to see what was underneath, strapped to the back, until I picked it up to shift its contents. What I saw was the icing on the cake of confusion.

My twin battle discs. The only usable weapon between me and Doc. Two things were wrong with this- one was that these discs hadn't existed in this time before now, as I always left them in Raphael's time, and never brought them to Octavia's. Doc could have brought them here easily enough, but that was the second problem: that Doc felt the need to have me armed where we were going.

Thankfully, he chose this moment to bound in through the door and explain the situation. Or at least, that's what would have normally happened. This time, he was all business, moving straight to the packs without breaking stride. He acknowledged me as I moved aside to let him at the backpacks: "Oh, hello Scratch. I didn't think you'd be finished with your date yet. Ah, just as well."

"What is all this?" I asked, getting right to the subject. I didn't speak urgently, despite the fact that Doc was acting as such. I remained more curious than anything.

"We've... We've got somewhere we need to go." He answered vaguely, standing up and facing me. "Some people to help. Some others to stop."

"Where? When?" I asked, detecting and reacting to the seriousness Doc was showing.

"Tellius. Year Four-ninety eight, or fourteen-sixty five over there. There's a bad group making trouble there, and it's imperative that we stop them. They are active in other times as well, and all over the world... But we need to stop them then, there, first."

Four-ninety eight. That was just before the second civil war, the Moonlight uprising. Do we have to stop someone from adding another critical element into play, potentially changing the outcome of the war?... No, we're going to Tellius. This probably has nothing to do with that war.

"There is... One thing that needs to be squared away before we leave." Doc continued, speaking reluctantly, almost pained. "I didn't want it to come to this, but it doesn't look like there's a choice any longer. Scratch... I'm so sorry, but... I think it would be best if you broke up with Octavia before we leave."

Any words in my mind I could have said abandoned me. I wanted to believe I hadn't heard him right, or maybe that he was joking. But I knew I was kidding myself. Doc didn't kid about things like that. But it didn't make any sense.

"Wha-" I stuttered, at a complete loss for words. "You can't be serious! Why?!"

"I'm sorry." He repeated. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. But we're going to be gone for a long time. We'll be in constant danger, and... For the first time in a long, long time, I can't even guarantee we will make it out alive."

Doc's words kept hitting harder and harder. I still couldn't believe what I was hearing. "At the very least, it might be years before we can rest." He continued. "And at most, we might never be back here. I'm not asking you do this for us, but for her. If we leave with her expecting us back, she'll spend years waiting for us, waiting for you to return. She'd experience such heartbreak... But if you sever the ties now, she'll at least have a fair chance to recover and move on."

I couldn't say I ever truly hated anyone before that day, at least nowhere near as much as I hated Doc right then. I wanted him to be wrong, to be playing some sick joke, to be anything but absolutely right.

I knew he was though, and I hated myself just as much for admitting it.

But I wasn't about to do what he was asking, no way. He was the one who brought me together with Octavia in the first place! How could we be blamed that we fell in love? I felt too strongly about her to even think about leaving her. I could still feel her gentle breathing and heartbeat as though she were pressed against me, could still picture her deep violet eyes every time I closed mine... Could still taste the chocolate on my lips.

"And what if I say no?" I rasped. "Not to breaking up with her, but no to leaving altogether? To abandoning my old life here to go fight someone for years, maybe to the death?! What if I just... Don't? You couldn't stop me."

Doc closed his eyes, looking like he truly regretted having to do this, but not letting it stop him. He gave me a mournful look, and said simply, and sadly: "You won't".

My hands were balled into fists, held stiffly at my sides. My teeth were clenched, and my eyes began to sting with angry tears. I wanted to attack him, to keep arguing, to do anything to make him stop, but I knew I'd probably break down and start crying if I tried. He walked over and put what was meant to be a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just... This is what's best for her. For you too."

I had had enough. I wasn't going to stand there and let him do this any longer. Wordlessly, I yanked my arm away from him and stormed over to the door. The door flew open, slamming into the wall, and I turned around for a moment.

"You don't think I'll stay and let you go on your own to get killed?!" I growled, my voice barely level. The first tear began to roll down my face, and I screamed: "Well just TRY AND STOP ME!" before slamming the door satisfyingly behind me. I stormed out of the building without once looking back.

Five

Five

Scratch's Journal

Year 490; Equestrian Calendar

I stumbled through the streets in a daze, empty tears drying on my face. I don't know what I through I could do, but I just couldn't leave things like Doc wanted me to. To go with him and help stop some malevolent force- sure, why not. But if he thought I was going to leave Octavia in the dust for it, he was seriously mistaken.

But... The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. If we were going to be gone that long, I didn't want her to worry herself sick waiting for me... Especially since Doc said we might not ever be back. I didn't want to leave her at all, and my idea of just staying with her and letting Doc risk his life by himself was still sounding pretty good... But deep down, I knew Doc was right. I couldn't. I had to go with him and watch his back. As much as I wanted to remain with Octavia, I knew that the need to keep both her and Doc safe was greater.

And that meant I had to do what Doc said, and break up with her. It positively destroyed me inside to even consider it, but the more I thought about it, the more Doc's infuriating logic made sense. I felt like screaming and running, to find some place where no-one could find me and just ignore the problem, or find a better solution. That would have been cowardly, though, and I already knew what needed to be done for what was unfortunately the best outcome.

Unbidden, unconsciously, my tired legs were bringing me to Octavia's residence. It was a pretty big place: like I said earlier, Octavia's parents had some money. I climbed the short staircase to the front door numbly, a trip I must have made thousands of times that now felt foreign and hostile. I lingered on the front step, almost paralyzed and unable to think, but I forced my hand to rise and clasp the bronze knocker hung over the threshold. It rose into the air slowly, then sounded heavily on the wood of the door. Twice more it knocked against the door, then my hand dropped limply.

Several agonizing seconds passed after the final knock, but then I heard someone opening the locks to the door from the other side. My mind was running in a million directions at once, trying to figure out where I would even start only seconds from now. However, when the door opened, I breathed a tight sigh of relief, granted a few extra moments to think. On the other side of the door was not Octavia, but Lyra.

She was as bedraggled looking as ever, with her minty green hair as messy as if she had only just climbed out of bed (though to be fair, she very well might have) and her bronze eyes scanning me with tired curiosity. With Octavia as a best friend she got treated pretty well, but Lyra didn't have a penny to her name for herself. She was unaccustomed to acting with the grace that came with the influence of money, and either ignored or just plain didn't notice the odd looks she got while in the presence of others meeting with Octavia.

"Huh? Oh, hey Scratch." She greeted at last. "What's up? Didn't you and Tavi just get done with your date anyway? Uh, are... Are you alright?"

"Yeah." I lied, running a hand over the back of my head. "I'll be alright. Something came up, and I, ah, need to talk to Tavi about it."

"Vinny?" I heard her voice echo from further in the house, then she came running a moment later. In spite of the horrible circumstances that brought me here, I couldn't help but crack a smile and open my arms wide as Octavia blew past Lyra and threw herself at me. I caught her and rebalanced myself so her tackle-hug wouldn't send me tumbling back down the stairs.

"Vinny!" She greeted, holding me at arm’s length. The fond smile soon faded from her face as she took me in fully. "Wha- have you been crying? Vinny, did something happen? What's wrong?"

"Tavi..." I started sadly. "I've got some bad news. But, let's head inside, alright? I need to sit down... Oh, Lyra, can you come too?" I included the somewhat bewildered girl standing beside the two of us as an afterthought. "This sorta involves you too."

Octavia nodded, and the three of us walked through the short entrance hall and into the den. An empty fireplace sat at the edge of the room, unneeded in the late summer weather, and several sofas sat around the space around the central fixture. We all sat on one, with Octavia wedged between Lyra and I. Awkwardly, dreading every second as it came, I began: "Doc got ahold of me right after our date... He says he and I've got a job to do, some people to stop."

Both nodded in understanding. It wasn't as though this was a new occurrence; Doc and I had heeded the call of time-bending duty several times before, mostly to put something or someone into place for events to play out in a more favorable way; or, to put it simply, completing the paradox. People tend to over-hype paradoxes, since they almost never happen from a normal person's point of view, but to me they had become just another feature of life, and were easier to pull off and much more common than one would think.

This was no minor paradox mission, however, and both girls saw it in my eyes. I swallowed hard and continued. "He hasn't told me much about the people we'll be fighting, but he made one thing abundantly clear: they are tough, know what they're doing, and will take a lot of effort to stop. He said... He said it may be years before we can rest easy again."

I could feel Tavi's eyes widen in surprise, but I dared not look her in the eye for fear of choking up again. Lyra remained impassive, calculating. I wet my lips nervously, my heart racing with fear and guilt. "He also said... He told me that I should... I should break up with you."

Octavia's reaction was immediate. “What? Why?! Why would he even say that?"

"It's all part of the damn horrible logic of it." I said, putting my head in my palms. "If I don't, and we end up being gone for years- maybe forever... He says you'd worry yourself to death worrying about me..."

"Well you're not going to do it, are you?" Octavia pleaded. A painful moment passed in which no-one spoke, and I could sense Octavia grow more and more panicked and desperate. "Vinny? You're not... Not going to do it, right? Vinny, please talk to me. Please tell me you're not going to listen to him!"

"Tavi..." I began to respond, not daring to move my eyes from where they were locked on the floor. "I hate Doc right now for even suggesting that. I love you more than anything, and I want to stay with you. I want you to be happy. And I don't care if there's some threat looming, I don't want that to come between us.

"But..." I hated to do it, but the truth had finally hit me, and I had to break the illusion I had built up. I could feel fresh tears rising to the surface, but I pressed on regardless. "That's just it. I want to do whatever I can to ensure your happiness in the end. And to do that... I don't want you wasting any of your time waiting for someone who you might never see again. So..." Octavia was shaking her head vigorously in denial, tears beginning to form in her own eyes, only adding to my own despair. "I think it might actually be for the better if you just... Just forgot about me."

"No!" She exclaimed, her voice broken. She threw herself at me across the sofa, burying her face in my shirt and bringing her fist down on my leg a few times futilely. I closed my eyes and swallowed, felt myself losing my own grip, and wrapped my arms around her. Soon we were both crying, wishing there were another way, but I knew that none would be forthcoming. But feeling Octavia's sobbing form against me, remembering all the time we had spent together already, I realized that I just couldn't do it.

To hell with Doc's idea of what was going to happen. To hell with being gone for years, or never making it home. That was quitter's talk. I decided right then that I wouldn't let that philosophy get to me. I would make it out of this alive, and I would get done faster than 'years from now'. I would not abandon Doc, but I would never let this or any mission tear Tavi and I apart.

"No..." I voiced, stronger than I thought I would. I was angry and upset, but I knew where my emotions were going. I spoke while rocking Octavia lightly, calming her. "No. I won't let this happen. Not like this. Tavi, I promise... I will make it back. It might be a while, but I'll make it happen. I promise I'll come back to you. Just... Don't worry about me. Don't wait up. See someone else for a while if you have to, I promise I don't mind. I don't want you to waste time waiting, but I will return someday. Just don't stop living your life in the meantime. Okay?"

She sniffed slightly and looked up, her large violet eyes shimmering beautifully with emotion and tears. "A-alright. I'll try. But... I can't see anyone else. I won't go that far. But I promise I'll just try to move on for a while. Vinny..." She reached up slowly, and we shared a long, drawn out kiss. "Hurry back."

I nodded and we stood up off the sofa. Was what I did the right thing to do? Did I find a better way out, or was I just too weak to go all the way through with it? No, I had to believe I was right, or I'd never live any of it down. I found a way to satisfy Doc, and Tavi. I would help whoever he wanted to help, and would return to the girl I loved afterward. Was that so wrong?

Lyra stood as well, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. I moved over to her next, shaking my head apologetically. "Sorry about that." I said. "That must have been weird for you to sit through. But at least you know what's going on now too."

She nodded confidently. "Yeah, that does kinda make it worth it. Scratch... I'll be there for her. She's my friend too, and I want her to be happy as much as you do. So I'll just... Do my part to help her stay cool without you for a while. Alright?"

"Sounds good." I said, then gave her a quick hug as well. "You're my friend too, Lyra. Don't forget that too quickly."

"Yeah..." She said, wriggling out of my embrace uncomfortably. Lyra was never much of a hugger. "But hey. I don't know what it is you're getting into here, but we'll be rooting for you back here. If you need any kind of support back from this time, you know you'll have it in a heartbeat."

I nodded gratefully, then clasped her on the shoulder in farewell. The two followed me to the front step of Octavia's home. With a final big group hug goodbye, I began my trip back home. As an afterthought, I turned around and called back to Tavi: "Hey, uh, if Doc happens to ask, go ahead and tell him I actually went through with it?" She nodded. Better safe than sorry, I figured. Not wanting to leave with that as my last words for a while, I added "I love you." with a wave, then turned a corner out of sight.

After making amends with Doc after my outburst earlier, and lying and saying I had broken up with Octavia, he decided to let us spend the night at the base, then begin the mission in the morning. As such, I lay awake in bed that night, sleep eluding me. Now that I was able to get Octavia off my mind, thoughts of the actual mission began swirling. I went over the few details I had over and over again, hoping to make some new sense out of it.

All he said was that some people need help, and some need to be stopped. He wanted me to bring the battle discs, so there will likely be some fighting involved, or at least the potential for it. This means the group we have to stop will likely have trained fighters as well. And if this mission may take years- or lives- then it's even more likely that this group has armed and dangerous recourses at their disposal. And... Let's see, he said it was year four-ninety eight that they were most active, but not exclusively then. In addition, they are centered in Tellius at that time. What bad groups could there be in Tellius right now, the occasional bandit pack notwithstanding? I thought there was supposed to be a general peace time there for a while longer.

Eventually I did manage to catch a bit of sleep, and awoke somewhat groggily. One quick breakfast later, Doc and I shouldered our packs and walked wordlessly out of town. I understood that we had to get some distance between us and other people, as two people fiddling around with a couple of floating discs, then vanishing into thin air would be bound to look strange. Oddly though, we kept walking well past the point at which we could have left. Minutes more passed in silence, then curiosity got the best of me and I brought it up to him.

"Ah, yes. Forgot to mention, we've got a bit of business to attend to in this time as well, before we travel. First of all, we must make a trip to the city of Manehattan. There's a very important bit of reconnaissance we need to do. We'll make a few other stops around Equestria as well, before going to Tellius." From beneath his light overcoat Doc retrieved the Time Tables, which soon grew to their full size and floated near him. He quickly adjusted the settings on one of the disks, leaving the other as it was, then held out his other hand to me. "Ready?"

I nodded and took his outstretched hand. His other moved over to the glowing green symbol between the Tables, and with a blinding flash of light as he touched it, we were teleported directly to the fields outside Manehattan. The outer wall of the mighty city was ever-visible on the horizon, the buildings towering over each other and seeming to compete for height, their steel skeletons reinforced with magic for durability. Various light-infused stones hung from street poles and wires, providing a pale illumination for the city in the dark hours. The sun was at a decent height- enough to see by, but it wasn't likely that many people would be out yet if they could help it- so the two of us set off immediately into town.

Doc made his way, seemingly at random and without true direction, through the streets, and I trailed behind curiously. I knew better than to think this was truly random; I knew instead that this must have been some kind of hot-spot, that something was already happening here that we had to be aware of, that we had to track someone without being detected ourselves. Finally, he came to a stop at the back of a building, where a winding fire escape route hung at the edge. "We need a higher vantage point, you see." He explained. "The roof of this building should be enough. After you."

I shrugged and leapt up at the first rung in the ladder, then began to scramble up the rickety iron passage. A sound a few moments later confirmed that Doc was following a short distance behind. I ascended six more floors before reaching the roof, then moved to the center of the building to wait for Doc. He arrived only a second later, and walked past me to the opposite edge of the roof, then started scanning the city below for something.

"There." He said at length. He pointed into the distance of the cityscape, adjusted his aim slightly, and motioned for me to join him at the edge. I stalked over interestedly. "Do you see him? The man on the rooftop a few buildings down, perhaps two stories below us." For the longest time I saw nothing in the pale morning light, even following Doc's gaze... then something shifted some distance below atop the dark roof of a nearby building.

It wasn't a dramatic move, but just enough to alert me to the presence of someone lying stomach-down on the rooftop. I figured just from that small move that this person was doing some reconnaissance of his own, spying on someone from his perch, and had been all night. I hadn't seen him because he seemed to be wearing a heavy black cloak that masked all his features.

"Take a good look at him." Doc instructed. "That man is a member of a group called The Order. The ebon cloak he wears is iconic of this group, and you should exercise caution whenever you see it. The people we have set out to stop are all members of The Order, but let me make one thing clear: All our enemies are of The Order, but not all who are of The Order are our enemies. There are... at least four members that are not sympathetic to our enemy's mission, possibly more. However, there are four that are most certainly against us."

"That's eight that have taken equal sides, right?" I concluded. "How large are their numbers total? And what about this guy, what's his story?"

"Not counting the man below us, there are ten. Two members, both essentially youths... I lack enough knowledge about them to decide definitively where their allegiances lie. That is why we must be careful when dealing with The Order. Do not judge by the cloak alone, nor by their word. Exercise caution, but not overt aggression. Do you understand?"

I nodded in agreement, then pointed down again. "But again, what about him? Is he our enemy? And if so, should we try to disable him now?"

"That man- Lucius is his name- is with our enemy, yes. However, I would not consider him an enemy, nor a threat to us. He is unable to do anything to oppose us, because destiny has it that he dies today. We need not interfere with him. However, he has something we need, so we shall be here when he perishes to collect it."

Six

Six

Year 504 Equestrian

Scootaloo

I gaped in horror as the four Order members marched forward, the blaze of their previous attacks casting vicious shadows across the coliseum grounds. For five years I hadn't seen any sign of the telltale cloak of The Order, though Rainbow Dash had said plenty of time before that we hadn't seen the last of them. I had met exactly three members, back in the war: Tug, the unparalleled ranger and tactician; Max, the stoic guitarist heron; and of course, the legendary leader of the original Wonderbolts, axe-wielding Spitfire. None of those three struck me as dangerous or destructive...

But then, I saw none of them in the four now approaching us. Instead, the figure with the combat-claws stepped forward tauntingly, the reached up and carefully pushed back her hood. A mess of spiky white hair billowed forth over her shoulders, and I noticed a pale grey flame-shaped marking around her left yellow eye. She smirked as she took in the nine performers still gathered in the stadium.

Rainbow Dash practically growled at her as she took another step forward. "Gilda..." he spat, gripping his sword tighter. "So, you finally decided to show your face here again. And you brought backup. I'd say it's a pleasure seeing you again, but... That would be a lie. So, care to introduce me to your friends?"

Gilda laughed harshly. "Missed you too, Dash. We've got some catching up to do once I get a chance. Though can I say, it's still quite a shame that you didn't take my offer to join The Order way back when. You could be standing on this side of the field now... Ah, but it's way too late now. All you are is an obstacle to us now. You're too late to have any part in this, and everyone's too late to try and stop it. Stand aside, Wonderbolts, and you might live to see a new world."

Rainbow Dash's response was to thrust his blade forward and charge, swinging wildly at Gilda, who watched with detached bemusement even as the sword approached her face. She dodged away at the last possible second, throwing Dash off balance as his powerful swing met only air. Gilda brought up her knee to his chest, knocking the wind out of his lungs and sending him reeling.

I nearly jumped into the fray myself, until I realized I was still unarmed. The other Wonderbolts all charged to his aid instead, but so did the remaining three members of The Order. Both teams fought with discipline and teamwork, but I soon saw with despair that the Wonderbolts were outmatched. Three Order fighters fought hand-to-hand, each easily matching two Wonderbolts apiece. The fourth, the smaller man with only a knife for a weapon, stood at a distance, arming what looked like a miniature crossbow. He loaded several bolts into the barrel... Then brought his sights to bear on the Crusaders on stage.

"Run for it!" Sweetie Belle shouted, a moment before I had a chance to. I dropped the guitar and pulled up my jacket over my neck for additional cover, and joined her and Applebloom in their mad dash out of the coliseum. With all the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I was able to pick out every individual sound as we ran: the crunch of our feet on the slightly dry grass, the clangs of each of the many weapons clashing behind us, the click and hiss of the crossbow firing. I grabbed Applebloom's shoulders and dove to the side just in time to avoid the first shot, which flew past and collided with the ground several feet ahead. My heart skipped a beat as it impacted, a large explosion ripping apart the ground.

"Keep moving!" I shouted over the din of battle. "We'll lose him in the city! Go!" Applebloom nodded, scared beyond the point of speech, and scrambled to her feet. I was right behind her as she ran, but Sweetie Belle was already at the doors. She spun around quickly, her green eyes almost seeming to glow in the chaos of battle, and she launched a blinding core of light back at the Order marksman. Applebloom and I ducked our heads, averting our eyes, but we kept running. The coarse shout of surprise from the sniper confirmed he had been temporarily blinded by the attack, and the knowledge gave us the extra burst of speed we needed to catch up with Sweetie Belle and leave the stadium behind.

From there, it was easy to weave in between the tiny alleyways and buildings, keeping our path random but never slowing. I nearly tripped several times, as did Applebloom, but Sweetie Belle didn't show any signs of fatigue. If anything, it seemed like she actually might have been enjoying this, or at least the challenge and rush of it. As we moved through a new side-street, she called back simply: "Castle. We need backup, and our weapons."

She was cut off by another click and whistle, and we barely had enough time to dodge to the side as the opposite wall exploded violently, sending chunks of brick and twisted metal tumbling onto the neat cobble streets and inside the building. The marksman had caught up, and he was likely taking aim again already. Without a word, I grabbed Applebloom's hand and practically dragged her along behind me as we took of once more for the castle.

A few more darkened alleys brought us back onto the main road, where we would be able to get more speed, but would unfortunately be out in the open for the deadly crossbow fire. A few blocks ahead loomed the mighty gates to the castle grounds, behind which stood the castle of Eclipse. The spires and turrets reached skyward alongside their mountainous base almost menacingly, but the numerous sources of torchlight were a welcome sight...

Until what felt like an earthquake rocked the foundation of the road below us. We were all tired from the frantic retreat, and this new development knocked everyone off their feet. My shoulder hit the ground hard, but I barely felt anything from all the adrenaline racing through me. A split second later, the gates to the castle swung open, and several royal soldiers ran forth, although they seemed to be running away from the castle instead of towards the stadium.

"Friends!" A terrified voice shouted, and a fourth figure stumbled to our side. I pushed my battered body to its feet, and was grabbed by a hysterical Luna. "What has happened?! Are you hurt as well? Have they launched another attack elsewhere in the city?"

"Oh no..." Applebloom breathed dismally. "Don't tell me another one of 'em went right for the castle?"

"We're afraid so." She answered, close to tears of panic. "Friends... His power is unfathomable. He alone destroyed every soldier that was stationed inside, save for those who just ran away. He is still in there, pounding away at the doors to the inner tower. He will surely be inside in a matter of minutes..."

I gaped in true terror. The Order was laying waste to the very capital of Equestria, and they were far too strong to stop like this. I spoke shakily, putting hands on shoulders. "Luna, we have to find a way to evacuate. I'm sorry, but it looks like this battle was over before it began. The Wonderbolts are tied up with only three of them, the royal guard is in shambles, and two more of their men are on the loose. We don't stand a chance by ourselves. We have to run, now."

But Luna was shaking her head frantically. "No, no! We cannot do that, not yet! Scootaloo, don't you realize what is happening?! That monster is trying to get in to the inner tower! That is the ultimate stronghold of Eclipse, and indeed all of Equestria! We do not store money or trinkets in that vault, we store weapons, dangers to the safety of our people! The Elements of Harmony are in there, and he obviously wants to take them! They may be our only chance, and we're about to lose them!"

I swore, then looked around frantically, suddenly remembering we were under fire. Strangely, the marksman seemed to have disappeared, perhaps scared off or occupied by the remaining royal soldiers. At any rate, the Crusaders were free, if only for the moment, and I knew we had to take another chance. We had to escape, but we had to save the Elements of Harmony first.

"Let's go." I breathed, readying myself for another run. "We get our weapons, get in there, grab the Elements and anything else worth getting, and get out of the city."

"That guy trying to get into the tower sounds way too strong to fight." Sweetie Belle argued. "We can't just take him head-on. Luna, is there any other way in?"

Luna shook her head, but then thought for a second. "There isn't supposed to be, but... We might be able to use the emergency lockdown tunnels beneath the castle to sneak in. Come, we'll take the nearest entrance, the room where your weapons are stored is practically in between the two."

We nodded tersely and set off to run again, beside me, Applebloom seemed to be panicking more than the rest of us, probably feeling exposed and helpless without her twin katanas, but she was able to hold it together. We blasted past the giant iron gates and through the courtyard, then through the once impenetrable doors leading into the grand castle. The doors now showed signs of taking severe damage, and whoever was now attacking the doors to the inner tower must have blasted his way in.

"To the kitchens!" Luna called back. "That is where the nearest descent point lies!" We made a turn into the halls to the right of the entrance, then another into the vast dining hall. This place, at least, seemed no worse-for-wear. We ran past the long tables and straight for the doors at the other side, through which the food prepared within would normally pass. The doors swung open obediently, and Luna dove to the ground, wrenching aside a loose tile of the floor. "Through this passage!" She said, pointing down to the darkened tunnel now showing in the middle of the otherwise pristine-looking kitchen.

Another mighty tremor rocked the ground beneath our feet, much closer than before. The Order member working at the tower doors must have been making progress. Gritting my teeth, I lowered myself down first and scrambled down the ladder three rungs at a time. I touched down and stepped away from the halo of light shining down from above, giving the others room to descend. The pitch black of the tunnels beyond loomed and jeered at my senses, but I was too far gone to be afraid of the dark now.

Applebloom was the next down, followed by Luna, then Sweetie Belle. The dragon-blooded girl sealed the passage behind her, momentarily plunging us into total darkness. The walls seemed to close in on me for a moment, until she lit a powerful light spell before her, illuminating the tunnel better than a torch could have. "Lead the way, Luna. I never even knew this tunnel existed, let alone memorized where it goes."

Luna nodded and pushed ahead, staying at the fringe of Sweetie Belle's light. "These were dug during the first civil war, in case of the need to hide from barrages to the city, magical or otherwise." Luna explained. "It is regrettable that this attack could not be foreseen or stopped, else they would likely now be in use. Back then, these passages could have housed the whole of Eclipse, city and all, but the population is much greater today."

She stopped near a ladder attached to the wall, then motioned for us to stay as she scaled it quickly. I heard her push aside another false tile, but no light filtered down this time. The room above was just as dark as below. We waited several agonizing seconds, the heard Luna call down from above. A moment later, or sheathed weapons fell to the ground below, eased down by Luna's wind magic. Gratefully, the Crusaders all moved in and armed ourselves: Applebloom with her twin katanas, Sweetie Belle with her bow, quiver and combat knife, and me with my prized spear. I could feel a shift immediately: we were all armed and dangerous, and had much more control of the situation. I balanced the spear over my left shoulder as we waited for Luna to descend.

With the scrape of the tile being put back into place, the dark princess rejoined us, still unarmed herself. While she was a great fighter in her own regard, I knew she abhorred violence and would only arm herself as a last resort. She took a moment to catch her breath, then pointed further into the tunnel. "The tower passage is this way. We cannot have much time remaining, so let us make haste." Sweetie Belle nodded and took off down the hall, the rest of us trailing behind her singular source of light. Luna was right behind directing her, followed by Applebloom and I.

Soon we came to a dead end, and another tremor shook the ground, knocking us all back. It felt like the source was right on top of us, but I could see no way up. Despair began clenching at my heart, and the shadows behind us began to shift and rile menacingly, making me feel helpless in the rough rocky tunnel. Luna moved over to the seemingly blank wall and placed a hand on it, a dark spell emanating from her palm. At first, there was no response, then some ancient mechanism activated, and the rock moved aside into some other crevice, revealing another few yards of tunnel, at the end of which was another rusty iron ladder.

Luna turned to speak, but a fourth tremor interrupted her, sounding this time as though something had given way. A look of horror flashed on her face, then we rushed to the ladder. This time, Sweetie Belle led the way, scrambling up the ladder and slamming with her full weight and inhuman strength against the disused trap door. It didn't budge, and she tried again. Nodding to Luna, she and I added to the effort with our wind magic, and the thing finally began to move, scraping against the other tiles roughly as though it had never been moved before. Sweetie Belle squeezed through as soon as there was a large enough gap, followed closely by Applebloom, Luna and I.

When I reached the top and saw my friend's gazes locked at the far end of the grand chamber we had emerged in, I followed their awestruck looks, and my heart sank into the utmost despair. A figure draped in the very same black cloak of the Order stood at the exit to the chamber, arms folded cockily, barring our escape. The cloak was extremely ill-fitting, as though there were something inhuman beneath it, and while I could not see the figure's face, I could feel the triumphant sneer facing the four Crusaders. Before him floated the six round stones that had once again become the home for the Elements of Harmony. We were too late, he had them. They floated one at a time towards his outstretched hand, then he threw each lazily into the air... And started juggling the ancient, powerful artifacts idly.

He spoke to us, in a low, condescending voice that made him seem like he always knew more than he let on. "Valiant effort, young ones. Such a story it would have made too: a farm girl, street kid and two princesses saving the day... But alas, you are too late. And for your failure, I'm afraid there is a price to pay... I'm sure you remember the price for losing my game, do you not, dearest Luna?"

I turned to her frantically, hoping she could shed some light on this madman's riddle, but she only stared in the most wide-eyed horror I had ever seen. She was without speech, and I could tell she was close to shutting down out of fear. Finally, she began shaking her head, mumbling to herself that this was a dream, wishing she wasn't here, anything to make the truth she had just realized false.

"You're not happy to see me?" the cloaked man asked in mock hurt. "I would have thought you'd be overjoyed, considering we are the only two remaining alive from your time... I suppose true loyalty is dead." With that, he reached behind him, and pointed the end of a huge weapon at her, blood-red and multi-bladed.

Applebloom reacted immediately. "Mac's weapon!" She shouted. "So you're the bastard who stole it off his deathbed!"

He moved back a step, once again feigning hurt. " 'Mac's weapon'? My dear, this is no such thing. The Blade of Blood has been mine since the very beginning of this world. Your dear brother was merely holding it for me. And now... It is once again back where it belongs, at my side, and at the service of the Goddess... Hee hee..."

Alarms were going off in my head, but I wasn't sure what it was. Alive during Luna's time... Blade of Blood... " Who are you?!" I shouted, but I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer.

The Order member laughed wholly, a horrible, gut-turning sound. "I am the voice of the Goddess!" He shouted jovially. "I am the Order's Number One! But most of all..." He reached a hand up to his hood, a hand that I now noticed was not human in the slightest, but more like the claw of an eagle. His hood fell, and I stared in terror at the monster before me. "I am the king of all chaos in this world. You may address me as... Lord Discord."

Luna screamed, and Discord only laughed.

Seven

Seven

Scratch's Journal

Year 480

I gazed intently at the black-cloaked man, a member of this mysterious Order, with him staring intently at something else. "Lucius..." I said, trying out the name. "And he dies today without our influence. So what does he have that we need?"

"His weapon." Doc answered. "A seemingly normal, if somewhat ornamental spear, that acts as a key for a lock that need be unlocked by us. It only does so because its previous owner enchanted the thing, and the lock. Otherwise there really isn't anything special about the weapon; I doubt Lucius even knows of its second purpose as a key."

"So it's the contents of this lock that we want, not the weapon." I concluded, walking away from the ledge. "And we just throw away the weapon afterwards?"

"Essentially, yes." He answered, joining me. "Though who knows? We may have need of such a lock in the future, to seal away some other treasure... No, I recommend we keep the weapon once we've used it. Anyway... We've got the rest of the day until Lucius dies and we can take his spear, so I say we get the rest of our business out of the way first."

I shrugged and moved over to him, as he was readying the Time Tables for another trip. Once again, he only adjusted the location, meaning we were going to stay linear in this trip. He held out his hand, I took it, and we were transported once again.

This time, we landed in a place much less friendly than the fields outside Manehattan, but at least we were already at our destination. The area around us was nothing more than craggy, almost impassable grey rock, as far as the eye could see. Before us was some kind of ruin, just as grey as the stone around it, but clearly man-made. With stone pillars, places for torches and a huge, smooth stone slab in the center engraved with a seven-pointed star, it appeared to be some kind of altar.

"Familiarize yourself with this location." Doc instructed. "We are roughly a mile or so north of the port city of Emberton. This altar before you is called the Quest Bed. It is very important you remember what this is, what it can do and where it is found, but do not ever be tempted to use it yourself.

"This is an artifact from the very beginning of time as we know it, belonging to the system that ruled the worlds before The Crash. You know what happened after that fact, and how the world became as it now is, but I have told you nothing of things before that, have I?"

I shook my head in agreement. "Not much. I do know of how the system worked: that the old world was left to die, and eventually give rise to new life, while the chosen heroes of that world went on a grand quest through a place called Skaia, then populated a new world that they created."

"Yes. However, has it ever crossed your mind that if these young heroes, only thirteen years of age, were the ones to create the worlds... Why do we have Gods? Where did they come from...?" He pointed to the Quest Bed. "Those children are the very same Gods worshiped on the worlds they created. The Quest Bed is the apparatus that yields these immortal beings that are remembered as Gods. By losing one's life upon a Quest Bed, a hero could ascend to godhood and would then traditionally proceed to rule over their world."

My eyes widened marginally. "So all legitimate Gods... Are just the kids who made it through their quest? Ashunera of Tellius, and the unnamed God of Ivoire?"

"Indeed. You also might hear talk from people of The Order, or some other civilians, of a Goddess of Equestria; this girl is also the God-ascended survivor of her own quest, and is most definitely legitimate... Now, after The Crash, the Quest Bed can be theoretically be used by anyone, but only in the way of Dual Godhood, the same way Celestia and Luna became immortal during the civil war. The two participants must both die at the same time, and will be immortal as long as the other is not killed. And as is true of all Gods, one can only truly die if they are killed in a 'heroic' or 'just' manner."

"I see..." I said, rubbing my chin in thought of the tremendous power of the seemingly normal stone slab. "And this one is still operational..."

Doc hesitated before responding this time, as opposed to his lightning-fast replies before. "Yes... But as I said, do not be tempted to use it. Celestia has proven that one person cannot be allowed to hold that amount of power. I tell you of this artifact's power in the case that you discover someone plans to use it- therefore, you know the danger implied and will try your utmost to stop them. It is quite likely that one of our enemies may learn of this Bed's existence..."

He then moved over to the ruin and began moving some of the stones, digging for something. "There's a chest buried around this ruin somewhere..." He explained. "I know, because I helped bury it several hundred years ago. But for the life of me, I can't remember exactly where..." I nodded and dropped to my knees, digging in a different spot. It was slow work, since a good portion of the ancient stone had been weathered into place, so I eventually resorted to using another stone to pry them away from their resting place. Eventually I hit dirt level and retrieved a portable shovel from my pack, then began digging through the hard-packed, clay rich ground.

Doc came over several minutes later to view my progress, then shook his head. "That's deep enough. I know I didn't bury it deeper than that, so it must be in a different spot." I sighed and nodded, took a swig out of my water canteen, then started all over again a few feet to the left. Doc did the same near his own first hole. We worked like this well through the day, stopping once to teleport to a restaurant for lunch, then getting right back to work.

Later in the afternoon, after the rock surrounding the ruin had begun to look like a minefield from all the holes we had dug, my shovel clanged noisily against something below the dirt. It was different than the noise I had received when I hit rock so many times before: it sounded like something else metal, and hollow on top of that. Excited, I called Doc over to see what I had found. He peered down into the two-foot deep hole, and nodded satisfactorily. "Yes, that would be the chest. C'mon, let's finish digging it up, there's goodies inside." He went to work at clearing away the rock on the surface around it, while I focused on exposing more of the rusty iron box.

Unearthing the thing may have been more difficult than actually finding it, but as the two of us gazed proudly at the worn chest sitting before us, I suddenly felt as though it was well worth the effort. Doc could tell I was excited and anxious to see what was inside, so he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small key, the moved to the box and unlocked it dramatically. The lid swung open with a loud creak, and he reached inside to pull out its contents.

I moved towards him to see for myself, and he thrust something into my hands as I approached. I was surprised to see that it was not some valuable trinket or ancient treasure, but a pair of rounded sunglasses. I stared at them, confused, but I had to admit they were rather cool looking.

"This isn't your typical hoard of baubles, Scratch, but the contents of this chest are something to be treasured." Doc said, still digging around in the box. "The objects within belonged to my own teacher, a man called Strider, and are his final gift to you and I."

"Your teacher?" I asked in honest wonder. It seemed like Doc knew everything already... Who could have taught him all that? I had never heard of anyone called Strider. "Who was he? And... What happened to him?"

A fond, but sorrowful look crossed Doc's face. "Strider taught me most everything I know, including the workings of the Time Tables. I believe he was the one that built them. You see... Strider existed before the Crash, on another world whose fate eludes us still. He was one of the four heroes of this world, and when his new world- the prize of the quest- was threatened, and his friends- new and old- branched off to accomplish the tasks necessary to save it, he made the decision to pursue the entity that threatened it in the first place.

“Of the fate of his friends, I know not, but Strider drifted for several years before landing upon our world, which as you know is the combined result of three individual quests. Deciding the only option left was to call this world his home, Strider set in to protect these lands from whatever could not naturally be combated, and eventually took on an apprentice, in a younger me. The quest to find that which nearly destroyed his new home always lingered in his mind though.”

I gazed in wonder at the sunglasses, imagining them resting on the face of this great hero who created the Time Tables and stood guard over our world. "Feel free to wear those." Doc said. "You and he are enough alike that I think Strider would approve." I held out the object with intense honor, unsure if I was worthy to wear these signs of such a great man, but decided that if Doc thought I should, then I could only do my best to be worthy. I affixed the sunglasses to my face; I used to wear shades regularly when I was little, so the darkening of my vision was not severe.

Doc took in the sight of me with this new accessory, and I could tell he was immensely proud of the l sight... but also sad. I figured he probably saw Strider for a moment and was missing him. I still hadn't heard what had become of Strider, but I decided right then not to ask again. My mentor shook his head clear and withdrew a third object from the chest, this one catching my attention much easier. It was a sword- or rather, half of a sword. The blade only traveled past the hilt for a foot or so, before a jagged line cut through the center, severing the rest. The remainder of the blade was nowhere to be seen, as the chest was now empty, save for an empty sheath for the weapon.

The hilt of the sword was quite unusual: it had a long, thin handle wrapped tightly in red cloth for a grip, and the pommel had four long antennae protruding at right angles to the handle and blade at each diagonal direction. Strangest of all was on one side of the pommel, where some kind of dial sat, several alien figures written around the circle. It took me a moment to see it, but the figures were in the same language as the ones the Time Tables used.

Doc swung the half-sword around a few times, testing it for weight. He nodded as if satisfied with its performance, then offered it to me. "Care to give it a try?"

"I don't know how to use swords... But sure." I took the weapon just as gingerly, and swung it around a few times, feeling rather silly. My attention was one again drawn to the dial on the side. "What does this control?" I asked curiously.

"Turn it backward and find out." Doc answered. "But point the blade away from you when you do." I nodded somewhat apprehensively, pointed the broken blade away from me, and turned the dial all the way back. The steel of the weapon glowed with a blue light, which crawled forward off of the blade and formed a continuous line for another two or three feet. The light then cooled to a steely grey... And I realized that it was steel. The sword had fixed itself!

"Not bad, eh?" Doc commented. "Try it the other way." Excited with the possibilities, but still wary of the power of this weapon, I turned the dial all the way to the opposite setting. The new steel vanished, and was replaced with a sharp icy blue light, cackling with energy. The four antennae seemed to be feeding it, tiny bolts of lightning arcing from their tips to the base of the remaining steel.

"That sword is called Caledscratch. It, like the Time Tables, is imbued with strange temporal power, and adjusting that dial restores the blade to different stages of its life. Turning it back makes it go back to before it was broken, and turning it forward brings it to a state of time after which it was fitted with upgrades. Its default state is of course the broken present one."

I returned the dial to its default, then handed the half-sword back to Doc, but he shook his head. "You hang onto it." He insisted. "Neither of us is capable of using it effectively, but you may find someone who could. I'd rather it not be stuck in my hands when I possess no battle ability of my own." He glanced skyward, and I realized the sun had already begun to set. Doc strode quickly to his pack. "Time flies, doesn't it? Heh heh... We need to get moving to catch Lucius as he's going out."

I slung on the sheath in the chest, closing it behind me, and put away Caledscratch. I looked to Doc, who moved over to the chest and withdrew one final object, an utterly normal-looking key, and he slipped it into his pocket. He shook his head and said we didn't need to move the chest or reseal the holes we dug. They would be gone by the time anyone else arrived here. I hefted my pack over my shoulders next, and took Doc's hand.

We were right back where we started, atop the building overlooking the others. However, in sunset, the scene was much more active than at sunrise. I saw Lucius, black cloak swirling in the breeze, standing atop another building nearby, watching the scene unfold on the one he was on earlier. A single swordsman brandished a vicious broadsword, slicing away at an uncounted amount of dark shapes, tall and clawed, bipedal and blacker than night. The swordsman had long, multicolored hair of blue, green and violet, and a brown leather jacket, and seemed to know what he was doing with his heavy weapon.

"Look alive, Scratch." Doc told me. "You're about to witness a miracle." As I looked on, I noticed another figure floating high above the battleground, holding a short katana and flying on sky-blue wings. My eyes widened when I saw his hair: six colors, all the basic shades in the spectrum. Rainbow Dash, hero of the Moonlight Resistance... What's he doing here? Rainbow Dash seemed to make a snap decision, and he dove down for the battle sword first. He was fairly high up, so he was able to pick up an immense amount of speed as he descended. Just as he almost hit the roof, he seemed to slow for a moment... Then a shockwave of energy, as multicolored as his hair, erupted from his point of impact, spreading rapidly through the sky over and away from Manehattan.

"The Sonic Rainboom." Said Doc in awe. "First time the sound barrier has been broken since the civil war, and it's in full color on top of that. This burst of energy can be seen everywhere on the continent right now... Ah, the real show seems to be beginning." I followed his gaze back to Lucius, and saw another figure creeping up behind him, a tiny hatchet in hand. She had sandy blond hair tied back in a simple ponytail and otherwise covered with a cute cowgirl's hat, and gripped her weapon tightly as she approached behind the Order member.

I think it was safe to say I was disappointed in Lucius's reaction time, as the girl was able to reave across his back with her hatchet and send him reeling before he even noticed he was under attack. He recovered at once, however, and lashed back out at the girl, swatting her across the rooftop as though she were just a bothersome insect. She tumbled to a stop at the edge of the building, but yet another figure arrived to stop Lucius from finishing her. This one had brilliant golden hair and wings that shimmered in the dying sunlight, brandished a steel lance, and wore a wide-brimmed red fedora atop her head.

Words were exchanged between the two that I couldn't hope to hear from my vantage point, and the newcomer launched herself at Lucius, who drew his own spear and charged. I knew at once that this spear was the key Doc and I had to retrieve, due to its unusual shaped head and spotless golden texture. Lucius fought against the golden-winged warrior mercilessly, but she managed to hold her ground, activating some kind of blue-energized power-up in the process. The girl with the hatchet dove back into the fray as well, occasionally landing a hit while Lucius was busy with his other opponent.

Doc tapped me on the shoulder. "I fancy that we should find a better vantage point." He said. "The battle is about to move to the ground, and we have to be there to see it to the end." I nodded quickly, wrenching my gaze away from the two separate brawls raging on the rooftops below, and the two time-travelers made their rapid way back down the fire escape and towards the street in front of our building, between the two active ones. My head was craned towards the sky, as I was determined not to miss a minute of the action. All of a sudden, I saw the blonde girl take a dive from her rooftop, and a hoarse scream escaped her lips as she tumbled down past the top floor, then the next...

Then the electric form of Rainbow Dash blasted in from across the street, colliding with the girl and flying through an open window. Oh, that must have been Applejack, one of the other heroes of the war and Rainbow Dash's mate. Doc grabbed me by the shoulder again and pulled me into a side street. "We still don't want to be seen, but we will be able to watch from here." He said. "Our time is nearly here, we just need to wait a few more minutes..."

Eight

Eight

Year 504

Scootaloo

My spear arm wavered. Discord? The very same Discord spoken of in Xekora's legend, the terrible demon that Celestia, Luna, Xekora and the six heroes of old had to all unite against to defeat more than five hundred years prior? THAT was what we were up against now? Had the seal placed upon him by the royal sisters and original Elements finally broken...?

But as I thought about it, it started to make some kind of horrible, sickening sense. Celestia was dead. The Elements of Harmony had changed hands. Why then would the seal still work? The answer was simply, it didn't. Discord was free, and the leader of The Order. Now he had the Elements, and Luna was only mortal again. How the hell could we hope to stop him now?

And there was no doubt in my mind that the demon standing before us was Discord. There was nothing human about him: in addition to one hand being like a claw, the other holding the Blade of Blood almost looked like a morphed paw off of some kind of huge cat. His face was strangely elongated and covered in some kind of short, mud brown fur, and the only normal hair he possessed was a black Mohawk running down the length of his head and into his cloak, and a snow white goatee. He had two mismatched horns atop his head, one like an elk's, one twisted and blue, and had a single large fang sticking out from the bottom-right of his mouth, making his humored sneer all the more vicious and animal. What got me most were his eyes; the pupils and irises were as blood red as his sword, and the whites were in fact yellow. They sparked with a glint of insanity and unmitigated dark power.

"Ah, I see someone managed to preserve my memory all this time and tell the young generations of my power. Celestia did love her censorship, so that means... It was either you, my dear Luna... or that meddling elf, Xekora. But I digress, the point is that you remember me, and therefore remember the price of losing my game."

Luna was in shock, unable to speak, and Sweetie Belle's steady arm was the only thing keeping her upright. Discord's laugh was ever-present, and he seemed to derive enjoyment from her fear. "The price of course... is exile. When you lost years before the civil war, you were sent to wander the earth, only saved by the good graces of the Elements of Harmony. But I'm not one to drop my end of the bargain, and when you defeated me next, you banished me from the world entirely, fair and square. But Celestia seemed to have inadvertently taken up my mantle of chaos after violently seizing the throne from the previous Queen Platinum, and caused you to lose once again, and you were once again exiled, this time sealed away within the world, almost like myself. Now the game has begun anew, and it seems you have lost, dear Luna. You surely must know what happens next..."

I had had enough by that point. I hadn't the slightest idea what I was doing, but I sure knew I had to do it. Spear hefted over my shoulder in a battle-ready state, I stepped forward and between Luna and Discord. I said nothing, but my message was clear enough: 'Back off'. Bolstered by my move, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle stepped into formation behind me, katanas crossed and arrow notched and pulled back, ready to fire.

"No!" Luna objected, choked up with tears of pure fear. "Friends, get back! You mustn't get involved in this!"

"Ah, you've made some friends in these short five years." Discord commented, a new light in his eyes. "How nice. And it seems they are even willing to share in your defeat."

"They are innocent!" Luna screamed. "I know you will not spare us, but please let them go! They have no part in this sick game of yours!"

More horrible laughter followed. "No part? My dearest Luna, there is no longer such a thing as having 'no part' in my game. The entire world is my stage, and all people ever living are players. And those who are not with me... Are invariably against me. And your friends here, the 'Crusaders' was it? They appear to be against me. Unless you four would rather be with me..." He extended a claw in invitation, a dark offer not one of us even thought about taking. "No? Well then, that's that. And you shall all share in Luna's punishment."

With a maniacal grin, Discord leaned down and placed his hand on the ground, which began to smoke with dark resonance. From the earth arose four shadowy figures, with shiny black shells in place of skin, and haunting green eyes. The Elements of Harmony, floating above Discord's head, lowered towards these creatures, and they all four reached up to catch them at once, two receiving one Element, the others receiving two. As the stone spheres touched the hands of these blank forms, the creatures began to morph and change, colors erupting and shifting positions and dimensions adjusting slightly. They began to slow a moment later, once again taking definite shape...

They were almost exact replicas of the four Crusaders, save for the demonic grin on each one's face. The one that was supposed to be me sneered at me, shrugging with an Element in each hand.

Discord stepped aside from the doorway, allowing the doppelgangers to pass into the castle proper. He chuckled, still standing at the door, hand outstretched in mock welcome. "I might go after them were I you, children." he said. "Soon as they escape the castle, the will begin tromping all over the city in plain sight of everyone, before vanishing alongside my men. But in the end, the choice is yours. Ta-ta, Crusaders!" With that, he stepped back into the wall behind him, a mass of darkness swallowing him whole and leaving no trace of his presence, save the lack of six stone spheres.

The four of us exchanged stunned glances, and we knew we were in serious trouble. Those clones were going straight for the gates leading outside, and if they were seen leaving with the enemy... Everyone who saw would think it was us, and we'd have to hide for our lives. A single stunned, fearful nod was all we needed to jump into action and take off running after ourselves.

The halls of Eclipse castle were a wreck. All around us was evidence of Discord's bloody charge through to the vault: mortar and brick torn to pieces as left lying on the path, fires burning from misfired spells... bloodied bodies of countless royal soldiers. We didn't have the time to give those brave men and women a proper honorable pause, but I made a point of nodding to each as we passed, promising that they would be laid to rest soon. First, we had to try and finish what they died starting.

Soon the four of us turned a corner into a large, high-ceilinged hallway, at the end of which was another turn that led into the grand entryway. We were just in time to see our shadow selves round the corner, only fifty or so yards away. A very small sense if relief filled my mind; we weren't too late. We had almost caught up with them, and we had a legitimate chance to stop them and save ourselves. Weapons at the ready, we ran faster than ever after the clones, bursting fourth into the entrance hall only a moment later.

I collided with the ground a second after that. The spear brandished by my doppelganger had been held just below my line of sight, an obvious trip trap that I had managed to miss in my haste. I rolled spryly to my feet, ready for battle, the rest of my team on the other side. But to my dismay, I saw that it was only mine and Sweetie Belle's clones waiting for us; Luna's and Applebloom's were making a break for the exit.

"Scoots, move!" Sweetie Belle barked at me, dodging around her own copy. "We'll fare better if we aren't trying to top ourselves. Luna and Applebloom can handle us, let's go get them, quick!" A furtive glance back showed the two girls nodding briskly, swords drawn. Luna had called upon Xekora's weapon, the great dark-powered sword he was never seen without, and held it with semi-confidence.

I nodded back to them, out of options, and told myself that Applebloom could cover the less-skilled princess. I followed after Sweetie Belle in a rush, as she followed the two remaining doppelgangers. They were almost to the door, while the two of us had only just reached the stairway down, and for a moment it looked like we weren't going to make it... until we both charged a quick burst of magic, wind and light, and launched at them with all our combined strength. The clones were tripped up by the sudden attack, and fell to the ground with a satisfying thud.

Sweetie Belle and I took the grand stairway three steps at a time in our rush to catch up, and my spear was already on its downward arc when Luna's copy was getting to its feet. It hadn't let go of the Element tucked under its arm, but blocked my attack easily with its other. Its ebony wings flared out behind it, allowing it to retain its balance and get back on its feet. Beside me, I saw the Applebloom clone had recovered as well, while Sweetie Belle was doing all she could to pump it full of arrows and light.

I spun around on my hand and kicked the feet out from under Luna's clone, then leaped to my feet and went for a kill shot by jabbing my spear straight down. The doppelganger rolled away a split second before being impaled. My spear stuck fast in the somewhat explosion-weakened tile, but I kept the clone busy with a blast of wind that sent it crashing into the wall, while I worked on getting my weapon free.

The other two clones rushed past from behind us, followed by the beaten and weary figures of Applebloom and Luna. Before Sweetie Belle and I could react, all four copies were back on their feet and out the door. Eyes huge with panic and adrenaline, Sweetie Belle snapped everyone out of their daze by yelling: "Come on! We aren't finished yet! They only just left, we still have a chance to stop them!"

I shook my head clear, having frozen up for a minute, and yanked my spear from the ground. I felt for my other two companions: they were scared out of their minds and obviously just wanted to rest, and I could relate to both feelings, but that simply wasn't an option anymore. If we stopped, we were as good as dead. If we kept going, at least we had a chance.

With a single hoarse but determined battle cry, I brandished my spear and led the way out the doors, followed closely by the rest of the group. The night sky was a mess, with smoke and embers dwarfing the stars, and I knew that the Order had been busy in our absence. All around us we could hear the cries of terror from the people of Eclipse City, people distraught over the destruction brought on by these four lone demons, but my full attention was on the backs of the four clones several paces before me. They may have been fast, but they were mindless creations of darkness, while the Crusaders'

all too human fear and determination kept us going even faster.

Slowly but surely, we began to gain ground once again on the doppelgangers, turning corners sharply and never losing sight of our targets. Soon we were almost on top of them, and I was about to launch a gust of wind at them... Until they decided to screw logic and run straight up the wall in front of us, instead of making a turn. I cursed myself angrily, realizing that they were creatures of darkness and were not bound by the same rules that applied to humans. Without a word, Luna launched herself into the air after them, to continue the chase on the rooftops.

"Don't just stand there!" I said while looking around the street we now waited upon. "They're still heading in the same direction, just up higher now. We'll follow on the ground running parallel to the buildings." I took off back the way we came for a few yards, then turned a tight corner into another side street. Overhead, I could see the tiny figures of Luna and the four copies leaping across the rooftops in their deadly chase, and subconsciously began charging a blast of wind magic in my free hand. As soon as I got the chance to fire and send them crashing down, I'd take it.

I had to skid to a halt a moment later, as the figures above had disappeared from view. Did they turn a corner and I missed it? I thought, growing closer to panic. A few agonizing seconds passed as I tried to figure out what to do, what a good leader would do in this situation, but the answer was soon given for me. From the rooftop above, a lone figure dropped like a stone, wings dragging behind her, and I had to leap forward to keep her from colliding head-first with the ground. Luna had been knocked unconscious while chasing them, blood flowing from a wound atop her head and several others elsewhere on her body.

It only got worse from there. I watched helpless as the clones jumped to the next roof, and realized with a jolt of horror that four more black-cloaked individuals were there waiting for them. All eyes in the city must have been on that rooftop, watching the Crusaders hand over the most powerful weapon in Equestria to these terrorists. Tears stung my eyes, tears of anger and defeat. I felt absolutely useless. Why is this happening to me? Why can't I fly up there and stop them? Why did I have to be born with these stupid broken wings?

I was able to do nothing but cradle Luna's unconscious body and watch in despair through my tears as the eight figures above vanished in a huge mass of darkness, carrying what might have been our last hope with them, and leaving the four of us suspected criminals that couldn't possibly defend themselves.

Nine

Nine

Scratch's Journal

I watched in curious silence as this un-chronicled event of history played out just before me; the spears-woman and Rainbow Dash dueled Lucius straight to the ground, then the broadsword wielding fighter atop the other roof, Rainbow Dash's elder brother, Ultraviolet, dove to the ground behind the group. With a grimace, he drove his sword forward, straight through the black-cloaked spearman Doc and I were after. Lucius collapsed in a bloody heap a moment later, and it was all I could do not to look away in disgust. The three were soon joined by two more, Applejack and another small child, one with snow white wings and soft pink hair. Fluttershy too? I inferred. I never would have guessed...

After a pitifully short threatening session, Lucius began talking, apparently trying to spill every last detail he could before he bled out completely. I guess loyalty doesn't mean much in the Order... I found myself thinking. Lucius told how the Order's overall purpose was serving the Goddess, how their Number Four had run away years ago with a yet-to-be-trained Number Thirteen, and he had hoped to bring back Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and add them to their ranks. He told how the group would not be hunted down for bringing about his demise, of how the rest of the Order did not think very highly of him either, and that they should consider themselves lucky as a result.

He finally passed a moment later, but curiously, his body faded away in a mass of black smoke. I cast a curious look back to Doc, and he shook his head sadly. "Lucius gave his whole being over to darkness to gain more power. His very humanity was lost long ago, and what's left of him is now returning to darkness in his death. Such is the unfortunate fate of a summoner such as him. Some, like the princess Luna long ago, master their darkness instead of being destroyed by it, but Lucius was not that lucky."

We stayed where we were for a few more minutes while the dust settled. The gold-haired warrior, sister to Fluttershy, left the spear sticking up in the ground near Lucius's point of death, then she and Ultraviolet led the three children away from the battle site, most likely back home. As soon as the coast was clear, Doc strode over to the ornamental golden weapon, plucking it from the dirt and holding it reverently. This weapon was the key to another treasure somewhere, possibly a weapon of even greater power, so I understood his actions. He moved back over to me, and I followed him to an empty alleyway where we could travel out without being seen.

"Our next stop is the lock, located in the scenic Island of Evil in Ivoire. Great place to hide things you don't want found, I'll give it that. Once we're done there, we'll rest up at Base C for the night, then get down to real business. Shall we?"

Year 915, Ivoire Calendar

The Island of Evil got its name for a reason, let me assure you. It never really had much growing or built upon it to begin with, but the scars remaining from the demon Sulfur's attack only four years ago were still very apparent. Jagged scars in the earth ran this way and that, many now filled up with rainwater and forming miniature lakes and rivers connecting to the vast ocean beyond. Places where lava had bled forth from the earth had long since hardened into glossy black rock formations. Skeletons of countless monsters, and also humans, lay strewn about, and there was no shortage of discarded wood and steel in the forms of weapons, armor and decaying vessels on the shore.

As dead as the island seemed, monsters of every kind still held sway in parts of the broken land. I unclipped my battle discs from the back of my pack, giving them a spin at my sides to prepare myself for battle. Doc nodded in approval, then pointed north-westward. "The lock is near the coast that way, hidden in a rock in the Dragon's Teeth, the very tip of the reef. There are likely some monster nests between here and there, short a distance as it is, so be ready to defend yourself."

I nodded tersely, and the two of us set off quickly for the coast. For several solid minutes we made excellent progress, moving swiftly and efficiently over the grey earth, unimpeded by monster or obstacle. Until the coast was in sight, we were golden, but the sight of the water sloshing onto the rocky shores of the 'Dragon's Teeth' reef also brought the sight of several muscular manticores and skeletal Cerberi prowling around their territory. I counted eight monsters in total from where we were, and readied my weapons with a sigh. I'd have to fight hard, fast and smart to avoid getting clawed to pieces.

"Goes without saying I guess, but stay back." I told Doc, taking control. "I see a couple good hiding spots where I can snipe all the Cerberi with lightning spells. After they're done for, I'll take the three manticores head on, one at a time. Shouldn't take too long, really." Doc nodded, bade me good luck and caution, and allowed me to carry out my plan. I dashed forward on the tips of my feet, ducking behind each large rock formation or broken hull on the way. The closer I got to the monsters stalking lazily around, the more apparent their presence became- the cackle of magical energy in the air, the foul stench of power and death.

I looked cautiously around the next corner, a Cerberus beast trotting around only a few yards away, and twirled the battle disc in my hand in anticipation. Sparks began to run around the outer ring of the weapon, and when the attack was fully charged, I spun around and threw the disc mightily towards the four-legged skeleton.

A bolt of lightning leapt from the disc and struck the Cerberus in the dead-center of its head, driving the unnatural life out of it instantly. I scampered forward and retrieved the battle disc from the ground, then dove for cover at the next rock. Two more Cerberi were prowling around just beyond, unaware of the one I had just killed. I twirled both discs at once and let loose, both beasts dropping to the ground with a satisfying sizzle.

I continued on my silent re-killing spree, the last of the five cerberi soon falling to my hand. Now only the manticores remained, and I was ready for them as well. By now one of them had discovered one of the Cerberus bodies, and was sniffing around in search of the perpetrator. Little did the creature know, I was standing right above him, atop the rock just a few feet away, a fire spell blazing on my weapons. They sailed forward in unison, striking the manticore at either side of its abdomen, and with a loud, pained roar, it collapsed in a heap where it stood. I cringed when it called out in pain, not in empathy, but for the fact that the other two would have heard it and would be on me in seconds.

Nevertheless, I waited until I sensed them approach, standing stock-still atop the rock, with the remaining two enemies stalking up behind me. When they must have been only a few feet away, I supercharged my weapons with flaming energy and back-flipped clear off my perch, twisted my body to see the two muscular forms below me, and launched the attack at them midair. I twisted back around and came to a rough landing across the way from my enemies, now likely aflame and no longer a threat. But when I turned back to them, I cursed my luck and dropped to a ready unarmed stance again. Only one of the beasts was smoldering on the ground from my attack, the other having avoided the disc entirely. Now he stood between me and my weapons, and he knew it.

He stalked around cockily, savoring the kill, sure that I had no means of fight or flight remaining. For a moment I was inclined to agree with him, but I wasn't finished yet, and a moment's hasty planning gave me an idea on how I could make it out. I stayed in my low stance, ready to dodge to the side if necessary, my hands twitching in anticipation. The manticore growled hungrily, my tiny actions pumping him up for the kill.

He leapt at me from his back legs, sailing powerfully through the air on a direct collision course with me, and I acted. In the three seconds it took him, I unsheathed Caledscratch, put one hand to the control dial with the other gripping the handle, and pointed it at an angle to the monster like a tiny pike.

He sensed the trap immediately, but could do nothing to stop it as he fell, landing on the jagged blade painfully, but not fatally. Gritting my teeth, I turned the dial back, and the sharp steel materialized straight through the manticore, impaling him through the gut and finishing him off. At last time caught up to me, and he fell to the ground with my arms pulled down with him. I pulled Caledscratch from the beast as cleanly as I could manage, then turned the dial back to default. The blood droplets that had collected on the blade now found themselves in empty air, and fell to the ground a moment later.

I shook my head, trying not to focus on that particular death, and walked past him to retrieve my battle discs. I then climbed back up the rock to give Doc the OK signal. He hurried down the slope as soon as he knew the coast was clear, coming to a stop near me and checking me for damage.

"Sorry, Scratch." He said, "I didn't think they were that tough, otherwise I would have had you take them out from a distance."

I waved him aside, almost amused by his unwarranted concern for me. "They weren't. I just made a dumb mistake, that's all. Nothing to worry about. Now, where was that lock? I'm looking forward to a treasure this well-guarded."

Doc nodded and set off towards the reef with me in tow. The waves, clear blue and contrasting the dusky grey of the ashy shore, lapped noisily about as we walked. The jagged edges of the reef stood as silent sentinels of the island, positioned at irregular intervals all around the cove, giving the area its name as the Dragon's Teeth. Doc stopped near one of the stones, and I raised an eyebrow curiously at the formation. Most of these rocky spikes were disconnected from the shore, but this one had a land bridge leading to it. We stepped across slowly, reverently, until we were face to face with the stone.

"See this slit in the rock?" Doc asked. Sure enough, a small gap was positioned at eye-level to me, about a foot in length and less than an inch in width. It almost looked like...

"The keyhole." I stated. "That spear will unlock it?"

"Indeed it will." Doc confirmed. "Now stand back; something neat is about to happen, and you'll want to see it." I nodded quickly and jogged a few steps back, while Doc retrieved Lucius's weapon and readied it, as though to stab the stone. Then he thrust the spear forward and into the opening, turned the handle with the head fully within, and stepped back as well. A tremor shook the earth and water directly around it, with us close enough to feel it but not to be thrown off our feet.

I watched in interest as another opening began to open in the land bridge before the stone, something rising dramatically from the earth. A fist-sized blue orb with a cloudy interior was first to become visible, with four white marble-sized spheres evenly spaced around it, not physically attached but held in place by some magic. As it continued to rise, I saw that the blue orb was affixed to a staff, shiny white and intricately made, three feet or so long and resembling a chess piece in design.

Doc stepped forward stiffly, in total awe of the staff. He stopped just before it, hesitant to even touch it. "The White Staff." He breathed. "Possibly the last of its kind in existence, Black or White. A weapon of cataclysmic power, which probably should have been destroyed eons ago... But I digress. We may need it now."

"Another artifact from before The Crash?" I guessed. The craftwork of the item was very reminiscent of other artifacts of the time, plus everything else we had found today was from then. He nodded, then reverently gripped the staff by its handle and cradled it in his palms. "Is it volatile?"

"Oh, not really." Doc stated. "This thing was made to be nigh indestructible. It's just the weight of concept... This weapon is fully capable of bringing about Armageddon, you see. Or... at least it was. I do not know if it still has that capacity. Regardless, it remains a monstrously powerful weapon, and should not be treated lightly." Doc closed his eyes and remained silent for a long few seconds, lost in thought, then affixed the staff to his pack.

"I believe we are ready to go." He stated, retrieving the Time Tables and adjusting both the time and place destination. "Next stop, Tellius, year fourteen-sixty-five. Shall we?" I nodded excitedly, shifting my own backpack. What sort of state was the great continent of Tellius in? What was this mysterious Order doing, and could we stop them? Whatever the answers were, I felt ready to find them. I clasped Doc's outstretched hand, and the light of travel glinted off my new sunglasses as we left the Island of Evil behind.

Ten

Ten

Scootaloo

My world was falling apart around me. Thousands of possibilities ran through my mind, not a single one of them good. 'We' were seen by the whole city escaping with the people who had half-destroyed it, with the Elements of Harmony in 'our' arms. No-one in their right mind wouldn't think we hadn't just helped to doom our whole country, and they would want us dead as soon as they saw us.

I closed my eyes, still unable to stop myself from crying out of anger at them and myself. The Crusaders were finished, and there was nothing I could have done to stop it. Once again, my stupid useless wings had kept me grounded when I needed them most, and now the price would most certainly be my life.

Luna stirred from where she lay, her bloodied head still cradled in my lap. I shook the fear and depression from my mind, knowing that as screwed over as we all were already, we weren't done yet. We had no choice but to escape now, and if that was the only way I could keep my friends safe, I would take it. I stood at slung her half-conscious body over my shoulder, then turned to my other two friends.

Applebloom was in terrible shape. She had suffered some wounds from the battle as well, her simple but once presentable dress clothes for the show now dirtied and slashed through, stained in places with blood. She had finally given in to the sheer scale of our peril and had collapsed to her knees, crying. Sweetie Belle, in much the same state physically but totally walled-off emotionally, was right there with her, arm around her comfortingly, trying to console the poor girl.

I shook my head sadly. None of us, but especially not her, deserved this fate. She was just a simple farm girl at the base of it, and never should have been involved... I had to do everything I could to fix things, to clear our names and return her- all of us- to the life that had just been stolen from us. But for now, we had to run.

"C'mon Applebloom." Sweetie Belle whispered, pulling her to her feet. "We gotta go."

She sniffed and nodded, and we started off for the nearest exit from Eclipse, me lugging Luna beside me and making us that much slower. Where were we going? What could we do now? No-one really knew. We just knew that we couldn't stay here.

We were a few blocks away from the south gate when we heard someone call for us, one at a time, from above. It only took me a second to realize who it was, and the three of us stopped short. "It's Dash..." I muttered. Hope flared in my chest, because I knew Dash would understand and try to help us in our plight. I didn't know what he could have done to help us, really, but I was immensely grateful to have his support.

The colorful warrior dropped from the sky and came to a shaky landing before us, then ran forward to make sure we were alright as soon as he recovered his balance. To my alarm, I noticed several nasty looking claw marks that ran straight through his clothing and left scratches in what armor he wore. He noticed me staring, and waved in dismissal. "Don't worry about me. We traded wounds, but the ones Gilda went home with were much worse. Now what just happened to you in the castle?! I thought I saw you..."

"That's... what they wanted you to see..." Luna managed to say, having come back around beside me. "They... wanted to frame us..."

"The Order is getting ready for something." I stated, sure of it now. "Their leader, Discord- the same demon that only the ancestors, Celestia, Luna and Xekora could stop- stole the Elements of Harmony and set us up to be framed for it. The attack at the stadium was just a distraction. But... we weren't able to stop them... The clones he created got away and now they have the Elements..."

Rainbow Dash sighed, then moved over to me and gave me a comforting pat on the back. "You did all you could." he said. "No one could have asked for more. This isn't over. We will find them and stop them, whatever they're up to, get the Elements back, and fix things here. But until we do, I think you four need to lay low. Some people already think it was you, and word is going to travel fast.

"Oh, and Sweetie Belle? Your sister and King Blake were shuttled out of here at the first sign of trouble, and they're already at a safe house. But before she left, Rarity managed to get this to one of her soldiers, who gave it to me when he got wounded, to give to you." Dash reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object attached to a small-linked, shiny chain, and handed it to Sweetie Belle. She opened her palms to reveal the familiar glassy butterfly chain signifying her family and- by extension, the country as a whole- the Icarus charm. "She wanted to keep you safe, since they didn't have time to find you and take you to the safe house as well. I feel the same way now more than ever, and you should keep that with you to protect yourself and the others."

"What will we do though, Dash?" I asked. "The Order- whoever they are- is getting ready for something big, and I don't know how we can stop them."

Dash closed his eyes in deep thought, then sighed heavily. "Dammit all, he was right all along. That little sneak from six years ago..."

"Dash, what're you talkin' about?" Applebloom asked, her tears dried. "Do you know somethin' you haven't told us?"

He shook his head, then paused and opened his eyes. "Remember before the war started... During the meteor shower, that kid in the fake Order cloak showed up with a second charm and left? Then I went to find him, and we fought? Well, he told me some stuff. He told me he traveled through time and that this was going to happen, that I couldn't do anything to stop it and wouldn't even have a major part in the conflict. He told me I would help him indirectly by training the ones who would help directly... Now I think those people are you kids- Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Luna- you'll do something to stop them, I just know it. Scratch was right about everything else, after all..."

Scratch. I stored the name away in my memory for future reference. "You can't help directly?" I asked. "Why not? Just because some time traveler told you so?"

"I was wondering that for the longest time." He answered. " 'Why would I not help save the world? How could that ever happen?' Well... I hate it, but I got my answer, and I'm afraid he's right. I cannot go with you and leave Equestria to fight The Order. See... Oh, I'll just be frank with you. Applejack's pregnant. I gotta stay back and guard her with my life, even more than before."

For the first time in what seemed like ages, a genuine smile crossed my face. A piece of good news for once. Even better, Applebloom's face lit up- a welcome sight- and she ran up and embraced Rainbow Dash warmly. I was inclined to do the same. Despite all this, at least we had this to look forward to; a little baby niece or nephew in the house. Dash ruffled Applebloom's hair and held her around him for a moment, then separated from her and looked to the star filled horizon beyond the city.

"Stay here, in that alley over there for a minute. I'm going to go find the rest of my guys and Applejack so we can get back to town. I need to set you guys up to hide for a while, and figure out where to send you until we clear your names, but I might have an idea. Just sit tight for a little while, I'll be right back. Scoots, do you think you can get Luna fixed up for me?"

I nodded, shifting the injured girl leaning on my shoulder. He nodded back in thanks and turned, then launched himself into the air in the direction of the stadium. The four of us ducked into the alley, away from any prying eyes potentially searching for us, and I set Luna against the wall to set to work. She'd lost a lot of blood already, but not yet a life-threatening amount. I tore my fortunately flimsy dress shirt to pieces and used the strips to dress the wound on her head and arms. Sweetie Belle stood watch just beyond the light of the street, idly toying around with the Icarus charm in her hand.

"So, who wants to fly back with me?" She asked, clearing the air. "I get a free pair of wings with this baby. 'Course, we won't be lacking in flyers if the Wonderbolts are coming back with us, but still. Live a little."

I shook my head, still a little sore about my latest wave of self-pity about my own inability to fly. It would have been pointless to ask to borrow her charm, since it didn't work on people who already had wings, though Applebloom probably could have used it if she wanted to. I allowed myself a brief respite as we waited, sitting up against the wall beside Applebloom and Luna. I heard various hoarse cries from the city, of people mourning the terrible loss that had wrecked half of the capital city, likely delivering a major blow to our morale more than anything else. I prayed that they would not have seen where we went and would try to come after us for the crime.

To our good fortune, the only people we saw before Rainbow Dash's return didn't see us. They all ran straight past our hiding place, eager to get out of the city. I groaned internally, knowing that news of this incident- and our supposed involvement- would be all over the country pretty soon. However, soon the ones who knew the truth arrived once again; Rainbow Dash, along with Applejack and all five other Wonderbolts.

Applejack was worried, that much was plain for anyone to see. She didn't say a word, but stumbled towards us and managed to get tangled up in a big group hug with all four Crusaders. To be honest, even though we were in public, with the majority of the present company being other guys, I didn't feel embarrassed about it. I was as scared as everyone else. Applebloom, closest to her sister, raised her head and broke the silence once again. "Is it true? Dash said you're gonna have a baby!"

Applejack laughed warmly in spite of herself and nodded. "Sure am. We didn't wanna tell you for a while yet, just to surprise you, but... Well, things've sure changed just now. You should at least know why we gotta sit tight back here for now. Then, when everythin's said and done, our family'll be one bigger!"

We all separated and moved from the alley, the Wonderbolts waiting for us. Rainbow Dash nodded. "They've all been told what actually happened, so you don't need to worry about them. We'll get back to town faster if everyone hitches a ride with one of them, so take your pick." I nodded and looked around. I would honestly rather gone with my brother, but I understood that his pregnant wife needed him more right now. Instead, I moved over to the junior-most but promising member of the team, Rapidfire.

Once everyone had buddied up, the party took off through the southern gates, the air quality clearing up immediately when we exited the now smoke-choked city and into the empty fields between. The stars gazed down upon us, twinkling with hope against the tragedy around us. Over the grass and plains we soared, an hour or two of pained silence dragging by moment by moment, until our home town came into view. The lights were mostly doused and the night calm, and I exhaled gratefully. Word hasn't reached here yet. We can rest for a little while.

We touched down just beyond the gates, and Dash addressed all of us. "Get what you need with you, everyone." He said. "Sweetie Belle, head to the Icarus mansion and tell your family what happened. Luna, Pinkie should have some of Xekora's things at her house; take what you think he would want you to have, and tell Pinkie and Kyle what happened, and that I need their help. Scoots, Applebloom, if you don't have anything at the other house, come back to the Acres with us so Applejack and I can suit you up. And team... Head back to Eclipse. If it looks like we fled the crime scene, it'll just put more innocent people on the accused list."

Everyone nodded and set off for their individual missions. The whole Apple family began the short walk back to the Acres. I briefly wondered what in the world we would tell Granny Smith, but realized she'd most likely still be asleep by the time we left. We weren't supposed to return until tomorrow evening, so she wouldn't be awake expecting us. Dash and Applejack would think of something. We passed through the gates silently and entered the house.

I took a long moment to take in the interior of our home, though nothing had changed since the last million times I'd seen it. Everything was so familiar and welcoming... When would the next time I saw it be? When would I see any of this again? The living room was just the same, flooded with memories; sleepovers with Applebloom before we became siblings-in-law, huddling together with her and Dash and Applejack out of sheer terror of the impending attack from Eclipse six years ago, the Crusader's first audition as a band... The list went on, and I felt a slight twang of heartache. I couldn't get back here fast enough.

Our guardian siblings disappeared down the hall to dig for supplies, leaving Applebloom and I alone. I turned to her sadly, meeting her big brown eyes and communicating levels of fear and trepidation. I put a comforting arm around her. "We'll be okay." I assured her. "I'm sure this'll blow over before too long, and we'll be able to join the real fight against The Order."

Rainbow Dash returned a moment later with a bundle of clothes wrapped up in a blanket. "We'll get your supplies packed up in a minute. For now, travel clothes, and also a keepsake and good luck charm." First, he moved over to Applebloom and removed two objects from the bundle, and my eyes widened in surprise; Dash's favorite cloth jacket, and Applejack's hat. Dash put both on his awestruck little sister, and it looked like they were both a perfect fit. She looked incredibly adorable in them, I had to admit, but I was feeling a little left out. If she got the trademark stuff from both him and AJ, what was left for me?

When Dash stepped over to me to give me my answer, my jaw dropped; the leather jacket symbolic of Dash's martyr-esque older brother Ultraviolet, whose levels of awesomeness can only be theorized at. The piece had been cared for meticulously over the years, and the fact that Rainbow Dash was giving it to me now was mind-blowing. Nevertheless, I took the jacket reverently, slipping it over my shoulders and wiggling my wings through the tailor-made slits in the back.

"Dash..." I started in genuine awe. "I think this may be the greatest present you have ever given anyone."

Rainbow Dash looked both amused and confused. "I gave you a house for your fifteenth birthday." he pointed out. I responded simply by saying 'I know.' Dash laughed and gave me a fake punch on the shoulder. "Glad you like it. I'm sure Vi would be too. Now let's get the rest of your stuff packed."

I nodded and hurried off to my room to find anything I absolutely needed with me. The first thing I grabbed was of course my guitar; if we were going to be hiding somewhere for a while, we would need some entertainment. I couldn't think of any other keepsakes I owned or belongings worth taking, so I just grabbed a bunch of clothes and walked back into the living room.

The next twenty minutes or so were spent packing our backpacks full of supplies for our temporary exile, mostly in silence, but we were all glad for the company. At last, the two elder siblings felt satisfied that Applebloom and I were prepared, and began to lead us out the door to meet back up with the others. However, Rainbow Dash stopped me halfway out the door, lowering himself ever so slightly to meet me at eye level.

"Are you okay, kid? Mentally, I mean. A lot's happened just now..."

I looked away and didn't speak- didn't move- for the longest time. I was afraid someone was going to ask me that eventually, and I still didn't have any decent answer. Truth be told, I was pretty much a wreck, with all the stress of being framed for attacking the country from within, plus feeling so dejected about being able to do nothing about it with my worthless wings. To think, just this morning, I had been snuggled up nice and tight next to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in our clubhouse, not a care in the world...

In spite of all my attempts against it, I started to cry yet again. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to staunch the tears before they started, but it didn't help when Dash moved forward and wrapped me up in a consoling embrace. "You'll be alright, kiddo." He whispered. "I know you'll be fine. You won't let this break you down; we'll find a way out, and you won't have anything else to worry about..."

My arms wrapped around him in turn, my face buried in his chest, and for the first time in a while I didn't try to stop myself from emptying all the tears I had. I just didn't have the energy or willpower left in me anymore. I wanted so badly for this whole ordeal to just be over with, for things to go back to normal... But deep down, I knew that even when the dust settled, things would never truly be the same, and that fact killed me even more. The two of us were virtually motionless for several minutes, the only sound me sniffling in attempt to cut off the tearful display.

Finally, I felt as though I was good and finished, and just wanted to get going. Rainbow Dash and I left the house, and soon the Acres, heading towards the town square where everyone else would be waiting.

Eleven

Eleven

Scratch's Journal

Fields of Grann, Tellius; Year 1465

The Time Tables dropped us off as quickly as they had picked us up, among the grassy knolls of the country of Grann. Unlike the desert after which this independent state was named, this area was known for rather pleasant weather, though some of the southern section of the state was still desert. It was founded shortly after the Goddess War some eight hundred years ago by the people then known as the Branded; people with both Laguz and Beorc blood running through their veins, a different breed of humans entirely. They took on the normal unremarkable appearance of their Beorc ancestry, save for a mark somewhere upon their person that served as the sole physical manifestation of their unusual blood. The lifespan of their Laguz blood was also passed on, making it difficult for them to fit in with other Beorc because of their slow aging rate.

For the longest time, the Branded were cast down and hated by all major civilizations of Tellius, even more so than were the animalistic Laguz by the Beorc. They drifted from place to place in the Beorc countries- Crimea, Daein and Begnion- never staying for too long or growing close to anyone. They dared not set foot in Gallia, Goldoa or the Bird countries, for the Laguz's acute animal senses allowed them to detect the mixed blood almost instantly, and they treated the Branded as though they did not exist. Such was the solitary and tortured life of these children of circumstance back then.

However, just after the Goddess War, two major players changed all that: Queen Micaiah of Daein, and the drifter Stefan, eventual founder of Grann. Both Branded themselves, they were perfect to sympathize with the plight of their fellows, and when Micaiah took over the abandoned throne of Daein, she was put in a position to do something about it. Stefan- leader of a group of Branded living in a village in the Grann desert and off-the-map- had traveled with the young queen through the end of the war, and received massive loans and assistance from Daein and Begnion, led by Empress Sanaki, close friend of Micaiah.

With these tools and allies under his belt, Stefan was able to found the relatively small country of Grann- a safe haven for all Branded people, but welcoming of anyone else as well- and became its first king. Grann still to this day served as the ultimate in neutrality in the entire world, anyone and everyone welcome within its borders, though much of Tellius had begun to warm up to these ideals as well, and the need was not quite as demanded as it once was. For the most part, the vicious racism in Tellius had managed to be swallowed up by time; the terms 'Beorc', 'Laguz' and 'Branded' were almost never used outside a technical sense, and everyone was simply 'a person'. It never ceased to amaze me how well they were able to shape up.

Our Base C was located here in Grann, and that would be where we stayed for the night. Base D was just about on the other side of the country, in the heavily wooded kingdom of Gallia. The new calmness applied to Laguz nations as well as Beorc ones, and Beorc were just as welcome in the beast country as the beast tribe was elsewhere.

"So, where do we start?" I asked, shifting my pack uncomfortably. "Those Order guys are doing something here, right? There's a lot of ground to cover still."

"Fear not." Doc said dismissively. "Tomorrow afternoon is when we need to be somewhere first, and the location is in southern Grann, within the desert town of Kakori. It's literally within walking distance from base C. We'll rest up for the night, get an early start tomorrow, and begin our grand quest then."

I nodded, suddenly realizing how sleepy I was and how long the day had stretched on already, and shuffled along behind Doc as we made our way to one of our two Tellian outposts. We passed through the grassy field, a preserved park among the rather densely populated state, and soon the cool late summer breeze gave way to a slightly chillier, stiff desert air. We hadn't actually entered the desert proper yet, but the change in air quality was noticeable. The star-filled sky illuminated our path, glinting off my sunglasses.

Soon we reached a medium-sized town, the home to base C and a stepping stone between the fields and Kakori. The two of us navigated through the paved streets and to our home, Doc opening the door with the same old brass key that went to all six bases. I dropped my pack by the door and navigated quickly to my bed, then dropped onto it and passed out almost instantly. It had been an insanely long day, beginning an eternity ago with starting my date with Tavi...

The next morning started early, but was easy. We ate a full breakfast before taking off, leaving the town behind and hitting the road to Kakori. The two of us walked along the road- paved, but growing ever dustier- and the grass along the sides gradually gave way to sand. However, we never really found ourselves outside of civilization, though the buildings did thin out between the two settlements. When the spaces between grew smaller, we knew we were getting close to Kakori.

A stiff wind buffeted me as we stalked the streets, a sure sign that we had arrived. Another was the actual physical sign saying 'Welcome to Kakori'. I stuck my hands in my pockets and turned to Doc. "Well, we made it. What now? The Order is around here, right?"

"Not exactly." Doc corrected. "An attack by them is bound to occur today, but it is no more than a probing attack manned only by creatures of darkness. If we act swiftly and intelligently, we can deal with the whole troupe and go unnoticed by the Order entirely-"

Just as he was finishing, a sudden crash from further into the town reached my ears, followed by a scream or two. I cast a single alarmed look to him, and when he nodded tersely, I drew my battle discs once again and charged headfirst into town, in the direction of the noises. For a few moments, silence had fallen over the dusty town, but soon I was able to make out the sounds of combat, and the occasional crash of something ramming full-speed into something else. Soon I was led into a clearing, once a busy plaza, now bust only with fighting between a few local soldiers and countless dark forms. They were rather tall, with lanky arms ending in sharp claws, which lashed out at anything that moved. The few police soldiers still standing were taking heavy damage, their spears impaling the creatures well enough, but their armor being ripped to shreds all the same.

However, another figure not wearing the uniform of city guard, was holding his own much better nearby. He instead wore a light windbreaker jacket and white cloth wrapped around his forehead to protect against the weather. Even from where I was, I could make out his striking blue eyes and rather pointed nose, and saw some shaggy black hair poking out from beneath the cloth on his head. He moved efficiently in battle, dancing around the enemy's attacks and lashing out with his weapon: a short, curved blade, metal as blue as the sea, held in alternation between normal and backhanded position.

This fighter allowed no creatures to pass by, tearing through one after another, eventually managing to gain some ground towards the center of the plaza. I decided to stick close to him for both our protection, and lit a fire spell on my battle discs before leaping into the fray myself. I spun around on the heels of my feet, slashing through and destroying the weak but numerous shadow forms, brutally fighting my way over to the unknown warrior. When I drew near, our eyes locked for a split second, long enough for him to nod in acknowledge me, then he went right back to the battle.

I moved in behind him, and the two of us fought back-to-back against the oncoming creatures. There were too many of them to count, but the fact that they were so weak individually made it a simple fight, albeit one that dragged on for ages. We both fought as efficiently as we could, not using up any more energy than we had to in order to kill the current wave of shadows and brace ourselves for the next. Their claws raked at us, only occasionally landing a hit, but the threat was all too real. My battle discs and his sword were the only things keeping the two of us from being ripped to shreds, holding the beasts just out of the range of their claws.

At last, I could feel the crowd begin to thin out. The swordsman and I pushed with all our remaining energy against the creatures, felling one after another, and with one last mighty slice, the last of them was destroyed. We both stood panting from the effort, still back to back, until the surviving local police force and townspeople came out of the woodwork to give us a huge round of applause. With that- a sure sign that the fight was well and truly over- the swordsman and I turned to each other as equals.

He spoke for the first time since I first saw him, with an odd accent but roughly the same dialect as others from Tellius. "I'm impressed." He admitted. "You held up well, especially with such unusual weapons. Who trained you?"

"A wanderer from Ivoire." I answered simply. "I could say the same for you, good sir. I've never seen a fighting style quite like your own. May I ask where you learned to fight, and your name?"

He dropped his gaze cooly. "I taught myself," he answered, "and no. I'm afraid you may not ask my name. I will show you as much courtesy in turn and not ask yours."

I sniffed slightly. It always annoyed me when I wasn't able to extract even the slightest bit of information out of people, as it made keeping track of them extremely difficult. He shrugged in a manner that I took as apologetic. "It's nothing personal. I don't tell anyone my name, except for those closest to me. It's a simple matter of security, and I'm waiting for a very specific person to arrive before I open up. You're not them."

"Scratch! Very well done!" I heard Doc call from across the plaza. The swordsman froze, a look on his face that started out puzzled, then slowly gave way to anger.

"Doctor." he practically growled, then spun around and ran towards the taller man approaching us. His curved blade remained sheathed, but he grabbed Doc by the collar with both hands and held him within a very small distance, unable to lift him off the ground simply because of height. I started with alarm the moment I realized Doc was under attack, but he simply laughed and locked eyes with the swordsman without concern.

"Ah, my old friend." Doc greeted him. "I thought we might bump into you today. How go things?"

"We're not friends, Doctor." The swordsman stated. "You know full well I only do this because I lack any other choice. Now, I know that with your gallivanting across time, your own clock can get a little confused, so let me put things into perspective for you. I have been waiting here, without a single sign of you or the person you told me to wait for, for four years. Four years since you brought me here, left me with some vague prophecy and left without ever looking back. Now that I've got ahold of you at last, I intend to finally get some answers out of you."

"I see." Doc answered. "Yes, I can see why one would be rather frustrated by these circumstances. Very well, then, release me and I will do my best to set your mind at rest."

The swordsman released Doc at last, and the taller figure dusted off his clothing gently while the other began. "Right. So I've basically come to terms with my own existence here and the purpose you've decided to give me already, so I won't waste your time with becoming depressed. But I have to know: how much longer must I wait before my time to act arrives? And when all is said and done... What will become of me? Of everything I've worked for?"

Doc sighed. "I'm afraid you may not care for the answer to those questions. Unfortunately... you're not even halfway there yet." The swordsman's jaw practically dropped. "You've around six more years to go. But fear not, for when that time comes, you will know precisely what to do, and your destiny afterward made clear."

"Six more years..." the swordsman repeated in a whisper, "What am I supposed to do until then?! Just sit and twiddle my thumbs?"

"I trust you're capable of keeping yourself busy. You have the young boy to keep you company, do you not? And if I may offer a piece of advice, keep a close eye on the relations between the countries of Tellius: Crimea, Daein and Grann in particular. To put things simply and to not break the continuity of things, soon you will find yourself quite without the need to occupy yourself."

" 'The Young Boy'..." he repeated. "So you know even about him. I shouldn't be surprised, of course. He can be a handful sometimes, but... Yes, I can keep myself busy with him. And... What of my other question? What happens to me after all this is over?"

"That all depends on how you choose to act when the time comes. You may well die completing your mission, but at the same time, you may slip through death's grasp. The potential and tools for you to live on will be presented to you, and it is up to whether to use them, or try your chances without."

"Seems kind of like a no-brainer to me, but I'll take your word for it." the swordsman answered. "So, is that it? You're just going to drop in to tell me to wait for six years until I can choose whether or not to die?"

Doc thought for a moment, then nodded. "Pretty much. Trust me, though, you'll hardly notice the time go by. It's all about having fun getting there, so they say."

The swordsman folded his arms, then huffed and started to walk away. "Fine then. If that's all there is, I'll keep playing along to your little game. But believe me when I say I intend to win."

Doc shook his head as the swordsman walked away, then said under his breath: "Believe me, the game we're all trapped in is far worse, and I can only wish it was me pulling the strings..."

I stepped forward, somewhat apprehensive. "Who was that?" I asked.

Doc sighed lightly. "An old associate of mine. The poor boy has been through a lot, more than you can imagine, but through a deal with me, I think he will be able to find peace. He has one last role to play in the grand destiny of the world, as do we all." Doc shook his head, then smiled and held out a hand to me. "Well, today's work is done. Tomorrow, we begin reconnaissance against the Order. Shall we be off?"

Twelve

Twelve

Scootaloo

Just about everyone I knew was in the square when we arrived. Luna had brought Pinkie and her boyfriend/roommate Kyle as requested, and had received a clothing upgrade as well. Xekora's old garment, the pitch-black hoodie emblazoned with a golden triad, the trophy of his godhood, hung loosely on her shoulders. Luna had one like it once, but lost it upon being sealed away by her demented sister. The excessively long hood dragged on the ground behind her, and Xekora's dark sword and dagger both hung at her belt.

Sweetie Belle had returned with her eldest sister Opal, and her father Fafnir. She had been set up with most of her dad's old stuff- his Goldoan vest and headband- and with them on Sweetie Belle had started to look rather pirate-y. She also still carried her bow and arrows, as well as the Icarus Charm around her arm.

Also in the clearing were Spike and Fluttershy, who must have heard about what happened from someone. Fluttershy was a few month's pregnant as well, so we probably couldn't count on much help from her or Spike. Still, they had come to see us off all the same. The Scrabbit, Angel, had come as well, in most ways Fluttershy's adoptive first child. He hung out with the Crusaders on occasion, since he was only a year younger than most of us. Oddly enough, he had brought his weapon- a scythe still twice as tall as he was- probably just for a personal sense of security.

Rainbow Dash approached Pinkie and Kyle quickly. "Is it ready to go? Did you need any extra energy to power the thing?"

She shook her head. "It's ready to go. We've got more than enough fuel to get where we're going and back again. If everyone's ready, it's parked just on the fringe of the forest."

Parked? What are they talking about? I wondered, as the group moved through the streets in the opposite direction to reach the borders of the EverFree forest. When we emerged through the eastern gate, at least half of us stopped short. Before us was some kind of gigantic balloon, with a solid wooden basket at the base keeping it tethered to the ground. It looked like there was enough room in the basket for several people to stand, and as it turned out, that was exactly what we would be doing.

"Took us quite a long time to figure out exactly how to do it," Kyle explained, "but after studying the technology down in Cloudsdale for a while, we were able to draw up the schematics for this balloon-transport. This may only be the prototype, but we've successfully tested it dozens of times, so don't worry, it's safe."

"Woah, so we're going to fly out?" I asked. "Won't that be a little conspicuous?"

"Not while we still have the cover of night." Pinkie answered proudly. "And by the time morning comes, we'll be too high up and far from here for anyone to care about us too much."

"Where were you planning on going?" Angel inquired. "Though I think I have a guess."

"You're probably right, too." Dash answered. "All of Equestria is going to be looking for these four before long, so we're simply going to have to remove them from Equestria, at least for a while. Ivoire is closest to us, and we can get you there within a day by use of this balloon. We wouldn't want to leave you sweating on one of those desert islands, so we've arranged for enough energy to get you all the way to Windmill Promontory."

Angel cast a glance back at Fluttershy, who, after a moment's hesitation, nodded in sadness and resignation. "Then, I'd like to go with them. If they're going to be hiding out in another country, they need someone who knows how things work there, plus someone who isn't wanted to act as a messenger. The way I see it, I'm the best one for the job."

"It won't be too dangerous, right?" Fluttershy asked. "I mean, they'll just be staying in a quiet town while we sort things out, then come right back?"

It was Opal's turn to smile and nod. "That's the plan, yep. It was too risky to try and take any amount of money from the Eclipse treasury, so we took some gold directly from Icarus instead. You've got plenty enough to rent out a couple of rooms at the local inn for a week or two while we clear your names, and enough left over to live fairly comfortably too. I can't really see this mess lasting too much longer than that."

"We'll come back for you as soon as the coast is clear, then we can get back at these Order bastards." Dash promised. "Until then, just try and sit tight at the Promontory. It should go without saying that you should try not to draw attention to yourselves."

We all nodded, and Pinkie scrambled into the basket of the balloon, followed shortly by Kyle. They began preparing the thing for flight, affixing an energy core to a pedestal in the center and tossing what looked like bags of sand overboard. After enough of them had been removed, the two invited the five younger members of the gathered group to come aboard. Sweetie Belle climbed in first, followed shortly by Luna and Applebloom. I allowed Angel to jump in next, and I swung in last.

The interior of the basket wasn't anything fancy, but there were plenty of storage compartments on the walls and underfoot, and we were told that some food supplies for the trip and for a few days in our hideout had been loaded up already. Once everyone was ready, Pinkie instructed us to hold onto something, grabbed hold of a set of controls near the pedestal, and activated the energy core. Small amounts of fire energy were displaced into the actual balloon overhead, and soon the craft began to rise. I moved over to the edge to wave the rest of the people down below goodbye.

Doing so filled me with sadness, but also with hope. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike, Opal, Fafnir; we all had families waiting for us to return home, who would fight as hard as they could to make it safe for us to come back, and help to strike back against the Order. Until then, we just had to allow them to do what they needed to do and keep ourselves safe so we could see them again. And when we did, our families would be that much bigger.

Pinkie threw a lever forward, and the heat-energy changed trajectory slightly, causing the balloon to move forward. We continued to climb in altitude for a time, floating gently over our town, until she flipped another lever and the pedestal rose further into the balloon. Our altitude remained the same from here on out, and we began to accelerate. I watched for a few moments as our home town passed by beneath us, and we soon passed the western gate and entered the air-space over the southern fields.

At this stage, I broke my gaze from the ground below and slumped against the wall of the basket, exhausted. Applebloom promptly joined me, plopping down next to me with an extremely tired and weary look in her eyes. I gave her a terse smile and draped a comforting arm around her, which she accepted neutrally. We remained like this for a while, my own eyes growing heavy with sleep. The last thing I heard before I passed out was Pinkie saying 'we're getting ready to pass over Manehattan in a few minutes, if anyone wants to see.'

"Hey, guys. Applebloom, Scoots. Wake up. We're here."

I vaguely heard Sweetie Belle whispering to us, and my eyes fluttered open. The balloon had stopped, planted firmly on the ground, I could see the sky beginning to lighten with the onset of dawn. I couldn't see anything of the world beyond from where I lay, but I could feel and smell a definite change in the air, slightly salty as though we were near the ocean.

So we're in Ivoire now? I thought, shaking the sleep out of my head. Well, may as well get a look. We'll be out here for a little while anyway. I poked my head over the edge of the basket, and was treated to a view of what seemed like a whole different world. The island was made up of mostly grey stone, and pillars of it snaked lazily into the sky, while the stone underfoot had been worn smooth by weather and travel. A whole medium-sized town was built by the coast, all of simple wooden design, many built partway into the rock face behind it, and most with what looked like less advanced versions of the windmills once used in the ancient city of Cloudsdale. The balmy breeze wafted past and caused them to give a lazy turn, which I guessed must have fed power to something in the buildings.

Strangest about this place was the people inhabiting it. There were a few normal humans like us, but most of the people waking up to go about their business resembled owls more than humans. They still had hands, feet, and walked on two legs, but they were completely covered in grey or brown feathers, as well as having a beak in place of a nose. I didn't see a single one that didn't wear a small pair of spectacles. They all pretty much matched the description given to me of the Order's Number Five, Lucius. The clothing worn by all the people in this place was of a simple, elegant and light design, and often pretty seashells were affixed to the clothing or worn as jewelry. We caught several looks as we departed the balloon, though I figured it was more in awe of the strange flying machine than thinking we were weird looking.

"This does seem like a nice place." commented Luna, who hadn't said a word since the fight, or maybe she had and I was just asleep for it. She seemed to be in much better shape than she was when we left, that was for sure. "We suppose we could have been sent into temporary exile in less pleasant places."

"Huh." Sweetie Belle began, vaulting out of the basket. "I expected the owl-people, but I kind of expected to see more Scrabbits like Angel too."

"You don't see many Scrabbits out this far." Angel agreed. "My people tend to live further west, in the Aquamarine region and the western parts of Wisteria. Too warm around here for most of us, with our fur coats and all."

"I think I see an inn over that'a way." Applebloom stated, as the two of us followed the others out of the flying vehicle. Kyle remained within the balloon, but gestured for me and Angel to come over to him for a moment.

"You know, I may not be as close to you two as I could be, but I still feel like I should give you both some parting words, man to men, even if it's only for a little while." he said, running a hand through his hair. "It's up to you two to take care of the girls, you know. I don't think anything serious will happen in this next week or so, but I still expect you to live up to the manly code of honor and watch out for your team."

" 'Course." I said, nodding. "I pretty much planned to do that anyway. Crusaders gotta look out for each other, right?"

"Heh. Right. Anyway, try not to worry about it too much. Pinkie and I will head back to Equestria once you're all set, and we'll get this mess sorted out, I promise. Until then, just sit tight and try to wait it out. I know you'll be tempted to venture out and try to fight back at the Order yourselves, and you'll get that chance when the time comes, but for now the best thing to do is just to lay low."

"I understand." I answered, and Angel nodded in agreement. Indeed, the urge would surely be great to leap into action ourselves, but I had to believe that we would get our chance soon enough, and that we couldn't risk making ourselves obvious until our names were cleared. The two of us gathered up our limited belongings, and then hurried up to rejoin the girls in town.

END OF PART ONE

Thirteen

Thirteen

Year 504; Equestrian Calendar

On a lonely beach, long forgotten by time and all but a fraction of a fraction of humanity, there sat a tower. The obelisk-like building was almost as ancient as the beach itself. For hundreds of years, less than twenty people had set foot on the sands of the small island. The balmy waves lapped at the slightly gravelly sands, generating a pleasant white noise. Just beyond the water’s reach, a young woman stood, watching the horizon. Her green eyes shimmered in the light reflecting off of the ocean, but the light was otherwise stopped by her black cloak.

“Waiting for the others to return?” a voice not belonging to the woman asked. She turned, her neat black and silver hair blowing gently in the breeze, and another black-cloaked figure approached to stand by her side. His hands came up to drop his hood, and revealed a creamy-grey haired young man of about the same age.

“Tug. I hadn’t heard you come down the beach.” The woman stated.

“I guess that means I’m doing my job right, then.” Tug stated, a smile on his face. “Rangers aren’t supposed to be detected, by friend or foe, unless they so desire. That includes even you, Lenora, skilled as you may be yourself.”

Lenora smiled, then turned her gaze back out to sea. “I am waiting for the return of the others, to see what they have done this time.” She ended her sentence with the tiniest trace of malice, a gesture which was not lost on her companion.

“I know how you feel. It seems that the viler the act committed by the Order anymore, the less likely you, Alex and I are to be told about any of the details of it. Max is often involved, but more and more often it’s just been those core five calling the shots… I don’t like it. I hate that Gilda has more power and influence than me now. The little brat doesn’t deserve it.”

Lenora nodded solemnly. “I once thought there was hope for all members of the Order… this was surely a naïve dream.” Her voice dropped to scarcely anything above a whisper. “Number One is the very embodiment of anti-hope. The other four in his central circle are very rapidly losing any hope of redemption as well, and I’m scared that he might target Max next. Tug… I think we should consider running away. Leaving the Order and Sentinel’s Keep once and for all. We’re dead weight to them anyway, and if we stay, we may not have much time before they either corrupt or dispose of us.”

Tug frowned. “I agree that it may not be safe for us here any longer… but what can we do? It wouldn’t be easy to hide from them. And even if we could manage it, we both know we’d want to get back into the fight before long, to strike back at them. We don’t have the kind of strength to do that ourselves.”

Lenora sighed. “I know. I can’t abide bringing Alex with us either. He should stay safe, plus he would make flight from this place more difficult. Until we can find a better way to keep him safe, I’m afraid staying here is our best option.”

“I guess… Oh, seems our discussion is over. The others are returning.” Tug and Lenora cast their gazes back to the ocean, where several doors of darkness had opened. First, four unfamiliar figures appeared, then vanished back into darkness, leaving six stone spheres on the sand. Afterward, the five figures of the core members of the Order arrived. The large, inhuman shape of Lord Discord strode forward, surveying the stones left by the shadow forms. With a snap of his free hand- the one not holding the Blade of Blood over his shoulder- Numbers Two and Six moved forward to collect them.

“Move the Elements of Harmony to the basement.” Discord stated flatly. “Seven, I believe you have an appointment to make six years ago, and on the other side of the planet?”

Number Seven nodded. “Be back in five minutes.” She said confidently, in a female voice slightly younger than Lenora’s. With a slight flick of her wrist, another dark portal arose to envelop her, and she disappeared.

Scratch’s Journal

Doc and I crouched behind a dusty ridge, watching the horizon. We had been sitting motionless like this for at least an hour, maybe more. All Doc would tell me was that an actual member of the Order would be traveling through this area today, and we had to keep a close eye on them, perhaps even intercept them if it came to it. The sun beat down on our heads, and I was very glad for my new sunglasses. I wasn’t sure how Doc could see very far before us, with how brightly the sands of the Grann desert reflected the sunlight.

“Wait, hang on a second.” I said, breaking the silence. “I think I see someone approaching from the north. Wait… a whole caravan?”

Doc’s eyes opened slightly wider, and he looked to where I was pointing. I could detect a hint of surprise and interest in his body language. “Oh… well, this is a development. Seems we’re being graced by more than just a single member of the Order.”

“Really? Who else?” I asked, straining to get a better look at the party approaching.

“Keep your head down.” Doc advised, “It’s especially important now that we avoid being seen. I believe that would be the retinue of the princess of Daein.”

My eyebrows rose, and I squinted to get a better look at the caravan traveling down the road. I was unable to see the faces or details of anyone in the party, but I could see the waving Daein flag atop the central cart. If it wasn’t the princess, it was at least a noble party from the kingdom.

“Ah, there’s our target.” Doc said softly, pointing to the other end of the road. I shifted my gaze, and watched as a dark portal opened, and let a slight, dark-cloaked figure step out. I couldn’t tell whether it was male or female, but I could see a sword strapped to the figure’s back. He or she moved forward until they were seen by the royal convoy, at which time someone stepped out of the cart.

My breath caught in anticipation. The long, flowing hair- yellow, violet and pink- could not be mistaken. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the heir to the throne of Daein, walked gracefully up to the member of the Order, and the two clasped hands like old friends. I frowned, confused. “Why would the princess of Daein be allied with a member of the Order?”

“Manipulation is most likely, one way or the other.” Doc stated, his voice low. “But who’s being manipulated here, and who is doing the manipulating…? Is princess Daein being led on by the Order? Or is there a higher power forcing her to parlay with them? It’s certainly not the current king, he’s a good man, and would never deal with their sort. I’ve had tea with him on occasion. No, it’s either the Order or something else…”

The black-cloaked figure reached up and lowered the hood shrouding their face, to address the princess properly, and I was at least able to determine it was a girl. Her hair, two shades of blue, wasn’t particularly long, but was very messy. We were much too far away to make out what the two were saying, but it was clear that the Order member and Cadenza were discussing something. After nearly an hour of crouching and watching, and my legs growing more and more numb, the two finally parted ways again, back the way they came. The girl from the Order left through another dark portal, and Cadenza retired to her cart, to be escorted away back to the capital city of Nevassa.

Once the coast was finally clear again, Doc stood. “Well, seems we’ve found a new target. Come, Scratch, let us pursue that convoy. We must find the roots of the princess’s dealings with the Order.”

I nodded and stood, giving my sore legs a well-needed stretch, and Doc and I set off down the dusty road. There were no buildings or areas of cover for miles, so we had to stay a good distance away from the royal party. However, considering that most of the group was on horseback, moving at a gentle but steady lope, we didn’t have to struggle to keep at the ideal distance. The entire day crawled by slowly, the sun traveling west as we traveled north. We only stopped as they did, once for a brief break, and again at sunset to set up camp. When we finally came to a rest for the night, the sands had just begun to give way to grass. I knew that it would stay grass for a while longer, but would be snow in only a month’s time. Daein was known for its long winters, starting early and ending late.

We didn’t have a tent, but didn’t really need one. What got me down more was that we couldn’t make a fire, and had to eat supper cold. I looked in the direction of the royal party, able to see them by the light of their campfire, and felt a small twang of jealousy. Once we had made sure that they weren’t going anywhere for the night, I unrolled my sleeping blanket and quickly fell asleep, exhausted.

I had an extremely strange dream that night. Everything felt surreal, yet completely realistic. I could tell that I wasn’t me, exactly, but I felt completely in-tune with whomever it was that I was. I could access his memories as well as my own, and felt a degree of control, though not quite the same as I felt in real life. I certainly wasn’t human. Not much actually happened, but it was more the experience that made the dream remarkable. When I awoke in the middle of the night, interrupted from my dream, Doc was still sitting awake at the edge of camp.

“Scratch. You’re up a bit early.” He stated simply, and I proceeded to tell him about my dream in every detail. As I did, his face lost some of its normal warmness, and a thoughtful look overtook him. When I finished, it took him a moment to give me a full response. “Scratch, have you been keeping a journal of what has happened on this journey thus far?”

I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. “I didn’t know I was supposed to.”

Doc shrugged. “I suppose it’s my fault for not saying anything sooner. But it would be beneficial if you kept a log on what’s happened and what will happen to us. I especially want you to captcha- pardon; catalogue this dream, and any others like it you have in the future. Ones such as that tend to interlock and tell quite the interesting story…”

I nodded, raising an eyebrow at his correction but not really paying it that much mind. I didn’t have time to start writing a journal just yet. I still needed sleep, and we’d have to resume pursuing the royal party first thing in the morning. With a shrug, I bade Doc goodnight once again. The remainder of the night passed me by dreamlessly. Doc woke me up what seemed like only a few moments later, but I could see that the moon had travelled through the sky, and sunrise would come soon.

“The royal party is moving. Let’s be off.” He whispered, and I nodded. Our meager camp was soon broken down, and we continued our distanced pursuit of princess Daein and her retinue of black-clad soldiers. We hefted our packs and followed suit. We continued like this for almost two more days, before we finally reached the mighty city of Nevassa, over which loomed the fortress-like castle from which the king operated. Over the many hundreds of years, the city and castle had undergone countless renovations and repairs, and while they still maintained the old, classic architecture and design of the sixth century, they were decidedly more modern upon closer inspection. This was most apparent on the interior of the buildings, where the latest fourteenth-century technology was in place.

“This is as far as we’ll be able to safely follow the princess like this.” Doc explained. “They’ve gone into the castle, after all, and just waltzing in would be… impractical, more or less. Now, we could always sign up as part-time servants to the castle, though you might still be a tad young to avoid attention were we to do that…”

“You could always do that, and I could find another way of keeping an eye on her. There’s always some kind of work to be done in Nevassa, and one of those jobs is bound to lead me to cross her path sooner or later.”

Doc nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose that’s the safest and easiest course of action. We’ll set up a base in an inn, and begin tomorrow.”

Windmill Promontory, Ivoire

Scootaloo

I exhaled heavily, bored and tired, and played a few more idle notes on my guitar. Only four days had passed so far, and I could feel my patience thinning. I wasn’t the only one either, as I could see both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom staring up at the ceiling, waiting for time to pass. Luna was much more patient, but even she couldn’t deny that there was nothing to do in the pair of inn rooms. At least Angel was kept busy by running various errands in town.

Sweetie Belle sunk to the floor from her bed, then looked at me. “You know we’re going to leave the inn and go into town sooner or later, right?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I figured. Sitting around for two weeks seems really unusual for us.”

“Then what do you say we make it sooner?” Sweetie Belle suggested, rising to her feet and dusting herself off. “Exploring the island won’t kill us.”

“Right.” Applebloom agreed, joining us as we moved towards the door. “I can’t stand bein’ cooped up here anymore.”

“W-wait!” Luna objected, standing. “Shouldn’t we… we should stay here, we’re not supposed to leave…”

“No one said we have to stay in the inn,” I argued, “Just on the island. Besides, Rainbow Dash and the others won’t be here for more than a week anyway.”

“W-well…” Luna stuttered, still trying to find a justification for her unease. “Should we at least wait for Angel?”

“We’ll find ‘im in town.” Applebloom stated, opening the door and allowing Sweetie Belle to waltz outside. “Now c’mon Luna, you don’t wanna be stuck in here any longer than you have to, do ya? Let’s just get out and get some fresh air.”

Luna sighed, deciding she couldn’t win the argument, and rose to her feet to follow us. The four of us made our way swiftly out of the inn, pausing only to lock the door behind us, and we exited into the small city streets. Windmill Promontory was not a big town, but it was quaint and cozy. At the highest point, built into a hill and one of the stone pillars rising from the ground, was the village elder’s home and office, while at the bottom was a port where two or three boats were docked. Between the two was a collection of houses and shops, their windmills turning lazily in the breeze, about twenty buildings in total.

It didn’t take us long to find Angel, who was on the way back to the inn with some groceries. He was surprised and alarmed to see us outside at first, but just as we had with Luna, we explained our boredom and the harmlessness of going outside for a bit to him, until he gave in and went along with us. We didn’t exactly have money to spare, so we didn’t do any tourist shopping, but we just wandered around the small village of owl-people, enjoying the sunshine and ocean air.

Eventually we got bored and decided to head back to the inn, but as we trudged back down the gray path, I noticed another trail that branched off from it, leading further into the island than the village did. Several yards down the path, it went over a ridge and disappeared from sight. Naturally, I was curious to see where it led, and my pause soon got the others’ attention as well. I didn’t want to risk getting lost or stuck, but I really wanted to know the area around me, so I got the attention of one of the locals and asked him about it.

“Ah, nothing major back there,” he stated simply, “mostly just good fishing spots for the fishermen in market. I guess it’s a good hiking route too. But nothing dangerous or particularly interesting, beyond the occasional Fungus.”

I nodded and thanked him, then turned to the others as he walked away. “Feel like taking a hike, anyone? I’d like to see first-hand what’s back there.”

Applebloom nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, sounds fun! Feels weird not knowin’ the land, anyway.” Sweetie Belle, Angel and Luna all eventually agreed, so we set off down the path to see the rest of the island. The stone below still snaked upwards, though it began to take on a hint of red near the tops the further we traveled. Soon, a steep drop cut across our path, at the bottom of which was a slow river. Further along the ridge was a rope bridge that led to the other side, although there didn’t seem to be much of interest across it. Still, with nothing else to do, we began to walk down towards the bridge.

However, as we neared the path across the river, Sweetie Belle stopped and raised her head, as though having heard something. She lowered her eyebrows in suspicion, and sniffed the air experimentally. “Something’s off…” she muttered, then began walking quickly towards the bridge. Confused, the rest of us followed after her, until she came to a halt, just as abruptly as she began. “There! There’s some kind of… thing.”

Her description left a lot to be desired, so I followed her gaze down the path until I saw what she had sensed. Atop a hill on the other side of the bridge was a strange, writhing mass of violet and golden light. Surrounding it already were several hideous creatures only coming up to my waist, with no legs and only wisps of arms. They had no face either, but boasted a sizable array of teeth. They were all a shiny shade of red or purple, and I couldn’t have guessed what their skin was like. It was obvious they didn’t belong in this world, but more were materializing from the portal with every passing minute.

“Are these things with those Order guys?” Applebloom asked, nervous.

“No…” I said, “these ones are different…”

Angel, having just seen them, swore loudly. “Sulphur-spawn!” he spat. “We have to kill them. They only exist to cause pain. But if they’re here at all…” The Scrabbit gulped, but hefted his scythe.

I turned to him. “You’ve seen them before?”

“Seen pictures, heard stories.” he said quickly. “I’ll tell you after we kill them.” I nodded, and drew my spear. It seemed we would have some excitement after all. Applebloom’s swords and Sweetie Belle’s bow were short to follow. I looked to Luna, but once again, she seemed hesitant to fight. Of course, ever since the war ended there had been no need to fight, so it wasn’t really apparent to me, but I guessed that after all Luna had been through with the first civil war and her demented sister, she had probably had enough of combat for her lifetime.

Sweetie Belle opened fire on the things, striking one right in the back of the head. It wasn’t quite enough to kill it, because it turned around and howled at us, a strange, muffled snarl of a sound. The others soon joined in its cry. I knew better than to charge, to make the first move, and simply dug my heels into the dirt in preparation. The howls soon shifted from warning into attack, and several of the beasts leapt at us. Sweetie Belle let fly a series of arrows, all hitting their mark. When one leapt into the air to attack me, I drove my lance forward, impaling it in one hit. The slimy looking red form went limp for a few seconds, then sprung back to life, flailing around on the end of my weapon. Slightly disgusted, I swung the spear like a club, batting away a second one of the monsters while detaching the first and sending it flying.

Applebloom fought just as hard, one blade always spinning at her side, while the other sliced or stabbed at the monsters, then the second would come in to detach it and take over. Angel’s weapon was heavy, but with a long reach, and he made good use of it in bearing down on the enemies from behind our line. These creatures were stupid, much more than anything I’d fought before, but there were so many of them pouring from the portal that we’d be buried if we didn’t destroy it.

“It seems to be a portal of pure darkness…” said Luna, reading my mind. “It must be from another world, as we’ve never seen one like it. But if that’s the case, we should be able to cancel it out…” She nodded, her dark hair bouncing slightly, and she began focusing a mass of dark energy in her palms, drawing from the surplus of shadow forms that were rapidly littering the ground. Soon both her spell and the portal before us began to pulse, gaining speed as Luna’s counter-spell became more powerful. Just as we were on the verge of being overrun, the former princess raised her arms, and her spell flashed and disappeared, as did the portal itself. Without a steady bank of reinforcements, the Sulphur-spawns soon dwindled, and were quickly routed.

We all stood panting for a few moments. Finally, Angel spoke: “If those things appeared here, and in such large numbers… we may be in a lot of trouble.”

“What were they?” Applebloom asked. “Like Luna said, they ain’t from this world, they ain’t natural. Where’d they come from?”

“Where, I don’t know.” he answered. “But I can tell you this much: they’re called Sulphur-spawn, because in the past, their like was brought upon by the demon Sulphur. Each time they appeared, it was a signal that the demon was short to follow, and calamity with him. But… he’s dead! Sulphur was slain almost twenty-five years ago, not simply banished back to his world. He’s gone. But… why are his spawn back?”

“Could the Order be behind it?” I asked. “They’ve clearly shown that they have a firm control over all kinds of darkness.”

“Maybe…” Angel muttered. “Either way, we should tell the island’s elder about this.”

I nodded and let the others go ahead of me. Before I followed them, I glanced back behind me. Please don’t let this get out of hand. I just want to wait this out and get home to help with this battle…

Fourteen

Fourteen

Scratch’s Journal

Six months later

If I learned one thing in my time spying in Nevassa- other than actual information- was that surveillance was slow and mostly boring work. Six months Doc and I spent on lookout, seeking more clues as to what was going on in the Daein royal family. You might even say that our lives picked up a sense of normality, being stuck in one place for a while, experiencing time like anyone else. Travelling into the future the slow way, at a rate of one second per second.

Looking back, I know what Doc was trying to do. And I’m really glad he did it.

We were able to unearth some information during our mission, but whoever was orchestrating the princess’s strange behavior had been covering their tracks very well. Some of the soldiers were able to tell us that her strange behavior had begun a few months before we arrived, and had consisted of the same actions: meeting with the black-cloaked individual- or individuals- and returning without any visible evidence of a trade of any kind. It was obvious that they were trading not material, but information, possibly reaffirming a deal of some sort. We couldn’t figure out what the terms of this deal were though, no matter how close we were able to get to the princess.

We did, however, learn of the next scheduled meeting. As with the previous ones, it was a good distance from the capital, but this time at least it was within Daein borders. When the princess and her caravan began packing up to leave, we took the liberty of taking a head start, setting off down the road for the unmarked meeting place. We didn’t bother staying off the road itself, since it was cobbled and wouldn’t leave much in the way of tracks, and well-traveled anyway, so that a pair of travelers wouldn’t be unusual in the slightest. We would have to diverge from the path once it grew less worn.

On the second night, we allowed the caravan to pass us, and we fairly sure they were unaware of our presence. While they camped with a fire and warm food, Doc and I had a wonderful meal of bread, dried fruit and some trail mix. We couldn’t risk a fire with so little cover around, but he let me huddle close for a while to keep us both warm. Once again, I would look back on this and be thankful, but at the time I thought nothing of it.

I dreamt again that night. This one contained much more content than the last. I did not see anyone else, or even a mirror. I was sure that I was not human in these dreams, but I couldn’t tell what I was, or if any other characters in this dream were the same as me. There were other characters though, as I was able to speak to them through a text-based application on a rather futuristic looking computer, the likes of which I hadn’t seen even in the real world’s future. I was able to identify these other characters based on text color: one gray, one brown, and one deep red. Most of the chat seemed nonsensical or unimportant, but one thing seemed constant: everyone, including myself, kept talking about a game that we were preparing to play.

When I awoke, I wrote down absolutely everything I remembered in a log book, as Doc had instructed me to. I had two journals at this point: one for the events in my dreams, and one for events in real life, which is the one I imagine you’re reading now. Shortly after I finished, the royal caravan began to pack up camp, and we were ready by the time they set off. The destination point at which Cadenza was going to meet the Order was on a hill about a mile from the Riven Bridge, the ancient structure that once served as the central commuting point between Crimea and Daein. It now served only as a memorial, with several other more convenient passes between the countries.

The party reached the meeting point that evening, with me and Doc on another slight incline, well-hidden behind some bushes. However, time passed, and Doc and I became increasingly perplexed at the lack of a meeting. They were at the correct place, and it was the correct time, but they were simply setting up camp as they had the last night. There was no sign of an Order member at all. Once it became apparent that something else was going on, I turned to Doc, but he was already shaking his head.

“I know. This is no meeting. This is a trap, and we walked right into it. Whoever our adversary is here, they are cleverer than I gave them credit for.”

“So what do we do now?” I asked, somewhat obviously. “If this is a trap, then surely we’re already in it. We need to get out. Use the Time Tables if we have to, they probably think we’re just normal spies…”

An authoritative voice from behind us nearly made me jump into the air. “I would recommend against attempting to run, Doctor.” Our heads spun around to see a broad-shouldered figure, clad in black Order cloak, arms folded. “You’re through running from me.”

Doc stood, a smile on his face, but I could see in his eyes that he was calculating rapidly, even nervously. The rest of his face was confident though. “Ah, Number Two, my old friend. It has been a long time, though- considering the path you’ve chosen to take- I can’t honestly say it’s been too long. I do wish you’d open your eyes and see that you’re being deceived.”

I turned to look at Number Two. He laughed harshly before beginning again. “You speak as though I’m the one that’s strayed! Am I not on the same path that we set out on in the beginning? Am I not still here protecting the Goddess, your Goddess, while you’re just running around, running away?”

“You know as well as I that protecting her is not your so-called lord’s intent. The end to which he is working, and leading you all towards, is a cruel bastardization of that original goal. I had held faith that you would be able to see that, but perhaps I was wrong.”

“Enough!” Number Two barked, pulling something from his cloak and raising it in the air. I just as quickly drew my battle discs, but Two’s other hand shot forth and launched a sword at me, landing barely a foot from me and causing me to stumble. The blade was a thin katana, and an unusually bright pink. A violet aura emanated from Number Two’s skyward hand, and a similar aura formed around Doc’s chest.

“Goes without saying what that is, I’m sure.” Number Two stated. “Time-anchor. Those Time Tables of yours won’t be taking you anywhere. Now I’m going to make you one last offer, Doctor, in honor of the friendship we once had. Hand over the Time Tables, any other artifacts, and the boy. Cooperate, and I’ll let you escape only near dead. Any less, and I won’t give you that much.”

Number Two raised his hands to his head, and the hood fell to reveal his face. Shaggy black hair covered the top of his head, and his face- while pale from a presumed lack of direct sunlight- was marred by several old battle scars. A set of steely gray eyes were locked on Doc, letting us all know that his offer was no bluff. What was most unusual about him was that at the center of his head, just above his forehead, was a single conical horn the same color as his eyes. I wasn’t sure how it had fit under his hood, but in my travels I had already learned that space could be just as malleable as time.

Doc’s eyes closed, but his lips adopted a look of mischief. I had no idea what was happening right now, how Doc knew Number Two, or what was going to happen next. Doc reached into his coat, and the Time Tables floated to his sides. For a moment it seemed as though he were giving them over, but his fingers quickly began playing across their surface, faster than I had ever seen him operate them. The green symbols sprung to life in front of him, and his hands drug across the surface of the discs in a manner elegant enough to put my own skills with disk-jockeying to shame. Number Two laughed again. “Didn’t catch me the first time? The time anchor is authentic. You know me; I wouldn’t risk using a fake. You are not going anywhere.”

Doc didn’t respond at first, instead reaching into his jacket pocket and retrieving another object, this one too small for me to see clearly from where I stood. Clearly Number Two saw it though, as I saw his eye twitch, his confidence falter for a moment. Doc put whatever it was up to the symbol before him, and I heard a distinct whistle as it activated and the symbols shifted wildly.

“I am not going anywhere, this is true.” Doc answered finally. “But in the end, you’ve still lost, my old friend. I can only pray that the man I once knew awakens before the end of all this.”

“One more move and you’re dead, Doctor!” Number Two barked. “Hand them over! The sonic thing, too!”

Doc’s eyes closed again, and just as I was beginning to truly panic at the whole situation, his lips moved again. “I’m sorry, Scratch. Do not forget the others you’ve met, the allies you have. I trust that someday, you will know what to do, and why it all had to be like this. Good luck. I… I love you, son.”

Everything after that happened in a split second that lasted an age, and without the aid of any time manipulation. Doc’s arms lifted forward and pushed back firmly, sending the Time Tables, ready to travel, straight for me. My hands lifted on instinct to catch them. Number Two’s face contorted with rage, and he launched forward, right arm pulling back behind him. When he thrust forward, a sword identical to the one that he had thrown at me- but this one a bright blue- shot forward, straight into Doc’s chest.

I screamed, but by the time sound came out of my mouth, I was already flying through the time stream. When I landed, I was launched onto my back, a roof over my head. A weak moan was all that was left of the scream I had attempted. I immediately sprung up and tried to operate the Time Tables, hoping to get back to Doc and help him, but the controls were completely locked up. Whatever Doc had done after setting the destination must have temporarily disabled them, meaning he knew I would try to get back to him. This was his way of saving me from throwing myself back into the fire and probably getting killed. Just like he was…

Somewhere along the line I had started crying, and upon realizing that Doc was really gone, I just started sobbing. I didn’t even realize where I was until the tears finally slowed down, several minutes later. When my vision at last cleared, I saw that I was in Base B, located in the hills of western Equestria just south of Baltimare. At first I was confused about why Doc would send me here of all places, but it was probably to help soften the blow and leave me with something familiar and comforting. However, that brought up the question of whether or not he knew this would happen.

I walked across the room to sit on my bed and gather my thoughts. He had said it had to be this way, but that one day I would understand why. This probably meant that he knew he was going to die sooner or later, but wasn’t sure exactly when. He seemed pretty calm and accepting when it happened, but surprised when the confrontation first began. I took my head out of my hands and looked around the room. Sure enough, against the wall I could see the White Staff and Lucius’s spear. He had snuck away and brought the artifacts back here as a precaution, knowing this was coming.

He had to have left behind a message, too. Doc was good at planning ahead, in an extremely roundabout way. He wouldn’t just set aside all the valuables for me to collect after he inevitably died- I cringed at even thinking that word- without leaving some instructions with them. After a few minutes of searching, I found what I was looking for: a small video recording device, smuggled in from somewhere around the seventeenth century of Equestrian history, more than one thousand years from my current position. Now that I thought about it though, I wasn’t sure exactly when I was. I checked the date reading on the still-unresponsive Time Tables, and saw that I was in January of the year 491, a symmetrical six months after we had left.

I sat on the bed again and pressed the ‘play’ button on the device. I saw the inside of the room I was in, and after a few seconds Doc walked on camera and sat down. Seeing him again brought up another wave of sadness, as did hearing his voice, but I held it together to hear what he had to say.

“Vinyl. When you see this, I’m afraid that I will be gone. Alas, I do not know the terms of how I have passed, but the most likely case is that the Order finally caught up with me. I understand that you have a lot of questions by now, and I will try to foresee and answer for you all that I can… I also understand that you are going through a very emotional time right now. The time and place I sent you to is safe and secure for the moment, so if you must, you may pause this recording to collect yourself before I continue.”

I let it keep going, and after a moment’s pause, he continued. “I am going to try and tell you all that you need to know, but there are some details that I’m afraid are not ready to be unearthed. These, you will surely discover on your own later along the road. First and foremost should be a fact that I’m sure you’ve had your suspicions about by now… I am not human. I come from a lost world, much like my mentor Strider, although I do not come from the same world as he, either. I am of a race called the Timelords, although to call it a race is a stretch, as I have had no indication that there are any others of my race aside from myself and my kin.” He gave the camera a look, and I know he meant to include me in ‘his kin’. “I’ve lived for an impossibly long time, though I’m afraid the memories of my life, and the Timelords themselves, have been lost long ago. Though who knows? Perhaps you will unearth some of those memories along with the others someday.

“I do not remember how I came to be on this world. My first memory is when Strider found me, and took me on as his apprentice. I was raised as friends with two other children, the two who would become the Order’s Numbers Two and Three. And, yes… I was a member of the Order at one time as well, when it was an entirely different organization, their Number Four. You see, I was… very well acquainted with the Goddess, who is still being held as a centerpiece to Number One’s dark designs. If you take one thing away from this, let it be that: The Goddess is nothing but good and innocence. Your enemy, and indeed the enemy of the world and all worlds, is Number One.

“When Number One arrived, the Order- then consisting of the three of us, as well as the one who would become Number Six- was immediately changed. He brought with him Lucius, the former Number Five. More began to ‘join’ the Order, though all of the next six to join were either on their last legs and had no choice, or were far too young to be able to make the decision, and were stolen from their lives to become Number One’s tools. Not all have been corrupted yet- there still lives some light in some of their hearts- but some have already given in and follow Number One’s darkness. I spent much time with one of these youths, a young lady named Lenora, and I can guarantee you that she will not succumb. If you happen to meet her in your future travels… please tell her what became of me, and that I am truly sorry.

“As you could guess, yes, I eventually decided to leave the Order under the cover of night, and it has taken them a long time to pick up my trail. I only wish I could have done more to fight them… Remember what I’ve taught you, Vinyl, and the things I’ve told you recently. Keep chronicling your dreams, as there are others who are experiencing similar dreams, and together you will find some answers, ones that even I cannot give you. I trust that your heart will tell you what path to take, who to trust. Good luck, my son. Remember that you have allies everywhere you go, and that I will always be proud of you.”

The recording ended, and I simply sat where I was for several minutes. What in the world was I supposed to do now…? Doc was gone. The Order killed him. No, more than that, one of his former friends, a childhood friend, betrayed him. He hadn’t said so, but I could tell he wanted me to keep going, and find a way to stop them. He was able to get me started by handing over the Time Tables, even though they were still locked up, and several other powerful artifacts, even though I couldn’t use them. He must have done that to motivate me to find allies to help me fight the Order. I didn’t know anyone who was competent with a spear or staff, but one potential swordsman did spring to mind. I was in the wrong time, but once I figured out how to unlock the tables, I could grab Raphael to help me.

A realization hit me. I was in Octavia’s time at that moment. I could recruit her and… no. No, I couldn’t do that. In the first place, she had a destiny to fulfill on her own, and I couldn’t separate her from that. Plus, I could never bring myself to put her in harm’s way if I could help it. Still… I also couldn’t leave without seeing her, letting her know that I was okay and that I was going to keep fighting. I’ll go back to Ponyville and stay with her for a while, while I figure out how to fix the tables. Then I’ll tell her everything she needs to know to stay safe, and get away from here, so it doesn’t draw the Order’s rage to the home front.

I nodded and began to collect what I would need to travel to Ponyville the slow way, as well as what I thought I’d need in the long run. I packed a bag full of food and supplies, then stuffed the artifacts in with it to keep them safe. I changed my clothes before I left, choosing to wear my black and white outfit, with the red collar and sleeves. Last but not least, I gingerly placed Strider’s sunglasses over my eyes, and strode out the door, eager to get away from the place that reminded me of what had just transpired.

Fifteen

Fifteen

Windmill Promontory

Scootaloo

It didn’t take long for us to locate the village elder and inform him about what happened. To his credit, the guy held it together pretty well, but I could see some underlying panic. After all, this was a threat that was supposed to have been quelled more than two decades ago, and here were the signs all over again. He thanked us for the information, and proceeded to begin writing a mass letter to be sent out to the other elders of the region. Ivoire didn’t have one central governing power, but while each island was ruled over solely by its respective elder, they were mostly governed by the same basic guidelines, and the elders of each region kept up good communication with each other. Some elders presided over many islands, and as Angel told us, the Vermillion region to the west was almost all under the leadership of one guy.

While the elder composed a message to send to the others of Wistaria, we stepped outside to plan our own next move. I leaned against the building, arms folded, and asked: “What now? Do we stick around, or do we keep moving?”

“I don’t see why we would leave…” Applebloom said. “I mean, we were supposed to wait here for Rainbow Dash and the others…”

“Remember, Sulphur is dead.” Angel stated. “And those things normally serve him alone. He didn’t bring them back, and it would take a lot of concentrated dark power and mental focus to rein them in. This could have been an attack by the Order against us.”

“… In which case, it would make the most sense to keep moving, so we don’t endanger the people of Windmill Promontory any further.” Sweetie Belle finished. “We’re a liability to them if we don’t get away and hide ourselves better.”

“But what of our allies waiting to help us in Equestria?” asked Luna. “If they were to come searching for us, and we were elsewhere, then how will we meet up with them again?”

I thought for a moment. “We’ve got a bit of extra money for the moment. We can slip the innkeeper a few bits, tell him to tell them where we went if they come by, and keep his mouth shut if anyone else asks. Still… we may need to find work to keep afloat until someone comes back for us.”

“Alright…” Applebloom reluctantly agreed. “But then, where will we go from here?”

“Monetopia.” Angel stated without hesitation. “It’s the biggest city in Ivoire, and not too far from here anyway. No better place to get lost in. We could probably find some low-key Chroma jobs there, too.” I raised an eyebrow, and he sighed. “Chromas are small bands of mercenaries. One to five members, most of the time. Any bigger than that and it’s considered a Raven clan, but they get hired for the big jobs that are way over our heads.”

Sweetie Belle soon detached herself from the group to go inform the innkeeper about our movement and who to share the information with, while the rest of us headed down to the beach to see if we could find a ship leaving for Monetopia. Eventually we did locate one, just about big enough for all of us to squeeze into, and once Sweetie Belle returned, we climbed aboard and set sail, away from our supposed safe house and into who-knows-what mess.

For most of the trip, we passed over open water, with nothing interesting in sight. Once, the shadow of another island passed by to our right, but we did not draw close enough to see any amount of detail. At last, a shadow appeared on the horizon that could be nothing but a great city. Tall buildings stretched into the sky, taller than most I had ever seen in Equestria, aside from castles. Thinner buildings flanked the outer edges, with the buildings growing taller and thicker as they neared the center, to be crowned by one huge building just off-center of the whole island.

“The biggest one there is the Bamboo Company headquarters,” Angel explained. “the third largest company in the world. They’re the cutting-edge in medical technology. Scientists from all over the planet go there to study, and hopefully contribute.”

“I had heard about them.” Sweetie Belle remarked. “Good thing trade has widened between Ivoire and Equestria since the war. We’ve been able to tackle a lot of diseases that have been hanging over our heads for decades. Sis expects a lot less orphaned kids from here on out.”

I nodded, still happy to hear that news. One of the diseases they managed to cure was one of the possible sicknesses that took my own mother, leaving me with her awful second husband. It couldn’t bring her back, of course, but the thought that nobody would have to have that same fate was some consolation for me.

We soon made port, and the five of us stepped off of the boat into the massive city of Monetopia. People of all sorts could be seen around us: humans, owl-men and Scrabbits like we had seen before, wiry mermen and mermaids and muscular wolf-men, tiny creatures with earthy-looking clothing and big red eyes, others with fur and cat ears. I was amazed at the range of people, but noticed that me and Luna still seemed to be the only ones with wings on our backs.

“We should probably find a place to stay for a while before we do anything else.” Sweetie Belle commented. She patted her pockets for a moment, then gave us all a sheepish look. “I think Angel was right, we need to find a job first.”

“Square it is then.” Angel replied, turning to the main street in front of us. “Just in front of the Bamboo Company building. There are notice boards there, and we can probably find a public job offer.”

We nodded, and allowed him to lead the way further into the city. We passed between several huge buildings, each reaching higher into the sky than the last. On the ground there were countless storefronts, shop stands, and people. The square was the pinnacle of it all, with the tall buildings coming to a crescendo at the massive Bamboo Company headquarters. It was all white and gold, with massive archways all around the base, and the round building itself rising up dozens of stories like a coliseum. At the top it widened even more, giving way to domes, spires and more arches, with one great window looking out over the streets.

All five of us, even Angel, couldn’t help but stare in awe. This didn’t seem to be unusual or suspicious behavior at all, since a few other people were looking up at it in wonder just the same as we were. Angel was the first to separate himself from the sight though, as he had probably seen it at least once before. He walked over to a nearby plaza of shops and tables, and quickly located a bulletin board.

“It’s not looking good.” Angel reported. “Most of these either look out of our league, or way under it and not worth our time…”

I wrenched my gaze away from the Bamboo Company building to address Angel, but caught another figure as he strode between us and him. He wore a once sturdy, but now worn pair of jeans and a dusty trench coat, as well as a rounded hat atop his graphite hair. A hatchet was visible at his belt from where I stood, but it looked like he was carrying a lot more equipment with him. He was fairly tan, and had good humored red eyes staring ahead, seeming not to have noticed any of us. What was most striking about him, though- the only thing that made me really notice him more than anyone else on the street-was the fact that he had a pair of orange wings sprouting from the back of his coat, the only winged person outside of our group I had seen since leaving Equestria.

The man strode forward to one of the storefronts, greeting someone already sitting there like an old friend. The person he was addressing didn’t respond as enthusiastically. This man wasn’t as notable in appearance: his back was to me, so I wasn’t able to make out any details of his face, and all I was able to tell was that he had short brown hair, a green shirt and nondescript pants. A canned drink was in his hand. Beside him, though, was something much more distinct: one of the small, pale, red-eyed creatures I had noted on the street before. This one was dressed in a golden-yellow gown (though I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl) and had on a cap that resembled a large leaf.

“Hey, buddy!” The first guy greeted, swinging into the seat next to the normal-looking guy. “Thought I’d run into you again soon.”

The second one nodded. “I’ve found it.” He said without hesitation. The first gave him a confused look. He sighed and continued. “The thing I was looking for? The paint thing?”

Understanding dawned on the first one’s face. “Really? Well, let me see!”

“I didn’t say I have it, sadly.” the second guy explained. “Just that I found it. It’s on one of the little islands near Forestia, pretty well guarded, and I don’t have the means to get it. Unless you’d be willing to take the job?”

He shook his head. “Sorry, really wish I could. There’s trouble brewing over in Tellius though, and I plan to jump on a boat to investigate that.”

“I thought so.” He sighed. “I need to learn to fight myself, sometime. But there isn’t enough time for that now. I need to get that thing quickly, before someone else does.”

I turned to the others, and saw that they had all overheard at least part of what he was saying. We all had the same idea. I nodded to them, and approached the two at the counter. “Excuse me…” I started, drawing the pair’s attention. The little thing next to the two had already been looking at us silently for a few minutes. “but if you’ve got a job for fighters, then it’s pretty convenient that my group has been looking for work.”

The green-shirted one began sizing me up. “Your group being those three behind you? And the Scrabbit? Do you guys have a name or something?”

I shook my head. “We’re just starting out, but we do have combat experience. We all took part in the civil war of Equestria six years ago.”

The explorer-looking one raised an eyebrow. “What were you all when that was happening, twelve?” I gave him a gesture saying what of it? He still seemed a bit skeptical.

“Take those brooms over there and test them.” the guy in the green said. “If they can hold their own against you for a while, they’ll be fine. Besides, everyone here loves a good street show, nobody’ll mind if you have a duel here.”

I noticed which brooms he was referring to- a pair sitting up against the counter of the storefront, and used a quick burst of wind to bring them to my open hand. I tossed the other to my opponent. “Hey, before we start, it’s getting cumbersome talking without knowing anyone’s names. I’m Scootaloo.”

“Daring Do, the one and only!” My opponent declared, swinging his broom.

The guy at the storefront seemed hesitant, or uncaring. Finally, he simply said “Drew.”

Before I could respond, Daring lunged at me, and I parried. He clearly wasn’t used to using a weapon like a lance, and tended to over-swing as though his weapon were a lot heavier. “Daring Do, huh? Wasn’t that a book character?”

“I’ve been told.” he responded, swinging down hard overhead, only to be blocked. “I even read the books after a while. Some of the things that happen up to book four are pretty similar to things that have happened to me.” He swung wide, and it was too easy for me to just jump over it. “I suspect time travel shenanigans, personally. The books were written by someone in the future, then sent back as a guide to me. At least that’s what Drew says!” He lunged, and I hopped back a step.

I tossed the broom to Applebloom, and she moved in quickly to attack. She was used to having two weapons of shorter size, so she stumbled at first. She quickly recovered and began parrying every attack thrown at her. She tended to fight with the ends of the makeshift weapon rather than the weapon as a whole. She moved as though each end of the broom were the blade of a separate sword, and was able to parry every one of Daring’s heavy attacks.

Angel took the offensive next, and the two’s fighting styles matched up perfectly. Angel swung wide, and Daring blocked from his left. Daring went in for an overhead blow, and Angel knocked his weapon aside, then made a jab at him. Daring stopped the broom with his hand, and nodded. “Who’s next?” he asked.

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Archer.” Luna also declined, since she was a mage.

Daring turned back to Drew and shrugged. “They seem good enough to me. Certainly good enough to beat back a few Saber Kitties.”

Drew nodded. “Fine. There’s five of you, so… Five thousand Bordeaux?”

I gave him a confused look, but Angel went ahead and said “Seven.”

He sighed, but agreed. “Seven thousand it is. I’ve got a boat, so whenever you’re ready.”

Angel then turned back to us. “Bordeaux is the currency here. A lot less valuable than bits. Seven thousand is about equal to four hundred bits, maybe a little more. Pretty good fare for a job like this.”

We nodded. “Let’s get goin’, then.” Applebloom said. “We don’t wanna get too far from where the others can find us.”

Sixteen

Sixteen

Scratch’s Journal

Ponyville; Year 490 Equestrian

My tired feet finally shuffled through the gates to Ponyville. I hadn’t slept the whole trip, and had only eaten enough to keep me going. The reality of the situation was hanging heavy over me, that Doc was well and truly gone. The hope of seeing Octavia again, and her being able to lift me out of this was what had kept me going. If anyone noticed or recognized me as I walked past, I didn’t do the same for them. I soon found myself at the doorway to her home, and knocked before I could talk myself out of it.

Instead of seeing Tavi at the door, though, I was met with her mother. She recognized me right away, and seemed confused and alarmed to see me again after six months of absence. I didn’t answer, but asked if I could see Octavia. She frowned, then told me that Tavi hadn’t been home for months either. She had decided to enlist in the royal guard, and was currently in Eclipse. After a moment of silence I thanked her and walked away again, leaving her more confused and concerned than ever.

Without pausing to think, I restocked my supplies at Base A, and headed off for Eclipse. I couldn’t make myself think of anything else. I just wanted her to be by my side again.

Near Forestia

Scootaloo

We stepped off of Drew’s ship and onto the marshy beach, belonging to one of the satellite islands of Forestia. The air was a lot more humid here than it had been further to the east, and just past the beach was a mass of tick-trunked trees.

“I’ll accompany you to the place where the treasure is being kept,” Drew told us. “to help direct you there and to keep it safe. Your mission is basically to make sure I don’t get stabbed on the way.”

“What’s out here that we’ll have to fight?” I asked, hefting my spear.

“Mostly saber kitties, which- trust me- are actually more dangerous than they sound, or look. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we ran into a manticore out here, but if we’re lucky we can tiptoe around any of them.”

“Right.” Sweetie Belle stated, leading the way into the forest. The rest of the team, and Drew and his small companion, followed. “Hey, you haven’t said, what exactly is it we’re looking for?”

“An artifact said to have immense magical properties, you know the kind.” Drew responded. “It’s a paintbrush and set of paints that, according to legend surrounding them, bring to life whatever is drawn with them, within reason. I want to see if there’s any truth to it. You’ll be paid for getting me there and back either way.”

“I see…” I mused while walking. I didn’t personally think such a thing could exist, but as long as we were being paid either way, it didn’t matter much whether or not it worked. “Hey, I was also meaning to ask, what’s with that… companion of yours? What is he? Why’s he with you?”

“Ah! Sorry, slipped my mind to introduce him. His name’s Cody. He’s a Putty- forest dwellers, shape-shifters, skilled with psychic energy. Really good companions to have. At least, once you can talk with them. They only speak in kinds of sign language since, as you can see, they don’t really have mouths. We’re slowly getting there.”

“Don’t Putties also steal stuff?” Angel asked incredulously.

“Eh… some do.” Drew admitted. “But not so much ‘steal’, as much as it is ‘putting it away for safety’. That’s what they think they’re doing anyway. Cody’s an oddball though: instead of storing valuables in his little psychic pocket dimension, he just warps away pumpkins. I cannot figure out why. That’s going to be the first thing I ask him once I learn sign language.”

“Hold up!” Sweetie Belle ordered, coming to a halt. We all remained silent, then she nodded slowly. “We’ve got company. There’s something- a couple of them at least- just out of sight.”

“That’d be the saber kitties.” Drew answered. “They’re more stealth-minded. They’re probably just going to watch us until we get ‘too deep’ into their territory. And when they do attack, maybe try not to kill them all? Just knock them out if possible. They’re intelligent creatures, they’re just creatures of habit is all.”

“As long as they don’t get in the way too much…” Applebloom commented, drawing her swords.

We continued, straying further off the beaten path, and the sense that we were being followed got harder and harder to ignore. At last, the forest gave way to a clearing, which I could only guess was where the ‘saber kitties’ lived. There were hollowed out tree stumps and small caverns covered by archways of rock all up and down the clearing, and I guessed they must have served as nests. At the end of the clearing rested a hollow in a large tree which could only contain treasure, and our objective.

Our pursuers attacked, jumping from the forest to either side. They were only about as tall as my waist, and with their dark but multicolored hoods and kitty ears, they were far from terrifying. Still, they were determined, numerous, and their claws were clearly sharp. I drew my spear and caught one mid-leap with the butt, and sent him reeling across the clearing. I used a burst of wind to send several more flying back. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the others fighting them back as well, dealing damaging but non-fatal blows to our tiny assailants. We were holding them back just fine, but with as many of them as there were, we couldn’t make any further progress towards the treasure.

As if on cue, a mighty roar broke the air, and the saber kitties gave pause. Not waiting for a second one, they all stumbled away, breaking into a run and hiding back in the forest around us. I turned slightly to catch Drew in my peripheral vision.

“That the manticore you were talking about?” I asked.

“Yeah.” he said, slightly disappointed.

“We’re going to kill it, aren’t we?” I asked flatly.

“If you don’t want it to kill you, then yes.”

I nodded and readied my spear, and the others prepared their weapons as well, ready to fight to kill this time. A few seconds passed before our adversary leapt out of the forest into the clearing. It didn’t look anything like the creatures we called manticores back in Equestria: its body appeared to be fully that of a lion, but its mane and tail glowed with a blue light, and flowed like fire. It snarled, clearly not pleased that there were no saber kitties around to make his lunch, but his eyes soon settled on us. We held our ground, and the manticore stared us down, waiting for us to run.

“Now!” Sweetie Belle shouted, letting fly an arrow from behind me which struck the beast right in its side. The manticore yelped and growled angrily, but I had already leapt at it. My spear grazed him in the stomach and hit the ground underneath it, and my shoulder rammed into its side. It tried to twist around to bite at me, but Angel reached it first, his scythe giving it a nice gash across the mouth. Applebloom was right behind him, her speed with her two swords keeping the manticore occupied while Sweetie Belle fired several more arrows into its flank. Angel and I peppered him with attacks to his sides and back, littering his short fur with scars and blood.

Growling furiously, the beast reared its head away from Applebloom and turned towards Sweetie Belle, standing a few feet away. With a roar, it leapt into the air towards her, and she stumbled backward in fear. Thinking fast, I propelled myself backwards towards them with a gust of air, my spear pointed upward and braced against my side. I positioned myself underneath the manticore and thrust the spear forward, stabbing it right through the chest. With a yelp, it was thrown to the side, my spear still stuck in it. The beast tumbled to a halt across the clearing, breathing raggedly. I stood and cautiously approached it, but it was clear that it was too injured to move. As gently as I could, I pulled my lance free and stepped away.

Around the clearing, the saber kitties began to poke their heads out, no longer aggressively. I could imagine that the manticore had been a problem for them for a while, and seeing us kill it made them realize that we weren’t here for them. I turned to the others. “Stay where you are, but watch him. I don’t want him struggling to his feet and attacking us again.” They nodded, but it didn’t look like the saber kitties were going to take their eyes off of it any time soon. I slowly approached the stump at the back of the clearing and glanced inside. Right away, I saw what I was looking for: A small, shiny metal case, and a paintbrush with fine golden bristles and an equally shiny silver handle.

I reached my hand inside to grab them, and I heard an instant reaction of disapproval from the upright cats behind me. Looking closer, I could see that there were a lot of valuables in the stump, or at least things that they would find valuable. I turned, raised my hands slightly and spoke, hoping they would understand: “I don’t want to hurt or steal from you… We just need one thing, okay?” They watched intently as I slowly moved one hand into the stump, and pulled it back out with the brush and paint box for them to see. “See? Just these.”

The gathered forest dwellers turned to each other and muttered a few words that were either too quiet for me to catch, or in another language. After several moments of discussion, one of them turned to me, and judging by his hood- blue, when those of the others were green, pale red or brown- he must have been in some position of authority. “Just… that?” he asked, in a voice different from what I had expected. I had expected it to be a bit high-pitched, and it was, but instead of sounding child-like, it was sort of scratchy, closer to Angel’s voice.

“Just this.” I confirmed.

They exchanged a few more words, then the blue-hooded one nodded to me. He gave the other saber kitties a few motions, and they stepped aside to let us pass. Behind us, Luna and Drew both exhaled their held breath, and Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Angel all sheathed their weapons. I nodded to my companions, and we slowly made our way out of the clearing and back onto the faded path, which gradually grew more defined as we neared the shore again. I could sense a few saber kitties following us back, making sure we weren’t doubling back around to cause more trouble, but they seemed to become satisfied and fell back.

We stepped onto the boat, and I turned to Drew. “Here,” I said, handing him our prize, “Hope they work.”

“Me too…” he commented quietly, then stepped into the helm of the ship for a moment. He returned with a cloth sack, jingling with coins, and handed it to me. “Seven thousand, as promised.”

I nodded, and turned to my companions. “This should keep us afloat for a while longer. Enough time to find some more jobs.” They nodded, and the ship soon began to sail back to Monetopia.

Scratch’s Journal

Ponyville; Year 490 Equestrian

Eclipse City

“Well, thank you for doing what you could.” I said to the first guard captain I had found, after unsuccessfully trying to locate Octavia. She wasn’t permitted away from the training grounds to visit family and friends for the first two months of service. However, I did learn that her month would be up in a few days, and the captain had offered to tell her I was in town to meet her. I told him simply to tell her that she had a visitor, but I didn’t leave my name. I wouldn’t need to. I’d be there myself the moment she could see me.

Until then, I decided to just stay in town and wait. Money was no issue, but I didn’t need much to be comfortable, so I simply picked the Inn that was two blocks away from the barracks. I had a small, solitary dinner in the tavern on the first floor, complete with several mugs of coffee. Unlike the rest of Eclipse- full of citizens with more money than they knew what to do with, and incredibly full of themselves- the inn was full of other people simply passing through, or looking for work. I didn’t speak to any of them that night, but at least the conversations around me were tolerable, if uninformative. The Order was not doing anything in this time and place.

I left my table and ascended the stairs in the back of the inn to reach my room. It wasn’t big, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. Against the wall was a bed, and beside it was a table, complete with some paper and a half-full inkwell. Seeing it reminded me that I had not updated this journal for several days, so before I went to bed, I chronicled all the events that had befallen me recently. From the point where Doc and I left Daein, to his death, to my decision to carry on in his name, once my mode of travel was repaired. My heart still ached from loss, but I did not shed any tears this time. He may be gone, but his purpose lives on in me, and I will see it through.

Eighteen

Eighteen

Monetopia

Scootaloo

Our team moved quickly through the city streets, past the fleeing civilians moving quickly the other way. Some weren’t running though. Some were milling about, trying to figure out what was happening. Some were arming themselves and headed in the same direction as us. Some were rushing to aid the injured. Some didn’t move at all, bloodied and slumped over where they were struck down.

I paused to examine one of the bodies. Across the chest were three parallel slices, digging deep. “They almost look like claw marks…” I commented.

Angel took a look at them and shook his head. “They do. There’s only one thing I’ve ever seen with claws like that, and… I really hope that’s not what we’re dealing with now.”

“Those shadow form things from the Cloudsdale ruins?” Sweetie Belle asked. Angel nodded. During the war six years ago, Angel had accompanied Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to the ruins of the once great city of Cloudsdale, in search of the two humans’ ancestors. The ruins had been infested with creatures of darkness, with tall frames and clawed arms. They had eventually managed to remove the curse keeping the creatures in the ruins, which everyone had assumed to be the end of them.

“Could be some kind of battle claws.” I commented. “We don’t know if it’s those things, but it won’t hurt to be extra cautious.” The others nodded, and we continued. We were nearing the main square again, but the sounds of combat were much closer than that. We rounded a corner, and I was tackled from the side by a blur of black. I called up a blast of wind to shake it off, and as it flew, my suspicions were confirmed. No features were visible at all except a tall humanoid form, blank yellow eyes, and claws at the ends of its hands.

I spun around and deflected the attack coming from the next one. The others were with me a moment later. Applebloom and Angel were at my back, and in a triangle formation we slashed and stabbed at the oncoming creatures. Sweetie Belle and Luna stood at a distance, firing at those who were far enough away that they wouldn’t accidentally hit one of us. Luna didn’t seem to have trouble using violent means against insubstantial enemies composed of pure darkness, and her own dark energy was ripping them to pieces.

I thrust my spear forward, and as the dark form in front of me faded, I suddenly realized that the streets had become clearer again. Debris still littered the ground, but we were the only living things left in the street. I held up a hand and motioned for the others to follow. “The square is just ahead. Be on your guard, everyone.”

Scratch’s Journal

Forestia

“Scratch, wake up!” I heard Raphael shout, from the edge of another dream. I opened my eyes and rose from my makeshift bed in the inn. Raphael was nearby, strapping on his full armor, with shining metal armguards and reinforced leather. “The town is under attack. The White Knights nearby have not yet responded, and the local militia needs all the help we can offer.”

I nodded and grabbed my battle discs and shades. “By who? The pirates?”

“No. These are not natural. I can only assume they are agents of the Order.” I grimaced, but nodded again. They were faster than I thought they would be. I had only been in town for one full day before they caught up. My battle discs in hand, and Raphael’s long sword in his, we rushed out of the inn and into the streets of the town. Immediately after I charged out the door, I saw our enemy: the same tall, clawed beings of darkness used by Lucius, and by extension of course, the Order.

I nodded to Raphael, and we charged. My battle discs burned with magical fire, and his sword with the light of the ocean sun. The first creatures we reached fell immediately, as well as the next. The remaining ones attacked us directly, and we set in back-to-back to fend them off. “Most are closer to the center!” Raphael advised me when they began to thin. Just as the last one burst, the darkness evaporating back into the air, we kicked back into a run and headed for the central area of town.

The creatures were completely flooding the square. Civilians were injured and under attack everywhere, but few seemed to have been fatally wounded yet. Four members of the local militia hammered away valiantly against their numbers, but there were more than they could handle alone.

I charged a powerful lightning spell on my battle discs and threw them both forward, striking two parallel lines of creatures dead. Raphael charged into the fray, sword cutting through several more. I dashed through, arms crossed to plow through the crowd and retrieve my weapons. I felt myself take several hits, but I kept my momentum. I dove for the ground and sprung up, just as several of the monsters were descending on me. They flew back, and were evaporated before they hit the ground.

I heard a scream to my left and spun around to see a golden-haired girl- most likely a member of the clergy, judging by her simple white and violet clothing- attempting to defend herself with a staff. I charged over to her, slicing at the beasts as I went, spun and skidded to a halt in front of her, still facing the enemy. I had only bought us a few seconds, but it was enough to get ready with.

“Who are you?” The girl asked. Her voice quavered ever so slightly, but I could also sense that she had no intention of giving up or running away.

I didn’t answer for a moment, because I wasn’t sure if I’d be sticking around for long, and didn’t need my name floating around where the Order could find it. “The Doctor.” I hear myself say at last.

I heard her intake a breath, which was odd, but I didn’t have time to wonder about it. My battle discs rose again and slashed away at the next dark form to run at us. “The Doctor?” she asked. “D-Doctor wh-“

“Just the Doctor!” I yelled, still defending her. Several more moments passed while I fended off the creatures, then I heard her chant the words of a spell, and felt a tingle over some parts of my body.

“You were wounded.” she explained. “I’m a cleric working under the priest of this island, I can perform healing magic. I’ll keep you alive.”

I nodded. “They teach you any light spells yet?”

“Only a very basic one.” she replied.

“It’s fine.” I said, nodding. “Stay behind me.”

I fired a tier-two lightning spell from the centers of my battle discs, ripping through more of the beasts. Around the clearing, I could see Raphael and the four militiamen valiantly hacking and slashing away, whittling away their numbers. There were a lot less now than there were when we arrived at the square, but we still had a while to go. We held our own, while the rest of the townsfolk escaped to safety. The cleric girl dashed around the square, around the mass of monsters to heal the other fighters, but tended to stay near me most of the time.

Eventually, their numbers began to dwindle, and we gradually began to herd them into the center of the square. The six of us were dragging hard, worn from the fight, but I knew that were it not for the cleric that stayed behind, we would probably all be dead by now. As I lunged forward to slash across two more, my eyes caught Raphael’s through the crowd. They glinted with a determined light, and a flicker of a memory lit up in my mind, something that had happened in one of my out-of-body dreams. In that moment, we both nodded to each other, and I dug my right foot into the ground in defiance of the monsters. My battle discs leapt to life at my sides, glowing with the tier-three spell Arcfire.

“Fanfare Firestorm!” We both shouted, and I launched the battle discs to either side of the crowd. I leapt back and Raphael zipped around the side, performing a wide hurricane slash. The orbit of my battle discs fell in tune with his, and soon wind and fire began to batter against the monsters, destroying those on the outside. When he had picked up high speed and created what was almost a miniature twister of fire, he rose into the air, the flaming battle discs on either side of his raised sword. With a smirk, he descended upon the crowd and delivered an explosive vertical slash, scattering embers, leaves and wisps of darkness across the square.

Ashes were all that was left of the attackers, and as they floated to the ground, we all exhaled thankfully. When we had caught our breath again, I moved over to Raphael to retrieve my weapons. “What was that?” I asked, knowing exactly what it was. What I didn’t know was how Raphael knew how to do it.

“A Fraymotif.” he answered simply. “Powerful techniques that unleash the power of an individual, or the combined power of multiple heroes.”

I nodded, to him and to myself. There was only one way he could give an answer like that. “So you’ve been dreaming too then?” I asked.

Raphael turned and stared at me for a few seconds, then laughed. “I should have known that you would have answers for these strange visions.”

I sighed. “I don’t really have any answers, but I can tell you you’re not the only one. I’ve had dreams too, still am. Doc told me that I’d meet with others who had as well, and once we got more people together it would start to make sense.”

“I see… It is possible that we dream at the same time, each of us living through these avatars in our dreams in real time… Although I still live as a knight both in the waking world and this dream.”

My eyes widened slightly. “So then, you’re …?”

“Excuse me, sir Doctor?” I heard from behind me, and shook my head before turning around. It was the cleric again.

I sighed again. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I misled you. I’m not the Doctor.” She looked disappointed more than offended. “I was an associate of his, but the Doctor himself is… gone.”

“Oh, no!” she whispered, clearly distressed. “I had hoped, when you said you were him, that I could meet him myself…”

I frowned, confused. “How do you know of the Doctor, anyway?” I asked. “What did you want from him?”

“Well… I overheard you and sir knight talking of strange dreams?” My eyes widened ever-so-slightly. “I believe I have had such dreams as well, and one of the… characters in them goes by ‘The Doctor’ as well.”

I turned to Raphael, and he nodded. The odds were playing in our favor right now. This girl was another dreamer, and we had to keep her with us. I turned back. “I can’t promise anything, but if you stick with us, we might be able to find out what they mean together.” She nodded enthusiastically, her golden hair bobbing and shining in the sunlight. “What’s your name?”

“Dinky.” she answered with a small curtsey.

“Raphael.” he introduced.

“Scratch.” I finished, deciding that I would just have to trust her. “Now, we need to decide our next move. The Order- the people that were responsible for this attack- need to pay for a lot of things.”

“Tactically, I cannot see this as being a probing attack.” Raphael commented. “They were hitting too hard, but with expendable forces. This may have been part of a bigger overall attack.”

“So you’re saying they might be hitting other places right now, too?” I asked, my stomach sinking.

“Yes. And likely with more force at larger, more important targets.”

“Where would we have the most backup?” I asked. “The ravens are probably scrambling to fight them back already.”

He took only a moment to answer. “Monetopia. Destroying the city would be a crippling blow to any resistance. In addition, it’s the first place the White Wolf Army would leap to defend.”

“Right.” I said, retrieving the Time Tables. “Monetopia it is.”

“But how will we reach the city in time?” Dinky asked. “It could be in ruins by the time we reached it, even with a fast boat…”

“Not with my vessel it won’t.” I said confidently. “Both of you, grab one of my arms.” I began setting the destination point to the capital city of Wistaria.

“Scratch, I know you use this mode of travel frequently,” Raphael said, somewhat nervously, “but I have never experienced it myself… should we be prepared for anything?”

“Nah, pretty standard stuff. Just hold onto my arms, like I said.” In all likelihood, they would probably be extremely nauseous their first few trips through time, but there was no need to worry them about it now.

Nineteen

Nineteen

Monetopia

Scootaloo

Our party emerged into the city square, before the Bamboo Company building. Just hours before, this place had been so peaceful, beautiful and lively. Now fires burned, bodies of the dead and wounded lay in the streets, and a haze of smoke and wisps of darkness filled the air. There were still dark creatures all over, but far less than I had expected. Several knights in gleaming silver armor were presently engaging them, swords and lances ripping them apart with ease.

“Those’re the White Wolves?” Applebloom asked.

“Yup.” Angel answered simply. “Looks like they’ve spread out throughout the city. There’s only a few taking care of things here.”

“This isn’t right.” Drew muttered, shaking his head. We drew our weapons to prepare to aid the White Wolves, but waited to hear what he had to say. “There’s got to be more. They wouldn’t throw an attack like this at Monetopia. This is a real attack, but it’s just grunts.”

“You’re right…” Sweetie Belle commented. She looked around, then her gaze slowly settled on a point high up on the Bamboo Company building. They widened slightly, and while I couldn’t see anything from here, I knew she could. “There’s someone up there!”

I squinted, and soon found what she was referring to: an upright black form standing atop one of the building’s crenellations. I couldn’t tell what he or she was doing from this distance, but I could only imagine they were simply overlooking the battle. Just as I got a good look at the figure though, they leapt off their perch and descended rapidly to the ground. I almost shouted, but I saw that the figure was decelerating upon nearing the ground, and touched down gently before the building. He stalked forward, his gait and large frame allowing me to guess him to be a man, and the dark beasts paused and shambled over to stand behind him. Soon we were faced with the small contingent that was left, headed by a muscular man in a pitch black cloak.

“You!” one of the knights shouted, removing his helmet, revealing locks of thick black hair, but a fairly young and determined face. I guessed by his armor that he was of a higher rank than the other knights. “You are the one that commands these monsters?!”

The cloaked figure said nothing, but slowly unsheathed a sword from his left sleeve. It glowed with an angry pink light, and his act of retrieving it was clearly one of defiance. The lead knight snarled and leapt forward, his own sword raised and glowing with energy. The other White Wolves were right behind him, weapons at the ready. The man raised his sword and parried the leader’s attack, then began blocking the attacks from the other knights. They were keeping him busy and locking him in where he stood, but they couldn’t land a hit. He was deceptively fast, unusual considering his frame.

The remaining dark beasts surged forward again, but this time the knights were unable to engage them. I nodded so that the others could see it, and dashed forward to fight off the creatures. The others were right behind me, keeping the fight between the Order agent and the White Wolves uninterrupted. I lunged forward and lanced one straight through the chest, destroying it instantly. Beside me, Applebloom preformed a scissor-cut that sliced one into four pieces, and it soon dissolved as well. Between the five of us fighting them off, the creatures were soon defeated, but the time they bought without us fighting the Order member had been enough.

The White Wolves were failing. The leader of the group was fighting just as viciously as before, but the others were beginning to tire. I turned back and gave the others a simple signal, then dashed forward to attack him. My lunge was expertly parried before I got close. The others soon joined in, and with our numbers we were able to start landing a few hits. The other White Wolves were beginning to tire and drop off, though, and the Order agent showed no signs of tiring.

“Get out of here, you kids!” The black-haired knight barked. “We’ll buy you time to escape!”

I shook my head. We couldn’t leave now. Besides, these knights wouldn’t last much longer on their own. “We’re just… as able fighters… as your men, and this man… has a lot to answer for!” I said between attacks and parries. He gave no reply, but he didn’t try to have us flee again. Eventually, when only the Crusaders and the lead knight remained, the Order agent seemed to grow bored of the fight. With a grunt, he delivered a mighty vertical uppercut that sent the black-haired knight reeling backward. His attack gave us a moment to deliver several more hits, but once he finished, our offensive advantage was gone.

He sliced diagonally, and I had to brace myself and my spear to absorb the hit. His next attack reversed his sword in the opposite direction, batting away Angel’s overhead strike. In the same instant, his other hand shot forward and delivered a blow to Angel’s chest, sending him reeling back. I retaliated by launching a blast of wind, throwing him back several feet and tossing his hood to the side. A battle-scarred face and strange grey horn were revealed, and a shock of black hair fell to his shoulders. With a snarl, he dashed forward and rammed Sweetie Belle to the ground with his shoulder. He made short work of Luna as well, sliding across the ground and swatting her aside with his forearm. She managed to land a hit of powerful darkness before she fell, but it did not seem to faze him.

He dashed back over to me, and with a strong drop of his elbow, I was on the ground, stunned and dizzy. Through my blurry vision, I was able to see him stalk over to Applebloom, and quickly disable her as well. He reached down and pulled her up by her collar, and in a commanding but not overly loud voice, began to speak to her:

“Dreamer of Void. You are unable to fight, as are your allies. I will give you two options as to what you will do next. You can choose to offer no further resistance and allow me to escort you away as my prisoner… or I can kill you here. Both choices will result in you being removed as an obstacle, and it matters not to me which you choose.”

I squinted in confusion. He was clearly speaking to Applebloom alone, but he had called her something strange. What did he mean ‘dreamer of Void’? A few seconds passed in which neither spoke, then I was able to see and hear Applebloom spit in his face defiantly. He wiped his sword hand over his face slowly, and then brought it up over his head, in preparation of the finishing blow. I wanted to leap to my feet and stop him, but I was still dizzy and only able to watch helplessly.

I heard a faint whistle in the air, then the sound of metal colliding with flesh. The Order agent dropped both Applebloom and his sword, still alive but in shock. I saw coils of darkness flowing from his back, probably healing his new wound, and he reached around with one arm to pull the projectile free. He stared at it for a moment- a round metal frame with crossing handles, ending in blades on the outer rim- before grabbing his sword and blocking another attack from behind.

A new knight dashed forward, sword colliding with the Order agents’. The knight’s armor was not quite as high-quality as that of the White Wolves- it was only metal in some places, leather in others- but he seemed just as confident with his blade. His messy caramel-brown hair settled on his shoulders, still flowing from his sudden approach.

The knight spun around him, and came to a halt in front of our battered group. “Number Two, I’ve been told?” he said, his sword pointed at him. While he spoke, I felt a tingle in my head, and other wounded parts of my body. Looking around, I saw that another girl had joined us as well, one with golden hair, white and pale violet clothing, and a healing staff.

“Lambs to the slaughter…” Number Two growled, raising his sword again.

“Part of me was hoping I’d find you first, Number Two.” yet another voice commented, from behind our enemy. I turned my head slightly to view him, and saw a boy my age standing confidently, holding the weapon pulled from Number Two’s back, as well as an identical one in the other hand. His pants and shirt were both a continuous swirling black-and-white pattern, with red on the collar and sleeves. He had spiky, lightning-blue hair, rounded black sunglasses, and a confident but angry smile. “You’ve got me to answer to this time.”

“What fortune…” Number Two muttered, gripping his sword, “The dreamer of Time has seen fit to join us as well!” He spun around and slashed at the boy, who blocked with his strange weapons. “It’s a shame you seem so bent on sharing your father’s fate!”

“Bastard!” the boy barked, pushing forward. He moved efficiently and elegantly with his weapons, swinging wide but always keeping one nearby to defend. I saw a fire spell at the tips, pulsing blue and growing in power. The knight dashed forward and attacked him from the other side, forcing him onto the defensive. I turned, nodded to the others, and dashed forward with renewed energy. My attack was parried, but Number Two was starting to sweat this time. The two newcomers’ attacks were furious, and he had to focus almost his full attention to them.

With Applebloom, Angel, Luna and Sweetie Belle all joined in, he didn’t stand a chance of attacking, and he knew it. We were all too pumped on adrenaline to grow tired, and the blue-haired boy was fighting brilliantly, if angrily. We needed something stronger to really hurt him though: all our attacks were glancing off, or being patched up by darkness. The knight leapt back for a moment, and turned to Applebloom.

“You there, girl with the swords!” he called, and Applebloom nodded slightly to show she was listening. “You are a dreamer as well, correct? That of Void?” Another nod. “Then follow my lead!”

He dashed around to the other side, and raised his sword over his head. Applebloom leapt back and did the same with her blades. “Oubliette Symphony!” he yelled, and the two leapt at Number Two. Their initial hit knocked him into the air, and before he could fall, they leapt up and delivered a cross-slash that sent him reeling higher. Running on some kind of magic, they doubled back and slashed him again and again, until he was at least thirty feet off of the ground. The two hung in the air for a moment, then brought down the three swords on him, descending all the way to the ground.

The knight and Applebloom leapt aside at the last second, and Number Two slammed into the ground, knocking loose several pieces of mortar. For good measure, the blue-haired boy charged a large, powerful fire spell on his weapons, and blasted the slight crater with a pillar of flame. When the fire faded, Number Two struggled to his feet, and darkness began to surround him; not a healing darkness as before, but of escape.

“You’ll live to regret not accepting your fate.” he said darkly, and vanished. We all looked around for a moment, expecting more, but the danger seemed to have passed from the wrecked streets of Monetopia. A collective bated breath was released by all.

“Brave souls,” Luna began, “we thank you for your swift aid. Without you, we surely would have perished.”

The knight raised an eyebrow, seemingly interested. “It was nothing, milady.” he replied, “It is but the duty of a knight, and a citizen of the land. Though I have not yet been tied to a service, I still seek to protect my fellow citizens.”

“In simpler terms…” Sweetie Belle muttered, approaching the blue-haired boy while Luna and the knight continued their articulate banter, “Thanks for pulling our asses out of the fire. Where did you come from, and how did you know to come here?”

He chuckled slightly. “We just got here from Forestia. And it was a lucky guess on my companion’s part that they’d be hitting this city, too.”

“Really? We were just in Forestia too! Well, one of the little islands that are technically part of it. So… you’re fighting against the Order, too?”

He raised his eyebrows, just visible over his shades. “I thought I was the only one. And by extension, my friends. What have they done to you?”

“Oh, you know, attacked Eclipse City, framed us for stealing the Elements of Harmony, made it so we had to go into exile for a while. When we got the chance to hit back, you bet we took it. How about you?”

He sighed. “At first, it was my father and I fighting them. I fought because he told me they were bad. It was our job to stop the bad guys… But then that bastard we just fought caught up with us, and… killed him. Made it very personal. I plan to fight them in any way I can.”

I noticed Applebloom had gone over to speak with the knight as well, so I turned to the boy. “He said something about one of our friends being a ‘dreamer’. So did your friend. What does that mean?”

“There are people around who are having dreams, in which they are living the story of another. All the dreams, and probably the dreamers, are connected. Your friend is one of them. So am I, and my two companions.”

I nodded. “If that’s the case, it might be a good idea to stick together. We’re fighting the same enemy, and if we’ve got people that are connected somehow- and important enough that the Order wants them out of the picture- we should stick together to better protect them.”

After a few moments of consideration, he nodded. “I suppose so. At the very least, I don’t want to lose track of any of the dreamers.” The others noticed and walked over to join us. “So, what can I call you all?” he asked.

“Scootaloo.” I said, shaking his hand.

“Sweetie Belle.” “Luna.” “Angel.” “Applebloom” my companions said in turn.

“Raphael.” the knight said, bowing slightly. I had a feeling right away that he and Luna would get along great. He was acting like a knight of old, and Luna actually was from that time period.

“Dinky.” the healer introduced herself, also with a small bow.

The boy paused and looked up at the Bamboo Company building, thoughtful. I guessed he was somewhat reluctant to give out his name. At last, he turned back to me, and said simply “Scratch.”

Twenty

Twenty

“Scratch?” I asked, surprised. That was a name I had heard before. “I think we’ve met before! Or, you met my older brother.” He raised an eyebrow. “You fought him six years ago, just before the resistance got started. He also told us you were a time traveler.”

He rubbed his chin and nodded thoughtfully. “It’s possible. I haven’t done that yet, but if what you’re saying is true, then I probably will end up going back to fight him… Why would I though? What was the point of it? And how did he get my name?”

“He told me you gave it to him.” I answered.

“And I think you went back in the first place to give me this…” Sweetie Belle added, holding up her Icarus Charm, “but a different version of it. The one you give me should still be in a ravine near the castle of Dawn.”

He nodded again, clearly on top of things. “I gave him my name? That seems unprofessional of me… So I go to this ravine, grab the current charm, and give it to you six years ago. Then I fight your brother. Am I following this right so far?”

I nodded. “After that he said an Order member showed up, and you left to meet her a few days later. Said she was a member of the Order too, and that you wanted to talk to her about a conflict that was happening in your time… which, I guess, is what’s happening now. I still don’t completely understand all this time travel stuff.”

“Another member of the Order…? I suppose it makes sense, trying to make allies on the inside. Do you know the identities of any other members?”

“A few.” Applebloom confirmed. “There was Tug- Number Ten- and Gilda and Max. I’m not sure what their numbers are. Tug was very kind, but Gilda was awful. I don’t know about Max… Then there’s Number One.” She gave Scratch, Dinky and Raphael a look that said something like you’re not going to like this. “Discord.”

The reaction from the other three was immediate. Scratch and Raphael both took a sharp intake of breath, almost scared. Dinky’s jaw just dropped in fear. “Discord?!” Scratch repeated, then swore violently. “That monster is still alive?!”

“Yes. Even my sister and I, in God Tier, could not stop him forever.”

“Wha- That was him too?!” Scratch exclaimed, even more distressed. “Dammit! What will it take to stop him…?”

“You’ve met him before that?” I asked.

“He’s been in our dreams.” Applebloom explained quietly. “But in the dreams, he doesn't look like what we saw at Eclipse. But there's no doubt it's the same monster.”

“If that’s what we’re up against,” Scratch continued, “we’re going to need a lot more strength than just the eight of us… But I think following these dreams is the key. He’s sending his agents out to hunt us down and either capture or kill us. He sees a threat in us.”

Raphael nodded. “If that’s so, then we should make it top priority to find the remaining two dreamers, those of Space and Hope.”

“We’ll need a bigger vessel though.” Scratch stated. “Mine barely carried the three of us here. It’s meant for one person, maybe two.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Where’d Drew get to? He was our source of transport.” I looked around, and saw him and the putty Cody standing with the White Wolf knights, helping to tend their wounds. The black haired one stood off to the side silently.

“I’m afraid this will have to be where we part ways.” Drew said after we asked him to join us. “This is a fight I can’t get into, any more than we all already are. Right now, I need to get to Tellius and warn Daring about all this. He’ll almost certainly get tangled up in it if I don’t… and probably still will if I do, but he deserves to know what he’s getting into. But, I’ll still do what I can. If I find anyone over there that wants to join the fight, I’ll point them in the right direction. There are always a few heroes willing to help in Tellius.”

“There’s trouble over there.” Scratch commented. “The Order was very active there six years ago, parallel to the Second Civil War of Equestria. I don’t know what’s different now… but just stay wary of the Daein royal family, specifically Princess Cadenza. Something’s very wrong with her. She’s been seen parlaying with the Order. There’s also a guy in Grann who I think is important. I don’t know his name, but he has black hair and a distinctive, curved blue sword.”

Drew nodded, taking in all this information. “I’ll try to keep all that in mind. If you’re staying here in Ivoire, then I’ll offer you the only lead I have. I heard there was a disturbance in the Aquamarine region. Some Sulphur-spawn stragglers seeping through the holes between dimensions. Sulphur’s been dead for almost twenty five years now, but not all of his minions were destroyed, and there are a bunch just floating around in the void.”

The black-haired knight walked up to us. “Thank you, for saving my men and I.” he said, sounding a bit reluctant to have needed help. “I don’t know what that swordsman was on, but he was the strongest opponent I’ve ever faced.”

Scratch nodded. “There’s more where they came from, but I don’t think there are many as strong as he is. Just keep vigilant around Ivoire, and don’t let them beat the people down. They would crush us all beneath their boots if we let them.”

He nodded. “I am Captain Seever, by the way. If you are in need of aid, simply ask for me, and the White Wolves will repay this favor.”

Sentinel’s Keep

Lenora

The dark-haired girl slipped off her Order cloak, and sat on her bed. Several other Order members had just left on a senseless raid on various cities of Ivoire. Lenora had not spoken out against this action, nor had she been picked to participate. Almost everyone else was gone, including Alex. He, Max and Gilda had been assigned to raid several of the islands in the Vermillion region, combining their efforts to cover more ground at once.

Max… Keep Alex safe. You won’t let him become like them. You might be slipping yourself, but you’re not too far gone to protect him. But me… I can’t protect him anymore. I should have gotten him out long ago. He’s… he’s in better hands with you than with me, right now.

She equipped her black, gold-trimmed armor slowly, deliberately. First the legs, then the arms, and at last the chest plate. Lastly, she snapped her sword- long, wide but not broad, and angular- into its sheath on her back. After she was fully armed, she gathered up her few personal belongings, and her gold which could be exchanged for any currency, wherever she ended up. With a heavy sigh, one that was a half-hearted attempt at holding back tears, she stood and exited her room for the final time.

Unsurprisingly, Tug was already standing outside, also dressed the part. His mottled green and grey cloak, unrivaled at camouflage, hung over his head and shoulders. She could see the faintest signs that it held several knives and other small weapons, and his impressive longbow was slung over his shoulder, already strung.

“I didn’t think you’d want to stay after today.” he commented, standing upright from where he leaned against the wall. “I don’t blame you.”

“Tug…” Lenora said, half-sighing. “I was hoping to sneak away without your notice, and not endanger you too.”

He chuckled slightly. “I’d be in more danger staying here than I would be going with you. I’d probably pick another fight with Gilda and get myself into some serious hot water. Besides… you’ll want someone watching your back out there.”

Lenora smiled warmly, and Tug embraced her in a long, comforting hug. “Let’s get out of this death trap.” he whispered. Soon, the two were moving quickly down the spiral staircase of the Sentinel’s Keep, the tower that was said to have stood since the beginning of time. They reached the ground floor and exited into the pale northern sunlight, and the balmy ocean breeze. The gravel beach crunched underfoot as they approached the shore one last time.

“When the time comes that you leave this place, go to the desert. A faded memory and old friend will be there to lend a hand.” Lenora recited quietly. Tug glanced at her. “That’s the last thing Doc said to me, before he left. Now we’re following his footsteps… So, I suppose we should go to a desert now. But which one?”

He shrugged. “Beats me. Guess we can just try them one by one, until we find this ‘old friend’.”

“Well, well.” a familiar, cocky voice said, from behind the two. “I knew you two’d make a break for it one of these days. Seems Lord Discord had the same thought, otherwise I’d be off raiding Ivoire with the rest of ‘em.”

The two turned to see a figure, still draped in an Order cloak, with long blue-grey hair and bronze, almost grey eyes. He wore a smug grin, and aimed a powerful crossbow at the two. “Ah well. This’s still plenty of fun.”

“Give it up, Six.” Tug said, deliberately using his number rather than name as a sign of disrespect. “You can’t stop either of us. And I’m a better shot than you or that layman’s weapon anyway.”

“Maybe not, but you couldn’t kill me either. And we’ll have a pretty good idea of where you’ll be headed now, so it hardly matters.”

Tug and Lenora stared down Number Six for several seconds. At last, Lenora moved her head slightly, not taking her eyes off of the man in the cloak. “Tug, open a portal out of here. Randomize it.”

“May as well.” he commented, creating a portal of darkness behind them. “Once they figure out we’ve left, we’ll be stuck wherever we are.”

Lenora made a step towards the portal, which was being held open by Tug. Six didn’t make a move to stop them. “Look, we both know how a fight between us would end. I’d get beaten around the beach for a while, then just warp away myself. So go on, leave. Nobody’s gonna stop you. But you’d better expect us to come and find you!” He said this last sentence with what sounded almost like childlike glee. Lenora shook her head. There was something deeply wrong with Number Six, she thought.

She stepped through the portal, with Tug just behind her.

Wistarian Waters

Scootaloo

“Something’s not right…” Scratch muttered, sitting against the wall of the boat. After waiting for affairs to calm in Monetopia- and helping where we could- we had purchased the service of a boat to take us to Frigidia, the location of the disturbance Drew had specified.

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked. She sat next to Scratch, with Applebloom next to her. It wasn’t a huge boat, so the eight of us didn’t have a lot of free space. Still, I had noticed that Sweetie Belle had been staying near Scratch since he and his companions joined our party. I remembered that when Scratch had apparently gone back in time, he had commented that Sweetie Belle was cute. Maybe that’s what she was working on.

“Something isn’t sitting right with me, about something you said earlier. I can’t… I can’t place it. I’m not sure what it is that seems off.”

“What, you think we might have lied to you about something?” I asked.

“No.” he assured me. “No, it’s more like… you might have been lied to about something. You believed it was true, but it may not have been. I’m not sure.”

I sat back and thought myself. What had we told him? About our exile from Equestria, his trip back in time, and what we knew about the Order. All this information was correct, as far as I knew.

“I’ll figure it out later. We’re here.” He exited, then stood in the doorway and stretched. “Bundle up as much as you can. It’s cold out here, and I don’t know how long this will take.” I nodded, adjusted my jacket, and followed him outside. Snow covered the ground on this island, and the rooftops of the low, sturdy buildings. The village here was comprised almost exclusively of Scrabbits, so it made sense that the buildings didn’t need to be as tall.

One of the Scrabbits approached us, and I assumed by his clothing that he was the village elder. “Well, well! It’s not often we have so many visitors at once.” he greeted us. I thought he almost sounded nervous, but I wasn’t sure. “What can I help you with?”

“We heard there was a surge of Sulphur-spawn remnants here.” Scratch said, speaking for the group. “We’re Chromas, here to take the job of dealing with them.”

“Ah, thank goodness. The village is running low on supplies that we normally get from the other side of the island, but can’t get near due to those monsters. But, aren’t there a bit many of you for you to be Chromas?”

We looked around at each other. “Yeah, I guess we are a bit big for a Chroma party now…” Angel commented.

“It’s alright; you can still just pay us Chroma rates.” Sweetie Belle added.

“Oh, that’s very kind of you!” the elder said happily. “Does your clan have a name, since it seems you’ve just formed?”

A moment passed, after which Applebloom said simply: “The Crusaders.”

The village elder nodded, and pointed us in the direction of the outbreak. We all equipped our weapons, and made our way further into the island, on slippery paths through icy hills. Signs of civilization became more scarce, but never disappeared completely. Every quarter mile or so, there was a sturdy stone shelter build into the ground, probably for use in heavy snowstorms. There were also tarps strung up closer to the path, under which were crates of supplies. After a certain point, though, they all became unmanned, with no-one wanting to venture this close to the Sulphur-spawn.

While we walked, I was able to reflect on my thoughts of the three new additions to the Crusaders. Raphael and Dinky both seemed nice enough. Raphael was pretty by-the-book, but he knew what he was doing with that sword of his. Dinky was an odd ball. I couldn’t imagine what she was doing in a group like this, aside from being a dreamer, which I still didn’t understand completely either. Still, if Applebloom was one, then they were something worth protecting.

Scratch, though, was the strangest of all. From the way Dash described him before, he was frustratingly ambiguous, sure of himself, but a vicious fighter. So far, he was proving all of those true. He hadn’t yet given me a reason to distrust him, but he had given Rainbow Dash plenty of reason to be wary, at least until I understood what he was really doing.

I also used the time to review my own companions. I felt like the closest of them- Sweetie Belle and Applebloom- were growing distant from me. In the case of Sweetie Belle, it had been a slow process that started a while ago, with her becoming a princess and growing to resent that role, then turning to drink. We wanted to try and help her, let her know that her friends were still there for her. On some level she seemed to understand that, but she walled herself off, wouldn’t accept any serious help. Now there was Scratch, leading her along by the nose. It was hard to tell if he was aware of it, but I could see it plain as day.

And with Applebloom, this recent disaster that had sent us on this half-adventure, half-spiraling suicide mission, she had become distant from both of us. I didn’t understand what these dreams were about; I couldn’t without someone telling me about them, and no one would. Scratch insisted that we should wait until we had everyone, and the dreams had completed their course. I wanted badly to help comfort Applebloom, but I didn’t have the first clue what she was going through.

Angel and Luna didn’t deserve to be out here at all. None of us really did, but neither of them sought out trouble like the three core Crusaders did, nor were they dreamers who got roped in anyway. Luna just got unlucky, and had Discord exact his revenge on her for his previous defeat. And Angel probably didn’t know what he was getting into when he volunteered to accompany us. But then, did any of us know what we were getting into? Could it only have been two weeks ago that the three of us were in the old clubhouse, preparing for our show in Eclipse?

“Look sharp.” Scratch said, drawing my attention back from my thoughts. “That’s got to be it there.”

“I can’t imagine it would be anything else…” Sweetie Belle began, “but that one is different from the one we saw in Windmill Promontory.” I found what they were talking about, and had to agree with Sweetie Belle. Whereas the last portal had pulsed a deep violet, this one was an angry red. The gold around the edges was different too, the symbols on this one more convoluted and much more chaotic in their orbit around the portal.

The monsters were the same though. The legless and faceless- but certainly not toothless- forms prowled around the portal, waiting for someone else to wander in. Several motionless bodies around the clearing told that we weren’t the first to try.

“Alright,” Sweetie Belle thought out loud, “let’s be smart about this. Luna and I can shoot at them from here, where there’s a bit of cover. That’s how we’ll start, while we have the element of surprise. Once we’ve lost that, go down and hit them hard. We’ll continue to give you cover fire.”

I nodded, and Sweetie Belle readied an arrow, while Luna prepared a dark spell in the palm of one hand. They fired, then immediately prepared another volley. They were able to get in four rounds each before the Sulphur-spawn realized what was happening. When they did and began moving towards our position, Scratch and Applebloom leapt up and charged them, with Raphael, Angel and I just behind. Scratch’s battle discs flared with a blue lightning spell, and he crashed into the first of the Sulphur-spawn mightily. Applebloom’s quick, darting blades cut down the rest of the front line before they could out-maneuver her.

I leapt over them and thrust my spear straight through one of the monsters. Raphael dashed forward and sliced in half one just behind Scratch. With more fighters on our side this time, we were able to hold our own against the beasts much better than on Windmill Promontory. Dinky still had plenty of wounds to heal by the time we were done, but it was apparent that the group as a whole, and each of us as individuals, were growing stronger.

Scratch walked over to the portal before Luna disabled it. He looked closely at the symbols, studying it. I could see him frown from where I stood, and he retrieved two hovering, spinning discs from somewhere on his person.

“This is strange…” he mumbled, “This should just be a simple dimensional gate. But I’m picking up several different kinds of temporal energy off of it, too. Too many for it to be a simple time gate, either. Maybe…”

He put the discs away, and put a hand on his chin, deep in thought. Part of me wished he would share what he was thinking with the rest of the group, but the other part knew that only he understood what was happening right now, anyway. Finally, I saw his eyebrows rise from behind his shades. Several more seconds passed as he put together what he had realized, then he addressed us. “You remember when I was saying that there was something nagging at me, something I couldn’t place about what you had told me earlier?” We nodded. “I think this portal contains the answer to that. This is a gate to an alternate timeline. I don’t think I’m the only one screwing around with time travel anymore.”

Twenty-one

Sorry I haven't posted a chapter for a little while.

I kinda went out on a limb with this part of the story. I hope it goes well.

Twenty-one

“An alternate timeline?” Luna asked. “We- er, I- remember something about those from an old friend…”

“In theory, every decision we ever make splits the timeline, another offshoot reality being formed for every choice you didn’t settle on.” Scratch explained. “I’m not sure about that, myself, but there are certainly a few alternate timelines out there. They are all destined to be destroyed, in the end. Only the alpha timeline survives, which is the one we are in.”

“So what is this gate for?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Someone from one of those timelines trying to get out?”

“That’s very possible.” Scratch confirmed. “It’s also possible that another person with powers over time, working against us, opened this up to bring in forces to stop us.”

“So what did you mean when you said this is what wasn’t sittin’ right with you?”

“Right, that…” he began, hesitating. “Well, this is going to sound incredibly awkward, Scootaloo, probably the most awkward thing you’ve ever heard, but… I think you’re the wrong gender.”

It took me several moments to respond. Even then it was simply “…What?”

“Yeah. I know, it sounds absolutely insane. I wouldn’t believe it if the evidence wasn’t staring us in the face. You may not be the only one, either.”

“… What? How does that even work?!” I asked.

“I only have a rough idea, myself.” Scratch admitted. “But if we enter this portal, I can show you.”

“Is that a good idea?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I mean, will we be safe in a timeline that’s bound for destruction?”

“We will be safe. With me at the controls of our trip, we will only be observers, able to look at any point in the timeline we choose.”

“You mean, any point you choose.” I corrected. Scratch gave me a look from behind his shades for a few moments, then shrugged.

“Essentially. But only because we want to see what we need to see, then get out. We don’t want to be away from our own timeline for too long. Can’t give the Order enough time to get the upper hand.”

He retrieved the discs again and held them at his sides. Everyone moved to stand behind him, but I pulled Applebloom aside for a moment before joining him. “Do you think it’s a good idea to follow this guy? We’ve got a common enemy, but I’m not sure he knows what he’s doing…”

“I know what’cha mean…” she answered, “But I think he’s our best bet right now. We need his help to push back against the Order.”

I nodded uneasily, and we stood behind him. With a flick of his wrist against the Time Tables, we were pulled through the portal. Our vision blurred for a few moments. When it returned, we were presented to an overhead view of Equestria at night. It looked nearly identical to our own. As we floated, I was hit with a wave of longing and homesickness. I wasn’t sure how long we would be gone yet, but already I couldn’t get back home fast enough.

“We need to zoom in to see the major difference with this reality.” Scratch told us, and made some adjustments on his devices. We descended to the ground, and I quickly saw that we were near Ponyville. A few people were on the streets, but we seemed to be invisible to them, observers only.

“There’s somethin’… different about ‘em.” Applebloom mused.

“You’ll be able to see it once we get to someone you know.” Scratch assured, then took us quickly across town to the Sweet Apple Acres. The torches near the farmhouse were still lit, but as we watched, someone stepped outside to douse them.

“Is that Applejack?” Applebloom asked, and I could feel the same longing in her voice that I felt. “But… she’s…”

“A guy, yes.” Scratch confirmed. “That’s this reality’s defining feature, all the genders are reversed from what we know. Well, most of them, that’s what we’re here to investigate. The ones that aren’t.”

“Wait, wait.” I interrupted. “How does this work? How does any of this make any sense? And what does this have to do with us?”

“Any reality you can imagine that’s different from ours, the alpha one- even ones that are only slightly different- are happening somewhere in paradox space. Usually even I can’t access them, but there must be someone else out here fiddling with time travel. Someone with more unstable power. And your last question is also what we’re here to investigate. I don’t know why this other time traveler opened this reality in particular. To prove a point, maybe. We’ll find out.”

He spun one of the discs forward, and our vision blurred again. When we stopped, we were in the middle of a very familiar scene. “The first real battle of the rebellion…” I breathed.

Ponyville had been overhauled for defense, just the same as it was in our reality. The people were fighting tooth and nail against the better-armed royal army. The difference was, this time, Ponyville was losing.

“This wasn’t a war that ended with the free people on top in most realities.” Scratch admitted. “We were very lucky that it did end well in the alpha timeline.”

Below us, behind the defensive lines, I saw another flash. When it faded, another Scratch stood there, but I could see that this one looked younger, yet more battle-worn than the one beside me did.

“That’d be me from this reality…” Scratch said, after I pointed him out. “What am I doing here…?”

“And why are you still a boy in this reality?” I asked skeptically. “Everyone else here is changed, but you pretty much look the same.” Scratch didn’t answer, but was rubbing his chin in deep thought. The battle below struggled forward, but it was clear that the rebel forces could not win, even with the Scratch of this reality putting his strength behind them. When the last of them were cornered in the center, the outer walls breached, I saw the alternate Scratch reveal his own Time Tables, and swiftly input a destination. With a bright flash, he and the remaining survivors were taken away from the battle.

Our Scratch quickly set a new destination, and we followed the survivors to their new location. There weren’t many of them, but I noticed one thing right away- they were almost all the same gender as their counterparts in the alpha timeline. Scratch, Rainbow Dash, and my own counterpart were among them. All male. To my surprise, I saw Daring Do among them as well, the man who we had met along with Drew in Monetopia. Pinkie was there as well, a boy, but seemed to be fatally wounded.

Before the survivors sat a portal, identical to the one we were using. Before the portal stood a black-cloaked figure, clearly a member of the Order. Words were exchanged between the figure and the alternate Scratch. The Order member stepped aside, and one by one, the survivors stepped through the portal. As I watched, and as each survivor stepped through, glowing bodies began to drift through from the other side. I took a closer look at one of them, and saw that it was Rainbow Dash, but this time, as a girl.

“Someone explain what’s going on here.” Sweetie Belle demanded. “I can’t be the only one totally lost here.”

“This is only an educated guess…” Scratch started, “but it seems like this portal leads back to our reality, and the survivors of this battle are entering. They had already done this in our reality. And judging by these bodies… They replaced their counterparts in our reality. This caused our reality to change slightly, and for Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash… myself, it seems… and several others, to be born as the gender they were in this reality, rather than what they were supposed to be in the alpha timeline.” He shook his head. “That’s completely insane, but there it is. There’s still the question of why… Why did they do that, and why did this Order member give them the opportunity to?”

“And the question of why Pinkie didn’t change.” Sweetie Belle added. “Her male counterpart went through to our timeline, but she’s still a girl.”

Scratch nodded, appearing to be just as confused as the rest of us. I looked up, and saw the Order member look directly at us, beckon us to follow, and drift through the portal. Scratch watched the figure go, then turned slightly to face us. “That person probably has the answers we want. Don’t draw your weapons yet, but be ready to.”

I nodded, and made sure my spear was ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice. I glanced down at the bodies of the ones we had replaced in the alpha timeline. I saw my own counterpart there, violet hair brushing against the ground, a good deal longer than mine. She seemed to be still alive; they all did, alive but not alive, never having been alive at all.

“Isn’t there anything we can do for them?” I asked.

“I’m afraid not.” Scratch answered. “They were removed from existence in our reality. Which doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. Time travel doesn’t work like that, you can’t just go back and change something, or it would always have been that way, and… And yet I have memories of another alternate timeline, where at least some of these were still there… It doesn’t make sense at all!”

“Hey, Scratch, focus!” I said sharply, snapping him out of his anger and panic, at least for the moment. “This makes about as much sense to me as your version of time travel, but I understand one thing. We kicked these people out of their own reality. Took their spots and made it so they were never born, and shunted them off to this awful place. It’s not fair. Don’t we at least owe them something?”

“It isn’t fair,” Scratch agreed, “but there’s nothing we can do. They are doomed timeline versions now. If we brought them back, they would be destined to die. It’s just a grim reality. What we can do is go back to our reality and confront that Order agent. That person is the one who opened the way for this to happen.”

I nodded, but my eyes lingered on the inert form of my female counterpart. If what Scratch had guessed was true, then it was her that was supposed to live the life I lived. It didn’t feel right leaving her here, in a place where she would probably die. I knew it wasn’t much better to bring her with us for her to die anyway, but I couldn’t just let her be removed from her rightful timeline.

I stepped closer to her. I didn’t need to ask Scratch why she was glowing- I could guess his answer. Some kind of time-travel energy that was adjusting her to her new world, after being erased from her own. His answers hadn’t started making any more sense than they ever did, but they were beginning to become more predictable. And as ridiculous as all the things he said were, it was hard to argue when I could see for myself that he was telling the truth.

She still seemed so lifelike, even if her life was at an end, a life she had been robbed of. I slowly reached my hand forward towards hers, floating at her side. In the moment my fingers brushed against her, the glow around her became much brighter, attracting the attention of the others.

“What did you do?!” Scratch yelled. The light grew in intensity until I had to squint. I could tell that it was no longer centered on the female counterpart in front of me- in fact, I didn’t see her anymore at all- and was now focused around me. I felt a dull buzz in my head, and my body may have locked up for a moment. The light faded, and I felt normal again, yet still somehow different. The female Scootaloo was gone.

Scratch walked up to me and unceremoniously slapped me on the back of my head. “First rule for observing-only time travelers.” he said, “Don’t touch anything. Especially if it’s pumped with weird temporal energy. You could have just erased yourself from existence with that stunt.”

“I didn’t though.” I responded. “Whatever that did, I’m still standing.”

“That’s not the point!” Scratch retorted. “The point is, we don’t know WHAT it did, or what it could have done. As long as we’re hopping through time, and on the offensive against the Order, you guys are my responsibility. Agree with me or not, I’m the closest thing to a leader we have, and I’m not going to have you blowing yourself up because you got curious about something.”

He walked back over to the portal, and I stood just behind with the others. I wasn’t sure I liked that Scratch was assuming the leadership position. Admittedly, I wasn’t sure I could do any better a job, but I still didn’t know if he was completely trustworthy. He put his hands to the Time Tables again, and we were carried back through the portal, and to the icy landscape of the island in Ivoire. The portal disappeared behind us. We weren’t getting back into the alternate dimension.

Before us stood the agent of the Order, arms folded, awaiting our arrival. As Scratch had told us, we kept our weapons sheathed. He stepped forward to confront the dark-cloaked figure. “What was that?” He demanded.

The Order agent raised her arms, and spoke confidently as they all did: “You probably guessed already. Alternate timeline with reverse genders. I offered a few people safety in this timeline, at the price of removing the original copies.” She turned, and I knew she was looking and Scratch and I. “Sickening, isn’t it? That they would so willingly give the lives of others to save their own?”

“So it was to prove a point about our greed?!” Scratch demanded.

“That,” she continued, dropping her hood. Her hair was two shades of blue, and her eyes sparkled with an unsettling light. “And to demonstrate my power. I want you to know exactly what you’re up against, kids, exactly what you’ve decided to make your personal enemy.

“You see, Scratch, I know that you’ll recall memory of a history that didn’t quite line up with this one. A history in which your friend there was recorded as a girl, not a boy, as he is now.”

“Time travel doesn’t work like that.” Scratch asserted. By the tone of his voice, I knew that he didn’t want to be wrong. “You can’t change the past. Only involve yourself in it, and contribute to the reality that already existed.”

“That’s how yours works.” The Order girl agreed. “Yours is limited to only take you from place to place and time to time, but doesn’t have the power to alter the alpha timeline. Mine is a bit… different. Let’s describe it as… the script for a play. The alpha timeline as we know it is the original script, and I am the playwright. By travelling back in time and changing something, I have rewritten part of the script. The actors who were part of the area I rewrote will remember what the timeline used to look like… but it won’t anymore. Nothing but a memory…” She finished with such a cheerful tune.

“That’s insanity!” Scratch exclaimed. “That’s not how time works! That doesn’t make any sense!”

She laughed. “Have you met our boss? First thing he’d say is ‘What fun is there in making sense?’ And you’re thinking too small. My mode of time travel is better than yours. Stronger. Your precious Doctor wouldn’t risk messing up the timeline, so he was perfectly happy with the limitations those silly Time Tables presented him. But I don’t have those worries, which gives me a lot more control than you’ll ever have.”

Before Scratch had a chance to lash out at her, I stepped forward. “You’ve still got something to explain. What happened to the Pinkie of that timeline? Our Pinkie stayed the same.”

“Did she?” the Order member asked coyly. “The one that left the other timeline was too weak to completely take over the spot. Tried, but couldn’t take the body. The Pinkie Pie of your timeline could have just killed his spirit completely and be done with it, but she was too nice. She took the broken spirit in with her own, and the spirit soon changed to a shadow of hers, still alive, but with little independence. You came to call it ‘Chaos’ did you not?”

She walked up to me. “Much like what you just did. You kicked the rightful version out of this reality, but then decided to give her the second chair. How generous of you.”

She stepped back, leaving me slightly confused and in awe. There’s another… another version of me- my spirit, I mean- in my body now? Two of them, just like Pinkie? But, the one that she picked up was too weak to take over, so it was adopted as a lesser part of her. What’s going to happen to me, since both parts are equal…?

“Enough!” Scratch interjected. “What are you people doing? Why are you just attacking cities out of nowhere? And what do you want with us?!”

“Honestly?” she asked, exasperated. “You expect any of those questions to get answered? Nah, I think I’ll let you guys bumble around in the dark a while longer. You’ll probably figure it all out sooner or later, through your dreams, through the people you meet. Trust me, nothing you’ve done so far has surprised anyone. You’re playing your parts perfectly. Still… maybe it’s time for a little game?”

She chuckled and leaped back, opening a portal of darkness, but did not step through yet. “I’m going to head back in time a ways, maybe… fifteen or sixteen years? Something like that. I’m going to pull some of our other players into this game.”

Scratch exhaled sharply, his battle discs suddenly in hand. She had struck a chord. She laughed again. “That’s right. The ones you tried to keep away from this. But you’ve stepped too far, Scratch. All of you have. If you wanted to keep her safe, the best thing you could have done would be to stay at home.”

“No! You sick…!” Scratch didn’t finish, and instead lunged forward, weapons blazing. She leaped back, into the portal she had created, and was gone. Scratch swung his weapons, but they just caused a puff of black smoke.

Twenty-two

Twenty-two

Eclipse City, Equestria, Year 490

Octavia

Around a week had passed since Vinyl had left the place and time Octavia still rested in. She had remained strong for him in his departure, and truly did believe that he would return someday, but she masked her true sadness for his sake. She had needed Lyra’s support to keep in good spirits throughout this week. She knew that Scratch was going to be gone for a long time. Until then, she would just have to hold her head high.

Octavia had just awoken from a fitful sleep, and sat at the edge of her bed. She didn’t have much time to rest, however, and quickly dressed for the day. Her combat-training gear was a rough simulation of what her actual armor would be like once she became a licensed royal archer: heavy, but sturdy and protective. She also grabbed her bow- simply made but reliable- and swiftly made her way out of the barracks and to the training grounds. Lyra joined her a minute later, crossbow in hand. The training for crossbow soldiers and normal archers differed slightly, however, they were still trained in one group to teach the recruits how to best use the versatility of crossbows and higher skill of bows together, efficiently and effectively.

The rest of the trainees were almost all gathered in the training square already, and those who were not quickly joined them. Soon after, their drill sergeant arrived, arms behind her back, surveying the trainees before she began as always.

Before she did, though, Octavia suddenly became aware of a figure standing a distance behind her. A figure dressed in a black cloak, and with messy blue hair. Octavia did not register anything the drill sergeant was saying, too distracted by watching the figure walk slowly, silently up behind her. The sergeant didn’t notice a thing until the figure put two fingers on her neck, right on the major pressure point. She was unconscious before she could even see who did it.

The response from the trainees was immediate. Many shouted in alarm, and countless arrows and crossbow bolts sailed forward at the attacker. She calmly swung a hand before her, and the projectiles that would have hit her were deflected by a shield of dark energy. She began to walk forward, through the unorganized counterattack. With another flourish of her wrist, the crowd was parted, several trainees being flung to the side, some just knocked to the ground.

Octavia and Lyra were among those few who remained on their feet, and who the figure still stalked towards, a dark grin on her face. Lyra grimaced and fired several more bursts from her weapon, all shots swiftly deflected. Octavia’s mind was moving faster than her body. That black cloak looked exactly like what Vinyl had described. Despite his best efforts, trouble had come to her.

“Hello, kids.” The Order agent said with a grin. “We’re going to play a game.”

She snapped her left fingers, and the landscape swirled around them, leaving only the black-cloaked figure, Lyra and Octavia amidst a blur of color. When it subsided, the three were in the streets of Ponyville. Lyra didn’t waste a moment in surveying their new environment, and charged forward with the combat knife concealed in her boot. The figure leapt back to dodge, and a sword sprung to her hands, highly intricate. The blade was very thin, the tip rounded. It flowed effortlessly in parrying the hits of Lyra’s short, heavy-bladed knife.

A burst of darkness sent Octavia’s friend tumbling backward. “I see you two don’t waste time, either.” she commented dryly. “No wonder you’re that punk Scratch’s friends.”

Octavia started, but then regained control and smirked. “Sounds like you’ve had some trouble with him already, huh?” she taunted. “Trust me, he’s stubborn. He won’t rest until you’re stopped.”

“That seems to be what he thinks, too.” the Order member taunted. “He’s done nothing besides make this interesting for us. And now, your turn has come to do the same. Both of you.”

She held up her right hand and snapped her fingers, and the landscape began to change once again. The blue sky disappeared, replaced with a blur of gray and brown. Fires seemed to leap up from around them for fractions of a second at a time, then disappear again. At last, the environment settled around the three, and Octavia was finally able to see where the Order agent had taken them.

Ponyville was in smoldering ruin. Most of the buildings were blackened shells, and the few that had escaped comparatively unharmed had still seen far better days. The sky was thick with dust and clouds. The Order member wore a wide smile on her face.

“What have you done?!” Octavia demanded.

She adopted a false expression of shock. “Me? I haven’t done anything but bring you here. This timeline was this way when I found it. Blew themselves to oblivion, it would seem. It will make the perfect playing field for our game!”

“What game?!” Lyra shouted, aiming her crossbow.

The Order member spread her arms dramatically. “You will return to Eclipse Castle, and defeat me. That is your goal. I will attempt to stop you. There are no other rules. You may do whatever you wish to accomplish this goal, and there is no time limit. You may want to hurry though, who knows how long your boyfriend can last against Two and Six? Or even Lord Discord himself, if he decides to grace them with his presence?” With a laugh, she snapped her finger again, and disappeared.

Fields of Grann, Tellius; Year 1471

Lenora

“Damn.” Tug said, clenching his outstretched hand into a fist. “They’ve already cut us off from the dark passageways.”

Lenora sighed and shook her head. “We had better hope that this is the right desert then. We’re not going to be able to get to a different one very easily.”

“Right…” Tug looked up into the sky. “We’ve got a few hours yet before the sun sets and we need to make camp. Or find lodging, if we’re lucky enough to run into a town.”

Lenora put a hand on her chin, and the two began to walk. “I’m positive that there’s one somewhere nearby. There are no landmarks here, though, so I have no idea what direction it is in.”

The pair of outcasts set off across the windswept sands, moving fast but keeping hydrated. The desert would claim any who weren’t cautious. The sun crawled across the sky, and soon it was sunset. The pair had still found no sign of a nearby town, and they were forced to make camp at the base of a slight cliff. The few scrubby bushes in the area were able to supply them with a fire, enough to provide light, but little warmth.

Tug stretched where he sat, next to his companion. “So… The Doctor didn’t leave you with any clues that would help us figure out who we’re looking for?”

Lenora shook her head. “None. I assume that we will either know when we see him or her, or they will know us.”

“I hope so.” Tug confirmed. “What about our goal? After we find this ally, what do we do? Start fighting back against the Order?”

Lenora nodded. “I would like to do that, yes. We know the crimes they have committed against the world better than anyone. And we may be the key in striking back, hitting them where it will do lasting damage.”

Tug nodded, and a few minutes passed in silence. Finally, Lenora spoke again. “Tug?” she asked, and he turned to her. She smiled lightly and put her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you came with me.”

In the morning, the two continued to search for signs of a town. Near midday, they picked up the trail of a caravan passing through, and knowing that the shifting desert sands would erase all tracks within hours, they knew the trail was fresh. Following this path, they were soon deposited at a lively town.

“Kakori.” Tug said, reading the sign welcoming them. “Think we’ll find who we’re looking for here?”

“I don’t know.” Lenora assured him. “But it’s as good a place to start as any.” The two nodded and travelled further into town. They did not look unusual, as several other wanderers crossed their paths, probably mercenaries of some sort. None seemed to recognize them, and they had no way of asking anyone if they were expecting someone to arrive, as they did not even know who to ask. At last, they took a seat on a bench in the main square, exhausted, and no closer to their goal.

“This is stupid.” Tug muttered. “How are we supposed to find someone when we don’t know who they are, what they look like, or even what stretch of desert to look for them in?”

“It’s the Doctor’s kind of task, all right.” Lenora agreed. “But he wouldn’t give us an impossible task. I have a feeling it won’t take us much longer.”

“If you say so…” Tug sighed, and leaned back on the bench. Several minutes passed as they sat in silence, contemplating their next move, until Lenora became aware of someone approaching from the side.

“You’ve been walking around town aimlessly for the better part of the afternoon.” he stated, a slight accent barely detectable in his voice. “I’m not the first to notice, either. Are you looking for something in particular?”

“We’re looking for someone.” Lenora answered. “But we aren’t sure who. We don’t have a name or a description. We only know to meet someone in the desert.”

The man nodded. “The Doctor sent you, didn’t he?”

Lenora’s eyes immediately widened, and she looked up to examine the man closely. He wore a light tan windbreaker, a white cloth tied around his forehead, and a sword at his belt. A pair of blue eyes were locked on hers confidently, a grin on his face underneath his narrow, slightly pointed nose.

“Yes.” Lenora confirmed, standing. “Then you must be the one he wanted us to meet.”

“He told me a girl would come to meet me.” the man stated, motioning his head towards Tug. “He didn’t say anything about this guy.”

“Tug is my companion.” Lenora stated. “The Doctor didn’t account for him coming with me. But I assure you that he can be trusted.”

The man nodded after a short pause. “Fine.” he said, then extended a hand. “My name is Mark. Consider my sword, yours.”

Lenora and Tug introduced themselves. “So, what will be our next move?” she asked.

Mark raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have a battle plan?” he asked. “I was only told to follow you when you arrived.”

Lenora shook her head. “We’ve only just left. I have no idea what our enemies are doing at the moment. We were with them, but they told us nothing, and we’ve deserted to try and fight back.”

Mark nodded thoughtfully. “The Doctor did tell me to keep an eye on the relations between this country, Daein and Crimea. I think Daein should be the place to start, as rumor has it that the princess has been acting strangely as of late. Let’s get supplied first. I need to go to my house and grab some things, as well as my… charge.”

“Charge?” Tug asked, as the three began to walk through the streets.

“Yes. A kid I’ve been looking after.” He didn’t say any more on the subject, but spoke again after a brief pause. “Tell me about the Doctor. I’ve had dealings with him, but I don’t really… know him.”

Lenora closed her eyes. “Well… I can tell you what I know. Though he loved his secrets, and didn’t tell me everything… He was a very kind man. I was young when my brother and I were taken in by the Order, and little Alex was even younger. The Doctor was like a father to me, and while Alex was not his apprentice, he cared about him very much as well. The only one he loved more was the Goddess. He took me on many adventures through time and space, before he left… The last thing he told me was that when I left, I should come to meet you. I never saw him again after that…”

Mark nodded. “Hm… I can agree that he was very kind. I owe him a lot.”

This time, Lenora raised an eyebrow. “What about you?” she prompted. “How did you know him? What’s your story?”

He remained silent for a few moments, but then began. “I’m not from here. I was from another world. I… I was supposed to save the world. But I failed. The world went on, but it was out of the ruins of what was left. The Goddesses were satisfied that I did everything I could, and instead of allowing me to die, they kept my spirit alive, to have a second chance someday. But in the end, it was not they that brought me back from the void I was cast into, but the Doctor.

“I was given two tasks when he brought me to this world with his Time Tables. The first was to wait until a girl with dark hair came looking for me, and to aid her in any way I could. He made it clear that this world depended on her success. The second was not given to me by the Doctor, but by another in a black cloak, a short time later. A woman with long, fiery hair, a two-headed battleax, and a tiny baby child.”

Lenora and Tug exchanged a glance. It had to be Spitfire, a close friend of the Doctor’s and one of the founding members of the Order.

“She didn’t tell me much either, but introduced herself as a friend of the Doctor’s. She looked tired, and desperate. She said she knew that I was an ally of the Doctor’s as well, and begged that I do one more favor. She needed someone to take care of the baby she had with her. I had hardly ever even seen a baby before, let alone taken care of one. But I could tell she was almost out of options. What’s more, the kid wasn’t… normal. He had these little wings on his back, which could have gone relatively unnoticed, but there was also this little horn on his head.”

Lenora’s eyebrows rose. To her knowledge, there were only three people with such a horn on their heads in the world. And all three were either under the Order’s thumb, or were the Order’s thumb. And it was impossible for Spitfire to have simply found another without the rest of the Order learning of it…

“The point was, if that boy didn’t stay in Grann, he would never be accepted by the society around him. Grann has always been a refuge for the less-than-normal, having been founded by the Branded centuries ago. So even if I had no idea how to care for a kid, I didn’t have much choice. He’s been with me ever since.”

“And that’s your ‘charge’ that we’re going to bring along?” Tug asked. Lenora could tell by his tone of voice that he was having the same thoughts she was.

Mark nodded. “Yes. He’s still only ten, after all. Can’t just leave him here. After that, we’ll head for Daein.”

After a few more minutes of walking, Mark led them to the front door of his house, a relatively simple and inexpensive building. He led them inside, the interior similarly simple, but it looked comfortable as well.

“Joey, come here for a sec.” Mark called. There was a muttered response from elsewhere in the house, and after a short pause, a young boy walked into the main room. What Mark had said was right: Lenora was immediately aware of the horn atop the boy’s head, just below his dark hair. On his back was a pair of wings, the feathers a light orange.

“What’s going on?” he asked, eyeing Lenora and Tug warily. “Who are they?”

Mark stooped slightly to speak, and used a tone much friendlier than the one he had been using. “Remember how I always told you that story about the Doctor that brought me here, and told me that one day, a girl would come who needed our help?” The boy nodded. “Well, this is her. Lenora, and her friend Tug. Now, let’s get your stuff packed. We’re going on an adventure.”

Joey nodded excitedly and ran off, presumably to begin packing. Lenora turned to Tug, a worried look on her face. Tug bore the exact same expression. He nodded. “There’s only one possibility here.” he said.

Mark turned and raised an eyebrow. “A possibility regarding what?”

“The boy.” Lenora answered. “Until now, we were only aware of three people who had a horn like that. The Order- the group Tug and I have just deserted from, and our enemy- had control of them all. One of them was Number Two, the right hand of the whole group. And the woman who brought this boy to you was Spitfire, Number Three. The two were very close friends, and now… it looks like they may have been closer than we thought.”

“So you figure those two were his parents?” Mark asked. Both former Order members nodded. “Makes sense, I suppose. But why did his mother leave him with me?”

“Spitfire was a good woman.” Tug answered. “Bound to the Order by duty, but she bore their actions no love. I would guess that she knew she could not keep the child where he could be corrupted by his father’s darker motives, and the evil deeds the Order committed.”

Mark shook his head sadly. “This is what war does.” he said quietly. “It tears families apart, sometimes before they even become families. Leaves a world of orphans and embittered would-be parents. At least I can take heart knowing I’ve given Joyeuse a good start.” Lenora gave him a questioning look, and he shrugged. “Joey for short. I didn’t give him the name.”

The next hour or so was spent in relative silence, moving around the house and packing supplies that the group would need. All knew to pack light, and once Mark had assisted Joey in packing what he needed, the four left the house. After a short trip to the general store in town to buy what supplies they didn’t already have, the group set off north, towards Daein.

Twenty-three

Twenty-three

Scratch

Our group made it back to the village near the docks of the frigid island. I sat against a building, arms crossed, trying to piece together recent events. The Order had pelted Ivoire with raiding attacks, many more than just the two my group and I were able to respond to. The islands were still on their feet, bolstering their defenses, readying themselves for another round, but this initial strike had caused a great deal of damage.

This was no longer a game of cat and mouse. We were not running any longer, and the Order was not playing around in pursuing us. This had gone from the survival of a few to all-out war. The Order saw us now as a threat, not a simple group of pests.

The Crusaders were an interesting group. Scootaloo was the most headstrong fool I had met since myself, but his heart was definitely in the right place. Applebloom was important in all of this, being a dreamer just like myself, Raphael and Dinky. The sooner we could find the remaining two and piece the story of these dreams together, the better. Luna, former princess of Equestria, had hit things off with Raphael quite easily. Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, was having slightly more difficulty. I got the feeling that she fancied me, but I could not respond in turn. I still fully intended to return to Octavia when this conflict ended. Angel was a good man to have in our party as well, knowing the customs of Ivoire better than any of us, as well as being skilled with his weapon. Dinky was a strange case- she was a dreamer, and seemed similar in personality to her avatar in the dreams. Because of this, I couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of affection for her, but it was not my emotion to follow, but that of my own avatar.

I also made a head count of the members of the Order that we knew of so far. Discord, obviously, was a monster and would be nearly impossible to take down. This would not stop us from trying. Number Two was just as monstrous, but with some grit, I imagined he could be defeated. I knew nothing of Number Three, save that she was a good friend of Doc’s. Doc was Number Four. Five, Lucius, was dead. Six was a mystery to me as well.

The blue haired woman we had just met was most likely Seven, and I knew that she would be a major threat to us as well. She seemed to have access to a much less stable mode of time travel, which would either be our undoing, or hers. Stopping her had to be one of our top priorities. She had made it clear to me that she had gone back to endanger Octavia, but when I followed her back through time to Eclipse, there was no sign of her. Nor was there a sign of Octavia or Lyra. Wherever she had taken the two, it was a place I couldn’t reach.

I knew very little of the lower numbers. There was the girl Doc had mentioned in his final message to me, Lenora. The Crusaders told me they had met a few before as well: Tug, who they said was kind; Max, who they seemed to know very little about; and Gilda, who they indicated to be an enemy.

“Hey, Scratch?” I heard Sweetie Belle ask, and I looked up from where I sat.

“Yeah?” I responded, standing.

“I, uh… Just wanted to say that I’m sorry.” she said.

“About what?” I asked, though I had a fairly good idea already.

“Well, about… kind of hitting on you. I didn’t know you were spoken for.”

I shrugged. “Not your fault. I didn’t mention it. I try to keep my mind off of it, since… I might not see her again.”

She gave me a sympathetic nod. “I know what you mean… I’m starting to think I might not see my family again, either. My dad, or my sisters…” She chuckled, but there was no joy in her voice. “Good thing I haven’t found any alcohol in a while…”

I frowned, and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be alright. We just need to get back on our feet, and think of a solid plan. Once we know how to fight them, it won’t seem so hopeless.” She nodded, and with a pat on her shoulder, we walked back to the rest of the group.

“How’s progress on getting us a vessel out of here?” I asked Raphael.

“We’re found nothing so far.” he told me. “Another merchant ship is scheduled to dock here tomorrow, but whether we will be able to ferry passage is unknown.”

I sighed. “We’re stuck here at least until then.”

Scootaloo approached and cocked his head. “Anxious?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I doubt it’s a good idea to stay in one place for too long. Seems like the Order has its way of tracking us, and we endanger the people of this island the longer we stay here.”

“We’ll keep lookin’.” Applebloom assured me. “If that merchant ship won’t let us ride outa’ here, we’ll find someone else who will.”

“Right.” I said, nodding. “Right…. I’m going to step out for a bit. Clear my head.” The others nodded and left to their own business, and I began to move through the village, to the edge of town, and over the first hill. There, I sat down against a rock, alone with my thoughts.

What do we do now…? I thought, nothing coming to mind. We could head back to Monetopia to regroup and resupply, but I think we’re alright for the moment. We might go around and find others who are willing to fight with us. Perhaps speak with other Chromas and leaders of Raven clans… I’m sure that if things get really bad, the Phantom Brave will step up to fight again, but we’ll need more than that this time…

“Scratch.” I heard an unfamiliar voice greet, and looked up. From behind one of the huge icy stalagmites rising from the frozen field, a person in an Order cloak stepped into view. By the voice, and the frame of this person, I could tell it was a woman, and saw a large pair of yellow wings rising from her back. Another Order cloak was slung over her shoulder, but it was slightly off-colored, looking more gray than black.

I rose to my feet, battle discs in hands, but she motioned for me to put them down. “I pose no threat to you. I am your ally.” I didn’t move, confused but still on-edge. “You were waiting for a signal, a sign that it is time to travel back in time and complete a circle. This is the sign.”

She tossed me the extra Order cloak, and I caught it cautiously. She then reached into her own cloak, and retrieved something on a silver chain: the Icarus Charm, exactly the same as the one Sweetie Belle carried.

“I retrieved this from the great ravine near the old castle of Dawn, in Equestria.” she explained, tossing me the charm as well. “You must travel to the days before the second civil war, and deliver it to your friend. Wear that cloak, and the Order will not find you. When you remove it, one of us will be dispatched to find you, and with luck, it will be me.”

She reached up and adjusted her hood, not lowering it, but allowing me to see her face. My eyes widened marginally. I recognized her as the former Wonderbolts captain, Spitfire. She hid her face again just as swiftly. “It’s time. You must convince me to join your cause, or it will be stopped before it begins. And do not be alarmed when I recognize you in the past. I was Doc’s close friend, and knew about you already.”

I nodded bleakly, genuinely confused. Spitfire nodded back, and soon disappeared through a pathway of darkness. Several second passed in which I simply looked at the objects in my hands, after which I adopted a more serious and determined expression. I had a plan again. I knew what to do.

I made my way back to the group. When they immediately asked about the faded Order cloak, I explained what just happened, and my plan so far: travel back six years, deliver the Icarus Charm to Sweetie Belle, then find Spitfire. I didn’t bother hiding her name now, as they all deserved to know exactly who our ally was. Scootaloo was amazed, but thankfully kept his head straight.

“Rainbow Dash is going to follow you from where you meet Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo advised me. “You might end up fighting him. Hey, hang on, do your battle disc things have the wind enchantment on it yet?”

I gave a confused look and shook my head. “Let me see them then.” he said, taking my weapons and casting what seemed to be a potent wind spell on both. He then handed them back to me. “They’ll return to you after you throw them, now. Dash told us that your weapons were able to do that when you fought.”

I looked at my weapons, impressed. This spell would be useful outside of holding up continuity, as well. “Don’t forget to mention we said Sweetie Belle was a cutie!” Applebloom added. “You did that last time.”

“Is that really necessary…?” Sweetie Belle sighed, blushing slightly.

“Yes.” Scootaloo stated simply. “Gotta make sure everything stays the same. Besides, it’s true.”

Sweetie Belle sighed again, blushing more, and I slipped the cloak over my shoulders and the hood over my head. “Right. I’ll deliver this charm, then let Rainbow Dash follow me to a secluded place to fight. It’ll attract a member of the Order, who will hopefully be Number Three, Spitfire.”

“Sounds right.” Scootaloo said, nodding. “And… be careful, alright? Dash is one hell of a fighter.” I nodded after a moment, surprised to hear this coming from Scootaloo.

As prepared as I was going to be for my mission, I retrieved the Time Tables, and was whisked away to Ponyville, year four-ninety eight.

It was night when I arrived. I appeared in the same alleyway I always traveled to, a place where nobody would notice a person suddenly appear from thin air. I stepped into the streets, and another wave of nostalgia hit me. It had been just over two months since I had last been to this town, but it felt like years. Curiously, I didn’t see anyone else in the streets. Even at this hour, there should have been a few people around, yet I was alone in the street.

I looked up, and noticed a shooting star streak across the sky. A few seconds later, it was followed by another. A meteor shower. I concluded. They’re probably all out watching it, and the best place to do that would be… the bluffs outside town.

I hastily made my way through the town, sticking to the shadows to avoid the gazes of the few people still walking around, and soon broke from the line of buildings. The road became less paved, and I was soon walking along a familiar dirt path. When I began to near the bluffs, I was able to see quite a crowd gathered even from a distance, watching all the lights in the sky.

“Hey!” I heard a voice address me, and a very familiar figure stepped forward from the crowd. She was older and more hardened by battle than when I last saw her, but it was still the same Lyra I had left with Tavi two months ago. My heart sped up; what if she recognized me? What if I ran into Tavi, too? I couldn’t risk that here. “Who are you? What are you doing?” She raised her crossbow, but her finger wasn’t on the trigger.

I calmed. The faded Order cloak was masking my identity just fine. I spoke, trying to alter my voice slightly so that she would not recognize it as mine. “Please, I need to speak to Sweetie Belle.” I told her. “It’s of the upmost importance. I swear I mean no harm... You can even hold me at crossbow point if you have to; I promise there’s nothing underhanded going on. But please, I have to speak with her immediately.”

She glared at me for several seconds, but then nodded. She kept her weapon trained on me, and led me cautiously through the crowd. My arms were raised slightly at my sides, unthreatening, and I felt the Icarus Charm bumping against my side in my pocket. She led me to a place near the edge of the bluffs, where I saw several people I recognized. Some were just from history, ones I had never met in person- Rainbow Dash was hard to miss, and looking around, I also saw the future Queen Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Younger versions of the members of my party were also present, all sitting on the shoulders of their brother, sister or guardian: Scootaloo, Applebloom, Angel, and Sweetie Belle.

As I approached, Scootaloo was lowered to the ground, and Rainbow Dash turned to see who was approaching. I could see his face shift slightly upon seeing me, aware of the threat the Order cloak implied. Sweetie Belle was lowered next, and she merely looked confused. “You… you want to talk to me?” she asked.

I won’t deny it; looking into her eyes, bright green, big and curious, I noticed a certain beauty about her that I hadn’t before. Maybe it was just the fact that we were fighting for our lives, and I didn’t have time to notice. Maybe it was because this was before life had caught up with her, before she became weary of being in the spotlight, and turned to alcohol. But I understood why I had remarked on her cuteness, and why I was about to have done it.

“Man, your friends weren’t kidding when they talked about you in this time...” I said, lowering myself down slightly to speak with her on the same level. “They will have said you always had been a looker. You’re just as cute now as you will have been then.” She blushed slightly, but still looked confused. “Anyway, aside from that… I believe you may have misplaced this at some point.” I reached into my pocket- slowly, as to not alarm Lyra, or anyone else- and retrieved the Icarus Charm. She eyed it suspiciously, and I could see Rarity beside her doing the same. “Found it in a ravine near here, figured you’d want it back.”

“But, wait...” Rarity began, and retrieved an identical charm from her own pocket. “I have the Charm right here! Is... is one of them a fake? What is this?!”

“No.” I said, rubbing my chin. I hadn’t expected this, but it wasn’t much of an issue. “Neither is a fake. It would seem that you’re going to lose your copy of the charm in the near future. Treat this new one as a replica, until you lose yours. Then the new one will be uncontestably the real one. So, misplace neither, and they will go where they need to.”

Nearly everyone around me was shaking their heads, confused by what I was trying to tell them. I figured that the gist of it had gotten through to Sweetie Belle, though. She would keep track of both, and when the past version was lost, she would bring the future version forward. “Sorry for my intrusion.” I said as I turned to leave. “Please go on doing whatever you were doing.”

I made my way away back through the crowd, and on a whim, turned left along the path. The dirt and grass here had not been disturbed for years, but my feet still knew the way step-for-step. I had walked this path countless times, with Doc, Tavi and Lyra. I soon found myself at the familiar cliff side, the place where we all used to spend afternoons eating ice cream, basking in the sunlight. As I walked to the edge, I noticed a slight glimmer in the grass. A discarded sword. I hadn’t the first guess who might have left it there or when, but I didn’t pay it too much heed.

I stood at the cliff, memories of countless days flooding back, framed by the meteor shower above. Never thought I’d come back alone… I thought sadly. Doc is gone. Tavi and Lyra… I don’t know. Number Seven did something with them, but they’re still here now. But they can’t be reunited with me now, they’ve gone to fulfill their own destinies. They aren’t with me now.

I became aware of a presence behind me. There was only one person it could be, since my cloak still shielded me from the Order’s gaze. “It’s quite a night for a convergence of destinies, don’t you think?” I started, emotions already flowing. Strange, how people can become poetic when faced with immense sadness. “Stars falling form the sky, a hazy outline for our being together... This place... so many memories, floating aimlessly on this cliff side, thoughts that hadn’t crossed my mind in years... Tell me, Rainbow Dash, do you see it too? Do memories of your childhood abound in this place?”

It may have been a bit much, but I thought it appropriate. If I was going to have an impact on this figure of history, I wanted to truly leave my mark. Rainbow Dash was clearly thrown off balance. “Uh... No. If you’re asking if this cliff was a special place for me in the past, then no... But I know what you mean. I do have special memories in places like the Acres.”

“I see...” I muttered. “So it’s only me who has old memories here, me and...” I trailed off, then changed the subject. “So, Rainbow Dash. Tell me this. Was it your boundless curiosity that led you to pursue me, your desire to discover the new things in the world...? Or was it your insecurity, your need to know exactly what happens in your world, that wouldn’t let you allow me to leave without justifying my presence?”

“I make it my first priority to guard this town, and the people I love, from any threat that can be avoided.” he said after a pause, but confidently. “Coupling the facts that a member of The Order showed up right now- and I’ve not had good experience with them in the past- and just waltzes in, talks nonsense and leaves: pal, I’d be surprised if anyone in my position didn’t follow you and try to figure out what you’re about.”

“Hrm... good answer.” I admitted. “I can’t blame you for being wary of the telltale Order Cloak- I am too- and I suppose I did sort of make for the odd spectacle, I’ll concede that much. I wear the Cloak only as a precaution- it acts as a cloaking device for members of The Order, and will hide my presence from them. Make no mistake; I do not ally myself with them in any way.”

His next question was a great deal simpler, yet infinitely more difficult to answer: “Who are you?”

I laughed lightly. “I could go on for hours about my life story, of all the places I’ve been, people I’ve met, things I’ve done, and then you might have some glimmer of an idea of who I am... but I’m guessing you were more in the market for a name?” I turned to face him, lowering my hood. From behind my sunglasses, I could see the rainbow-haired warrior watching my movements, arms hovering at his sides, ready to leap into action. “It’s Scratch.”

“Alright...” He picked up, seeming slightly annoyed that I kept leaving him without threads to grasp at. “How do you know my name? And while we’re on it, what were you going on about with the second Icarus Charm, and all that ‘will have been’ nonsense? Just how do you know all this?”

“Do you truly wish to know?” I said, pausing for a moment. “Very well. I am, in best description, a time traveler. I come most recently from a time six years or so in the future, but I’ve been just about every-when. I know your name, and your basic history, by what history has to say about you. And ‘will have been’ is simply perfect grammar for something that has happened in my past, but will happen in your future, which, in this case, would be her friends telling me of Sweetie Belle’s enduring cuteness.”

I was rather impressed with myself. Rainbow Dash continued to be confused, but I was leading him along just enough to keep him interested. “So do you come from a time when time-travel has been invented? And, if history has something to say about me, then what is it? What will come of this revolution that’s brewing?”

It was a fairly common question, one that most people asked at least once when learning of my ability to travel through time. I didn’t tell many people about it, but those who I did tell usually had the same questions. “No. As far as I can tell, at no point in time will normal humans ‘invent’ time travel for general use. If they did, you’d see plenty of other ‘time travelers’ running around. No, I simply find myself in possession of an ancient artifact dating all the way back to The Crash, which allows its user to travel. It cannot be duplicated or learned from, only used. It has traded hands... twice now? My teacher’s teacher was its first user, then my teacher, then me. But anyway, back to your other question...

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you.” I finished. I could see Rainbow Dash visibly deflate, and I was motivated to explain a bit further to help him understand. “Point is, if I were to tell you, that would be knowledge you were never meant to have. You’re meant to find your own way through this war, and do what you think is right, not what someone tells you is right. That shouldn’t be too out-of-character for you, right? I will say this, though: you will play a large part in Moonlight, and, indirectly, a part in the conflict I now find myself entwined in...”

“Moonlight?” he asked, his voice becoming steadier.

“The revolution.” I answered simply. “Wait, did... did you not give it a name yet?” He shook his head, and I laughed lightly. “Oops... well, there’s a paradox for you. Now you can walk away saying you caused a paradox. It will be called Moonlight, and now I see it’s because of me. Heh...” Deciding I had waited long enough, I shrugged the Order cloak off and allowing it to fall to the ground. “If you’re wondering, I only wore the cloak to avoid detection while returning the Charm to its owner, but now I desire the opposite. A member of The Order will surely have just been alerted to my position, and will be rushing to meet me. Before I leave, it’s important that I meet them here.” I lowered my voice, as I was now only thinking aloud. “Now it’s just a question of when they will arrive, and who it will be... I suppose Seven is still a possibility, but I don’t find that very likely. No, it will likely be either Three or Six, though I’m confident that if it does turn out to be Six, I can take him myself. Best case scenario would be if it’s Three, and I can avoid a fight altogether. I need to speak with her anyway...”

“Hold up.” Dash said, interrupting my repetitive train of thought. “What conflict were you talking about earlier, and who’s to say I’ll only be an indirect part of it? Why not direct?”

I briefly considered how I would answer. At last, I decided to respond with a question of my own: “Do you believe in fate, Rainbow Dash?”

He considered the question. “No, I can’t say I do. To me, fate implies that I have no real control over my actions, and that gives way to being lazy and letting whatever happens, happen. I believe I am in full control of my destiny, making it that much more important to do what I think is right.”

I nodded. “Again, good answer, but... I’m afraid that view is not quite correct. As one who travels through time, I can tell you that there’s no changing what was fated to happen, as whatever has happened in history has already taken your actions into account. If I were to lunge forward and try to kill you, for example, something would cause me to fail, because history did not record you dying this day. No matter how hard I may try, you did not die today, and that cannot be changed.

“Just the same with the conflict taking place six years from now. History thus far has not had you make a direct move to fight as I am, but your actions leading up to it will help me insurmountably.”

“Two things:” Only two? “First, why is it you’re so open to speak to me? It’s not like you’re in a position where you have to answer to me. And second, I don’t believe you when you say I can’t play a part in this new conflict, whatever it is. I’m plenty strong enough, and I doubt I would just sit back and let something bad happen without trying to stop it.”

“Well, I’m mostly talking to you because I have to wait for the Order member to arrive and meet me, and I don’t feel like chasing you off. See... I’m not exactly a good time traveler.” I admitted. “I’m not as emotionally detached as one in my position ought to be, and... I get lonely sometimes. Jumping from time to time is a solitary business, and sometimes I just feel chatty. Nothing personal with you, though you do seem like a cool person.

“And I’m not saying you’re not strong enough to take part in the conflict, I’m just saying you don’t. You seem to be preoccupied at the homestead, but it’s not impossible that you lend a hand by the end. Still... I think it would be better if you remained here, as we’ve already involved a fair amount of people who didn’t have much to do with this anyway.”

“There you go!” I exclaimed. “In the end, it’s my choice, isn’t it? If I’ve still got a chance to help, I will, without a second glance. But you don’t think I’m strong enough to do it, do you? Trust me, I’ve been around in combat, and I know ‘keep as few people involved’ is just an excuse to get the weak guy to stay out of the way!”

I shook my head. It was clear where Scootaloo got his hard-headedness from. “You really don’t get it do you? Well fine, you want me to believe that you can change your fate and take on The Order? Then prove it! Fight me, and prove you’re strong enough!” My battle discs leapt to my hands, and Rainbow Dash made a move to draw a weapon, only to realize he was unarmed. “You’ll find a sword in the grass about a foot behind you.” I said testily. “No trickery about it this time, I just noticed it on my way up.”

Keeping facing forward, he stepped backward until he saw the sword, then snatched it up. He took a brief moment to admire it, then twirled it in his palm to show he was ready. I tossed my discs into the air above me, set them ablaze with blue fire, and when they fell back into my waiting hands, I charged down the slope, straight at Rainbow Dash.

Twenty-four

Twenty-four

I swung in with a wide, sweeping strike with my right-hand disc, and the hit was parried. He rolled away from my next attack, an overhead strike with my left disc. I saw him roll behind me and spring to his feet, and swung my right disc back around, only to be blocked again. He knows how to hold his ground, I’ll give him that.

He back-flipped up to the top of the slope, and he slid foot-first back down towards me. He held his sword aloft and spun it above him. I could only dodge out of the way, not expecting an attack like that. If he was going to start getting crafty with his attacks, I would have to play it smarter than I was, or he would overpower me.

He rolled to his feet again, then charged recklessly at me, bearing down from one side with both hands. I blocked with both discs, but he flipped his blade around to slice at my other side, his first attack a farce. I blocked this subsequent attack with one arm, but he was able to grab my other arm before I could retaliate. He used the rest of his momentum and brought his knee into my stomach, sending me reeling back.

I toppled forward, but caught myself and rolled back to my feet. I dusted myself off quickly, then began circling around him, contemplating my next move. I’ve still got one leg up on him. I thought, then charged a fire spell on my weapons and threw one straight at him. He was able to dodge, but the second one was right behind the first, and it cut across the length of his arm. While he was in shock from the burning slash I had given him, I rushed forward in an attempt to knock him to the ground.

He didn’t stay disoriented for long enough. My first punch was blocked by his arm, and ducked under the next one. I felt a sting on my leg, and realized that he had sliced at me, enough to cut through my pants and draw blood. Grimacing, I hopped back, and caught my battle discs as they spun back to me. Thanks, Scootaloo. I wouldn’t have lasted against him unarmed. I locked eyes with my opponent, trying to read his body movements as I had been taught, daring him to make the next move.

He did. I raised my weapons to block as he leapt forward, but I soon realized I was expecting an attack from the wrong place. His sky-blue wings erupted from his back in midair, and he sailed clean over me and landed at the peak to the cliff side, a dark, angelic silhouette against the night skyline, still raining with shooting stars.

He dove at me, but I rushed forward at the same time, slamming the edges of my battle discs against his sword. It became a test of strength, a test I knew I was sure to fail. I began to sweat, holding in place as best I could, but I had to leap backward before he broke through. I bit my lip, knowing I’d have to adopt a new tactic.

I gripped my battle discs and ran in a wide arc around my opponent, coming to rest at the top of the cliff. Rainbow Dash turned along with me, keeping his front facing me at all times. I threw my arms out, and began charging a powerful lightning spell on my battle discs. All thought of his wellbeing was out of my mind; I was in full combat mode, kill or be killed. I saw him attempt to dodge, but he wasn’t escaping from my sights. Without other option, he thrust his sword forward, seemingly oblivious to his wound, and began spinning it before him. Soon, a wind spell just as potent-looking as my lightning one was charging before me. His wings also twitched slightly, anticipating a quick escape.

I waited until my discs were crackling with energy. Just as I let loose to fire, Rainbow Dash did the same, and the blue and green energies collided between us. Sparks of energy shot out from the midpoint, and neither could slip past the other. It’s just a matter of who can keep their spell going longer. I’m pretty sure I’m the better mage here, but he’s not bad himself. I hope I can keep this up…

My palms began to shake and sweat, but I just gripped the discs tighter. If my spell gave out first, I would be sent toppling over the cliff. And unlike him, I had no way of effectively dodging. I grit my teeth, ready for the worst, but not willing to give in.

Finally, my magic gave out, but luckily, so did his. He was in as rough shape as I was. We stood with our shoulders pointed at one another, both trying to make ourselves a smaller target, panting from exhaustion. Once I had caught my breath, I decided to speak, to propose we stop fighting. Before I got the chance, I became aware of a slight hissing to my left, but it ended as soon as it began. I cast Rainbow Dash a confused glance, and jumped slightly when a large object flew in from the left and embedded itself in the ground between us.

It was a pale-blue, double headed battleax. A very familiar one. “Now will you two stupid kids quit fighting?! I’ve been trying to get your attention for ages!”

I turned to my left, and saw exactly who I was hoping to see. The Order cloak shrouded her face, but it was the same frame belonging to Spitfire. I could sense her look at me. “Scratch... what happened?”

I laughed, a weight taken off my shoulders. I remembered what she had told me: that she knew of me already. “Number Three. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

“I wish I could say the same, kid.” she responded. “What is happening, that you’re here? You must have come from a couple years’ time from now, with how old you are now. Scratch, what made you come to this time? What’s happening? And where’s Four?”

I felt a weight in my stomach. I didn’t want to be the one to deliver this news, but she deserved to know. “... I’m so sorry, Spitfire. He’s dead.”

I probably could have delivered the news more softly. “What...?” She croaked out. “Four’s... dead? How did this happen...?” She was audibly upset.

“You’ll like this even less.” I said, trying my best to continue gently. It wasn’t easy though. I was remembering his death myself, and I was angry. “But I don’t mind saying it was Number Two that did it.”

“No!” She cried in anguish. “That can’t be... Two, Four... no... guys...” It seemed like she was close to tears. I regretted being so frank about it, but after my battle with Rainbow Dash, my nerves were shot.

As though prompted by my thoughts, Rainbow Dash spoke up again. “Spitfire...?”

“Oh, way to go, Scratch!” She said, channeling her anguish into anger. “You blew my cover right in front of... Who even is this guy?! Scratch, you’re doing a pretty crappy job of honoring Four’s name here!”

That stung. “Sorry.” was all I could think to say for a few seconds. “This is Rainbow Dash. I got bored waiting, and didn’t feel like trying to shake him, so he got me talking. Then we fought for a bit. I didn’t spill anything important.”

“Except my name.” She retorted bitterly. Sighing, she reached up and removed her hood, and brilliant flame-orange hair spilled out elegantly over her shoulders. It continued well past that, billowing all the way down past her waist, but it was fairly well-kempt. The meteor shower was beginning to die down by now, but the falling lights still illuminated her bronze eyes, moist with unshed tears.

“Start talking, Scratch.” Spitfire ordered. “What is happening? What could possibly motivate Two to kill him...? Has he betrayed The Order?”

I chuckled harshly. “No, he’s not betrayed The Order. If anything, he’s one of the few who’s stayed completely loyal to them. Spitfire, there’s a load of stuff you don’t understand yet, but the bare-bones of it is that The Order isn’t what it used to be. I’ve... I’ve gathered what it used to be like, don’t get me wrong, and I understand your position; but it’s gone straight to hell, Spitfire. Surely you’ve seen the beginnings of it already. Well, six years from now it’s absolutely fallen apart.”

Spitfire ran a hand through her hair, trying to compose herself. She remained silent, and I continued: “I came because I needed to do one of two things: make sure Six was taken care of before he gets to my guys, or make sure you were on our side. My team just can’t keep going like this... But now that I’ve caught up with you, I think we’ll be okay.”

Spitfire sighed, before looking me dead in the eye. It wasn’t a threatening look though; in that gaze, I didn’t have trouble believing that she knew me, that Doc and I had been a part of her life, too. “Six too? ... No, yeah, that I can see... Alright. What can I do from this time?”

“There’s a lot I need to fill you in on, and it wouldn’t be smart to hang around here the whole time. More people will show up before long. Let’s meet again... At base B, three days from now?” As I spoke, I reached down and put the faded Order cloak over my shoulders, then retrieved the Time Tables.

“Three days? Sounds good. See you then. And... I’m sorry for Four’s death too. For you.” I didn’t respond. The symbols representing my destination glowed before me.

“Wait...” Rainbow Dash spoke up, drawing my attention. “Tell me one thing before you go. This conflict you talked about... What should we do? Are we in any danger? Can it be stopped?”

“No.” I responded simply. “It cannot be stopped. This was going to happen sooner or later. But don’t worry about it. Your uncle Scratch has this under control. Just do what comes natural to you, and focus on your own conflict coming up. You’ll know what you have to do when the time to act comes.”

I nodded once to Spitfire, and touched the symbol before me. A short trip through the time stream later, and I arrived at Base B, exactly as Doc and I had left it. The same place Doc had sent me upon death, but eight years later. Everything was covered in a fine layer of dust, all untouched. Before letting my emotions get to me again, I moved to the front door, and began to wait.

Several minutes passed, but soon a dark portal opened, and Spitfire stepped out, hooded once again. I welcomed her inside, and closed the door behind her.

“Start talking.” she said simply. “Start with Doc. What happened?”

I sighed and began. “You told me to come and get you on our side. Future you, I mean.” She nodded. I sighed and picked up from the beginning. “Doc and I traveled around a lot. Helped people who needed help. One day, he told me that a group called the Order was causing trouble, and we had to stop them. We stayed in Daein for a while, spying on dealings between one of the Order agents and the princess. But we got caught by Number Two. It… it seemed like Doc had seen it coming. He sent me to safety, but I… I watched him get run through.

“Since then, I’ve found myself a team, but we’re aimless. An old friend of mine, Raphael; a girl we met on his island, Dinky; and another group from Equestria, who call themselves the Crusaders. The former princess Luna and current princes Sweetie Belle are among them. We ran into Two again, but he seemed to be missing one of his swords. Seven also appeared before us, but disappeared just as quickly. I think she went back to harm one of my other friends, Octavia, but I couldn’t find her again.”

Spitfire nodded, an upset look on her face. I remembered Doc saying that the two of them, and Two, were once close friends. “I’ve made a decision, Scratch. I don’t know how much I will be able to help personally, but I’m going to give you all the information I can about the Order. At the very least, those at the top need to be stopped.”

I nodded eagerly. Soon, my group would no longer be in the dark against our enemy. “Number One is Lord Discord. He’s stronger than you can believe, but not unstoppable. You would be able to do it if you removed all obstacles first. I don’t know his origins though. No one knows where he came from.”

“I might.” I added. “Some of the members of my group, myself included, have been having dreams. Seeing chapters of someone else’s story. When we piece them all together, we may learn something that will tell us about Discord, and how we can stop him.”

Spitfire nodded hesitantly, not quite understanding, but accepting my words. “If you’ve got a lead, hurry and use it. The Order won’t be waiting for you. Anyway, I guess I’ll just start from the top… Number Two… He was a close friend of mine, and the Doctor’s, and the Goddess. He’s from a lost race, the Children of Water, one of the last of his kind. He fit right in with me and Doc- a wayward Timelord and a fireball of a girl. Doc’s guardian, a guy called Strider, gathered the four of us together. One day, Strider disappeared, along with that strange robot of his. Shortly after, Discord appeared, and things went right to hell. The Goddess was terrified of him, poor thing. She had good reason. He brought with him Lucius Number Five, and shortly afterward, we found Number Six, Quicksilver.

“Minuet, Number Seven, was next. Girl fit right in. Discord couldn’t have picked a more fitting apprentice. After that were Number Eight, Lenora and her baby brother, Alex. Doc apprenticed Lenora, and when Alex became old enough to enter the Order as Number Twelve, I apprenticed him. Tug and Max were soon to follow, numbers Nine and Ten. Lucius trained Max, and Quicksilver and Tug were supposed to train together, but they mostly ended up beating the daylights out of each other. Last to enlist was Gilda, Number Eleven, who trained oh-so-diligently under Two.”

“Does Number Two not have a name?” I asked.

“Not one that I’m going to dignify him with.” Spitfire replied coldly. “He used to mean the world to me. Not anymore.” I nodded. I understood well enough what she meant. “Doc leaving was the first real act of rebellion against the Order. By the looks of it, it wasn’t the last, either. He left a lot behind… but now I see that what he did was necessary. He took you away from the Order, kept them from corrupting you. Even if it meant leaving the Goddess…”

“Where did I come from…?” I asked. “He took me away from them, but when did I get there?”

Spitfire shrugged vaguely. “Couldn’t tell you, really. I have my guesses, but I think that’s something you’ll need to ask the Goddess when you meet her. I have a good feeling you will before this is over.”

She sighed, sat back in her chair, and put her face in her hands. “I just… don’t understand where it all went wrong…”

I put a hand on her shoulder. “Discord is a monster. His influence has led to a lot of broken people and relationships. Even Celestia was broken in the first place by him. When he is stopped… the world might start to heal.”

Spitfire nodded, then reached forward and wrapped me a in a loose embrace. Somewhat surprised, I hugged her back. “You’re the Doctor’s kid, all right… Keep going strong, Scratch. You’ll find a way to get us through this.”

All I could do was nod again. I wasn’t so sure of that, myself. But if she and Doc both believed I could, I could only try my best to do what I could.

We separated, and she stepped outside into the night. Before stepping through a dark portal and away from that place, she turned back to face me. “I’ll see you in six years. Get your friends together, at the exit to wherever we met in your past.”

I nodded, and after she disappeared, I pulled out the Time Tables and warped back to Ivoire, six years in the future. I startled some of the others upon appearing again. I looked around, and saw exactly what I was looking for. We were already standing at the docks. There was a boat tied up there that wasn’t present when I left, and an Order cloak standing at the bow.

“What happened?” Dinky asked first. “Did it work?”

“See for yourself.” I stated, walking towards the boat. “This vessel is ours, courtesy of Spitfire.” I stepped aboard, and nodded to her. “Good to see you again.”

“Especially since I had to come here the long way.” she said.

“So, do we have a destination? And will you be coming with us?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I won’t be able to join you just yet, no. I’ve got more business to attend to. But I do have a destination for you. Head to Desert Isle. You’ll find some people there that should be able to help you find your way forward.”

With that, she stepped through a portal of darkness once again, leaving us now with a vessel and a destination.

Twenty-five

Twenty-five

Ponyville, Year Unknown

Octavia

“What happened to this place…?” Octavia whispered, as though in fear of disturbing the ashes.

“Looks like the whole place was razed to the ground…” Lyra whispered back. “Some kind of huge fire spell…”

“I wonder if anyone made it out alive…” Octavia wondered aloud, sadly. “I don’t see any bodies, but they could have all been moved away.”

“I think we need to look at things from a perspective of our own survival.” Lyra stated. “This is a dead timeline. There’s not much we could do for any survivors. I’m sorry, but… it would be best if we just took care of that Order agent and got out of here.”

Octavia didn’t respond. She didn’t really approve of leaving any possible survivors for dead. But she knew that Lyra’s words were true, and that there wasn’t much they could do to save them.

“C’mon.” said Lyra, hefting her crossbow. “Let’s scout around here for ammo and supplies, and then get moving.”

Octavia nodded, and the two began picking their way through the ruined Ponyville. The first stop was obviously the blacksmith, in hope of finding some weapons and tools intact. They didn’t have much luck there- the whole shop looked like it had been ransacked- but there were a few slightly rusty blades left. While Lyra crept around the back room of the shop, Octavia picked up a medium-length weapon; too long to be a knife, too short to be a sword. She nodded and slipped it into her belt, and picked her way through the dust to check on Lyra’s progress.

“There we go, that’s more like it.” Lyra said, reaching into a cracked box. “There’s a fire core in here. About half full. I found a handful of arrows and some crossbow bolts that are in good enough shape to be fired, too. Most of them were snapped in half or aren’t sharp enough to do any damage.” Octavia nodded, and took the arrows. She only had six remaining in her quiver from her own timeline, and she felt more confident with these seven more, even if they were of far lower quality.

“I don’t know what’s out there…” Lyra said as they stepped outside, gazing up at the dust-choked sky. “But I’m glad we’ve already got some good armor. I wonder, do you think we’d be able to find some more stuff at the Icarus mansion? They had a standing force of about twenty at any given time.”

Octavia nodded. “We need to find food and water, too. If there’s nothing at the mansion, though, maybe we should just move on. It doesn’t look as though there’s much left in this town at all…” Lyra nodded mournfully, and the two began to pick their way through town again, this time for the mansion at the far side. At times, buildings had collapsed into the streets, there was too much rubble to be climbed over, and the pair had to double back to find another way around. When, at last, they came close enough to the mansion to see it, they stopped, surveying their situation again.

“The doors are blown out.” Lyra observed. “Meaning someone’s probably already been in the place. Those doors wouldn’t break down just from some spell.”

“I wonder if the people who entered are still inside…” Octavia added. “If so, the risk might outweigh the benefits of anything we may find in there.”

Lyra nodded, but the two remained standing where they were. Finally, Lyra responded: “Let’s get a closer look. If it looks too hot to handle for whatever reason, we’ll just get moving.”

Lyra took the lead, crossbow armed, and crept closer to the mansion. Octavia was close behind. Lyra sidled against the outer wall, and crept as close as she could to the now empty door frame.

“Hold on…” she whispered. “I think I hear something in there…”

Octavia put her ear against the wall, hoping to hear something herself. After a short wait, Lyra swore. “Definitely voices. There’re people in there.”

“Should we approach them? What if they’re only survivors, and not some kind of… scavengers?”

Lyra frowned, considering the situation. “I’ll take a look inside. Just a peek around the corner, so they won’t see us.”

Slowly, carefully, Lyra stepped closer to the doorway, slowly to avoid being detected by the residents’ peripheral vision, until she could see around it. “They’re right inside… what are they… oh gods…”

“What is it?” Octavia asked, concerned.

Lyra pulled back, and readied her crossbow. “Don’t even look in there until I break up what those bastards are doing. You don’t want to know. But once they come at us, start shooting.”

Octavia frowned, but nodded and nocked an arrow. Lyra spun and stepped forward, and ended standing fully in the doorway. It only took her a split second to aim, and she released her bolt. From inside, Octavia could hear her shot hitting its mark, and the person on the receiving end crying out in pain, before swiftly falling silent. Lyra quickly armed another bolt, then waited for a single agonizing second.

“Now!” she exclaimed, firing her second bolt and moving to load a third. Octavia rushed beside her, bow pointed inward to the mansion, searching for a target. The inside of the mansion was in just as bad shape as the exterior, although some of the wreckage seemed to have been pulled together to compose basic accommodations for the mansion’s new residents. The residents themselves were in even worse shape than the town: unwashed, with weapons in varying stages of rust, armor that looked cobbled-together from odds and ends, and a wild light in their eyes. Octavia could not immediately tell what these people had done that had angered Lyra so, but she only had to look at them to know that her rage was justified, whatever the reason. These were scarcely people. Savages.

She pulled back her bowstring and put an arrow in one of them, in one smooth motion. Each was able to disable one more of the scavengers, leaving three, before they got close. Lyra pulled the combat knife from her boot again, and blocked an attack from a rusty hatchet. Octavia yanked the blade from her belt and brought it up in time to deflect an attack from another sword. Remembering her training from such a short time ago, Octavia dropped to a crouch, and tackled the man’s legs, sending him flailing to the ground. Before he could scramble back up, she brought the blade up and down upon him. A swift end. Octavia thought. Even against a wicked opponent, and even in a hopeless place, one must not lose sight of their honor.

Before she could regain her balance, the third savage was upon her. He kicked her blade out of her hand, and she dodged out of the way to avoid his strike with a cracked sword. His filthy hand grabbed her arm, and she attempted to trip him to the ground as she had with the first assailant, but this one was a more skilled fighter. He drove his weapon downward, and Octavia was only able to dodge enough to avoid a direct hit. The rusty knife cut into her armor, only stopped just enough to avoid it cutting into her arm. Octavia grit her teeth, reached down to pick up her previous assailant’s weapon, and drove it into her attacker’s leg. He flinched back in pain, and when Octavia stood again, he stumbled forward to stab her.

A crossbow bolt landed dead-center in his head. He froze for a moment, then collapsed. Octavia turned to see Lyra, grinning in victory.

“Thank you.” said Octavia simply. “I was nearly among the dead for a moment…”

“Don’t mention it.” Lyra waved, quickly collecting her bolts. “I’ll always be there to watch your back. Especially in a place like this…”

Something seemed wrong in Octavia’s mind, but she shook her head and moved to collect her arrows. Lyra slung her weapon over her shoulder, and rushed towards the back of the room the two were in. Octavia looked, and saw another person there, still alive. She had long, pastel blue hair that looked as though it had been combed at least recently, and the feathers of her sky-blue wings were highly ruffled and somewhat dirty. She looked battered, with scrapes and bruises all over, but none of it looked like it could be life-threatening if treated properly.

“Are you alright?” Lyra asked, helping the girl to her feet. Octavia moved over to the two as well. “Well, I mean… are you badly injured? Can you move?”

“Y-yeah…” the girl confirmed shakily, her wings ruffling slightly to help her with her balance. “I think… I think I’m alright… For the moment, anyway. Thank you for stopping them, and saving me. I didn’t think there was anyone but raiders in this town…”

“We didn’t think there was anyone at all.” Octavia admitted. “We’re… new here.”

“You’re from somewhere else…?” the girl asked. “My advice would be to turn right back around and go home. Unless it’s actually worse there…”

“I’m afraid it’s not an option, as much as we would like to.” Octavia said mournfully. “What about you?”

The girl looked away. “My sister and I were trying to find somewhere where we would be safe... We got separated, and I ended up here…”

Lyra frowned, but in sympathy. “We have no idea where anything is here. But if you need to find your sister again, and there’s no one else… You could come with us.”

“Is that wise?” Octavia asked quietly. “We don’t even have any supplies for ourselves…”

Lyra looked around, a hand still on the girl’s shoulder. Finally, her eyes settled on something, and lit up slightly. “There. The filthy people had food stored here, it’s on those shelves. Let’s see if any of it is edible.”

Octavia nodded, and the two moved over to the shelves. The girl followed behind. “You’ll really help me find my sister again…?”

“Sure!” Lyra confirmed. “I couldn’t just pull your butt out of the fire and then just leave you for dead. You need security and safety even more than we do. We’ve both had some combat training. Plus, you know the lay of the land a bit better than either of us.”

Octavia picked up a box of fruit, the majority of which seemed fresh enough to be eaten. “Th-thank you!” the girl said in earnest. “Well, if we’re going to travel together… we’ll want to head to Fortress Apollo. We heard a rumor that there is safe haven in that place... A place where normal civilization still exists, and where we will be secure. Oh, and… My name is Flitter.”

“Fortress Apollo, huh…? Well, that’s on the way to where we need to get, anyway. My name’s Lyra.”

“Octavia.” she said, moving the salvageable food into a bag. She then began to look for other supplies, mainly medicine.

“On the way?” Flitter asked. “Where are you headed?”

“Eclipse.” Octavia answered. “There’s someone who will meet us there. Someone who we will have to fight.”

Flitter frowned. “There’s not much left at Eclipse… They got hit especially hard when fire rained from the sky.”

When fire rained from the sky? Octavia thought. It must have been a very potent fire spell. But if Eclipse was hit too, harder than other areas, it couldn’t have been Celesta that ordered the spell. “Couldn’t ask for a better place for a final confrontation…” Lyra mused. “Seems our Order friend is quite the dramatic one.”

“Yes… Let’s just hope she also carries the sense of honor that accompanies such poetic thinking, and does what she promised.” Octavia mused. “If we defeat her, we may be able to go home.”

“Quite a lofty promise…” Flitter commented. “Might I ask where your home was, and why this ‘Order’ person is your only way back?”

“It… would take a lot of time to explain. And you might not believe me if I told you.” Octavia admitted. “Suffice to say, it’s not physically very far from here, but a great deal of specialized magic was involved in putting the two of us here. And the same magic is likely the only thing that can send us back.”

Flitter nodded slowly. It didn’t seem as though she fully understood- but then, Octavia herself didn’t fully understand either- but she accepted her explanation for what it was. “I don’t think there will be many obstacles between the edge of Ponyville and Fortress Apollo, but in this place, you cannot be too cautious. Let’s keep looking in this mansion, and make sure we’ve found everything that could be useful.”

The party now of three girls began walking up the grand stairway, to see what remained on the upper floor. Octavia frowned, an idea in her head refusing to be shaken, and she adjusted her pace to walk alongside Lyra. In a low voice, she asked “Lyra? Do you mind if I ask you something…?”

“ ‘Course not.” Lyra confirmed. “What’s up?”

The three reached the second floor, and while Flitter moved out slightly to scan another room, Octavia started slowly. “Do you… I mean, if not then I’m sorry for asking, but… Do you fancy me?”

Lyra froze up for a moment, her eyes slightly wider than they had been a moment ago. When she slackened up again, she sighed regretfully. “Was I that obvious…?”

“No, no, you were pretty subtle…” Octavia assured, but not sounding too steady herself. “It took me this long to put it all together, and even then, it was just a stab in the dark…”

Several agonizing moments passed in which neither could think of anything to say. Finally, Octavia broke the silence: “I… I’m sorry. I wish I could feel the same way for you, but…”

“I get it…” said Lyra, her voice low and restrained. “You’ve already got Scratch. Or just don’t swing that way… or both. Either way, I guess I saw it coming, or should have at any rate… I’m sorry.”

“So am I…” Octavia said, nodding sadly. After a few more tense seconds, the two moved forward and embraced, separating just as quickly.

“I’ll be alright…” Lyra promised. “I always bounce back. It’ll just… need a bit of time. And we’ve got plenty to keep ourselves busy in that time.”

“Hey, guys, I think I found something good!” Octavia heard Flitter call from another room. Glad for the interruption, the two made their way to her. When they caught up, she held up something on a small chain. “I bet we could find someone to buy this in Apollo.”

Octavia moved forward and cupped the object in her hands, confirming what it was. “We will want to keep this.” she told Flitter. “It’s the Icarus Charm; assuming it still works- and I can’t see why it wouldn’t- it will give whoever wears it a temporary set of wings.”

Flitter nodded after a moment. “Yes, it would probably be best to keep this. What about this sword, then?” She retrieved a blade from the dusty bureau at the side of the room. It seemed to be another Icarus relic, the rapier once belonging to the heir of the house and queen of the kingdom, Rarity.

“A fine weapon indeed…” Lyra commented. “But unless you use swords, Flitter, there wouldn’t be much point in keeping it. Octavia and I are both archers.”

Flitter nodded and handed the sword to Octavia, who then slipped the sword into her belt. The trio continued to search the mansion for anything of use, but found little else. Still satisfied by what they had already been able to uncover, they hastily exited the mansion and began making for the northern gate of town. Bow and crossbow were armed, ready to fend off another attack from the disaster-born savages, but none approached now. Beyond Ponyville was empty ground, with some resilient grass still growing. Glad to be free of the crumbling town and in a place that they could at least pretend was normal and safe, the three set off through the southern fields, heading north.

The walk was too long to make by nightfall, so when the sun set over the horizon, the three girls made camp for the night. Not much conversation was had aside from battle advice and reminders to be cautious; there wasn’t much else to say between them. Lyra was still in battle with her own mind, reconciling the fact that Octavia was out of reach to her. Two slept at a time, with the third watching camp in shifts. When morning came, all three were already prepared to get moving.

By midday, Fortress Apollo was in sight. It was a welcome change: while the bricks seemed to have been scorched as well, the outside of the instillation still showing signs of damage, the building was intact and sound. Getting closer, Octavia could see soldiers standing guard outside, and the group was eyed warily as they approached.

The guards raised their spears when they got close enough, but only cautiously, not out of hostility. “Who are you? What’s your business here?”

“Refugees from Trottingham.” Flitter replied. “Our business is simply the desire for haven.”

The guard looked them over. “Been getting several from Trottingham lately. Raiders are bad out there, I hear. These two look trained, were they in the militia?”

Lyra nodded, playing along with the white lie. “We were junior members of it, in training to become full soldiers. But we can fight, yes.”

The guard thought for a moment, and then nodded. “Alright. We could always use more soldiers on hand here. You can stay, as long as you pledge to fight to defend this place as long as you’re here.”

The two nodded gratefully, and the guards lowered their spears and opened the door. With a sense of anticipation at what they would find, the three stepped through.

Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-six

Talrega, Daein; Year 1471 Tellian Calendar

Lenora

“We’re in Daein now.” Mark told them. “Just ahead should be the town of Talrega. We can ask around a bit and see if anyone has any information on the princess’s actions as of late, but I’m not sure we will find much here. We’re still a good distance from the capital of Nevassa, and the people here may not know any more than we do.”

Lenora nodded, and the four soon approached the collection of buildings that made up the town. The town was situated near a wide river, which often caused unpredictable weather and flooding in the spring. However, the town had learned to control the river well over the years, and were protected from most flood damage. A watermill was visible from the front of town, churning in the calm water flowing south.

“We can cover more ground if we split up.” Mark offered. “I’ll stick with Joey, and cover the side of town east of the river.” Lenora nodded, and she and Tug began walking through town on the other side.

“So…” she began, “what do you think of Mark?”

Tug frowned thoughtfully. “He seems like a guy that’s been through a lot. He’s dedicated to protecting that boy, but I get the feeling it’s because that’s all he feels he has left. Hopefully, by traveling with us for a while, he’ll begin to open up to people more.”

Lenora nodded. She had been thinking much the same thing. “And what about Spitfire, and that boy? Do you think we’ll be able to count on her to help us, or at least not side with the Order?”

Tug paused to consider this. “Hard to say…” he thought. “The fact that she didn’t want Two to know about this kid… hopefully that means that she’s against the Order’s actions, even if she still holds some loyalty to Two.”

Lenora nodded sadly. The Order was fractured, broken from the inside. There were the loyalists who still stuck to the dark ideals of Discord: Number Two, Minuet, Quicksilver, Gilda. Then there were those railing against them: Lenora and Tug, the Doctor. And then there were those caught in the middle: Spitfire, Alex, Max. I can only hope that this will end quickly, and do what I can to facilitate it, so that nobody else will be hurt…

“I doubt many townspeople will be very forthcoming with information…” Tug said, mostly to himself. “ ‘Hey, we just met, I’ve never even been to this town before, know anything incriminating about the princess?’ No, we’re going to have to be more tactful… You know, if we’re lucky, there may be a bard in town. Someone whose profession it is to spread stories, who would know enough about it to get us on the right track.”

Lenora nodded, glad that at least Tug could formulate a next step in their plan, vague though it was. The whole adventure so far had been wrapped in uncertainty; they had been told to go to a desert without knowing which one on the planet, to find a person without knowing their name or how to contact them. And even though they had had outstanding luck in locating this person, now they were utterly without a concrete goal, a means of truly striking back at the Order.

The pair wound around town, and eventually reached the town square, where they were shortly joined again by Mark and Joey. “Hard to say what I was hoping to find, but I didn’t find anything.” Mark commented.

“We had about the same luck.” Lenora confirmed. “Though we had thought that maybe if there is a bard in town today, we could gain some information from them.”

Mark thought for a moment. “I did see a bard reading to a group of children from a book. It’s certainly worth a shot, asking her if she’s heard anything from closer to Nevassa.”

Lenora and Tug both nodded, and allowed Mark to lead them through the other side of the city, Joey following at his side. Tug cocked his head. “Have the people in this town not been reacting to his horn?”

Mark shrugged. “Guess they were more confused than anything. One person asked me about it, and I just told them I knew nothing about why it was there. Seems like she bought it. I guess the people around here just figure that it’s not bothering them, so they don’t worry about it.”

Eventually the group reached a busy plaza. Shops buzzed with people, and half of the citizens in the area didn’t even seem to be looking for anything in particular, simply wandering and chatting with other passerby. The buildings and neatly cobbled street were arranged in a semicircle, and near the center sat a woman in a blue cloak. Snow-white hair flowed well past her shoulders, and a wide-brimmed floppy hat blocked the sun from her eyes, but also obscured Lenora’s view of her face. At her side was a simple metal pole whose purpose Lenora couldn’t guess, and around her were gathered several children, listening intently as she read from a book on her lap.

“… He was able to defeat the monster quite easily, but even with the monster gone, the town was still in danger. The power of the Weapon was too much for one person, and Mac was still full of rage even when the monster was defeated. Luckily, two other warriors of this town- Rainbow Dash and Applejack- knew exactly what to do. They rushed up to him, heedless of danger. His sister, Applejack, ripped the Weapon out of his hands, and Rainbow Dash held him back from retrieving it. Together the two helped hold him back until his rage subsided, and he, and the town, were calm once again.

“And that’s the story of how my friends and I defeated the Ursa Major!” She finished cheerfully and closed the book. The response from the children was immediate and unanimous: “One more, please, one more!”

The woman giggled. “Okay, okay, one more.” She flipped open the book again, until she found the beginning of a story she decided to read. “This story was given to me by an old friend, and is from a land far, far away from here.” She cleared her throat softly and began:

"This is but one of the legends of which the people speak… Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. It was a prosperous land blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace.

But one day, a man of great evil found the golden power and took it for himself… With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom. But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand…

… A young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil’s bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light. This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time.

The boy’s tale was passed down through generations until it became a legend… But then…a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero… once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs.

The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. But the hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom grew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.

What became of that kingdom...? None remain who know. The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind’s breath.

This is, however, but one of the legends of which the people speak. There is another, one whose very survival has been the result of naught but extraordinary luck. Those who know it say that it survived not on the wind’s breath, but floated to the surface from where it was buried under the waves.

It takes place in the same land of towering mountains, rolling hills, and dense green woodland. The very same man, shrouded in darkness, had already found his power, and had laid siege to the lands of this world. Already people were beginning to despair.

While the legends say that no hero came, no knight in shining armor rode to their rescue, and the people’s only hope way to appeal to their gods, a few speak differently.

They say a hero did rise to the challenge. They speak of a man who, while a stark contrast to the Hero of Time, still stood for justice and light; with a sword of the sea, beloved companions at his side, courage guiding his hand and music ever swirling at their backs. Those who met him truly believed him to be able to vanquish the darkness that threatened them.

The fate of this man is uncertain. They say that at the darkest moments of the hour of doom, the man dueled with the conqueror atop the ruins of the kingdom, sacrificing his own life to save the people of the land. While the water still came crashing down upon the people of the land, this man gave everything he had and more to stop the darkness, and those who believe this legend say that he battled the evil conqueror, and by doing so, was able to keep him from rising to the new world and reigning all the same. Those who do not believe the legend, say that the hero never existed, and that the gods were all that held the evil at bay.

But this is but another of the legends of which the people speak...”

With that, the bard closed her book, and the children soon began to disperse. Lenora turned to Tug, and he nodded in confirmation. She turned to her other side, where Mark stood, and was surprised to see tears in his eyes, yet he was smiling. “Are you alright?” she asked, concerned.

Mark nodded. “Fantastic.” he said, without a trace of sarcasm. “I just heard my story. I was… remembered. I may not have succeeded in my mission, but what I did do, mattered. I made a difference…”

Mark stepped forward before Lenora could. “Excuse me, but… where did you say you learned that story? The one at the end, from Hyrule.”

The bard looked up at him, somewhat surprised. “It was in the records of a friend of mine, Xekora. He was brought to this world a long time ago- during the first civil war of Equestria, in fact. He had achieved a sort of conditional immortality, and stayed alive for a long time, recording the history of this world, as he had in Hyrule.”

Mark’s eyes were bright and hopeful. “Is he still here? Would it be possible for me to meet him? The name doesn’t sound familiar, but still…”

The bard shook her head. “I’m sorry. He gave his life during the second civil war, leaving his records to me, and the other artifacts he had collected to princess Luna and the royal family for safekeeping. Why do you ask?”

Mark shook his head. “I was brought to this world from Hyrule, as well. For the last ten years, I thought I was the last survivor, and that I had failed to save anyone… But this is still good news. Hyrule lives yet, and I did my part to help. Even if I may never see the land again, I know it’s still out there… and that will just have to be enough.”

“Your part to help…” the woman muttered, lining up the pieces in her head. She glanced down at the book.

Mark nodded. “That was my story that you told. The story of me. Thanks to you, I know that I made a difference.”

Lenora’s attention was torn away from the two by the sound of armor clanking behind her. She turned to see several armed guards rushing down the street. She turned to give Tug a quizzical look, and he seemed equally curious.

“Mark, something is happening, are you coming?” Lenora asked quickly.

Mark turned and nodded. “Yeah, on my way.” He turned back to the bard. “How about you?”

“I’ll catch up.” she assured him. “I’ve got bad legs; you’ll be able to get there faster.”

“Right. Joey, are you coming with us or staying with her?”

The boy looked up at the bard, and then nodded. “I’ll stay with her; just don’t kill all the bad guys before we get there!”

Mark nodded, and he, Lenora and Tug rushed after the town guards. Although the guards themselves were out of sight, it wasn’t difficult to find the location of the disturbance, as there was a stream of people moving quickly away from it and to safety. Lenora’s hand was on the hilt of her sword as the three broke into the larger plaza.

Lenora swore under her breath. The area was full of dark beasts, tall and lanky, with hands ending in claws and sightless yellow eyes. The local soldiers were holding them back, but there were too many of the creatures for them to contain. “The Order has already launched a counterattack.”

“So these things are under the Order’s control?” Mark asked, drawing a sword. It was as blue as his eyes, and curved to a deadly point. The hilt was well-adorned, with a silver trim and a ruby embedded on either side of the pommel. “Then they are my enemy as well. These same creatures attacked my village in the past, once last year, and again five years before that, the last time I saw the Doctor.”

Mark readied his blade, and charged forward into their midst. Lenora nodded to Tug and followed, her own sword at the ready. Tug retrieved his bow and began firing. Lenora brought her sword down upon the first of the creatures that approached from out of the crowd, hitting it right in the neck and dissolving it swiftly. She had not fought against the creatures before, but had spent enough time with them under her command to know where to hit them.

Beside her, Mark was unrelenting in his attack, moving quickly but hitting heavily. When she was able to catch glimpses of his face, Lenora saw that he wore a smile and had a wild, determined light in his eyes. He felt like a hero again, and was ready to prove it to himself. With fluid attacks and swift dodging, Mark sliced apart each monster as it approached him. Lenora’s armor protected her from the lighter attacks, so she simply stood her ground and cut down any in her path.

Even with the combined defense and offense of Lenora and Mark, and Tug picking off any who attempted to leave the plaza to wreak havoc in other parts of Talrega, and the local guards doing just as much to keep the monsters contained and destroy them, it was clear that they were still outnumbered and outmatched. The counterattack was still disorganized, and unless they managed to pull together and use strategy to defeat them, or received backup, they would surely be overrun.

Lenora stepped forward and brought her blade down upon one of the forms, and rammed another backward with her elbow. Markus spun around and sliced two down with his blade, then spun it around in his hand and backhandedly cut across a third. Gritting her teeth, Lenora sliced down on another, and behind that form was a slight gap. In the pause that succeeded her attack, Lenora became aware of a slightly brighter spot somewhere above, and a moment later a ball of fire collided with the beast in front of her, destroying it instantly and inflicting damage to those around it.

She turned her head to see where the attack had come from, and saw a figure standing atop a low-roofed building near the edge of the plaza. Mage robes flowed around her, along with her long, neat violet hair. Another fire spell charged on her hand. She held no tome, her gaze unmoving from the crowd. She leaped from her perch and brought her flaming hand down upon one of the forms, banishing it, and although Lenora could no longer see the mage, she could see the results of her attacks: a constant stream of black smoke emanated from where she was slaying the beasts with a blend of magic and hand-to-hand combat.

Unfortunately, these forms did not have a sense of order, or lack thereof, so the disruption elsewhere in the plaza did not affect the forms facing Lenora and Mark. Still they sought to break free of the plaza and cause destruction and chaos. Lenora redoubled her efforts, and the monsters remained contained, but their numbers seemed endless. Still she and Mark pushed forward, neither at all willing to give up or give even an inch of ground.

“Heads up!” Tug called from behind, another arrow sailing from his bow. Lenora wondered how many he could have left by this point, but her thoughts were interrupted by another noise, the cry of a great bird. A hawk swooped in from elsewhere in the city, its wings a brilliant red and its chest glowing like fire, and it rent through several of the forms in one attack. The hawk swooped across twice more, black smoke rising behind him in wake of the dismissal of the monsters. The hawk’s attacks seemed to be coordinated with those of the combat mage still fighting on her own at the far side of the plaza.

The hawk hovered in the air, and a flash of light enveloped it, and Lenora realized quickly that it was a Laguz, transforming back into human shape. Where the hawk floated only a moment before, a boy now hovered, wings and messy hair the same fiery red. He wore a light jacket over a plain white shirt, and a ball of fire glowed in his hand. A Laguz mage? Lenora wondered. I thought Laguz were unable to use Beorc magic…

The Laguz boy dove into the mass of dark forms, palms blazing with fire, and he seemed to fall into step with the combat mage, using the same techniques of magic and unarmed combat. At last, Lenora began to sense a change, a thinness of their enemy’s ranks, even if it was not yet visible. She turned to Mark, nodded tersely, and charged forward, sword crashing through the summons. She could see the blur of her fellow swordsman through parts in the crowd, moving fluidly as water. Before long, the plaza began to become depleted of the dark forms, and with a few more slashes and blasts of fire, the only ones still standing were human.

Lenora sheathed her blade on her back, and turned to face the two fiery combatants that had saved the battle. The girl looked back at her, and the two sized each other up; one a knight bearing no emblem or flag, the other a mage bearing no book, but delivering her spells through her own body. One accompanied by a rogue ranger and tactician with no army to lead, the other by a human phoenix.

“I know you.” Tug said, drawing the attention of the mage girl. He closed his eyes to focus. “We met… We met in the second civil war of Equestria, yes?”

“I fought in that war, yes.” the girl stated.

Tug snapped his finger. “Twilight! And… Phil, right?” Both nodded. “I’m Tug, the ranger that assisted Rarity and Applejack back at the Dawn ruins, and who joined the resistance at Fortress Apollo.”

Recognition dawned on the faces of the girl called Twilight, and the Laguz called Phil. “Oh! Yes, I remember you!” She withdrew slightly after a moment. “You were with the Order, weren’t you…?”

“We were with them, yes.” Tug said, motioning to Lenora to include her. “We’ve since taken our leave. They’ve since taken to hunting us.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “And these monsters are their attack dogs?” Tug nodded in turn. “This isn’t the first time my companions and I have run into them. Since arriving in Tellius- on nothing more than exploration, vacation even, mind you- we have been attacked twice before now. Never with this amount of force, but one thing is clear to me: The Order has marked one, if not all three, of us for death.”

“Three?” Mark asked, approaching from behind.

Phil raised an eyebrow, and Lenora waved her hand in assurance. “Mark. He’s an ally.”

“Three.” Twilight confirmed. “My sister is also traveling with us, and… Ah, there she is.”

Lenora turned her head slightly, and saw the blue-robed bard approaching, Joey walking beside her. She used the metal pole as a cane, and moved slowly, but did not seem perturbed by it.

“I see you’ve met these three, as well.” the bard stated, at last coming to stand next to Twilight.

“This is my sister, Trixie. I’m not sure when you left the resistance forces, Tug, but if you stuck around to the end, you should recall what happened to her in the final battle.”

Lenora cocked her head to him, and he thought for a moment before responding. “She used an old, dangerous technique written in Ivoire, and it damaged her body and soul alike. Right?”

Trixie nodded. “I’m lucky it didn’t kill me. For almost a month I was completely bedridden. Most of me recovered, but I had some muscle and spine damage that never healed properly… I can get around, at my own pace, but I don’t have any fight left in me.” At this, she seemed somewhat disappointed, but did her best to perk up. “But I’ve found a new passion in storytelling. Reading all of Xekora’s records, adding to them, recounting the stories of this world and of Hyrule.”

The two groups gradually convened, exchanging the information each had with one another. Mark, the hero given a second chance. Lenora, the knight with no kingdom, and Tug, the rogue tactician with no army. Twilight and Phil, liberated human weapons of the mad queen Celestia. Trixie, former soldier, now resigned to tell the stories of others. And Joyeuse, child of split loyalties and dying bloodlines.

“Our group intends to make our way to Nevassa, to investigate the state of affairs, especially regarding princess Mi Amore Cadenza. It’s the only lead we’ve got, but so far, all signs point to the capital.”

Twilight nodded. “Our group was headed north as well. We didn’t plan on going all the way to the capital- and perhaps we shouldn’t, lest we give the Order a bigger target- but as long as we walk the same path, what say you to traveling together for a time?”

Lenora turned to Tug. He trusted these three, and she decided that that was good enough for her. She turned back to Twilight and nodded. “They aren’t waiting for us, so let’s get moving.”

Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Wistarian Waters; Ivoire

Scootaloo

For the first few minutes of the trip, I tried to find something productive to do on board the boat. I wasn’t the only one who was feeling anxious- Raphael stopped pacing around at about the same time I did, and Sweetie Belle was still wandering the deck by the time I sat down in the cabin, alone with my thoughts. “We’re going to be making two stops on the way to Desert Isle.” Scratch told me. “There are people who we need to meet on the way, people who might be able to help us. It will give us a chance to stretch our legs, too. First stop will be a place called Tempest Isle, and it will take us a little over an hour to get there.”

After a few minutes, Dinky entered the cabin and sat across from me. She was the one member of the party that I had barely spoken to; Scratch had a way of commanding attention, and I had spoken to Raphael a few times so far. He seemed like a cool person to me, training to join the White Wolf army one day, and doing what he could to defend Ivoire in the meantime. His methods and mannerism were different, but his goal reminded me a lot of Rainbow Dash, before he achieved it and became leader of the Wonderbolts. Aside from that, Raphael was loyal, honest to a fault, and a well-trained fighter. I didn’t blame Luna for becoming fond of him.

Dinky was another story. She had kept to herself so far, and I knew almost nothing about her, save that she was one of the dreamers the Order was trying to eliminate.

“So…” she started, interrupting my thoughts, “You said that you and your friends were exiled from Equestria?”

I nodded. “Basically. The Order had these dark creatures, different than the ones we’ve been fighting. They could change shape, and made themselves look like us. When they ran off with the Elements of Harmony- one of the most powerful sets of weapons in Equestria- they did it in a way that made it look like the Crusaders were the ones that stole them. The plan was just to stay on one of the east most islands here in Ivoire for a few weeks while our names got cleared, but now… now nowhere is safe. We’re not just scapegoats anymore, but threats marked for death.”

Dinky nodded. “I know how you feel, at least in the second part. I don’t think I can ever go home until the Order is stopped, either. It’s not safe anymore… But I believe that we will defeat them, and one day it will be safe to return.”

I nodded. I hoped that we would, but the situation still looked pretty bleak. The enemy had the Elements of Harmony, and while there was no guarantee that they would be able to use them, the enemy also had Mac’s Weapon, and we had already seen that Discord was very capable of using it. The odds were stacked against us, and the only lead we had was a group of six whose dreams might lead us to discover a weakness in the Order.

“What was Equestria like?” Dinky asked, changing the subject. “I’ve heard stories about it from my caretaker, but I’ve never left Ivoire, myself.”

“It was good. You know, once we got out from under Celestia’s thumb. Under her rule, things were rough. The royal army never did much to help the towns and cities, so they had to hire mercenaries to fight off monsters and bandits, though there weren’t many who got very far as bandits. But unlike here in Ivoire, most of the really good fighters were conscripted into the royal army, and the people left to defend the rest of us were often not as skilled as they could have been. A few great fighters slipped through the cracks, like my older brother Rainbow Dash, and his wife Applejack, Applebloom’s sister. But it was always tough holding things together.

“I think it was still good though, especially once the revolution succeeded, and Blake and Rarity were put on the throne. It was certainly a lot different being landlocked, though. I never knew that there could be this much water in one place before I came out here!”

Dinky giggled. “What about you?” I asked. “How was Ivoire before the Order started attacking?”

“It was nice!” she said. “Though I’m glad I’ve been given a chance to see more of it, even if it is for a horrible reason… You see, I am a cleric, and I was working at the church in Forestia. I grew up on that island, too, and only left a few other times. My caretaker, Golden Harvest, was very protective of me. I never knew anything about my parents, but I get the feeling that they’re the reason…”

I frowned slightly, sympathetically. “My mom was still around when I was little, but she passed away. Sickness. I never knew my real dad, and got left with an uncaring stepdad. When Rainbow Dash pulled me out of there- he’s not my biological brother, but he’s my brother nonetheless- that was when I really learned what family meant.”

Dinky nodded. “I love Golden Harvest like a mother, without a doubt, but it was never kept a secret from me that she was not my mother. For a while, it felt like something was missing from my life… But joining the clergy several years ago seemed to fill that gap. This may be a silly question to ask, but… are there churches in Equestria?”

I gave a halfhearted shrug. “There are some, but the majority of people there aren’t religious. We have our myths and fables, of course, but I wouldn’t say there’s a real unified religion back home.”

She thought for a moment. “In that case, would you like to hear about the church in Ivoire?” I nodded. I was somewhat interested anyway, and it was clearly a topic she was passionate about. “Well, most people in Ivoire believe that the world was created by one God. It is said that the land of the world was barren, but the oceans teemed with life. It is said that He created the life we know on land from the life underwater: the grass and trees from seaweed, the animals from fish. He chose a specific race of sea creatures to bring to the land and guide along the path of evolution, and from that common ancestor was born the intelligent races of Ivoire; Scrabbits, owl men, mermaids, werewolves, and humans.

“The church I belong to encompasses more than just Ivoire, and takes into account the Goddess Ashunera of Tellius, and the Goddess sometimes said to watch over Equestria. I know that, as you said, not many pay this Goddess reverence, but legends that speak of Equestria speak of this creator. Our church and its priests and clerics believe that these two Goddesses and Ivoire’s God worked together to create our world, each overseeing the creation of their own continents, and thus the Children of Equestria, Ashunera’s Beorc and Laguz, and Ivoire’s many races arose independently of one another. Some, myself included, believe that these three deities watch over us still, on our own earth. After all, Ashunera walked among her people for a short time during the Goddess’ War eight hundred years ago, and the Dragon King Kurthnaga still speaks of her beauty to his people, or so I’ve heard.”

I nodded, taking in her story. “You know, one of the few things we know about the Order… They claim to serve a Goddess who walks the earth. Scratch may be able to tell you more, but from what I’ve heard, they claim to protect her and act upon her orders and under her guidelines. Discord is clearly the one calling the shots though, and he is likely a false prophet, twisting her words for his own gain.”

She shook her head. “If they speak the truth, at least in serving the Goddess, then it is likely that pursuing them will lead us to her.” A light shone in her eyes. “And if we are led to her, then I will do my best to be a true, righteous disciple.”

Scratch

I pulled the boat up to the docks at Tempest Isle. It took me some time to get used to how this vessel handled, but once we had reached the island, all was familiar. It was here that I had been trained for years, under the watchful eye of the enigmatic owl man, Persimmon. From here, it was a trip I had made countless times before.

“Here’s our first stop.” I stated, loud enough that I could be sure those in the cabin and below decks could hear me. “Feel free to get out and stretch your legs. Raphael, do you want to come with me to find Persimmon?”

The knight nodded. “He is a good man. If we can persuade him to take up arms against the Order, we will be quite a bit stronger.”

“We’ll make sure at least a few of us stay near the ship.” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “Just in case we need to make a quick escape. I don’t think anyone around here would steal anything, if we even had anything worth stealing.”

I nodded to her, thankful for her tactical thinking, and Raphael followed me as I walked off of the boat, out of the docks and into town. As we walked, I slowed my pace slightly to walk in-step with him. “So, your thoughts so far?” I asked.

“We’ve clearly made a powerful enemy…” he mused, “but, I think it was an enemy worth making. These people are attacking innocent people, on claims that they are serving a Goddess. Religious beliefs do not change the fact that if you harm the people of Ivoire, there will be retribution. Justice.”

I nodded. His loyalty and dedication were not something I had to question. “How about our party? I know we’ve brought in a lot of people recently.”

He considered this for a moment. “They all seem trustworthy enough.” he said. “Although I would think that Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would be a bit more mature, seeing as they fought their way through a war.”

I shrugged. “Maybe that’s the reason they aren’t. They didn’t want to grow up too fast, and ended up not growing up fast enough.”

“It is a possibility. However, I’d be willing to wager that you, Octavia and Lyra would still be acting much the same way if the situation hadn’t demanded otherwise.”

“Maybe…” I admitted. He had a point. I decided to change the subject before I started feeling sorry for myself. “What about the other two from their group? Angel and Luna? Don’t think I haven’t noticed those mushy looks you give her.”

Raphael looked away bashfully. “Well, perhaps. Angel is a strong spirit, for one of such little size. He would make a good knight, with proper combat training. And Luna… I can scarcely think of words that would do her justice. Her beauty, wisdom and kindness are unlike any I have ever witnessed.”

I smiled. “You know, she hasn’t said anything about it, but… Luna was formerly the princess of Equestria, sister of the mad Queen Celestia.” He turned to face me, eyes wide. “And the Queen who succeeded her, Rarity, is the sister of Sweetie Belle.”

Raphael took several seconds to react, and when he did, he just shook his head in wonder. “Were it coming from anyone but you, Scratch, I would not believe it. Two princesses in our ranks… Why did they never speak of it?”

“I assume it’s because they don’t want to be known as princesses out here.” I told him with a shrug. “Sweetie Belle clearly doesn’t want to be put on any sort of pedestal, and Luna… Well, I think she seems happy with how you’ve been treating her as it is.”

He nodded. “Very well… I will do all I can to make sure this knowledge does not affect my behavior. I appreciate you telling me this, though.” He looked up wistfully. “It seems fitting for Luna, does it not? She has the grace and beauty of a princess…”

“Alright, lovebird, get your head together. We’re here.” We came to the front of a tavern, pleasant and clean as far as taverns go. There were a few people coming and going, but it was not very busy yet. In front of the door was a well-dressed man, monitoring who was entering and exiting, and when he saw Raphael and I approach, he regarded us warily.

“Aren’t you kids a bit young to be coming around here?” he asked.

“Yes.” I confirmed. “And we don’t intend to come in, only ask to speak to someone.”

He thought for a moment. “Who?”

“Persimmon. He’s a regular here, I’m sure you know him.”

“Yeah, I know him. Good guy, if a little weird. Who’s asking?”

“Scratch.” I stated simply.

“Fine. I’ll get someone to tell him you’re out here.” The man poked his head inside and spoke to someone for a moment, then returned to his post. Several minutes passed in which Raphael and I stood outside the tavern, listening to the piano being played expertly inside, moving from a mournful tone, to a low, fast paced one of determination and vengeance, and finally moving upwards to a hopeful, wistful tune that echoed well into the next song.

At last, a familiar figure stepped out of the tavern, wearing a black trench coat over his smooth gray feathers. Instead of spectacles, he wore a small pair of sunglasses at the edge of his beak.

“It’s been a while, both of you.” Persimmon greeted. “You look like you haven’t had a moment to rest for weeks.”

“Sure feels like it…” I mused. “It’s been around a week since I was last able to sleep soundly. There’s something happening, Persimmon. Something big.”

He considered for a moment. “Let’s step to somewhere a bit quieter. Don’t need to worry others and cause a fuss.”

I nodded, and led the way across the street and in front of a much less busy building, one that was probably already closed for the night. “Alright… there’s this group called the Order.” I said. I proceeded to explain everything that had happened so far, as well as what had happened to the Crusaders before we had started traveling together. Raphael chimed in and helped when I wasn’t sure of some parts of the story. “We’re on our way to Desert Isle now, on the advice of the deserter from the Order.”

Persimmon nodded slowly, taking it all in. “The Doctor did tell me that one day, something called Discord may try something, and that we’d have to be ready. I guess that time is now. Did he leave you with any further orders for me?”

I shook my head. “No. Coming here to speak with you was my decision.”

“Then I can at least promise you I will do my part when the battle comes to our doorstep. I won’t be coming with you though. Someone’s got to stay back to defend, while others move out to attack. I have an obligation to this place, a promise that I will not abandon them.”

I nodded. “That’s all I can ask. Just be prepared to fight, and if things look bad, get back to a more defensible position. These things have no sense of honor.”

Scootaloo

“There will be one more stop before we make a straight shot to Desert Isle.” Scratch told us, pulling the boat carefully away from Tempest Isle. “We’ll be riding through the night either way, so feel free to sleep whenever you want.”

I nodded, and sat on one of the benches on the deck. Our second stop wasn’t very far from where we were, so I decided I would sit outside and enjoy the ocean air. After a few minutes, Sweetie Belle sat beside me, frowning slightly.

“Hey, Scoots, can I ask you something?” she asked.

“Of course.” I responded. “What’s up?”

“Well, two things. First, do my teeth seem pointier than usual to you?” she pulled up the corner of her mouth to show me.

I shook my head. “Not especially. Why?”

She shrugged. “Maybe I’m just getting paranoid. Anyway, the other thing I wanted to ask was… Do you think we’re going to be okay? Like, we’ll either defeat the Order or get things sorted out so we can go home, and help people with more experience defeat them?”

I nodded after a moment. “I believe we will, yes. We’ll have to keep ourselves sharp and stay careful, but I think we’ll make it through.”

She sighed, but smiled slightly. “Yeah… Guess we’ll just have to take it one step at a time… Man, I haven’t been feeling great lately.”

“Are you sure it’s not some kind of withdrawal? You haven’t had any alcohol for a few weeks.”

She shrugged. “I can’t be sure it isn’t withdrawals. And I sure didn’t feel sick like this when I had access to the stuff.”

“You feel sick? Will you be alright to fight if we have to again?” I asked, concerned.

“Yeah, I should be fine. It’s not so bad that I can’t get around and do what I need to do. It’s just when we have downtime that I notice it… My stomach gets kinda upset, I get headaches, and it sometimes feels like I have a fever, but my body is actually colder than normal. It’s weird…”

I put a hand on her shoulder, and shortly after pulled her into a hug. “We’ll be alright, I promise.”

She hugged back, and sat back against the railing of the boat after we separated. “What about Applebloom? She’s been… reserved, since those dreams started. And since Scratch joined up and she realized she wasn’t the only one… I feel like we’re missing some of the action here, you know?”

I nodded in agreement. “I wish I could help her. She’s more distant than she used to be, and barely talks for a few hours after waking up. I don’t know what those dreams are about, but I wish I could so I could comfort her…”

“Heads up, everyone.” Scratch called from where he stood, directing the ship. “Phantom Isle is just ahead.”

Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-eight

Fortress Apollo, Year Unknown

Octavia

Octavia, Lyra and Flitter entered into the grand hall of Fortress Apollo, former house of Queen Celestia. I wonder what’s become of the queen in this timeline…? Octavia thought. She’s supposedly immortal, so even the fires raining from the skies may have left her alive, if alone. She noted that the interior of the fortress was cleaner than the outside, but was still in somewhat a state of disarray and disrepair. Plenty of people were around, all showing signs of having been through a lot in this world, but holding on.

“You three lookin’ for something?” A gruff, but not unfriendly voice asked. Octavia turned to see a boy facing them, muscular arms crossed, eyes curious. He did not look like he was very old, and was probably younger than Octavia and Lyra, though he showed signs of training heavily already.

“Lyra and I were told we would need to help defend this place in the event of an attack, so I suppose we should meet with the captain of the guard.” Octavia said, motioning to her companion.

“I’m looking for my sister, Cloudchaser.” Flitter told him. “I believe she may be here.”

The boy thought for a moment. “Yeah, I think I remember someone with that name around here somewhere. I can help you look, if you like.” Flitter nodded eagerly. “Anyway, the barracks are near the back of the fortress. Just keep goin’ down this hall, then take a right, and you should find it pretty easily.”

Octavia nodded, and the boy and Flitter began walking in the opposite direction, while the two archers made their way to the barracks. As the boy had said, it was easy to find, and they soon found themselves in a large room lined with bunks, a desk in the center. A man stood in front of it, his hair and beard roughly cut, but with a proper and high-ranking uniform. A girl stood in front of him, seemingly giving him a report. Her hair was half pink, half blue, both colors intertwining down her back. A chain hung at her belt, but Octavia couldn’t see what either end was connected to.

“Do you think we’re in for any sort of attack from them, then?” the guard captain asked.

“No, at least not from the groups in Manehattan.” the girl told him. “They’re still too disorganized. More than likely, they’re only gathering weapons to fight each other.”

The man chuckled. “I suppose we should be thankful for their pettiness and stupidity… We’ll keep a close watch on them, at any rate. Thank you for your report, Lieutenant Bon Bon. Dismissed.”

The girl saluted, and walked out of the room, giving Octavia and Lyra a tired smile as she passed. Octavia looked over to Lyra, and saw that she was watching the other girl walk away. Octavia saw that Lyra had a stunned look on her face. “Tavi, did… did you see her?”

Octavia smiled. “Yes, I did, she walked right past us. Seems like you liked what you saw?”

Lyra nodded slowly. “You might say that… How long do you think we’ll be at this fort?”

Octavia frowned. “I’m not sure, but please keep in mind that we’re trying to leave this timeline.”

“You two gals need something?” the captain asked, interrupting the pair. “Must be new here, I haven’t seen you around before.”

“Yes, sorry sir.” Octavia said, approaching him and saluting on instinct. “We were told by the guardsman outside that we could take shelter here, if we offered what combat experience we have to the guard.”

The captain looked them over. “Looks like you’ve got more experience than some of the greener kids under my belt now. Most of the good soldiers were lost in the war, and I figure I must be one of the last royal soldiers left… But you two carry yourselves pretty professionally. Where did you receive your training?”

“We were with the Trottingham militia.” Lyra covered. “Our teacher was with the royal army too, but… she was lost during one of the raider attacks.”

The captain thought for a moment. “Makes sense. I’d love to keep you two here permanently- like I said, our guard is mostly eager but untrained kids- but I don’t have the authority. Everybody’s got their own purpose in this messed-up world, I suppose. I’ll take what you can give me, and if you need more ammo, there are some quivers in the store room.”

Both the girls nodded. “Thank you, sir…?”

“Captain Bradley Lycus.” he answered.

They nodded and saluted. “Thank you, captain Lycus.”

Octavia and Lyra stepped out of the barracks room, and leaned against the wall next to each other. “So…” Lyra began, “what’s our next move?”

Octavia shook her head. “I don’t know… I think we should stay here for a little while, to build up our strength. Even in top shape, we wouldn’t be able to defeat that woman from the Order alone. We should rest here a while, and see if we can find anyone who would be willing to come with us, and help us fight her. Perhaps we could locate some powerful artifacts as well. But the point is, we cannot do much at the moment but stay here.”

Lyra nodded, attempting to mask a smile on her face. “Sounds like a plan to me. I’m going to go, uh… get to know people around here, see what’s around. Can you find us a place where we can sleep?”

Octavia smiled. She had a good idea about what Lyra really intended to do. “Sure. Just don’t get too comfortable, okay? We will have to move on eventually.”

Lyra nodded and made her way down another hallway. Octavia smiled, glad that her friend was recovering from her previous rejection quickly. She allowed herself a few moments to close her eyes and rest against the wall, then began to walk down the main hallway again. She wandered for a few minutes, getting her bearings around the fortress and making mental notes as she went. When she turned down one of the western corridors, she saw Flitter and the boy that had taken her to look for her sister.

“You have any luck?” the boy asked, the tone of his voice suggesting that he and Flitter had not.

Octavia nodded. “Lyra and I were able to meet with Captain Lycus, and have been conscripted to service as long as we stay here, but are allowed to leave at any time. Lyra went to speak to someone else that she saw on the way, and I’m to find us somewhere where we can lay our heads down until then. What of you, Flitter? Had you any luck finding your sister?”

She took a moment to respond. “Yes, and no. I’ve been told by several people that she is here, but I haven’t found her yet. It’s a rather sizeable community here in this fortress.”

“Well, we will surely find her soon! Just keep your eyes open.”

“I can take you guys to the common house, if you want.” the boy told her. “If you’re only staying temporarily, that’ll be your best bet.”

Octavia nodded, and began following the boy through the next hall. Many of the corridors in the fortress intersected one another, and Octavia was glad that they boy knew his way around, or she would easily become lost. “Thank you for aiding us so readily, by the way.” Octavia told the boy.

“No prob.” he answered. “Nothin’ else to do right now anyway. Training room’s full.”

“May I ask your name, by the way? Mine is Octavia, in case I forgot to introduce myself before.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry. It’s Pound Cake.”

The three soon stepped into a room full of bunk beds, and with a long table in the center. A few people sat at the table playing cards, and a few others seemed to be asleep already, but otherwise the room was empty. “This is where people stay when they haven’t decided to live here permanently.” Pound Cake explained. “Have your pick at what beds are available.”

Octavia nodded, and began looking for a bunk that had both beds available, so she and Lyra would be able to stay together. Eventually she found one, and dropped what limited supplies she had on both bunks. “Have you found a place, Flitter?” she asked. She didn’t receive a response, and turned to check on her temporary companion. She found her relatively quickly, looking closely at one of the top bunks, which seemed to be occupied.

“Cloudchaser…?” she whispered.

“Myuh, f-five more minutes…” the sleeping girl mumbled.

“Oh Goddess, it is you!” Flitter exclaimed, shaking the other girl awake.

“Ugh, fine, I’m up, I’m up…” she pulled herself into a sitting position, and Octavia was able to get a better look at her. She looked similar to Flitter, but her hair was a mess, and her wings a slightly darker shade of blue. “What do you… Flitter?”

Flitter laughed happily and jumped up to hug her sister. Octavia smiled and began to go through her supplies, checking what they had and what they needed.

Days passed in Fortress Apollo, in which Lyra and Octavia rested and planned for their next course of action. Octavia knew enough about time travel from Scratch’s stories that she knew not to ask direct questions about the place she was in, lest she reveal just how out of place she was. However, she was soon able to compile a rough idea of what had caused Equestria to become such a terrible place.

The timeline had not diverged mere years ago, but centuries. During the first civil war, the three nations of Dawn, Dusk and Eclipse had not done such irrevocable damage as they had to each other in the alpha timeline, and when the war ended, the three were all still standing, rather than all united under the flag of Eclipse. The tensions never properly healed, however, and centuries later, war broke out again. Powerful, destructive magics had been created, and this time, not even Eclipse was standing in the aftermath. The last of the spells fell fifteen years before the moment Octavia found herself in, year five hundred fifteen.

Octavia made her way through the corridors towards the barracks, where she estimated that she would find her companion. She smiled upon entering, partially because she saw she was right, and partially upon seeing how engrossed Lyra and Bon Bon were in their work, and likely each other. Neither noticed Octavia’s presence until she sat beside Lyra.

“Oh, hi Octavia!” Bon Bon greeted cheerfully. “Lyra and I are going over different combat scenarios and tactics.”

Octavia nodded, looking over the papers and diagrams laid out on the table. She wasn’t sure what to expect from Bon Bon at first, but she had quickly found it easy to relate to her and become friends. She was in much the same position as Octavia and Lyra had been in their own timeline: training in professional combat to defend that which was important to her. Though the situation was vastly different, Octavia felt that at the center, they were the same. Lyra seemed to think the same.

“So…” Bon Bon began, “Lyra told me a bit about what you two are planning, what you need to do. Don’t worry, she also made it clear that I should keep it to myself, and I will. But from what I understand, there is someone hiding out in the ruins of Eclipse City, whom you need to confront. Correct?”

Octavia nodded, somewhat hesitantly. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea for Lyra to tell her about their mission, even if she felt strongly for her, and even if she kept it minimal. “This is all I’ve been told, and while I would like to know more, I respect that this is a delicate matter and that you want to keep the details safe. My point is… I would like to help you, if I can. It’s a dangerous path to the ruins, and Eclipse itself is even more dangerous. You’d fare better with someone who knows the wastes.”

Octavia turned to Lyra, who shrugged. “She told me about it beforehand, too, but we didn’t want to make a decision without you. Whatever we decide, we all need to agree on it.”

Octavia thought for a moment. No matter how skilled Bon Bon was, and how much the two of them could trust her, she still felt that she shouldn’t get involved. It was a dangerous fight she and Lyra were marching towards, and it wasn’t Bon Bon’s to fight. However, Octavia also knew that Bon Bon had a point: the two of them wouldn’t get far without someone who knew how to navigate the ruins, and having an extra set of eyes and an extra able fighter wouldn’t hurt either.

Before Octavia could answer, she became aware of a muffled sound coming from somewhere outside the fortress, almost like the beat of a drum. She paused, and for several moments, it seemed the whole fortress had done the same. Soon, the sound of a pair of rushing footsteps joined the beat, and a young knight swiftly entered the barracks.

“Raiders!” he reported, out of breath. “Lots of ‘em, right outside on our northeastern side. They’re itching to attack, but they seem way more organized than I’ve ever seen them.”

Captain Lycus was the first to reach the door, and Octavia, Lyra and Bon Bon were close behind. They made their way to the roof of the fortress to see what they were up against, more guards joining them along the way. The group reached the roof and moved forward enough to see the group waiting outside, and Octavia’s heart sped up.

At least a hundred savages stood on the hill to the northeast, all armed with rusty blades and lances. One near the center pounded at a drum, slowly, menacingly. The attackers stayed in place, but even from a distance Octavia could feel their anxiousness, their desire to charge and take what they could.

“Impressed?” a voice asked from behind the group of guards. Octavia frowned, knowing exactly who was speaking before she turned around to see her. The Order agent smiled, her teeth frustratingly clean. “You were taking a while to take your turn in this game, so I thought I’d make a move to motivate you.”

“Do you mean to tell me you command these men?!” Captain Lycus demanded.

“Yes.” she answered, shrugging. “Although I only recently assumed control, and I only command this particular group at the moment. Their minds are malleable, easy to influence with coin and drink.”

Lycus shook his head. “Who are you? And what do you want with us?”

“Minuet, Number Seven of the Order. But don’t worry, I’m the only one you’ll have the pleasure of dealing with. And I’m here to shake things up again, blow the dust off of this wasteland. That troupe of feeble-hearted raiders has been promised everything they could ever want or need in this fortress. Think you’ve got the mettle to repel them?”

“Leave these people out of this!” Octavia commanded. “It’s me you’re after in this twisted game of yours.”

Minuet clicked her mouth condescendingly. “Try not to be so egotistical. You may be the queen in this game, true, but the rest of the pieces are equally important, right down to the pawns…” As she spoke, she created a pillar of darkness behind her. “Good luck against these guys. I’ll be waiting.”

Lycus drew a sword from his back and charged at her, but she was gone by the time he reached the place she had been standing. At the same time, a war cry rang out from the group of raiders. “Captain! They’re moving!” one of the guards said in alarm.

The captain swore. “Archers and mages, pick off as many as you can from the front until ground forces can get down there. The rest of you are the ground forces. Follow me, quick!”

Lycus saluted them swiftly and ran down the stairs. Bon Bon paused for a moment, then reached over and gave Lyra a quick kiss on the cheek before running after him. Octavia pulled back an arrow, took a single second to aim, then fired. Her arrow struck the raider at the front of the charge in the chest, and as he fell, he was all but trampled by the crowd. A crossbow bolt enhanced by light magic sailed into the crowd a moment later, hitting the next one. Octavia saw out of the corner of her eye that Lyra wore a determined, empowered smile as she armed another shot.

The mages beside them were wreaking even more damage, aiming into the midst of the crowd to hit several of the savages at once. The defensive attacks were slowing the charge down considerably, but they still drew closer.

On Octavia’s other side, Pound Cake ran up to the railing to see their progress. “We’ve gotta do more to hold them off until the captain gets down there! Carrot Cake, you ready for this?!”

“Yeah, let’s go!” a female voice responded, joining him at the railing. She looked remarkably similar to him, but with soft orange hair, and hands glowing with magic rather than clenched into powerful fists.

The girl, Carrot Cake, took Pound Cake’s hand, and a pair of light brown wings erupted from his back. Pound Cake took a step back, then leapt off of the roof, launching himself straight at the group of raiders. When the pair approached, Pound Cake tilted his arm back, then threw her towards them, and with arms bursting with magic, she collided with several and knocked them off their feet. Pound Cake circled back above, then dove in and smashed his fist into one of the assailants, knocking him to the ground. The two landed back-to-back, and with only their fists and her magic, they were able to distract and fend off the attackers.

Before the pair could be overrun, Captain Lycus charged out the front gate, sword swinging, and collided with the first of the savages that got in his way. The rest of the knights were behind him, spears, swords and axes all at the ready, and soon colliding with those of the raiders. Bon Bon brandished a pair of short scythes bound together by a long chain; a kusarigama, a weapon Octavia had briefly learned about in training. Arrows and bolts of magic rained down from the roof, protecting the ground soldiers from attack.

With their combined efforts, the defenders of the fortress shelter were able to halt the raider advance, but the savages pushed forward almost to the last man. When they were down to only a few, the remaining raiders realized that they had lost, and ran for their lives. The knights did not pursue them, and the archers and mages did not finish them from afar. With the last of the threat moving away, Octavia quickly made her way downstairs and to the others. Several of the guards had been wounded, but thankfully, none seemed to have been killed in the attack.

Octavia moved to help one of the wounded, but Captain Lycus grabbed her by the shoulder to stop her. “You. Octavia. I don’t know what’s going on here, but you and that friend of yours have something to do with this.”

“I assure you Captain, I mean no one any harm. I do not mean to bring danger to your people.”

“I believe that.” he stated, “but I also believe there’s a lot I don’t know about this situation. That woman came here because you did, and when the wounded are taken care of, I want you to tell me everything. I need to know to protect my people.”

Before Octavia could object, he moved to one of the wounded soldiers and helped him to his feet. Octavia knew that she couldn’t tell him everything, and that she and Lyra would likely have to move on in order to protect the people of Fortress Apollo. With a heavy heart and a racing mind, Octavia set to work aiding the others.

When the wounded had been safely moved to the medical area, Captain Lycus confronted Lyra and Octavia in the barracks. “That woman organized this attack just after you two came here, and while I normally would not think that there was a correlation, the words you exchanged with her confirmed that suspicion. She was attacking you, and anyone around you. I want to know why, and what this ‘game’ you both referred to is.”

Octavia took a deep breath to steady herself. “I am sorry that I cannot give you the full picture for the ‘prizes’ for this twisted game of hers, but I can tell you the terms. That woman- Minuet, an agent from an awful group called the Order- took Lyra and I from our home and brought us here, as collateral against someone else the Order is fighting. The game is presumably simply a distraction for her, a way of relieving her sick, twisted boredom. She is holed up in the Eclipse ruins, and Lyra and I are to meet her there and fight her for a chance to go home. She has promised to attempt to stop us from reaching her.”

The captain thought for several moments. “So, from what I gather, you’ll be hunted and attacked no matter where you go. And if you remain here, you continue to put Fortress Apollo in danger.”

“Yeah, we get it.” said Lyra. “We’ll move on. May as well not dawdle around anyway, when we need to chase this lunatic down and end this.”

“Now hang on.” Lycus said, gaining control of the conversation again. “I’m also not about to just send you two to march to your deaths, or let this woman roam free when she poses a threat to the people I swore to protect. I intend to take action, myself. Bon Bon!”

The girl stepped meekly inside the barracks. “I think you’ll find it quite difficult to remain undetected around me, lieutenant Bon Bon.” He turned back to Octavia and Lyra. “As my last order to you two, I am sending you to the Eclipse ruins, and I’m ordering my top recon agent, Bon Bon, to join you. Her mission will be to scan the area, map the landmarks of the ruins- as we have not had reason to penetrate the ruins, and know little about them- and report back to me when all is said and done. My orders to you two are simply to fill out the mission you are already working towards completing.”

Octavia smiled slightly. They weren’t up the creek just yet. “Will that be all, sir?” she asked.

“Yes. Dismissed. And good luck to all three of you.” The captain saluted, and the three young soldiers saluted back. They made their way out of the barracks room, and as soon as Lyra and Bon Bon were out of range of the captain’s line of sight, they embraced in a tight, comforting hug. Octavia sighed, but smiled. She was glad that those two would at least be able to stay together.

“Come on, you two. Let’s just slip out of here quietly. I’d rather not have to say goodbye.”

Twenty-nine

Chapter Twenty-nine

Talrega, Daein; Year 1471 Tellian Calendar

Lenora

The group of seven stood at the edge of the town of Talrega, gazing northward towards their goal of Nevassa. They had spent the night in the river town, and now that morning had come, they all knew it was time to move on.

“I don’t know about you three,” Tug began, “but our group has been going on foot so far. It’s still a while before we reach Nevassa, and it would be nice if we borrowed a couple of horses to ease the load a bit.”

“Yes…” Twilight agreed thoughtfully. “Two or three, and we can take turns riding them. I’m sure we couldn’t afford more than that, and a town this size might not be able to lend out more than that at a time to one group.”

“I remember seeing a stable near the west side of town.” Phil chimed in. “They seemed to have plenty of horses ready, at least enough for our group.”

In agreement, the group made their way back through the edge of the town, towards the stables. They found it just at the edge, set slightly apart from the rest of the town, and with a sizeable field adjoining it. Several horses were happily grazing in the field, and a young woman with long red hair could be seen tending them, brushing manes.

The girl saw the group approach and smiled meekly. “Oh, hello! Um, can I help you?”

“Yes, we need to borrow a few horses to travel further north.” Mark explained. “How much will it cost us for three?”

“Oh, um… I’ll have to check. I’m not usually the one to handle the business side of things, but my partner is away for a while.” She stepped inside, and Lenora, Mark and Twilight followed. “Let’s see, for three… Five thousand gold?”

Lenora nodded. “That sounds fair. Tug and I brought enough for that.”

The young woman nodded and began digging up some papers from the desk in the center of the room. Her attention was drawn from it for a moment by something outside, and when Lenora turned to see what it was, she saw Joey sitting on the ground, seeming extremely bored. “Is he…?” she began.

“Something different than the traditional human, yes.” Mark answered. “I’m not entirely sure what he is, myself, but I watch over him all the same.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re not his father, are you?”

Mark raised an eyebrow back. “Do I look old enough for that? Nah, he’s as much an orphan as I am. But I’ve been watching over the kid for about ten years now.” She seemed to think this over for a moment. “Why’s he so interesting to you? Aside from the horn I mean.”

“No, it’s the horn, but…” she started, “I think I’ve seen it before.”

“On his father, perhaps?” Lenora started. “He would have been wearing a black cloak, most likely.”

“No, no…” the girl continued, “I think I’ve seen it on him. Listen, ten years ago… something strange happened. I still don’t fully understand it, but maybe you can help with that.”

Mark raised an eyebrow and looked to his two companions. “Alright, but let’s listen while we arrange for the horses. We need to make haste for our destination.”

She nodded, and led the three out into the field to rein in three horses. “So, ten years ago, I was by myself in the stable, much like now. It wasn’t a pleasant night- rain had been falling for hours, and I figured we wouldn’t have much business that day- but someone knocked at the door rapidly. I got there as quick as I could, and there was a woman standing there with fiery wings and hair. There was no mistaking that she was in the late stages of being pregnant, and I quickly learned that she felt like she was about to give birth.

“She told me she didn’t know the lay of the town very well, and asked if I could help her find the hospital. I told her it looked like she wouldn’t make it there in time. So… we had to improvise. And since I had delivered foals before, well…”

“So you’re saying you delivered Joey?” Mark asked, skeptical.

“I delivered some baby with a horn and wings ten years ago.” she stated. “So unless there’s another one of those running around besides him, yes.”

Mark paused for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head. “Alright, I’ll believe it. Don’t have any reason not to. Just who are you?”

“No one too important, really.” she said modestly. “I’m just the girl who tends the horses. My name’s Lauren.”

Before long, the group was well on their way to the capital. Mark didn’t mention what Lauren had said to Joey, and Lenora got the feeling that Mark was waiting until he found out exactly what the story behind his adoptive little brother was before telling him anything. Trixie rode on one of the horses, and with her off the ground, the group’s pace was significantly increased. Tug rode on another, and Lenora could see the smile on his face. He was glad to be back on horseback again. Mark and Joey were doubled up on the last horse, Mark showing Joey the basics of riding. This left Lenora and Twilight to walk beside them, with Phil floating on his blazing wings just above the ground beside them.

“So…” Phil began, “what’s our plan once we reach Nevassa?”

“I believe that the Doctor was looking into this matter as well.” Lenora stated. “He told Mark that he should keep one eye open for strange rumors around the area, and knowing him, he probably did some research as well. I want to see if he left a trail we can pick up from. If not, we’ll have to simply observe for ourselves.”

Twilight and Phil both nodded. “Lenora…” Twilight began, “Do you think you could tell me a bit about the Order? I know precious little from what I was told by Tug six years ago, and by another boy, Max.”

“Oh, yes. Max was a good person, as far as members of the Order go.” said Lenora. “He was somewhat indecisive; I could always tell that he didn’t completely approve of the Order’s actions, but he could never be moved to take a stand against any of them.”

Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “Are there any other members- or former members- that we can trust? That we might turn to our side?”

“My little brother Alex is still with them.” Lenora answered. “I didn’t want to endanger him unnecessarily, so Tug and I slipped away when he and Max were on a mission. I’m counting on Max to make sure he isn’t hurt… Additionally, I am not certain where Spitfire’s allegiances lie. It is possible that she may turn coat against the Order, but we cannot count on that. The other five will oppose us fiercely, there is no doubt about that.

“There is one other…” Lenora began, “A boy by the name of Vinyl Scratch. I do not know where he is, or what allies he may have. But he was trained by… a very close friend of mine. And I know that wherever he is, he is fighting against the Order as well. Whether or not we will meet him and he will personally help us, I cannot say.”

Twilight nodded thoughtfully, and Lenora took her turn to ask a question. “Are there any others we can count on to lead the charge if, and when, the Order launches a larger attack?”

“Yes.” Twilight responded immediately. “The other bearers of the Elements of Harmony, back in Equestria. As long as they are able, they will defend their home to the last. In fact, I believe that most of the men and women who fought with us in the revolution will take up arms again if needed.”

“What about weapons?” Lenora continued. “The Order has a wide array of artifacts on their side. If we had a few, it would certainly make our fight a little bit easier.”

“Well… Last I heard, they had seized the Elements of Harmony, but if they can be retrieved, they would be one of our strongest assets… There was a man who helped us during the revolution, and gave his life at the end; Xekora. He possessed many artifacts from his homeland of Hyrule, and most of them were moved to the castle. While he did say that many of them had lost their power, I believe some of them could still work and be of use.”

Phil cleared his throat. “If we can make friends in high places here in Tellius, we may find some artifacts here as well. Daein has several treasured weapons that are said to always be ready to be put in the hands of a new hero in times of crisis. There are of course also the holy blades of Begnion, Ragnell and Alondite, but I can’t imagine we would be able to gain permission to use them.”

“Heads up, everyone.” Tug cautioned. “I think we’re being followed.”

Lenora knew not to turn around to check, but Twilight and Phil both chanced a look back. “Yes, there’s a lone rider some distance behind us. They don’t seem to be concealing themselves from us.”

“It could simply be someone traveling in the same direction as us.” Lenora offered.

“Could be.” Tug answered. “Mark, Trixie, let’s slow up a bit, and see what this person’s business is.” The members of the party nodded, and slowed their pace to allow the lone rider to catch up.

When he came into sight, it became clear that he was no simple, weary traveler. He wore a suit of gleaming white armor, with red in places and a regal violet and gold chest plate. His helmet was down, and face obscured. A large battle ax was slung over his back. His horse was not equipped with heavy war armor, but it was clearly a professional mount. On the cloth on its side was visible the crest of Begnion.

The group and the knight both came to a halt, observing each other. Finally, the knight spoke: “You’ve an interesting group. Well-varied, though. A single proper knight, a swordsman, an archer, a pair of mages, and a hawk… Are you mercenaries?”

Lenora thought for a moment, then looked to Tug. He gave her a nod of encouragement, telling her say what comes natural. “We haven’t been working as mercenaries yet, but we may decide to look for work when we reach our destination.”

The knight seemed to think for a moment. “Are you the leader of this group?” he asked her.

“I speak for most of them.” Lenora confirmed. “However, the mages and hawk are only traveling with us up to a point, and whether they elect to join us in any mercenary work is entirely up to them. My name is Lenora.”

Twilight stepped forward. “I will speak for my portion of the group. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

The knight gave pause for a single moment. “Is it? Well… A pleasure to meet you both. I am Captain Gordon Decimus of Begnion’s imperial army. However, I am currently operating alone and independently of the empire, so you may simply call me Gordon.

“If you care to offer your services to me for a single mission as mercenaries- no strings attached- I would gladly recruit you, as where my mission takes me next may warrant having reinforcements.”

Lenora looked to Twilight curiously, then back to Gordon. Working with this high-ranking knight on whatever mission he was embarking on could well push forward her own group’s mission. “Perhaps. May we have more information on your mission, and what it would entail for us?”

He nodded. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors of princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s strange behavior as of late. Being reserved with her attendants and the citizens of Daein, spending more and more time alone… And of course, the shady meetings with these black-cloaked characters. Well, word has not been officially released yet, but recently, Daein soldiers apprehended someone they claim to be an ‘imposter’ to the princess, who was caught in the act of spreading dissent and inciting possible rebellion. She was swiftly arrested.”

“I see…” Tug began. “If I may... I think I see what you’re getting at. You think that the one currently on the throne may be the real imposter?”

“I’m not ruling it out as a possibility, I’ll tell you that.” Gordon answered. “At any rate, I want to have a word with the woman they apprehended. I’ll be able to tell whether or not she is the true princess, believe me. And even if she is indeed an imposter, I believe I will be able to learn something from her. If you choose to accept my offer, you will simply provide me backup if a fight ensues, whatever the reason may be. You will be paid the same even if we complete this goal peacefully.”

“Alright. Allow us to talk it over for a moment.” Lenora said. Gordon nodded, and she and Twilight turned to the group.

“It sounds as though this will assist our own goals as well.” Tug stated in a hushed tone. “It will set us well on the path to learning what is happening in Daein, and more about the Order’s dealings here.”

“Yes…” Lenora agreed, “If he is telling the truth, that is.”

“We can follow him up until a point, and if it seems as though we’re being deceived, we can make an escape. Though he seems trustworthy to me.”

“I agree.” Twilight added. “This seems the best course of action, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who simply wants to see where this goes, anyway.” The others in the group all chimed in their agreement.

Lenora nodded, then turned back to the knight, who was waiting patiently. She nodded. “Name a price.”

“Let’s say… Ten thousand. Five for both of your groups.”

“Yes, that will do just fine. Lead the way, Captain Gordon.”

“Don’t worry, these horses are well-trained.” Tug assured Lenora, helping her up onto the horse. “She’s trained to go easy on people who are new to riding.”

“Alright…” Lenora said, taking the reins of the mount. The group began moving again, and her horse began to trot forward slowly. Soon enough, she began to feel more comfortable in the saddle, and simply let the horse do her job. Tug continued to walk beside her, keeping her steady when necessary.

“So, Twilight…” Gordon started, leading his horse along beside her. “Do you mind if I ask you something? Your name sounds Equestrian; we’ve had a few visitors from that place, more in the last few years, since travel is no longer discouraged. Are you from there?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes. I was born there and have lived there most of my life, until- as you mentioned- the restrictions on travel were lifted. My companions can say the same: my sister Trixie and partner Phil, although his father was indeed a hawk Laguz from this land.”

“Trixie and Twilight Sparkle…” Gordon thought aloud.

“Is something wrong?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, no. No, it’s just… I suppose the names sound somewhat familiar. Perhaps one of the other travelers from Equestria I’ve run into mentioned you.” Lenora doubted somewhat the tone of his voice. There was something else he was tossing around in his mind, but he didn’t seem to want to share it.

“May I ask you something in return?” Twilight asked. “Why is it that you had to embark on this mission alone? Why did Begnion not give you any support?”

“It’s a political matter.” Gordon answered. “Isn’t it always? The situation presents a sticky political situation, since it involves the princess of Daein and a possible spy or revolutionary. Begnion couldn’t risk getting into something like that, but due to the nature of the situation, I was given permission by my superior to proceed alone, so long as I do not do anything in the name of the empire.”

Soon, the group approached what seemed to be a small fort. “That’s the prison.” Gordon informed them. “Stay behind me, but close enough to jump into action if necessary. I will lead the way and speak to the guards. If I am given permission to speak to the ‘imposter’, just remain near the entrance. If not… we’ll see where we end up.”

With that, he led the group forward and to the gates of the prison. A soldier in black Daein armor stood guard, and stopped them. “A guest from Begnion?” he asked. “What can we do for you?”

“I need to speak to the woman you imprisoned recently, the one accused of impersonating princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Supervise me if necessary, but I need a word with her.”

“Afraid I can’t do that, sir.” the guard stated. “Supervised or not, I’m afraid that’s simply against protocol-“

“You’d do well to brush up on protocol, soldier.” Gordon interrupted. “I am Captain Gordon Decimus of Begnion, and as such, I am within my rights to speak with these prisoners.”

“Unless they are bound for the true princess herself.” the guard commented. “She’s a top-priority prisoner, you see, and will be moved within the next few days. I’m afraid you’re not going to speak with her.”

Gordon paused for a moment, then removed his faceplate to better view the soldier. Blue hair was visible underneath. He held the man’s gaze for several seconds with bright blue eyes, then smirked. “The eyes are always your only flaw. You always forget to change them.”

The soldier grimaced, drew his lance, and lunged forward. Gordon’s axe practically leapt to his hand, and he cut down the soldier’s attack, then elbowed him to the ground. A black smoke began to surround the man, until the axe swung around again and struck him dead.

Lenora stared, stunned, but quickly saw that the soldier was not human. The smoke seemed to have signaled a transformation, and the man’s skin had become a black shell. His eyes, cracked open, were spheres of a solid aquamarine color, no pupils or irises visible.

“Changelings.” Gordon stated simply. “This isn’t the first one I’ve run into since embarking on this mission. Whoever my enemy is, these things are their minions. Get your weapons ready, it looks like this ‘imposter’ is a valuable target for them.”

Twilight turned to Lenora. “Changelings… are these something the Order uses?”

Lenora shook her head. “The Order’s never used anything like these, at least not that I’m aware of. But come on, we’ve got a job to do!” She drew her sword, and followed Gordon as he made his way, swiftly but carefully, into the prison. His axe was at the ready, and he seemed to be making no attempt at stealth.

Several guards charged at the group when they entered the opening hallway, and Gordon quickly attacked. Lenora was able to get a quick look at their eyes: all changelings. She nodded in determination and lunged forward, driving her sword straight through one of them, then spun around, pulling the blade free and slicing through another. Fire and a few arrows sailed over their heads to strike down the rest, and the bodies gave off a puff of black smoke just as the first had.

The initial fight seemed to have caused enough noise to alert the other guards elsewhere in the prison fortress, and before the group had gained much ground, they were swarmed by the false soldiers. Lenora, Mark and Gordon held the front, the three of them wide enough to fill the hallway and block the changeling soldiers from Tug, Phil and Twilight- who fought from the back lines- and Trixie and Joey, who stayed at the rear. Mark moved the quickest of the three at the front of the group, slicing into those who drew near, while Gordon attacked slowly and heavily, rarely leaving room for a second attack from his enemies.

Lenora brought her sword up to block a strike from a changeling’s lance, then sliced upward and drove him back. Another quickly took his place, swinging around with an axe, and Lenora easily out-maneuvered him and brought him to the ground. A swordsman approached next, and Lenora’s blade rang against his several times before she was finally able to strike at his legs. She drove her blade downward to finish him, but not before he managed to strike at her side, leaving a bruise but not penetrating her armor.

The spells of fire and arrows from Tug’s bow continued to rain down from behind, striking down changelings near the back of the charge. Luckily, their numbers began to dwindle, and with several more decisive movements by the melee fighters, the opposition had been removed. Lenora tentatively put a hand to her side, where she had been struck by the enemy’s sword, and winced slightly. It didn’t seem to be anything serious, but it was still somewhat painful.

“Are you hurt?” Tug asked, concerned. He approached her, slinging his bow over his shoulder.

“Not badly…” Lenora answered. “Just bruised from the impact of an enemy’s sword. Some rest and a bit of polish for my armor should see it right.”

Tug frowned, but nodded. He crouched slightly and ran his fingers gently over the scrape left by the enemy’s blade, softly enough that Lenora didn’t feel anything on her wound. Tug looked up, and his and Lenora’s gazes met for several seconds, his hand still lingering on her side.

“Come on, you two.” Mark said, interrupting whatever may have happened next. “Gordon’s already dug up the registry, and we’ll need to find our ‘imposter’s’ cell.”

Tug stepped away from Lenora, both blushing noticeably. “It’s only been but a minute.” Tug stated.

Mark shrugged. “The Captain works fast, it seems. He’s a man with a purpose.” The three shortly moved further into the prison fortress, caught up with the others, and followed them until Gordon stopped at a specific cell. None of the cells seemed to have windows looking outward, and the doors were heavy iron with equally heavy iron locks.

Gordon huffed, then unclipped his axe, and brought it down powerfully on the lock. The lock clanged to the ground, and he pulled the door open without hesitation. The others in the party stood back. Against the wall of the cell sat a woman in dirtied, but once beautiful clothes, with similarly disheveled hair that ran pink, purple and yellow. She stared at the newcomers, apprehensive at first, and then with a look of incredible happiness.

She laughed happily, then rose to her feet, stumbled forward and embraced Gordon. He wrapped his arms around her warmly. “You’re here…” she said in relief. “I knew you would come… Oh.” she pulled her head up to face him, looking through the visor in his helmed. “We need to check, to be sure that each of us is the real thing. A changeling disguised as you is what brought me here in the first place.”

Gordon nodded. “Right you are, my dear… I believe our true names should suffice?” He pulled off his helmet, and his blue hair fell just past his shoulders. He smiled warmly, before simply saying “Cadence.”

The woman, Cadence, smiled wide and put a hand gently to his face. “Shining Armor.” she said, before moving forward slightly and kissing him. He responded eagerly in turn, and their kiss lasted for several seconds before the separated again.

Gordon, or Shining Armor, turned to Lenora and the others, and nodded. “Congratulations, everyone. You’ve aided me in liberating the true princess of Daein. Once we’re free of this place, I will give you the agreed-upon gold.”

“Who are they?” Cadence asked. Lenora detected the faintest hint of distrust in her voice.

“Travelers who I ran into on the way here. They agreed to let me hire them to help me punch past all the changelings guarding this place. There were too many for me to take by myself.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose attempting to talk to the Changelings is pointless, as they consider themselves expendable… Well, I thank you all, travelers. Thanks to you, I can continue to work towards freeing Daein from the false princess that has taken my place in the castle. May I ask what you will do now?”

Lenora looked to her companions, looking for confirmation. She found it in each of their eyes, even little Joeys’. They all knew what their next move had to be. She turned back to Cadence and Shining Armor, still in each other’s arms. “If you’ll have us, your majesty, we’d like to continue working with you and the Captain. For various reasons among our group, we all seek to get to the bottom of matters in Daein, and assisting you in revealing this imposter would help us as well.”

Cadence nodded appreciatively. “We would be glad to have you. Have you learned anything about this imposter so far?”

“Not much, I’m afraid. The one thing we do know is the source of the black-cloaked characters she’s been meeting with, but we don’t know what they could be discussing or exchanging. They’re with a group called the Order, a group which Tug and I were once part of, but have since deserted, and now seek to stop.”

Cadence’s eyes widened slightly. “You were with the Order? ... Well then, perhaps you can help me to understand something. A few weeks before I was driven to the streets by the imposter, I was confronted by such a man in a black cloak. He told me that I was part of something bigger than I knew, and referred to me as ‘Dreamer of Space’… I think I know what he meant by that, too. I have been dreaming, but I do not understand what they mean.”

Lenora frowned sheepishly. “I’m sorry, but we were never told of anything like that. It may be something that’s being kept between the few members at the top of the Order. Though I would be more than happy to listen and help you piece it together, if you like?”

Cadence nodded gratefully. “I would like that. Thank you. But let’s leave this prison first, and find a more safe and pleasant place to rest.”

Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Phantom Isle

Scratch

Phantom Isle wasn’t much to look at, especially considering the reputation it had earned as the home of Marona, the Phantom Brave. There was a single, comfortable looking house standing on the island, surrounded by a few palm trees. It looked cozy for a few, but I had expected something a bit grander.

“Phantom Isle.” I announced to the others. “This probably won’t take long, then we’ll be on our way.”

I stepped off of the boat and onto the sandy shore. The sand soon gave way to grass, and as I stepped forward, though the evening was peaceful, something felt off. I had the distinct feeling that I was being watched. I probably am being watched. I thought. The phantoms are only visible to me if they choose to be, but they’re likely watching and waiting, in case I try anything.

I approached the door to the small house and, seeing that the light inside was still on, knocked. “Sorry to bother you at this hour,” I started, “but I’m afraid this is urgent.”

I heard someone moving around inside, before the door opened to reveal a woman with neatly cut green hair, and a simple but pretty white garment. Her face told the story of one who had witnessed a lot of pain, but given back only love.

“What’s wrong?” Marona asked, clearly ready to jump to action if necessary.

“I’ll try to keep it brief…” I promised her, “My name is Scratch. My friends and I are being targeted by a group of people whose goals are still unknown to us, but what we do know is that they’re incredibly powerful, and will stop at nothing to get… whatever it is they want. They’re called the Order.

“Now, I’m not asking you to protect us. I think we can hold our own for now. But I’m asking you to be ready for them, ready to fight if they come knocking again. Those attacks you heard about in Monetopia, Forestia, Clutter Haven, and plenty of other places? They were behind each and every one. Like I said, I don’t know what they’re after, but it’s likely that they might try and attack again, with even more force. I don’t expect you to believe all of this right away-“

“How do we stop them?” she asked, interrupting me. By the look in her eyes, she believed every word. I allowed myself a small smile, glad that she was as honest and just as everyone said.

“I wish I knew. My friends and I are working on it. We don’t have much to go on right now, only a single lead that’s taking us to Desert Isle, and a string of strange dreams that still need to be pieced together.”

She thought for a moment. “How many people are in your group? And who are they, if you don’t mind me asking?”

I scratched the back of my head. “They’re all around the same age as me. There’s my friend Raphael, who was named after the legendary Nine Sword. Then there’s Dinky, a cleric. And the rest are from Equestria. They saw some action in the second Civil War, and were framed for part of the attack on Eclipse City around a month ago. There’s Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Angel and Luna.”

“Oh!” Marona exclaimed, a smile on her face. “I’ve met them! All of them, I think. When I traveled to Equestria to help with the war, and ended up helping the relief effort, those kids were right there with me. And Angel was the one who told me about the war and got me to go in the first place! Here, why don’t you tell them all to come ashore, and I’ll prepare you all a warm meal? It’s the least I can do, since you must have been on the run for quite a while now.”

At least an hour passed while the group gathered around outside Marona’s house and enjoyed some delicious pasta, coffee and cocoa. The Crusaders spent most of the time catching up with Marona about the recovery of Equestria after she had gone home, and of various exciting Chroma jobs Marona had been part of since then. While I didn’t talk much in that time, I had to admit that it was nice to be able to relax for a little while, with real food, and without having to worry about being attacked. Dinky stayed close to me, and we didn’t have to exchange any words for me to know why. The dreams that bound us together were getting more frantic, and each time we went to sleep, it was with the strong hope that our avatars would be okay.

“… There were two of the manticores left, but we didn’t have the strength any longer to defeat them. The strongest of my phantom allies had run out of strength for the time being and retreated, and my own arms felt like rubber. I was confident I could still get away, but if they were left alive, they would attack the town. But just as all seemed hopeless, one of the soldiers in my group leapt up behind one, holding nothing but a big rock, and defeated it in one fell swoop! This drew the attention of the other one, and I watched as the manticore and the soldier circled each other before leaping, each ready to deal a killing blow. The attacks collided and neither hit, but it gave the soldier enough time to get to his feet and finish the monster.”

The others were clearly impressed by her story. Scootaloo had a somewhat confused look on his face, and shortly asked “Are there phantoms on the island right now?”

Marona shook her head slightly. “Only a few, and they decided to head around to the back of the island while we have guests. You wouldn’t be able to see them anyway, unless they showed themselves to you. The other phantoms that are under my care right now reside in a pocket dimension, but maintain a faint presence here on the island in case I need to call upon them for help.”

“Pocket dimension?” I asked. “I’ve always wanted to learn a bit more about them. Do you know how they work?”

“Exactly how, I’m not sure.” Marona admitted with a slight frown. “But I know how to use this one. It was a power I was born with, passed down from my parents. There are many dimensions out there, each with wildly different worlds. I travelled to a few when I was younger, along with a few close friends of mine, looking for another friend. To each large dimension is tied countless tiny pocket dimensions, but it takes special conditions to access them. Putties are the best at it: they have two or three pocket dimensions set aside just for storing valuables, but they have the ability to travel to most dimensions if they train hard enough at it.”

“I see…” I said. “I have a set of artifacts that let me travel to different times and places, but they’ve never been able to move between dimensions.”

“Really?” she asked, intrigued. “That’s pretty cool! But to move through dimensions, you would need the help of a putty. Probably several, if you ever needed to move your whole group… Of course, there is one other path through dimensions, but it’s more difficult to use. The Hermuda Islands to the west can serve as a gateway between dimensions, but I’ll admit, I have no idea how to use it or how to navigate to the dimension you want to go to… Or how to return here.”

She set her dishes to the side and stood. “Well, I thank you for coming to warn me of this coming threat, friends. I promise, I will be ready when they next attack, and my phantoms and I will stand beside you in any way we can.”

Scootaloo

I dreamed during the trip. It didn’t seem like the same kind of dream Applebloom and the others had been having; from what limited information they had given me, I understood that they were acting through avatars, both in control of their actions and simply along for the ride. In my dream, I was still just me, surrounded by nothing. There was only a heavy fog, coloring my field of vision a dusty off-white. For what seemed like several minutes, I wandered around the fog, finding no landmarks, change in scenery, or people.

“Stop fidgeting.” a voice from beyond my field of sight said, sounding female but tomboyish. “There’s nothing out here in the Dreamscape. It’s a place for people to meet, whether they’re alive and dreaming, or they’ve passed away and their spirit is still hanging on… Or for special cases like me, apparently.”

From out of the fog, a familiar figure approached, until I could see her fully. It was me, the female version that had been left to die in the doomed timeline. The version that was supposed to have lived my life. It was strange looking into a pair of eyes that was both mine, and someone else’s entirely, but it also felt right somehow, on some deeper level.

“Hey, I…” I started, “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault… The version of you- of us- that did it, didn’t have a choice. And that version is gone. He lived a different life than you, and that’s enough for me to say that you aren’t him. Besides… While he took my place in the Alpha timeline and left me to die… You didn’t let me die. You let what was left of me, stay with you. And I want to thank you for that.”

My head was hurting already. “How do you know about the timelines? Heck, you seem to understand it better than I do, too…”

“I can access to your memories.” she explained simply. “Our spirits- different versions of the same one, but still distinct- are sharing a body, after all. Most of the memories I was able to keep are pretty much the same as yours, since we lived almost the same life up until the point of the second Civil War. But if I had anything different from yours, you would be able to access them.”

“Alright…” I said, trying to make sense of everything. “Oh, wait! Since you’re here… I mean, since our spirits are in the same body… Are we able to do the same thing Pinkie was able to? She and her other spirit, Chaos, were able to separate for short periods of time. Can we do that?”

She frowned and folded her arms. “That… I’m not sure about. Everything I know about our arrangement, I only learned by trying different stuff out. It’s not like anyone else has ever done this, except for Pinkie, so we’re pretty much just going to have to figure it out for ourselves.”

I nodded. “I bet we’ll be able to figure something out that will give us an edge over the enemy. But… again, I’m really sorry. I know it wasn’t technically me, but I’m still sorry that it happened to you. This life I’ve got might not be perfect, but it’s still good enough for me… But it wasn’t supposed to be mine.”

She frowned and shuffled her feet. “I know. But it’s okay, you know? I still have my memories of my life. And now I’m with you, so I can continue to live it, just… from behind the glass, I guess.”

I stepped forward sympathetically, and we shortly wrapped each other in a comforting embrace. Once again, it felt somewhat strange to be hugging an alternate version of myself, but it definitely didn’t feel wrong. In fact, it felt pretty nice.

“No use worrying about what happened now, anyway…” she said in a quiet voice. “It’s in the past now. We can’t change it… so we’ll just have to deal with it.”

She looked up at me and smiled. “I think you should probably wake up soon, anyway. It’s bound to be a big day tomorrow. Besides, I think someone’s hugging us in the real world, too.”

My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself slumped against the wall of the cabin inside our group’s boat. It was nighttime outside, and the boat still moved swiftly over the waves. I found Applebloom snuggled up against my side, sleeping deeply. I smiled, and noticed the others sleeping around the cabin: Raphael against the other wall, and Scratch and Dinky sleeping on the available bunks. If Scratch is asleep, who’s steering the boat? I thought he was the only one who knew how…

I carefully separated myself from Applebloom, although she didn’t stir at all. I guess she and the others must be dreaming those strange dreams again… I made my way to the deck, and saw Sweetie Belle at the wheel, looking the part with her father’s bandana around her head. Angel and Luna were against the railing as well.

“I didn’t know you knew how to operate a boat.” I commented, approaching the group.

“I didn’t, but this one’s pretty simple. The hydro engine takes care of actually moving it forward, I just have to point it where we want to go. Scratch showed me, since he needed to sleep, and I took a nap on the way.”

I nodded, and stood against the railing with the other two. “So, how are you all holding up…? I know this hasn’t been easy on any of us.”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I’m okay. Sure, I’d like to go home as soon as possible, but until then, I think I’ll be okay.”

“I mostly just want to get back home.” Angel said. “They’re going to be in danger, too, and need to be protected.”

Luna sighed. “We-I… do not know what I want. I want safety for the people of Equestria, and of the world as a whole… and while I would like to return home, it will be a mournful day when I must part company with Raphael…”

“You really like him, huh?” I asked cheerfully. “He’s a pretty cool guy, I’ll admit, and a great fighter.”

Luna nodded wistfully. “Yes… He’s taken the virtues of the knights of old to heart, and follows their way of life. He reminds me of those brave soldiers that fought in the first Civil War. He makes me feel… like I’m not so out of place. Like I belong again.”

“How about you, Scoots?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Can’t pretend to be composed forever. All this stuff has us all rattled.”

“Yeah…” I confirmed begrudgingly. “I just wish I understood more of what we’re really dealing with, of what’s really going on. I wish we could just hear about these dreams already, so we can decide whether or not it’s an advantage we can count on.”

Sweetie Belle nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! I trust Scratch and Applebloom about the dreams being… weird, and the nature of them makes it so they can’t tell us about them yet, until all of the dreamers are together. But I wish we could get more than that. Seems like we deserve to know a bit more than that. I mean, we’re all in the same boat here, we’re all running and fighting for our lives. It doesn’t seem fair that information that could save us is being kept from us!”

Sweetie Belle sighed, and hung lower on the wheel. “I’m not suggesting we confront them about it though. I’ve seen them when they wake up: they’re almost always in a cold sweat. Whatever those dreams are about, it isn’t pleasant. And if they want to wait until they have everyone- whether it’s for the whole picture, or emotional support- I don’t blame them… I’m just worried for them. For Scratch, Raphael and Dinky, but especially Applebloom. She’s hurting, and it kills me to have a friend hurting that I can’t help. And she wants to talk about it, I know she does. But she knows the same information Scratch does, and agrees with him about keeping it between them until we get these two other dreamers with us.”

We all nodded in agreement, and lapsed into silence. Several minutes passed during which the only sound was the lapping of the waves against the side of our vessel, as we continued to sail northeastward. The silence was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from the cabin, and I turned to see Raphael, who looked as though he hadn’t become fully awake yet. He seemed to be turning something over in his mind, and I noticed that the others- Scratch, Dinky and Applebloom- were still asleep.

“Raphael, are you alright?” Luna asked, concerned, and stepped over to him. She put a hand on his shoulder, but he scarcely reacted.

“I think…” he started, “I think I’m… dead. In the dream, I mean… I think my avatar has died.”

“Oh…” Luna breathed, sorrowful. “Raphael, I’m… I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright…” he said, still barely above a whisper. “The rest of you… You may want to be there for the others, when they awake. They will likely need comfort as well.”

Realizing the truth of his words, I nodded and quickly made my way back to Applebloom. Sweetie Belle was right beside me. Applebloom was still asleep, but it seemed now to be a troubled rest. I turned and nodded to Sweetie Belle, and we sat down on either side of our friend. We were unsure what to do about Scratch and Dinky, since I didn’t feel close enough to either of them to properly comfort them, and I guessed Sweetie Belle and the others felt the same way.

After a few agonizing minutes, Dinky began to stir, followed by the others. Applebloom awoke with a slight start, her eyes wet, but looking more stunned than upset. She took a moment to gather her surroundings again, seeing Sweetie Belle and I beside her, and then I was able to see the sadness in her eyes. I gave her a sympathetic smile, and wrapped my arms around her. Sweetie Belle did the same after me. Applebloom rested her head on our shoulders, and while she didn’t start crying out loud, I could feel her shaking and drawing ragged, tearful breaths. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Scratch and Dinky both holding onto one another, doing their best to keep their emotions together. Something didn’t sit right with me, knowing Scratch had turned down Sweetie Belle, but then turned around and was visibly growing closer to Dinky, but I kept these thoughts to myself.

Several minutes passed before everyone, Raphael included, got themselves together and were able to stand on their own without emotional support. I looked Scratch in the eye, my violet eyes meeting his red, which I had seen only a few times without his shades to shield them. He knew what I was going to say, but I still had to say it.

“This has to end, Scratch.” I told him. “I know the nature of these dreams must be delicate, even dangerous, but it’s even more dangerous to keep it from us. I know you want to wait until we have the other two dreamers in our party, but… We may not have time to wait for them much longer.”

He averted his gaze and sighed lightly. “We’ll discuss it.” he said, directed mainly at Dinky, Raphael and Applebloom. “You may be right, and we may need to share our dreams sooner… That’s the best I can promise right now.” He moved past us and onto the deck, then turned. “I’ll take over steering again. We’ll be at Desert Isle soon.”

Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-one

Desert Isle

Scootaloo

The temperature began to increase the further north we traveled. By the time we reached our destination, I decided to leave my jacket in the boat, and many of the others were similarly dressing light. We stepped off of the vessel and onto the hot sands of Desert Isle.

“Spitfire just said that we’d find some people here that would help us.” Scratch stated. “Being in the Order for any amount of time seems to have a side-effect of being frustratingly vague about everything. Still… this village doesn’t look too big. We’ll find who we’re looking for before long.”

We stepped into the village, but saw nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. The houses and other buildings were built quite simply, comprised of wood and stone, and the people of the village, their skin darkened by the harsh sun, seemed equally content and non-threatening. There was no sign of the Order having reached this place yet, but there was also no sign of anyone who looked like people who could help us.

“We may be here for some time.” Dinky commented. “Should we seek out an inn to rest in for the time being?”

I nodded. “Good thinking. The rest of us should look around town more thoroughly and try to find whoever it is we’re supposed to meet… But someone should probably stay with you, we don’t want anyone by themselves when the Order’s still hunting us.”

“I’ll go with her.” Angel said after a moment’s pause.

Our group split into three; one to secure a room at the inn, and two to scout the town for anything out of the ordinary. However, when we reconvened in the center of town, we came to the agreement that nothing had caught our attention. We found no one who seemed to be waiting for us, and had little else to look for.

“Well…” Scratch began, “There’s not much we can do at the moment but wait. Let’s get our things put away in our rooms, and we’ll try to figure out what our next move should be.”

We all agreed, and made our way into the inn. On the way in, I turned back, and gazed out into the desert sands. Somewhere, a path forward waited for us, a way to begin to strike back at the Order. But I knew that we could never escape the Order for long, and that they were probably out here as well. It was now a test to see which we would run into first.

Year 515, Alt Timeline; Road to Eclipse

Octavia

Octavia, Lyra and Bon Bon sat near a small campfire, just off the side of the dirt path to Eclipse City. Normally, the shadow of the castle would be visible from where they rested, but Octavia could see nothing on the horizon yet, both because of the poor quality of the air, and because there was apparently not much left to be seen where the castle once stood.

The trio had made their way north through the day, and Bon Bon estimated that they would reach the ruins by tomorrow. From there, they would scout the wreckage for traps, before heading to the castle, where Minuet was surely waiting. Bon Bon had not seen the ruins yet for herself, but had heard reports that the western wing of the castle was mostly intact, and that it would make the ideal place to hold an ambush.

Bon Bon and Lyra sat close together on one side of the fire, with Octavia slightly to the side. She didn’t have to look very hard to see that the two of them were falling for each other more and more. Octavia was happy for them, but each time she saw them shyly flirting with each other, it made her miss Vinyl a bit more. She tried to only allow this to drive her forward, to the day when she could reach her own home and be with him again, but in the moments when she slowed down with her thoughts, she couldn’t help but long deeply for what had been taken from her.

“What do you think we’ll find when we get there?” Lyra asked.

“I’m not sure…” Bon Bon replied. “Reports that have come back so far have been sketchy, but they all seem to say that Eclipse was hit hard, and that there isn’t much left standing. I’m one of the main recon agents for Apollo, so this will be our official survey of the site… I can’t help but wonder if there’s anything still alive in there, aside from this Minuet character hiding in the ruins.

“I’ve also been wondering… What’s going to happen when you defeat her? I’ve been told that by defeating her, you’ll be able to go home… but what does that mean? Will you leave Equestria? Will we… have to part ways?”

Lyra didn’t answer right away, but after a paused replied “I hope not. I hope we won’t have to say goodbye, whatever happens… We’ll find a way, somehow.”

“Aw, isn’t that cute?” a voice said from behind the group. Octavia already knew who the voice belonged to before she turned. “Love blooming way out here, when everything else is dead but humanity’s desire to fight one another.”

“You.” said Octavia, standing and turning to face the ever-smirking Order member, Minuet. “Grew tired of waiting for us again already? What will it be this time?”

Minuet adopted a fake hurt expression. “I’m not here to harm you this time. I have some honor, you know. It’s still your move in this game, and I can see you intend to make it. No, I merely thought that I might help pass the time while we wait. There’s a story I’d like to tell you.”

Scratch

I sat with the other three dreamers in one of the hotel rooms, dream journals to my side. Each of them had their own records of their dreams with them as well. Scootaloo was right: we couldn’t wait any longer. The four of us had agreed to begin connecting the stories of our dreams, and tell the others that story. I knew that these dreams held the key to moving forward, to discovering a critical weakness in the Order and taking the offensive against them. It was just a matter of lining up the pieces of the puzzle, and seeing the whole picture.

Dinky shifted forward and put her journals on the table between us. “I think it might be best if I start. Things start happening for her before anyone else.”

I nodded. “Right.” I put mine forward and began comparing notes. Applebloom and Raphael offered theirs, and we began pouring over the journals. “It looks like mine starts just after yours, Dinky, and then after a bit, Applebloom’s and Raphael’s… Although chronologically, Applebloom’s start a little while earlier. Do we want to organize them according to when we had the dreams, or when the events took place in the dreams?”

Dinky shook her head after a moment. “These dreams were given to us for a purpose. I think we should leave them in the order they were given.” No one seemed to have any objection to this, so I nodded and began making notes on a blank sheet of paper.

Twenty minutes passed while we worked, before we heard the first explosion. We all paused, and then rushed to the window. We couldn’t see the full damage from where we stood, but smoke could be seen rising at the other end of town, our view obscured by several other buildings.

“Is it an Order attack?” Applebloom asked urgently.

“Probably!” I answered, moving to the door. “Come on!”

We exited into the street, where the townspeople were already running around in panic. “Keep your weapons sheathed.” I told the other three. “We don’t need to scare these people any more than they already are. Now let’s find the others, and whoever’s attacking!”

We made our way through the town, through the stream of people, though there weren’t many due to the town’s small size. We kept our eyes open for any signs of our friends, or our foes, but until we drew nearer to the site of the first explosion, we didn’t see either. A second explosion sounded nearby, just across from the first, and we redoubled our speed. We reached the edge of town, and saw a man in an Order cloak standing atop an undamaged building, crossbow in hand. Long, silvery-blue hair fell past his shoulders, and he wore a smirk below amused eyes.

He flashed them a grin. “About time you guys showed up. I thought I might have to blast another building before you decided to investigate.”

“You’re the one who was shooting at us at the raid on Eclipse!” Applebloom exclaimed, drawing her swords.

The man sighed. “Yeah, that’s me. Really wish I had managed to hit you back then, now that I know you’re one of the dreamers. Would’ve saved us a heap of trouble. But you’ve been kind enough to give me a second chance, haven’t you? Even got most of the rest of ‘em in one place, too. My name’s Quicksilver, and I’ll be your executioner today.”

Where are the others?! I thought frantically. They should have heard the explosions and headed right here.

“Though there were supposed to be more of you.” Quicksilver continued, idly toying with his weapon. “So before we begin… How’s about a little story?”

Octavia

“Once upon a time, at the edge of a dark, dangerous forest, there lay three baby children, with no mother to care for them…” Minuet began. Octavia locked her gaze cautiously, but allowed her to continue. “Two girls, one boy.

“The first girl was soon taken away and raised by wolves. She was taught to fight, to hate those in the castle, and trained to one day fight and kill them… Until she was whisked away by a boy who would become a hero when war erupted years later.”

Scratch

“Pinkie Pie…” Applebloom said in realization. “That girl was Pinkie.”

“Bingo.” Quicksilver said, pointing at Applebloom. “Two babies remained, waiting for someone to give them a home. Soon, a group of travelers passed by, and one of them noticed the brother and sister. Who can say why he took one and left the other, but he walked away with the boy in his arms, and that boy grew up to become a great alchemist, bowman, and the destroyer of those few people standing between the Order, and peace and safety for the world.” At this, he shifted the crossbow on his shoulder.

“Modest, eh?” I taunted. “I fail to see how you define all you’ve done as a quest for peace, though.”

“What we do, we do to eliminate those who choose to try to stop us. We only seek to protect this world.”

Octavia

“So this boy became one of your number,” Octavia confirmed, “and you claim that he is the brother of this hero Pinkie Pie as well?”

“That’s what I claim, yep.” Minuet said with a nod and grin. “But honestly, what good would it do me to lie about that?

“Anyway, the third child… She was left all alone, and soon, night began to fall… But just when it seemed that she would not survive, a man approached, one of the members of the group of travelers that passed earlier that day. This man saw something different in the girl, something different than what was seen in the boy. Regrettably, the girl could not be brought along with the group, but the man would not leave her for dead. He whisked her away to a safe place, a small, sleepy town, and brought her to a wealthy, but infertile couple. The two were overjoyed to have been given the chance to raise a baby child of their own, and naturally asked the man if there was anything they could do to repay him, as he had so far asked nothing in return.

“The man smiled and began to refuse, before thinking of one thing. He asked the couple if, when the girl began her studies… if his own son could study alongside her.”

Minuet gave a large grin, and Octavia’s stomach sank. The story sounded too familiar, and she knew it couldn’t be coincidence. It was her own story.

“Me…” she breathed, and Minuet nodded gleefully. “So you mean to say I am the sister of both a girl who will become a great hero, and one of your sick agents?”

“If you care to phrase it that way, yes.” Minuet confirmed with a smug grin.

Scratch

“No!” I shouted, knowing exactly who the bastard in the Order cloak was referring to.

“Yes!” he replied cheerfully. “Your dear Octavia… You know what this means, Scratch? You and I are practically in-laws already!”

I wasn’t about to let him claim to be tied at all to Tavi, when around us the buildings he had attacked still burned. The way I saw it, he deserved to be attacked for using her name alone. I drew my battle discs and leapt at him, but his reflexes were quick. He raised his crossbow, and in the split second before he fired, I noticed a vial of something attached to the bolt. In the next moment, and small explosion hit me head-on, and I was sent flying backward and into the ground, vision and hearing both disabled, pain swirling all over. A few agonizing moments passed this way, before the pain faded out to numbness, and my vision returned to see Dinky standing over me, staff glowing with healing light. Far-off at first, then growing, I heard the sounds of combat, of the swords of Raphael and Applebloom colliding with another blade.

I pulled myself to my feet, but I would still need a few moments before I could get back into the fight. Quicksilver was deftly deflecting attacks from my friends with a large dagger. “He’s got more of those explosive potions.” Dinky told me quickly. “Please be careful! He’s very skilled…”

Octavia

“Enough!” Lyra barked, aiming her crossbow at Minuet. Bon Bon’s kusarigama seemed to leap to her hands, and Octavia reached for a weapon as well. Her bow was back at her seat, but she noticed the hilt of the rapier taken from Icarus Mansion, which she had not been able to sell. She drew the sword and attempted to hold it in a way that gave the impression that she knew how to use it.

“Well now, that’s just rude.” Minuet said, but she drew her own sword with a grin. “I’ll try not to do too much damage just yet; I still look forward to fighting you in the ruins of Eclipse!”

She spun the sword in one hand, and lunged forward. Octavia brought the rapier up to block the attack, and Bon Bon’s attack drew Minuet away. One of the mini-scythes collided with her sword, and the other swung low, forcing Minuet to retreat a step to avoid having her leg sliced open. A light-enhanced crossbow bolt sailed just past her head, narrowly avoided.

Octavia rolled to the side, scooped up her bow and an arrow, and in one swift move, pulled back and fired. Minuet dove forward, once again narrowly avoiding the attack, and tackled Lyra to the ground. Her sword swung forward, threatening a lethal blow, but Bon Bon tackled Minuet off of her, both landing on the ground without control. The two wrestled on the ground for a few moments, before both scrambled to their feet and began slicing at one another again. Minuet’s sword began to glow with a threatening blue light, and gradually picked up speed.

Another crossbow bolt and arrow from Octavia and Lyra sailed forward, and with a snarl, Minuet leaped back. “You’re not bad, I’ll give you that. But let’s see how you hold up when it’s not three on one!”

She raised her hand to the sky, and dark energy began to swirl around it. From the ground, creatures of darkness began to arise, with soulless yellow eyes, and long limbs ending in vicious claws. The three readied their weapons, preparing as best they could for the redoubled attack.

Scratch

I stumbled into a run towards Quicksilver, battle discs swinging wildly and uncoordinatedly. Unsurprisingly, he evaded the attack, and I felt a foot connect to my stomach. Once again, I was sent reeling backwards, but was able to recover much more quickly this time. Raphael and Applebloom were keeping him at bay, but we couldn’t get a hit in.

I noticed an orange blur to my right a split second before it barreled into the fight. Scootaloo had arrived, and he was already expertly dancing around Quicksilver’s attacks. The longer reach afforded to him by his spear let him attack his opponent from a safe distance from his much shorter blade. Good, they’re here. This should give us the advantage… Angel charged into the fray next, his scythe swinging downward and narrowly missing Quicksilver’s head. This was the point at which our opponent realized he was severely outmatched, and dodged backwards and out of the way.

I heard the twang of a bowstring, and saw an arrow sail down from above and hit Quicksilver square in the leg. Looking up, I saw Sweetie Belle hovering in the air, held aloft by the crystalline wings afforded to her by the Icarus Charm. Quicksilver snarled, and raised his free hand aloft, dark energy swirling around it. The arrow popped free of his leg, and darkness swirled around the wound, seeming to heal it. Several columns of darkness arose from the ground, releasing countless dark creatures.

I shook off the last of my fatigue, and rushed forward, battle discs ablaze. I leaped and spun, slicing across and destroying one of the forms in one fell blow. My feet touched ground, and I dashed forward, swinging to the side and destroying another on my path to Quicksilver. He used his dagger to taunt me on, and when I jumped at him, he blocked my attack deftly. He spun around and attempted an elbow jab, but I was able to dodge to the side and slice across at him. My attack was blocked, but clumsily. He had been thrown off-balance, and I had one more chance to take advantage of that.

I ducked low, and sliced at his legs. My attack finally connected, and he released a sharp breath of pain, before dropping his elbow onto my head, giving me a shock and causing me to lose my focus for a moment. I was kicked back, and landed in the sand, with a dark creature diving for me. I grimaced and threw a battle disc at it, embedding my weapon in its chest for the split second before it disappeared.

Around me was chaos. Scootaloo had lunged at Quicksilver, keeping him well-occupied, and everyone else was managing the dark forms, keeping them from wreaking further havoc in the town. I struggled to my feet, and deflected an attack from one of the creatures, catching my other battle disc as it returned. Applebloom and Angel worked together, their combined strength and speed proving effective in fending off the attackers. Raphael stood firm, his sword a constant blur, one attack always leading into the next. Sweetie Belle stayed above the fray, launching arrows and light spells alike into the mass of dark creatures.

Quicksilver ducked out of the way of Scootaloo’s attack, then back-flipped further, sheathing his dagger and drawing his crossbow, already loaded. He fired, but his attack was deflected by a burst of light from Sweetie Belle. She dove to the ground, firing an arrow of her own, but missed. Quicksilver rushed towards Scootaloo, smashing a vial into the ground. The blast knocked both of them back, as well as Sweetie Belle. Quicksilver landed roughly on his feet, and while Scootaloo was knocked onto his back, Sweetie Belle recovered in the air and charged at him.

I slashed across, destroying the two shadow forms rapidly approaching, and kept one eye on the battle between Sweetie Belle and Quicksilver, in case she needed help. She kept him at a distance with her light spells, while launching another arrow every few seconds, few hitting. Those that did hit were ineffective, as the wounds healed before the next could hit. However, Quicksilver’s attacks were ineffective as well, his bolts consistently being deflected by Sweetie Belle’s light magic, or simply dodged.

Sweetie Belle’s attacks were growing more erratic, but I could tell that it was becoming more difficult for her opponent to dodge. More arrows were striking, and gradually, more and more black smoke began rising from Quicksilver’s body. It wasn’t clear what had caused this sudden change in the flow of battle, but Quicksilver soon realized that he was no longer winning. He snarled, and lunged forward with his knife, against which Sweetie Belle had little defense. I dashed forward at him, hoping to intercept, but I couldn’t make it in time. She was sliced once straight across the midsection, her sudden cry of alarm ringing with the sounds of battle, then she was slammed backwards to the ground, bleeding. I had nearly made it to Quicksilver, but was attacked from behind before I could retaliate on Sweetie Belle’s behalf.

I struggled under the weight of the dark creatures, and while I knew I could break free, it seemed as though I was too late. Quicksilver armed his crossbow, aiming a bolt at Sweetie Belle’s head, a foot on her chest. She was too injured to avoid the inevitable attack, and I felt like the world was moving in slow motion.

I heard the whistle of a weapon behind me, and watched as a blur of black and silver spun forward and knocked Quicksilver back. The blur stopped just past Sweetie Belle, and I could now see a young person in an Order cloak, with long black hair, and the gleam of a pair of sunglasses shining off of their face, though I couldn’t clearly see the shape, or whether this person was a boy or a girl. Their weapons were two blades, each reaching about a foot from each end of the handle, then curving around one side to meet each other, forming a semicircle. The other side was where the figure held the strangely-shaped weapons from.

“Alex!” Quicksilver shouted. “There you are! What the hell are you doing? And where are Max and Gilda?”

“Dead.” He answered, his voice not very deep, but deep enough that I was able to identify this newcomer as male. “They started arguing, then it became a full brawl. Max told me to run, and if I hadn’t, I probably would have been caught in the blast. Neither one of them walked away from it.”

Quicksilver adopted an exasperated expression, one that could even be called a look of panic. “Both dead…? Well, that doesn’t mean you have to do this, Alex. The Order needs you. First the Doctor ran away all those years ago, we can’t find Spitfire again, and we’ve had two others turn coat; I’m sure you can guess who. Don’t throw away your chance to help the world, Alex!”

“I’m not.” he said, shifting his weapons at his side. “The Order isn’t helping the world, it’s breaking it. The Doctor knew it, my sister and Tug knew it… and I know it.”

“So there’s no swaying you, then…?” Quicksilver said, not expecting an answer. “Fine. Die, traitor!”

Octavia

The three rushed forward again, fending off against the dark beasts. Minuet rose above the battle, observing from afar and recovering from her wounds. Bon Bon spun forward, slicing three of them apart with her blades, and Lyra and Octavia continually fired away at them with their bows. However, there were more of the creatures than the party of three had the resources to deal with, and the mob of enemies began to inch closer.

Lyra fell in closer to Octavia, drawing her combat knife, and she and Bon Bon began fending off the beasts, while Octavia continued to attack from what distance she could afford. Soon, however, Octavia was forced to draw her own combat knife, and slash around the long-reaching but clumsy claws of her enemies. Above, Minuet seemed perfectly content to let the three be overrun.

Octavia leaped backward after slashing another dark creature to destruction, and felt something bump against her side in her pocket. She ducked low and stabbed another beast, turning it to smoke, and reached into her pocket while there was a short lull in the battle. Her hand wrapped around a slender chain, and she pulled the Icarus Charm from her pocket, salvaged from the Icarus Manor just as the rapier had been.

“Go! I’ll cover you!” Lyra shouted, slicing through two dark beasts, then drawing her crossbow. Octavia nodded, and slipped the charm over her head, a sense of trepidation filling her chest.

Scratch

Quicksilver loosed the bolt in his crossbow, but the boy called Alex deftly deflected the attack with a flick of one blade. He didn’t even move his head or seem to look at the shot. Quicksilver quickly stored his bow and drew his dagger again, and he and Alex rushed at each other, blades at the ready. When he turned, I could see more clearly the sunglasses on Alex’s face; they were a strange triangular shape, with one corner of each meeting at the nose, one just below the eyes, and the last pointed up and away from the face. The two became locked in a duel, a dance that seemed well-practiced already. This was clearly not the first time these two had fought against one another.

I dispatched the dark forms around me and rushed to Sweetie Belle’s aid. She was struggling to her feet, but was in pain from her wound.

“Dinky, she needs healing!” I shouted. I then turned back to Sweetie Belle. “Are you alright? How bad is it?”

“I’ll… I’ll be alright… Honestly, I think my head hurts more than the rest of me, but not by much…”

Dinky’s on her way, but it may be a minute or two before she reaches Sweetie Belle. We may not have that long…

“Scratch.” Sweetie Belle said, drawing my attention. “I’ll be alright. I’ll fall back and get healed. Take this, and don’t let that slime escape!” She took my hand, took the Icarus Charm from around her neck and placed it in my palm. The wings vanished in a small burst of light from her back, and she nodded to me. I waited until she had risen to her feet and began making her way away from the center of the battle, with Angel breaking off from where he was fighting to cover her. I then looked at the charm, and slipped it over my head.

Octavia

There was no response from the charm at first, and Octavia glanced over her shoulder to see if it had had any effect. However, just as she was beginning to feel doubt, she also began to feel the effects of the magical artifact. A sharp pain flared in her back, growing rapidly. She grit her teeth, and saw that the Icarus charm was glowing furiously. With one final burst of pain and light, Octavia felt a new weight behind that spot on her back, and a smile grew on her face. She tensed her legs and leaped into the air, and her new wings caught her mid-jump and held her aloft.

She locked gazes with Minuet, who had clearly not been expecting this, and flew towards her. Octavia was able to set loose an arrow before her opponent could react, and the shot landed square in her left shoulder. Octavia allowed herself a smile, knowing that she had wrenched control of the battle- if only for the moment- and drew the rapier from her belt. Minuet was only just able to raise her sword in time to parry. Octavia knew she was outclassed in raw skill with the sword, but as long as she had the advantage of momentum, she would keep the upper hand in the battle.

“Your move.” Octavia said with a grin, lunging forward again.

Scratch

“Nice wings.” Quicksilver jeered, ducking and parrying another attack from Alex’s round blades.

“Still better than what you’ve got, pal.” I retorted, calling up a fire spell on my battle discs. The crystalline wings twitched slightly behind me, ready to leap into action. Luckily, the charm seemed to do most of the work, as I had no personal experience with flying. I shifted the battle discs in my hands and rushed forward, joining Alex in the battle directly against Quicksilver. Alex used a fighting style not unlike my own, taking advantage of the unique weight of his weapons to complete more complex and agile attacks, always keeping one weapon close to guard while slashing with the other. Knowing this, I was able to lock steps with him, and keep Quicksilver on his toes against two highly mobile fighters. With one of us always engaged against him, he was unable to draw his more dangerous crossbow, and was forced to continue fending off our blades with his dagger.

I could see him getting angrier, and several times his hand made a quick dart for his belt, only to be pulled back to defend. At last, though, his free hand retrieved something from his belt, and my eyes widened in alarm when I saw another vial of explosive liquid.

“Move!” I shouted. Alex’s head turned slightly in response, and as I dodged backward, I could see him making a few hasty steps back as well. We were able to avoid the worst of the blast, but the sheer force still sent us both tumbling a few more paces backwards. Quicksilver took more damage from the blast than we did, but black smoke continued to flow from his body, repairing his open wounds. He grimaced, and cast his hand to the air, a massive pillar of darkness forming behind him. A large pair of yellow eyes opened in the smoke, and with one last pained grin, Quicksilver stepped through the pillar and disappeared. In his place, a huge dark beast stepped through at least two stories high, dragging itself into the sands and into the battle.

I gave a quick glance back to check on the rest of our party. The army of dark forms seemed to be dwindling, and Sweetie Belle was back on her feet, firing arrows and light magic alike furiously at her enemies. I saw another unfamiliar figure fighting among my team as well, one with a mess of sky blue hair, a light jacket, and an unremarkable sword. He was holding his own near Raphael, but did not seem to be an expert of his weapon.

“He’s with me!” Alex shouted, adjusting his weapons. “Don’t worry about him! Help me kill this thing!”

I nodded, and the two of us charged at the giant dark form. The fatigue of battle was beginning to catch up to me, but we couldn’t stop as long as these things walked the sands.

Octavia

Minuet moved backward, floating on suspended darkness, and hauled across with her wider sword. Octavia had to brace herself to stay afloat in the air, as the rapier was not built for parrying. Octavia’s own skill with the blade was not as tested as her opponents’, either, and she knew that she had been put on the disadvantage. She flapped backward a few feet, then dove in again for a stab. The duel above the battle on the barren fields became a flurry of blades, Octavia using the extra agility afforded to her by her new wings to stay out of the reach of Minuet’s sword, occasionally landing a hit, occasionally being hit herself, the sting of her opponent’s blade slowing her for only a moment before she dove back in once more.

Octavia lunged forward, her attack parried and slid aside by Minuet’s blade. Minuet then swung in for an overhead slice, but Octavia was able to dodge out of the way and slice at Minuet’s leg, though the damage was minimal. She spun the sword back around again to block the next attack, which came directly over her head. The impact knocked her a few feet closer to the ground, but gave her enough room to backpedal again and prepare for another round of attacks.

A glance downwards showed Octavia that the battle below was drawing to a close, with Lyra and Bon Bon finishing off the last of the dark forms, but Minuet was too absorbed in her personal fight to notice. I just need to keep her distracted for another minute or two… she thought, slashing forward and parrying yet another attack. Minuet spun around and slashed from below, and Octavia was only just able to block. Another attack was right on its tail, the sword flicking back around and slicing at Octavia’s midsection, and this attack connected. She let out a sharp breath and flapped her wings, floating backwards and preparing for another exchange.

A beam of light erupted from the ground, and Minuet was only just able to avoid being hit head-on by it, instead being hit in the leg. Octavia glanced down to see Lyra, crossbow still aimed at Minuet, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. The dark beasts below had been completely dispatched.

Minuet glared, but then gave a sharp, harsh laugh. “So be it. We’ll finish this at Eclipse.” With that, she floated backwards, the darkness rising from her body growing to completely shroud her. It faded, and she was gone.

Octavia floated back to the ground, and removed the Icarus Charm from her neck. The wings disappeared in a short flash of light, completely painless upon exit as opposed to entry. Octavia looked to her companions, and they both nodded.

“We’ll finish resting for the night.” Bon Bon stated. “Tomorrow, we reach Eclipse, and- with any luck- we’ll end this.”

Scratch

I leaped into the air, battle discs blazing behind me, and slashed across at the giant. My attack slowed its advance, and Alex’s subsequent spinning slash to its knees brought it to a full halt. A massive claw dragged across, and Alex was hit square in the stomach, knocked back into the fray of the battle. I spun and slashed at the beasts’ hand, causing it to retract it quickly, and glanced back at Alex. He had risen to his feet again, and was clutching his side, but I could see darkness rising from his skin, just as I had seen on Quicksilver. A sense of worry filled my stomach, but I didn’t have time to think about it. He was on our side for this battle.

Sweetie Belle was beside me, an arrow glowing with light breaking free of her bow. The shot darted through the air and embedded itself into the giant’s chest, and the dark and light began to react and smoke. I turned to her and nodded, confident that she knew what to do. The vague sense of alarm I already had brewing in my stomach grew when I looked her in the eye: they weren’t just sparking with energy and adrenaline, but were literally glowing, with some kind of magic that I wasn’t able to identify.

Everyone is wearing thin. I realized. Not just from this battle, but from the whole conflict. I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m afraid that things may start falling apart… Just hang in there, Sweetie Belle!

I jumped again and blocked the giant’s next attack, as Sweetie Belle continued to fire charged shots into it. Each that struck home caused the same reaction, and soon the beast was burning in dark smoke from countless places on its body. We knew that this was damaging it, but it showed no signs of dying, still continuing to drag itself forward, closer to the village.

Alex rushed forward again, head down, and leaped into the air. He twisted midair, his body spinning, and slashed across the beasts’ chest. This caused a noticeable effect, and the giant attempted to swat at him, missing by a hair. He swung back around again immediately, jumping high and slashing at its head. His attack connected, but the beast didn’t miss this time. Its massive hand grabbed Alex by the waist on his way down, then pulled back its other fist, ready to strike. One of the blades clanged to the ground, while the other remained by Alex’s side.

Sweetie Belle exhaled sharply, then released an arrow that sailed straight into the monster’s fist. His grip on Alex remained strong, but his other fist reeled back in pain, smoke rising from the fingers. She reached for another arrow, only to find her quiver empty. She grimaced, but locked her eyes on those of the giant in determination. A light spell began charging on her bare hand, and while I had seen her do so in the past, this one seemed bigger than anything she had ever attempted. With a short cry, she thrust her hand forward, a beam of light blasting through the air and rending a hole straight through the giant.

The beast grunted and dropped Alex, who fell heavily to the ground. Black smoke began rising from the hole immediately, but the damage was too great to repair. The beast stumbled back a few steps, becoming completely enveloped in smoke. This time, when it faded, there was nothing standing in its place.

I turned to survey the rest of the battlefield, but it seemed as though the rest of the fight had come to a close as well. Dinky was rushing around, healing wounds, while Scootaloo, Raphael and Applebloom were doing the same as me and making sure we truly had vanquished all the dark forms. I glanced to Alex, who had picked himself up off the ground again, wisps of darkness fading from his body.

Sweetie Belle remained standing for a moment, panting from the battle, before sinking to her knees. I made my way to her immediately, the others joining us just as swiftly. She held a hand to her head, light still glowing from her eyes and dully from her hands.

“Sweetie Belle!” Applebloom exclaimed, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

“Nhng… My head…” she grunted, “feels like it’s gonna explode…”

My mind raced, but I couldn’t think of anything to do. I didn’t know what was wrong with her, or how to go about finding out and fixing it. If Doc were there, he would have known what to do, but I had no idea how to handle a situation like this by myself.

Before I could slip into panic, I heard the sound of a voice begin, and turned to see that it was coming from Alex. He was singing, but in a language I didn’t understand. The tune sounded familiar, but I wasn’t able to place it right away. Although I could see no magical effects of his song, the sound seemed to be soothing Sweetie Belle’s head all the same.

It was at that moment that I realized what song Alex was singing, and I wasn’t the only one. “That song…” Scootaloo began, “That’s the one Fluttershy would sing. The heron song, what was it…”

Alex finished his song, then nodded. “The Galdr of Bliss, yes.” he confirmed. “One of my friends, Max, taught it to me. I’m no heron, so it doesn’t have any magic tied to it… But I thought it would still help calm her mind.”

Sweetie Belle pulled herself into a normal sitting position, and nodded. “Well, you were right… My head still hurts, but it’s better… Man, not to sound repetitive, but I would kill for just a sip of good wine right now…”

I turned to Alex and nodded in gratitude. “I’ve only a guess about who you are, but I know that we owe you. We may not have all walked away from this battle without your help. Your name was Alex, right?”

“Yes.” he said, looking in my direction, but seemingly not directly at me. “And we seem to share a common enemy: my former employers. May I ask your names?”

We all introduced ourselves, and he seemed somewhat surprised when I stated my name. “Scratch… The one who travelled with the Doctor, right?”

My eyes widened in surprise. “Yeah! At least… before the Order got to him. That’s why I’m fighting against them.”

He nodded, but had a slight smile on his face. “Good to hear, but it sounds like you’ve been misled. I can’t be surprised. The Doctor isn’t dead. They’ve got him prisoner, but he’s still alive.”

I wasn’t able to formulate a response at first, and when I did, it was simply: “Do you mean it? Did you see him?!”

“Well… no.” he answered. “But, then, I don’t see anything. I’m blind, you see.” He removed his triangular shades for a moment to show me a pair of cloudy, sightless eyes, before slipping the shades back on again. “But I overheard my former allies, and there’s no mistaking it. They’ve got him locked up, probably to use him as a bargaining chip against you. Against us, if you’ll have me. There’s strength in numbers, and it’s suicide to try and take on the Order alone.”

“We’d be glad to have you, but there are a few things I need to ask first.” I said. He nodded. “I noticed your wounds healing with darkness earlier, the same as the other Order members we fought against.”

He sighed. “That’s part of the curse of being part of the Order. No matter how hard you try, you get steeped in darkness, and it’s hard to get out again. You use it, and it uses you… and the longer you use it, the deeper it sinks its claws in you. I don’t want it, but it’s not as easy as just not using it. You have to fight against it, and… I don’t know how.”

I heard someone else clear their throat, and turned to see Luna. She had mostly stayed at the edge of the battle, and seemed to have avoided serious injury. “We- I, sorry- may be able to help. I was in a similar situation once, but learned to conquer and control the darkness rooted in me. If we work together, we may be able to do the same for you.”

Alex nodded earnestly. “I would appreciate that.”

“I also wanted to ask,” I began, “about your ally here. I haven’t heard a word out of him yet.”

The ally in question stepped forward, and I was able to see him more clearly. I hadn’t noticed in the chaos of the battle, but there was a horn rising about an inch from his head, a slightly lighter shade of blue than his hair. The only other place I had seen such a feature was on the Order’s Number Two. This meant that this boy was one of the surviving Children of Water, as Spitfire had told me.

“My name’s Cole.” he greeted. “I was… with the Order for a while as well, but not as a proper member. I was closer to a slave, really, along with my sister, Tizona. We were the weapons of Number Two, and he kept a close eye on us… At least, until this conflict started. In the chaos, I was able to slip out, but I need to get back to save my sister.”

“He and I share that goal.” Alex added. “My own sister’s out there somewhere, too, fighting against the Order wherever she is. Lenora… I’m hoping we get to reunite with her before this is all over. We’ll need her, Tug, and whoever else they’ve recruited.”

“Lenora…” I thought for a moment. “Doc mentioned her. He was her teacher, right?”

“Almost like a father.” Alex confirmed. “She and I were brought into the Order when we were young. Doc trained her, and Spitfire trained me… It was as close to real family as we had. It was… good, for a while.”

Alex seemed to retreat into his own thoughts for the moment, so I allowed him his space and turned to Cole. “You’re one of the Children of Water, right? I spoke to Spitfire recently, and she mentioned them.”

He nodded, seemingly a bit surprised that I knew that much. “Yeah. Myself, my sister, and Number Two. We’re probably the only ones left. For a while, it was just Tiza and I, until the Order found us. From there, we’ve been kept under Number Two’s thumb…”

“As his personal agents?” I asked.

Cole shook his head. “Not exactly. When I said we were his weapons… I meant it in a bit more of a literal sense. Here, hold out your hand.” I did, more curious than hesitant. Cole closed his eyes and seemed to focus for a moment, then was enveloped in a flash of blue light. I felt something land in my hand, and found myself holding a familiar glowing blue katana. It was the same one that had run through Doc so long ago; but apparently had not killed him. The sword flashed blue again, and Cole returned to standing before me.

“This was the power of the Children of Water. Like water, we were malleable, able to change shape, to become the very weapons with which we fought. With practice, we were able to change shape to all manner of things, but we all have one weapon we are inherently able to become. My sister and I are swords, and on one occasion, I saw Number Two become a mighty battleax. Of course, this is useless without someone with the skill to use us as weapons.”

“What happened to the Children of Water?” I asked, genuinely curious. I hadn’t seen them before in my journeys through time, which was surprising.

Cole shrugged. “I wish I could tell you. Mine and my sister’s mother was a Child of Earth- our Water blood came from our father, and we never knew him- so we didn’t know anything about the legacy we carried until Number Two got to us. And what he told us, I’ve already told you. Apparently our people were driven to the brink of extinction long ago, but I do not know by whose hand.”

“I see…” I said thoughtfully. I made a mental note to make a physical note of this later. If Doc was still alive, he would want to see that there were still blanks that needed to be filled. “There was one other thing I needed to ask. Are you or Alex… dreamers? What I mean is, have you been having dreams lately in which you’re living another adventure through the eyes of someone else, someone not human?”

Cole’s eyes sparked with recognition. “Yeah, I have. I’m the hero of Hope in my dreams. Have you, as well?”

“Yes. I believe there are six of us, and with you here, this gives us five in our party. I don’t believe we have time to wait for the Dreamer of Space, though. The other three and I were just setting in to connect our journals, and begin tying the dreams together. We believe that they will be the key to striking against the Order.”

He nodded. “Very well. I’ll join you, then. Lead the way.”

Scootaloo

Soon, the dreamers had returned to the hotel room to connect their journals, leaving the rest of us to wait. One of the two new members of our party, Alex, now sat with us, while Cole left with Scratch, Applebloom and the others. The stories these two newcomers offered checked out, and I had no reason to distrust them, but I was still a bit uneasy at bringing them into the party. They were with the Order before. Maybe I’m worried that they might turn back… Or maybe I just don’t want to bring anyone else into this, when I know our lives are constantly on the line…

“So, Alex…” Sweetie Belle started, “How many times over do I owe you my life?”

Alex shrugged. “I saved you, then you saved me. I think we’re even.”

“Yeah, but then you fixed… whatever it was that was wrong with my head.”

He chuckled. “Alright, we’ll say that counts for half of one.”

“Hee hee… So, you said you were blind…?”

“Yeah.” Alex confirmed. “It’s alright though. I’ve been this way since I was born. I’m used to not being able to see, and I make do.”

“Hrm… Oh, I know! I can start by helping you get some new clothes. You kinda stand out with that cloak anyway. Let’s head into town, and we’ll find you something better.”

Alex nodded, and allowed Sweetie Belle to lead him elsewhere. I turned to Luna and Angel and shrugged, then began to make my own way into town for something to eat.

It was nearly three full days before I saw anything of the other half of our party. It took a longer time than I first expected for the five to compile their dreams, but I was told by Applebloom that the dreams hadn’t stopped, and that they were still receiving new information even as they compiled the old. At long last, however, Scratch approached me, and nodded knowingly.

“Gather the others. The story of our dreams is as complete as we can get it at the moment.”

My heart sped up slightly. Finally, we would be able to learn about these dreams, of what had happened in this story, and what that meant for our fight against the Order. I was eager to understand exactly what was happening, but at the same time, I was hesitant to know what had them all so scared.

The ten of us shortly gathered on the outskirts of town, where we wouldn’t be interrupted or listened-in on. There was some dry firewood gathered to the side, because although the afternoon was still young, we would likely be here for some time.

“Alright…” Dinky began, “I think I should start. Let’s see… The people in these dreams aren’t… Well, they aren’t people as we know them. They are called ponies, and resembled horses from Tellius, but smaller. And they can think and talk just the same as any human. Their technology even seems to surpass our own by centuries’ time. Anyway… We’ve organized the journals as a story, so that you’ll be able to hear the events the same way we saw them.”

She adjusted the journal on her lap and cleared her throat. “A young filly stands in her room…”

END OF PART TWO

Thirty-three

Chapter with color

Thirty-three

A young colt stands by the wall in his room. He doesn't seem to notice anything amiss, but it is likely due to him being totally absorbed in his work. Oftentimes days or even a week at a time can go by in which he forgets to contact any of his friends. Or eat. In the grand scope of things, completing the latest puzzle is often far more pressing. What will the name of this young colt be?

Nope. Try again. Give up yet? One more try. Oh, wait, you thought you were getting an actual NAME? Yeah, no, that's not happening.

He is THE DOCTOR. However, after many of his friends decided this name was silly and on-the-nose, they decided to give him a new one. And after enough sheer repetition, and Derpy giving him the cutest sad puppy-dog face he’s ever seen, he officially amended his name to DOCTOR WHOOVES, or just DOC.

His room is in a perfect state of organized chaos, in which he, and nopony else, can find anything. Luckily, it is rare when anypony else is even here to try. Various ARTICAFTS of TEMPORAL CURIOSITY and otherwise unknown origin lay scattered across his various desks, floors and other surfaces. The prize of his collection is a trio of intricately carved FROGS, all of a different colored gemstone. He is not sure who could have made them, or what their intended purpose could be, but they sure look pretty.

He really does love things like this- ANCIENT AND AMBIGUOUS ARTIFACTS- as well as the passage of time in general. As a result, one of the most memorable times in his life was three years prior, when a friend of his discovered a hidden TEMPLE in the wilderness of wood and mountain near his home. Nopony saw either of the two for weeks while they explored. The writing upon the walls was mostly nonsense to him, but he made sure to take lots of pictures, just in case. What stuck out most about it was the strange flowery device in the center of the temple which seemed to be on a countdown of some sort, and the large stone frog at the very top, the same design as his crystalline ones.

Upon one wall of his room is tacked a chart of some description, meticulously drawn on a large sheet of parchment, beginning to crumble with age. This is one of the most curious things he’s ever come across, even counting the frogs. It seems to be some manner of ASTRAL CHART, graphing places not ever seen by pony kind. The area labeled Equestria and the group of stars around it is only a small blip in comparison. However, each of the other groupings on the map are in a different language, none at all comprehensible to him.

His username is agelessTraveler.

A tone issues from his computer, and he moves over to answer whoever is trying to reach him.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with agelessTraveler at 9:30 A.M.

GG: Bro.

GG: What's up?

AT: Ah, I was expecting a message from you, my friend.

GG: Why, because of all your time travel nonsense?

AT: No, merely because you always contact me at this time of day. I can only deduce this is your break time.

GG: Yeah, it is. I've been up since like five in the morning, and this is one of the two breaks I get during the day.

GG: Just enough time to send off a few messages and grab a coffee, before I have to get back to training.

GG: The other one later is the one I use to actually get shit done. One of those break periods is what we'll use to play that game of yours.

GG: Which, by the way, still hasn't arrived yet. Didn't you send it off like a week ago already?

AT: Yes, it seems nopony has managed to receive their copies yet, save for the one delivered in person. GA questioned me about it as well... Quite curious...

AT: Perhaps warranting further investigation. I believe I shall contact Derpy to check if this is recurring. Would you contact your sister for me?

GG: I can try. No promises though, you know she's almost as bad as you once she gets going with something.

GG: Talk to you tonight.

guardianGuitarist ceased chatting with agelessTraveler at 9:41 A.M.

Doc immediately opens up a new chat once this one ends. He had been looking for an excuse to talk to her anyway.

agelessTraveler began chatting cross-eyedAngel at 9:42 A.M.

AT: Good morrow, my dearest friend!

AT: How fare you this morning?

CA: AT! :D

CA: ...

CA: hi.

Continued previously

Doc nods sagely. A thief seems to have sabotaged his hard work, and he intends to find them and bring them to justice. He'll need a weapon, though, and in all the years he has been fiddling with modi and sylladexes, he never bothered setting a strife specibus. None of the artifacts lying around are of the offensive variety either, which makes sense. He can't imagine future Doc fancying violence any more than he does now.

His trusty SCREWDRIVER catches his eye, his tool of choice for prying open sealed artifactual containers. He can't count the times he’s reached for it and accidentally poked a hole in his hoof. If that isn't a weapon, he doesn't know what is. He (very carefully) grabs it, then the strife portfolio that has just been gathering dust in the corner. Somewhat experimentally, he sets up the specibus to SCRWDRVRKIND, and places the tool within the card.

CA: back

CA: i got a boomerang.

CA: i'm real good with it, so i think that should work, right?

Continued previously

Doc closes down the chat box and moves to equip his own modi. He, unlike anypony else he knows, sees it fit to use two separate modi at the same time, due to the nature of his preferred one, the TARDIS modus. This is his secret to acquiring all manner of artifacts from future Doc. The modus is constantly shuffling through any and all objects that have been or will ever be placed within it, provided a copy of that object removed directly from the modus does not exist at that time. Whenever he sees something neat, he promptly removes it from the modus and places it somewhere in his room. Any new objects he finds go into the TARDIS first, as well as any copies of objects he’s removed, so that past and future Doc can get to them when they need them. Any objects he obtained specifically by removing them from the TARDIS go into his backup modus, a standard stack/queue model.

As he always does when you remember to, he takes a look inside the TARDIS to see if there's anything worth grabbing, but there doesn't seem to be much of interest at the moment. Just a handful of pens and a loaf of bread, nothing immediately necessary. He’ll let it float around for a while until future Doc needs it. Deciding he’s probably got everything he needs already, he makes his way through the hallway of his house.

Technically, the house was the property of his TEACHER, the one who previously called himself the Doctor, but he hasn't been seen for years. In addition, before he left, he informed Doc that they'd probably never meet again, and left him in possession of the house and his few belongings.

Therefore unimpeded, he exits the single-story house to search for the thief of this all-important game.

Derpy

Derpy rounds the corner, and again is just in time to see the strange white shape as it veers out of sight. She breaks into a canter and keeps up with him, time and again staying just far enough behind him to keep him in sight. After a minute it occurs to her that he might be leading her after him on purpose, and that there might be a trap waiting for her. However, she can't just call it off. She has to keep tailing him to see what he wants her to reach, and do everything she can to get the game discs back.

Another turn drops her at the gates to an old storage shed, fairly large in size but empty and disused. She is able to see the white and green form of the supposed thief disappear into the darkness, and nods in determination and follows. Her eyes adjust to the darkness each at a different rate, but as soon as one of them gets used to the minimal lighting, she is able to see the stallion she was pursuing standing alone in the center of the room, facing her.

Derpy can make out the faintest hint of a perfectly neutral mouth, though that is about all she can see of his face. As her friend had told her, he wears a pair of sunglasses that obscure his eyes. Oddly, he seems to be completely without a mane or tail, and his snow white fur is so slick it is almost nonexistent. Even stranger is the fact that there is a rather pointed horn atop his head, AND an equally white set of wings furled up on his back. Another Alicorn? No, that can't be, Derpy tells herself. If there was another Alicorn around, the royal family would know about it, and so would everypony else. One of those two things must be fake.

As the two face off against each other, Derpy is able to make out a strange sickly green light that serves to slightly illuminate the room, though has no discernible source. The stallion chuckles slightly before he speaks, a hollow and condescending noise.

Well, this is a turn of fate! I never expected a confrontation at such an early stage. Of course I probably COULD HAVE, but what's the fun in that? I'd rather let myself be surprised than know exactly what's going to happen in the immediate future.

DERPY: hey! are you the one who stole our games? give them back!

Hah! Why yes, it does seem that I did that. Are these the games of which you speak?

He uses magic to levitate a set of saddlebags into the space between the two. His horn works, Derpy deduces. His wings must be fake then. From within the saddlebags, three manila folders arise, with the initials DH, FP and LW written on them in marker. An image that looks like eight green blocks- one smaller than the rest, one shaped like an 'L' and five normal squares, topped with a triangle that made it look like a house- is imprinted on the background on each folder.

DERPY: yeah! give them back! get your own games if you're really that bored, but don't go stealing from the post office, or you'll have me to deal with!

Ho ho! Oh, by all means, you can have them back. I've already gotten all the use out of them I needed. However... Before I give these discs back to you and we go our separate ways... Perhaps you'd like to play a game?

DERPY: ... what kind of game...?

As Derpy finishes speaking, she notices a green light forming before her, still with no source to be seen, but getting gradually more intense. It flashes black and white a few times, with tiny yellow lightning bolts arcing across the nonexistent surface. With a sudden flash, the light disappears...

... and leaves behind the most creepy-looking puppet she has ever seen. It has long, floppy orange arms and legs, ending in puffy white gloves and tiny shoes. It wears a backwards hat atop its head and an oversized blue shirt with text that reads simply 'CAL'. The round, sparkling blue eyes seem to stare deep into her soul.

Derpy yelps in surprise at the thing and jumps back a few feet. The puppet, Cal, hovers in the air before her, seeming to cackle silently with his creepy puppet mouth. She freezes up for a moment, but then remembers what Doc had told her. She holds up the card for her boomerang, and grips it between her teeth. She will fight the puppet herself if she has to. However, just then, another idea comes to her. She has no idea if it will do anything, but if this stallion wants to play a game with puppets, then the least she can do is play along.

"Smarty Pants, I choose you!" she yells, then retrieves the captchalogue card containing the doll, which launches forth and tackles Cal to the ground. A moment later Cal shakes her off and gets back to hovering off his feet, but as Derpy watch, Smarty Pants also makes a movement on her own. At first Derpy thinks she had imagined it, but then Smarty Pants springs to her hind hooves and faces off against Cal.

The stallion gives an excited grin, and Derpy guesses that he hadn't expected this either, but is willing to roll with it. Whether he meant for it to be or not, this game has become a puppet battle. The two stare each other down, though they can't do much else since one has unblinking porcelain eyes, and the others' are buttons. At last, Cal retrieves a short but sharp sword in the same manner through which he had appeared- a flash of green light- and flails forward at Smarty Pants.

The gift doll is ready too. With one hoof she retrieves her notebook and flips quickly to a page somewhere in the middle, which is covered in the tiny, messy handwriting of her previous owner. She holds up her other hoof, and a small area of fire leaps to life, though it does not light the cloth doll aflame. As soon as Cal comes within range, she punches at his chest, the added force of the fire spell sending the puppet reeling.

Cal springs back to his feet, his shirt smoldering slightly, and hefts his sword again. He begins to approach again, this time more slowly and carefully, but still rather floppily. Smarty Pants won't catch him unawares again, and she puts the notebook back in her pocket and raises her hooves defensively. As Cal swings at her with his sword, a tiny shank pops out from her arm, displacing a little bit of fluff in the process, and she parries the strike.

Where is Smarty Pants getting all these weapons from? Did her previous owner put them all on? And why? And how did Smarty Pants come to life like this without anypony using a spell on her? All these questions are left to bounce around in Derpy’s head as she watches the miniature duel progress, the two blades clashing again and again, neither ever able to land a hit and spill some fluff. Smarty Pants ducks and dodges around Cal's sword, occasionally taking a stab with her tiny blade and being promptly parried.

At last, she manages to grab his sword arm, and slice down quickly to almost sever the already floppy limb. The sword clatters to the ground, and a few tufts of fluff spill into the air. She follows up with a second slash across his chest, slicing the text on his shirt clean in half. Cal flops to the ground, defeated, and the white stallion nods knowingly.

Very well, I suppose a deal is, in fact, a deal. You can have your games back. Here.

DERPY: why'd you even want to take them if you were just gonna give them back? unless... unless you took something from them! ... no, everything's still here... wait where'd he go?

In the spur of the moment of getting the game copies back, Derpy seems to have missed the stallion exit through some hidden passage. He, Cal, and the sword are all gone, with the three game folders sitting on the ground before her. Smarty Pants, her mission finished, has flopped down upon the ground, once again lifeless. Derpy takes a moment to try to comprehend the situation, then decides it calls for a victory muffin. She pops both remaining cards out of her sylladex, then munches on the muffin while typing a short message to nopony in particular on her phone.

CA: puppets.

CA: that's really all there is to say on the matter.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 12:07 P.M.

GG: Sounds like you found the stuff I set up miss Smarty Pants with.

GG: I knew it wouldn't wear off just because she switched owners.

GG: What happened though? She only comes to life in the presence of danger.

CA: so it WAS you that made her like that!

CA: how did she come to life? and why did you give a doll weapons?

GG: Funny story actually. Back before I enrolled in the knight academy, I still did some combat to help protect the town.

GG: But I could never find a wingman, and I really needed someone to cover my back.

GG: So I got GA to put a 'come to life' spell on her and write down a fire spell for her to use, and my sister installed a little shank in her arm.

GG: Surprisingly effective.

CA: ...

GG: IT MADE SENSE AT THE TIME.

GG: So who'd she have to fight? Are you alright?

CA: oh, yeah, i'm fine.

CA: me and doc went on a hunt for a guy who stole the video game he wanted to play.

CA: i found him first, and got the games back, but he had me play a game of his own first.

CA: he brought out a puppet too, and smarty pants had to fight him.

CA: i think his name was cal.

GG: Lil' Cal?

GG: And Smarty Pants beat him?

CA: yup. she didn't even really get hurt that bad.

GG: GOOD GIRL SMARTY PANTS. DADDY'S SO PROUD OF YOU.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel and guardianGuitarist at 12:12 P.M.

AT: Oh.

AT: I was popping in to see how your search was going, but I can see you found him.

AT: Good. I was afraid both of us had wasted two hours with this quest. It seems it was only me.

CA: aw, i'm sorry about that doc.

AT: Worry not, my dear, the important thing is that the games have been secured. Once we redistribute them, we can officially begin.

AT: Oh, GG, I was meaning to ask, how are you contacting us right now? I thought you were back on the clock until later?

GG: Call it a self-assigned break.

GG: I found a thing. I think this is a bit more important than combat drills.

AT: A 'thing'... Could you possibly be a tad more specific? What did you find?

GG: I'll tell you as soon as I know. We've got some exploring to do right now.

CA: we?

GG: Oh yeah, TT is here too. Forgot to mention that.

TT: hey

GG: And also, GA is in a video chat with us.

GA: hey guys, what's up?

GG: Anyway, let's get back to business. I'll catch you guys tonight, provided the Battle Master doesn't catch me and chew me out for this.

guardianGuitarist left the chat room

gamingAvarice left the chat room

AT: Well then, my dears. Derpy, I suppose you ought to send those other games off shortly. Once you're free, we can begin playing whenever you're ready.

TT: hang on a sec

TT: I wanna try something

TT: Derpy can you move those games like two feet to the right

TT: except for your copy

CA: um... alright?

TT: thanks

TT: lets see here

As she ponders her friend's words, one eye on the games and another on her phone, she detects a slight crackle in the air. A moment later, the games vanish.

CA: :O

CA: the games disappeared!

TT: ha ha, it worked!

TT: alright, dont worry about delivering them anymore

TT: I got em here

TT: Ill go ahead and deliver GA's copy too. he was gonna be the last one to join in anyway, right?

AT: Er, yes, but how did you just do that? I thought you couldn't use magic to teleport things to you.

TT: you cant

TT: like GG said, we found a thing

TT: ttyl

techTitan ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel and agelessTraveler at 12:23 P.M.

CA: huh.

AT: Quite.

AT: At any rate, I suppose we ought to make our way back home. A grand adventure awaits us!

CA: right. mom might be home for lunch, and she's probably wondering where i am. talk to you soon.

cross-eyedAngel ceased chatting with agelessTraveler at 12:25 P.M.

Thirty-four

Chapter with color

Thirty-four

A bored and tired looking young pegasus-stallion stands in his dorm in the early hours of the morning. He has been awake for quite some time already, and probably won't go back to sleep any time soon. This stallion has been awaiting the game his friend has been hyped about, but without much extra enthusiasm. He has just been excused for his morning break, and has a small amount of time to waste on various shenanigans. What will his name be?

Hey, I don't have to put up with your crap, citizen. You really think it's a good idea to be screwing around with the guy with a sword?

His name is LEEROY WINGKINS. He is an aerial knight in training in the city of Cloudsdale, and has just returned from a scheduled morning sparring session with the school's BATTLE MASTER. He has known the Battle Master since he was little, and often interest was expressed in training him in the school. Without parents, he often looks up to the Battle Master as sort of a parental figure, but that sure doesn't mean either of the two go easy on each other.

His username is guardianGuitarist.

His dorm is rather tidy, though mostly for the reason that he doesn't have much to put in it. A computer, somewhat aged, sits on the desk in the corner, right beside his bed. On its other side is his GUITAR, one of the only two objects worth bringing from his old home, the other being his customized SMARTY PANTS doll which he recently gifted to another friend. In the opposite corner is a wooden TRAINING DUMMY, which shows signs of being gradually thrashed to pieces like its many predecessors.

In the adjoining corner is all his data storage stuff. His inventory, the POWER LEVELING modus, is at the forefront. To retrieve anything from it, he must first dispatch a simulated enemy, the strength of which varies depending on the value of its guarded treasure. He uses this to constantly improve and keep sharp his combat skills, as do many other knights and trainees. His Strife portfolio sits underneath, containing two specibi: GUITARKIND, which he almost never uses anymore, and BLADEKIND, the fabled Strife deck that only knights are allowed to possess.

In the final corner is a COFFEE TABLE, upon which sits a POT OF COFFEE. After all, what else would be on a coffee table?

He yawns, and decides to make use of the coffee. He downs the entire pot in a few gulps, and soon feels much better. Could have used a bit of honey, but it did the job. He then decides to access his computer and see who's online, and shortly starts up a chat with Doc.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with agelessTraveler at 9:30 A.M.

GG: Bro.

GG: What's up?

AT: Ah, I was expecting a message from you, my friend.

GG: Why, because of all your time travel nonsense?

AT: No, merely because you always contact me at this time of day. I can only deduce this is your break time.

Continued previously

He closes one chat window and opens another. Nopony has received their copy of the game yet, which doesn't actually concern him too heavily. However, if only to keep his friends off his back, he feigns interest anyway. Leeroy’s never been much of a gamer.

guardianGuitarist began pestering techTitan at 9:41 A.M.

GG: Sis.

TT: bro.

TT: youre pretty lucky Im even awake right now

GG: I guess so, huh? You're usually asleep for a few more hours.

GG: /How I envy you./

GG: So what's the occasion?

TT: just woke up from a really weird dream

GG: Nightmare?

TT: nah, I wouldn't say it was a BAD dream

TT: just weird

TT: still feels really real even now

GG: What happened in it?

TT: well...

TT: Cheerilee or Derpy ever tell you about the ones with the golden planet and the two-leg things?

GG: Bits and pieces, yes.

TT: it was kinda like that, but different

TT: it was much darker, with the colors and the whole feeling of the city

TT: I learned so much and yet so little at the same time

TT: didnt really have time to do much before I woke up though

GG: Still, it's definitely strange. Perhaps you ought to ask one of the girls about it yourself so you can piece things together.

TT: i guess so

GG: Oh, wait, before you go.

GG: Doc wanted me to ask you if you'd received your copy of his game yet.

TT: nah, not yet

TT: wait a second what was that

GG: What?

TT: something outside

TT: hang on, Im gonna go investigate

TT: ttyl

techTitan ceased chatting with guardianGuitarist at 9:49 A.M.

Well that was kind of odd. Anyway, his break is almost over, so he figures he should get going. He moves over to the corner and equips his modus and strife deck, as well as equipping his standard issue AERO BLADE between his teeth. It is much the same as any sword, but intricately carved to resemble a chain of feathers, and unusually lightweight. He never knows when the Battle Master will attack or where it will come from, so it's best to be safe.

Leeroy cracks open the door and emerges into the normal cloudy interior of the trainee ward. The rooms are a bit more reinforced, as much as they can be without falling through the cloud cover, but enough to afford a comfortable level of privacy. He doesn't see any sign of the Battle Master- only a few other trainees returning from their own breaks- but he knows that doesn't necessarily mean a thing. He quickly makes his way back through the halls, ever-vigilant.

Leeroy continues through the cloudy halls for a time, constantly alert, eyes darting around each new corner. He soon comes to the exit of the ward, outside of which lies a short courtyard that separates this building and the training hall. The coast seeming clear, he takes a step outside. He had almost lowered his guard when he feels something behind him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, and he slowly turns around.

Atop the roof of the cloud building stands the BATTLE MASTER, her hair and feathers whipping about gently in the breeze, along with the blue scarf wrapped around her neck. Her eyes are locked on Leeroy, and an Aero Blade of her own is held between her teeth. She needs not say anything, as the communication between warriors is clear. The sparring session earlier meant nothing. This is the day's real test.

She leaps down from her perch and barrels towards him. He pivots on his heels and twists his head, so that when she approaches, his blade parries hers. Her hooves touch ground, but only for a moment. They both take to the air, swords clashing and filling the otherwise dull morning with the din of metal meeting metal. Many other pupils, and a few teachers, gather in the courtyard to lay witness to this battle, as all-out combat between Leeroy and the Battle Master are usually something to see.

Leeroy spins through the air to dizzy her and strikes when she can't keep up, but she sees through it and vaults over him. He spins forward another few meters before coming to a halt, much dizzier than his opponent. He only recovers just in time to block her next attack. He isn't prepared enough for her following move, an overhead strike from both of her front hooves. They smash into his head and send him rocketing to the ground, too stunned to move.

With an audible PUFF, he falls through the cloud layer and falls several more meters before regaining his senses and catching himself. He shakes his head vigorously and looks up. The hole in Cloudsdale is already healing itself, and the Battle Master isn't waiting for him. He sighs, begrudgingly accepting defeat, and takes a look at the underbelly of the floating city.

On the other side of the structure, Leeroy notices a rather heavy rainfall pouring from the factory district, turning the dirt far below into slush. He groans audibly and face-hoofs, then stows his sword and flies over.

"What the hell, guys?" He demands once some workers are within earshot. It seems they are just as concerned about this unscheduled downpour as he is. "How long has this been going? And who caused it?" A worker tells him that it has been going all morning and that they have only just found the source and started to shut it off. Nopony had been able to find the culprit- intentional or otherwise- either.

Leeroy sticks around for a few minutes to make sure the flow is stopped, and soon the sky below returns to normal. A worker mentions that somepony should check the surface below for damage, and Leeroy replies with a sigh that he'll do it. These other pegasi should focus their full efforts on finding who did this, as it probably caused a lot of damage, plus screwing over the scheduled rain for the next few days. The other teachers at the battle school will understand.

He glides gently to the ground and furls his wings once he touches down, and takes a few moments to get back his land-legs. He then walks through the area of effect, searching for anything damaged further than getting a little muddy. He scans the ground several times to make sure he hasn't missed anything, taking up at least an hour, but the damp ground seems otherwise clear. At least, until his eye catches the slight gleam of something metal a few feet away.

He walks over to it and look down, frowning slightly. It appears to be a round metal plate, bigger around than he is, with an odd symbol imprinted upon its surface. He has never seen it before, but thinks he has a friend who could tell him more. He moves to retrieve his phone, and a holographic goblin with a hand axe is summoned from his sylladex. Leeroy promptly bucks his face in and retrieves his cellular device.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with gamingAvarice at 11:05 A.M.

GG: Bro.

GG: Got a question for you.

GA: hey man! been a while, huh?

GA: well, fire away.

GG: That temple thing near your place. Didn't you say there were a ton of weird symbols all over it?

GA: yeah, tons. three or four main ones. why?

GG: Describe the main ones. I need to know if one of them matches a thing I just found.

GA: alright, well... one of them looked a lot like the logo for doc's game.

GA: lots of frogs, that's the main one of the whole temple.

GA: one looked kinda like a fork. group of three triangles forming a fourth between them.

GA: couple of spirographs here and there.

GG: Spirograph. What's that look like?

GA: uh... kind of like a circle, but with a bunch of wavelengths. dunno how else to describe it.

GG: No, yeah, that'll do. I think that's what I'm looking at.

GA: what even is it?

GG: Like a round metal plate in the ground. Looks like it's been buried. A big huge rainfall just now washed the dirt covering it up away.

GG: I'm going to try to dig the rest of it up so I could show you later.

Leeroy grits his teeth and tries to lock his hooves around the edges, then pulls with all his might to dislodge the object. It doesn't budge. With everything still wet, he soon loses his grip on it and falls back, the impact of his body hitting the metal causing an odd noise. He frowns and knocks the edge of his hoof against it experimentally.

GG: Hang on, I think there's something underneath.

GG: Or rather, nothing underneath.

GG: What I mean is that I think it's hollow. Like it's a lid for something.

GA: ...

GA: you have to open it.

GG: I know.

GA: maybe take some pictures and send them to me?

GG: You know how old my phone is. I don't have a camera.

GA: right, right. guess i'll have to swing by one of these days and check it out myself.

GA: don't stop updating me though. this is much more exciting than level grinding on this game i have going.

He takes another look at the plate, imprinted with a spirograph. If he couldn't budge it before, he probably still can't now. If only he had something to pry it open... Suddenly, Leeroy remembers having confiscated a crowbar from a citizen a few days ago, and wonders if that’s still in his sylladex. He looks into it, and nods when he sees the crowbar. An imp-archer is summoned, and Leeroy quickly out-maneuvers it and slays the hologram. He then positions the crowbar between the ground and the lid, then slams his whole weight against it. He ends up slipping to the ground with the metal device, but he definitely heard something crack.

He tries again, then a third time, and the lid finally gives way and swings open. Peering below, he sees a narrow tunnel that leads into darkness, but a ladder is affixed to one side, and it is wide enough for him to climb down.

GG: Oh shit, this just got real.

GA: what? what happened?

GG: There's an access hatch under the plate.

GG: Dark tunnels and forgotten facilities all up in this bitch.

GA: oh man, i'm so jealous right now. i wanna explore that!

GG: You got the frog temple thing. Give me this.

GG: Battle school can seriously wait. If I don't explore this now, somepony else might beat me to it.

GA: i guess you're right. still, once you get a camera, you need to take some pics and let me see this thing.

GG: You know it.

Leeroy takes another look down the hatch, and then grips his phone between his teeth. Using the screen as a light for lack of anything better, he begins his descent.

Thirty-five

Chapter in color

Thirty-five

A rather well-built young unicorn snoozes in a corner in her workshop. There isn't really any proper bed for her to rest upon, but she has managed to fall asleep anyway, exhausted from staying up several nights in a row to work on her latest project. What will her name be?

Oh, that will never do. But... She's still asleep... You know what? We're just going to go into her dream and ask her. Sure we can.

The unicorn now stands in another room, a slightly altered version of her bedroom. All of the major furniture is still in place, such as her dresser and bed, are in the same place as they were, though they have been recolored a deep bronze, the same as the rest of the room. None of the minor details are in this room though, save for a pair of dolls at the foot of the bed.

Her name is QUICK FIX. As the name implies, she has a passion for FIXING SHIT, as well as building it in the first place and affixing it with upgrades. Normally, her room and workshop would both be littered with half-finished projects and countless tools, half of which she actually knows the intended purpose of, and about a third of which she actually ever uses. Right now, she don't even think she could access her workshop, and her bedroom is quite bare.

The only familiar features are the faces of the two stuffed animals on her bed. One is of SMARTY PANTS, an amazing gift from a great friend. The other is of RATCHET, of video game fame. Ratchet and Clank is pretty much THE ONLY VIDEO GAME SERIES SHE’S EVER PLAYED, and the one Doc has been geeking out about will be the second. To even play it, she had to get it translated from whatever language it was originally written in; attesting to how much she loves the series. As such, she made sure to get the proper memorabilia: This Ratchet doll, plus a homemade, fully functional CLANK. Unfortunately, as soon as she gave him an AI, he ran away and hid somewhere in the house, and she still hasn't found him.

Right now, she has no idea what is going on. While it looks similar, this is most certainly NOT her room. She also seems to be wearing some manner of purple night gown, though she can't remember ever owning such an article of clothing. Looking out the window, she sees a quite unfamiliar cityscape, all a deep violet. There seem to be some manner of living things moving about on the streets, but she is too far away to see them clearly. In the distance in the sky, there is a sphere of blue, looking almost like a moon in the otherwise black sky.

Quick Fix takes another look out the window, searching for a ladder or something with which she can leave this room. There is no door, only this viewing portal, and it doesn't seem to offer an easy way down. She leans a little further out to look around the bottom, since the wall rounds out just below, but her hooves slip and she can feel herself falling. She squeezes her eyes shut, awaiting impact with the ground, but it never comes.

With a start, she realizes she is floating in midair, just below her window, even without the aid of a pair of wings. She gives a small chuckle, not understanding why, but thankful for still being alive, and floats around for a few minutes to get a feel for flight, then sets off to explore the city.

Quick Fix aligns with the ground with just a little space to keep hovering, and looks around. Walking around are countless strange, alien forms, taking little to no notice of her. They all walk on two legs, with their front hooves dangling at their sides or carrying things against their chests. They have some kind of shiny black shell covering their skins instead of a fur coat, and none have manes or tails. They all wear nondescript grey clothing and see with beady white eyes.

While they certainly look strange, at least they seem to be acting mostly like a pony. Quick Fix says a few words of greeting to them, but gets no response, only a few glances at best. Most just keep walking, eyes staring out into the distance or at their feet. She frowns, but decides to try again elsewhere.

She next floats over to a busy plaza, where a much greater congregation of the odd people is. Once again, a few glance her way as they pass, but none stop to talk to her. Quick Fix tries to speak to them, or at least grab their attention so that they'll tell her where she is or what is happening, but they seem quite unwilling to acknowledge her; At least, until a rather distinguished looking gentleman approaches her from across the plaza. He is slightly thinner than the others around him, and wears a neat black suit emblazoned with a red DIAMOND at the lapel. His calculating white eyes are locked on Quick Fix, unlike any of the other residents of the city, and his approach catches several interested looks.

He stops a few feet from Quick Fix, and the two lock gazes. She briefly considers inquiring to him about her predicament, but something about his demeanor tells her this wouldn't be a great idea. This guy means business, and probably doesn't have time for her bullshit.

He lifts one of his front hooves, broken up into five at the tip and looking extremely painful, and points in the direction of the tower from which Quick Fix came. His steely gaze remains on her, and his message seems to be along the lines of 'Go to your room'. Seeing the sharp dagger at his belt, she feels motivated to do as he wishes, and floats all the way back home. In the distance behind her tower, she thinks she can see the top of another tower, but decides to save that for another day.

She passes out almost immediately once she enter, and awakens with a start in her workshop. Somewhat spooked by this strange dream, she decides to talk to somepony about it, and trots across the hall to her room.

She swings over to her custom-made, ridiculously overpowered laptop computer, and quickly punches in all her login information. She tends to keep everything logged out whenever she isn’t using it, as a precaution against her FATHER. If he ever got his hooves on any of her profiles, he would likely sabotage anything and everything he could, just to prove a point, though Celestia knows what that point might be.

Luckily, as soon as she accesses her chat profile, her kinda-sorta BROTHER Leeroy initiates a chat with her.

GuardianGuitarist began pestering techTitan at 9:41 A.M.

GG: Sis.

TT: bro.

TT: youre pretty lucky Im even awake right now

GG: I guess so, huh? You're usually asleep for a few more hours.

GG: /How I envy you./ -_-

GG: So what's the occasion?

TT: just woke up from a really weird dream

GG: Nightmare?

TT: nah, I wouldn't say it was a BAD dream

TT: just weird

TT: still feels really real even now

GG: What happened in it?

TT: well...

TT: Cheerilee or Derpy ever tell you about the ones with the golden planet and the two-leg things?

Once Quick Fix begins talking to him, she realizes that two other friends of hers has told her about similar dreams to hers; one starting long ago, one starting more recently. It is becoming less and less likely that this is a coincidence. Leeroy soon advises her to contact one of them about it and compare, and Quick Fix agrees wholeheartedly. However, just as she is about to leave, Leeroy inquires about Doc's game, and she informs him that her copy has not yet arrived. She glances out her window idly, and almost topples back in her chair when she sees something moving about just beyond the glass.

TT: wait a second what was that

GG: What?

TT: something outside

TT: hang on, Im gonna go investigate

TT: ttyl

techTitan ceased chatting with guardianGuitarist at 9:49 A.M.

She logs off of everything and rushes over to the window, peering out without opening the glass to see what she had seen. She can't seem to see anything anymore, but she KNOWS she saw something.

She digs through the raw technology littering her floor until she locates her sylladex and strife deck. As a skilled technician, she could build herself the easiest and most useful sylladex ever seen in a matter of hours, but as her father's daughter, she couldn't resist overcomplicating things. She uses the LOCKPICK modus, which sets up a lock without a key for every item stored within. The locks become more complex the more valuable the item is. Luckily, she is pretty decent at picking locks out of sheer necessity, since out of all the locks in the house, she doesn't think a single key is still in her possession.

Her strife deck is of the WRENCHKIND, a choice influenced in part by Ratchet. Plus, since she managed to find a wrench too large to do anything else with, it makes a perfect blunt weapon. She can't imagine what use this wrench could have possibly been designed for, since she doubts bolts that big even exist. She look around for things she might want to bring with her, since her sylladex is empty, but ends up only storing her laptop. She then trots carefully around the mess and through the door, in the direction of the foyer and exit to the house.

Just before she exits the hallway, she becomes aware of some noises of activity in the other room, and realizes her FATHER must be home. She'd rather avoid a confrontation with him, not because he would try to stop her or anything, but because he'd probably pull her over and regale her with one of his countless stories, keeping her from her investigation until it was far too late. No, avoiding him entirely would be best. Keeping this in mind, she moves instead through the kitchen and out the backdoor, successfully avoiding him.

Outside, she quickly scans the area for… whatever it was she saw, and upon seeing nothing, decides on a random direction and rolls with it. She breaks into a canter and sets off through the city streets, still searching for anything out of the ordinary. Still she finds not a single lead, and even the other ponies in the streets are clueless, having not seen even a glimpse as Quick Fix did. Her search brings her all the way to the other end of town, with still no results to speak of.

Something moves at the very edge of her vision, and she spins her head around to see it. It makes no effort to evade her this time, allowing her to see the sleek-furred white stallion standing to the side of the road. She is sure that from behind his sunglasses, he is just staring at her. A horn which shines slightly green in the sunlight juts from his forehead, and a pair of saddlebags sits on his back. From this angle, she cannot see a cutie mark.

Quick Fix doesn’t know how, but she is positive this is what she saw. She takes a step towards him, in hopes of asking what he was doing, but he takes off running through the streets again, with Quick Fix in pursuit. After a few sharp turns, the stallion barrels past the entrance to town, and she knows she can’t keep up with him. She watches him gallop away, defeated, and turns around to make her way back home. However, she spots something on the ground out of the corner of her eye, and pauses to examine it. It’s a large envelope with her initials written on it, and when she peeks inside, she sees the two game discs Doc was going to send her.

Quick Fix looks out into the distance, where the stallion had escaped. She curses under her breath when she realizes that he might still have some of her friends’ copies. After all, hadn’t Leeroy said Doc was asking around about it?

She decides to try and talk to somepony about it and make sure she’s still on the same page as everypony else. She makes short work of the lock guarding her laptop, then starts up a chat session.

techTitan began chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 10:09 A.M.

TT: Cherilee

TT: come on pick up

TT: I had a dream and chased a guy and found the game

TT: alright, I guess I’ll talk to you later

techTitan ceased chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 10:14 A.M.

She frowns slightly, her first choice in ponies to talk to not answering. Still, she ought to talk to someone, so she tries Derpy instead.

techTitan began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 10:14 A.M.

TT: Deeeeerrrrrrrpaaaay

TT: where are you

TT: oh man, did you already get your phone buried under a bunch of stuff

TT: I told AT that would happen

CA: i'm here!

CA: sorry, yeah, my phone is under a muffin. but i'm still at home, so i'm using my computer instead.

TT: just a muffin?

TT: alright, no big deal then

TT: you'll probably eat it clear before you get another message

CA: probably XD

Continued previously

Quick Fix nods purposefully, Derpy’s words helping her put some of the pieces together. Right now, the best thing she can do is get back home and ready herself to play the game, though Doc said specifically not to start either version until he gave the OK. Still, she’s sure there’s something she can do to pass the time and ready herself, like play a bit of Ratchet and Clank to make sure her reflexes are as fast as possible.

She collects her laptop, and her thoughts, and begins trotting back to her home. She half expects to find something else strange on her way back, but finds herself at home without further incident. Unfortunately, frazzled as she is by the whole situation, she carelessly enters through the front door, and is immediately waylaid by your FATHER. She sighs to herself, but not so loudly that her dad will notice. This is bound to take a while.

Leeroy

Leeroy drops down the remaining distance, his hooves clacking against the dusty steel floor. The light from his phone illuminates the few spots of rust, but he is surprised to see that most of the metal in his line of sight has not succumbed heavily to age. It would be something of a stretch to call the space he now occupies a room, as it is no wider than the tunnel that led to it. However, there is something that resembles a door across the tunnel from the ladder, with three symbols on its screen-like surface, all nonsense to him.

GG: Alright bro, I hit the bottom. I got a door with three symbols on it. Might be like glyphs or something.

GA: oh man, i know this. textbook dungeon element.

GA: when you touch one of them, it’s going to open the door to the room that corresponds to that symbol.

GA: so, theres three different rooms you can get to through that door.

GG: Not sure I get the physics behind that, but whatever. That’s not the point right now, is it?

GG: Okay, one of the symbols is the same as the logo for the game. Seems to be coming up a lot lately. That one’s up top.

GG: The other two are side by side underneath it.

GG: One on the left’s another spirograph, like the one on the hatch. The one on the right… It’s like three six-sided stars, overlapping at their corners.

GA: got it. give me a sec…

GA: alright. since the one with the game logo is up top, that’s probably what the door leads to now. just tap that and see what’s around through that room.

Leeroy taps his hoof against the icon, and the door slides up, revealing a much more spacious room. All too glad to get out of the cramped tunnel, he steps inside. The room is filled with a green glow, emanating from the grid-like floor at the direct center of the room. It’s hard to see all the way across, but Leeroy thinks he can see a large computer terminal against the far wall. On the walls to either side is a pair of counters that seem to be counting down to something. They both have the same time: 8:20.

He checks his phone for further messages, and is surprised to see an abundance of strong Wi-Fi signals in the vicinity. Most are locked, but at least one of them is accessible without a password. They must be coming from this room, but he is unsure exactly where, or why. As he ponders this, a second chat request pops up.

techTitan began chatting with guardianGuitarist at 11:29 A.M.

TT: hey bro

TT: I got my copy of the game

TT: can’t speak for anyone elses though

GG: Really? What happened? Where’d you find it?

TT: that thing I saw was like a thief or something

TT: dropped my copy as he ran away

TT: probably still has yours and GAs and Derpys though

TT: this was actually like an hour ago, but I couldnt get away from dad

GG: Ah. Well, we’ll catch up with him. Can’t run forever.

GG: I found something too. It’s like… an old lab, underneath Cloudsdale.

GG: There are at least three rooms, and just the one I’ve seen so far is huge.

GG: There are a lot of familiar logos around, so call me crazy, but I think this has something to do with the game. GA’s guiding me through as best he can.

TT: man, that sounds fun

TT: I wanna see, Im gonna see if I can teleport over

GG: Wait, what?

GG: NO. DON’T DO THAT. SIS, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THINGS EXPLODE WHEN YOU TELEPORT.

TT: chillax bro, Ive been practicing. I got this

GG: WAIT.

Before Leeroy can give his kinda-sorta sister any further warning, a loud but mostly contained explosion bursts behind him. There is a fair amount of smoke, and the POP left his ears ringing, but thankfully the damage is minimal. As the smoke clears, he can see Quick Fix standing in its wake, looking admittedly pretty badass.

TT: hey bro

TT: told you Ive been practicing

TT: Im only missing a little bit of tail

GG: Ah… I guess so.

GG: It’s good to see you, sis.

She trots out of the blast zone, and the two embrace in a big, tight hug. She then takes a few moments to examine her new surroundings, while Leeroy returns to chatting with GA.

GG: Hey bro, just letting you know that Quick Fix is here now too.

GG: She even managed to not break anything.

GA: oh, sweet!

GA: hey, does she have her camera phone on her?

GG: Hang on, I’ll ask.

GG: Yeah, she does. You want some live video feed of this thing?

GA: hell yeah! that’ll make guiding a lot easier.

Leeroy turns and instructs his sister to send a video-call to GA, so that he can see the lab too, and speak with both of them at once. She says she needs a signal for that, and Leeroy promptly informs her of the unlocked one somewhere in the room. Soon, a third voice is added to the conversation, though without video feed, as GA only has a gaming headset, and no camera.

GA: hey QF, what’s up?

TT: not much, just got here

TT: cool place though, right?

GA: sure is! if we’re getting stuff like this before we even begin the game, i can only imagine what cool places we’ll get inside!

GG: So, now that we’ve got the team together, let’s see what else is around. I want to check out that mess of computer terminals across the room.

GA: as good a place to start as any.

With his companion and a half in tow, Leeroy practically gallops across the huge room, and comes to a stop at the large setup at the opposite side. At the center is one huge screen, surrounded on all sides by other smaller ones, almost all simply an incomprehensible readout of serial numbers, charts and logos. On the central screen is a massive map, dotted with green, blue, yellow and red marks.

GG: Anyone making anything of this?

TT: yeah I got nothin

GA: hang on, is there a search function? i think that may be a map of game sessions, but i have to be sure.

GG: Sure thing bro. Uh…

TT: let me

TT: of the two of us, I computer more than you

TT: lets see here

GG: …

GA: …

TT: yep, cloudsdale comes right up

TT: its a green marker

TT: GA, yours is blue

TT: ohshit, Derpys is yellow

TT: thats probably not good

GA: see if you can get some information out of it! what do the colors mean?

GG: Let me at it. There’s two keypads.

GG: The colors have got to be a measure of time. That screen over there shows progression from blue to red, and they’re all moving towards red, at different rates.

GG: But what happens when it reaches the end?

GA: try finding one that’s about to run out?

TT: heres one

TT: lemmie see if I can make it zoom in to where we can see what happens

His sister quickly reigns in control of the terminals, then zooms in on one of the nearly-red dots until it becomes a house. To Leeroy’s surprise, one of the side screens switches from an inactive logo to a view of what seems to be a meteor, hurtling towards the ground. The house on the main screen seems strangely distorted, several walls seeming distended and out of place, and an unusual round device visible on one of the balconies.

A frantic pony rushes out, a strange green cylinder under his wing, and he attaches it firmly to a part of the device. He looks up, and Leeroy can see in his expression nothing but pure terror, and a light in his eyes that could only have come from the meteor. The three watching all realize with a start that the meteor on the side screen is in fact rushing right for him. He yells into a headset, but the sound isn’t transmitted to the terminal. Leeroy watches as a green light glows at the center of the device, leaving behind a wilted tree bearing no fruit. The pony’s jaw drops in utter sadness and terror.

He closes his eyes and says something else into his headset, before the screen fades to red, then cuts to static. The dot on the map turns red.

Thirty-six

Chapter with color

Thirty-six

Leeroy turns to Quick Fix, stunned. They all just watched a pony die. At least the screen had the decency to cut to static and hide the details from them, but they all know what happened.

GA: i… i think that tree was supposed to have something on it

GA: some fruit or something that would have protected him

GA: when he saw there wasn’t one, it was like he just accepted that he was going to die…

GG: That poor guy…

GG: I wonder if ours…

GG: Oh shit, Derpy! Hang on guys!

He takes out his phone to contact the Doctor, Derpy’s server player, but he sees that Derpy is online herself, and has posted an update. He forces himself to continue typing calmly so as not to alarm her, but his heart is pounding.

CA: puppets.

CA: that's really all there is to say on the matter.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 12:07 P.M.

GG: Sounds like you found the stuff I set up miss Smarty Pants with.

GG: I knew it wouldn't wear off just because she switched owners.

GG: What happened though? She only comes to life in the presence of danger.

CA: so it WAS you that made her like that!

CA: how did she come to life? and why did you give a doll weapons?

GG: Funny story actually. Back before I enrolled in the knight academy, I still did some combat to help protect the town.

GG: But I could never find a wingman, and I really needed someone to cover my back.

GG: So I got FP to put a 'come to life' spell on her and write down a fire spell for her to use, and my sister installed a little shank in her arm.

GG: Surprisingly effective.

CA: ...

GG: IT MADE SENSE AT THE TIME.

GG: So who'd she have to fight? Are you alright?

CA: oh, yeah, i'm fine.

CA: me and doc went on a hunt for a guy who stole the video game he wanted to play.

CA: i found him first, and got the games back, but he had me play a game of his own first.

CA: he brought out a puppet too, and smarty pants had to fight him.

CA: i think his name was cal.

Leeroy pauses. He knows of such a puppet as Lil’ Cal. He’s heard stories, read creepypastas, seen pictures of those horrible eyes. He is far from thrilled to hear such an entity really exists.

GG: Lil' Cal?

GG: And Smarty Pants beat him?

CA: yup. she didn't even really get hurt that bad.

GG: GOOD GIRL SMARTY PANTS. DADDY'S SO PROUD OF YOU.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel and guardianGuitarist at 12:12 P.M.

AT: Oh.

AT: I was popping in to see how your search was going, but I can see you found him.

AT: Good. I was afraid both of us had wasted two hours with this quest. It seems it was only me.

CA: aw, i'm sorry about that doc.

AT: Worry not, my dear, the important thing is that the games have been secured. Once we redistribute them, we can officially begin.

AT: Oh, GG, I was meaning to ask, how are you contacting us right now? I thought you were back on the clock until later?

GG: Call it a self-assigned break.

GG: I found a thing. I think this is a bit more important than combat drills.

AT: A 'thing'... Could you possibly be a tad more specific? What did you find?

GG: I'll tell you as soon as I know. We've got some exploring to do right now.

CA: we?

GG: Oh yeah, TT is here too. Forgot to mention that.

TT: hey

GG: And also, GA is in a video chat with us.

GA: hey guys, what's up?

GG: Anyway, let's get back to business. I'll catch you guys tonight, provided the Battle Master doesn't catch me and chew me out for this.

guardianGuitarist left the chat room

gamingAvarice left the chat room

Leeroy switches windows and opens a private chat with the Doctor. He has to tell him to hurry and get Derpy to safety. If her icon is in yellow like that other poor stallion, she can’t have long.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with agelessTraveler at 12:18 P.M.

GG: Doc, you have to listen to me.

GG: You have to get that game started and get Derpy into the game as fast as possible. Her life is on the line here.

AT: What? My friend, please slow down and explain. What have you discovered? What is threatening Derpy?

GG: Meteors. Big ones. I just watched another poor sap playing this game die because they didn’t work fast enough.

GG: Space rock must have wasted his whole neighborhood, but the screen cut out before we saw the gruesome details.

AT: Oh my… And you say that Derpy is next?

Quick Fix seems to see something on the other side of the lab, and begins playing around with another machine.

GG: One of the next ones, yes. There’s a map here of all the different sessions, and the guy who died had a yellow dot, meaning the meteor was close to him. Derpy’s is yellow too. We have to get her out of there before that dot turns red. Red means we’re too late.

AT: I see… Thank you, my friend. Derpy has secured her copy of the game already. I will work to enter her into the Medium posthaste.

AT: I won’t tell her about this though. She doesn’t need to panic. I’ll get her in quick enough that she doesn’t need to worry herself.

GG: You’re a good friend Doc. I’ll let you get to it.

Leeroy hears Quick Fix laugh in victory, and curious, he trots over to her. He sees that on the floor of the other device are three manila envelopes, all labeled as copies of the game. She grins at Leeroy, and explains that the device teleported the games to the facility.

GA: does that work both ways? we could use it to get my copy to me quicker.

TT: I only saw the one thing, but Ill look

TT: if I have to I can tp over to your house and then just back to mine

TT: or heck, I think theres a spell that can just send stuff

TT: like a god damn magical postal service up in here

TT: Derpyd better watch out, theres a new mailmare in town

GG: This looks like the extent of the useful stuff in this room anyway, and I don’t know how to get into the others.

GG: Let’s all just head back and get ready to roll. We’re all in danger if we just hang around for much longer.

Quick Fix nods, gives Leeroy another hug in departure, then grabs two of the envelopes. A spell charges on her horn, and in a flash of light and smoke, she disappears. A scorch mark is left on the floor where she stood. Leeroy nods and makes his way out of the lab, hoping with all his heart that everyone makes it into the game OK. He doesn’t know what’s going to become of Equestria, but his thoughts don’t dwell on it. As a knight, his job is to focus on protecting that which he is sworn to protect, and that is his family and friends.

Derpy

Before Derpy reaches her home, she gets another message from Doc, saying she should start her copy of the game as soon as possible. Boy, is he ever excited to play! She doesn’t mind though. She walks through the front door, and can smell some pleasant aroma wafting in from the kitchen. It seems her MOM has come home, and is setting up a slow-cook dinner for later. She can also spy a daisy sandwich on the table, set out just for her. She is so thoughtful like that.

Derpy takes a quick moment to enter the kitchen to eat. Surely Doc won’t mind a minute or two more. There’s her mom, standing over the deep oven, her golden hair tied up behind her to stay out of the way, and slightly violet fur shining in the sunlight. Gosh, Derpy hopes to be half as pretty as she is when she grow up.

She notices Derpy enter and smiles, then politely asks where she was. Not incredulously, just curiously. Derpy tells her she was in town for a little while with her friends and new Smarty Pants, which isn’t entirely untrue. Mom believes it. Derpy tells her she’s going to head upstairs for a little while to play a game on the computer, and excuses herself. She doesn’t feel the need to explain further than that, since the details would probably be lost on her. As nice as she is, she doesn’t really understand the most modern technology, all the things that the internet can do. To be fair, Derpy doesn’t understand half of it either, but she rolls with it anyway.

cross-eyedAngel began chatting with agelessTraveler at 12:43 P.M.

CA: okay doc, i’m home!

CA: the game is in my computer. it’s loading pretty fast!

AT: That’s good. Mine is right behind yours.

AT: I’m not exactly sure what’s going to happen next, so just be ready.

AT: Once my server version finishes loading though, I believe I will be able to see you and give you warning if anything is about to happen.

CA: looking out for me like always, huh? ^-^

CA: oh, oh! i think it’s finishing!

CA: um… what happened?

CA: it’s not showing anything now… just a thing that says ‘waiting for server connection

AT: Yes, just give it a moment, mine has to finish and connect to yours.

AT: Even then, I’m not sure much will appear on your screen. I think the server player is the one with more control options, while the client will focus on simply playing the game.

AT: And… there we go. Has anything changed?

CA: yeah, it says it made a connection and to press enter.

CA: *push*

CA: another loading screen.

AT: Give it a few moments, this one should be just as fast as the last one. This is a large game, you see.

CA: pretty backgrounds…

CA: and music…

A blue loading bar slides across the screen, accompanied by a fluxing spirograph, swirling and pulsing colorful backgrounds and a catchy upbeat tune that gets Derpy’s heart racing for the adventure ahead of her. This is surely the greatest loading screen she’s ever seen. When it finishes, the screen goes dark, and a single green logo rises: SGRAZE. This logo remains on screen, and it doesn’t appear to be doing much or thinking about leaving. Derpy can access your chat client just fine though.

CA: um, doc…

CA: nothing’s coming up on my screen.

CA: :?

AT: I see. I see you as well. My connection has given me a large amount of options. I wonder what they do?

CA: you can see me?

CA: where’s your camera? or, where are you seeing me from anyway, i guess games don’t usually have real cameras. XD

AT: The southeast corner of the ceiling, behind your computer.

Derpy turns around and waves happily at the spot where she imagines Doc would be seeing her from.

AT: Yes, I see you.

AT: You’re as beautiful as ever.

CA: asdfghjkl d’aawww!

AT: Anyway, I’ll keep you informed as I learn how this works. It seems the game runs on some sort of currency called ‘grist’, of which there are many different types. I assume that we may be able to use it as building material, though I can’t imagine what we’ll be building.

AT: Right now there are only a few kinds we can collect, and of those, we only have 20 of the ‘Build Grist’ type.

CA: okay… is there anything it can be used for yet?

AT: It does not seem so, not yet. There are a few devices that can be deployed that have an icon saying that normally, items such as this would cost grist, but that these particular ones are free.

AT: There is also a captcha card with what looks like punch holes (also free) and a fourth device that costs a bit of a different kind of material.

CA: okay, well, let’s get the free ones first!

AT: Right! Though they seem rather large… This looks like it may be able to solve the problem…

A few seconds later, Derpy hears a low rumble, feels the earth shake under her, and looks beside her to see her room has expanded several feet to the west.

CA: 0_0

CA: you made my room bigger?!

AT: This game seems to have more power than I thought. I can manipulate the very environment with it… ah, but only in a certain radius around you.

AT: Doing this cost us five units of Grist, but I don’t believe that should presently be a problem.

AT: Now that we have space, let’s see what all these devices do…

Derpy watches as a series of odd white machines appear in the new space in her room. One which has a cylinder rising up slightly and with a lid sealing something inside, one with a large, round base and with another device rising up from the side, and one which fits neatly and flatly against the wall, which she couldn’t even imagine the purpose of. To be fair though, she couldn’t imagine the purpose for any of them.

AT: Alchemiter, Cruxtruder, Totem Lathe… All seem interesting, though their purpose is as of yet unclear.

CA: hm… let’s try opening the crux-thingy! i bet there’s something inside!

CA: but… it’s too heavy! i can’t get it by myself, it’s too tight.

AT: Hold on, I may be able to drop something on top of it. It looks like it is a push-to-open container.

AT: Mind if I use this toy chest?

CA: nah, go ahead.

Derpy watches as her toy chest carefully floats up above the sealed device, falling hard enough that the lid dislodges. Almost immediately, what seems to be a floating ball of violet light pops out and hovers around the room, flashing and making unintelligible noises. In addition, the top of a purple cylinder pokes out of the container.

CA: okay, now, what’s this thing?

AT: I’m not sure. When I hover my cursor over it, it shows a label reading ‘Kernelsprite’.

AT: The item in the Cruxtruder is a Cruxite dowel.

CA: that makes sense. sorta.

CA: it looks the right size to fit on that place on the alchemiter. i’m going to try it.

She retrieves the Cruxite dowel from the Cruxtruder, and places it on the Alchemiter. For a moment, nothing happens, then an arm extends from the side and shoots a small laser at the dowel, scanning it. The arm then folds back up at the side of the Alchemiter. She waits several more seconds, but nothing more happens. She gives the whole setup of devices a confused look, then picks up her phone again, as Doc is talking.

AT: That seems to have added something to the ‘Phernalia Registry’ section. That’s where all the devices were.

AT: We now have ‘perfectly generic object’ in our inventory. It costs one unit of Grist. It seems to be mostly useless.

AT: I think I understand. We need to do something to the Cruxite dowel in order to generate different items. I’m not sure how we’d do that though.

CA: what about this kinda smaller one? it looks like a card could fit in this part…

Experimentally, Derpy sticks a blank card into the Totem Lathe, but nothing happens. She then tries putting the Cruxite dowel into the top part of the device, and while it is a perfect fit, the device is still inactive. She pouts slightly, then sees something flutter down beside her. She looks to see another captcha card, punched full of holes, and she thinks there is an image of a purple apple on it.

CA: think i should run this one through the machines?

AT: Yes, in a moment. The Kernelsprite seems very agitated about something. I think we need to interact with that somehow first.

CA: hm… call it a hunch, but i think it looks… hungry!

CA: i think i should put something in it.

CA: what about this paper mache bird my mom made out of old letters?

AT: While that is the exact opposite of a safe and secure thing to do with old letters… We may as well see if that does anything!

Derpy moves over to her dresser and takes the paper bird. Unicorn magic can make art out of anything, she thinks. Even crafted from an inaccurate material as paper and watered-down glue, the detail used to craft this birthday present is something to behold.

Derpy is sure that her mother would approve of putting it to a practical use, though. She tosses it gently at the Kernelsprite, and a flash of purple serves as a pretty clear indication that that did something. Before her eyes adjust, she can already hear the crinkle of paper, and when one eye does adjust (out of sync with the other, of course) she can see that the sprite and the bird have merged. Now, the bird has taken life, glowing purple and flapping its paper wings to rid them of their stiffness. Its attempts to communicate with you are still complete nonsense.

AT: Well. That seems to have worked.

AT: Though it doesn’t appear as though anything has actually changed.

CA: maybe it needs another thing?

AT: Perhaps, but right now I think we should focus our attention on that card.

AT: There is a counter on the Cruxtruder, and it’s getting rather low. I doubt something good happens when it runs out.

CA: okay!

She takes the pre-punched card and puts it into the Totem Lathe, along with the Cruxite Dowel. The machine seems to scan the card, and another part of the machine descends and changes the shape of the Cruxite Dowel. She takes both, then tries putting the Cruxite onto the smaller platform of the Alchemiter. The arm descends again, scans the Cruxite, and recedes. On the larger platform, a violet tree springs up, the same color and material as the Dowel. An apple sways on the highest branch for a moment, then falls into her waiting hooves.

Doc

Doc takes a breath to calm himself. He thinks she should be able to make it just fine. He guesses she must be supposed to eat the apple. He isn’t sure what that would do to stop the meteor headed for her, but he’s seen stranger things.

He takes the controls again and zooms out to check her time. He can now see plain as day a hunk of flaming space debris headed right for her house, probably without even a minute left before impact.

CA: okay doc, i got this apple… what do i do with it?

AT: Give me a moment… Erm…

AT: Eat it.

CA: you sure?

AT: Yes. Just, take a bite.

AT: It’s meant to protect you, I’m sure of it. Knowing the nature of these things, it probably has a spell or some other form of protection on it.

CA: that makes sense, and it does look tasty…

CA: protect me from what though?

AT: Don’t worry about that, just let it do its job.

At long last, Derpy finally takes a bite out of the apple, and her whole house is enveloped in a violet light. The building begins to fade, becoming transparent and taking the ground directly surrounding it with it. Just as the house becomes barely visible on your monitor, the meteor strikes, and Doc can tell that the neighboring houses must have been totaled by the explosion.

He wasn’t there to see it, though. His view is still focused on Derpy’s house, safe and sound, surrounded by darkness and fog. He allows himself to slouch in his chair and sigh, relieved that she made it in time. He doesn’t know where she is now, but knows that she’s alive.

Thirty-seven

Chapter with color

Thirty-seven

-Two Hours Later-

GA: so let me get this straight. you and derpy are in the medium…

GA: you’ve both got perfectly good weapons…

GA: you’re fighting unarmed enemies wearing paper hats…

GA: some of which are in fact MADE OF PAPER…

GA: you’ve even got guides that are fairly straightforward and helpful.

GA: and you guys still haven’t hit this first gate yet?

AT: Basically, that’s the situation. To be fair, we’ve only been in the Medium for about two hours now.

GA: YOU GUYS ARE SO BAD AT VIDEO GAMES.

GA: in an hour i could be halfway across the planet!

GA: i swear, just you wait until i get in there.

GA: i’ll show you how it’s done.

AT: I feel as though the goal shouldn’t be blasting through the game and playing impressively, if it can even be called a game anymore.

AT: Our goal should be staying alive.

GA: fair point, but i feel we can do both.

GA: anyway, Quick Fix is up next, right?

AT: Yes. Leeroy will bring her in, you’ll get him in, and Cheerilee will get you in.

AT: By that stage Derpy should be in a stable enough position to help Cheerilee enter, completing the circle.

GA: man, i’m almost last then…

AT: We’ll need your gaming expertise as long as we can use it. There are still plenty of game-like elements in play, and we’ll need your take on them.

AT: Besides, as good as you are, you’ll be able to catch up in no-time.

GA: yeah, that makes sense. alright, anything new?

AT: Not on Derpy’s end. Her home is coming along nicely in its ascent to the gate, and the monsters are getting progressively stronger, but are still manageable. I can say about the same for my situation.

AT: Quick Fix tells me that the situation in Equestria is not looking well, though.

GA: yeah, i have the news on. it’s not looking pretty anywhere. we’re pretty lucky that none of the meteors have hit around here just yet.

A young colt sits in his room, distracted by the headset he is using to speak with his friends. On a normal day, he would be in much the same place, but would be absorbed in a game on the large television behind him. Today is no normal day though. Today he plans to play a different sort of game with his five friends, and plans to serve as the skilled veteran of gaming that carries the group elegantly through to the finish, dominating the game along the way. What will the name of this young colt be?

Alright, your naming privileges have been officially revoked. Or, they would be, if there were anyone left to name anyway. After all, we cannot be Cheerilee. The kinda-sorta dream exiles do not have Cheerilee’s corresponding dream exile in their party. And since we are hearing this story through their points of view, we must simply live without seeing Cheerilee’s point of view.

This is all very obvious to anyone who was paying attention.

The colt’s name is FANCY PANTS. This is a name which frankly he finds pretty STUPID and ILL-FITTING, but he’ll live with it. It’s one of those names that are given to ponies who have LOTS OF MONEY, but instead of using said money to buy rich-pony things, he uses it to buy VIDEO GAMES and related MERCHANDISE. His other interests include EXPLORATION, which was most recently satisfied by the TEMPLE nearby, discovered by his friend CHEERILEE. She lives closer to it than he does, on the opposite side of the monument, and it’s really more HER temple (by law of FINDERS-KEEPERS), that she simply lets him explore.

He also has an interest in music. He can’t play an instrument to save his life, but he knows good music when he hears it.

AT: Yes, and I’m hoping that luck holds out. Quick Fix is in danger and may need to enter soon, and now I believe Leeroy is in some danger as well.

AT: The longer you and Cheerilee are safe, the better their odds are.

GA: yeah. it’s gotten pretty dark and is raining here, but it seems pretty innocent for now. nothing’s exploding or anything.

AT: Not exploding is a good status for things to be in right now.

His friend DOC has been keeping him updated on their mutual friend DERPY, who was the first to begin the game SGRAZE. Fancy Pants was not sure of the nature of the game when he first heard of it, but Doc seemed to regard it as highly important. Plus, he’s never been one to deny the chance to take on a new game, especially when it seems to offer something he isn’t expecting. He certainly wasn’t expecting a fully-immersive game that exists in reality, or at least its own version of reality, so he has to give the game props for that.

However, what Doc has relayed to him so far seems to be fairly standard among gaming abstractions. Derpy is now in a place called the Medium, a place with monsters- imps and ogres- assailing her house. Her goal is to reach the First Gate, high above her house, which must be facilitated by her server player, Doc. Apparently, once she passes through the Seventh Gate, she will be taken to a creature called the Denizen, which can only be a major boss, if not the final one. This information was originally supplied by Derpy’s Kernelsprite guide, whose attributes directly affect the monsters she must face.

Fancy Pants is pretty impressed by this game, but not overwhelmed. To a veteran gamer such as him, it all pretty much makes sense. In addition, she seems to be able to combine items around her house and things she finds in-game to create new items, clothing and weapons, which he thinks is a fantastic idea for a game. He can’t wait until he gets to do the same; he’s already got several ideas.

For now though, there’s really not much he can do, except maybe entering the frog temple one last time before entry.

Derpy, two hours earlier

Derpy rubs her forehead with one hoof, recovering from the bright light that had filled her home. The devices are still in her extended room, but the Cruxite tree is now gone. She shakes her head and stumbles over to her computer, still dazed.

CA: ugh

CA: doc, you still there?

CA: can you still see me?

AT: Yes. My view hasn’t shifted from your house, even if your house itself has shifted.

CA: huh? my house has shifted?

AT: It has. It seems that interacting with the item on the punched card- the apple- has transported your house… somewhere.

AT: I can’t quite see where yet. It’s quite dark around it.

AT: My guess would be that the game moved your house so that it may serve as a base of operations during your adventure. And wherever you are now is where your adventure will take place.

CA: sounds exciting!

CA: i’m gonna take a look around and see what i can see.

AT: Very well. I’ll keep an eye out for you, and see what I can do to help. Be careful.

Derpy nods and leaves her computer, and looks out her open window. One eye traces along the ground connected to her house until it drops sharply off. She cannot see anything below, it is simply to dark. Above, she can make out a single body in the sky, a large blue object pulsing gently. Looking closer, she can also see a small golden object near it, distinctly familiar. That must be Prospit, and the blue object must be Skaia. Directly above the house is a fluctuating spirograph, the same as the one Derpy saw during the loading screen on her computer.

MOM: Derpy, are you alright?!

DERPY: oh! mom!

Having completely forgotten about her house’s other resident, Derpy quickly makes her way out of her room and down to the foyer. Her mother seems shaken, but otherwise unharmed, and immediately looks relieved to see Derpy in much the same state.

MOM: Oh, thank Celestia. Did you see what happened?

DERPY: no. just a flash of light, and then… this.

MOM: That’s all the warning I had, too. It’s totally dark outside…

MOM: It’s crazy, but I think the house has moved. To where… I don’t know.

MOM: … The electricity still seems to work though, wherever we are.

DERPY: yeah… now that you mention it, that is weird! the wifi still works, too.

MOM: It’s all very strange… I think I should take a better look around. I’m going to the roof to see if that will help.

DERPY: i’ll go too. don’t worry, i don’t think we’re in any danger right now.

Derpy follows her mother back upstairs, and through the hatch that leads to the attic. In this room, there is another hatch that opens straight to the roof. Many houses in Equestria were equipped with these hatches, as they made for more simple entrances for pegasi exiting flight in more densely populated areas.

The two ponies exit onto the roof, and attempt to see beyond the edge of their yard. While doing this, one of Derpy’s eyes trails upward, and sees that there are more spirographs above, each a distance from the last. She also catches the light of Skaia pulsing brighter.

DERPY: something’s happening up there!

MOM: Where? … What is that?

The light pulses brighter and brighter, seeming to cast waves of light down upon the house. Finally, a pulse too bright to look at is released, and the light surrounds Derpy and her mother. It moves on just as quickly, headed for the ground below. But as it travels, it illuminates the landscape below, one of barren rock interrupted by mighty metal structures, some looking new, some in states of decay. Crevasses interrupt the rock between, sometimes ripping through the older structures, sometimes bridged by them. As the light of Skaia fades, lights click on in the buildings, and the sky turns from black to a hazy dark blue.

Derpy and her mother continue to survey the LAND OF RIFTS AND STEEL for several minutes, taking in their new location. Their house is perched atop a rock spire, perhaps fifty feet above the ground.

MOM: Well… At least we can see now. Though I can’t guess where we are. This doesn’t look like anything else in Equestria, and I don’t recognize that moon in the sky…

MOM: I wonder if there’s a way down from here.

MOM: First, I think we should find out where we are. Then we can worry about how we got here.

Something seems wrong in Derpy’s mind. She knows how they got there; it was because of the game. But if Derpy told her mother that- that she had run a program that uprooted the entire house and transported it to some other dimension- she couldn’t imagine what trouble she would be in. She decides right then that she will keep that detail to herself as long as she can.

DERPY: maybe i could fly up and check out that thing up above the house?

DERPY: i could get a better view from up high, too.

MOM: Hm… I suppose that makes sense. I know you’ve been getting better with flying.

MOM: I’ll be right down here to catch you, just in case.

Derpy nods, unfurls her wings, and begins rising to examine the first fluctuating spirograph above. However, after rising a few feet, she feels her wings lock up involuntarily, as though a jolt of electricity has flown through her, and she falls back to the ground. She expects her mother’s magic to catch her fall, but instead lands on her roughly. Of no will of her own, four words rush violently through her mind.

MOM: Ngh… What was that?

DERPY: did you see it too?

MOM: Yes. It seems like whoever brought us here is very skilled in unicorn magic. Probably forbidden magic, at that.

MOM: For now, it looks like we’ll be playing by their rules.

Derpy knows that her mother’s assessment of the situation isn’t quite right, but doesn’t speak up. Hopefully, she will be able to finish the game and return the house to where it belongs before her mother realizes the truth of the situation.

Little does Derpy know, her mother’s theory is more accurate than she believes.

Doc

AT: Derpy, when you are finished speaking with your mother, we have further business to attend to.

AT: There’s… also something I should probably tell you.

AT: Equestria is taking damage. Meteors are falling. Slowly now, but I fear they are picking up speed.

AT: By escaping into the game, you managed to avoid one. Where your house once stood is… It’s a crater. I’m sorry.

AT: Many others across the land are escaping as well, worry not. But not all are making it away. And not everyone is playing the game, either.

AT: I am certain Celestia will watch over those who do not escape into the game, and protect them.

AT: I merely want you to know of what is happening now.

AT: Goodness, this rain storm came out of nowhere.

AT: I hope I don’t need to leave the house for a while.

Doc sighs, hoping Derpy does not take too much alarm to this news. He has brought in a television from elsewhere in the house, and the news is running in the background. Thirteen meteors have touched down so far, and three- including Derpy’s- have left no trace of debris. That means that of the thirteen sessions that have started so far, two others are still running smoothly, while the other ten have already suffered a loss, or may have been ended before they began.

Doc decided to keep his mind off of the sessions that failed, and stay focused on making sure his own session did not join them.

agelessTraveler began chatting with techTitan at 1:10 P.M.

AT: Hello, my friend.

TT: hey Doc

TT: things not exploded over there?

AT: Yes. Just rather dark and stormy.

TT: thats good

TT: cant say the same here

TT: most of its fine, but a house got exploded by a space rock like 20 minutes ago

TT: nobody saw that fucker coming

TT: and some guy with a telescope was like

TT: huh, a meteor just fell

TT: I think NOW would be a good time to look around

TT: now that a family is already dead and two more are homeless

TT: but it turns out theres another meteor on the way

TT: probably got an hour, maybe two

TT: I get the feeling its got my name on it

AT: I share that fear, both for you and for myself. If I could see beyond these clouds, I’m sure a meteor would be in sight.

TT: Derpy?

AT: She is safe. Her home has been transported into the game. And, coming as no surprise, a meteor was en route.

AT: Her neighborhood is surely damaged from the blast, but I can no longer see it from my computer.

AT: My view is still fixed on her house, now in a new place in-game.

TT: so thats how that works

TT: good to know

TT: youre up next right

AT: Yes. I’ll need you to run the server version, while I run the client version.

AT: Then you will do for me what I did for Derpy, and facilitate my entry into the session.

AT: I wonder if I will be deployed on the same land as Derpy, or if each of us is given a distinct world?

TT: one way to find out, right?

TT: you ready to go now or what?

AT: Yes, if you are. I seem to have time on my side for now- not that time is ever not on my side- but I would still rather begin as soon as possible.

TT: right

TT: Ill get it loaded up and stuff

TT: buckle up, Im at the controls now

TT: watch me like break the game before we actually get anything else done

TT: the age of productivity is passed

TT: I will usher in the age of fucking around aimlessly

TT: and it will be a glorious golden age of pointlessness

AT: *Sigh*

AT: As long as it doesn’t take too long. We are on a time limit here.

TT: yeah no sweat

TT: Ill figure it out before anything else explodes

TT: well, any of our stuff anyway

TT: other ponys stuff will probably still be exploding

TT: equestrias probably gonna be one big crater in a few days

TT: glad were not gonna be here to see it

TT: bit sad to see it go though

TT: it was a nice place to live

AT: Indeed it was…

AT: Though, if I may admit something… I don’t feel as though I’m as sad as I should be.

AT: Saying goodbye to one’s own world… I am mournful, but I feel like I should be MORE sad than I am.

AT: It’s almost as though… as though I’ve been here before. Like it’s just a part of my life. But of course I haven’t. Equestria has always been my home, my only home.

TT: weird

TT: but I mean

TT: maybe thats not a problem?

TT: maybe its better that youre not super sad about it

TT: you can keep your head in the game better

TT: and whether equestria is still gonna be here or not once were all in the game

TT: or when we get back

TT: man, what about that? equestrias gonna be a mess when were done

TT: unless we dont come back

TT: thats a scary thought

TT: but what I mean is

TT: whatever happens to this place, its sad, but weve gotta stay focused to stay safe

AT: Truly wise words.

AT: I do not know whether we will return to this place. I suppose we will find out soon enough.

AT: But even if we don’t, if we stick together, we can make a home anywhere. I truly believe that.

AT: But right now, we need to get where we’re going!

TT: right

TT: put that other disc in, buddy

TT: I got my freshly liberated copy right here, ready to go

Doc sits back and smiles slightly. While Quick Fix often gets on his nerves for not taking anything seriously- several times in this conversation, Doc had to rub his temple in frustration before continuing- he could see that she was capable of knowing the time to buckle down and become serious, even if her demeanor still seemed carefree. If Doc was honest with himself, he knew that Quick Fix and Derpy were similar in that way, but the way they presented themselves was what made Doc somewhat irritable with Quick Fix, yet completely enamored with Derpy.

Doc slides the second disc into his computer, and the Sgraze client begins downloading. After the download finishes, a loading screen pops up, and Doc sees what Derpy meant by pleasant backgrounds and music. Doc found himself humming along to the music once he got the hang of the tune.

The loading screen finishes, and is replaced with a black screen awaiting a connection to Quick Fix.

AT: Alright, my loading has finished.

TT: alright, mine is almost done

TT: yep, there we go

TT: shoot, look at all this stuff

AT: There do seem to be an abundance of options in this game. I’ve tested a few of them, but I’m not sure of others.

AT: I can tell you how the Phernalia Registry works when you’re ready. I’m not certain of the others though.

TT: kay

TT: Ill play around with some of these for a bit

TT: we got time

TT: …

AT: …

AT: What was that noise?

AT: It sounded like something breaking?

TT: uh

TT: it definitely wasnt the toilet

AT: Was it the toilet?

TT: maybe

AT: Where is the toilet?

TT: in the backyard

AT: Why is the toilet in the backyard?

TT: I dunno

TT: seemed like a good place for it

TT: wanted to test out the controls anyway

AT: I would think that the bathroom would be a good place for the toilet.

TT: yeah, you would think

TT: theres a hole there now though

TT: itd just fall through to the basement

TT: so its a lawn fixture now

TT: but, like, arent lawn gnomes also porcelain anyway

TT: you are now the proud owner of a toilet-shaped lawn gnome, Doc

TT: youre welcome

AT: *Sigh*

AT: Did that move cost any grist?

TT: yeah

TT: just two though

TT: no big deal though, weve got 200

TT: well, 198 now

AT: Is that so?

AT: I only have twenty units of grist to use with Derpy.

AT: It would appear to increase with each new player.

AT: Now, I wonder if there is a way to move grist from one player to another, and to expand the amount we are able to carry.

TT: probably

TT: sounds like a pretty standard game feature

TT: increasing ammo capacity or wallet size or whatever

TT: sounds like something fp would say right

TT: we can probably trade stuff too

TT: no idea how though

AT: I suppose we’ll just need to experiment.

AT: Oh, Derpy has returned to the computer. I should make sure she is okay.

TT: alright lovebird

TT: I say that, but I kinda want to check up on Cheerilee too

TT: Ill keep fiddling with the game in the meantime

TT: talk to you soon

techTitan is now idle.

Quick Fix

“Let’s see… I was able to move the toilet by dragging it. I wonder what happens when I drag something heavier and more rooted. Like… The wall, that’ll work.” Quick fix presses down on her mouse and drags away from the wall, creating a grid. Releasing the mouse, the wall expands to encompass the grid. “Oh, cool. Not sure what the point is, but his house is pretty small anyway. I’m doin’ him a favor.”

Quick Fix opens another chat, and is relieved to see that Cheerilee is online this time.

techTitan began chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 1:38 P.M.

TT: hey girl

AA: Hi Quick Fix!

AA: Are you okay? I heard one of those meteors landed near you.

TT: it did, but Im okay

TT: how about you?

AA: Blue skies here, but I can only guess how long that’s going to last.

TT: I dont think thatll be a problem as long as we move fast

TT: it looks like the game is giving us a way out

TT: when you enter the game properly your house gets uprooted and moved somewhere else

TT: somewhere not explody

AA: Somewhere else on Equestria?

TT: not sure about that

TT: Derpys the only one in so far, and her new place doesnt look like any place in equestria

TT: lots a canyons and metal buildings apparently

TT: but the point is that its safe

TT: so the sooner were all there and not here, the better

AA: You’re right.

AA: And I know you’ll want to get me and the others in as soon as possible, but to do that, you’ll have to get in first. Don’t forget that.

TT: I know

TT: Ill like

TT: clear the way and shit

TT: make the safe place slightly more safe

TT: not that I know what were up against in there

TT: therell probably be monsters and enemies and stuff though

AA: I can confirm this.

AA: In my dreams, I have seen all of us further along our paths.

AA: I have seen us dueling foes both feeble and fearsome.

AA: But we always seem to be able to handle them, with weapons far more advanced than what we are currently equipped with.

TT: oh yeah, that reminds me

TT: do you have a specibus set yet?

TT: may need to defend yourself at times in here

AA: I have not locked one in yet.

AA: But I was leaning towards rulerkind.

AA: The weight behind them seems very manageable, and I may be able to modify them to have a short blade along one side.

TT: that sounds totally badass

TT: that should work

TT: if you need help putting the blade on, lemmie know

TT: Im sure one of the things in my workshop can do that

AA: Hee hee~ I will keep that in mind.

AA: I have a pretty good idea of what you’ve set yours to.

TT: yup

TT: good ol wrenchkind

TT: put together machines

TT: take apart bad guys

TT: gotta love it

AA: Oh! I just remembered, you mentioned a few other things while I was offline.

AA: You say you had a dream, chased someone, and located the missing copies of Sgraze?

TT: oh, yeah

TT: I think the dream I had was like the ones youve always had

TT: but on the other planet

TT: I think Derpy called it derse?

AA: Really? That’s so exciting!

AA: There are vessels that travel between the two, like boats that sail the stars!

AA: We could come see each other!

TT: man, I

TT: I would love that so much

TT: were meeting up in this game one way or another, Cheerilee

TT: whether its our dream selves or our real selves

TT: were gonna meet up

TT: were gonna make it happen

TT: I promise

AA: Hee hee~ I promise too.

AA: But tell me about your dream! What happened in it? What’s Derse like up close?

TT: it wasnt half as nice as you make prospit sound like, Ill tell you that

TT: I mean, it looked super cool

TT: wicked awesome architecture and all

TT: but the people wouldnt give me the time of day

TT: except for this scary tall guy with a diamond pin who sent me back to my tower

TT: seemed like the people there were under harsh rule or something

AA: That’s probably accurate. The Black Queen is not known for being as kind or just as the White Queen.

AA: The man you met was likely the Draconian Dignitary. He is one of the men that works as her personal agents, whereas most of the others are commanded in larger groups, and more often by the King than the Queen.

AA: He’s not a man to be reckoned with, from what I hear.

TT: didnt figure

AA: So then what happened?

TT: well, that was about it for the dream

TT: floated around a bit, got sent back, woke up

TT: but then I found a guy who I later learned had stolen all our copies of Sgraze in the mail

TT: got mine back, but the other three were still with him

TT: Derpy got him though, dont worry

TT: thats about it I think

TT: oh, me and Leeroy also found a thing under Cloudsdale

TT: it was like an old… lab, I guess

TT: full of machines and computers?

TT: seemed to be monitoring the game sessions all over equestria

TT: I think thats all

TT: Im helping Doc get into the game now

TT: then Leeroys gonna get me in, youll get him in, Fancy Pants will get you, and Derpy will get him

AA: Sounds like a solid plan to me.

AA: I’ll make sure your brother doesn’t get into any trouble. ;)

TT: heh, good to hear

TT: guys the best bro you could ever ask for, and strong as hell

TT: but sometimes, hes kinda HEADstrong

AA: Heh heh, I can attest.

TT: anyway, Im gonna check on Derpy real quick

TT: see what kind of stuff we might be up against later

AA: Good plan.

Quick Fix sits back from the computer for a moment, unable to contain a familiar shy smile. She can’t help it; every time she speaks with Cheerilee, she finds herself smiling, sometimes even blushing. She greatly looks forward to the day she may meet her in person, which may now be very soon.

techTitan began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 2:02 P.M.

TT: hey Derpy

TT: how you holding up out there?

CA: oh, hey.

CA: i’m… okay.

CA: you seem cheerful though.

TT: yeah, well

TT: Im also talking to a certain someone who always puts me in a happy mood

TT: a certain pink someone ;)

CA: hee hee~ you two are too cute.

CA: i’m talking to someone like that too, but this time… talking to him has made me kinda scared.

CA: i only just heard about what’s happening back in equestria.

TT: ah, yeah

TT: well, I mean, dont worry, were all safe, and we will keep being safe as long as we get into the game quickly

CA: i know. i have faith in you guys, you’ll make it on time.

CA: it’s just scary that something like this can happen… i’m praying for all the others still in equestria.

TT: I dunno if Doc told you, but princess Celestia has made a few statements so far

TT: she says that theyre doing everything they can to defend against the meteors

TT: some of them are being successfully deflected, but not all

TT: still looking for a way to stop them all

CA: i see… i’m sure they’ll find something

TT: Im sure

TT: but for now, youve got something else to focus on

TT: hows your progress in the game?

CA: it’s sorta stopped!

CA: me and doc are trying to figure out what to do next.

CA: there is one more machine we can place, but not until we get some more grist, and we don’t know how to do that.

CA: the kernelsprite seems to need something else now, too. like it wants us to put something else in it. but we’re waiting, because we don’t know what that will do.

TT: does someone have Fancy Pants on the line

TT: hes the game master, hed probably be able to figure out what to do next

CA: i don’t think either of us is talking to him right now, but i’ll tell doc that!

CA: so for now, me and my mom are just waiting.

TT: alright

TT: good to hear shes still safe too

TT: Ill get back to getting Doc in the game with you

TT: good luck Derpy

CA: good luck to you too!

techTitan ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 2:14 P.M.

“Now, let’s see here… Alchemiter, that sounds fun. Boop.”

Thirty-eight

Chapter in color

Thirty-eight

Derpy

CA: so… what should our next move be?

AT: There are several things that warrant investigation. The Punch Designix still remains un-deployed, but we need four units of shale grist for that.

AT: The Kernelsprite seems to want us to put something else in it, possibly for it to change form again. I do not know what consequences that will have, though.

AT: There are also those spirographs above your house. That may need closer examination.

AT: I fear we do not have the build grist to make our way down from this pillar to the rest of the land yet, so these remain our only options.

CA: makes sense…

AT: … Derpy?

AT: I hope not to alarm you, but you may have company.

AT: There is something crawling up the side of the pillar.

CA: uh oh. What is it?

AT: It’s hard to tell, as I have a limited camera angle.

AT: It’s a dark red thing, and seems to be wearing clothes. A paper hat and vest.

CA: well that’s a silly costume to wear.

AT: Quite, but its claws look sharp. I advise you to take caution.

CA: you got it!

Derpy carefully makes her way out of her room and onto the front yard. Most of the yard made it with the house to the new location, but not all of it. The ground crumbled before where the gravel of the road would normally be.

MOM: Derpy? What are you doing out there?

DERPY: i thought i heard something. i’ll be careful, i promise!

Derpy tiptoes over to the edge of the lawn, and takes a peek over the edge. She doesn’t see anything right away, and guessed that whatever it was Doc had seen, it was climbing up a different side of the pillar. She makes her way slowly around the perimeter, and finally sees what Doc had seen on the backyard side. There was a short creature gradually scaling its way up to the house, with a hat and vest that seemed to be made out of newspaper. It had a brownish-red shell in place of fur, and when it looked up to see its progress and saw Derpy instead, she saw that it had squinty white eyes and sharp teeth. It stared for a moment, then seemed to growl at her and redoubled its speed.

Derpy stepped back cautiously, her heart racing, and equipped her boomerang. She hoped it would be enough to stop this creature. A few seconds later, it crawled its way up to the lawn, and readied its clawed hands for battle. Derpy readied her weapon and threw it towards the monster. She saw it connect, damage it, and come back to her. She couldn’t see a health bar or anything above the creature, but knew that it was taking damage video-game style.

The creature lunged forward with one claw, and Derpy winced as she felt herself take damage. However, she wasn’t too hurt to keep going. Next, she readied her legs as though to fly, leapt into the air, and used the boomerang to deliver a downward strike. It connected, and seemed to do more damage to the monster than her previous attack. The creature rushed forward with both fists, but this time, Derpy was able to block the attack with her hoof, and she could tell that she did not take as much damage.

One final attack from Derpy finished the creature, and it exploded into three items that looked like gems. Two were blue, and the third was the same color red the monster had been. Derpy moved over to the gems, and they seemed to be automatically picked up when she did. Derpy nodded in pride, knowing that she had made progress, and retrieved her phone to see several messages from Doc.

AT: Okay Derpy, I have a clearer visual on the creature.

AT: Since you got closer, I can mouse over it. It seems to be a Rust Imp.

AT: There, that boomerang hit seems to have done some damage. You both have health bars.

AT: Oh, right, forgot that you won’t see these messages until you defeat it and check your phone.

AT: Careful…

AT: Excellently done, Derpy!

AT: And now we have more grist at our disposal! Some build grist, and a few pieces of rust grist.

AT: No shale, regrettably. We’ll have to wait a little while longer to deploy a Punch Designix.

CA: aw. i wonder what will drop that?

AT: I’m not sure, but I’m certain we’ll find some before too long.

AT: Also, you seemed to gain some experience points for that battle. Another one like that should level you up!

CA: cool!

CA: what will that do?

AT: No idea! But it can only be good.

AT: Now… what can we do with this rust grist? Build grist seems to be used for expanding the house, and shale is used for the device… I would assume there are other items we can make later that need different kinds of grist.

CA: yeah, that makes sense.

CA: i guess i’ll just keep fighting these guys until we get the stuff we need to keep going!

Quick Fix

“What may have been the fifteenth meteor strike since last night has been successfully redirected, thanks to the efforts of the Wonderbolts, and has landed harmlessly in the southern plains.” the news pony said with a hint of excitement. “Now knowing the effectiveness of this method, we have confirmation that more pegasi are being deployed to defend against further- Oh, this just in, Princess Celestia is ready to make another statement. Over to our reporters at Canterlot.”

Quick Fix diverted her attention from the computer for a moment to hear what the princess had to say. She had deployed all of the devices available for Doc, and was still figuring out how to use them.

“Citizens of Equestria,” the princess began, “I stand with you in grievance for those lives lost to this rain of fire and rock, and place my faith in all of us that we can prevent further loss from this disaster. But there is something else that I feel needs to be said.

“On the eve of this tragedy still in progress, a certain digital game was released to the public, by the name of Sgraze.” If Quick Fix wasn’t paying attention before, she certainly was now. “I want no mistake to be made about this game, or its connection with these events. The two are tied, but it is not because of those ponies who activated this game that the meteors are falling. I do not want these ponies to be attacked for using this software, nor do I want them to feel as though these events are their fault. No, this software is not what is threatening pony kind. It is in fact the opposite; it is this software that carries the beacon of hope for our race.

“So, I come bearing a message for those ponies who are currently engaged in this software, this ‘game’. I wish you all the luck in the world, for it is you that carries the hope for pony kind. Realize that much is riding on your shoulders and whether or not you succeed, so I hope that you do all you can to reach the end of the quests you are given. This is truly a mighty task veiled as a game… But I also ask that you do not lose sight of the adventure, as that may be what helps you complete your quest. I am aware that most of you are young as you embark, and I believe there is reason for that. Do all you can to succeed, but… don’t forget to have a little fun along the way.

“However, I also wish to give you a warning. There may be an unforeseen element in some of your quests, and I hope to help you overcome it, if such a thing is possible. There is a certain entity that currently resides in Equestria who I have had the… chance, to deal with in the past. It is both entirely possible and quite likely that this entity will attempt to enter one of your sessions in order to stay alive. He may appear to be a pony, an Alicorn of snow white coat, but rest assured that he is nothing of the sort. He is a being older than time itself, and monstrously powerful. He calls himself Discord. Regrettably, even I do not know a way to combat him, but if you find that he is interfering with your session, I ask that you be extremely wary. Do not let him stop your progress. You mustn’t let him defeat you!

“I do not know whether I will have a chance to speak to you again before you all embark on your journeys, so allow me to wish you farewell and good luck now. I hope that you find safety, peace, knowledge and strength on your quests. And may Equestria always be with you.”

Quick Fix’s mind raced. The description Princess Celestia gave of the being called Discord matched the appearance of the pony who stole the copies of Sgraze from the mail exactly. “It looks like she was right… He might be trying to piggyback our game session. But what for? What does he stand to gain from it, and… And what is he?”

TT: Doc, did you hear all that

AT: The princess’s message to us? Yes, I heard it.

AT: I must admit, I am a great deal more concerned now.

TT: yeah, same here

TT: that guy she mentioned

TT: that Discord fella

TT: pretty sure he picked our session to get in on

AT: Surely you jest.

TT: wish I was

TT: but the way she described him

TT: Im pretty sure hes the guy who stole our games

TT: I dunno what he did to our games, but he probably got what he needed

TT: you havent seen anything like that around Derpys house have you

AT: No. But I will remain vigilant.

AT: Thank you for the warning.

TT: no prob

TT: now lets get you started shall we

AT: Yes. I believe we need to open the Cruxtruder first.

AT: You’ll need to apply a large amount of pressure to the lid.

TT: kay

TT: TOILET SLAM

TT: see, toilet opened it

TT: I knew it was a good idea

TT: woah shit, Doc, whats happening

TT: cameras shaking

TT: earthquake?

AT: Something like that…

AT: May well have been a meteor…

AT: Wait.

AT: Quick Fix, did something fall into the Kernelsprite?

TT: the floaty green thing that came out of the cruxtruder?

AT: Yes.

TT: I think so

TT: is that bad

???: ex

AT: It might be bad.

AT: Did you see what fell in?

TT: uh

TT: no

TT: everything was shaky

???: ex

AT: My room is fully of really deadly stuff.

AT: I hope it wasn’t a deadly thing that fell in.

AT: Are you sure you didn’t see it?

TT: it looks like its taking shape now

TT: you tell me is that bad

DALEKSPRITE: EXTERMINATE

AT: YES THAT IS VERY BAD

AT: WHERE DID I PUT MY SCREWDRIVER

DALEKSPRITE: EXTERMINATE

AT: I’LL GET BACK TO YOU

agelessTraveler is now idle.

TT:

TT: fuck

TT: well, Im gonna go ahead and drop the other things you need

TT: heres a card with holes in it

TT: theres also another disc, dunno whats on it

TT: costs 100 grist

TT: ah, fuck it, Ill go ahead and deploy it too

TT: what else

TT: jumper block extension and punch card shunt

TT: the shunt is cheap, but were nowhere near affording the extension

TT: well give them a miss for now

TT: good luck with the deathbot

TT: maybe I should drop the toilet on it

Doc

Doc squares off against the machine-turned-ghost, screwdriver in hand. He knew that his weapon wouldn’t do anything to it, but he had to admit he felt better pretending. The machine had sat on his shelf for quite some time, a relic left to him by his mentor. Now, it seemed to have been a replica of something bigger, something truly terrifying. Its bulky body hovers at the other edge of the room, weaponized arms and single eyestalk directed at Doc.

DALEKSPRITE: EXTERMINATE

DOC: NO.

DALEKSPRITE: EXTERMINATE

DOC: STOP THAT.

DALEKSPRITE: YOU ARE THE DOCTOR

DALEKSPRITE: YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED

DOC: NO, wait… How do you know that?!

DOC: How do you know that I am the Doctor?!

DOC: And… what exactly are you?

DOC: You… certainly seem familiar, especially now that you’re talking and not just sitting there, but I can’t seem to place you.

DALEKSPRITE: I AM A DALEK

DALEKSPRITE: … ERROR

DALEKSPRITE: MY INTERNAL DATA HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH

DALEKSPRITE: LARGE QUANTITIES OF DATA ARE NO LONGER PRESENT

DALEKSPRITE: ADDITIONALLY, NEW UNACCESSED DATA HAS BEEN DETECTED

DALEKSPRITE: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY MEMORY

DOC: I’ve done nothing. Any lost or gained memories are from the Kernelsprite, not by my doing.

DOC: So, you mean to say you remember almost nothing?

DALEKSPRITE: I REMEMBER THIS:

DALEKSPRITE: YOU ARE THE DOCTOR

DALEKSPRITE: YOU ARE MY ENEMY

DALEKSPRITE: AND YOU WILL BE

DALEKSPRITE: EXTERMINATED

Doc quickly dodges out of the way as the machine fires a beam of light from its arm towards him. It bounces off of the wall, and dissipates as it hits the other wall. Several others are right behind it, however, and it is not long before Doc sees one head straight for him and hit him in the chest.

He waits a split second for pain to erupt from the point of impact, but it does not come.

DOC: Hah! That almost tickled.

DALEKSPRITE: ERROR

DALEKSPRITE: WEAPON SYSTEMS ARE ALSO MALFUNCTIONING

DALEKSPRITE: NOW RUNNING FULL SCAN FOR ALL MALFUNCTIONING SYSTEMS

DALEKSPRITE: WEAPON SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONING

DALEKSPRITE: DATA STORAGE MALFUNCTIONING

DALEKSPRITE: LIFE SUPPORT COMPLETELY OFFLINE

DALEKSPRITE: DESTRUCTION OF THE DOCTOR IS DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE IN THIS STATE

DALEKSPRITE: ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ASSISTANCE

DALEKSPRITE: LONG RANGE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ARE OFFLINE

DALEKSPRITE: SHORT RANGE COMMUNICATIONS ARE ONLINE

DOC: You seem like you’ve seen far better days.

DALEKSPRITE: I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS MOST OF MY STANDARD FUNCTIONS

DALEKSPRITE: I CANNOT REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF WHO I AM

DALEKSPRITE: I AM

DALEKSPRITE: BROKEN

DOC: I can relate there…

DOC: I feel like I should remember you.

DOC: And I feel like part of me does.

DOC: But I can’t quite reach that memory.

DALEKSPRITE: YOUR MEMORY IS INCOMPLETE AS WELL?

DOC: It would seem so.

DALEKSPRITE: THEN WE ARE… THE SAME?

DOC: In that way, at least.

DALEKSPRITE: THEN TELL ME, DOCTOR

DALEKSPRITE: WHAT IS MY PURPOSE

DALEKSPRITE: WHY AM I ALIVE

DOC: I do not know.

DOC: What I know is that you are a Kernelsprite, and that you are an important part of my current mission.

DOC: But I do not know more than that.

DALEKSPRITE: … DATA FOUND ON ‘KERNELSPRITE’

DALEKSPRITE: IT IS MY PURPOSE TO SUPPLY YOU WITH VITAL INFORMATION FOR THE BEGINNING OF YOUR JOURNEY

DALEKSPRITE: I AM ALSO TO PREVENT YOUR DEATH DURING THIS TIME

DALEKSPRITE: HOWEVER, THIS OBJECTIVE GOES DIRECTLY AGAINST MY PREVIOUS OBJECTIVE OF DESTROYING YOU

DALEKSPRITE: I REQUIRE TIME TO CALCULATE A MORE DEFINITE ANSWER

DOC: It’s not like you could destroy me even if you wanted to.

DALEKSPRITE: SILENCE

DALEKSPRITE: I WOULD FIND A WAY IF DEEMED NECESSARY

DOC: … If you’re to supply me with information, then tell me this.

DOC: I have another friend who has already begun her journey, and her Kernelsprite is not nearly as responsive as you.

DOC: It cannot even speak.

DOC: Why is that?

DALEKSPRITE: IT IS LIKELY BECAUSE THE INITIAL PROTOTYPING WAS NOT DONE WITH A SUBJECT AS INTELLIGENT AS ME

DALEKSPRITE: IN MOST CASES, A SPRITE DOES NOT GAIN FULL INTELLIGENCE UNTIL THE SECOND AND FINAL PROTOTYPING

DALEKSPRITE: YOUR ALLY MUST PROTOTYPE THE SPRITE AGAIN FOR IT TO REALIZE ITS PURPOSE AS A GUIDE

DOC: I see. What should we prototype it with?

DALEKSPRITE: THAT IS UP TO YOUR OWN DISCRETION

DALEKSPRITE: DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL WILL GIVE YOU THE MOST RELIABLE GUIDE

DOC: Very well… What was the point of the initial prototyping, then?

DALEKSPRITE: THIS CHOICE IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING FORM TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF SKAIA, WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE COMPLETION OF YOUR OBJECTIVE.

DALEKSPRITE: IT ALSO GIVES FORM TO THE UNDERLINGS, AND ROYALTY OF DERSE, WHICH YOU ARE TO EXTERMINATE.

DOC: So… You mean to say that with Derpy’s first prototyping, we gave them a harmless paper form.

DOC: But with you… We’ve given the enemies a form like yours?!

DALEKSPRITE: A FORM I AM SURE THEY WILL BE PROUD TO TAKE.

Doc makes his way quickly to the computer, now confident that his sprite wouldn’t be able to harm him while he wasn’t looking, and accessed the chat client to warn Derpy. He noticed two new objects deployed on his desk- the punched card that would see him into the game, and another disc- but did not focus on them yet.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 2:33 P.M.

AT: Derpy!

AT: Are you alright?!

CA: what?

CA: yeah, i’m fine.

CA: beat up another imp. got some purple stuff this time, is that shale?

AT: Maybe. But I have to warn you of something!

AT: First, did you see how the imps around you are wearing paper armor?

CA: yeah, why is that?

AT: I discovered that this is because of your Kernelsprite.

AT: By putting the paper bird into it, you sent that information into the game, and the enemies are reflecting that.

AT: It turns out that that was a good choice.

AT: But my sprite… Well, it has complicated things.

AT: A machine, or creature, called a Dalek has been put into mine.

AT: And I’m afraid that this may make our enemies a great deal more powerful.

CA: uh oh. How do we beat them?

DOC: Hey! Dalek!

DOC: How do we defeat the enemies that have been given Dalek technology?

DALEKSPRITE: WHY WOULD I INFORM YOU ON HOW TO KILL ME?

DOC: So we can destroy the impure ones!

DOC: These creatures are bastardizing your technology!

DALEKSPRITE: … THE EYESTALKS

DALEKSPRITE: WITH SUCH A DILUTED VERSION OF DALEK TECHNOLOGY, THEY WILL NOT HAVE ADVANCED SHIELDING

DALEKSPRITE: OBSCURE THE EYESTALKS, AND THEY WILL BE ALL BUT DEFUNCT

DALEKSPRITE: OF COURSE, THIS METHOD IS FUTILE AGAINST AN ADVANCED AND PURE MODEL SUCH AS MYSELF

AT: They will have an eyestalk in place of eyes.

AT: Apparently, if you can blind them, they will practically shut down.

CA: okay. i’ll be careful, i promise!

CA: so, you said that you got your kernelthingy all set up?

AT: Well, not ALL set up.

AT: As a matter of fact, yours isn’t yet, either. We do need to give it a second object.

AT: However, this second one will not affect our enemies. This will make your sprite into a guide that will help you through your quest.

CA: huh… what should we put in?

AT: I’m not sure. Probably something that won’t threaten your life like mine is.

AT: Anyway, let’s see, you said you found more grist… Yes! We have shale!

AT: I will deploy the Punch Designix right away.

CA: okay.

CA: but then get your stuff set up to go, too.

CA: you’re almost ready to enter, right?

AT: Yes. I just need to create the item on the punched card.

AT: There’s also a third disc that has been deployed in my room. I do not know what it does yet.

AT: I’ll figure that out though. In the meantime, just stay safe until I make my own way into the game. Then we’ll see where we stand.

CA: okay!

Doc swiftly begins the process of entry; He uses the Totem Lathe to scan the punched card and imprint a Cruxite Dowel with the data stored within, then moves it to the Alchemiter to create the object. What seems to be a lump of emerald appears on the platform before him, and Doc quickly retrieves it. However, he soon sees that it is not a gemstone, but a chunk of amber. There is clearly something inside, but the surface is too hazy to see it.

“Green amber… Heh, fancy that.”

“I HAVE DETECTED A SUDDEN SPIKE IN METEOROLOGICAL ACTIVITY. A LARGE OBJECT IS ON A COLLISION CORSE WITH THIS LOCATION. DESTRUCTION IS ASSURED.”

Doc moves quickly to the window, heart racing, and his fears are confirmed. The rain has been joined by small stones and embers, debris from the far more sinister storm raging across Equestria. He still cannot see beyond the cloud cover, but the Dalek seems to have detected another large meteor bound right for Doc’s house.

He nods in determination and smashes the amber against the wall.

Thirty-nine

Chapter with color

Thirty-nine

Quick Fix

TT: Doc!

TT: Doc, are you alright

TT: holy shit that meteor exploded

TT: oh, news just came on again

TT: yeah your neighbors are dead

TT: big ol’ crater where your house used to be

TT: the hell happened

TT: wait I can see your house again

TT: okay it doesnt look all that exploded

TT: cmon Doc talk to me here

AT: Whew!

AT: That was quite a rush.

AT: Did the meteor miss?

TT: nope

TT: well I guess

TT: but youre in the game now

AT: Really? I thought the rain would have stopped.

TT: guess not

TT: welcome to

TT: hang on I had it somewhere

TT: here it is

TT: welcome to the land of storms and balance.

AT: Interesting…

AT: I suppose I’m not getting away from this rain, am I?

TT: never

AT: Heh.

AT: This does answer one question. We all seem to be given our own Land to explore, and complete our quests on.

AT: I’m going to check on Derpy. I advise you to contact Leeroy and see if he is ready to bring you in.

TT: kay

agelessTraveler ceased chatting with techTitan at 2:45 P.M.

Derpy

Derpy slashes across with her weapon, slaying another imp. More and more have been scaling the pillar to the house, and Derpy and her mother have had scarcely a moment’s rest from fighting them off. They both experienced several level-ups in the process, gaining boosts in attack and defense, grist cache size, and various other, seemingly useless attributes. However, after Derpy’s opponent explodes into grist, there seems to be a lull in the fighting. More are likely on the way, but they have been staved off for the moment.

“I’m going to check something upstairs. Be right back, mom.” Her mother nods with some reluctance, and Derpy makes her way back to her room to examine the new machine fully. It bears the same shape as a piano, but has no keys, save for what looks like an old typewriter one held on with loose wire. Near the center is a blinking red light, and to the left of that is a diagram, most likely showing the instructions for the device. Above that is a slot for something. It shows a Captchalogue card being flipped to the reverse side, then points to a picture of the keyboard, then shows the card being inserted into the slot.

Curious, Derpy retrieves the card containing her phone and flips it over. There is a code on the back: ‘05JFU7I3’. She guesses that she should do what the diagram shows, but doesn’t want to risk her phone being lost. Instead, she retrieves her phone and messages Doc.

cross-eyedAngel began chatting with agelessTraveler at 3:16 P.M.

CA: hey doc!

AT: Ah, hello Derpy. I was just about to contact you myself.

CA: :D

CA: well, i was looking at the new machine.

CA: it looks like i put a card in, and the code for whatever’s on the card.

CA: and it does… something.

CA: i wanna test it out, but i don’t want to lose anything important.

AT: That makes sense. Captchalogue something we can afford to lose and give it a try.

Derpy looks around her room, then shrugs and grabs the pillow from her bed. She captchalogues it, then enters the code into the machine. The red light turns off, and a green light clicks on in its place. She inserts the card, and the machine makes a series of clicks and whirs. The card pops back out again, and it has been punched full of holes, much like the card Doc had dropped earlier that had given Derpy the apple.

CA: oooh, i see!

CA: we use this machine to punch the cards, then we can use the other machines to make more of that thing!

CA: not sure how useful that will be though…

AT: Hrm… Perhaps there are ways we could use this.

AT: Exchanging items between ponies, for example.

AT: There may also be other ways to use the machines… We’ll have to experiment further.

CA: wait… i think i hear something.

CA: something downstairs.

CA: i’d better make sure everything is okay. brb doc!

Derpy puts the phone back in its card, leaves the punched pillow card in her room, and quickly makes her way downstairs. Her mother stands near the back door, armed with the fire poker she has been using as a weapon.

“There’s something coming. It sounds heavier, and… almost mechanical. Be careful, and ready to get to somewhere safer.” Derpy nods and prepares her boomerang. She hears the sound grow closer, a mechanical CLANK that repeats every few seconds, growing slightly louder each time. Through the window to what was formerly the backyard, Derpy can see the hand of an imp reach up and take hold, but the other hand that comes next isn’t like any she has seen on the imps so far. It looked to be made of cobbled-together machine parts, and had what looked like a whisk attached to the wrist. The imp pulled itself up fully, and Derpy saw that it must be what Doc was talking about, as a menacing eyestalk protrudes from one eye. Various other parts of the imp’s body have also turned to machine.

The half-creature, half-machine looks around angrily, its gaze settling on the two ponies viewing it from inside the house. It snarls silently, then raises its machine arm and points it towards the window. In the next instant, a blast of blue light erupts from the window, and Derpy and her mother are sent reeling backward, the sound of shattering glass and crumbling brick accompanying them. Derpy quickly stands and shakes her head, in time to see the imp stumbling in through the new hole in the wall. One of its legs is also comprised of machine parts, and this seems to hinder its movement somewhat.

It snarls again, and even its voice seems to be a mix of beast and machine. It aims its arm again, and the whisk on its arm quickly charges with blue energy and fires another beam. Both ponies avoid it, but it blasts another, smaller hole in the opposite wall. It swings its arm around to fire again, and narrowly misses Derpy. Her mother uses this opening to charge forward, driving the tip of her fire poker into the imps’ side. This seems to injure the imp, but does not fatally wound it.

It growls and swats her away, sending her reeling across the room again. As soon as her mother is away from the imp, Derpy throws her boomerang at it, damaging it further. She isn’t able to see its life bar, but she can tell that it has taken a fair amount of damage already. It glares at Derpy with its one white eye, one robotic blue, and fires another beam of light at her. She kicks herself backwards expertly, dodging the attack, and rolls to her hooves again. Even without the use of her wings, pegasi are extremely agile.

The imp seems to realize this, and turns its laser arm towards Derpy’s mother, who is just getting back up as well. It fires several beams in rapid succession, and while she is able to dodge most of them, one of them finally connects. A flash of blue light erupts from her chest, and she is sent flying back and slams against the wall.

“Mom!” Derpy screams, then grips her weapon and leaps at the imp. One slash diagonally across, then another back up, then another straight through its chest. After the third hit, the monster finally explodes into a considerable pile of grist. Derpy pays it no attention though, and rushes to her mother’s aid.

She is vaguely aware of her phone alerting her of a new message as she kneels beside her mother. Her wound is bad; there is a lot of blood, and the area around the wound is burnt and still smoking. It doesn’t go all the way through, but it looks like it still goes pretty deep. She’s still alive, but fading fast.

“Mom…” Tears were already beginning to form at the edges of Derpy’s eyes. “Mom, p-please hang on… What do I do…? Oh Celestia, what do I do?!”

Derpy’s phone made several more message tones. “Ooh… Augh, I need help!” With blurry vision, Derpy opened the chat between her and Doc, and quickly scanned over his messages:

AT: Derpy, listen to me.

AT: I know this is a bad time, but please read this.

AT: She can be saved.

AT: She doesn’t have to die, Derpy!

AT: You can still save her!

AT: Throw her into the Kernelsprite, Derpy!

AT: I know it sounds crazy, but it will keep her alive!

AT: Please, Derpy, don’t let her die!

Derpy stared at the phone for a moment, then looked to her mother, still bleeding out. She blinked some of the tears out of her eyes and nodded in determination.

“Mom… Do you trust me?” She locked both eyes with her. “Do you trust me to save you?” After a moment, her mother gave a weak nod. Derpy reached under her and struggled upward, moving several steps on her back hooves before the sprite approached her. She could tell from a glance that this was what the sprite wanted, too.

“Hope this works…” The sprite held still and let Derpy raise her mother’s dying body into it. Another flash of violet light filled the room, and when it faded, Derpy saw that the sprite had changed once again. The violet of the sprite was almost the same shade as her mother’s coat, so that much looked the same, but her back hooves had disappeared, and were replaced by a ghostly tail. Her whole body was now this violet, and her golden hair was now the same translucent lavender. However, not all of the old sprite had disappeared either, as Derpy could see a pair of mighty paper wings on her back.

She was unresponsive for a moment, but soon her eyes opened and a soft smile grew on her face. Derpy’s own smile grew wide, and she wrapped her momsprite in a tight hug.

MOMSPRITE: Derpy… Thank you.

DERPY: no, it’s… it’s fine!

DERPY: of course i would save you.

DERPY: i wouldn’t just let you… go.

MOMSPRITE: I know, dear.

MOMSPRITE: But what you’ve done here is better than you know.

MOMSPRITE: I am your sprite guide now, as well.

MOMSPRITE: The very moment I fused with the sprite, I gained a lot of knowledge about this place. About you, and your quest.

MOMSPRITE: I understand why you didn’t say anything earlier, but now you don’t need to worry.

MOMSPRITE: You have a fantastic journey ahead of you, and you will become a great hero.

DERPY: wow, really?!

MOMSPRITE: Yes! And it is my part in your quest to guide you, to help you get started, and to tell you any information about the Medium and its inhabitants that you are curious about.

MOMSPRITE: Of course, I don’t know ALL about these lands, especially the finer details. Those, you will have to discover for yourself.

DERPY: alright… first, i guess i should ask how i’m supposed to get down from here!

MOMSPRITE: Funnily enough, to get down, first you’ll need to go up!

MOMSPRITE: You saw the spirographs above the house? Those are the Seven Gates. Your server player will need to build up to them.

MOMSPRITE: Entering the first will take you to the ground of the Land of Rifts and Steel.

MOMSPRITE: There are seven gates total, each leading you to a different place in the Medium, then one more that will lead you to the Denizen of this land, a mighty creature that lives in the center of the planet!

DERPY: oh wow!

DERPY: is he the final boss?

MOMSPRITE: No. In fact, chances are good that you will not need to fight him. Though there is always the possibility that you will.

MOMSPRITE: He will offer you a Choice. I do not know the terms of this offer myself, but he will put it forth.

MOMSPRITE: You may or may not take this; your quest may or may not depend on it. It all depends on you and your friends’ actions.

MOMSPRITE: But the Denizen guards an immense grist hoard, and you will need this to perform the Ultimate Alchemy, a key element to finishing your quest. If you cannot accept the terms of the Choice, you will need to defeat and destroy the Denizen to obtain this treasure.

DERPY: alright, i think i get it.

DERPY: so, what IS the final boss?

MOMSPRITE: That will likely be the Black King.

MOMSPRITE: I’m sure you’ve heard some things about Prospit and Derse. Well, the two are at war, an eternal stalemate in which neither can defeat the other.

MOMSPRITE: But with the beginning of your quest, Derse will begin to gain the upper hand. Unfortunately, this is a battle that Prospit must always lose. MOMSPRITE: The kingdom of Derse also represents the forces attempting to stop your progress in your quest.

MOMSPRITE: They represent destruction, whereas Prospit represents creation.

MOMSPRITE: At the end of your journey, you will need to defeat the king of Derse to claim your Ultimate Reward.

DERPY: what’s that?

MOMSPRITE: Hee hee~ I’m afraid I can’t tell you that. I don’t know, myself!

MOMSPRITE: But I do know that discovering it will be another important part of your journey.

MOMSPRITE: Now, I think you should contact your server player and start building up to the First Gate! The Consorts of your Land await you!

DERPY: okay! thanks mom!

DERPY: oh, and…

Derpy knows what she wants to say, but can’t seem to find the right words. After a few moments, Derpy’s mother-sprite nods knowingly.

MOMSPRITE: I understand, dear. You’re still a bit shaken that I nearly died.

MOMSPRITE: I’m sorry that that happened. But I promise that as you progress and grow stronger along your journey, you will be able to protect yourself and your friends even better.

DERPY: alright. Thanks again, mom. Love you!

MOMSPRITE: I love you too, sweetie.

CA: doc, did you catch all that?

AT: Every word! You’ll find that your house is already one story taller.

CA: sweet!

CA: have you had any imps at your house yet?

AT: Just one. I assume he was a forward scout. He’s been dealt with, and now I have a Punch Designix as well.

AT: Quick Fix also deployed a mysterious third disc in my room. I seem to have the option to deploy one now, too, but I feel we should conserve grist for the time being.

AT: I’m loading my copy now to see what it does.

CA: okay!

CA: i guess we should both just keep fighting imps, and building up our houses?

AT: As long as it’s safe for the others to remain in Equestria.

AT: When they enter, things may slow down.

CA: yeah… let’s get as far as we can until then!

AT: Right!

CA: hey, i also had an idea.

CA: i’m gonna use the machines to make some more cards for my inventory.

CA: good to have plenty of room, right?

AT: Indeed. That’s very clever.

Derpy moves over the Punch Designix and begins the process over again, sacrificing another two of her four remaining cards, but knowing that she’d soon have many more. When she finished with the Designix and moved to the Totem Lathe, she noticed something odd: the slot on the machine seemed big enough to hold several cards at once, not just one. She frowned, but allowed that thought to sit for a moment while she cloned several new cards for her inventory. She also does this for Strife Specibus cards.

CA: hey doc…

AT: Yes?

CA: the thing that makes stuff is an alchemiter, right?

CA: and alchemy usually means making new stuff out of different stuff, right?

AT: More or less. Why?

CA: what if we can use the machines to make new items somehow?

CA: it looks like we can fit more than one card in the lathe. i wanna see what happens if we try that.

AT: By all means! We may discover something of great value by experimenting.

Derpy looks around her room. What to use? The boomerang- finding a better weapon would help to defeat more powerful enemies further down the line- but what else? Derpy digs through her toy chest to find something of use, and eventually settles on a stuffed penguin. On second thought, throwing the penguin in the Kernelsprite would have made way better imps. Too late now though.

Derpy punches a card with the penguin card, and puts it and the boomerang card into the lathe. She retrieves the totem that was made as a result, and takes it to the Alchemiter.

CA: anything, doc?

AT: Yes! … And no.

AT: It WOULD make something, but we need a kind of grist we don’t yet have.

AT: It requires shale and cobalt, of which we have a little bit of both, but it also needs something that looks like a white cube. We don’t have any of that.

CA: when did we get cobalt?

AT: I think the Dalek imp dropped some.

AT: Anyway, what’s important is this: using both cards yields a new item!

AT: Let’s try something else, and hope we have the right grist to make it.

CA: okay!

Derpy goes back to rummaging, and comes up with a pair of safety scissors. She repeats the process again, and checks back with Doc.

AT: There we go! This one only costs a bit of shale and rust.

AT: It yields a new boomerang called the ‘Safety Slicer’.

AT: I would assume that, because it has built in blades, it has higher attack power than your current weapon.

CA: oh wow! so we can combine items this way!

AT: It would seem so! My goodness, think of the possibilities!

AT: But for now, I will make a Safety Slicer for you.

CA: maybe i’ll find a real pair of scissors later and make an even better one.

The Alchemiter shoots a small laser onto the platform, and the new boomerang is left in its place. Derpy nods and equips it, then trots out of her room to slay more imps and gather more grist. Her adventure begins now.

Leeroy

“Move!” Leeroy shouts, dashing upwards and shattering yet another small meteor with his back hooves. He and the other trainees and knights have been fending off the rocks from Cloudsdale ever since several punctured the cloud layer an hour before. The downpour of rock has gradually increased in pace, but with this last wave deflected, there does not seem to be any others. Or at least, there is a break.

“Listen up.” the Battle Master starts, drawing the attention of the other pegasi defenders. “I’m still going to need some of you up here with me to stand watch. But for the rest of you, get down to Cloudsdale. Get your personal affairs in order, and start evacuating everyone you can. Princess’s orders. For the trainees who wouldn’t know, there’s a shelter five clicks north of here, that’s your goal. Won’t be hard to find, Vanhoover’s evacuating to the same place, and they should still be there to tip you off.”

Leeroy nods, and joins several others in descending to the clouds. He knows that he can’t go with them to the shelter; he has his own escape route. He also knows that he has to hurry up and get Quick Fix into the game. But at the same time, he can’t just avoid helping the ponies of Cloudsdale get to safety. He nods in determination; as a knight it is his job to ensure the safety of ALL of Equestria’s citizens, and he’s going to do everything he can to make sure everyone, including himself and his friends tied to Sgraze, makes it out alive.

Leeroy swings into his room swiftly, and accesses his computer.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with techTitan at 3:38 P.M.

GG: Sis.

TT: bro

GG: I don’t have much time, I’ve got to start evacuating people from the city.

GG: But I’m going to get you started. What do I do?

TT: install the server copy of the game

TT: Ive already got the client copy up, so it should connect itself

TT: you might do the same so its easy for you to get in when its your turn

GG: Perfect. Installing this thing will probably take ages.

GG: There, the server copy is going. Be back soon!

guardianGuitarist ceased chatting with techTitan at 3:40 P.M.

Quick Fix

“Jeez… He’s a bit strung out, huh? Can’t blame him, I guess.” Quick Fix says to herself. “I’m still stuck until he gets back… Guess I can talk to FP, make sure he’s ready to go.”

techTitan began chatting with gamingAvarice at 3:43 P.M.

TT: hey man

TT: how are things

TT: not exploded I hope

GA: yep, nothing exploded here yet.

TT: good

TT: wanted to make sure you were ready to go

TT: as soon as Leeroy gets me into the game, youre gonna need to get him in

TT: Cloudsdale doesnt have much longer

GA: i’ll be ready.

GA: how about you? are you ready to go?

TT: yep, just gotta wait for Leeroy to finish evacuating everypony

TT: once my machines are deployed, Ill be set to go

GA: oh, speaking of which.

GA: doc tells me that some of those machines allow you to combine items!

TT: really?

TT: I hadnt heard yet

GA: well, it seems to be some kind of punchcard-based alchemy.

GA: so i dug up a code for you.

GA: if you use it with your wrench code, it should give you a really powerful wrench.

TT: well thats cool but

TT: I dont have the machines yet

TT: no way Ill remember that code

TT: hang onto it, Ill take it once I can use it

GA: can do.

GA: i also got a nice selection of sword codes for leeroy.

GA: and a boomerang code for derpy.

GA: no screwdriver codes though. doc had to pick a weird weapon.

TT: sure did

TT: Im sure I have some super-duper screwdriver in my workshop though

TT: Ill just find something good for him here and send him that code

GA: that should work!

TT: what about you

TT: whats your specibus set to

GA: i’m going to set it to riflekind.

GA: but after i enter, and get something i can really use.

TT: how do you plan to do that

TT: I mean, how will you even use it

TT: we dont have thumbs

GA: don’t sweat it, i’ve got it all figured out.

GA: first, i’ll combine my sensor gun with a game to make a basic rifle.

GA: then i’ll combine that with other games to get better guns.

GA: as for how i’ll use it, i think i should be able to cook up some robot hands, too.

TT: huh

TT: sounds like a plan

GA: yep!

GA: anyway, i don’t want to clog up your chat when we’ve got to have split-second timing.

GA: so i’ll hop off. good luck!

TT: yep

gamingAvarice ceased chatting with techTitan at 3:53 P.M.

Quick Fix sighs and pushes herself away from the computer, then checks outside. A house across town was already hit by a meteor, and the storm that had been raging near Doc’s house seems to have moved on to her area. It was only a matter of time before more meteors started falling. She just hoped Leeroy would get back in time to get her home away from the blast zone, and then get away himself.

Fancy Pants

A game controller falls to the ground in frustration; not frustration towards the game it is currently controlling, but rather towards the game that the player is not yet playing. Fancy Pants is beyond impatient, and decides he needs to do SOMETHING more to prepare himself. He knows that he will have to be back in time to get his friend Leeroy into the game and to safety, but he figures he will have a bit of time before then.

He peeks out the window towards the rocky formation a short distance behind his backyard. Within that rock lies the frog temple, and just beyond it, atop the cliffs, Cheerilee’s house.

He nods in determination. He feels there is something important in that temple, something he may have missed. Something he’s going to find now.

The trip to the rocks only takes a few minutes, but his pace slows somewhat once he has to climb. However, he needs take no time to check his location; he’s made this trip countless times, and knows just where to go. He swings around another corner and climbs up a slight ledge, and looks out over the temple. The main body of the temple is topped by a large stone frog, and there are several towers that sit slightly around it. There is a tower collapsed on the ground that looks like it served as a satellite tower atop the rocks, before it fell to the ground below.

There is another pony at the door to the temple. A tall pony with a stark white coat, and no mane to speak of. Fancy Pants can’t make out more detail than that from where he stands, but he gets the sneaking suspicion that the pony is looking at him. The mysterious pony then walks slowly into the temple.

“Looks like you had the same idea.” said Cheerilee, scrambling up from the path on the other side. “It seems like… we’re supposed to be here, while we still have time.”

“Yeah. But listen, I saw somepony in the doorway. They went inside. It didn’t look like your aunt or my sister.”

“Oh… Should we still go in?”

Fancy Pants looks at the temple, then back at Cheerilee, and smiles. “I don’t think we have a choice, do we?”

The two ponies nod to each other, and begin walking towards the temple.

4:00

Leeroy

“Go with the others!” Leeroy tells another group of civilians. “They’re escorting people to a shelter in the mountains to the northwest!”

They agree and rush off. Leeroy looks around for others to warn, but Cloudsdale is already starting to look like a ghost town. The only ones left are the civilians gathering to leave in groups, and the knights and trainees remaining to defend the city as long as they have to before escaping themselves. Leeroy knows that his job is nearly finished. He makes sure no one is watching, and rushes back to the barracks and into his room. He swings into his computer, pops in the client copy of Sgraze, and immediately accesses the server software. He can see Quick Fix drumming her hooves nervously on her desk.

He grins and drags out her wall to make room for the machines. A measly ten grist out of two thousand. She jumps at the noise.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with techTitan at 4:03 P.M.

GG: Hey sis, miss me?

TT: celestia, bro, you cut it real close

GG: I know. Hang tight.

He deploys the rest of the machines; Cruxtruder, totem lathe, and third disc.

GG: I don’t know what any of this does.

TT: I only know most of it

TT: no idea about the third disc, but my computers so fast we can figure out pretty quick

GG: What about these other two? Jumper Block Extension and Punch Card Shunt?

TT: I dunno, never got a chance to test em

TT: we have the grist for it though, right

GG: Right.

GG: Hrm… won’t let me deploy…

GG: Oh, wait. It’s supposed to hook up to the Alchemiter.

Leeroy attaches the new device to the Alchemiter. It takes up a lot of space, and costs one thousand grist, but it looks like it will be useful. He also deploys two Punch Card Shunts, since they only cost ten grist.

GG: Anyway, we’ll fiddle with that later. We need to get you into the game, now.

TT: okay

TT: first, drop something heavy on the cruxthingy

TT: just use my bed or something

TT: awesome. now give me a sec to throw something into the Kernelsprite

Quick Fix dashes out of her room, to her workshop. She scoops up a handful of scrap parts, dashes back to her room, and tosses them in.

TT: there

TT: now the junky deathbot imps Doc made will be even shittier

TT: now, did you deploy the pre-punched card?

GG: Yeah, it’s on your desk.

TT: oh, right

TT: man, whats on this…

TT: looks like a boat, actually

TT: whatever, lets do this

Quick Fix swiftly moves the card and a cruxite dowel to the totem lathe, imprinting the dowel, then moves to the Alchemiter. The machine deploys a faded red boat, and Leeroy can see a flint and steel sitting on the seat.

TT: so what, like

TT: a funeral pyre?

TT: shit man, thats ominous

TT: oh well

She takes the flint and steel, and with one swift movement of her hoof, a mighty spark falls onto the surface of the cruxite vessel and sets it ablaze. The light of the fire fills the room and grows to envelop the whole house, and Leeroy watches the background change from a suburbian street to the cliffs overlooking a mighty ocean. Across his screen flashes a name: Land of Waves and Chasms.

4:08

Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants and Cheerilee make their way carefully into the temple. There is no sign of the white-coated pony yet, but they have some ground to cover yet. They make their way to the center, where a large round panel is seemingly engraved in the floor. They know better though; this panel is some kind of elevator that leads further into the temple. It automatically brings them down to the basement.

They look ahead to the mysterious flower in the center of the new room. When they first found it, there was a countdown on the pedestal below the flower, with years still to go. Now, it had mere minutes. The white pony stood before it, his emotion unreadable.

FP: hey, you!

Hey, me.

Cheerilee: Who are you? How did you find this place?

We only have two minutes remaining before the show truly begins. I don’t believe we have time to answer both parts of that question.

1:23

FP: wait… are you the guy princess celestia mentioned a little while ago?

FP: the guy who wants to piggyback one of our game sessions?

Well. I suppose we do have time, then.

Yes, I am that guy.

Cheerilee: What is it you want? Why would you want to smuggle yourself through one of our games? Why not play your own?

I only want to survive. I should think that would be obvious. Regrettably, my nature forbids me from accessing the technology you can. But if you should succeed in your quest, then this will allow me to survive, as well.

So, put simply, I want to see you win!

And the item within this Lotus, blooming in a mere thirty seconds, will help you to do that.

0:28

FP: well, what’s in there?

FP: and what do you mean, your nature?

FP: and what if we don’t want you buddying along with our session?

You ponies ask too many questions. Shut up for a moment and watch.

0:00

4:13

A light fills the chamber as the flower in the center of the room begins to bloom. As the light fades, Fancy Pants can see a small, round object in the center, and when his vision returns to normal, he sees it is completely white.

The stallion picks up the ball and offers it to Cheerilee.

At a later time in your quest, you will need this.

Cheerilee: What is it? It feels like… Like just a normal cue ball.

As it should. It is a cue ball. But not a normal one.

It’s a little trinket I borrowed from an associate. You’ll discover its true use on your own time.

Behind him, the lotus seals again, and the timer resets. It is now set to bloom again in just over twenty-four hours.

FP: what’s in it now?

Again, on your own time. I’d advise checking back here later.

Cheerilee: But if we’re entering the game, won’t we have to leave this place behind?

Not as soon as that. I know that you are familiar with the layout of the golden planet that orbits Skaia.

When you enter the game, a portal will activate that can take you back to this temple.

I wouldn’t advise staying for long though, with all these flaming spacerocks falling from the sky.

FP: i can only imagine you know something about that.

Of course I do. But for you, all in good time.

Anyway, I’ll be off now. I believe one of you needs to return to your friends sooner than the other?

FP: ah crap, leeroy!

Cheerilee: Where’d he go?

Fancy Pants looks around frantically, only to find that the stallion has disappeared. He shakes his head.

FP: no time for that! cloudsdale has to be on its last legs by now. i’ve got to get back to leeroy!

Cheerilee: Right!

Cheerilee: I know you will, but… please make sure he stays safe.

FP: i will. world’s best wingman, after all!

FP: now get to safety yourself, too. everything’s falling apart.

The two nod and leave for their respective homes.

Forty

Chapter with color

Forty

Leeroy

guardianGuitarist began chatting with gamingAvarice at 4:19 P.M.

GG: Bro.

GG: We don’t have a load of time left.

GG: All the other knights and trainees are gone.

GG: Cloudsdale is being punched full of holes by these meteors.

GG: I guess if I wanted to loot some stores, I totally could.

GG: I don’t think I could though. Goes against my nature, even if it’s all just going to be destroyed anyway.

GA: whew! i’m back!

GA: hanging in there?

GG: Just about. Now get going! Cloudsdale’s going down.

GA: right!

GA: these machines look pretty heavy. I’m going to build you a better floor so stuff doesn’t fall through.

GG: Out of what?

GA: these walls should work. They look much sturdier.

GA: now let’s see what this game can do!

Leeroy feels the cloud below him shake slightly, and knows that his floor has been reinforced. In quick succession, the walls to his room expand outward, and the floor shakes again, likely Fancy Pants adjusting his work. The machines come quickly afterwards, gleaming white and ready for action.

GG: Are you watching our grist?

GA: totally. we’ve got like 20,000.

GA: no need to sweat it.

GG: That is a ridiculous amount of grist.

GA: yeah.

GA: now, i believe you have a thing to alchemize.

GA: oh, and chuck something into the kernelsprite before you do.

GA: i assume it’s important.

Leeroy nods and sets to work. The only suitable thing in his room for the Kernelsprite seems to be the training dummy in the corner, so he shrugs and tosses it in. The sprite flashes and adopts the general shape of the mannequin. Leeroy nods, then moves over to the machines. Punched card to the lathe, Cruxite to the Alchemiter. However, before he can see what was made, he hears his name being called. He would question who could possibly remain in this city, but he knows exactly who that voice belonged to. He considers ignoring it, but knows that if she is still here, he has to save her, too.

“Battle Master!” he yells, swiftly exiting his room. He hears her stop calling his name from the next hallway, then sees her dash around the corner and rush over to him.

“Leeroy! What the hell are you still doing here?! Why haven’t you evacuated with the others?”

Leeroy holds her gaze. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. There’s something else going on here. There was one other pony I had to save- my sister- and now I’ll be joining her where she is to protect her, and my other friends.”

A moment passed. “Even if you know that you are disobeying a direct order?”

“Yes ma’am. I believe I am doing the right thing in entering this fight, and that following this is more important than following orders.”

The Battle Master finally breaks his gaze and sighs. “You’ll need someone watching your own back, then.”

Leeroy smiled and nodded. “Yes ma’am!” He leads her to his room, and sees the cruxite artifact sitting on the Alchemiter, an orange sword lodged in an orange stone. His next course of action is obvious. He moves over to the object, puts a hoof on either side of the sword, and pulls. Nothing happens.

“Gently.” the Battle Master advises. “It’s like the old story. You can’t draw the blade with strength alone. You have to prove that you’re willing to lead the way with both strength and care.”

Leeroy nods, eases his grip, and tries again. The sword dislodges easily, and the same light that had filled Quick Fix’s home fills his room, transporting him to a new land.

Doc

Doc drags his mouse across the screen, completing the floor for yet another story to Derpy’s home. They are beginning to grow near to the First Gate now- three or four more floors should do it.

gamingAvarice began chatting with agelessTraveler at 4:29 P.M.

GA: hey man! how’s progress?

AT: Pretty good. Derpy’s house is a few floors away from the First Gate now, and Quick Fix is flexing her prowess with construction on mine.

AT: Hopefully, we should both be able to reach the main part of our Lands soon.

GA: awesome!

GA: have you picked out a second thing to add to your kernelsprite yet?

AT: Not yet. Nothing seems right. I want something that can counteract the Dalek’s violent nature.

GA: makes sense.

GA: by the way, two guesses for what quick fix put in hers.

AT: Ratchet?

GA: ratchet.

GA: how about your screwdriver? need to make that thing more lethal if you’re going to take down anything stronger than an imp.

AT: Yes, I know. I’m not sure how one can upgrade a screwdriver though.

AT: Tell you what, I will finish this part of Derpy’s house, then search my own house for things I can use.

GA: sounds like a plan. i just don’t want you falling behind and being underleveled.

GA: that’s never fun.

GA: also, did you ever figure out what that third disc was for?

AT: Ah, yes!

AT: It’s a software called GristTorrent. It seems to be for the purpose of sharing grist between players. It also stores the overflow of grist, for when a player attempts to collect more than they have the current capacity for.

GA: ah, that makes sense. sounds handy!

GA: anyway, i’ll let you get to it.

Doc drags his mouse again, creating a stairway for Derpy to use to get to the new floor. He then leaves a message for Derpy saying he will return in a moment, and leaves his computer to explore his house. Nothing pops out at him on the ground floor, so he makes his way to the basement.

Something immediately catches his eye as he steps downstairs. A door on the far side that he had never seen before. Or had he? It seems like it’s always been there, but this is the first time he’s really SEEN it. He makes his way over to it, and sees that there is a note attached to it. The penmanship is familiar; it belongs to Doc’s former teacher and guardian.

“Hello, Doctor! It’s me, the Doctor. If you’re reading this, it means your adventure has begun, and the perception filter I set up around this door has shut down. It’s nothing major, it just made you not take note of this room. But now, I feel you will need what is inside.

P.S. There is a journal inside with more information, much more. Read it when you have time.”

Doc frowns in thought. It’s been a while since he found a message from him. Still, if he considered the contents of this room important, then they must be. Doc opens the door, and surveys the contents of the small room. There are shelves along either wall, with various artifacts that wouldn’t look out of place in Doc’s own room. But at the back is something that looks completely out of place.

A tall blue phone box.

Doc first examines the contents of the shelves.

“Sonic Screwdriver. Invaluable tool, but not suitable as a weapon. Combine your screwdriver with a knife or something to start, assuming you are using screwdrivers, which I’m sure you are.”

“K-9, robotic dog. A loyal companion if there ever was one. He may need some new batteries- if so, there are some on the shelf- but you can activate him in a pinch if you need some extra help.”

“Psychic paper. Just like it sounds, paper that is slightly psychic. It shows people just what they expect it to- for example, you say that it’s a ticket to get into an event, and it will look like a valid ticket to them- but if the person has even mild psychic abilities, it won’t work.”

Most of the objects follow along those lines. Finally, he reads the note taped to the front of the phone box.

“TARDIS. Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It doesn’t look like it, but this is a spaceship, and a time machine. However, leave it as a last resort. Do not use it unless absolutely necessary. I’m sure you understand. If you do need it, first locate that little family heirloom I gave you. Trust me on that.”

Doc frowns. The TARDIS isn’t a terribly impressive vessel, at least from the outside. He also doesn’t quite remember which family heirloom the note was referring to, but is sure that it’s probably floating around the TARDIS modus. Doc suddenly realizes that the name for that inventory modus actually means something, and is not just a random name, as he had previously thought. This is an interesting, but not particularly startling revelation.

There is one more object on the shelves, and that is the JOURNAL the first note had mentioned. Doc takes it, and stores it in his stack modus. He will want to read it later. He takes most of the other stuff too, and leaves with K-9 slung under one hoof. He knows just what to do with this.

Quick Fix

QF: so…

QF: Ratchet

QF: whats up

RATCHETSPRITE: I dunno.

RATCHETSPRITE: Suddenly being alive I guess.

RATCHETSPRITE: Having a robot arm now. That’s pretty cool.

RATCHETSPRITE: And dealing with the fact that I’ve got some memories just from being a sprite…

RATCHETSPRITE: And the rest that aren’t really mine, since I’m just a copy.

QF: aw, dont talk like that

QF: youre the only Ratchet in this universe, so as far as anyones concerned, youre the real deal

RATCHETSPRITE: I guess.

RATCHETSPRITE: Still, I don’t even have Clank, even if I’ve got memories of him.

QF: wait

QF: actually, you do

QF: I built a Clank too

QF: I mean, he ran off as soon as I put in the ai

QF: but he should still be in the house

RATCHETSPRITE: Really? Well, I’ll have to find the little guy then!

RATCHETSPRITE: Unless you needed some info about the game?

QF: uh… nah, I think Im good for now

QF: Doc and Derpy relayed a bunch of info already

QF: Ill let you know if anything comes up though

RATCHETSPRITE: Right. I’m gonna start searching for Clank then.

QF: alright, good luck

Quick Fix sits back at her computer and sets to work building Doc’s house. She also starts thinking about her own defenses; the imps will come soon, and she’ll need to be ready. A better wrench- and some armor if possible- would definitely help.

Derpy

gamingAvarice began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 4:31 P.M.

GA: hey derpy! how’s it going?

CA: oh, hi! pretty good!

CA: i think i’m level… 5 now?

CA: hard to tell, they aren’t numbered. they have cute little names instead.

CA: but i’m getting stronger!

GA: that’s good, that’s good!

GA: well, i wanted to tell you that i found a captcha code you might find useful.

GA: i think, if you combine it with your boomerang, it will make it much more powerful.

CA: ooh! i could use a better weapon, yeah.

GA: okay. the code is ‘S7RKG05K’.

CA: okay, thanks! i’ll give it a try when doc gets back.

CA: did you get leeroy into the game?

GA: yep! he’s safe and sound in the land of coves and stars.

CA: sounds cool!

GA: yeah! we’ll need to get him a boat though.

GA: quick fix probably needs one too. her land has a lot of water on it, too.

GA: i’m still anxious to see what my land will be…

GA: but what’s more important now is helping leeroy stay safe, since i’ve got time before it’s not safe for me to stay.

CA: makes sense!

CA: oh, it looks like doc is back.

GA: heh, alright. i’ll let you two do what you need to do, and get back to leeroy.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 4:40 P.M.

AT: I’m back.

CA: hi doc!

AT: I needed to find some extra stuff, something to put into my Kernelsprite, something to make my weapon stronger.

AT: I believe I’ve found both.

CA: cool!

CA: fancy pants gave me a code to combine with my boomerang, so do you want to do that while we’re here?

AT: Certainly.

Derpy swiftly uses two of the extra cards near the Designix to punch the codes for her boomerang, and the item Fancy Pants dug up. She then combines the two at the Totem Lathe, and takes the resulting Cruxite Dowel over to the Alchemiter.

AT: Let’s see…

AT: That will give us the Gale Boomerang. Looks much more powerful than your current one.

CA: sweet!

CA: you wanna see what that other one we saw before is? the boomerang plus the penguin doll? we should have enough grist now.

AT: Sure.

AT: Alright… That will make the Frost Giant’s Toothpick.

AT: Which, while a silly name, seems to be an equally potent weapon.

AT: I will make one of each, and let you decide which you prefer.

CA: okay!

AT: And… oh my.

CA: what? :o

AT: Derpy, I think you may be in for a mini-boss fight.

AT: There is a very large enemy scaling the pillar to your home.

AT: I advise making your way to the current top of your house, so you have room to fight.

CA: okay. wish me luck, doc!

Derpy grabs both of the new boomerangs, one of wind and one of ice, and makes her way to the attic. This leads to a new and empty room, and the door on the other side leads to another balcony. The house winds upward, eventually leveling off with a flat platform that will make the floor for another story to the house.

She feels a slight tremor below her, and knows that this is the first sign of the large monsters Doc had mentioned. She retrieves the ice boomerang, as it seems to have the highest attack power of her current selection. The tremors grow faster and more violent, signaling that the monster is growing closer and closer to the roof.

At last, a giant, monstrous hand reaches over the edge of the platform, and Derpy grips her weapon tighter. Once the monster has a grip on the platform, it pulls itself up, and Derpy sees that it is at least as tall as her house used to be, with large tusks in its mouth and its powerful arms, thankfully devoid of claws. It manages to get itself up on the platform, and Derpy throws her boomerang before it can get its balance. It connects with the monster’s arm, causing ice to grow at the elbow. The monster grips its arm, clearly incurring some damage, and struggles to free its arm to regain use of it. Using the extra time she bought herself, Derpy attacks again, this time hitting the monster in the leg. Again, more damage, and decreased movement. However, after the second attack, the monster begins looking around for the source, and its angry white eyes settle on Derpy.

It growls and swings its good arm at her. She dodges deftly around it, and equips the Gale Boomerang. This causes a large gust of air that blows its arm back, but the beast is too heavy to be blown completely off of the roof. It stumbles back and regains its footing, then growls again, even angrier. Derpy smiles, knowing she’s on the right track, and attempts to keep it at bay with a combination of the two boomerangs.

However, she realizes she will have to move quicker when the monster swings its arm across the platform, hitting her hard and knocking her across the length of the roof. She stops well enough before the edge, but definitely incurred a lot of damage from that attack.

With redoubled spirit and caution, Derpy continues to attack the monster, dodging away from its own attacks. At long last, it seems to be on its last legs, and with its literal legs frozen solid, Derpy leaps into the air with Safety Slicer clenched between teeth, and delivers the final crushing blow.

Large deposits of grist scatter across the rooftop, and Derpy collects them with glee. She can also tell that she gained a quick level in completing that fight. She looks up, knowing that the First Gate is almost within reach, and nods in determination. If the enemies were going to get stronger, so would she.

Forty-one

Chapter in color

Forty-one

Leeroy shakes his head, recovering from the sudden jolt. His room has seen better days; in the transition, a good portion of the cloud was shaken loose, and he can tell that it will need to be rebuilt before the building can be built further up.

It wasn’t just his room that was transported, though. Chunks of the trainee wing came with him, and it seems as though there are several other abandoned rooms still connected. Leeroy decides to check them for supplies later, once the area is secured.

“The whole chunk of Cloudsdale moved…” the Battle Master mused. “And Celestia-knows where we ended up… Right. Leeroy, we’re doing recon. Explain everything you know about the situation while we walk.”

Leeroy nods, and the two exited the damaged trainee wing. It is night in this land, but a cloudless and starry night. Nearby, waves lap at the shore, reflecting the starlight brightly. The Battle Master takes the lead, Leeroy just behind, and the two move in the opposite direction of the water. A distance ahead, they could see a mountain rising to the sky, tall enough that passing it would be difficult, if not simply impractical. But on all other sides seemed to be water. Leeroy guesses that the only way to get to the rest of the land will be to use the Gates.

“Heads up, Leeroy. I saw some movement near that tree just now.”

Leeroy nods, equips his sword, and the two stalk forward towards the tree. Could be one of those imps that have been laying siege to Derpy’s and Doc’s houses. Leeroy sees a split second of movement as well- something in the bushes- but it seems to sense them coming and freeze.

“Come out and show yourself, if you value your life!”

There was a bit more rustling in the bushes, then finally “Alright, I surrender!” The creature that steps out into the open is far from what Leeroy expected. It looks like a large green lizard- around as tall as Leeroy- but it does not look dangerous. It mostly seems to just be afraid of the two swords before it. “I just got lost. I don’t want any trouble.”

Leeroy looks around curiously. “But, the only way here is through that mountain. You got that far off track?”

“Well, I mean… There are little tunnels in it, but… yeah, I’m not clever.”

“Tunnels? Could we get through that way?”

“Doubt it. They’re pretty small. More like cracks, really. Geckos like me can slip through, but, no offense, I don’t think you’d fit.”

The Battle Master looks back towards the trainee wing. “Guess we’ll need to travel by sea then.”

Leeroy gives her a confused look. “What’s stopping us from flying around the mountain?”

“Have you tried using your wings since we got here?” Curious still, and growing concerned, Leeroy attempts to raise himself off the ground. His wings don’t respond. "I don’t know where we are, but there’s some strong magic in this place. We’re robbed of our best tactical advantage, so we’ll just have to make do.”

Leeroy nods. “Right. Though I think there’s another way. See those things far above the building? If what I’ve been told is correct, those are portals, and at least the first one will take us somewhere else in this land.”

She frowns for a moment, then nods slowly. “Alright. I still need that explanation, by the way. First, who else is a part of this?”

“Quick Fix and her dad, as well as four of our mutual friends. There may be others, but I’m not certain.”

“These other four. How good are they? Can they be trusted?”

“They can all be trusted, absolutely. The guy who is looking out for us, Fancy Pants, is the absolute best there is. The others don’t have as much experience, but they’ll pull through.”

The two continue to scout around the area, Leeroy explaining what he knew about the game so far. He doesn’t hide the fact that he and his friends first thought Sgraze was a simple game, until all this began, and especially after Celestia made a solid statement about it. The strange talking gecko follows the two, but at a comfortable distance. He doesn’t seem like he’s trying to snoop; it seems more that he doesn’t really know what else to do.

The three finally end up back at the trainee wing, and Leeroy quickly moves to his computer to contact his server.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with gamingAvarice at 5:01 P.M.

GG: Bro.

GA: welcome back, man.

GA: i see you made a friend.

GG: Yeah, I was going to ask about him.

GG: I hadn’t heard from anyone about something like him before. By the sounds of it, he’s far from the only one.

GA: i hadn’t heard about him either. maybe they live on your land?

GA: nobody’s been able to explore their land yet, but derpy is getting really close.

GA: so if there are peaceful residents of our lands, we wouldn’t know yet.

GG: Makes sense.

GG: By the way, how are you holding up?

GG: Half of Equestria must be in cinders by now.

GA: it is.

GA: man…

GA: i think it’s for the best that you aren’t here to see this.

GA: it’s… painful to see.

GA: celestia’s last message was twenty minutes ago. she broadcasted from the canterlot bunker.

GA: she’s safe, but… the signal relays are down.

GA: it’s probably a miracle that the server house me and cheerilee are connected to hasn’t been hit yet.

GA: but it doesn’t have long.

GA: that storm is moving closer.

GG: Well, don’t let yourself get caught in it.

GA: i know.

GA: we were waiting for derpy to be in a position to get cheerilee in.

GA: should be good to go now.

GA: it’s gonna be tricky for all of us to be juggling serving and adventuring on our own, but i’m sure we’ll figure it out.

GA: speaking of which, you should probably use what time you have to build up your sister’s house, before the imps show up at yours.

GG: Has she had to fight already?

GA: sounds like it. she didn’t seem injured though, and should have grist to blow.

GG: Right. I’ll check on her.

GG: Get yourself to safety, man. Can’t have my wingman exploding, can I?

GA: no sir!

GA: oh, by the way, i got some codes for you to try when you get some grist.

GA: should be able to upgrade your sword with them.

GG: Alright, let’s have ‘em.

GA: 485KFLCI

GA: that’s for the energy sword.

GA: 4KFIV867

GA: and that’s for the master sword.

GA: that will probably be more expensive.

GG: Alright. Thanks bro.

GA: no prob. seeya on the other side!

gamingAvarice ceased chatting with guardianGuitarist at 5:10 P.M.

“By Skaia’s light! I have never seen such a perfect piece of headwear! I sure hope I can get it home though…”

Leeroy gives a curious glance out into the hallway, where the Battle Master stands, observing the gecko. “Our friend got into one of the other trainees’ rooms, and found a rusty old knight helmet. He seems to love it.”

Leeroy chuckles slightly and returns to the chat client.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with techTitan at 5:11 P.M.

GG: Hey sis.

TT: oh, sup man

GG: Not much. Got a houseguest.

GG: A very confused gecko. I can only assume that there are more, and they live here.

TT: really?

TT: thats cool

GG: So I hear you had to do some fighting.

TT: yeah, but we’re fine

TT: I totally thrashed em

TT: got a bunch of pretty gem things

TT: I guess thats the grist stuff Doc kept talking about

GG: Must be.

GG: Anyway, I’m going to start expanding your house.

GG: Next stop, First Gate.

TT: sweet

TT: you talked to Fancy Pants lately?

GG: Just got done, actually. He says he’ll have Cheerilee get him into the game, and we’ll get Derpy to do the same for her before she enters her First Gate.

TT: okay, good

TT: thats what I was worried about

GG: It sounds like they’ve got some time left anyway, so no need to worry.

TT: need, maybe not

TT: but Im gonna anyway

TT: until shes safe

TT: well, they

TT: but

TT: you know what I mean

GG: Yeah, I gotcha.

GG: I’m sure she’d like to hear that, too.

TT: I know, but

TT: its not as easy as just saying stuff like that

GG: Yeah, I guess.

TT: oh, hey

TT: I want to try to make an item

GG: Alright.

GG: … Sweet Celestia, this thing is expensive.

GG: We can’t make it yet.

TT: man

TT: FP sent me that code

TT: I dunno where he dug it up but it looks like its gonna make the most badass wrench ever

TT: once we grind for grist for a while though

GG: Yeah, he gave me some sword codes, too.

GG: He’s pretty excited.

GG: I can only imagine how much he’s going to show us up when he gets in.

GG: When it comes to video games, he’s just the best there is.

TT: yeah, well

TT: when it comes to straight up kicking ass, its just you and me bro

TT: well give him a run for his money, you just watch

GG: Hah, sounds like a plan.

TT: so, how close do you think we can get to the first gate at this point

GG: Exactly two floors closer.

GG: I’ve been building this whole time.

TT: man, you dont waste time

GG: Neither do you, this is a really good amount of grist we’re working with already.

TT: those imps just cant wait to get a piece of us

TT: dads old brush gun is working real well, too

TT: he always kept that thing in good shape, even if guns were totally illegal

TT: his little secret artifact

TT: and now hes kicking ten kinds of ass with it

GG: Good to hear.

GG: As far as I can tell, these are lawless lands. Those weapons might have been banned in Equestria, but it was because they were unnecessary. Caused more problems than they possibly could have solved.

GG: But out here, they might just keep us alive.

TT: yup

TT: anyway, lets get back to the ‘game’ shall we

GG: Agreed. Derpy, Cheerilee and Fancy Pants will be able to handle themselves. Now, we focus on killing imps and stockpiling grist.

Derpy

Derpy cranes her head skyward, a grin on her face. The First Gate is nearly within reach. She and Doc have been working tirelessly, slaying imps, collecting grist, and building further and further skyward. And now, at last, the rest of the Land of Rifts and Steel was nearly hers for the exploring.

Her phone releases a tone, and she first thinks that Doc is messaging her again, but she sees that it is Fancy Pants.

gamingAvarice began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 5:11 P.M.

GA: hey derpy!

GA: you feeling ready to go?

CA: yeah! the first gate is just ahead!

CA: i’m so excited! i wonder what the rest of my land will be like…

GA: ah! well that’s good to hear.

GA: but, there’s one other thing you should do first, before you leave.

CA: what’s that? :0

GA: cheerilee and i are still in equestria.

GA: she’s going to be my server and get me in… but somepony still has to help her in.

GA: and you’re the last one in the chain.

CA: oh yeah! doc told me about that.

CA: so i guess i’ll head down and do that… but what about when we’re exploring?

CA: how will we build then?

GA: hrm…

GA: i wonder if you can combine your computer with something else and make a smaller computer.

GA: a portable one.

CA: worth a try! good idea.

Derpy makes her way back downstairs, a slow process. Her room is in a state of disorder, as- despite her best efforts- the imps have run through and left the house a mess. No time for that now though. Derpy makes her way to her computer, and pops the Sgraze server disc inside. It takes a little while to install, but once it does, Derpy sets to work right away in deploying the machines and items in Cheerilee’s house.

Fancy Pants

At the same time, Fancy Pants’ house is quickly undergoing preparation to leave what’s left of Equestria. predictably, he moves to his game shelf, decides on which to use, and throws it into the Kernelsprite. The light fades to reveal the HEAVYSPRITE, ammo belts for a gun it doesn’t have slung over its shoulder, and a fabulous hat atop its head. Fancy Pants figures that this will cause the imps to begin acquiring traits based on the nine classes of TF2, which should give them some variety. And also hats. Hats for everyone. That is important.

He moves over to the Alchemiter, and sees his artifact on its surface. It seems to be a torch, and there is a flint and steel lying next to it. He nods, and quickly lights the object. A bright light envelops his room, and he knows that he is finally bound for the game. Time to show these newbies how it’s done.

He rushes to his window to view his land, and he isn’t disappointed. Hills of blue roll across his view, and every so often, he sees a stone fortress standing sentinel. Some are broken, while some are in pretty good shape.

GA: alright cheerilee, what’s the name of this land?

GA: this land that i’ll soon become the hero of. >:D

AA: Let’s see…

AA: Ah, here it is.

AA: Welcome to the Land of Forts and Sidequests!

GA: are you

GA: are you serious

GA: sidequests

GA: HELL

GA: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

GA: i am going to have so much fun you have no idea.

AA: Maybe not, but I can imagine~.

AA: Anyway, I need to leave you to your own devices for a moment. It’s my time to leave this place.

GA: right. good luck! hope you get a land at least half as awesome as mine.

CA: alright, are you ready cheerilee?

AA: Yes. I’ve said my last goodbyes to Equestria. It’s time to go.

CA: right.

CA: okay, let’s see…

CA: i’ll expand your room to make space for the machines…

CA: boop, boop, boop… that should be all of em!

AA: Alright, now what?

CA: you have to put something in the sprite thingy.

CA: something that will give you a good guide, but be careful, because it changes how the monsters act, too!

AA: I see…

AA: Then I think this should do. The stuffed cat that’s been sitting in my room for some time.

AA: It shouldn’t make the imps too much stronger.

CA: yeah, sounds good!

CA: okay, next you should take that card I gave you and put it in this machine…

CA: then take the thing that came out of the Cruxtruder and put that in the machine too.

CA: now take that thing and put it in the alchemiter.

AA: It made a flag.

AA: But it won’t stay up, the tip is too narrow and pointy.

AA: I think it’s the pointiest thing I’ve ever seen, if I’m being honest.

CA: i think you should plant it.

CA: mark your land. stake out new land! be a rallying point for everypony!

AA: That sounds good! But…

AA: Just stab it into my floor?

AA: I suppose it’s that, or get a much bigger hole in my roof…

Derpy watches her bring the flag up above her head, and then drive it into the ground. The familiar flash of light envelops her house, but this time, it is much bigger. When it fades, Derpy sees that half of the mountain her house was perched on had come with her.

A title fades in across the screen: Land of Pools and Frogs. Derpy scrunches her face; she’s glad SHE didn’t get stuck with the frog land. Nevertheless, she tells Cheerilee the name of her land in a positive manner, then switches windows, as Doc is contacting her.

AT: Are you ready, Derpy?

AT: Your house is tall enough. The First Gate is within reach.

CA: yeah, just a sec!

CA: i need to combine my computer with something so i can have it with me.

AT: Ah, yes. Excellent idea.

CA: hrm…

CA: i guess i could just combine the computer and the phone?

AT: Worth a try.

AT: … Yes, that will make something closely resembling a tablet.

CA: yep, that should work.

CA: alright, i’m heading upstairs, to the first gate!

CA: wish me luck!

AT: I wish you all the luck in the world.

CA: <3

cross-eyedAngel ceased chatting with agelessTraveler at 5:21 P.M.

Derpy leaves her computer, and her room. Her mother-sprite is waiting for her on the other side of the door.

MOMSPRITE: I see you’re ready to explore your land!

DERPY: yeah! come on, let’s head up to the first gate! it’s going to be so much fun!

MOMSPRITE: Hee hee, I’m sure it will. But I’m afraid I can’t go with you, Derpy. Not yet.

DERPY: huh? why not?

MOMSPRITE: My nature as a sprite means that I’m bound to this house. At least, for now.

MOMSPRITE: Later on, you will unlock the ability for me to leave. But for now, I must remain here.

MOMSPRITE: We will still be able to talk, though, and I can provide you with advice.

MOMSPRITE: As your sprite, I have a telepathic link to you.

DERPY: ahh, i see! i think.

DERPY: i guess this is goodbye for now though, right?

MOMSPRITE: Yes…

The two embrace in a long hug, before Derpy nods happily and swiftly makes her way back up the stairs. When she finally reaches the top, the First Gate is in the center of the new room, easily reachable. She takes a deep breath, and steps through.

End of Act 1

Forty-two

Chapter in color

Forty-two

Act 2

20 Hours Later

Fancy Pants

A Gate opens in the Hero of Hope’s room, depositing him roughly onto the floor. He rubs his head, and looks up to see his sprite guide hovering before him.

FANCY PANTS: what happened? why’d that gate take me back here?

HEAVYSPARTANGUY: This was not gate.

HEAVYSPARTANGUY: What you used was Return Node.

HEAVYSPARTANGUY: They return you here.

FANCY PANTS: huh. well, based on the name, i guess that’s pretty obvious.

FANCY PANTS: these could be handy though.

FANCY PANTS: besides… it’s time for me to start alchemizing.

FANCY PANTS: i’ve already done a bunch of sidequests, and relieved these salamanders of all this grist they don’t need.

FANCY PANTS: besides, this piece of crap gun isn’t cutting it anymore.

Fancy Pants moves over to the Alchemiter, then realizes he’ll need help operating it first. He moves over to his computer.

gamingAvarice began chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 1:30 P.M.

GA: hey, cheerilee!

GA: how are you holding up?

AA: I’m holding up, I can say that much.

AA: My land seems to be fundamentally different from the others in certain ways.

AA: These frogs apparently serve a much greater purpose. They are seen as almost sacred to the residents of the land.

AA: While, from what I can gather, frogs are seen as a taboo on Derse. They revile the image of the creatures.

AA: It’s all very curious.

AA: But what, exactly, their purpose is, I couldn’t guess. They seem just like any other frogs to me.

GA: man, that IS weird…

GA: there’s nothing like that here on lofas.

GA: just a lot of forts with salamanders living in them. some try to build cities and kingdoms, some are in turf wars with each other.

GA: some just squat there.

GA: but that gets me back to what i wanted to ask you about. i got a bunch of grist from these sidequests. you up for some alchemizing?

AA: Sure! I could use to upgrade my own arsenal, but I’ll need to wait for Derpy to do that.

AA: At least I can get some ideas from what you make.

GA: alright! i was thinking we make some new guns first.

Fancy Pants takes his PERFECTLY GENERIC RIFLE, and begins searching for ways to create new guns. Finally, he settles on two other titles: FALLOUT: NEW PEGASUS and HALO 3. He runs both through the alchemizing process, and acquires the PLASMA RIFLE and BATTLE RIFLE. The plasma rifle requires a bit of uranium, which he was lucky enough to obtain for a particularly challenging side quest. The battle rifle just costs some common materials, and is pretty much a straight upgrade from the perfectly generic rifle.

He doesn’t think that’s quite enough yet though, and decides to try for something a bit more abstract. He obtains the codes for PORTAL and HALF-LIFE 2. As expected, these create the PORTAL GUN and GRAVITY GUN, respectively. These also have a high cost in rare grist, especially the portal gun, which requires several units of garnet and diamond, but once again, he has ample supply, and makes both.

With these new guns, though, Fancy Pants feels that he needs a better system for operating them. The robo-gloves he made before are cheap and not the most responsive. He obtains the code for them, then grabs a code for LEAGUE OF LEGENDS. These create a much more responsive pair of VI GLOVES; but they’re a bit big. Another run through with a MINI-MUSHROOM fixes that problem. He slips them on and does some highly acrobatic maneuvers with the portal and gravity guns. His landing is a bit rough though.

“Oh yeah… Need the long fall boots. I never wear shoes, but I think sis has some…”

He messages Cheerilee to let her know where he is going, and makes his way out of his room and through his rather expansive home. It’s not quite MANSION-GRADE, but it’s still pretty big when compared to most houses. He makes his way to his sister’s room, and takes a breath in preparation before entering.

FLEUR: Fancy Pants! Oh, thank Celestia that was you up there. I thought another imp got in.

FANCY PANTS: some imps got in?

FLEUR: Yeah. The defenses you put up held most of them off, but they aren’t good enough to keep them all out.

FANCY PANTS: huh… well, we’ve got a lot better resources now. i’ll set up some more turrets all over the house, and some heavier-duty shields. that should keep them out.

FLEUR: Alright. Will they be reloaded the same way?

FANCY PANTS: yeah. just whack ‘em with a wrench every so often, and they should work just fine.

FLEUR: Okay… Thank you again for doing this for me, brother.

FANCY PANTS: no problem. and as soon as it looks like the coast is clear, i’ll come back for you, and we’ll both get where we’re going.

FLEUR: Alright. Is there anything I can do to move things along? It gets dull here sometimes, and… Well, I sort of feel like I’m not doing much to help.

FANCY PANTS: i see what you mean…

FANCY PANTS: well, first, can i borrow a pair of boots? i need to make some to use some of my equipment right.

FANCY PANTS: and i’ll see what i can do to help you take a more active role. maybe i can whip up a manual controller for the turrets.

FLEUR: That might help.

FLEUR: Here, take these boots. Good luck!

Fancy Pants nods, pleasantly surprised by how the conversation went. He supposes that his sister is shaken by events, and isn’t feeling well enough to blame him for everything.

He returns to his room, and first makes his LONG FALL BOOTS. He then begins experimenting with several games, and comes up with several types of AUTOTURRETS originating from various games. An array of shielding options shortly follows.

Fancy Pants now decides it’s time to make fun stuff. He retrieves his phone, thinking of how he could make a cooler and more convenient chat device. Eventually, his eyes settle on another game, PONYBALL Z, and his reading MONOCLE. The combination of these three items yields the SCOUTER. Fancy Pants laughs in victory and slips the item over his left eye immediately.

He thinks for a moment. What else can he make? He hasn’t needed armor yet, and he’s already made plenty of weapons. Healing options are plentiful enough already.

An idea pops into his head, and his eyes widen. He knows what he must do. He grabs the copies of Half-Life 2 and Halo 3 again, with the speed and precision of a pony with one sole purpose in mind, and the dreams of a world on his back. He runs the two codes through, and gazes at the Alchemiter impatiently. At last, the machine works its magic, depositing the resulting item.

Tears of joy for in the corners of his eyes. By Skaia’s light, by Celestia’s sun, he’s done it. The spiritual holy grail of gaming. HALF-LIFE 3. As he cradles the disc in his hooves, he knows that it is every bit as beautiful as he could have imagined. He knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was worth the weight.

Too bad he’s pretty much the only one who’s ever going to be able to play it, because almost everyone else in Equestria is dead. He shrugs, wipes the tears from his eyes, and places the disc lovingly in his CD case for safekeeping. He will have time for it later. For now, though he never thought he’d say it, there is a bigger game than Half-Life 3 to be concerned with.

AA: Hee hee, you seem to be having fun.

GA: you have no idea.

GA: i could make a fortune back home with this game.

GA: well… a second fortune.

GA: but, i mean, what would i even use it for when the only thing i did with the one i HAD was play video games?

AA: I don’t know. Donate it?

GA: yeah, probably.

GA: use half-life 3 for the greater good of the world. the way it was meant to be used.

GA: it’s what the people who made the series would have wanted.

AA: Hee hee~

AA: Anyway, I will return to you later. I want to check up on Quick Fix.

GA: heh heh. alright.

GA: oh, wait! there was something i wanted to tell you.

GA: can you keep a secret? at least for now.

AA: Certainly. What is it?

GA: well… remember that white stallion we met in the temple?

AA: Oh, yes!

AA: Speaking of which, I should check back on the temple soon.

GA: right. well, this isn’t about the temple, it’s about the stallion.

GA: i think he’s the final boss.

AA: Oh my. Are you sure?

GA: no, not at all. i could definitely be wrong.

GA: that’s why you shouldn’t say anything, because until i’m certain, we have to keep pursuing the main quest as it’s given.

GA: but sometimes in games, a person shows up in the beginning, all mysterious, and pretends to help you.

GA: you might see him once or twice more between that time and the end of the game, but mostly he’ll stay out of the way.

GA: but then, when you get to the ‘final boss’, he shows up, and reveals that HE’S the real final boss, and has been pulling the strings all along.

AA: Ah, yes. I’ve encountered that trope in a few books, as well.

AA: So you think that’s what is happening here?

GA: i think it’s possible. that’s all i can say for certain.

AA: I see. Well, thank you for telling me. I will keep that in mind, but keep it to myself.

GA: alright. thanks, cheerilee.

GA: good luck out there.

AA: You too, my friend.

gamingAvarice ceased chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 1:56 P.M.

Doc

The young Hero of Time slides across the open ground, twisting his head to bring his REVENGE OF PHILLIP screwdriver into the side of another monster, slaying it. He feels himself take a hit from behind, but thanks to the shielding he had improvised from the technology in his basement, the damage was minimized. He swings back around, scoring a second kill.

He glances over his shoulder, and sees a mighty ogre behind him. He smiles, and retrieves a pair of items from his inventory- the SONIC PERCISION TIME-JUMP devices- and disappears in a flash of blue light. He reappears in the same moment behind the ogre’s head, and drives his screwdriver straight through. Before the monster can react, he jumps again, this time appearing near its feet to stab it in the ankle and unbalance it. One final jump to stab it straight through the back sends the ogre exploding into a heap of grist, which Doc collects in satisfaction.

He looks around the dark fields of Losab, the rain bouncing off of his jacket, equipped out of necessity. The land was divided into sections, each of which was connected to one or more other sections. An imbalance of weight on any section would cause it to sink into the ground, and would send others rising higher. Doc had already learned that this could cause dramatic destructive effects on the land and its inhabitants, but he is sure that he would need to manipulate the nature of this land to complete his personal section of the quest. He can’t help but wonder how the Denizen still resides in the center of such an unstable planet, but he assumes that this is something else that will come with time. And time is something that this young stallion has no shortage of.

Doc spies a house a short walk away, and makes his way to it, hoping to get out of the rain. He expects to meet more of the land’s residents, but when he reaches the building, it seems to be abandoned. It looks as though it once served as a farmhouse, but hasn’t been occupied in some time. The walls and roof alike have various holes rotted through, and the wood of the remaining walls and ceiling seem rotten as well. However, it doesn’t look like it’s on the verge of caving in just yet, and Doc decides that it will make an acceptable shelter.

He finds a relatively dry spot, and retrieves his computing device: a sleek machine that takes up the length of his forearm, with a touch screen large enough to complete Sgraze operations for Derpy on the go. A second screen to the side is used for chat. He accesses this one.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 1:42 P.M.

AT: Hello, my dear! How are you faring on your quest?

CA: hi doc! <3

CA: it’s going pretty good!

CA: i’ve already earned a lot of grist.

CA: and something called boondollars. i think the lizard-people that live on our planets use those as money.

AT: Seems that way. I’ve earned a fair number of boondollars, myself.

CA: sweet!

CA: so, did you need to talk to me about something, or…?

AT: Oh, not really. I just thought I’d check up on you, see how you are doing.

CA: ah, alright! that’s nice of you!

CA: well, i’ve done… three quests now, i think. the first one was easy, it was just a delivery to another town. same job i always do. :P

CA: the other two had me get a treasure and fight stronger monsters. those were a bit tough, but it was worth it.

AT: Indeed. I’ve completed a few myself, and my grist and boondollar stores, as well as my level, have benefited from it.

CA: yeah!

CA: so, you’ve mostly been doing quests and stuff, too?

AT: That, and experimenting with the time-manipulation devices I’ve been given.

AT: I imagine that it’s my duty to discover their potential, as the resident who gave me the base item for them as a reward for my first quest referred to me as the ‘Hero of Time’.

CA: really? :o

AT: Really really.

AT: Though I’ve heard our whole group referred to as ‘heroes’, so I’m certain that we all have some element assigned to us.

CA: yeah, that makes sense…

CA: i haven’t heard what mine is yet though. :/

AT: Doesn’t seem as though anyone has. I spoke to Fancy Pants a short time ago, and he was just as much in the dark.

AT: I’m certain it will become clear with time, though.

CA: yeah…

CA: speaking of time, you said you’ve been experimenting with your time travel thingies?

CA: learn anything cool?

AT: Oh! Er… are you sure?

AT: I mean, I would love to talk about it, but I don’t want to bore you…

CA: that’s okay!

CA: i may not TOTALLY understand time travel stuff, but i think you’re pretty good at explaining it.

AT: Oh, well, I can’t say no to that, can I?

AT: You’re going to make me blush…

AT: Anyway, they don’t work exactly as I thought they would.

AT: I thought time was a strict progression of events. I thought that if you travel back in time, then you were always supposed to. That everything, even time travel, was pre-destined.

AT: And sometimes, these devices do act like that. But sometimes they don’t.

AT: For instance, a little while ago, a version of myself from the future came back to talk to me.

AT: He advised me against taking a certain action that I planned on taking. He said that it would create a ‘doomed timeline’, and that by avoiding that action, I could prevent it.

AT: I did, and he was satisfied. But he said that he would have to die. He said that doomed timeline clones such as he were always destined to die, and that only the ‘alpha’ me could survive.

AT: So he gave me all his grist and boondollars, and left. I have not seen him since.

AT: It was quite unsettling…

AT: So time seems to maintain some linearity when these devices are in use, but some events can be changed.

AT: I don’t know what to picture time as now. It’s not a straight line of course, and it’s not even a line that doubles back on itself.

AT: Right now, in my mind, it just looks like a big mess. A big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff.

AT: Suddenly, that phrase actually makes sense. My… My mentor, used to use that phrase pretty frequently.

CA: huh… that’s all really weird!

CA: but, wait, why did you hesitate when you mentioned your mentor?

AT: It’s… it’s a long story. Impossibly long.

AT: That’s not to say I won’t tell you. I will.

AT: But I think I need a bit more time to process it myself, and to decide how exactly to tell the story.

CA: ah, i see.

CA: well, that’s okay! you can tell me whenever you’re ready. i can wait.

AT: Thank you, my dear.

AT: Also, I’ve been working on your house in my down time. We are close to reaching the Second Gate. I will let you know when we secure it.

CA: alright! thanks doc!

CA: oh, i think something’s happening. i’ll talk to you later!

AT: Alright, good luck!

agelessTraveler ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 2:03 P.M.

Forty-three

Chapter in color

Forty-three

Derpy

The young Hero of Breath, potential not yet discovered, swiftly makes her way towards the nearby village. On this land, the resident skinks have formed settlements in and around the great steel structures that litter the landscape. Some have interiors, and thus allow parts of the villages and cities to be built inside, while others are simply large masses of metal, like the support beams of unspeakably giant structures.

Derpy senses that this nearby one is in trouble, though. There is a large amount of smoke rising into the sky, more than could be from simple cooking fires, and as she draws nearer, she can hear the sounds of panic.

She digs her hooves into the earth, skidding to a halt before the village, built in the shadow of a great steel pillar. A large monster clings to the pillar, one with a snake like body and four arms that hang onto the steel. Its large head is turned towards the village, a wisp of smoke trailing from its maw. Below, a pair of ogres brandishes clubs of wood, wreaking havoc on the village. The resident skinks run and hide from the monsters, unable to fight.

Derpy grits her teeth in excitement and determination. She is certainly able to fight. She retrieves her boomerang of choice and dives into the fray. She is still unable to fly, but that doesn’t mean she can’t still use her skill at heights to her advantage. She swiftly leaps atop some rubble, gaining enough height to leap atop a roof, and quickly jumps towards one of the ogres. With one mighty leap into the air, she brings her bladed boomerang down upon the ogre’s head, more than halving its HP.

This obviously draws the ogre’s attention to Derpy, but she is already on the move again, towards the other ogre. Making sure the first opponent is following her, she slips between the second ogre’s legs, causing the first one to run clumsily into its partner. Using the confusion to her advantage, Derpy leaps atop some boxes, flips back onto the roofs, and zips across the two bumbling giants, destroying the first and damaging the second.

Before she could plan a third attack, fire rains down from above, roasting the second ogre and narrowly missing Derpy herself. She tumbles to the ground and looks up to see the giant lizard-monster looking down at her, wisps of flame and smoke at the edges of its mouth. It drops down from its perch and lands in the middle of town before Derpy, crushing a building in the process.

Derpy leaps back, then to the side as another ball of fire barrels her way. She ducks behind a building to catch her breath and think; the monster can breathe fire, but its body doesn’t look convenient. Turning would be difficult. If she can get behind it…

The beast launches another blast of fire her way, and Derpy leaps to the right, out of the way. She rolls and springs to her hooves, then sprints through the side street. The beast doesn’t lose sight of her, but she is moving too quickly for it to turn to keep her in front of it. Soon, she manages to get behind it, then leaps and kicks off of the wall of a building, using her wings to glide. They still won’t let her fly, but they’re responsive enough to keep her airborne for a few more precious seconds.

She brings her boomerang down upon the creature’s neck, dealing a critical hit, but not quite killing it. Before landing, she throws the boomerang directly behind the beast, and equips another. Her hooves touch ground, and she moves immediately to avoid being burnt by the creature’s next attack.

The beast snapped its jaws at her, but she managed to leap backward just far enough to avoid the attack. Another blast of fire is already gathering in the creature’s maw, but her bladed boomerang finally comes back around, hitting the enemy in the neck once again. The damage finally proves too much for it, and grist scatters across the town. Derpy quickly moves about to collect the loot from the three enemies, and by the time she’s finished, the townspeople are around her, cheering her success. She is lifted into the air and carried happily to the center of town, giggling.

One of the skinks makes his way quickly to a shop, and enters to retrieve something. He returns with a strange looking device, looking as though it could be an add-on to some larger machine.

“With your abilities, I’m sure you could make use of this Fraymotif. It’s not like anybody around here can afford the things, anyway.”

Derpy frowns slightly. “Why not lower the price then?”

The skink stares at her for a few moments, then shrugs and says “I ‘unno”.

Derpy chuckles and takes the device. She’s about to ask how to use it, but it seems to activate on its own, glowing a soft blue. It flashes several times, illuminating Derpy’s coat, and seems to deactivate after the brightest flash.

“Guess it worked!” Derpy says, then makes her way to the outer edge of the town center while the crowd disperses, free to go about their business again. She retrieves her phone, and checks to see who is online; Doc is busy, but it looks like Quick Fix is free.

cross-eyedAngel began chatting with techTitan at 2:28 P.M.

CA: hey quick fix!

CA: how are you doing?

TT: good

TT: wet

TT: half my land is underwater did I mention that

CA: i think you did.

TT: ah

TT: well its a good thing the rebreather me and fp whipped up works right

TT: my whole land is like the fucking water level in every video game that everybody hates

CA: doesn’t sound like you like it. :/

TT: I can deal

TT: and its not so bad on the surface

TT: but I cant wait until I can get off this place honestly

CA: do you think we will?

TT: no doubt

TT: theres all six of our lands

TT: and prospit and derse

TT: and the battlefield

TT: we will have to go there at the end

TT: its total endgame material, its gotta be

CA: makes sense!

TT: yeah

TT: sounds like Docs world and bros world also have a lot of water

TT: like, half of mine is water, and half of the worlds in general have water

TT: real good freakin thing we can all swim right

CA: heh, yeah!

CA: hey, have you gotten any of these fraymotif things yet?

TT: yeah, I snagged one a little bit ago

TT: you get one too?

CA: yup!

TT: which one

CA: hang on, i’ll check…

CA: ‘steel jungle’s sonata’.

TT: that sounds pretty sweet

TT: I got one called brines bolero

TT: I think these are like midlevel ones

TT: so they should be pretty strong for a while

TT: my bro told me that he saw a couple for sale

TT: there were three that he could use by himself

TT: and five more that would work with him and another one of us as a team

TT: I think thats how it is for all of us

CA: sweet! we’ll have to get more and experiment with them.

TT: definitely

CA: oh, hey, there was something i wanted to ask you.

TT: shoot

CA: and, i’m not quite sure why i never thought to ask earlier, i guess it just never came up…

CA: but why is it that you call leeroy your brother?

TT: woah, shit, did I never tell you that story?

CA: i don’t think so. :o

TT: well I gotta fix that then

TT: get comfy, cuz its story time

CA: yay! *grabs popcorn*

TT: okay, so, I think it started when the battle master for the knight school at Cloudsdale found Leeroy as a baby one day

TT: he was only a few days younger than me

TT: and she found him pretty nearby to my town

TT: so she brought him there to be adopted and taken care of

TT: in theory, that should have been it, but she saw something in him I guess

TT: kept coming back to check on him every couple of months

TT: Leeroy just floated around town mostly, but he saw the battle master as a good friend, maybe even family

TT: but me and Leeroy were good friends too

TT: he stayed at my house sometimes

TT: and we would play with our smarty pants dolls and fake-swordfight with sticks and stuff

TT: real good friends

TT: one day we were playing around some big rocky formation outside of town, and he slipped and hurt himself

TT: it was bad

TT: I got him back to the hospital, but he had lost a lot of blood

TT: they stopped the bleeding, but he had lost so much already that they needed to give him more

TT: so I told the doctor

TT: ‘take some of mine’

TT: the doctor was like ‘you’d need a guardians consent for that’

TT: and I said ‘my dad would tell you to let me do it, you can call him, just please let me help my friend’

TT: so the doc agreed soon enough, and had one of the nurses get dad while he took a sample of my blood to make sure it was the right kind

TT: it was the right kind

TT: same exact kind as Leeroy has

TT: so they pumped a bunch out of me, and I was drowsy as fuck, but I just stayed there with Leeroy

TT: and soon he woke up, recovering pretty well already

TT: so as soon as he was awake enough to understand what I was saying, I told him what happened

TT: we hugged with all the pitiful amount of strength we had at that point

TT: now, this is the point where most other ponies would start dating, right? childhood friends and life saving and all that

TT: but for me and Leeroy, neither one of us really wanted that

TT: me because I dont roll that way

TT: and him because I dont think he rolls any way at all? or if he does, he just never found anyone to roll with

TT: but point was, neither one of us wanted anything romantic

TT: so we decided to build something platonic instead

TT: right then in that hospital room, we decided that we would officially be brother and sister

TT: since right then, we shared a lot of the same blood, that made it even better

TT: and when we left the hospital, dad was totally cool with it and played along

TT: Leeroy stayed at our house a lot more often

TT: we gave him a guest room

TT: but I think the best part of it was when the battle master came by

TT: at those times, with a stallion, a mare, and two kids

TT: hell, it was like

TT: it was almost like we were a normal family

TT: and when he was accepted into the knight academy and the battle master flew him out to Cloudsdale

TT: dad got to sign the papers for him

TT: and me and dad saw him off like the proudest family you could imagine

CA: wow…

CA: that is the sweetest thing i’ve ever heard~

CA: i think i totally understand, now.

CA: you really love him, don’t you?

CA: like family i mean.

TT: yeah, I know what way you mean

TT: and… yeah

TT: I do love him like my own family

TT: its no halfassed thing

TT: I honestly consider him to be my brother

CA: hng…

CA: you two are just adorable.

CA: thanks for telling me your story.

TT: hey, thanks for listening

TT: Im always glad to tell it

TT: it makes me feel good too, cuz Im reminded just what a good friend I have and how lucky I am

TT: know what, Im gonna

TT: Im gonna talk to him

TT: havent done that very much since we began the game

CA: hee hee, you do that! let him know how much he means to you.

TT: kay

TT: ttly Derpy

Quick Fix

The young Hero of Void, extent of her reach not yet tested, looks upward at the water above. At the bottom of the sea of Lowac, towns and great cities exist, built over time by the turtles that inhabit the land. Settlements on the surface are typically little more than villages; the underwater settlements are typically safer from attacks by the monsters of the Incipisphere- the system of planets the six ponies now find themselves in- and the imps and other agents of Derse.

The cities under the sea are equipped with areas of air pockets. The turtles don’t really know how they got there, or why, as they breathe water as much as they do air. But Quick Fix is glad for it all the same. Due to the changing air pressure levels that come from swimming to and from the bottom of the sea, her ears have been popping constantly, and her legs are tired. She finds it nice to be able to relax and recover for a time, without fear of another imp attack.

She accesses her computing device again- a tablet computer with propulsion devices on the back, allowing it to keep itself in place in the air in front of her- and opens another chat window.

TT: bro

GG: Sis.

GG: What’s up?

TT: not much

TT: I just wanted to talk and stuff

TT: we havent done that in a while

TT: I also just wanted to say that

TT: I love you

GG: Oh

GG: Uh

TT: platonically of course

TT: I just told Derpy the story of how we decided to be bro and sis

TT: and I guess it got me all emotional

TT: I remembered all the stuff weve been through

TT: and how lucky I am to have you as a brother

GG: Geez, sis, you’re making me blush out here.

GG: I’m really glad to have you too. And… I love you too, sis.

TT: next time we meet up

GG: Yes. Big hugs all around.

TT: fuck yessss

TT: glad were on the same page

TT: you are getting mega hug

GG: I look forward to it.

TT: anyway, Im gonna get back to Cheerilee in a minute

GG: Oh. Hey, before you do that…

GG: I wanted to say I’m sorry about that.

TT: huh

GG: She contacted me a little while ago, and I dunno, something about the way she was acting struck me, and it’s been hanging over my head.

GG: And I know you’ll say it’s not my fault, but… I’m still sorry.

GG: I know you really like her, and she really likes me, and I don’t really like anyone in that way.

GG: It’s a big awkward mess, and I’d just as soon have it be more simple and just have you and her together.

TT: I know

TT: I wish that too

TT: one of these days Im just gonna tell her

TT: hope that changes her mind

TT: but I dont want to fuck everything up, so I have to wait for the right time to do it

TT: I will do it sometime though

GG: Why not now?

TT: eh, its

TT: I dunno

TT: I need time to prepare

GG: You’ve been planning how you’ll do it for the past eight years of your life.

TT: its different

TT: its different imagining how it would go down, and actually being in the moment

TT: plus, I never imagined wed be in a situation like this

TT: fighting for our lives

TT: fighting for pony kind

TT: gotta brace myself you know

GG: Yeah, I suppose so.

GG: Just try not to overdo it, alright? Something daring, but not over-the-top.

TT: yeah, that sounds right

TT: anyway, Im gonna get back to stuff

TT: but I just wanna say again

TT: I love you bro

GG: I love you too, sis. And good luck, whenever you decide to act.

TT: yup yup

techTitan ceased chatting with guardianGuitarist at 2:45 P.M.

Leeroy

The young Hero of Blood, yet to awaken the power that courses through his veins, stands atop a slight outcropping of rock overlooking a village. The balmy ocean breeze blows through his hair gently. Upon completing his latest quest and achieving the rank of SCUMRUNNER, he had chanced upon a piece of information; a legend of a great sword hidden away somewhere in the bowels of the land. Upon further investigation, he had even tracked down a location to the entrance of the underworld, where it was fabled to lie in sleep. The swords Fancy Pants had sent him are of excellent quality, but judging by the rising toughness of his enemies, they would not be enough forever. He would need to update his arsenal sooner or later, and a legendary sword sounds like just the way to do it.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with gamingAvarice at 2:50 P.M.

GG: Bro, how close are we to the second gate?

GA: halfway to the third one, my good man.

GG: Hah. Should have known you wouldn’t waste any time.

GA: i think you’ll find that when it comes to multitasking, i’m simply the best there is.

GA: i’ve made good headway on my own quest.

GA: got a nice fraymotif recently. rampart’s refrain.

GA: thing makes an absolute mess of the underlings. it’s great!

GG: I haven’t had the chance to test out my fraymotif yet.

GG: I’m sure I’ll get the chance though. Legendary sword cave is bound to have some tough enemies.

GA: yikes.

GA: that sounds like a central story goal.

GG: Uh, yeah? And?

GA: if it were me, i’d avoid it for a little while. sidequest a bit first. get some extra xp and some good items. then go for the main mission.

GA: but that’s just the completionist powergamer in me talking.

GG: There’s another side of you than that?

GA: yeah, the devilishly handsome ladykiller side.

GA: no mare can resist.

GG: Heh. That would explain why the three girls on our team are all after someone else.

GA: irrelevant.

GG: Heh.

GG: But, back to the topic at hand…

GG: You’re the expert on video game quests here. And I trust you, bro. So if you say I should stay away from the underworld for a while and get stronger, I’ll do it.

GG: I need to figure out where the Battle Master went, anyway. We got separated, and are staying solo and reporting to each other.

GG: But I haven’t heard from her in a while.

GA: sounds like a real solid place to start.

GA: when you wanna head back home, use one of the gate-looking things around the world.

GA: i just figured out that they’re ‘return nodes’ and do just that, return you back to your starting point.

GG: Good to know. Thanks man.

GG: Good luck on your own quest.

GA: yup, you too.

guardianGuitarist ceased chatting with gamingAvarice at 3:03 P.M.

Leeroy switches windows on his phone, now upgraded into a much more efficient tactical device, and opens a channel with the Battle Master.

guardianGuitarist began chatting with CelestiasShield821 at 3:04 P.M.

GG: I’ve received some intel on the location of a more powerful sword.

GG: It may be some time before I am able to get to it though. It’s sealed away within Locas.

CS: Excellent. Keep me updated.

CS: I’ve become a bit waylaid, but I am still capable of completing my mission in this place.

GG: Where are you?

CS: An entirely different planet.

CS: I chanced upon a shuttle leaving Locas, and stowed aboard to investigate. I’m now on Lowac.

GG: Lowac… I think that’s where Quick Fix and her dad are.

CS: I haven’t run into either of them, but I suppose it’s a big planet. I will let you know if I see them.

GG: Good.

GG: How has your recon been progressing there?

CS: I’ll admit, progress has been slow. The residents of this planet seem to be semi-amphibious, and I am unable to reach the underwater cities.

CS: I procured a boat though, which has allowed me to move between islands.

GG: That’s good.

GG: I think Quick Fix got a rebreather and oxygen packs to let her explore underwater. By the sounds of it, that’s where the good stuff is.

CS: Interesting… I’ll make a note of it.

CS: Oh, while we’re at it, can you give me your sister’s screen name?

CS: I don’t need to contact her at this moment, but if I need to in the future, I want to be able.

GG: Oh, yeah, sure. It’s techTitan.

CS: Got it.

CS: I’m signing off for now. Good luck, Leeroy. Keep me updated.

GG: Likewise.

CelestiasSheild821 ceased chatting with guardianGuitarist at 3:15 P.M.

Leeroy nods, stores his computing device, and leaps from his perch. He uses his wings to glide to the ground, lands in a roll, then pops and locks to his feet. He gallops off in a random direction, ready for some training and sidequests. He is ready to become stronger, to become the defender he needs to be.

Forty-four

Chapter in color

Forty-four

Derpy

CA: okay doc, how are we doing?

AT: Excellently. You should now be ready to enter the Second Gate.

CA: sweet!!

CA: i think i’ve done what i need to around this part of loras. how do i get back home?

AT: There are small portals around your land that resemble gates.

AT: These are Return Nodes. They will take you back home, so I’ve been told.

CA: alright! i’ll find one.

cross-eyedAngel is now idle

Derpy makes her way back into town, the first one she had found after the underling attack earlier, and looks around for one of the portals. She spies one atop a rock formation near the center, and trots over to it. It’s easy enough to climb, and she scrambles up and leaps into the Node. A rough but quick ride through space follows, and she is deposited back into her room.

The imps have had their way with the place. Everything that wasn’t nailed down has been strewn across the floor, and what WAS nailed down had been assaulted with the stuff that wasn’t nailed down. It was clear that they had been met with resistance though, as scorch marks, stray bits of grist, and other signs of a battle were still present.

Derpy tidies up a bit, exits her room, and is immediately tackled against the door. At first, she snaps into combat mode, thinking that this must be an imp survivor, but she calms when she looks down to see that it is Smarty Pants. She looks a bit worse for wear, but she still has some fight in her. Right now, though, she just seems happy to see her owner safe and sound. Derpy laughed happily and hugged the animated doll back.

“What happened here?” she asked Smarty Pants. “It looks like there was a fight. Are you and mom alright?”

Smarty Pants didn’t clearly respond, but led Derpy to the den of the house, where her mother-sprite was waiting. Derpy runs up and give her a hug, as well.

MOMSPRITE: Hello dear! You’ve been doing well!

DERPY: thanks mom!

DERPY: it looks like there was some trouble here though. are you alright?

MOMSPRITE: Yes, we should be fine. Imps and things have still been trying to gain entrance to the house, but they haven’t been hard to fend off.

MOMSPRITE: Smarty Pants has been a great help as well, but it seems that she wants to go with you now.

DERPY: are you sure you won’t need any backup?

MOMSPRITE: Yes, don’t worry. Your mother can handle these ones.

MOMSPRITE: Now, make your way upstairs. The Second Gate awaits!

MOMSPRITE: And don’t worry. Soon enough, I will be able to help you more.

DERPY: thanks mom! i’ll be careful out there.

MOMSPRITE: I’m glad to hear it. Good luck!

DERPY: you too!

Smarty Pants allows herself to be captchalogued, and Derpy quickly makes her way up the winding path that leads to the current top of her now quite tall home. It takes her a solid fifteen minutes to get to the top, but when she does, the Second Gate pulses before her. She nods determinedly, ready for whatever will come next, and steps through.

She is thrown about a bit through her brief trip through space, then is deposited in an unfamiliar room. She scrambles back upright to look around. There are all kinds of strange knick-knacks lying around, probably thrown out of place by imps. A computer sits on a desk in the corner, and when Derpy accesses it, she is shown a view of herself.

She becomes aware of something to her right, and turns to see a sprite hovering in the doorway.

DALEK-9: THIS INTRUSION HAS BEEN REPORTED.

DERPY: wait… you look like some of the robo-imps i’ve been fighting!

DALEK-9: AFFIRMATIVE. IT WAS MY CREATION THAT INADVERTENTLY CREATED THEM.

DALEK-9: THEY ARE ABOMINATIONS, AND YOU ARE JUSTIFIED IN DESTROYING THEM.

DERPY: so this is doc’s house then?!

DALEK-9: AFFIRMATIVE.

cross-eyedAngel began chatting with agelessTraveler at 3:41 P.M.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 3:41 P.M.

CA: doc!

AT: Derpy!

AT: My sprite tells me you’re at my house!

CA: yeah, looks like it!

CA: your sprite’s kinda creepy though.

D9: AND STILL HAS FULL ACCESS TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNICATIONS.

AT: Yeah, yeah.

AT: To be fair, friend, you ARE kind of creepy.

CA: >:P

AT: Anyway, I will be right there, Derpy.

AT: I just need to locate a Return Node. And they are everywhere, it won’t take long.

CA: alright, i’ll be here!

Derpy’s heart races as she waits. This will be the first time she’s met Doc in-person. She’s had video chats with him, of course, so she knows what he looks like, but this is completely different. She takes a seat at Doc’s desk, but her back hooves tap on the ground, unable to sit still. The Daleksprite hovers where it is, watching her with its one robotic eye.

After what seems like hours of waiting, Derpy sees a gate open on the ceiling, and her heart nearly explodes out of her chest. The gate pulses several times, then he falls out of it, colliding with the ground, unbalanced as the gates always leave its passengers.

Before Doc can fully recover and stand, Derpy leaps from where she sits and tackles him, hugging him tight. Both are sent rolling across the room, and soon Doc’s front hooves wrap around her in turn. Soon, both just sit in the corner, cuddling each other and giggling.

“I didn’t think we’d get to meet up this soon! I’m glad I was wrong.”

“Yeah! This was the best surprise yet! So… what do we do now?”

Doc shrugs after a moment. “I suppose we could do some adventuring together?”

Derpy nods enthusiastically, and the two equipped their weapons and swiftly made their way up the stairs, further up into the house. Several imps that had sneaked their way in think it wise to try and stop the pair, but they are dispatched with very little effort. They don’t even slow the two down. The two reach Doc’s First Gate- his house doesn’t yet reach the Second- and lock hooves as they leap through, and are deposited on the rainy surface of the land.

Derpy would have been immediately soaked, save for the fact that Doc reacts quickly. He swiftly deploys another jacket from his inventory, directly over her. It settles nice and snug, and Derpy giggles and blushes slightly. The two nod to each other, and side by side rush to find adventure.

It is hours before the pair finally makes their way back to Doc’s home. Their metaphorical pockets filled to the brim with grist and boondollars, both several levels stronger, the two sit on the sofa in Doc’s foyer to catch their breath.

“So… What now?” Derpy asks. “This has been really fun, but I think I need to get back to my quest on Loras.”

“I suppose you’re right. These lands were tailor-made for us, and we can only go so far in our quests by working together. I can walk with you to the nearest Return Node, if you like?”

Derpy nods. “I’d love that!”

The two make their way back to Doc’s First Gate, and are teleported elsewhere on Losab again. The teleportation process has become more comfortable as the players have gotten used to it, and Doc and Derpy are ready to move immediately after being deposited on the surface. They made their way swiftly to the Return Node, and said a quick farewell, but Derpy did not immediately step through. Neither of her eyes was looking directly at Doc, and she was blushing slightly.

At last, she squeezes her eyes shut, steps forward, and gives him a brief kiss, before leaping backwards through the Node and disappearing.

Doc doesn’t move for several seconds, processing what just happened. At last, a huge grin grows across his face, and he makes several hoof-motions in victory while no one is looking. He then equips his weapon and steps through the Node himself, ready to get back to the fight. The Third Gate is now within reach, so he supposes that he’s now bound for Quick Fix’s land.

Quick Fix

The darkness surrounds Quick Fix as she makes her way through the halls of Derse, deep and sprawling in the surface of the moon. There’s something brewing in the kingdom of darkness, and she needs to find out what. She’s only needed to make one silent takedown in her espionage attempt so far, and it wasn’t even lethal.

She sidles up to the edge of the wall before the next hallway, and peers around to see if anyone is there. The coast is clear. She slips around and makes her way through. Halfway through the hall, however, she hears voices approach from the splitting hallways further down, and quickly ducks into a small room to the side and shuts the door. It seems to be a storage closet. She presses up against the door to hear the approaching Dersites.

"Hi. Coming back from the lower levels?” one of them asks. “I was just headed there myself.”

“Don’t bother.” the other responds. “The Dignitary has the place locked down. Private meeting or something. I couldn’t get in to get my things. Guess I’ll come back later…”

The two soon move along, and Quick Fix continues, knowing she is on the right track. Soon she reaches the blockade the two Dersites must have been referring to, and there is another one standing guard in front of it. There’s no other way around, so she sighs and equips one of her less-powerful wrenches. There is no need to kill anyone.

She quickly dashes forward and clocks the Dersite guard over the head with her blunt weapon, knocking him unconscious. His hard carapace protects him from the brunt of the damage, but it is enough to put him to sleep for a while. Quick Fix grabs the keys from his belt, unlocks the door in the barricade, and makes her way further forward.

She reaches another door, and presses up to it to listen in.

“So you’ve confirmed its location?”

“Yes. As expected, it has been split and separated. However, we’ve pinned both. Half is on Lofas, the other on Lowac. I’ll be heading operations on the former. Slick, you’re in charge of the latter.”

“And it’s ‘by any means I deem necessary’ right?”

“Right. Just try not to kill any Prospitan or Lowacian civilians. We’re in hot enough water as it is without breaking the code of honor.”

“Fine. I’m still taking the Brute though. Might need him to knock some walls down or something.”

Quick Fix carefully moves away from the door, and takes off running back through the halls. Her own land, and Fancy Pants’ one, will soon be under attack. She needs to get back home and be ready.

She reaches the exterior of Derse’s moon without incident, and leaps into the air to begin flying to her tower. A low, static-sounding noise lingers at the edge of her senses, but she doesn’t have time to focus on it. There are bigger matters at hand.

She lands in her tower and throws herself at the bed. She isn’t sure how to get to sleep in order to wake her other body, but after a few minutes of waiting, awareness shifts to her normal self on its own. She is currently still in one of the undersea settlements of Lowac. There aren’t any Return Nodes down here; she’ll need to make her way to the surface.

She slips on her rebreather and rolls into the nearest filter chamber. It quickly fills with water, and the hatch above her head quickly slides open. She kicks off the ground, and using the remaining air pressure from the chamber, quickly ascends through the waves. Her ears popping signals that she is nearing the surface, and one hoof hovers near her sylladex as the other pushes her closer to the air.

She surfaces, and retrieves a card from her inventory effortlessly. A boat, not fancily made, but powerful, is deployed in the water. She climbs aboard, puts a hoof to the throttle, and zips forward. A radar on the dashboard shows the location of the nearest island, where Quick Fix knows she will find a Return Node. A few minutes of travel gets her there, and she sees a crudely-made outpost sitting on the shore, above which was a fluctuating node.

She nods, a terse grin on her face. She needs to move fast, but she’s made excellent speed so far. She pulls the boat up onto shore, captchalogues it once more, and quickly scales the outpost with a series of acrobatic maneuvers. When she reaches the roof, she kicks off of it to gain the last bit of air needed to propel her into the node.

Space bends and warps around her for a split second, before she is deposited in her room once more. A few things seem out-of-place, but it doesn’t look as though imps have been through to ransack it yet. Wary regardless, she equips her wrench- the GRADE ZERO, her gift from Fancy Pants- and slowly makes her way downstairs.

RATCHETSPRITE: Whoever that is, you’d better throw down your weapons.

QF: Ratchet holy shit

QF: I thought they had gotten here already

RATCHETSPRITE: Oh, it’s you. Alright, we’re safe.

RATCHETSPRITE: And who, the imps? Because I’ve been beating them back pretty much since you left.

QF: no

QF: well yes

QF: but a lot more of them

QF: we have something they want, and theyre bringing out the big guns to take it

RATCHETSPRITE: What do they want?

QF: beats me

QF: but like hell were going to let them have it

RATCHETSPRITE: You got that right!

RATCHETSPRITE: If we’re going to be under siege, let’s rig up some defenses.

RATCHETSPRITE: And if we can get it all hooked up to a central computer, we can have Clank run all of it from inside.

QF: no way, you found the lil guy?

CLANK: Affirmative.

QF: sweeeeeet

QF: okay, Ill need to get ahold of a few people

QF: Leeroy will need to help us to make stuff

QF: and I gotta warn whoever else is under attack

QF: lofas, dont remember whose planet that was

QF: they all kinda sound the same

techTitan started a group chat at 6:01 P.M.

TT: yo derse is on the move

TT: me and Ratchet are buffing up my place

TT: Leeroy, gonna need some assist on that

TT: whose house is on lofas?

GA: that’s mine.

TT: okay

TT: get back home

TT: theyre going to try to steal something

TT: kill em

GA: you got it.

GG: What do they want?

TT: no idea

TT: just overheard that they are going to try to take something

TT: something that was in two pieces?

TT: one of ems here, one of ems there

GG: Alright. Do either of you need an extra blade?

GA: my place is already armed to the teeth with turrets. cheerilee, can i have you make a bunch of ammo?

AA: Certainly. I think I might know a way to create an automated dispenser for them, so they can refill themselves.

GA: man, that’ll be sweet! i’ll be back there in just a sec.

TT: hey FP can I have the codes for some of those turrets

TT: they would really come in handy

GA: sure thing. i’ll send them over in a private chat.

TT: right

TT: bro, right now I think I just need you to help me alchemize some stuff

TT: better weapons

TT: shield walls

TT: stuff

TT: but itd be best to have you there standing lookout

GG: You got it sis. They won’t break through.

AT: Anything Derpy and I should do to stay safe?

TT: nothing specific

TT: just stay on guard and dont die

TT: I didnt hear anything about you two so youre probably safe for the moment

AT: Alright. Keep us updated.

TT: you got it

GG: Alright, you have your jobs, everyone.

GG: Move!

Quick Fix moves over to the Alchemiter, ready to make some better equipment. She first retrieves an item from her sylladex- a bar of metal alloy taken from a construction site outside one of the underwater shelters- and combines it with her wrench. This seems to significantly boost the strength of the wrench, though it does not change in appearance or name. Just as well, she thinks. The Grade Zero is cool.

Next, she retrieves a few articles of clothing from around her room, and combines them with the metal. These create a makeshift suit of chainmail armor, which is a lot better than her current armor, which is to say none. She equips it eagerly.

The walls go up next. Leeroy deploys a series of walls around the house, each with strategic defense points accessible from the layers behind it. Not for the first time, Quick Fix is glad to have a trained knight for a brother. The soldiers of Derse won’t have an easy time getting through.

She returns to her room, leaving Ratchet at the barricades to keep watch, and begins making several turrets. Fancy Pants had given her four different codes, and she makes some of each. They look different, but she can’t see much of a difference in function. As long as they put bullets in the bad guys, they’re fine.

She can’t carry them all in one trip, so she captchalogues what she can, carries another with her hooves, and moves back to the battlements. She sets down the turret she is carrying, affixing it firmly to the top of the wall. She moves a distance to the left and begins setting up another, when Ratchet calls from the outer layer.

RATCHETSPRITE: Heads up! Someone’s coming!

TT: derse?

RATCHETSPRITE: Not unless it’s just a forward scout.

RATCHETSPRITE: There are just two of them.

RATCHETSPRITE: Wait… Isn’t that your dad?

It dawns on Quick Fix that she hadn’t seen her father around the house. She rushes to the outer walls, and sees two ponies making their way to the house. One of them is indeed her father, and the other appears to be the Battle Master. She immediately wonders how the Battle Master got to this planet and why, but the more pressing matter is that they are both friends and need to get to safety.

“Hurry up you two!” she calls. “We’re expecting an attack any minute!”

The two pause for a split second, then break into a full gallop, covering the last of the ground between them.

“Quick Fix. What’s happening?” the Battle Master asks.

“Derse is attacking. They want something from this house, and will take it by force. I don’t know what it is, but they aren’t getting it.”

“Derse… We ran into one of their agents a little while back. They don’t seem like a friendly bunch. What can we do to help reinforce this place?”

“We have a bunch of turrets. Help me set them up around the walls.”

The two adult ponies nod and move to the house to retrieve the defense systems. Quick Fix’s confidence is greatly boosted; her father is an excellent shot, and the Battle Master was one of the strongest knights in Equestria. Derse wasn’t about to crack through now.

Fancy Pants

“Hide yourself, little buddy, but stay in the area.” Fancy Pants said to his salamander companion. “I have a feeling I’ll need to come back here when this is over. And this battle isn’t something you should get involved with.”

“Alright.” he replies, looking up at the great monument looming above them. Four pillars rise into the sky atop an outcropping of rock. There is a platform atop it, but it can’t be seen from bellow. The road to this place was treacherous, but the rewards promised were great. However, for the moment, the prize would have to be postponed. A siege on Fancy Pants’ house was brewing.

Luckily, he spied a Return Node only a short distance away. He nodded to his companion, who scurried off to find shelter, and Fancy Pants leapt into the gate.

“Sis! Heavy! Get ready to fight! There are enemies inbound!”

He skids into the next room, where both are already waiting.

“Who’s attacking?” Fleur asks.

“Some guys from Derse. They’re the ones commanding the imps and other monsters. I got the tip that they were coming from Quick Fix. Apparently we have something they want, but Quick Fix didn’t know what it was.”

“Will these defenses be enough?”

“They’ll have to be. Cheerilee is going to get us some dispensers to automatically refill the turrets. Heavy, you ready to blast them back if they get too close?”

“Da. This line will not be broken.”

Fancy Pants nods, and moves to his room with his sister. The dispensers start rolling out, and both quickly spread them around to supply the turrets. Afterwards, Fancy Pants runs a few more items through the Alchemiter, and finally obtains a powerful pistol, which he hands to Fleur.

“We’ll do all we can to make sure they stay far away. But if it comes to it, I want you to have another line of defense on you.”

She nods appreciatively, and the two go on to make several upgrades for the turrets, then break to install them.

Fancy Pants’ device beeps, alerting him to two new messages.

GG: Quick Fix, I see ‘em on the horizon! They’re going for a full-on frontal assault! Get ready!

AA: Fancy Pants, your adversaries are taking a stealthier approach, but I can still see them approaching. They seem to have demolition supplies. Activate your shields, and be on-guard!

He nods, equips his rifle, and moves to the balcony just above the second floor. He’ll get at least a few shots in before they reach the house.

Forty-five

Chapter in color

Forty-five

“Dad, be ready to fire!” Quick Fix shouts. “They’re approaching from the east!”

Quick Fix keeps her eyes on the horizon, and soon sees the disturbances in the waves. A moment later, she is able to see the vessels approaching. She couldn’t guess how they got here so fast, but doesn’t have time to wonder. There are a lot of them on the way.

“Ratchet, you still got that sniper rifle?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think I can use it. One arm is machine parts now, I can’t hold it steady enough for this range.”

“And dad’s gun is only good at mid-range…” she thinks. “Guess we just have to bide our time, unless…” She looks over at one of the turrets, equipped with a scope and a manual controller, and a grin grows on her face. She dashes over to it and puts her hooves to the controls. The scope zooms in just enough that she can see the pilot of one of the first boats in the formation, and she levels the sights on him. Her hoof hovers for a moment, then presses onto the ‘fire’ button.

The turret is not the most accurate weapon. In the first few seconds, most of the bullets simply hit the water. Quick Fix grimaces, grips the turret tighter, and adjusts her aim. The pilots must notice the bullets flying, and begin to take evasive maneuvers. However, some of them don’t seem to be very bright, and one of them drives their boat straight into the line of fire. The pilot slumps over immediately, the vessel slows, and the boat behind it cannot stop in time and crashes.

Quick Fix grins in victory, resisting the urge to remove her hoof from the turret to make a gesture. Instead, she tilts the turret slightly to the left, and the bullets begin rending into several other vessels. They are already much closer, meaning easier targets to hit. Before long, the rest of the defense turrets spring to life, slowing the enemy’s advance further. Quick Fix takes her hooves off of the controls of the turret, allowing it to regain automatic function, and begins running along the wall alongside Ratchet to keep them stocked with ammo.

Her father stands on the secondary wall, behind the front line, looking down the sights of his rifle. In a few seconds, the enemy would be within range of the weapon.

After a few more moments, the approaching ships start firing back. Bullets crack into the walls surrounding the house, or fly above their heads. A few clang against Quick Fix’s armor. Everyone dives behind the walls, the turrets above still firing, but taking damage.

The Battle Master pokes her head up over the wall for a moment. “They’ll be to the shore soon. Be ready.”

Fancy Pants

The scope of the sniper rifle pokes out of the window, searching for a target. Several seconds pass, and an imp scurries out of the bushes, brandishing a rusty sword. A bullet clears the barrel of the gun, and in the same moment, the imp explodes into grist.

Fancy Pants reloads swiftly. That strike probably tipped off the approaching forces that he was wise to their advance. Their stealthy approach is not as stealthy as they had anticipated.

“Come out and play…” Fancy Pants mutters. “You’re not gonna take me today.”

“Incoming!” Heavysprite yells, hefting his weapon. Fancy Pants nods very slightly, his hoof brushing against his assault rifle, but he continues to look down the sights of the sniper. A moment later, he sees something move, and spots a grenade arcing its way towards the house. He adjusts his aim, and shoots it midair, detonating it. The house is safe, but the cloud of fire and smoke effectively obscures the ground from above.

“Shoot. They probably wanted me to do that…” He shakes his head, puts down the sniper rifle, and equips his assault rifle. “Keep running the turrets, sis! Heavy, you’re with me. We’re going to meet them head-on!”

Fancy Pants slides down the stairs, sprite in tow. He bursts out the front door and skids down the small hill to where he saw the first imp come from. His scouter tells him that there are several in the area, probably hiding in the bushes or behind rocks. Proceeding upon this hunch, he aims his rifle to a nearby bush, and fires several rounds. A satisfying burst of grist is released.

He hears the sound of Heavy’s minigun warming up behind him. He turns slightly, then immediately raises his arms in defense as an imp jumps at him. He grabs hold and flings him to the side, then puts a few bullets in him. More are on him in a second, and soon the air rings with the sound of gunfire. A few of the turrets attached to the house spring to life and begin firing upon the enemies.

Fancy Pants turns his head, and sees a pair of figures sidled up to the wall of his house. They don’t quite look like the imps or other enemies, and seem to be much more professional. One is rather tall and intimidating, while the other is quite stout, but seems to be packing some heavy firepower. Somehow, the pair managed to sneak past the turret defenses.

“Heavy, handle these guys! Some of them got through, I’m going to take them out!”

Heavysprite nods, and Fancy Pants dashes towards the two.

Quick Fix

The Battle Master leaps from behind the wall, aero blade blazing, and slices through several of the attackers. Ratchetsprite is right behind her, followed by Quick Fix, both of them with wrenches swinging wildly. Imps, ogres and even liches fall before their counterattack. There are a lot of them, and they have heavier munitions than anything Quick Fix had seen thus far. She feels her HP trickling away, but not at an alarming pace yet. If they keep fighting and eliminate the enemy swiftly, they should be alright.

A wall of ogres steps onto the beach, in a very tight formation. Quick Fix is no expert with tactics, but they are very clearly protecting something, hiding its approach from view. She finishes off her current opponent, and turns her attention to this new threat. A grenade springs to her hoof from her sylladex, and she lobs it towards them. They fumble with it, but ultimately fail to toss it out of the way. It explodes right in one of their faces, effectively blinding its single eye.

The Battle Master shifts her attention to the ogres as well, and dashes across, cutting three of them across the legs. If she had use of her wings, she probably could have finished them all right there, but they are still kept useless by some unseen force in the game. However, the wall of ogres is now within range of the turret defenses, and they turn their attention to the large target. One by one, the ogres turn to grist, revealing another figure standing in the center of the formation.

He isn’t an ogre, but for a Dersite, he’s huge. He wears a similar uniform to the other enemies, but it seems ill-fitting. A large, two-headed battleax is clutched in one hand, slung over his shoulder.

The Hegemonic Brute readies his weapon and charges forward in the wake of his retinue’s demise. His sights are leveled on the Battle Master, and she readies her sword in defiance.

“Quick Fix, cover me!” she yells, a moment before the Brute crashes into her, axe ringing against sword. Quick Fix nods, dashes forward and smashes one of the nearby imps into grist. Ratchetsprite continues to fight from the ground, and her father and Clank, through the turrets, continue to assist from atop the walls. The Brute is faster than one would think, and is able to parry most of the Battle Master’s attacks.

“Enemy spotted within the base.” Clank’s voice states, coming through Quick Fix’s phone. “He has transferred a message already. Making his way to the exit on your side. I am attempting to apprehend him now.”

“Did you see him take anything? … No? Then he must have come for information, and already got it and sent it home… We still have to stop them.”

Fancy Pants

The young gunner unleashes a barrage of bullets and plasma upon the two assailants making their way around the house. The tall one realizes that he and his accomplice are under fire the moment the first bullet clears the barrel, and he grabs the short one and dodges out of the way, reaching into his pocket with his other hand. He throws something on the ground, and a shield is deployed that manages to block Fancy Pants’ line of sight. Fancy Pants picks up the pace and rushes at the house, but a small explosion erupts from just right of the barricade. He hefts his Portal gun, fires a portal into the house, then the other directly below him.

Fancy Pants barrels through the living room, crashing into the short Dersite and, using one of his robotic fists, punches him in the snout to establish superiority. He rolls off of his opponent, assault rifle in hand, only to be knocked across the room by the blunt end of a spear. He moves swiftly to his feet to see the tall Dersite standing above him, blood-red spear tip glinting in the light. Fancy Pants launches a glob of plasma at him, but his opponent sidesteps expertly out of the way. Conversely, the shorter one is practically tripping over his own feet, and Fancy Pants is able to immobilize him with a swift kick across the room.

However, Fancy Pants failed to notice the explosive device the Clumsy Demolitionist deployed, and the resulting explosion sends the stallion to the opposite wall, completely paralyzed for several seconds. When he is able to move his hooves again, the two have already made their way upstairs. The boy follows, and sees that his own door is open. His mouth curls into a snarl, and he charges in, guns blazing.

Three things are apparent as soon as he sees the inside of his room. In one hand of the tall Dersite is a communications device, which seems to have already delivered its message. In the other is his spear, which seems to have just impaled his companion.

At Fancy Pants’ feet is Fleur, body scorched somewhat from an explosion. Unfortunately, judging by the amount of blood on the floor, she is already dead. The Dignified Dersite doesn’t move at first, his stance and dead companion seeming to say ‘She was not meant to die, he acted out of turn, and has been dealt with’.

Fancy Pants isn’t having it. He lunges at the Dersite with his mechanical fist, and is parried and sent ramming into the wall, while his opponent sidesteps. He retrieves his assault rifle and lunges with another punch, but this time opens fire when he draws close. The Dersite frowns, stepping slightly to the side, then kicking Fancy Pants’ back hooves out from under him. The stream of bullets simply flies into the ceiling as the pony slips to the ground.

Yet another explosion shakes the foundation of the house, blowing out the wall of Fancy Pants’ room. He struggles to a standing position again, his hooves screaming in protest. The assailant hefts his weapon and leaps out the gap, making a quick escape.

“Heavy, KILL HIM!” Fancy Pants hears the sound of the minigun focusing its fire on one place, but as he moves to the window, he sees that the Dersite is still evading the attacks. His spear seems to have a grappling zip line attachment, and his is swinging away.

Fancy Pants snarls, equips the Portal and gravity guns, and launches himself out the hole, rage burning behind his eyes.

Quick Fix

The Battle Master dodges around the Hulking Brawler’s axe strike, slicing her sword across his legs. A blast from Dad’s brush gun quickly follows, but the Brute remains on his feet. Quick Fix watches from the edge of the wall, wrench ready to stop the other successful invader. She hears the turrets rev to life and open fire on someone behind the walls, but the fact that the continue tells her that he’s still avoiding his demise.

The Scurrying Saboteur leaps off of the wall, a knife clutched in one hand. Quick Fix leaps and strikes him as he passes. He flinches from the attack, but comes to a roll when he hits the ground. The Battle Master swings around from her combat with the brute, and her blade is shoved aside by the knife with inches to spare. Dad, being unable to get a clear shot with the pace increasing, hops down from his perch and re-aims his gun. He fires a shot into the side of the Hegemonic Brute, drawing his attention.

Events occur in a blur, yet only across a few seconds. The Brute lunges forward, swinging his massive weapon, the bullets from Dad’s weapon not slowing him down. Quick Fix attempts to rush to his aid, but she is too late, too far away. The axe comes down, smashing into Dad’s back.

The Battle Master rises behind the Brute, her blade blazing in the dim light, and with one furious slice, the Dersite’s neck is broken.

The Shady Stabsman slips behind her back, and returns the favor right between her wings.

Ratchetsprite flies in from above and bashes the Dersite’s head hard enough to crack his skull. He falls dead instantly.

The rest of the battle quickly begins to wind down, but Quick Fix is no longer a part of it. She rushes to her father’s aid first, but- through tear-stained eyes- she sees that he’s already gone. However, the Battle Master clings to life yet, and the distraught pony moves to her side.

“H-hold on…” she begins, “We can get help…”

“No.” she responds. “L-look at me. Look at all this blood… It’s… It’s too late for that.”

“What are you saying?”

“Look… We may have lost the battle here… But we took out some of their best agents. They… They may have gotten what they wanted, but they’ve been crippled… You’ve got to put a stop to them.”

“But if we couldn’t win here…”

“You’ll get stronger. And you’re not alone… Your friends and brother will stand by your side… Tell Leeroy that I’m proud of him, and you. Your father was, too… Keep Equestria alive for us. But above that… Keep yourselves alive…”

Quick Fix can’t manage to clear her throat or stop her shaking to say anything in return. The Battle Master’s dying eyes seem to understand. Life slips from her grasp, and her body falls limp.

After a few minutes, Quick Fix retrieves her phone. Leeroy should know.

TT: bro

GG: sis

GG: I know

GG: i saw

GG: I’ll be right there

GG: they need a proper burial

TT: bro

guardianGuitarist ceased chatting with techTitan at 6:38 P.M.

Fancy Pants

Two figures, carapace and stallion, dash across the countryside of Lofas, one swinging on a wire, the other leaping through portals and launching himself off of obstacles. The land below flies by, fortresses and fields alike serving as mere backdrop.

The Dersite yells something into a communicator midair, but Fancy Pants can’t make out the words. The two continue their game of cat-and-mouse for a few minutes more, then the shape of a Prospitan vessel looms on the horizon. It’s already above the ground, but the Dersite continues at top speed, probably intending to latch onto it with his grappling device. There is a fortress near the ship, and Fancy Pants nods. That’s where he’ll make his stand.

He aims and fires his Portal gun towards the fortress, attaching a portal to the ground of one of the towers, exactly where he had aimed. He fires the other at the ground, where he lands. Using the gravity gun to reduce his speed, he swings onto the tower, finally back on his feet. He stores his tools and retrieves a sniper rifle from his inventory. He quickly takes aim at the fleeing agent.

The agent seems to notice that he’s not being followed, and his gaze quickly finds Fancy Pants again. Realizing he’s about to be shot, he reaches into his coat with one hand, and retrieves a revolver.

Both weapons fire in the same instant. The brick just in front of Fancy Pants’ back hoof is struck and bursts into dust and debris. Fancy Pants’ shot misses, but only by an inch.

He doesn’t have time to reload and fire again. The Dastardly Dersite lands in the bay of the ship, and the doors swiftly shut. The vessel shortly engages its engines and leaves the planet.

Fancy Pants’ weapon slowly drops from his mechanical hand, and at last, he sinks to his knees, finally exhausted from recent events. Fleur is dead, and whatever Derse wanted from his home, they got. He failed.

“All this grinding, all the levels I got… It meant nothing. I wasn’t strong enough…”

Heavysprite’s voice sounds in his head. “You are not as strong as you could be. There is more strength you can obtain.”

“How? I’ve nearly hit the top level already. I doubt a few more will make that much of a difference…”

“You can rise past the top of this ladder. You can set yourself along a new path, and reach much greater levels of strength.”

Will more strength make this better? he thinks. It won’t bring back those lost. But it might help him keep others from joining them.

“How?”

“By climbing to the God Tier.”

Fancy Pants stares out at the landscape for a few moments, then nods. He knows where he would need to go for that, and what he would have to do. He knows that he has to do this, for the sake of his friends, and for vengeance.

He retrieves his Portal and gravity guns again, and leaps from the fortress.

Forty-six

Chapter in color

Forty-six

AA: None of the three are responding. Fancy Pants seems to know where he’s going, but I don’t.

AA: I was able to talk to Quick Fix once before she stopped responding. She and Leeroy are tending to their guardians.

AA: I’m afraid their parents, and Fancy Pants’ sister, have all fallen in battle.

CA: ;~;

AT: That’s what we were afraid of…

AT: Well, we can do nothing but give them their time to grieve. In the meantime, we should try and progress on our own missions.

AT: Cheerilee, I haven’t heard… What does your quest entail? How has it been going?

AA: It’s nothing like what I’ve heard of all your quests.

AA: There are imps abound, to be sure, but there have not been many missions yet. There are enemies, there are settlements, but overwhelmingly, there are frogs.

AA: It has been alluded to me that my ultimate goal involves these creatures somehow.

AA: Frogs and alchemy have been popular topics that no one wants to talk about.

AA: It’s quite frustrating. But I think if I can make my way to the center of lopaf and speak to the Denizen, Echidna, then I might get some concrete answers.

AT: That’s good. It’s something to work towards.

AT: How about you, my dear Derpy? How has your progress been?

CA: pretty good, i guess.

CA: apparently i have some kind of power that i haven’t learned to use yet.

CA: i’ve heard whispers of ‘the windy thing’.

CA: but i don’t know how to do that yet.

CA: besides that, i don’t know. i think i should see my denizen too, and then head to the battlefield when everyone else is ready.

CA: what about you, doc?

AT: I’ve mostly been learning how to responsibly use my time travel capabilities.

AT: I’m not sure if my devices are the source of this power, or if they are simply a crutch to help me learn to use my own innate abilities. I suppose I will find out later down the road.

AT: But time travel is a dangerous business. It can be used very destructively, and sometimes you don’t even need to be conscious of it.

AT: Part of my quest has been learning how best to use it.

AT: Visiting Hephaestus in the center of Losab probably wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.

AT: What about everyone’s current positions?

AA: I’m still on my own planet. I’ve explored some others, but it seems my mission requires me to be here.

CA: i’m actually on quick fix’s planet right now. i’m keeping my distance from them though, they need it right now.

AT: Right you are, Derpy. They’ll recover, but for now, they just need some room to breathe.

AT: I am on Leeroy’s planet at the moment. I’ll probably make my way back to my own before long.

CA: hang on, what’s this thing?

AA: What thing?

CA: it’s like a round metal panel on the ground.

AA: Does it have what looks like triangles on the surface?

CA: yeah! do you know what it is?

AA: Yes. I’ve come across several on my own world and Prospit. They’re transportalizers.

AA: They’re like gates, but linked to another transportalizer. I can’t guarantee where you’ll end up when you step on it.

CA: well… i think that’s a risk i have to take.

CA: there is a bunch of grist all over near it.

CA: i think i’m supposed to go through.

AT: Are you sure? It could be dangerous.

CA: it could. and i’m not totally sure.

CA: but i should try. and i can always come back if i need to, right?

AT: I suppose you’re right.

CA: and don’t worry, i’ll be careful. i understand why you’d be on edge.

AT: Yes… We’ve just lost several good ponies, and I don’t want to lose a single one more. Especially not you, dear.

CA: *hugs*

CA: i know. First sign of trouble, i’ll turn back, okay?

AT: Alright. Good luck, Derpy.

AA: Good luck. Keep us updated, alright?

CA: yup yup.

Fancy Pants

The stallion, one goal in mind, approaches the monument once again, pillars rising into the sky. Dimly glowing creatures float around in the sky above, congregating near the site. The time is right.

Fancy Pants’ salamander companion steps out from his hiding place. “Is it safe?”

“It will be. But I need you to do something for me, first.”

The salamander nodded, and Fancy Pants presses something into his hand. He takes his hoof away to reveal a pistol. The salamander looks up, confused.

“That weapon failed to protect someone I cared about. But now, it’s going to serve a different purpose, and help me protect the others.” He looks up at the monument, the Quest Bed. “I’m going to lie down on the monument. I need you to shoot me.”

“Are you sure? You can’t turn back once you do this…”

“I’m sure. We need this extra power. Besides, I made it this far without losing either of my two lives. Trading one in to make the other a lot more powerful seems like a good deal to me, and a deal that I have no choice but to make.”

The salamander nods after a pause. The two make their way to the top of the monument, and Fancy Pants settles himself on the slab. A pair of wings is engraved on its surface. Fancy Pants quickly captchalogues all his belongings, lies back, and closes his eyes.

He barely feels a thing when the bullet hits.

The pillars ignite in a bright light, the glowing creatures above swooping down to examine the body. The salamander nervously makes his way down to the foot of the monument, not wanting to be caught in any sort of energy release. The entire Quest Bed, as well as Fancy Pants’ body, is now glowing.

Derpy

A massive lab stands to greet Derpy as she steps through the transportalizer. There are several more portals around hers, as well as a random assortment of objects. A Smarty Pants doll is among them, as well as an old book, a weathered rifle, and other such items. Derpy can’t imagine how they all got there.

Ahead is a collection of giant test tubes, computers, and some other lab equipment. There is a bright green lab uniform that looks to be about Derpy’s size, and she immediately slips it on.

She looks around for a bit, before her phone sounds again.

aboriginalAlmanac began chatting with cross-eyedAngel and agelessTraveler at 6:57 P.M.

AA: There’s something happening that you two should be aware of.

AT: What is it?

AA: Fancy Pants had his companion shoot him. I’m not sure why, but he seemed to need it done at a specific spot.

CA: oh no!!

AT: I never thought he was taking it that hard…

AA: That’s the thing. I don’t think he’s dead.

AA: The body and the monument he got shot on are glowing like crazy.

AA: I’m not sure what’s happening.

AA: Wait… My viewport has shifted.

AA: I see Derse now. Something’s happening to his dream self!

Fancy Pants

On the dark moon of Skaia, one of the three towers glows furiously. Inside, a young stallion finally awakens. His violet gown is torn away, to be replaced by a yellow one, a set of clothing befitting a god. The young boy rises into the air, his horn glowing. The symbol of wings that had received him upon death glow behind him briefly, after which a real pair of snow white wings erupts from his back.

Across the golden planet, Dersites look up to the tower in wonder, some happy, some uneasy. The Bard of Hope has awoken.

Derpy

AA: Whew. He’s alive.

AA: I’m not sure what just happened, but he’s had a costume change. And… He has wings now.

CA: you mean he became alicorn?

AA: It would seem so. He looks more powerful even from here.

AA: Although his costume seems to involve a codpiece. Can’t say I would want that.

CA: huh. :/

AT: Still, this is an incredible development. I’m not sure what happened, but if he’s become that powerful, it can only be a boon to our overall quest.

AT: But he’s not the only one involved in something curious right now.

AT: Derpy, what have you found?

CA: i’m not sure. still exploring.

CA: i did find a cool lab uniform though!

CA: there’s a bunch of computers and sciency stuff here. i’ll take a closer look.

cross-eyedAngel is now idle

Derpy makes her way over to one of the computer terminals, looking up curiously at its six screens. Only one of the screens is currently active, while the other five are blank. A few large buttons are on the panel below the screens- six that seem to correspond to the screens, as well as a larger green one, and an even larger blue one. Nearby is a countdown clock, above which is written the word ‘Reckoning’, and it doesn’t seem to have much time left.

She looks up at the active monitor, and sees a familiar looking neighborhood. With a start, she realizes that it is her own, though there are a few differences in buildings. The monitor zooms in to focus on a specific pony, and with a start, Derpy realizes that it looks like her mother. She seems somewhat younger though.

The light becomes distorted overhead. From above, Derpy sees the familiar sight of a sizeable meteor hurtling towards the ground. Her young mother seems to see it too, and dashes for a nearby alley for shelter. The mass of rock tumbles through the air to the ground, obliterating some of the foreign buildings.

Many of the ponies in the area run for safety, but a few remain to view the damage, Derpy’s mother included. At first, the crater is full of smoke, but it clears to reveal a small pony inside, completely unscathed. There’s no mistaking her- the gray fur, yellow mane and out-of-sync eyes are all too familiar. Like her mother, this seems to be a younger version of Derpy herself.

None of the ponies above move immediately, but soon her mother makes her way down the crater, scooping the baby Derpy up curiously.

She walks away from the crater shortly afterwards, the young pony cradled in one arm.

“Is this… My past?” Derpy wonders aloud. “That makes me adopted, then… But I don’t get it, my mom and I look so much alike!”

In thought, Derpy’s hoof slips, and presses the large blue button in the center of the panel. A targeting reticule centers around Derpy’s mother, and the machine whirs for a moment. On a nearby device, on what looks like a transportalizer, the shape of her mother is deposited, but is made of a thick green slime. The slime plops on the ground in a pile a moment later, and is sucked up into one of the six glass tubes on the machine.

Derpy frowns, not at all understanding what just happened. On screen, her mother seems to have been completely unaffected. She takes a look at the control panel, and pushes one of the buttons to switch screens. This is a bit too weird for her.

The screen shuts off, and another flickers to life. It now shows a location Derpy has never seen before, a small suburb. A similar scene plays out; a meteor crashes to the ground from the sky, and an older but sturdy stallion moves to the crater. He doesn’t wait for the smoke to clear; he dives right into the crater with a slide, and emerges a few minutes later with another young pony riding on his back. Derpy is able to piece together who this pony must be: with her brown coat, creamy hair and horn, it can only be Quick Fix, making that stallion her father.

A button is pushed on the control panel. Derpy looks over to see Smarty Pants, who nods to her. Derpy nods back, but less enthusiastically. She’s beginning to get a bit scared. She figures it would be better to let Smarty Pants take over some of this mysterious work, though. Just as before, the slime imprint of the pony targeted- Quick Fix’s dad- appears on the machine, and is sucked into another of the tubes.

The third screen. A meteor collides with a mountain, revealing a brief glimpse of a frog temple nearby. A mare emerges from somewhere in the mountains, looking as though she had been hiking, and soon retrieves a young Cheerilee. The slime imprint is taken.

The fourth screen. A small city is seen, and Quick Fix and her father are in view once again. She’s still only a baby. Another meteor crashes down outside the town, and a pegasus mare moves over to the crater, and retrieves a young Leeroy, before bringing him into the city. Derpy knows the story from here. An imprint of the Battle Master is taken.

The fifth screen. A town near the mountains and frog temple. The meteor crashes down, and a fairly young looking mare retrieves a pony who can only be Fancy Pants. An imprint of Fleur is taken.

The sixth screen. Static.

Derpy frowns, her mind now considering another fact in the mess of events that have passed so far. This should be Doc’s screen. But there’s nothing there. At least, not yet. Gradually, the static fades, to reveal a completely alien creature. It stands on two legs, much like a resident of Prospit or Derse, but it lacks both a hard outer shell, and a coat that would belong to a pony. It has a mane though, snow white from age.

She watches, mesmerized, as the creature’s life flashes before her eyes. Time and again he changes appearance, outfit, company. Pushing the button on the control panel does nothing; a slime imprint of this creature cannot be taken. She only continues to watch as he ventures across strange and wonderful landscapes, with different companions at his side, and always returns to the strange blue phone box that serves as his vessel.

At last, in his thirteenth distinct form, he lands somewhere much more familiar. He opens the door to the phone box into the fields of Equestria.

The screen fades to static again. One of the tubes on the machine remains empty, while the other five are filled with slime. However, the machine seems to recognize that it’s received all the data it’s going to get, and it begins working. Before the machine, on what appears to be a large transportalizer, five young ponies are deposited. They aren’t the ones that were taken from the meteor crash sites, but after several moments, Derpy realizes that they might be the ponies who ventured into those crash sites to retrieve Derpy and her friends.

There’s one more button to push, and Smarty Pants takes care of it. The slime empties into the chambers below, two to a pair, and with the slime from Derpy’s mother receiving a chamber to itself. Seeming to notice the imbalance, the machine takes a minute to compute some extra calculations. The first screen clicks back on, targeting a random gentlepony Derpy’s never seen before, and a slime imprint of him is taken. This fills the other half of the chamber.

Five more baby ponies are deposited. THESE are the ponies that were found in the craters, young versions of Derpy and her friends. One of Derpy’s eyes meets one of the other Derpy’s eyes, and they look at each other curiously. The older Derpy has never been more confused.

She notices herself level up to the title of ECTOBIOLOBABYSITTER, and receives an absolutely insane amount of boondollars.

cross-eyedAngel entered the group chat at 7:31

CA: i have never been more confused.

AA: What happened?

CA: i think i have little baby versions of most of us sitting here.

CA: our guardians, too.

CA: either they’re clones, or i just created us.

AT: You said most. Are there some among us who are not there?

CA: er, yeah.

CA: i’m not sure why, doc, but you and your guardian aren’t here.

CA: leeroy and quick fix are actually brother and sister.

CA: cheerilee, you and fancy pants are brother and sister, too.

CA: but i was just from my mom and a stallion i’ve never seen before.

CA: and i didn’t create doc in this lab. the screens that let me see all of us and our guardians wouldn’t let me see you.

CA: i saw some other weird creature instead. something on two legs that kept changing how he looked.

AT: Ah…

AT: Yes, I… think I know what you saw.

AT: Since beginning this journey, I’ve discovered something about myself, and I probably should share it with all of you.

AT: I will when the time is right. Most likely when all six of us are available. Fancy Pants, Quick Fix and Leeroy should know, too.

gamingAvarice entered the group chat at 7:45 P.M.

GA: someone call for me?

AA: Fancy Pants! Are you alright?

GA: better. not super, but better.

GA: i’m down on skaia right now, scoping things out.

AA: How did you get to Skaia?

GA: flew there.

GA: through space.

GA: i’m literally a god now, you see.

GA: now, lemmie see what i missed…

GA: so, cheerilee, you and i are brother and sister?

AA: Apparently so. I would never have guessed, especially considering both of our guardians are female.

AA: I suppose that is irrelevant to ectobiologic reproduction, though it doesn’t make much sense to me. It’s not a science I even knew existed before now, let alone one I know anything about.

CA: now that you mention it, that is kinda weird…

GA: yeah… ah well.

GA: point is, i’ve got a new sister.

GA: hopefully, with this power up, i won’t fail to protect you like i did fleur.

AA: Fancy Pants… I’m sorry.

GA: it’s alright

GA: wait what the hell is happening over there

AT: What’s going on up there?

GA: the kings are moving out

GA: the black and white kings are mobilizing and engaging in battle

GA: their troops have been going at it, but they hadn’t taken to the field themselves until now.

GA: they’re fighting each other with spells.

GA: oh man

GA: oh man oh man

CA: what is it?!

GA: the black king won

GA: white king’s dead

GA: black king got his staff.

GA: he’s doing something with it.

GA: sky’s getting dark.

CA: something’s happening here, too.

CA: it sounds like something big is moving outside of… wherever I am.

AT: Hold on, I’ll check.

AT: You’re inside an asteroid.

CA: really?

AT: Yes. There’s a frog temple built on one of them; that seems to be where you are.

AT: There are many other, somewhat smaller asteroids around you, some of which have begun moving in the direction of Skaia.

GA: holy hell, did he call in an air strike on the whole planet?!

GA: derpy, you’re in the veil. Big belt of meteors or asteroids or whatever that surrounds the system we’re in. derse is just beyond it.

GA: you probably don’t want to be on the frog temple. if they knew that was there, they’d destroy it in a heartbeat. they HATE frogs.

AA: I wonder if that has any connection to my frog-related quest.

GA: almost certainly.

AT: DaleK-9 said that Dersites also oppose creation, while Prospitans favor it.

AT: Derse is said to be the force that stands in the way of our Final Reward.

AT: And they dislike frogs, while one of us has a frog-related quest.

AA: Meaning… These frogs must be a big part of getting our Final Reward!

AA: But how? What do I do with them?

AT: It remains to be seen. How close are you to meeting your Denizen?

AA: Two gates away. I’ve more exploring on Quick Fix’s world to do, then I’ll step through the Seventh Gate.

AA: Hopefully she will be able to tell me more.

CA: guys, there was a countdown clock on the wall in this lab. it says ‘reckoning’.

CA: it’s at 0. i think what the black king just did was the reckoning.

CA: ah!!

AT: What’s wrong?!

CA: the babies just vanished, along with the stuff they were playing with!

CA: doc, can you see where they went?!

AT: Uhm… Yes! Yes, I see them. They’re on some of the meteors that have begun drifting towards Skaia!

CA: oh no!!

GA: the first meteor is almost here. i think i should move.

GA: wait. a portal opened up.

GA: the meteor disappeared through it!

GA: i think skaia is going to catch them. the smaller ones, anyway.

GA: those portals aren’t big enough for the larger asteroids in the veil.

AT: Then we have time, but not much.

AT: We need to move.

CA: we need to save our baby selves!

AA: I’m not sure we do.

CA: ?

AA: I’ve had visions in the clouds of Prospit. Some of them involved young foals, riding on rock through gates of Skaia.

AA: I think this is meant to happen, Derpy.

CA: but where are they going to go?

AT: If they really are us, then in theory, they should go back in time to become us.

AT: You said you saw us on the screens in the lab, correct?

CA: yeah, i did…

CA: and they- we- did land on meteors.

CA: so i guess it’s the same for our guardians, too.

AT: Don’t worry. It’s a stable time loop. I’ve been dealing with them quite frequently lately.

AT: It may seem like a paradox, but time is simply righting itself. Skaia always manages to keep the timeline in check.

AT: For now, I think you should take Fancy Pants’ advice and leave the meteor lab. It’s not safe anymore.

CA: okay. i’ll catch up with you all soon.

cross-eyedAngel left the group chat at 8:01 P.M.

AA: Oh! That reminds me. I need to get back to the frog temple on Equestria. The flower is set to bloom in nineteen minutes.

AA: Off to Prospit I go. Wish me luck.

aboriginalAlmanac left the group chat at 8:01 P.M.

Forty-seven

Chapter in color

Forty-seven

Quick Fix

Leeroy and Quick Fix sit inside her house, new weapons at the ready. They haven’t so much as turned on their communication devices since Leeroy arrived, and they began the grim task of burying the dead. But with that task finished, and with stronger weapons alchemized, the two are ready to rejoin the others and resume their quests.

Leeroy steps over to a nearby return node, gives Quick Fix a nod, and disappears. Quick Fix retrieves her phone, and is glad to see that everyone else is online.

techTitan began chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 8:14 P.M.

TT: hey Cheerilee

TT: whatd I miss

AA: Quick Fix. It’s good to hear from you.

AA: At least there is some good news to all of this.

TT: I take it I missed some bad stuff then

AA: Yes. Let’s see…

AA: Fancy Pants died for a moment. But he came back stronger than ever.

TT: oh man

TT: well, glad hes okay now

AA: As am I. This quest would not be easy without him.

AA: Now, Derpy… seems to have created us.

TT: what, you mean like

TT: copies?

AA: She created baby versions of all of us and our guardians, save for Doc. He seems to know why, but hasn’t said yet.

AA: Those foals seem to have gone back in time on meteors. We believe that they were literally us, and this is how we were born.

TT: except for Doc

AA: Yes.

AA: Also, you and Leeroy actually are brother and sister.

TT: called it

TT: but man, thats really weird

TT: but alright

TT: anything else?

AA: Just that I am back in Equestria for the moment. There’s something that will appear in the frog temple in a few minutes, though I don’t know what it is yet.

AA: But… I’m very glad that none of you have to see this.

AA: Equestria is… It’s ruined.

AA: The land is scorched, the cities lie in ruin. I pray that the ponies that found shelter survived.

AA: It’s truly a painful sight.

TT: man, sounds like it

TT: Im sorry

AA: It’s alright. Hopefully, I’ll be able to move on back to the medium soon.

TT: yeah

TT: and hey, between you and me

TT: I think well find a more permanent place at the end

AA: What do you mean?

TT: bits and pieces of some ultimate riddle Ive been hearing about

TT: sounds to me like theres some place on the other side

TT: some place worth settling down in

AA: Really? The only words I’ve heard of the Ultimate Riddle have simply alluded to the Ultimate Alchemy. The two must be related somehow.

AA: But it’s good to hear that there may be a new land to call home.

AA: The flower container is opening. I’ll return in a moment.

AA: That’s odd. It’s just a ruler. That is my weaponkind, however, so let’s see how it weaponizes.

AA: Holy

AA: This is the most powerful thing I’ve ever seen!

TT: really?

AA: Yes. It’s not a terribly assuming weapon- it’s just an average looking ruler simply called the Yellow Yard- but this is immeasurably more powerful than my previous best weapon.

AA: But this begs the question… Why was it here?

AA: I haven’t figured out the purpose of the previous item obtained from this lotus. It’s still just a cue ball.

AA: But if it gave me a weapon this powerful, surely its other gift wouldn’t be something to toss aside, either.

AA: I will examine it when I return to Lopaf.

AA: I’ll also need to visit Echidna in the center of the land.

AA: Are you busy? I wouldn’t mind some company in these sprawling dungeons.

TT: I can do that

TT: done pretty much all I can for the moment on my quest

TT: chillin with you at your place and getting some exp would be fun

AA: My thoughts exactly.

TT: hey, there was somethin else I wanted to ask

TT: but uh

TT: actually, I think Ill just ask in person

TT: be there in a few minutes

techTitan ceased chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 8:31 P.M.

Quick Fix swallows, softening the lump in her throat. It’s time to stop messing around. She leaps through the return node in front of her, and upon landing at her house, makes her way swiftly up the floors to the Fifth Gate, which would deposit her near Cheerilee’s house. She appears a short distance above the ground, and smashes a nearby imp with her wrench on descent. The house is just ahead, and she swiftly makes her way there. Inside, Cheerilee is still asleep, sprawled out on the couch in her den.

In a few moments, however, her eyes flutter open. Quick Fix can’t prevent a smile from spreading across her face. Once Cheerilee has her wits about her, Quick Fix embraces her tightly. Cheerilee is confused for a moment, but soon realizes what is happening and hugs her back.

“Hee hee~ It’s good to finally meet you in person, Quick Fix.”

“Hah, yeah. I’ve been looking forward to it.”

The two gather their things and make their way to the top of Cheerilee’s house, reaching almost all the way to the Seventh Gate. Even as they reach the top, more is being built onto the house. “Derpy’s construction of the house should finish momentarily. I would guess most everyone else’s houses are nearing completion as well.”

“Guess I’ll need to visit my Denizen at some point too. Ah well, it can wait.”

“Indeed. So, you said you wanted to ask me something?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Um… How do I…”

“Hm?”

“… Alright. I know this is probably going to complicate the hell out of things, since I know you like Leeroy, but… Would you consider settling for me instead?”

Realization soon dawns on Cheerilee’s face, and she looks away for a moment, blushing. Quick Fix can’t help but think that her usual blunt ways probably weren’t the best for the situation, but it is on the table now.

Finally, Cheerilee turns back and smiles. “Alright! That could be fun!”

“Really? I-I mean, that’s great! It’s just, I wasn’t sure you’d be alright with dating another girl…”

Cheerilee shrugs slightly. “I hadn’t thought about it at length before, to be honest. But now that I do, I can’t say I have any problem with it. Especially since that girl is already my best friend.”

Quick Fix smiles wide and embraces Cheerilee warmly. “I promise, you won’t regret it.”

“I know. In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never once broken your word.”

The house is soon completed, now reaching the Seventh Gate, and the two step through. A large, cavernous hall awaits them, full of monsters, with a great gateway at the other side. This is the final room of the dungeon of the world.

The monsters are strong, but the Grade Zero and Yellow Yard, strongest weapons of their class, are more than a match for them. The pair slowly makes their way towards the door, slicing and smashing the monsters to piles of grist. By the time the two are finished, standing before the great door, both have reached the final level, at least without attaining God Tier as Fancy Pants has.

“I think I’ll have to face the Denizen alone.” Cheerilee explains. “Whether it is negotiations or a battle that lies ahead, it’s at the center of my world, and I’m afraid I must be the one to conquer it.”

“Alright.” Quick Fix replied, understanding. “But I’ll be here if you change your mind. And if it sounds like things are going wrong in there, I’m coming in and getting you out.”

Cheerilee nods, smiling, and makes her way into the chamber beyond. Quick Fix waits outside the Denizen’s chamber for an agonizing fifteen minutes, before Cheerilee finally emerges once again, a confused look on her face.

“How’d it go?” Quick Fix asks, somewhat pensively.

“Echidna was quite kind, to be sure.” she answered. “But the request she gave me was… odd. She agreed to give me her grist horde, but only if I agreed to carry out a task for her.”

“Seems about right."

“That’s the odd part though. She says that the Forge will need to be stoked up, after which I will need to begin… breeding the frogs.”

“You’re right, that is kinda weird. What even is it with this game and frogs?”

“I couldn’t say.”

“Anyway, what was this Forge thing?”

“That, I think I can answer. There seems to be a dormant volcano in the rock beneath my house. What we need to do is make it stop being dormant. Echidna says that when my breeding duties are complete, something will make its way to her, and I will need to request its release. She didn’t say what it was. But I imagine that for something to travel to the core of the planet, a lava chute would be the best way.”

“Sounds like we’ve got our work cut out for us. But at least we know what we’re doing, mostly. Wonder what weird thing my Denizen will ask me to do.”

“I’m not sure, but it seems as though the final purpose- the Ultimate Alchemy- will require the joint participation of all six Denizens. For instance, the Forge is here, but the forge master, Hephaestus, is in another land. I believe he should be Doc’s Denizen.”

“Ah, yeah… Wait, doesn’t Doc use the Hephaestus internet browser, too?”

Cheerilee nods. “And I use Echidna. I’m not sure how, but the two seem to be linked.”

“My Denizen is probably Nix then. That’s my internet of choice. Last I checked, Leeroy’s was Baal. Not sure about Derpy or Fancy Pants though.”

“I’m sure we’ll find out. Now, I know you’ll need to see yours soon, but if you can spare it, I’d appreciate your help here a bit longer. As well as your company~”

Quick Fix blushes slightly. “I’d be happy to stick around.”

Two Hours Later

Derpy

The young Page of Breath emerges from the caverns of her land, after successful negotiations with the Denizen, Typheus. His request was this: the clouds had been taken from above, trapped within the rifts of the land. Without rain, the land had grown dry. He requested cryptically that the clouds would need to be brought to the surface once again, and upon completion of this task, he would give Derpy his grist horde.

Derpy wasn’t sure how she would do it, but she doubted that the Denizen would give her an impossible task. So she accepted, but now needs to find a way to make it happen. The clouds must rise.

cross-eyedAngel began chatting with agelessTraveler at 10:32 P.M.

CA: how’d meeting your denizen go?

AT: Pretty well, if uneventful.

AT: He seemed to be in a pretty good mood, as the Forge has been lit. He wanted that, so he could do some blacksmithing.

AT: In fact, one of the Choices he gave me was the option to have any one item repaired. Only one though.

AT: I haven’t given him anything to repair yet. Seems too valuable to waste.

CA: what was the other one? the one that will give you his grist?

AT: It’ll be a bit more difficult, but I can’t say I didn’t see it coming.

AT: My land is the Land of Storms and Balance. The landscape itself is based on balance.

AT: The task given to me is to bring ultimate balance to the world. At that time, the eternal storm will briefly break, and that sunlight will be used to sustain the people of the land.

AT: That’s what he said, anyway.

CA: how will you do it?

AT: I’m not sure. Some of the sections of land are based on tidal patterns, while others are based on weight.

AT: Still others rely on mechanisms.

AT: I think, in the end, it’s going to require some delicacy, and time travel shenanigans.

CA: i get the same vibe from mine.

CA: yours will need your time powers, and mine will probably need my breath powers. somehow.

CA: my job is to raise the clouds from the bottom of the rifts.

CA: but i can’t just go down and bring every single one up. especially since i still can’t use my wings.

AT: Yes, I agree. Our roles will almost certainly be involved in the completion of our tasks.

AT: We’ll need to push our limits further. Learn how to truly use our powers.

CA: yeah, you’re right there.

CA: but, for now, i think it’d be nice to take a breather.

CA: just a chance to chat, y’know?

CA: how have you been holding up?

AT: Ah! I’ve been pretty well.

AT: These adventures wear you out, but it seems like it always keeps you going, too.

CA: yeah. always keeps us hopping.

CA: we’re on a time limit, too. the veil is falling apart, and i don’t think those portals will be able to protect skaia from the bigger meteors.

CA: there’s plenty of small ones still, so we’ve got time, but skaia is in danger.

CA: and skaia is important for the ultimate alchemy, though i’m not sure how.

AT: All of the details for that operation are a bit sketchy.

AT: I suppose that’s the game’s suspense though. We aren’t quite sure what our final goal and reward are.

AT: But then, the Ultimate Riddle seems to be about that topic, so we’ve got some clues.

CA: yeah. what parts of the riddle have you found?

AT: It’s hard to tell what’s part of the Riddle and what isn’t, but the residents of the lands have spoken of a beautiful green world.

AT: I thought they were referring to Equestria at first, but maybe this land is where we’re headed?

CA: might be. i’ve heard a few talking about that, too.

CA: there was also one bit that sounded important.

CA: he said that ‘pieces of old would be used to shape the new’.

CA: i don’t know what that means, but it sure sounded like a riddle to me.

AT: Indeed. We’ll need to keep that in mind, along with the rest.

CA: anyway, i guess we should get going. try and figure out how to use our powers even better.

CA: i’m almost top level, but there are a few dungeons i haven’t been in yet.

CA: i bet those will help.

AT: Sounds that way.

AT: I’m not sure if there are any large dungeons left on my land. My last task there might simply be the Denizen’s request.

AT: So I’ll poke around and see what I can find that will help.

AT: Good luck in your quest, dear. <3

CA: alright, you too doc! <3

agelessTraveler ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 10:52 P.M.

Forty-eight

Chapter in color

Forty-eight

Eight Hours Later

Time passes. The Veil thins. The war for Skaia grows direr, both Prospit and Derse growing more desperate to play the final move. With Derse short three of its best agents, the King and Queen know they will have to put everything in to have a hope of victory. The Black Queen herself deploys to the Battlefield to oversee operations.

Knowing this, the White Queen of Prospit is justifiably alert, but she hasn’t the time to prepare. In the dead of the night, a servant arrives to her chambers to check on her, only to find her dead of a clean but deliberate wound, her ring nowhere to be found. An assassin’s work. This news enrages the King. It must have been Derse’s work. They have broken the terms of engagement and overstepped their boundaries into Prospit. It was a well-mannered, meticulous war before, but now Prospit had to respond to this daring move.

Production of the heavier units in the ectobiology labs- Rooks, Bishops and Knights- steps up, leading Derse to do the same. The stakes rise, and the Veil continues to thin.

The final battle for Skaia, the Incipisphere, is on the horizon.

Six Heroes, borne of another world, bound for yet another, arrive in a field on Skaia, free of combat for the moment. Two, the Thief of Blood and Knight of Void, arrived on a Dersite shuttle. The Page of Breath, Heir of Time and Mage of Space, on a Prospitan vessel. The Bard of Hope, God Tier reached but fullest potential not yet attained, arrived by the strength of his own wings.

DOC: Good to see you’re all safe and sound.

QUICK FIX: gotta say, its good to not be dead

CHEERILEE: I’m certainly glad for that, too~

QUICK FIX: aw, cmere you

The two move forward and embrace each other warmly. Smiling, Derpy and Doc move slightly closer together as well.

FANCY PANTS: well.

FANCY PANTS: guess that leaves you and me.

LEEROY: Sure does.

The pair waggles their eyebrows furiously at each other before bursting into laughter.

FANCY PANTS: so, you ever find that legendary sword?

LEEROY: Oh yeah. And no offense, but it blows all those swords you sent me out of the water.

FANCY PANTS: none taken. pop culture weapons could only cut it for so long.

FANCY PANTS: so let’s see it!

Leeroy nods, and accesses his sylladex. After dispatching a ridiculously powerful simulation enemy, a sword springs forth, blood red and with three distinct blades, one curving past one end of the hilt like a scimitar, one guarding the hilt, and one curving away like a scythe.

LEEROY: They call it the Blade of Blood. A suitable weapon for a Thief of Blood, I suppose.

LEEROY: Even alone, this thing is powerful. It seems to hold some of my own power, of being able to weaponize the life force of fallen enemies.

LEEROY: But I was given the option to power it up even more. Baal told me I could have Hephaestus combine it with a few other objects to make it more powerful. Or… something like that anyway.

LEEROY: He seemed to be implying there would be a specific thing that these objects would help me kill.

LEEROY: Can’t imagine what that would be though.

FANCY PANTS: well, what were the items?

LEEROY: I dunno, weird, normal stuff.

LEEROY: One of Doc’s weird machines that I still haven’t figured out. The cue ball Cheerilee found.

LEEROY: And of course some of the lava from the Forge got into the mix.

FANCY PANTS: huh. can’t imagine what that would do.

LEEROY: Me neither. Doesn’t even look any different than before. It’s a bit stronger, but it’s not a huge difference.

LEEROY: Ah well. Doing that helped me get on Baal’s good side and get his grist horde.

FANCY PANTS: oh yeah! i didn’t get to hear. cheerilee, what did we end up making with all that grist?

CHEERILEE: It was all part of the Ultimate Riddle. The Frogs, the grist, the Ultimate Alchemy.

CHEERILEE: They all went to the same thing.

CHEERILEE: At the end of the frog breeding quest, I was charged with making the ultimate, perfect frog. The Genesis Frog, Echidna called it. The Speaker of the Vast Croak.

CHEERILEE: It took every last drop of grist in those hordes to do it, but the Genesis Frog lives.

FANCY PANTS: where is he?

CHEERILEE: Beyond the door at the edge of the Incipisphere. To reach it, we must first beat the final boss.

CHEERILEE: But I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to properly see him.

CHEERILEE: He is quite literally as big as a universe.

CHEERILEE: He IS a universe.

CHEERILEE: He is our Final Reward. Inside that universe is a planet that will bear life.

CHEERILEE: And it is us that will be there to guide it.

FANCY PANTS: … you mean to tell me…

FANCY PANTS: that by playing this game, and destroying our own planet, we’ve created a new one?

FANCY PANTS: and that we’re the ones who will watch over it?

CHEERILEE: That is precisely what we’ve concluded.

FANCY PANTS: so, what you mean is, we’ll essentially be the GODS of this new planet? universe even? we’re the ones who created it, and the ones who will watch over it?

FANCY PANTS: but that was what celestia and luna did back on equestria, right?

FANCY PANTS: and they were alicorns… like i am now.

FANCY PANTS: so that means that this is how equestria was made, too. celestia and luna played this game once, and created our world.

FANCY PANTS: and now it’s our turn.

CHEERILEE: You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re absolutely right.

QUICK FIX: I wonder what happened to the sisters

QUICK FIX: last I saw they got to the bunkers with some civilians

QUICK FIX: maybe they’re still okay

DOC: Perhaps. But for now, we can’t reach them anymore.

DOC: If they are still alive back there, we have no choice but to leave them to their own devices.

DOC: The princesses, and the people of Equestria, are resourceful. I’m certain life will carry on.

DOC: But for now, we must make certain that life carries on through our reach.

DOC: The Black King and Queen await us.

DERPY: wait, doc.

DERPY: before we do that, there’s one other thing we should talk about.

DOC: … Ah, yes. I told you I’d discuss what I discovered about myself and my guardian.

DOC: I’ll try to condense this very long story for you, as we are still working against the clock.

DOC: According to my guardian’s journal, he arrived in Equestria fifteen years ago. Derpy, as you saw, he was not a pony, nor was he even from this planet. He was a Timelord, of a planet called Gallifrey.

DOC: But there was trouble in Equestria, he saw this. And he needed to blend in to find it.

DOC: The TARDIS- a time machine full of gadgets for such occasions- assisted him. Using a device called the Chameleon Arch, he changed his anatomy to that of a pony, but left specific instructions to himself.

DOC: In time, he discovered the nature of the danger, and knew that more extreme, and more specific, measures would need to be taken.

DOC: The Timelords possessed a unique trait: when they die, they would typically regenerate instead, keeping their memories, but changing shape, sometimes gaining a wildly different personality.

DOC: But the situation called for two ponies, a player for this game, and a guardian.

DOC: And so, he created a stable time loop. He raised a young man specifically for this journey, then forced a regeneration, went back in time, and repeated his actions. He became the young man he had raised.

CHEERILEE: So, you’re saying…

DOC: I am my guardian, yes, at a further point in the timeline.

DOC: I’ve been stepped in time travel long before this game. And if necessary, I have the means to regain all these memories, and return to being a Timelord.

DOC: I don’t really want to though, not unless it’s necessary. I quite love my life as a pony, and my friendship with you all.

FANCY PANTS: but that also means that there was supposed to be a different player in this session. it’s a game for six, right?

DOC: That’s right. Part of the reason I did this was because something had happened to whomever should have played this game.

DOC: The timeline would have collapsed. And before the game started, that would have been disastrous.

DOC: So I set me up as a substitute. And the game- Skaia- seems to have accepted this and accommodated.

DERPY: so, the missing player was the danger your teacher- sorry, you- found?

DOC: It was part of it.

DOC: The other part was a very mysterious character lurking around, pushing events. Someone with just as much control of the timeline as I had, if not more.

DOC: He was a First Guardian. He called himself Discord.

FANCY PANTS: and that guy is still hanging around somewhere in this session.

LEEROY: Meaning we might have to take him out.

DOC: We might. But for now, we must simply complete our quest.

DOC: If Discord elects to interfere with us, then we will confront him.

DOC: We’ve wasted enough time on this though. We have to beat the final boss and reach our new world.

The six nod in confirmation, equip their most powerful weapons, and begin their march to the center of the battle, where the monarchs would be waiting. The Prospitan and Dersite soldiers alike stand aside as they approach. They all know what is about to begin.

The six heroes of the light stand before the king of the kingdom shrouded in darkness. Through his staff, through the power of the Kernelsprites, his form has been altered; Paper wings rise from his back, glowing red lenses in place of eyes. His left leg and arm seem to have been converted into a well-tuned machine, and his right arm seems to be a thick wooden one. He wears a RED TEAM uniform, chains of bullets strapped across his chest. Unfitting with the rest of the prototypings, a tail and a pair of cat ears are also present.

The Black King wastes no time. As soon as the six approach, he launches an attack, sending a wave of fire across the ground. All six are able to jump and dodge the attack, and Derpy lands, ready to make the first attack. She throws her boomerang- FURY OF THE OUTBACK- revealing his now slightly depleted health bar. She can’t help but stare in astonishment; this is an absolutely ludicrous amount of HP, and the six are still working on a time limit.

Fancy Pants opens fire with his rifle- the AHAB’S CROSSHAIRS- and keeps the laser trained on the King’s head. His HP trickles down at a steady rate, but it will not be enough by itself. Doc, Quick Fix and Cheerilee all charge forward, the REVENGE OF PHILLIP, GRADE ZERO and YELLOW YARD at the ready, and begin the frontal attack. As the Dersite soldiers move in to attack the heroes and defend their king, Leeroy zips around, defending the others and charging his weapon and own power. With each strike, each kill, he grows more powerful still.

At last, the three fighters step back, and Leeroy leaps at the King, bringing his blade downward in a mighty strike, overflowing with power. The HP bar takes a noticeable drop, but it is still more than three-quarters full.

A blast of energy sends Derpy reeling, and buffets the others members of the party. Behind them, the Black Queen has arrived. Derpy’s mind reels, wondering how they will defeat both monarchs at once. Leeroy and Fancy Pants continue to engage the King, while the other four turn their attention to the Queen. Derpy readies herself, and when the Queen launches her next attack- a lightning blast- Derpy unleashes an equally powerful gust of wind, deflecting the attack. Derpy’s role as the Page of Breath sets her up as a highly defensible player, deflecting powerful attacks and providing support to her allies.

In tandem, Quick Fix and Cheerilee attack the Black Queen, Space and Void causing fluctuations in the battlefield. Quick Fix’s defensive fighting style paired with Cheerilee’s supportive abilities protect both of them from strong attacks, with one always protecting the other while they attack. Doc supports on both fronts by slowing the enemy and speeding up his allies, but this leaves him vulnerable. Seeing an attack headed for him, Derpy dives away from the Queen, and deflects the attack roughly.

The HP bars of both continue to trickle away, but the heroes are growing weary, and the two-front battle continues to be just as frantic. Leeroy leaps and delivers another hit to the King, dropping him below half-health, and Derpy expertly deflects one of his attacks to the Queen. However, the resulting explosion is far bigger than it should have been. The attack that should have taken a small chunk off of the Queen’s HP has completely finished her, or so it would appear. The ring on her finger rolls over to the ponies, six orbs around its surface glowing brightly.

The smoke clears, and another pony figure is standing over the Queen’s body. He pulses green and white, yellow energy arcing away from his body. He launches himself at the King, deflecting a series of attacks almost faster than Derpy’s eyes can follow, and fires a blast of energy from his hoof that tears a hole straight through the King’s chest. The Black Staff drops to the ground, the King and Queen both slain.

The mysterious Alicorn, the First Guardian, Discord, stands over the carnage, a ring already settled on his horn. He has no eyes, but it’s clear to all six that his focus is on the second, sitting near Leeroy’s hoof.

“Is… Is it over?” Cheerilee asks.

“Nearly.” Discord answers, stepping towards the ring.

Leeroy makes a step forward, Blade of Blood clutched firm in his teeth.

“These things are too dangerous.” Quick Fix states adamantly. “We need to destroy them. That one you’ve got, too. The one you took from the White Queen.”

“Is that what you’ve decided?” he asks. “They’ve valuable tools for protection, for those that can use them. I’m certainly not handing over mine. Step aside, or I’ll have to move you myself.”

“No way.” Doc says, stepping between the two, screwdriver held tight.

“Ah, the Doctor.” Discord taunts. “Couldn’t tell you how much trouble you’ve been for me. I doubt you even know the half of it. But I’m afraid all that ends now.” Discord moves forward, a slow but steady pace, towards the place where the ring lies. Leeroy leaps forward, and is thrown aside, blade clattering to the ground beside him. The other five all attack at once, but their result is the same.

He takes the ring, and it begins floating near one of his front hooves. The other ring floats off of his horn, and hovers near his other hoof. The two spin momentarily, then launch forward and imbed themselves painfully into his hooves. There is no blood, but something begins to happen to him. The green, white and yellow energy begins crackling furiously, blasting holes in the ground of the battlefield. The six ponies are able to dodge this stray energy, but it is a challenge predicting where the next bolt will hit.

The form of Discord explodes into smoke and light, and it takes a few moments for the heroes’ eyes to adjust again. When the smoke and light clear, a new figure is standing in the place of the snow white Alicorn. He stands much taller, on two mismatched legs, with a wispy tail trailing behind him. A lion’s paw, an eagle’s claw, both with one of the rings settled on them. A fanged, toothy grin greets the six mischievously.

DISCORD: Ah, now that feels better. Look at all this random stuff!

DOC: I’m not sure if you’re just THAT egotistical, or just stupid.

DOC: You’ve got more power without the rings than you do with them.

DISCORD: I’m aware of that. But where’s the fun in omnipotence?

DISCORD: If I can do anything anyway, what’s the point in it?

DISCORD: I need limits to ruthlessly smash through.

LEEROY: So you’ve handicapped yourself to give yourself a challenge. I can respect that.

LEEROY: But you’ve got other things to answer for. Why did you slip into our session? Why did you steal our games in the beginning?

LEEROY: And what do you plan on doing now?

DISCORD: I like staying alive. Nothing was going to survive on Equestria.

DISCORD: The land is a wasteland. Those few poor souls who survived the initial scourge will soon die out. This is the life cycle of a planet.

DISCORD: I merely wanted to go to the new planet, and I made myself a copy of your game to help assure that there would be a planet for me to go to.

DISCORD: But now… I’m not sure simply living is enough. It wasn’t pleasant living under Celestia, you know. Her First Guardian gave her quite a bit of trouble, and she didn’t trust me because of it.

DISCORD: Hardly fair, don’t you think?

DISCORD: I don’t want that history to repeat. So I think I should assume leadership of this new place. Let you children enjoy yourselves, and let me worry about the stress of godhood.

DOC: You know that’s not going to happen. This world is not yours to take.

DOC: You’ve had your time. Your mission is complete. It’s time to step back.

DISCORD: Says the Timelord who has cheated death more times than anyone can count

DISCORD: Says the interloper from another world who was never meant to play this game.

DISCORD: You, of all people, have no room to accuse me of overstepping my boundaries.

DOC: The difference between you and I as that you want control. I want freedom. I want the people of the universe to be safe and free, and you want to be the one to rule over them with no one to stop you.

DISCORD: And who can define one side as right and one as wrong? You?

CHEERILEE: We decide that. This is our world, and you’re not part of it.

FANCY PANTS: i called it. i knew this guy would be the real final boss. get ready, everyone!

QUICK FIX: celestia was one thing, but im not gonna sit by and let this guy put himself on the throne that WE built

DERPY: if you just wanted to live there, that would be one thing. but we worked for this world. we made sacrifices for this world. we gave up our old lives, our families, for this.

DOC: I think the people speak for themselves.

DISCORD: So you fancy yourselves to be better leaders than me?

DISCORD: You’re so sure that you will be able to lead the people of your new world better than I will?

LEEROY: Enough!

Leeroy leaps at Discord, Blade of Blood clenched tightly between his teeth and glowing with energy. Discord is more than ready, however. As Leeroy draws near, Discord grabs him by the leg, swings him around and slams him into the ground. Leeroy is stunned, but doesn’t stop moving, getting back to his feet immediately and stumbling forward again.

The other five are about to move in to help, but Discord’s next attack causes them all to stop short. He ducks low, throwing a punch at Leeroy, almost bursting with energy.

The attack goes straight through him. The Blade of Blood falls, directly into Discord’s waiting hand. The whole world seems to freeze for a moment, before Discord tosses Leeroy’s limp, bloody body to his friends.

In times of peace, one can imagine what they would do in such a situation. Explode into anger and attack the monster, perhaps. But in that moment, in the hearts of the five, there was far more fear than anything else, especially anger.

Discord gazed at them, Blade of Blood in hand. The five could only stare back, breath held, emotions overwhelming. After a few moments, Discord smirked slightly, and readied the sword.

A Dissonant Dersite lunges between the two, diamond spear clashing against the Blade of Blood.

“Move!” he shouts. To Quick Fix and Fancy Pants, those who had heard his voice before, it isn’t quite the same. In addition, his uniform is somewhat askew, as though he had frantically rushed there. Something is distinctly off about the Draconian Dignitary. “The door’s open! Get in and close it behind you! And, to those watching, you’ve got friends in Tellius. Now GO!”

Derpy’s mind races. What is he talking about? The door was likely the entrance to the new universe, but what was Tellius, and who was he addressing as ‘those watching’? There isn’t time to find out now, though. Quick Fix frantically drags Leeroy along with her as the five make their way away from Discord and their unlikely savior. A Dersite shuttle rests a short distance away, and the six pile onboard. Cheerilee takes a deep breath to settle herself, and soon the shuttle is on the move, quickly headed for Lofas.

“Is he… Is he still alive?” Derpy asks, fearing the answer.

“Just about…” Quick Fix mumbled. “He’s losing too much blood though… Heh, don’t think I could make up the difference this time around…”

“Think we can get this hunk of junk to his planet before… before it’s too late?” Fancy Pants asks. “If we put him on his Quest Bed…”

Cheerilee shook her head. “We’d be very lucky if we could reach the planet in time. And even then, we don’t know where on the planet his Quest Bed is.”

“There’s another failsafe.” Doc says, drawing everypony’s attention. “I’m not certain of the details, but I was told that a player could be saved from death once. Thing is, someone has to kiss him.”

Quick Fix and Cheerilee exchange a quick glance, and nod. “Give me the wheel.” Fancy Pants tells Cheerilee. “Make it happen. Save him.”

Cheerilee nods again, and gives Leeroy a kiss which lasts a few seconds. Miles away, he awakes with a start on Derse. But his friends do not know this, and simply see the life slip from the body in the shuttle.

Forty-nine

Chapter in color

Forty-nine

Intermission

Years in the future, but not many…

A group of nine sat around a campfire, all but one in silence. Two knights, one ranger, three wandering fighters, a child, a bard, and a princess. As the princess recounted her visions sent through dreams, the others listened intently, defenses slackened but not dropped completely.

“We all voiced our dissent, refusing to accept Discord’s vision. He tried to convince us, but we weren’t having it. Leeroy took a leap at him with his blade, but… Discord was faster. Leeroy was brought to near death with one punch, and Discord took his weapon.”

She fell into silence for a moment. However, in the gap, Lenora’s head turned slightly. “I hear something.” she stated simply.

Tug turned his head too, and nodded after a moment. “Yeah. There’s something going on somewhere in that direction.”

The others looked to each other for a few seconds, and nodded. Lenora and Tug stood and swiftly but quietly made their way towards the commotion, with Mark just behind, followed by the rest of the group. As they drew closer, it became apparent that what they were hearing was the sound of combat.

Over the next hill, Lenora was able to see the combatants. A large group of soldiers was swarming around two men, fighting in the same manner as the Changeling troops they had fought previously. One of the two men they had surrounded was fending them off viciously, a hatchet in one hand, a whip in the other. The other man, equipped only with a short blade, seemed to be struggling to keep himself safe. A short distance away, Lenora spotted two horses that must have belonged to the two, terrified but unharmed.

“Say the word.” Tug whispered, an arrow already pointed into the fray. Twilight and Phil had a fire spell at the ready, and Princess Cadance a powerful light spell.

Lenora nodded. “Mark, Gordon and I will move down and meet them head-on. You four, give us covering fire. Protect those two travelers with everything you’ve got.”

Tug nodded back, and Lenora swung over the edge of the hill, sword drawn, and charged. The first arrow and wave of magic attacks crashed into the crowd first, but the Changelings at the edge didn’t have time to defend from Lenora’s attack. She struck with a diagonal slice, then followed up with a simple thrust, killing two before they could get their guard up. The third attempted to block with his spear, but she knocked it aside and sliced him through the middle.

An attack was inbound from the left, but Mark dove in and deflected it with an elegant spin, kicking the Changeling’s legs out from under it. To her right, Captain Gordon- Shining Armor- crashed into another two Changelings with one mighty swing of his axe, then kicked another into the crowd behind it. Lenora could still hear the two in the center of the crowd fighting, now even harder knowing help had arrived.

Lenora blocked a hit with her shield, bashing the attacker back, then delivered several slices into the crowd. At this point, it was hard to pick out a single opponent, and it seemed to the three that they were simply fighting a wall of soldiers. Those who tried to get around to attack from behind were quickly dealt with by the archer and mages above. Still, the enemy numbers seemed endless.

A voice echoed from the center of the fray. “Cards of fate, guide my hand… Chaos Suite!”

A bright light shone from the center of the battlefield, and a series of powerful attacks blasted back the swarming Changelings. Lenora watched as the man leapt above the fray, axe glowing with power, orange wings keeping him aloft, and lanced through at least a dozen troops with some strange magic. Symbols flashed around him just before each attack. Spades; a mighty lance rent through several more troops. Clubs; a scattershot flew into the crowd, thinning the number standing. Hearts; an aura of healing surrounded the fighter. Diamond; he swung his axe, and a bolt of red lighting erupted through the crowd.

He dove back to the ground, swinging his weapon wildly, but the enemy had been severely weakened. With him and Lenora and her friends working together, the Changelings soon realized that they were vastly outmatched. Those still standing elected to cut their losses and run. Lenora let them, and when the crowd cleared, she saw that the other two had done the same. The two men carefully picked their way around the bodies, reaching their rescuers.

“Thank you.” The stronger fighter said. He wore a now dirtied trench coat equipped with various tools, and a round explorer’s hat atop his head. He had clearly seen some action, with his graphite-colored hair out of place, suntanned skin and a small scar just above his left eye. His red eyes were still glinting with energy and adrenaline, but as he began to calm, they grew softer. His companion was dressed more simply, with a green shirt covered by a light traveling cloak, and short brown hair. Judging by his inexperienced fighting earlier, this one had not been exposed to danger as frequently.

“We’d be dead if you hadn’t intervened.” the explorer states.

“It’s no trouble.” Shining Armor assures him. “We’ve been fighting these Changelings for some time, as well. I can’t guess what their goal is, but they have been at the root of a lot of the trouble here in Daein.”

“Don’t I know it.” The stranger agrees. “This is my second fight with them. The first was just a small group jumping me and my friend after we started poking around. Something big is happening here. You and your group are doing the same?”

Lenora nodded. “Yes. But we’re pretty deep in it already.”

The rest of Lenora’s group had made their way down the hill. The stranger looked at Cadance for a moment, then nodded. “I think I see. You are the princess of Daein, are you not?” She nodded, and he bowed shortly. “It’s an honor. But as far as I’ve been made aware, someone is already sitting on that throne. Meaning…”

“She is an impostor.” Cadance answered. “I am the true crown princess.”

“Are you sure we can trust these two?” Mark asked warily.

She nodded. “Yes. The Changelings are our enemy, and they are clearly the enemy of these two travelers as well. And while I cannot speak for any of you, or even you two, kind sirs, I sense no malice towards us.”

The explorer’s companion nodded in response. “We appreciate it. We mean no harm to any of you. We both blew in from Ivoire recently, heard there was some trouble out here. We heard right. If an impostor is sitting on the throne, then there’s clearly something very dangerous at play. Do you know who this impostor is? What she wants?”

“I can only guess she is one of the Changelings, as she’s changed her shape to mimic mine exactly. She may well be their leader. Why she’s doing this, I cannot guess, but she also seems to have some dealings with the group called the Order.”

His eyes widened slightly. “The Order? I’ve heard of them already. They’ve been raining attacks on Ivoire. A group I was traveling briefly told me a bit about them. They said they survived an attack on Eclipse City in Equestria, and that the Order framed them as traitors. Their leader was called… Discord? And it seems he’s done the same here- ousted someone who could potentially stop him and set her up as a public enemy.”

It was Lenora’s turn to be surprised. “Who was in that group? A lot of that was inside information. I was with the Order for a time, before I deserted with my companion.”

“Lemmie see… There was Sweetie Belle, Luna, Angel… Scootaloo and Applebloom. Daring, they were the ones you sparred with before you left for Tellius.”

The explorer, Daring, nodded in sudden understanding. Twilight gasped slightly, and exchanged a few whispers with Phil and Trixie. “They targeted the kids?! It sounds like they had to get out of Equestria for safety…”

“Hope they’re alright…” Phil said in agreement. “But it sounds like they’re safe, and have a plan. I don’t think we can get to them right now. We’ve got our own mess, and I think they need us here…”

The explorer’s companion continued. “Then some other people joined their group, but I didn’t catch their names. Their leader, a kid with blue hair and sunglasses, told me that the Order had been active here for about six years, and something was wrong with the princess. This must be what he was in the process of discovering. And he told me to look out for a guy with black hair and a curved blue sword…” His gaze drifted to Mark. “Which would be you, it seems.”

“I’ve seen that kid.” Mark added. “The one with blue hair and shades. He was with the Doctor when he visited me six years ago.”

Lenora nodded slowly. “That was likely Scratch. This is all very strange, but perhaps we were brought together for a reason. We’ve all been touched by the same allies, and the same enemies. For the conflict ahead, I believe we should all work together.”

Everyone gathered voiced their agreement. The members of the group introduced themselves to the two newcomers. The explorer tipped his hat. “Daring Do.”

His companion nodded. “Drew.”

“So…” Daring asked, “What now? What were you planning on doing next?”

“Before this, I was recounting the events of a series of dreams I’ve been having.” Cadance explained. “Discord is involved, but not in his current state. I believe that these dreams may hold the key to defeating him, if we can uncover it.”

Daring nodded. “Right. I won’t ask you to start from the beginning, but could we at least get a quick recap to catch us up?”

Cadance nodded. “The story begins in a land called Equestria, but it is a different place entirely from the continent across the sea. This land is inhabited by ponies, intelligent as you or I. More so, in fact; their technology far outstrips ours. Six of these ponies begin a game that sends them to a new galaxy, while their old planet is destroyed.

“The six heroes- Derpy Hooves, Doctor Whooves, Leeroy Wingkins, Quick Fix, Fancy Pants, and the pony through whose eyes I saw, Cheerilee- adventured through the galaxy across six planets, two moons, and the great battlefield of Skaia, learning more about themselves and their new powers. Through dealings with the leaders of these planets, the six learned that they had a much grander destiny ahead of them: they were to create an entirely new world, and to watch over it as gods and goddesses. Standing in their way was the conflict of the two kingdoms of the moons, Prospit and Derse.

“There came to be a flaw with this plan, of course. Upon reaching the end of their journey, they were accosted by a mighty being who had snuck in from their homeland of Equestria. This creature called himself Discord, and when he stole two mighty rings from the Queens of Prospit and Derse, he assumed the form the Discord we know wears.”

Cadance paused briefly. “He killed Leeroy when he tried to retaliate. That’s where we left off.”

Daring thought for a moment. “So you’ve been getting these through dreams, right?” Cadence nodded, confused. “And they need help. Someone like Discord, he isn’t going to just let them slip by, and he’s too strong to be fought by normal means.”

Lenora nodded, but was just as confused as everyone else. “That’s true, but what are you getting at?”

Daring smiled. “I want to try getting in there. I might be able to buy you enough time to get away.”

Cadance frowned. “I… don’t see how. These dreams are far from normal, and even then, I don’t see how one would access a normal dream. I believe there are others who are having similar dreams, through the points of view of the other five, but I don’t think there’s a way in beyond that.”

“Just takes practice and persistence.” Daring bragged. “Ask Drew, he’ll tell you I’ve had plenty of time asleep to master it. There’s a sort of limbo-dream place tied to this world, and I’ve spent a lot of time there. I think I may be able to access these dreams from it. Are these dreams ongoing?”

After a moment’s pause, Cadance nodded. “Yes. And, now that I think about it, there was a slightly odd, unexplained occurrence just after Leeroy was slain… In fact, I think Tellius was mentioned! Sir Daring, I think you are right. If you think you can help, I would have you do everything you can. And when you find the heroes, tell them that the door out of the galaxy is open, and that they have friends here in Tellius. I don’t know who the others are, but they’re likely fighting against the Order as well.”

He nodded vigorously. “Absolutely, your majesty. If anyone here has a bottle of whiskey or something, that would help me get asleep quicker.”

Shining Armor nodded, and the group led the two newcomers and their horses back to their camp. Shining Armor dug around in his pack for a few moments, then retrieved a flask and handed it to Daring. He nodded appreciatively, drank the whole thing, and was unconscious within a few minutes.

“He’s… A bit eccentric.” Cadance commented.

Drew simply nodded. “He is. It took me some time to get used to his odd ways, even if I still don’t quite understand them. But he’s pulled me out of the fire more times than I can count, and I’ve done the same for him a few times. He’s a good friend if there ever was one. And if he says he can get into those dreams and do something to help, well, I believe it.”

Years in the past, but nothing to write home about…

A Dignified Dersite stands atop a hill of the great battlefield of Skaia. Derse stands on the brink of victory. The White King and Queen are dead, and Prospit’s forces are falling to pieces. A Prospitan Shadow seems to have assumed command of the troops in cooperation with his associates, but this is not cause for concern. All the bravery and determination in the world cannot save them now.

The Draconian Dignitary suddenly loses all control of his body and mind. From an immeasurable distance away- but a measurable amount of time in the future- Daring Do assumes control of the man. He looks around through the binoculars still in the Dignitary’s hands, soon finding what he wants to see: The monstrous figure of Discord, and the six heroes fighting against him, one already down.

He nods, and takes off in a run towards the commotion. While he runs, he checks his inventory to see what weapons are at his disposal. A solid looking spear, a pair of knives, and two very unfamiliar weapons of different sizes. Daring had never seen anything like them before, but he could only guess that they functioned like a crossbow: point the long end at the enemy and pull the trigger. One was a small handheld size, while the other would need to be held with two hands.

He also can’t help but note that underneath his immaculate suit, his body is covered in a hard black shell. It doesn’t seem to restrict movement, and he guesses it will vastly improve his defense.

His feet are a bit oddly shaped though, as he quickly discovers by tripping up and taking a headlong roll down a hill. He scrambles back up and dusts himself off, never pausing from running towards the fight.

Just as Discord readies his sword to attack the five that remain standing, Daring lunges between them, his spear ringing against the blade. Discord frowns, not quite sure what to make of this. Clearly he hadn’t expected an intervention from one of the bystanders on the battlefield.

“Move!” Daring shouts, his voice slightly distorted. “The door’s open! Get in and close it behind you! And, to those watching, you’ve got friends in Tellius. Now GO!”

The ponies only pause for a moment more before fleeing. Discord doesn’t pursue them; instead, he tilts his head slightly at Daring. “Now THIS is an interesting turn of events.” Discord comments. “I expected some form of retaliation from the remains of the kingdoms, but I hardly expected the nobleman of Derse to step up personally. You’d be the next in command after the King and Queen, correct?”

Daring nods, playing along. “That’s right. Your interference with this battle cannot be ignored. All of Derse will stand behind me in stopping you, and I’m sure Prospit will do the same.”

Discord chuckled. “Fair enough. As the acting commander, and an honorable opponent, you are entitled to your weapon.” He motions his head towards a black marble staff lying discarded on the ground.

Daring shakes his head. “Never been good with magic. Give me a blade any day.” He shifts the spear in his hands.

Discord laughed and hefted his own weapon. “I like your attitude! Come, then. I’ll even let you attack first.”

Daring rushes forward, spearhead towards the monster. Discord moves swiftly, sword swinging to block, but Daring’s reflexes aren’t slow either. He sidesteps and thrusts forward, delivering a solid hit to Discord’s leg. Discord grimaces in frustration and punches the Dersite, sending him sprawling backwards.

Daring scrambles to his feet, retrieving the smaller of the foreign weapons from his coat. He points it towards Discord and pulls the trigger several times in succession. Discord’s eyes glint, and he deflects three of three of the bullets with his blade, dodging the others. Discord now steps forward, rushing towards his opponent. Daring raises his spear to block, and as the two weapons ring out again, he retrieves one of the knives from his coat and stabs it firmly into Discord’s arm.

The arm wavers, but the sword is not dropped. Daring has a hard time telling if his attacks are doing any damage, but they are definitely annoying the monster, keeping his attention away from the six heroes. Discord pushes his opponent back with a mighty spin, then rushes forward with a flurry of strikes. Daring manages to block most of them, but the last two connect, cutting through both his coat and outer shell.

Discord adopts a genuinely confused expression. Clearly, Daring shouldn’t still be standing after a hit like that. Using this confusion to his advantage, Daring charges again, deflecting two sword strikes, dodging around a third and jabbing the spear deep into Discord’s other leg. This strike seemed to finally give the demon some amount of pain. He swats Daring aside, and readies his sword for another barrage, but soon finds a storm of bullets headed his way. Daring holds the larger gun confidently, a bloody grin on the Dignitary’s face, bullets flying.

Discord throws an angry arm forward, blocking a few of the bullets with his blade, and rushes straight through the storm. Daring is knocked to the ground by the first punch, and the ground explodes under him after the second. Discord is no longer simply annoyed, but completely enraged. He lifts the broken but alive body of the Dignitary into the air, tosses him upwards, and slams him back to the ground with the Blade of Blood. Daring watches dimly as the Dignitary’s severed left arm floats before him on the way down, extremely glad that he cannot feel his pain.

The impact is dizzying, but he manages to retrieve his pistol once again. In Discord’s rage, Daring is able to slip in a few more hits to his torso before he is lifted from the cracked ground again.

“You’re an unusual one.” Discord says, half growling, but quickly composing himself. “No normal mortal being should be able to withstand this much beating, but here you are, still trying to hurt me. I have to say, I’m impressed. What’s your secret?”

Daring doesn’t answer, but attempts to shift his remaining hand to reach a weapon. Discord frowns and shifts his grip, pinning Daring’s arm to his side. “Suppose it wouldn’t serve you well to tell me.” Discord squints, staring into the Dignitary’s eyes for several seconds, searching. Finally, his own eyes light up, a grin on his face. “YOU’RE not really here! The Dignitary is already dead! You, you are but a puppeteer, and this Dersite, your puppet. Oh, that is good. Bravo, good sir. But that begs the question… Who are you, really? None of these six have such a power.”

Daring still doesn’t answer. His hand has almost reached something in his coat. “No answer, eh…? You mentioned something called Tellius to them. Could you be there, pulling the strings? I haven’t heard of the place, but I guarantee, I can find it.”

Daring retrieves a communicator and flips it on. “Armies of Derse! Point every weapon towards the demon Discord! Ignore Prospit, and if you see the Heroes of light, you are now ordered to assist them!”

Discord snarls. “So that’s how you want it. You’re no fun. Very well, sir puppeteer. You want to keep this engagement going, I’ll play along. But let me assure you that I WILL find this Tellius, I WILL find you, and there will be repercussions for this.”

Discord tosses the Dignitary into the air, hefts his sword, and swings.

Years in the future, but nothing too overwhelming…

Daring Do awoke with a start. The other members of the group were anxiously watching him, and looked curiously to hear of what had happened.

“I certainly managed to make him angry.” Daring said. “There may not be any lasting damage, but with someone like that, we’re going to need a lot stronger weaponry than a spear and some knives and mini crossbows. What’s important is that I got his attention away from the ponies. I just hope that bought them enough time…”

Cadance smiled and nodded. “It bought us enough time to escape, yes. But, regrettably… Not all of us.” She sat down again, the others gathered around. “Gather around, and I’ll tell you what happened next, and the fruits of your efforts.”

Fifty

Chapter in color

Fifty

Derpy

QUICK FIX: well

QUICK FIX: thats it

QUICK FIX: hes gone

DOC: He wouldn’t want the same to befall us. He would want us to get out of here, to safety.

FANCY PANTS: you’re right. but… there’s something we have to do first.

FANCY PANTS: my denizen, abraxas, offered me a weird deal before we got to the battlefield. i didn’t know what it meant at the time, but i think we need it now.

FANCY PANTS: he can get us some failsafes on our new planet. and it cannot hurt to have a backup plan against something like this.

FANCY PANTS: in the meantime… i think you should all consider getting god tier before we leave.

FANCY PANTS: it’s a power boost we might well need, both to stand strong against discord, and to govern our new world.

The radio in the shuttle comes to life with static for a moment, then a voice speaks: “Armies of Derse! Point every weapon towards the demon Discord! Ignore Prospit, and if you see the Heroes of light, you are now ordered to assist them!”

QUICK FIX: the dignitary again

QUICK FIX: seems like he had a change of heart

DERPY: maybe…

DERPY: he said some weird stuff though. i’m not sure it’s that simple.

DOC: Derpy is right. He mentioned something called Tellius, and spoke as though he were addressing someone else, not us… In addition, Dersites are supposed to be bred to oppose the creation of the new universe.

DOC: Something odd clearly happened with him, but I can’t guess what.

CHEERILEE: I suppose it doesn’t matter now. Discord has likely made short work of him.

CHEERILEE: But as he said, we may have friends elsewhere. And both Prospit and Derse should be able to help us now. At least, what’s left of them…

FANCY PANTS: right. so we should have a bit of assistance out there.

FANCY PANTS: for now, it looks like we’ll have to split up. i think i can handle myself, and when you guys hit god tier, you’ll probably be able to, too.

FANCY PANTS: but until then, i want you in teams of two. if it does come to a fight, you’ll be better prepared together. but try to avoid a fight anyway.

The others nod, none minding him taking charge. Doc moves to Derpy’s side, Cheerilee to Quick Fix’s.

“Take us to Derpy’s land first.” Fancy Pants tells Quick Fix. She nods and adjusts the course slightly. Soon, Derpy and Doc step off of the vessel onto her land. “When you get God Tier, you’ll both be able to fly, much faster than this old hunk of junk. So once you’re ready, come to my land, and we’ll make a run for it to the end of the game.”

The two nod, and the shuttle flies off. Doc turns to Derpy, concerned. “We were never asked our thoughts on the matter… Are you alright with this?”

Derpy frowned, a knot in her stomach. “To be honest, I’ve never been more scared. I want to be strong enough to stand up to Discord, but… Getting there isn’t going to be easy.”

“I know what you mean. Apparently I’ve been facing my mortality all my life, but I don’t remember it… It can’t have been easy, even then. To willingly end one’s life, even if they will come back stronger almost immediately…”

Derpy swallowed. “We can figure it out when we get there. C’mon.” She leads him across her land, tracing her previous path over the barren rock and haphazard steel, to where she knew the Quest Bed would still be waiting.

Soon, the two stand at the foot of the slab. Derpy knows what must be done, but finds herself quite hesitant to take the final step. Doc puts a hoof on her shoulder, but she shakes her head.

“I won’t ask you to do this for me. Even if it needs to happen, even if I’m alright with it and I’ll come back… It’s not you.”

Doc frowns, but understands what she means. She lies down on the Quest Bed. “I’ll wake up on Prospit after this. I’ll come back, and bring your dream self with me. That way you’ll still be right there with me when it’s your turn.”

“Good idea.” Doc says. He wants to say more, some words of comfort, but nothing comes to mind. Every part of him is screaming to not let this happen, but he also knows that it will not be permanent, that she will come back, and that it is for the best.

She readies her weapon.

Quick Fix

Quick Fix dashes forward, wrench swinging wildly, and destroys the underling before her. The proper citizens of Derse had been ordered to leave them unharmed- even assist them- but the underlings hadn’t received that message. Cheerilee swings in from behind her, slaying another.

Both of their communication devices click on at once.

cross-eyedAngel entered the group chat at 8:05 A.M.

CA: okay, it’s done.

CA: i’m god tier now.

AA: Are you alright?

CA: it was really scary.

CA: i’m still a little shaken…

CA: but i should be okay.

CA: and i got a really cool breath outfit!

CA: oh, and a horn!

AA: That’s good!

AA: I’m sorry you had to go through that. This is dark business we’ve become entangled in.

AA: Hopefully we’ll finish shortly, and be safe once and for all.

CA: yeah…

CA: wait, what is that?

TT: whats goin on

CA: oh celestia, he’s here!

AA: Discord?!

CA: yeah!

CA: i don’t think he knows i’m here.

CA: or that i’m awake, anyway.

CA: i’m almost to doc’s tower, i need to get him out of here!

CA: oh, but cheerilee, your dream self is here too…

AA: Don’t worry, I can switch and get myself out of there. Just get Doc and run!

CA: alright!

crosss-eyedAngel left the chat at 8:21 A.M.

Derpy

The newly awoken Page of Breath slips quietly into the tower of the Heir of Time, dream self currently asleep. The demon Discord has just arrived to the golden planet, and Derpy knows she will need to get away fast. Her friend, the Mage of Space, has stated that she will escape on her own, and Derpy decides she simply has to trust her on that. But Doc needs to be moved back to his land, and quickly.

She wraps her arms around him and lifts him from where he lays, then glances out the window. No sign of Discord. She knows he is still there, but may have moved on to another part of Prospit. She adjusts her grip on Doc and leaps out the window, wings catching her. Not only do her wings work once more, but they have grown to be much larger and more majestic than before. But what’s most important is that they will carry her and Doc to safety.

“Are the armies of Prospit and Derse already gone?” Derpy wonders worriedly. “Either Discord finished them already, or got away…”

She moves between buildings to keep a low profile. If she took a straight shot away from the golden planet, she would be a wide-open target. She has to work her way through the city until she reached a point where she could make a straight dash to Doc’s world, where he would be waiting for her.

A building explodes behind her. She hears the noise, but doesn’t turn to look. She has to keep moving.

Another explosion, but further away. It seems to have been in relatively the same place as the last one. “Is he not following me…?” she wonders. Then, reality hits. “He’s not here for us, he’s here to destroy Prospit!”

She looks up to see some Prospitan vessels already leaving, others waiting for more passengers. They’re already doing what they can to evacuate. She equips her communication device, never slowing down, and shouts into it: “Cheerilee, you have to get out of here! He’s destroying the whole planet!”

Derpy sees her opening, the shape of her destination a bright light in the sky, and launches herself and Doc away from Prospit’s surface. Behind her, the explosions are growing more violent, but she stops for nothing. At last, she slows to turn around and see the state of the planet.

It’s clear that Prospit is finished. Fires rage across the great city, cracks running through. It is still in one piece, but anyone still there will not survive.

cross-eyedAngel entered the group chat at 8:39 A.M.

CA: cheerilee, are you okay?

CA: prospit’s gone. tell me you made it off.

CA: cheerilee?

TT: shes still asleep here

TT: shes not picking up on the dream self end though

CA: oh no…

CA: alright. quick fix, wake her up.

TT: you sure? itll put her dream self to sleep again

CA: it might be too late for that. but she’ll be okay if you wake her up now. hurry!

TT: you got it

Quick Fix

The Knight of Void places one hand on the face of the Mage of Space, a slight frown on her face. She knows what she must do, but it wasn’t something that was high on her list of things to accomplish in life. However, if her love’s life was on the line, it was worth it.

Quick Fix hauls back and slaps Cheerilee, waking her up. The other girl rubs her cheek, but is otherwise unharmed.

“How’d it go?” Quick Fix asks.

“Not well.” Cheerilee admits. “In fact, I’m very glad you woke me up. For a few terrifying moments, after I didn’t make it off of Prospit… It was all darkness.”

Quick Fix hugs her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Cheerilee… But you’re alive now. That’s what’s important.”

She nods. “You’re right. Though I suppose I cannot reach the God Tier any longer… That was likely his plan in destroying Prospit.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t need it.” Quick Fix promises. “I won’t let him lay one freaky mutant finger on you.”

Cheerilee nodded, head still resting on Quick Fix’s shoulder. “We’ll look out for one another. Hopefully we can get out before it comes to another confrontation…”

Doc

The Heir of Time sits in front of his house, where he knows his love will find him. He was all too glad to leave the site of the Quest Bed; while it was painful to leave her body behind, it was more painful to continue seeing it. He knows she is okay, and it would do him no good to dwell on it.

At last, he sees Derpy approach from above, and waves to her. She lands, and Doc notices several things right away: first, her new outfit and mighty wings, and second, his own dream self slung over her shoulder.

“Thank goodness you’re alright.” Doc said with relief, hugging her tightly and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “I heard about what happened to Prospit.”

“Yeah… I don’t think Cheerilee made it off in time. She’s alive, but I don’t think she can get to God Tier now…”

“We’ll just have to move quickly. Hopefully, she won’t need it.”

Derpy nodded and moved away from Doc. “Let’s get to your Quest Bed, then.”

Doc nods, and the two depart. Luckily, he remembers roughly where his Quest Bed lies, as well.

Fancy Pants

“I’ve come to tell you that I need to take your previous offer.” Fancy Pants says to his Denizen, Abraxas. “An enemy stronger than any we had imagined has entered the equation, and we have need of your failsafes.”

The great, benevolent monster, lord of the Land of Fortresses and Sidequests, nods slightly. “A session disturbed by outside forces is not necessarily doomed,” he says in a tongue understandable only by the hero of his land, “Nor is a completed session necessarily safe from these forces. Your kind can be saved yet, but you will need a strength beyond your own.

“This strength is tied to the Quest Beds. And my offer is this: With help from Hephaestus’s strength and Echidna’s dominion over space, I can move your unused Quest Beds to your destination.”

“Our unused beds… But where’s the advantage of that, if we could just use them here…? I suppose Leeroy’s can’t be used by us anymore…”

“It may be wise to contact your fellow heroes. Events are transpiring rapidly in the Medium.”

Realizing what Abraxas is saying, Fancy Pants’ eyes widen, and he quickly retrieves his communication device.

gamingAvarice entered the group chat at 8:51 A.M.

GA: guys, give me a status update.

GA: something abraxas just said has me worried. what’s happened out there?

AA: Prospit has been destroyed.

AA: Derpy and Doc made it off of the golden planet safe and sound, but my dream self was caught by Discord.

AA: I believe this means I will be unable to reach God Tier as we had planned.

GA: well, that’s probably what he meant…

AA: What did he say?

GA: we can bring any quest beds we don’t use with us to the new world.

GA: he says this can keep us safe. i don’t really know how though.

AA: They must hold some hidden power, deeper than what we’ve discovered so far.

AA: The Denizens have never been wrong thus far. What will you need to do to accomplish this task?

GA: i need you to talk to echidna and have her help.

GA: doc, are you in this chat? we’ll need you to talk to your denizen, too.

AT: Yes, I’m here. Sorry, Derpy and I have been moving quickly.

AT: We will visit the core of my land after I reach God Tier. We are much closer to the Quest Bed than we are to the entrance to the interior of the planet.

GA: alright. i’m going to make quick runs to all of our houses, grab all our crap that we’ll want.

GA: once we’re ready, we’re not making any more side trips. we’re making a straight run for the door.

GA: i’ll let each of you know when i’m at yours, and you can tell me what to grab.

AT: That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.

CA: yeah, thanks!

GA: don’t sweat it.

GA: now let’s hustle. We can’t have much time left.

gamingAvarice is now idle

Fifty-one

Chapter in color

Fifty-one

Quick Fix

The pair makes their way swiftly across the Land of Waves and Chasms, riding a speedboat towards the mountain monument where Quick Fix’s Quest Bed lies. Since Cheerilee was no longer able to attain God Tier, the two would immediately head for the exit from their session after Quick Fix had ascended.

CHEERILEE: So… How do you feel?

QUICK FIX: I dunno

QUICK FIX: anxious. angry.

CHEERILEE: Worried about what comes next?

QUICK FIX: a bit

QUICK FIX: but not as much as youd think

QUICK FIX: I know Ive gotta kill myself on the quest bed to make this happen

QUICK FIX: but its just not having the impact it should

QUICK FIX: like, I just know that Ill be fine

QUICK FIX: and Im not really as hesitant to do it because of that

QUICK FIX: itll happen and then its done and Im better

QUICK FIX: Ill be dead for like five seconds and then be able to protect you and the others

QUICK FIX: so yeah. bring it on. Ill spill some blood for that

CHEERILEE: Well… I’m glad to hear you are prepared, at any rate. And your motivations are good…

QUICK FIX: I know. I shouldnt be this okay with facing my own death

QUICK FIX: I dont want to freak you out either

QUICK FIX: I wouldnt do it unless there was a good reason, you know

CHEERILEE: I know.

CHEERILEE: I’ll just be glad when we are at a time of peace, and won’t have to ask ourselves these questions.

QUICK FIX: same here

QUICK FIX: and in a way, Im glad you dont have to face this now

CHEERILEE: Yes…

CHEERILEE: Quick Fix, get us somewhere safe, now.

CHEERILEE: Discord is coming.

QUICK FIX: what

QUICK FIX: are you sure

QUICK FIX: how can you tell?

CHEERILEE: It’s part of my aspect as the Mage of Space.

CHEERILEE: There are various more ambiguous uses for this power, but the most literal- and useful, in my opinion- is that I have an instinctual radar.

CHEERILEE: I can sense physical entities in a proximity around myself, and detect whether or not they are hostile.

CHEERILEE: Discord has a very distinct signature on this radar.

QUICK FIX: thats a pretty sweet power

QUICK FIX: but yeah, wed better move

QUICK FIX: theres an island over there where we can hide

QUICK FIX: I should be able to mask us from him

QUICK FIX: hopefully

The boat pulls over to the island Quick Fix had specified, and she captchalogues the vessel quickly. She then joins Cheerilee under a nearby rocky outcropping. Quick Fix focuses deeply, a pale aura surrounding the two.

“Knight of Void.” Quick Fix explains in a whisper. “Defender through nothing. This should make us invisible to him.”

Cheerilee nods, and the two sit in wait. Soon, Quick Fix feels a shiver down her spine, and knows that Discord is nearby. He lingers for a minute or two, then drifts away again. Quick Fix releases a held breath, but does not drop her shield just yet. Cheerilee pokes her head up above the rock, and nods. “I think the coast is clear.”

Quick Fix nods, and the two soon set off again. Before long, the form of the great monument appears on the horizon. The boat docks at the beach.

QUICK FIX: alright, Im headed up

QUICK FIX: Ill haul ass back here as quick as I can

QUICK FIX: but if you see trouble again, do not wait up for me

QUICK FIX: just run

QUICK FIX: Ill find you

CHEERILEE: Alright. Thank you for your concern.

CHEERILEE: I’ll stay safe. Just get back here safe, okay? No unnecessary risks.

QUICK FIX: sure thing. see you soon

Quick Fix gives Cheerilee a parting kiss, then makes her way to the top of the monument. She retrieves a pistol from her sylladex- her normal choice of weapon would have been far too unnecessarily painful- and lies down on the slab.

A few minutes later, the Knight of Void awakes on Derse. The dark kingdom is quiet: all troops have been ordered to attack Discord, and those who wish to live have hidden themselves well. The streets are all but deserted. She wastes no time in flexing her new wings and launching herself back in the direction of her land. The Veil lies before her, a thin shell of its former self. The small meteors are completely gone, and the larger ones are beginning to move. They don’t have much time left before Skaia becomes damaged, and if Skaia is destroyed, their new world cannot exist.

Quick Fix arrives at Lowac, gains her bearings, and rushes for the Quest Bed monument again. As she approaches, she gets the distinct feeling that something is off, a feeling that gnaws at her stomach. She readies her wrench.

Something intercepts her and slams her towards the sea, which she hits and skips like a stone. Finally, she regains her balance and looks around wildly.

Discord has arrived, and floats before her, Leeroy’s sword at the ready, a wicked smile on his face. Quick Fix snarls and raises her wrench, until she notices something drip off the tip of his sword. She hadn’t seen it earlier, because it was the same color as the blade: blood red.

“What did you do?!” Quick Fix shouts, a mixture of anger and fear.

Discord shifts the weapon slightly and chuckled. “Why don’t you see for yourself? I think you know where to look. I can stand by until then.”

Quick Fix frowns, and turns slowly to finish her trip to the Quest Bed monument. She never takes one eye off of the monster, but surprisingly, he keeps his word and follows at a distance, never attacking.

“He must be destroyed.” A voice states in a dark whisper. Quick Fix is startled to hear it, but this is not the first time. It is the same voice that has whispered to her during her time on Derse, though often its words were distorted, and she only understood a few words in a sentence. It is loud and clear now. “You know this. You cannot escape him, nor can anyone. He must be stopped, not outrun.”

Quick Fix does not acknowledge the voice with a response, but knows that it is right. When the group got their affairs in order, they would need to make a stand against him, and not simply run away.

She arrives at the monument, and her eyes dart around to see anything off. At first, she doesn’t see anything, which worries her. Cheerilee is supposed to be here.

Then she sees the blood.

“He must be destroyed.” The voice repeats. “He threatens both you, and us.”

Tears sting her face.

“Nothing to say?” Discord asks gleefully.

“I can’t…” Quick Fix whispers.

“We can.” The voice states, growing stronger. Each word seems to echo through her whole being. “Embrace the powers of what lies beyond the Veil, beyond Derse, in the Furthest Ring.”

“Who are you talking to…?” Discord asks, the smile surely fading from his face.

“Who am I talking to…?” Quick Fix repeats, herself not knowing.

“I represent the Noble Circle of Horrorterrors. Our powers are feared by the kingdoms bathed in light, even the minimal light of Derse. Even the monster Discord fears us, though if he is allowed to continue, he will surely gain enough power to destroy us.”

“Oh no, are you talking to those bloated tentacle monsters in the Furthest Ring?!” Discord asked. Quick Fix could sense the genuine unease in his voice. “I command you to stop at once.”

“And with your power, I’ll be able to kill him?” Quick Fix asks. Her tears have turned to anger. There is no turning back, for Discord or for her. Her brother and love are both gone. As far as she’s concerned, there is one reason left for her to live: to make Discord stop living.

“With your God Tier abilities and our assistance, yes. He can be stopped.”

“You’re making a deal with them, aren’t you?! I can assure you it will be the last mistake you make!”

“Do it.” Quick Fix agrees, hefting her wrench. Immediately, a burning hot energy runs through her, while at the same time, her blood turns to ice. A dark smoke begins rising from her body.

Discord lunges at her with Leeroy’s sword, but Quick Fix blocks with her wrench almost faster than he can track. She looks into his eyes, and for once, sees genuine fear.

The dream goes dark.

Derpy

Doc awakens, his dream self in the new attire of a god. “Whew!” he exhales happily. “Glad that’s done. I feel stronger already.”

“Me too!” Derpy agrees. “Let’s see if everyone is ready to go. We need to get out of here.”

She opens the chat memo, but frowns when she sees several messages from Fancy Pants, and no one else.

GA: how’s progress?

GA: hello?

GA: cheerilee, i’m not even seeing you on the viewport for building.

GA: what the hell happened out there?!

cross-eyedAngel joined the chat at 9:38 A.M.

CA: FP, what’s happening?

GA: oh thank celestia.

GA: thought something terrible happened.

CA: i can’t speak for the other group, but me and doc are okay.

GA: that’s good.

GA: my preparations are complete, but i can’t get ahold of either of the other girls.

CA: that doesn’t sound good…

GA: sure doesn’t.

GA: i’ll keep trying. you two, get to the gate. i’ll be there soon, too.

GA: hopefully we’ll meet them there.

CA: alright. thanks fancy pants.

Derpy turns to Doc and explains the situation. He frowns, rubbing his chin. “I could zip around through time and see where they went, but it would be firing shots in the dark. I don’t know where I’d look…”

“We’ll see if we need to when we get there. For now, we need to move.” Doc nodded, and the two launch themselves away from Doc’s world, and the Incipisphere, for the last time.

Soon, the pair approaches a huge monument, suspended on a floating platform, just beyond the Veil. It is a large version of the original logo for the game: six green squares in formation, topped with a triangle to form the shape of a house. Fancy Pants is already sitting on the platform below, and waves as he sees them approach. However, when they land, they see his expression is too nervous to be happy.

“Hey. Cool outfits.” Fancy Pants comments.

“Thanks.” Doc responds. “No sign of the others?”

“Nothing.” he replies. “No sign of Discord either. I’m beginning to fear that they might be in a fight against him.”

“Should we get back out there and try to find them?” Derpy asks. “We’re not leaving without them.”

“Absolutely, we’re not leaving without them.” Fancy Pants agrees. “They shouldn’t be much longer, if they’re still on schedule. We give them ten more minutes. If they haven’t arrived by then, we’ll go find them.”

The pair nods, and the three sit in silence. Each minute crawls by, despair growing in their hearts.

In the ninth minute, a flash of green and yellow lighting gives them all start, and Discord appears before them. However, he is clearly frazzled, with an exposed health bar that has been depleted by one-third.

“Don’t suppose any of you plan on bartering with those lunatics out beyond this gate?”

“What are you talking about, you bastard?!” Fancy Pants shouts.

“Goodness gracious, you ponies are rude.” Discord replies. “Your mechanic friend isn’t in her right mind anymore. Got herself a deal with the Horrorterrors, and now she’s a vessel for their rage. I’ve been fighting her for the past twenty minutes! It took me ten seconds to kill her brother and girlfriend! Combined!”

“You KILLED them?!” Derpy exclaims. She can hardly believe it. Another friend gone, and yet another apparently insane. “I… I can’t even think of a word for what a horrible monster you are!”

“Don’t even think you’re getting through this door.” Doc warns him. “You have no place in our new world.”

“I’d like to see you try and stop me.” Discord says. He shifts Leeroy’s sword in his grip. “One of you, open the door. Now.”

None of the three move. Discord snarls, but just as he begins to move, a metal object collides with the top of his head, giving off a painful yet comical noise. He practically screams in anger and punches Quick Fix back, but she retains her balance. Her eyes glow white as fire, her coat darkened and fuming with a menacing black smoke.

“You cannot escape, hanger-on.” she says in a highly distorted voice. “You’ve cheated death too many times. You should have died when Celestia dealt with you. You’ll die now.”

“Quick Fix!” Fancy Pants shouts. “Get ahold of yourself! It’s time to leave!”

“It is.” she agrees. “Go. This monster will follow you if allowed to live. He is resourceful if nothing else, he will find a way. But not if he is a corpse.”

“We’re not leaving without you!” he insists.

Quick Fix doesn’t answer, but launches herself at Discord again. He blocks with a flurry of parries, but it seems he’s legitimately struggling.

The three ponies watch as Quick Fix and Discord continue their duel, not wanting to leave, but unable to help. Quick Fix takes a few hits, but she deals just as many to the monster. However, just as hope flares in their hearts, hope that Discord may well be stopped here, the demon readies what seems to be a very powerful attack, and spins forward at Quick Fix.

She is fast, but not fast enough to block completely. She is knocked back several feet in the air, then launched upward for a series of direct strikes, before being slammed back downward. Her HP drops significantly. Discord floats back down to her level, a half grin, half grimace on his face.

He opens his mouth to speak, but a blade slides in quickly around his throat.

“I’ll be having my sword back, asshat.” Leeroy growls, surprisingly clear for the handle of the aero blade in his mouth. He still wears his Derse robes, the only one of the now five ponies gathered who has not reached God Tier. However, this clearly does not daunt him.

Discord grabs him by the scruff and launches him at Quick Fix, but he catches himself quickly and hovers beside her. He does not have the flight abilities of the others in his current state, but he has enough to be able to keep himself in the air. His wings seem to work again, and Derpy guesses it is a result of Discord’s influence on the game being slackened.

“Leeroy!” Fancy Pants shouts. “You’re alive! We thought he killed you!”

“He did.” Leeroy replies. “But he probably should have destroyed Derse, too, if he didn’t want to deal with me again.”

“Enough!” Discord shouts. He readies the Blade of Blood and charges, but Leeroy and Quick Fix are both ready. They dodge out of the way deftly, and yet another unfamiliar element enters the field: a blue laser that lands squarely in Discord’s back.

DALEK-9: EX

DALEK-9: TER

DALEK-9: MI

DALEK-9: NATE

DISCORD: GIVE IT A REST ALREADY, YOU WALKING SCRAP HEAP!

DALEK-9: DIE, ABOMINATION

MOMSPRITE: You’ll not lay one more finger on them!

DERPY: mom!

RATCHETSPRITE: Good, you saved something for me. Clank, you got the guns ready?

CLANK: Affirmative. Target is locked.

HEAVYSPARTANGUY: Awaiting orders, captain!

FANCY PANTS: hell, heavy! didn’t think you’d make it to this one!

FANCY PANTS: i want you to run defense. give leeroy and quick fix covering fire!

HEAVYSPARTANGUY: Da! I will protect team from itsy bitsy baby man.

DISCORD: You wound me.

DISCORD: You realize I killed the other two sprites already, don’t you?

DISCORD: You’re an early-game construct! You couldn’t last five minutes against the final boss, let alone me!

DERPY: he might be right. mom, come with us! it’s safe on the other side!

MOMSPRITE: I know it is, sweetie.

MOMSPRITE: But I’m afraid this is the end of the line for us sprites.

MOMSPRITE: We’re part of the game, and I’m sad to say we can’t go through that door.

MOMSPRITE: So the best thing we can do is buy you all some extra time to leave.

DERPY: so… this is goodbye…?

MOMSPRITE: I’m afraid so. I wish I had more time to make it more meaningful.

MOMSPRITE: But you have to go, now. I’m so proud of you Derpy, more than you’ll ever know.

MOMSPRITE: You’ll make a wonderful leader of your people.

DERPY: … thank you, mom. for everything.

FANCY PANTS: leeroy, get your ass down here! We already lost you once!

LEEROY: Not yet. Someone’s gotta drag Quick Fix through when it’s all over. And she’s too pumped full of Horrorterror to let me drag her through now.

LEEROY: Get through that door, quick! We’ll hold him off, and be right behind you!

DOC: We need to move, NOW. Skaia won’t last much longer!

FANCY PANTS: i’d better see you soon, bro. bring yourself and your sis back safe.

LEEROY: You got it. Now MOVE!

DISCORD: I WILL NOT BE BELITTLED LIKE THIS!

DISCORD: OPEN THE DOOR!

QUICK FIX: Silence, aberrant.

Doc shoves his weight against the great door, and it creaks open. A bright light shines forth for a moment, and a massive light from the center of the Incipisphere shines to meet it. Two others shine from elsewhere in the Incipisphere, the unused Quest Beds Fancy Pants had brought with them. Soon, Skaia has vanished from view, and the light has dimmed. Derpy knows that it is within the new universe now, safe, and completing it. Doc motions for the others to get through, but they both hesitate, viewing the battle unfolding above. Discord is desperately trying to get to them, but all their friends are making it impossible. His HP is dropping at a slow but noticeable rate.

Fancy Pants grins, fires several rounds of his plasma rifle at Discord for good measure, and leaps through the door. Derpy nods and moves forward as well, hovering on the other side with Doc and Fancy Pants. On the other side is space as Derpy remembered it: beautiful stars and colors strewn across the sky. Somewhere out there was the world they would call home.

“They’ll be able to open the door again from the other side.” Doc explained. “When it’s safe for them, they will join us. But when we close it, it can’t be opened from this side. We close this, and we seal Discord from our world for good.”

Derpy and Fancy Pants nod in agreement, and the three all grab hold of the door and pull with all their might.

The door closes slowly, silently, but clicks shut with a mighty boom, almost sounding like a gunshot. But it was not the sound of a weapon of destruction. It was the sound of a conclusion, of peace.

The three turn around to view the new cosmos. All of the stars and objects in this space are new.

“Let’s go find our new home.” Fancy Pants says, suddenly sounding appropriately exhausted. “And make it nice and cozy for when the others find us.”

Fifty-three

Chapter in color

Fifty-three

New Equestria

Derpy

On a newborn planet, lush and green, a city stands. The city is still finding its footing, becoming a center of civilization, creating effective defenses against the dangerous wildlife, discovering and perfecting a distinctive style of architecture.

In the center of the city stands a great church, home to the gods. The gods were humble, but the people insisted. In return, the gods insisted that the people were as welcome there as they were anywhere in the city.

Derpy steps out from the front of the church, taking a moment to bask in the warm sunlight. Several of the citizens of the city smile and greet her. Children of Fire, Earth, Air and Water. All three heroes were very confused upon reaching their new land; shouldn’t the people of the world be ponies as well? What were these? They walked on two legs and had hands at the ends of the other two, bore no coat, and had no tail, though they did still have manes. Doc only had a vague idea himself- a slight abnormality in the genetic code Cheerilee created- but these creatures were just as intelligent as any pony, and they embraced the heroes as much as the heroes embraced them.

The Children of the world were intelligent, but for the brief time they existed before the heroes arrived, they lacked direction, inspiration, purpose. But when the gods arrived, they found what they were lacking. With the help and direction of the three ponies, the first city of the new world was founded. They called it Eclipse, as a way of honoring Princesses Celestia and Luna, the heroes who created their old world.

Derpy makes her way through the city to the square on the opposite side. Before she reaches it, she can already hear music. As she approaches, she can hear Fancy Pants’ voice in tune with the guitar.

“Over mountains paved with gold and through the valleys of the slain…

Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave…

When the time has come to stand for the power we believe…

We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see…”

Derpy sits with the audience to listen. Fancy Pants has adapted to his role as Bard very well since settling here; he learned to play Leeroy’s guitar, learned to sing, and how to sing the songs of Equestria. He turned the stories of his games to epics to be told around the fireplace. Through him, more so than Doc or Derpy, the old Equestria lives on.

It has been five years already since Sgraze ended. It was hard for the three to come to terms with the fact that Leeroy and Quick Fix weren’t going to join them, but they took comfort in the fact that Discord would not, either. The first city of Eclipse was just beginning to flourish, and more towns and cities were sure to follow as the Children of the world set out to find new land and opportunity.

Someone taps Derpy on the shoulder, and she turns to see Doc standing behind her, smiling wide. She grins in turn and hugs him warmly, then gives him a gentle kiss. “How are you today, my dear?” Doc asks.

“Pretty good!” she responds. “Just been thinking about… stuff. About where we go from here.”

“Well, I suppose that’s a pretty normal thing to think. Most every intelligent creature wonders where the future will take it… But it’s different for us, isn’t it? We control not only our own fates, but the fates of an entire other race of people.”

“Yeah… makes you appreciate what Celestia and Luna did for us. But I was also thinking… We’re the last ponies, aren’t we? A unicorn, a pegasus and an earth pony, or we used to be.”

“We might be…” Doc agrees, “Although there were plenty of other parties playing the game as well. It was a difficult trial to be sure, and we were quite lucky to make it through, but who’s to say we were the only ones? Perhaps there are other budding worlds somewhere out there, with other ponies guiding them?”

Derpy nods. “That’s true. We might not ever find them though. So it’s up to just us to make sure this place is such a good place as Equestria was.” Doc nods in agreement. “Did we ever find the Quest Beds on this planet? Fancy Pants said the two that didn’t get used were here now.”

“We found one.” Doc confirmed. “Cheerilee’s. It’s actually not far from here, just over the large hills to the west. We haven’t located Leeroy’s yet, though.”

“That’s a good start.” Derpy commented. “It’ll be enough while we try and find the other.”

“We’ve got one extra line of defense, as well.” Doc added. “I didn’t mention it before, because I still hope we won’t need it. The TARDIS came with us from my old home. I had Fancy Pants grab it. The message I left myself said that it could save us in a pinch.”

Derpy nodded again. “That’s good. Always nice to be prepared. But like you said, I hope we don’t need it…”

Years in the future, but not many…

Time passes in New Equestria. Civilization grows, expands. Much like a parent watching their child move away to their own home, the heroes had a difficult time allowing the Children of the world to settle away from Eclipse, where they would not be able to be with them and watch over them. But they knew it was necessary. Towns began growing further north, near the eastern coast and the western mountains. Few settlements were made to the south at first, as the dangerous fauna of the world called that place home.

At last, one day Fancy Pants returned to Eclipse, bearing news that Leeroy’s Quest Bed had been located in the crags north of a small town called Emberton. A small stone building was erected around it to protect it from further weathering, just as they had done for Cheerilee’s. If these items needed to be used, they were ready.

Thirty years had now passed. As gods, the three heroes had not aged a day. Fancy Pants was visiting the western city of Baltimare, and Doc and Derpy were simply relaxing in Eclipse, sprawled out across the balcony of the great church.

“Hey Doc…” Derpy begins. Doc turns to face her, eyes attentive. “Have you, um… Thought about what we might do next?”

Doc frowns. “That’s a bit of a vague question. What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, just you and me. Not, like, what we’re going to do next for the world and the Children and all that… but where we’re going to go with our, you know, relationship.”

Doc’s eyes widen, and he nods in agreement. “I had been thinking much the same! We’ve been in the same place for quite some time… Do you think it’s time to take the next step?”

“I think so, yeah.” Derpy confirms. She chuckles. “Who’s going to be able to marry a couple of gods though?”

Both laugh happily for a few minutes, eventually becoming snuggled up together.

They both hear a pair of sounds, startling them. After a few moments, they realize what it was; their communication devices, which until then had been completely unused for years. Both devices show the same single message:

GA: Ready defenses, get people to safety, get weapons ready. I’m on my way. He’s here.

Derpy’s and Doc’s eyes widen in alarm. There is only one thing this can mean. They nod to each other, and both leap into the air. They had hoped that this would never come to pass, but had prepared well in advance, and are now immeasurably thankful.

Derpy flies up to the great bell of the church, and pulls it three times, the chime sounding across the city. The people in the streets look up, first in curiosity, then anxiously. They had drilled this procedure plenty of times in the past, and know what they need to do; head for the entrances to the system of tunnels underneath the city. They begin making their way to the designated buildings which contain the entrances, and Derpy and Doc make their way around the city, instructing the people to do as they had learned, and that this is not a drill.

Everyone is safe and sound under the city by the time the distorted shape makes its way slowly, deliberately, towards them. The heroes are hidden, ready to act.

“Come out, heroes of Equestria!” a familiar voice shouts. “There’s no fooling me this time. I’ve already run into the Hero of Hope. He’s a persistent one, I’ll give him that. Had to leave him in the dust rather than kill him.”

After several moments of silence, he continues. “Before I got here though, don’t get me started. I flew for literally YEARS before I ran into a universe. I figured ‘This can only be them. I’ll find them and finish the job.’ So I enter the universe, find the primary inhabited planet, and begin exploring, trying to find you. These weird creatures start attacking me, but they’re just the residents of the planet, nothing to worry about.

“But then the heroes of the land find me and start attacking me. And- get this- they WEREN’T you. I somehow wandered so far off track that I ended up in a completely different universe! Before I could cause much damage though, yet another foreign creature arrived on the scene. Some hero of space from yet another session, some lady with blue skin. She was dangerous; she had a First Guardian with her. Perhaps through some alliance, I don’t know, but it was obeying her every command.

“I was teleported away! That First Guardian sent me to some other corner of paradox space! So I kept flying. I found another world. It still wasn’t you. And the space lady and her pet guardian showed up again! Can you BELIEVE her nerve? And she did it again, just slingshot me to some far reach of paradox space. I visited SIXTEEN other planets before I found you! And that BITCH is probably on her way again! What’s her problem?!”

Discord sighed, composed himself, and returned to his normal condescending self. “But I digress. I’ve found what I wanted. Once I’ve destroyed this place, I’ll be satisfied to call whatever rock I land on next my home. And believe me, I’ve had practice. At least half of those worlds I visited before this one are too broken to recover.”

How many countless millions of people has he killed in his bloodlust? Derpy wonders. He surely must be stopped now.

Her communication device vibrates once, alerting her to a new message without alerting Discord.

AT: We don’t yet know how the Quest Beds will work, or how they can help us. I’m making my way to the TARDIS. Hold on tight, you two.

“Not going to come willingly, eh?” Discord taunts somewhat angrily. “Fine then.”

He readies his weapon, but Derpy floats into the open. Discord smiles gleefully. “There you are! I’ve got to say, it’s nice to see you again after these long years.”

“Wish I could say the same.” Derpy retorts. “I thought we left you behind.”

“You certainly tried, I’ll give you that. And you’ve convinced me; you truly don’t want me ruling your world. So fine, I won’t. But Equestria’s legacy is mine. I will simply destroy this place.”

“How did you find us here? How did you even escape from the Incipisphere?” Derpy asks. She’s stalling for time, but Discord either doesn’t notice, or is too happy to gloat to mind.

“There are no walls between worlds save the ones we imagine. And a virtual wall of evil tentacle monsters. I chopped my way through them, reaching the empty space beyond the Furthest Ring, home of the Horrorterrors. Once I did that, I just drifted for a while, relying on my own navigation skills to find the nearest normal universe, where I assumed you would be. But as I said, this was not the case, and it took me some extra time to find you. I’ve been blasting my way through these worlds for… Oh, I don’t know, around three months now. The rest of these years have just been wandering through the void.”

“You sure are bent on this, aren’t you?”

“It’s my sole purpose, as far as I am concerned.” Discord replied. “And no space between universes, meddling heroes from other sessions, or you stalling is going to keep me from it.”

Discord readies the Blade of Blood, and Derpy equips her boomerang in response. The two stare each other down, daring the other to move first, until Discord finally launches himself forward at her. She dodges out of the way of his initial attack, then parries his follow-up. Adopting a determined expression, she pivots in midair with her wings and spins forward, forcing Discord to raise his own weapon to block the flurry of attacks. He spins backward once, buying himself enough space to swing his weapon, and delivers enough force to send Derpy reeling back.

He charges forward again, eager to use his momentum and Derpy’s imbalance, but she is ready. As he approaches, she releases a huge wave of wind, knocking him off balance and dislodging several roof tiles from the buildings below. Both combatants regain their midair balance and charge at each other again.

The air is soon filled with the sounds of clashing metal, Derpy’s bladed boomerang ringing against Discord’s stolen weapon. The people of New Equestria hold each other close, praying they are safe, praying for the safety and victory of their gods against this powerful interloper.

Derpy swings, and Discord blocks. Discord swings, and Derpy blocks. With Discord having spent many years unable to train, and Derpy having nothing but time to sharpen her skills, the two are almost perfectly matched at swordplay.

Derpy leaps back, and Discord readies his sword to pursue. However, a blast of energy explodes in his side, and he turns angrily to see Fancy Pants hovering a slight distance away, rifle at the ready.

“What did we tell you?” Fancy Pants says. “This is our world, and you are not part of it.”

“I’m aware of your stance on the matter.” Discord replied. “And as I’ve told your friend, I’m through trying. Call me a sore loser if you must, but if I’m not going to rule this land, you’re certainly not going to either. I no longer wish to rule this place, only to destroy it.”

“Y’know, you used to be smarter.” Fancy Pants commented dryly. “Before, you sought control, wanted to usurp us and rule over the world. You had something to gain. All those years wandering must have dulled your wit, because you’re not nearly as good as you once were. ‘Grr, I’m gonna destroy the world!’ Not going to lie, I’m not too intimidated.”

“You’re no gods over me.” Discord replied. “I won’t be judged by those I will destroy.”

Discord raises his sword to the sky, red energy arcing away from the blade. Fancy Pants and Derpy both ready their weapons, and as the energy storm grows more intense, Fancy Pants opens fire. One of the bolts of energy intercepts his attack, arcs straight back to Fancy Pants, and sends a jolt through his body. He is paralyzed for a split second, drifting slowly to the ground, before he shakes himself back to his senses and turns his attention back to Discord.

Discord grins maniacally, and spins the Blade of Blood once in his hand, before thrusting it into the ground. The ground begins to shake violently, red energy blasting through the dirt like geysers. One arcs to the side, cutting straight through the great church in the center of the city. Derpy and Fancy Pants move closer to Discord, working around the energy filling the air, careful to not be hit by the deadly blast. Fancy Pants opens fire once more, but this time his attack doesn’t even connect, deflected into a building below. The ground is shattering.

The air is filled with a different red light. The energy freezes, as does Discord himself, and the movement of the ground below. Pieces of earth hang suspended in the air.

Derpy turns around frantically, hoping to see the source of this new disturbance. Finally, hers and Fancy Pants’ eyes fall upon something quite out of place: a blue box hanging in the air, scarcely bigger than either of them. A door opens on one side, and Doc pokes his head out, beckoning them to join him. Derpy and Fancy Pants don’t even need to exchange a glance, and fly over to him. They hesitate at the door to the box, but shrug and step inside.

Eyes widen as they view the interior. Despite its appearance on the outside, they find themselves in a sizeable control room of inscrutable devices. Doc stands over the circular central panel, reading the information displayed on the various screens.

Fancy Pants chuckles slightly, trying to find words. “It’s… Hah, what can I say…? It’s bigger on the inside. Guess it would have to be.”

Doc nods. “I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it either. And your guess is as good as mine about what half of these devices do. But I did find one good one!” He gestures dramatically to a machine that resembles some kind of cannon, currently glowing with deep red energy. “Time lock device! This baby is keeping all of New Equestria, and Discord, frozen in time.”

“That’s amazing!” Fancy Pants says. “But… How long can it hold them?”

Doc sighs. “I’m not sure. It should hold New Equestria indefinitely, but Discord… His strength is wildly unpredictable. He will surely break free sooner or later, but I can make no estimates about how long it will take.”

“So what should we do?” Derpy asks. “Run?”

Doc shakes his head. “The time lock device has to stay within range. If we take the TARDIS and run, Discord will be free the moment we leave range, and New Equestria will be destroyed. However… It may not look like it, but the TARDIS is a strong old girl. If we need to, we could tether it to the planet itself and tow it along with us.”

Fancy Pants’ eyes widen greatly. “This thing is too amazing… So, what if we take the planet with us, but leave Discord behind? Do you think we could get enough of a headstart to outrun him?”

“Where would we go?” Doc replies sadly. “THIS was our safe haven from him, and he’s found us. Where else is there for us to go?”

“Well, if we just sit here like foals, he’ll break free and finish the job. We need to get ourselves, and the planet, in a different place than he is.”

None of the three say anything for a long minute, lost in thought. Finally, Doc speaks again: “There is one other factor that could help us. In the logbook I left myself before, I wrote that, should I ever need to use the TARDIS like this, I should first find a certain old family heirloom.” He holds up a shimmering object on a chain, an old but intricate pocket watch. “This is it, there’s no doubt in my mind about it. I think… I think I’m meant to open it?”

Derpy frowns and holds up a hoof to give Doc pause. “Doc… Do you know what that is?”

Doc frowns as well. “Well… no. Wait, do you?”

“Yeah. Well, sorta.” Derpy explains. “When I saw you before- your old life- I saw that watch a few times. See, first you used…” She looks around the interior of the TARDIS, searching for something in particular, then points a hoof to a device against one of the walls. “That! You used that, and it… changed you. Sometimes it wasn’t as noticeable, but you seemed to lose your memories. Until you opened that watch. When you did that, you went back to normal, and got your memories back.”

Doc eyes the watch warily now. “So if I open this… I’ll stop being a pony, and go back to being a Timelord. Will I remember what I’ve done while in this form?”

Derpy nods. “I think so, yeah.”

Doc considers the watch for a time, then nods. “We have it if we need it. But will that save us here? And more importantly, is it our best option?”

No one answers. A few moments pass, then an unfamiliar noise sounds from the central control panel. Doc accesses the device curiously.

“It’s a transmission from… Someone.” he says, “It says ‘The demon Discord has entered your universe, and has likely caused extensive damage to your planet. Please place your planet in a time lock and make your way to the Green Sun. The coordinates for this location are enclosed.”

“Well there’s our answer.” Fancy Pants states. “Let’s tether New Equestria to this ship and get moving. We can’t risk leaving it here and letting Discord finish it off. Maybe whoever sent this message from this Green Sun place can help.”

Doc nods. “It sounds like this is our best option. I believe the tethering device is over here…” Doc readies the TARDIS and the planet itself for departure. “Get ready, everyone.”

Soon, a noise echoes throughout the TARDIS, apparently signaling its departure, and it begins to move quickly through space with New Equestria in tow. The three ponies inside wait silently, nervously. At their current pace, it will take them a little over three days to reach their destination. They can only pray that the time lock will hold until then.

When the group grows tired, they sleep in shifts. What would normally be morning comes, and Discord is still contained. It occurs to the team that he may simply be along for the ride in order to reach the Green Sun and cause more havoc, but they realize that they have no choice but to continue.

Fancy Pants glances out the window, and inhales sharply. “Something’s happening down there! I think he’s breaking his time lock!”

Doc and Derpy rush to the door. Sparks of red energy are arcing away from the planet, the spot where Discord surely is. Doc moves to the time lock device, hoping to keep Discord frozen or refreeze him, while Derpy and Fancy Pants ready their weapons.

The excess energy continues to grow in strength. The TARDIS seems to have some form of shielding, as none of the bolts are hitting the vessel. Finally, there seems to be a sudden explosion of energy, then nothing. Luckily, it doesn’t seem to have harmed the planet.

Discord rushes forward, eyes filled with rage, Blade of Blood at the ready.

Another sword parries his, stopping him short. A woman stands before him, broadsword held in one hand, long silver hair flowing down the back of her Space God Tier outfit. A humorless expression is on her blue face and in her violet eyes.

If Discord wasn’t angry before, he was absolutely livid now. He pulls back his sword, ready for another strike, but another form leaps onto the scene, a mighty white lion. Derpy can tell immediately that it is a First Guardian; it has the same lack of hue and face that Discord did before his transformation. With a mighty roar and flash of green energy, Discord disappears.

The woman turns to the three. “You are already making your way to the Green Sun, correct?”

Derpy nods, confused. “Yeah, but… Who are you? Where did Discord go?”

“My name is Ciella. I was the one who sent you the coordinates to the Green Sun.” She looks back at New Equestria. “I’ve been intercepting this demon for some time, with assistance from my old friend. However… This time was different. You are the heroes he has been searching for, are you not?”

Derpy nods sadly. “Then he likely has a lock on your location. He will be able to find you again. You must hurry.”

“What will we find at the Green Sun?” Doc asks.

“At the very least, the Green Sun is a safe place.” Ciella explains. “First Guardians cannot go there; it is the source of their power, and moving too close to it will cause a violent reaction. There, we will be able to plan in peace, and find a permanent solution.

“I must leave you for now. My own people need me; they were harmed by Discord’s actions as well. Please hurry, and be safe. I will see you soon.”

The three watch as she teleports away, assisted by her First Guardian lion companion. After a few moments, they move silently back to their posts. Soon, they are moving towards the Green Sun once more, ever wary of Discord returning again.

Fifty-four

Fifty-four

Intermission

Years in the future, minus several…

A stiff wind echoed across the ashen hills, through the scrubby grass. The remains of a campfire atop the fire-scorched lands remained on the ground, but its kindlers were far ahead.

Three young soldiers stood before the once great city of Eclipse. The outer walls were completely collapsed in some places, partially intact in others. This seemed to be the pattern for the entirety of the outer city; some buildings were relatively sound, while others were little more than scorched rubble littering the cracked and broken streets.

However, deeper into the city, on the edge of the broken mountain it had been built into, the castle of Eclipse was a complete ruin. The attacks that had ravaged the city left almost nothing behind. If there was anything left of the structure, it was buried under the piles of debris.

“Weapons at the ready.” Bon Bon said, taking charge. “Minuet could be anywhere out here, and I am just as unfamiliar with this place as you are. Move slow, don’t tense up, and stick together.”

Lyra and Octavia nodded, and the three moved carefully through a broken section of wall. Remains of soldiers remained within the walls of Eclipse; armor and weapons, and so many bones picked clean. Octavia wanted to leave this place, but in her mind, she remembered this woman’s crimes. She had ripped her and Lyra from their home, their own timeline. The two of them were pawns in a twisted game of hers, tools for the Order’s goals, bait to bring Scratch right where they wanted him. She was taking a risk stepping within this burned-out city, but she knew that it was more of a risk to sit idle, and Minuet and the Order had too much to pay for.

Each shadow cast by the standing rubble, each beam of light caught by the shattered glass, played at the corners of Octavia’s vision, keeping her alert for any movement. The only sound was that of her own- and her companions’- footsteps and short breaths.

The sound of an explosion broke the silence, and the three heads turned to see the light of the blast two blocks down the broken street. They nodded to each other and began picking their way there, quickly but cautiously. Their opponent likely knew they were approaching, but they still had to be careful for traps. All bets were off now; the winner of this battle took all.

Octavia had an arrow ready when they reached the clearing. Lyra’s crossbow and Bon Bon’s kusarigama were held at the ready as well. They stepped into the square, and while traces of the explosion still lingered, their adversary was nowhere to be seen.

Bon Bon stiffens and turns on her heel, kusarigama raised defensively. Minuet’s sword clashes with her blades, filling the dusty ruin with the sound of colliding metal. Minuet grinned wide, before she pivoted on her feet and spun around Bon Bon, coming to rest in the center of the town square.

“How nice of you to join me.” she greets them. “The ruins have been waiting. All of the wasteland will be watching with bated breath.”

“I hope that, if nothing else, you are true to your word.” Octavia said. “If we win, you return us to our world.”

Minuet nodded. “That’s right. And if not, well… You’ll be spending some more time with me and the Order.”

That was all they needed to hear. Lyra aimed and fired a crossbow bolt. Minuet raised her sword to deflect it, but saw the glint of an arrow from Octavia’s bow approaching. She spun on her heel, deflected Octavia’s arrow, and narrowly dodged Lyra’s attack.

Bon Bon leaps at her, weapons raised, and her blades collided with Minuet’s. The pair exchanged a series of blows before the next pair of projectiles sailed towards them, and Minuet managed to dodge both again. However, this left her wide open to Bon Bon’s next attack, and she took full advantage, sliding in and slicing at her midsection. Minuet flinched back, angered, and rushed forward again with a series of swings. Bon Bon was able to block and dodge most of the attacks, but the last slice hit her in the leg, hard enough to bruise.

Lyra moved in, combat knife raised, and sliced across Minuet’s back. Preoccupied with Bon Bon, she hadn’t been able to block, and spun around to defend against a possible second attack. Lyra leaped back, crossbow already in hand, and fired. Minuet sidestepped, sword raised, and blocked another leaping attack from Bon Bon.

Octavia readied a third arrow and aimed it. Minuet caught her movement before the shot was fired, and she dashed towards her, sword raised. Octavia ducked out of the way, loosing her arrow into Minuet’s side. The Order agent tumbled to the ground, but pulled the arrow from her side, dark energy flowing around the wound, sealing the hole.

Minuet smirked, and cast her hand into the air, more dark energy emanating from it. Patches of the ground turned dark, and the tall, dark, clawed forms arose once again. Before they had finished being summoned, the girls had already slain five, but there were fifty more to take their place. Octavia clutched an arrow between her fingers, sliced at one of the forms with it, stunning it for the two precious seconds it took to arm the arrow and fire into another of the monsters. A third swung its claws at her, and she was only just able to duck under the attack. She lifted her right leg and kicked at the form’s feet, sending it toppling into the ones behind it, then rolled away from the fray.

She popped to her feet and fired another two arrows into the crowd. One of the creatures leaped at her, but a crossbow bolt from Lyra hit it in the back of the head, and it disappeared in a puff of smoke. In the split second of calm, Octavia could see both of the other girls fighting away at the forms, Minuet still dueling with Bon Bon. Octavia readied an arrow and fired it at one of the creatures who was about to pounce on Bon Bon, then turned her attention back to those approaching her.

She dodged backward again, allowing the first of the beasts to charge past, and kicked it to the ground. An arrow sailed from her bow into the head of the next one in the charge, and she quickly retrieved her combat knife and stabbed it into the head of the third. The first was back on its feet now, and she leapt towards it and finished it with her knife.

A beast leaped at her while she was still on the ground, and it rent into her side with its claws. She grimaced and stabbed it in the chest, but it didn’t cause enough damage to dispel it. She grappled with the beast and ended up on top, then retrieved her blade and stabbed it in the head, this time finishing it. Another three were already leaping at her, but she managed to roll out of the way. She dropped her knife and retrieved her bow, shooting one while still on the ground, then scrambled to her feet and dodged the next attack. She kicked one’s feet out from under it, then shot the third, before turning around and finishing off the second.

Octavia swiftly retrieved her knife, and raised it to block against another attack. The beast was quickly dispatched, but behind it stood Minuet, sword moving slowly, tauntingly. She dashed towards Octavia, and she managed to block with her knife and sidestep. Minuet was quicker, however, and spun on a heel and slashed at her back. Octavia reeled from the attack and stumbled forward, right towards a waiting shadow form. She raised her arms and drove her knife into it, deep enough to kill it, and righted herself in time to block Minuet’s next attack.

Caught up in the fight herself, Minuet hadn’t summoned any additional shadow forms, and the crowd was beginning to thin out. Lyra bashed one of the creatures out of the way with the butt of her crossbow, then aimed and fired at Minuet. The bolt struck her in the arm, and she growled in anger, lunging towards her.

Lyra dodged out of the way, but could not get enough distance past the shadow form behind her. She spun and bashed it out of the way, but her back took the brunt of a slice from Minuet’s blade. She cringed in pain, then lashed back around, combat knife clutched in one hand, and exchanged a series of blows with the swordswoman. Bon Bon leaped in from the side, and while Lyra turned to fight off the remaining shadow forms, Bon Bon kept Minuet’s sword at bay.

While Octavia took a moment to breathe, a lull in the action once the shadow forms began to thin, she heard a noise from elsewhere in the ruins. She turned her head, and saw several raiders making their way towards them, clad in filthy makeshift armor, clutching rusty swords, but with a burning determination in their eyes. Whatever Minuet had promised them, they would fight to the ends of their lives to get it.

Octavia nocked an arrow and fired at the approaching savages, hitting one square in the chest. He fell, and she fired two more shots before they reached the scene of the fight. Octavia ducked under one of their clumsy swings, releasing her readied arrow into his chest point-blank, then dodged backwards, hand on her knife. A shadow form was awaiting behind her, and it was able to get a solid attack in before she slayed it, leaving an ugly but shallow gash on her arm.

She readied her bow, knife still held in one hand, and shot another of the raiders, then blocked a subsequent arcing swing from one of their swords. The air around her was filled with the awful sound of metal scraping against rusted metal, until she slid under his attack and jabbed her elbow into his gut. He tumbled back, throwing off the raider behind him, but a third approached from the side, a short ax clutched in his hands. He approached cautiously, yet quick enough to keep from Octavia the time she needed to ready an arrow.

She dodged out of the way of his first attack, combat knife held aloft. He swung again, an overhead strike, and it was simple enough for her to sidestep around the attack, getting close enough to attack him up close. He had enough armor to prevent the attack from being fatal, but Octavia was able to hit hard enough to push him back while she dealt with the next customer. The raider lunged at her with a slightly bent lance, and she put one hand on the end of the handle, using the momentum to slide in and slash at the lancer. He fell, and Octavia turned her attention back to the axman, slashing towards her again.

Octavia sidestepped, but dove forward before he could adjust his course. She came to a roll, leaped up behind him, and thrust her knife into his back. The ax clanged to the cracked cobble below, and Octavia spun her head around to view the battle, without dropping the raider and leaving herself open at the front. There were few shadow forms left, but the raiders were holding their own against the other two with the assistance of Minuet.

Octavia moved to the side, adjusting her aim, and dropped the raider approaching Lyra from behind. Another raider nearby noticed and made a move to charge at Octavia, but he was slain as quickly as his companion.

Minuet spun her sword around after a parry, then delivered another series of strikes to Lyra. Equipped with only her knife, she was only able to block one of the attacks, while the other three slipped past her defenses. She stumbled to the ground, but Bon Bon was already standing between her and Minuet, parrying more attacks and protecting Lyra. However, without Lyra to watch her back, she began taking more hits from behind while focusing all her effort to the front. Octavia kept up her cover fire, but she couldn’t prevent every attack.

Octavia drew closer to the fray, protecting Bon Bon as best she could while reaching for Lyra. She was wounded, but still had some fight in her, and was firing her crossbow furiously. She allowed Octavia to pull her away from the fray and to her feet, and while her wounds were clearly giving her pain, she was still able to stay upright. Together they were able to keep the raiders away from Bon Bon while she dealt with Minuet, but soon the swordswoman realized that the fight was not going in her favor.

She rushed forward, sword raised. Octavia and Lyra did not have time to dodge, and while they were each able to land a hit on Minuet, they were both struck to the ground by her blade. A moment later, Bon Bon leaped at her, delivering a powerful hit on her back and drawing her attention back from the others.

Octavia struggled to her feet, and glanced at Lyra. She was alive, but grimacing through the pain. She nodded to Octavia, telling her to keep fighting, and began struggling to tear away some cloth from her shirt to dress the wounds. Octavia nodded back, and released several more arrows. Her quiver was beginning to feel light, and a dull buzz filled her head. Bon Bon leaped upward, bearing down on Minuet, and she held her sword horizontally to block. Bon Bon smiled, spinning the left blade underneath the sword, slicing at Minuet’s arm, while the right blade clanged against her weapon.

Minuet snarled, angered by this farce, and jabbed her elbow forward, throwing the warrior off-balance. She landed three powerful hits before Octavia’s arrow connected, sending her reeling back to pull the projectile from her side. Bon Bon stumbled, and one of the remaining raiders saw his chance. Octavia reached for an arrow, but her quiver had finally run empty. She grimaced, drew her knife and charged, but not before the raider had hit Bon Bon over the head with the hilt of his sword, hard enough to knock her unconscious.

Octavia grabbed him around the neck, driving her knife deep into his chest, then shoved him to the ground. At this point, the raiders were beginning to grow wary, and some had already fled the scene, seeing the bodies of their comrades littering the ground. Those that stayed kept their distance, leaving Octavia facing off against Minuet alone. Both were wounded, but neither showed signs of backing down.

Octavia moved first, running low to the ground with knife held defensively. Minuet smiled, ready for what Octavia had planned. She positioned her blade to defend against Octavia’s attack, and when the smaller blade flipped around to strike at an undefended area, Minuet’s followed. She had been victim of one farce already, and wasn’t falling for it again. The blades connected, and the sound rang across the clearing for a brief moment, before Octavia pulled away on one heel and dove in for an overhead strike.

Minuet defended again. Octavia’s eye twitched involuntarily. She was not sure what, but in that moment, something changed in the flow of battle. She leaped back, defending against a pursuit attack from Minuet, and grabbed a short sword from the ground near a dead raider. It was rusted almost beyond the point of usefulness and the balance was off, but it would give her some extra leverage in the battle, and a bit longer reach. She blocked against another attack, then pushed back to the offensive, always blocking with one blade while slashing with the other, forcing Minuet to redouble her efforts to defend.

Octavia heard a commotion on the edge of the battlefield, the remaining raiders seemingly under attack. Octavia didn’t have time to glance over and look, and could only guess that Lyra or Bon Bon was back on their feet and was fighting them off. Octavia blinked, refocusing on the battle, and swung the short sword overhead. Minuet dodged out of the way, then blocked her knife strike. She was quickly adjusting to the pace of the battle, and Octavia knew that she had to land a few hits quick before she was pushed to the defensive again.

She lunged forward with the knife, sword held over her head in an attempt to defend. Minuet dodged out of the way, slashing at her and hitting her square in the back. It wasn’t a clean hit, but thanks to her worn but still functional combat armor, Octavia wasn’t badly wounded. Still, she winced as she pulled herself back to her feet. Viewing the battlefield, she sees that there wasn’t a single raider or shadow form left standing, yet Bon Bon was still unconscious, and Lyra had moved herself to the edge of the clearing and was watching worriedly. Something had come through and destroyed the opposition.

Minuet spun her sword around once, cockily, before a blurry form leaped up behind her and bore down with a rusty blade, no doubt pilfered from the dead. Minuet sensed the attack a split second before it connected; not fast enough to avoid being struck and tumbling to the ground. The attacker was human in shape, but barely visible; it was a foggy white, edges seeming to wisp away into the air, and it could be seen straight through, appearing remarkably like a ghost. However, the blade in its hand was real enough.

Octavia moved forward, and while Minuet was able to block, her attention was divided between her and the ghost. Together with the apparition, Octavia managed to deliver several powerful hits to the Order agent, before she became enraged and began regaining control of the battle. She started by swinging around and delivering a series of powerful attacks to the ghost, after which it seems to evaporate and fade away. She then turned to Octavia, a smile on her face.

“Look’it you.” she commented. “Quicksilver almost had me convinced that your sister was the only one who could use that skill. Looks like it does run in the family! He owes me twenty bits.”

“The ghost?” Octavia asked, confused. “That was me?”

“Sure was. Didn’t notice that it had the same hair as you? Guess it was a subconscious thing… Ah well.”

Minuet thrust forward while Octavia was distracted. She was able to deflect the hit, but not the following sweep, and was thrown to the ground, hitting her head on the cobble.

A crossbow bolt sailed in and struck Minuet in the leg. She flinched and turned to see Lyra, smirking at the edge of the clearing. Minuet began making her way over to the edge, careful to avoid a second hit, and didn’t see the arrow approaching from behind. Octavia had scooped up one of her spent shots and fired it again, bloodied but still sharp. Minuet was struck by the shot in the back, and cursed in pain. Instead of turning to deal with Octavia, she rushed forward and dropped Lyra with a powerful roundhouse kick. It wasn’t enough to kill her, but it seemed to be enough to knock her unconscious.

After Lyra was dealt with, she moved back to Octavia, pulling her up off the ground by her collar. Octavia made a move to jab at her with her knife, but Minuet angrily knocked it out of her hand.

“Good fight, all of you.” the Order agent conceded. “But surely you must have known it was rigged from the start. For your efforts, I’ll even bring your friend back with you. I planned on just bringing you and leaving her here- you’re the only one we really need- but she’s earned a place in the Order’s grasp, don’t you think?”

“Bon Bon…?” Octavia asked, short of breath.

“She’ll be staying.” Minuet told her. “I’ll throw people into alternate timelines any day, but I’m not bringing any alternate timeline filth back to the alpha timeline. So I hope you said your goodbyes to her before you got here.”

Minuet shifted something under her cloak, and Octavia felt a jolt of energy run through her. Immediately, her vision swam before her, before going dark.

Fifty-five

Chapter in full color

Fifty-Five

ACT 3

Fancy Pants

The TARDIS continues shaking gently, moving forward. According to Doc’s estimate, they will reach the Green Sun by midday the next day. So far, hours had passed without Discord returning, but Fancy Pants continues to watch the door, looking out over New Equestria for any sign of trouble.

“So… What do you think is going to happen after this?” Derpy asks pensively.

“I couldn’t say…” Doc admits. “Our future is full of uncertainty once again… Perhaps we’ll return our world to where it belongs. Or perhaps we’ll end up somewhere else. Hopefully someone at the Green Sun can repair the intense damage dealt to the planet by Discord.”

“Discord said that he did that to a bunch of other planets, too.” Derpy says. “Not all were broken, but he said he visited sixteen others and killed people there. So those sixteen will probably be at the Green Sun, too.”

“I refuse to believe there’s no way to stop him.” Fancy Pants states adamantly. “We can’t just keep running from him. He’ll always catch up. We’ve got to find his weak point, then make a stand and stop him for good.”

Doc nods in response. “Everything has a failsafe, a weakness. We just need to find it… It seems all trails are leading to this meeting at the Green Sun. We’ll be able to have a moment of peace to plan, to find a permanent solution, and share any information we have.”

“What do you think of this Ciella person?” Derpy asks.

“She’s a bit no-nonsense…” Fancy Pants says, “But she definitely seems to know what she’s doing.”

“Yeah… It’s kind of cool to be able to meet different kinds of people, though. I wonder what other kind of beings will be there?”

“All I can say is that I hope they’re friendly.” Doc says. “Or at least that they realize who their real enemy is.”

There is a lull in the conversation. After a few moments, Fancy Pants shifts quickly in his place, his eyepiece zooming in on something.

“I’ve got some activity! Something’s coming!”

“Discord?!” Doc asks.

Fancy Pants doesn’t answer for a few seconds, then swears. “Yeah, it is! Get ready for impact!”

The three ready their weapons. Fancy Pants grabs hold of the outside of the TARDIS, swinging himself to the exterior, rifle at the ready in his other mechanical hand. He can’t quite make out the shape of Discord yet, but the object approaching has his distinct energy signature written all over it, and it is coming in fast. He looks down the sights of his gun, then gasps. There are two signatures; Discord himself further back, and a massive blast of energy at the front, locked onto the TARDIS.

“BRACE YOURSELVES!” Fancy Pants yelled. “This is going to hit us hard!”

“Derpy, stand back!” Doc yells. “We’ve got no choice now, I’m going to open the watch!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Fancy Pants sees a flurry of golden light come from somewhere near Doc, probably the pocket watch.

The energy wave collides with the TARDIS, and Fancy Pants can hear the awful sound of metal grinding against metal. The TARDIS shakes violently, but keeps moving. He peeks inside and sees Derpy on the ground, knocked unconscious by the blast. There is a swirl of golden energy where Doc must have been standing.

“Shit!” he swears again. “No, it’s alright, he should revive just fine. I just need to buy him some time.”

Fancy Pants takes one last look inside the TARDIS. It’s still running fine, and knows where it needs to go. He nods, and kicks away from it, then rockets towards Discord. The TARDIS and New Equestria are soon far ahead.

“Well, well.” Discord greets, sounding extremely pleased with himself. “Decided to sacrifice yourself to save your friends? I remember the last time someone tried that. Your friends, the brother and sister.”

Fancy Pants doesn’t acknowledge the jab. “I don’t intend to die here. I’m going to keep my friends safe, and then I’m going to join them.”

Discord laughs. “Is that so? Tell me then, how do you plan to walk away from this?”

“You underestimate me. Leeroy and Quick Fix were good, absolutely no offense to them. But I’m simply the best there is. You know how many impossible video game bosses I’ve taken down with a bit of elbow grease? As far as I’m concerned, that’s you. The impossible post-game boss of our game. And I’m going to beat you just like I beat all the others.”

Discord finds this extremely funny, but also seems intrigued. “Fine then. You talk a big game. Let’s see how closely you can stick to those words.”

***

… THE FUCK IS THAT?

what?

THAT THING OVER THERE, FLYING NEXT TO OUR SHIP.

AND HOW THE HELL IS IT EVEN KEEPING UP WITH US?

where? lemmie see.

… that’d be the tardis.

THE WHAT?

it’s a time-traveling phone box.

…

A TIME-TRAVELING

yes.

A TIME-TRAVELING PHONE BOX.

yes.

… YOU KNOW, I’VE HEARD A LOT OF SHIT THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, BUT THIS IS UP THERE.

I REALLY FAIL TO SEE HOW THAT THING CONSTITUES A TIME-TRAVEL DEVICE.

dude no

trust me, i know time travel shit

thats a time machine alright

not half as cool as mine though

SO HOW THE HELL DOES IT WORK THEN, SMART ONE?

THING CAN’T FIT MORE THAN, WHAT, TWO PEOPLE? MAYBE?

NOT MUCH ROOM FOR CONTROLS, EITHER.

ALSO, ARE WE JUST GOING TO STAND HERE GAPING AT IT, OR ARE WE GOING TO BRING IT IN?

yeah, i’m on it.

so, it’s bigger on the inside. there should be a big control panel in the middle.

it belongs to this guy called the doctor. he goes around in it and fights evil aliens and stuff, except without really fighting.

AND YOU KNOW ALL THIS BECAUSE…

there was a tv show about it

he watched it a lot

i think my bro did too

i didnt very much but i know the basics at least

cant run a blog and not know a thing or two about dr who come on

AND WE AREN’T QUESTIONING WHY A FICTIONAL BLUE HUNK OF WOOD THAT TRAVELS THROUGH TIME HAULING SOME MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL’S ASS AROUND TO GIVE CHEESY ALIENS A SLAP ON THE WRIST IS HURTLING THROUGH SPACE AT SEVERAL TIMES FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT NEXT TO US.

nah

lets be honest weve all seen a lot weirder

WELL, GLAD THAT WE’VE GOT THAT WELL AND TRULY CLEARED AWAY.

WHA- DAMMIT, THE DOOR IS LOCKED.

HOW THE HELL DO WE OPEN THIS THING?

well… we don’t.

we have to wait for the doctor to come out.

or his companion.

but they’re the only one with keys to it.

DOES ANYONE IN CHARGE OF THIS THING ACTUALLY HAVE A FUCKING NAME? AND WHY DID WE EVEN PULL THIS THING ON BOARD IF WE CAN’T GET INTO IT?

well, the doctor doesn’t. he’s just the doctor.

his companion will, but i don’t know what it is. he’s had a lot of different companions. i dunno which one will be in there.

YOU HUMANS SURE DO HAVE SOME STONE-COLD RETARDED IDEAS OF ENTERTAINMENT AND STORYTELLING.

roses pile of trashy troll novels would like a word with you

FUCK YOU, STRIDER.

love you too

Derpy awakes on the floor of the TARDIS, her head throbbing. Looking around, she can see no one else in the control room. Across the chamber, the device Doc had used to change himself into a pony smolders lightly, seemingly ruined. There is a little blood present among the scorch marks. She doesn’t see Doc anywhere though, or any traces of him dragging himself away from the device. Derpy frowns, worried. The last thing she remembers, Discord had attacked the TARDIS. There is no one else in the ship, but it is still travelling to its destination. The three must have gotten separated while she was unconscious.

Doc’s weapon and tool of choice, the sonic screwdriver, lies on the ground near the control panels. He will want it back when he next sees her. She pulls herself off the ground and captchalogues it.

Derpy decides to exit the TARDIS. She tries to find windows to look out of first, but it seems that the only way she will see what is outside the TARDIS is by peeking out the door. She trots over to exit, and sighs heavily. She doesn’t know what’s out there waiting for her, but she knows it isn’t her new world. It isn’t New Equestria. And it probably isn’t her friends.

She opens the door, and the first thing she sees is the void of space, followed closely by the deck of a golden ship. She recognizes it quickly as a vessel of Prospitan design, one of their flagships.

Looking to her right, she sees nothing but space, and what seem to be stars zooming by.

She looks to her left, and sees an extremely confused creature staring back at her. He is bipedal, the same as the humans of New Equestria and the Carapacians. He sits against the front of the TARDIS, a hand on one knee, and has his head cocked at Derpy, mouth open slightly, yellow eyes squinted, trying to process his situation. He wears simple clothing- a black sweatshirt and grey pants- and has skin the same color grey as Derpy’s own fur. His mane is a tangled black mess, and he has a pair of rounded yellow-and-orange horns atop his head.

???: … EGBERT, YOU DIDN’T MENTION THAT THE DOCTOR WAS A FUCKING HOOFBEAST IN GOD TIER ROBES.

???: what? let me see.

Another boy pokes his head around the corner. This one looks pretty much like one of the people of New Equestria, a child of Earth or Fire. No horns, no wings, but his shape and skin tone are the same. He wears square glasses and had black hair, less messy than the person sitting in front of him, but still messy. Strangely, he wears a blue hoodie almost identical to the one Derpy wears, that of a Hero of Breath. The design is a little different from her Page outfit, though.

The boy approaches her and lowers himself slightly to look her in the eye. Well, the one eye that’s looking at him, anyway. The other has become distracted by the lights rushing by off the side of the ship.

???: that’s weird… i’m guessing you’re the doctor’s companion, though.

DERPY: y-yeah… you could say that.

???: OKAY, I AMMEND MY PREVIOUS STATEMENT. YOU DIDN’T TELL ME THE DOCTOR’S /COMPANION/ WAS A FUCKING /TALKING/ HOOFBEAST IN GOD TIER ROBES.

DERPY: stop calling me that!

DERPY: i’m not a /hoof-beast/! i’m a pony.

DERPY: my name is derpy.

???: guess you were from another session, huh? one with pony players?

DERPY: yeah… so, you mean, you guys are from another world? and you played the game, too?

???: SWEET HUMAN JESUS, IT’S LIKE I’M HAVING WAR FLASHBACKS. I COULD SWEAR THIS IS THE EXACT SAME SHIT YOU ASKED ME WHEN WE FIRST SPOKE.

???: don’t worry about karkat there, he’s just grumpy. all the time. but he’s not that bad when you get to know him.

???: but yeah, we’re from different sessions of the game. we’ve got players from three different sessions on this ship. four now, counting you!

???: my name’s john!

JOHN: so… did any of the other players from your session come with you?

DERPY: um… yeah, there were two others that made it to the new world. but then we got attacked and separated…

JOHN: huh… well, don’t worry! i’m sure they’re fine, and they’ll catch up.

JOHN: you said you were attacked. was it the same thing that attacked us?

DERPY: i dunno. what attacked you?

JOHN: this really big… thing.

JOHN: he looked like he had parts of a bunch of different animals all grafted together.

JOHN: and a really big red sword.

DERPY: oh…

DERPY: …

DERPY: you didn’t lose anyone, did you?

JOHN: yeah, we lost some civilians…

JOHN: i think the final count was close to a hundred and fifty.

JOHN: h-hey! don’t cry!

DERPY: i’m sorry…

DERPY: that monster… discord…

DERPY: he was from our session.

JOHN: oh… i see.

JOHN: don’t worry. this isn’t your fault. nobody’s blaming you for it.

JOHN: i know how you feel, too.

KARKAT: AND NOW IT WOULD SEEM YOU KNOW HOW WE FELT, TOO.

KARKAT: SOME INVINCIBLE SUPERDEMON FROM SOME SESSION OF WEIRD ALIENS WALTZES IN AND FUCKS UP YOUR PERFECTLY GOOD SESSION?

KARKAT: SOUNDS DISTINCTLY FAMILIAR TO ME.

KARKAT: AND BY THE LOOK OF THINGS, THIS FUCKER IS EVEN MORE INVINCIBLE THAN THE LAST TWO GUYS.

KARKAT: WE BARELY SURVIVED LORD ENGLISH WITHOUT LOSING HALF OUR HEADS, AND WE HAD A SHITTON OF BACKUP AND SECRET ENDGAME WEAPONS THEN.

KARKAT: IF THE LEAD WE’RE FOLLOWING TURNS OUT TO BE A DEAD END, WE MAY AS WELL JUST AGREE TO OFF OURSELVES. IT’D SURELY BE A LOT LESS PAINFUL THAT WAY.

JOHN: karkat, i usually try to avoid being this blunt, but…

JOHN: can you just shut the hell up right now?

JOHN: she’s already scared and upset enough without you adding to it.

DERPY: it’s okay… i’ll be okay…

DERPY: so… what lead?

JOHN: oh! well, after we fended off the initial attack, a lady appeared. a hero of space, from some other session.

JOHN: she got that discord guy away from our planet with help from her first guardian friend.

JOHN: she told dave- our time guy- to put our world in a time-lock, and for us to go to the green sun.

JOHN: that’s the one place that’s constant between all sessions.

JOHN: she left right after that. so we got a ship, and now we’re headed to the green sun, to figure out what to do next.

DERPY: oh, yeah.

DERPY: we saw her too. she appeared in the tardis and told us to go to the green sun, too.

DERPY: doc already put one of those time lock things on our world, though.

DERPY: it should still be with us, since the tardis was pulling it.

DERPY: it should still be time locked, too.

JOHN: oh, so that’s what that was!

JOHN: we were wondering whose planet was following us.

JOHN: jade is carrying it now, along with our planet.

JOHN: she’s our hero of space, and she’s got first guardian powers too, which definitely gives us an advantage. she’s able to shrink things down and carry them.

DERPY: discord was one of those too, a first guardian. but his powers have been dampened.

JOHN: dampened? how’d you do it?

DERPY: he did it to himself. he said unlimited power was boring, and took the rings from the black and white queens. he’s actually less powerful with them.

KARKAT: STOLE THE RINGS, GOT FIRST GUARDIAN POWERS, YEP. THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR TOO.

KARKAT: BUT THAT BEING SAID… WE DID BEAT SOMEONE LIKE THAT ONCE.

JOHN: that’s the spirit. we did it once, we can do it again!

JOHN: anyway, derpy, if you’re going to be riding with us to the green sun, why don’t i introduce you to the rest of the team?

JOHN: i know at least one guy who’ll probably become a fast friend.

DERPY: alright!

John leads Derpy away from the TARDIS, and begins showing her around the deck of the Prospitan ship. It’s a huge cruise ship class, but has been outfitted with countless weapons, ranging from lasers to explosive canons to harpoons. John explains that several of the vessels had made it with them to their new session, and that the science-minded among them had spent a great deal of time and effort refurbishing them.

“It helped that me and Jade knew our way around one of these already.” John explains. “We took a long ride on one, and lived on it that whole time. This is a slightly different model, but they all have a pretty similar layout… Oh! Hey, Dirk, come here for a sec.”

John calls to another human standing near the balcony on deck, and he turns and walks towards them. He wears a dark, redish-violet God Tier garment, a tiara on his head of blond hair, and a pair of black triangular sunglasses.

He approaches, then pauses when he sees Derpy. He stares for a few seconds, then looks to John, then back to Derpy.

“You’re a pony.” he observes.

“Yup. My name’s Derpy.”

He seems to consider something for a few moments, then shrugs slightly to himself. “Don’t suppose you knew Rainbow Dash, by any chance?”

Derpy frowns, confused. “I met her once, but I didn’t KNOW her, no. But… how do you know about her?”

The human, Dirk, frowns for a moment, considering his answer. “Well… I have a theory. See, back on Earth- our old planet- there was… Well, a story of sorts, about Equestria. But on Earth, it was completely fiction. But clearly, somewhere in paradox space, it wasn’t. It was a reality for you. I realized that when we fought Discord. I was horribly confused at first, but I think I’ve got an idea of what it means.

“Dividing all the worlds in paradox space are a series of walls, though they don’t exist in three-dimensional space. The first and second I think are essentially metaphorical, walls dividing space and time. Anyone can travel through the first wall, and many can travel through the second. The next two walls divide the worlds in ways that most people can’t travel through. If my theory is right, the third wall divides worlds that aren’t tied to each other in any way.

Dirk sighs, seeming to prepare himself to explain a difficult concept in understandable terms. “The fourth wall, however, divides worlds that are tied together in some way. Paradox space has a weird way of binding things together; physical objects can’t make it through, but sometimes, ideas get through from one world to another. And sometimes, those ideas end up in peoples’ heads, as visions, and dreams, and soon, they become stories.”

Dirk sighs again and scratches the back of his head. “There are holes in that theory, I realize, but it’s the only thing I was able to come up with that makes any sense. Jade didn’t have any better ideas, either.”

Derpy nods. “I think I understand. And, you said you knew who Discord was before you saw him?”

“Yeah. Though I didn’t think he was half as powerful as he turned out to be.”

“I probably couldn’t imagine it either…” Derpy agrees. She tells him about what Discord was like before his transformation, about what he did that made him the way he is now, and how much of a threat he poses.

Dirk doesn’t say anything for several seconds, considering this. He then nods quickly. “Dave! Get your sword ready, we’re sparring again.”

Another boy approaches, one who looks remarkably similar to Dirk, but with a slightly different hairstyle, rounded glasses, and a red God Tier outfit, a Hero of Time like Doc.

“Again?” Dave asks, but his sword is ready. “If you say so. Don’t want that freak to catch us sleeping… Is that a pony? You had something to do with this, didn’t you Dirk?”

Dirk holds up his hands in mock surprise. “Happy coincidence, I swear.”

Derpy and Dave are briefly introduced, before he and Dirk leave to spar. “Dave and Dirk Strider.” John explains. “They’re brothers, as much as you can say that about people like us. Paradox clones and all that.” Derpy nods in full understanding. “Anyway, they’re both amazing swordsmen. Plus Dave can do all kinds of time travel stuff, and Dirk’s great with machines, and has a few tricks up his own God Tier sleeve.

“Oh, I hadn’t asked yet- that was kind of rude of me- what about your teammates? I’m sure they’ll catch up with us, so why don’t you tell me about them so we know who to expect?”

“Oh, alright, sure!” Derpy replies, glad to be able to talk about her friends. She didn’t want them slipping from her mind, not while they were lost somewhere out there. “Well, there’s Fancy Pants. He always played a lot of video games, so he cleaned up in our session. Plus he’s a fantastic rifleman.

“Then there’s Doc…” Derpy trails off for a moment, and John smiles, knowing just what she means. “He’s great with time travel stuff too, but not much of a fighter. He prefers to talk things out if he can… I think we’re going to get married soon, actually. I had just brought it up, and he seemed to like the idea… but then Discord came.”

John frowns slightly and pats her shoulder lightly. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be able to pick that conversation back up when you see him next. And now that you mention it… I think I know exactly who we need to find next. I think I know where she’ll be.”

The two make their way through the inner decks, not seeing much of anyone else. John tells her that the people of their land are on the planet itself, and that only thirteen people were on the ship, plus her. Eight humans, five trolls, which is what Karkat was; Creatures from a different session that had become intertwined with the humans’, and who had taken refuge in the humans’ new world out of both necessity and friendship.

The pair approaches a balcony, where a girl stands, with pretty blond hair and an outfit much like Quick Fix’s, one of a Hero of Void. John attempts to tiptoe up behind her, but she turns long before he reaches her, unimpressed but amused. “Come on, John.” she says, “You’re gonna have to do better than that. You’ve done that one on me a million times, your prankster’s gambit has never been lower.”

John chuckles and steps forward. The two wrap their arms around each other and share a short but loving kiss. “Don’t worry, Roxy, I’m working on some great new material. You won’t know what hit you. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that we’ve got a new passenger on this ship. Roxy, this is Derpy. Derpy, this lovely lady is Roxy.”

Roxy separates from John and up to Derpy, smiling. “Aww, you’re so cute! … Wait, tell me I didn’t miss Dirk’s reaction.”

“Afraid so.” John says. “It was pretty funny though.”

“Darn. Ah well. Is it… Just you?”

“Right now, yeah.” Derpy replies. “There are two others that will catch up with us sooner or later.”

Roxy nods sympathetically. “That’s good. I’ve been in that spot before; being alone, with your friends who-knows-how-far away. It sucks. But hey, you can be friends with all of us! And like you said, your own friends’ll join us sooner or later!”

Derpy smiles and nods. “I’d like that.”

Fifty-six

Chapter in color

Fifty-six

Two days pass, in which Derpy is introduced to, and begins to become familiar with, the crew of the Prospitan ship bound for the Green Sun. Rose and Roxy, Dirk and Dave, John and Jade, Jake and Jane. Then there were the trolls, Karkat, Aradia, Sollux, Kanaya and Terezi. She learned of the group’s previous struggles; of a man named Jack Noir, a character who had appeared in Derpy’s session as well, but had attained far more power in the human’s session, wreaking havoc in both theirs and the trolls’ session; and of the demon called Lord English, an entity who would have destroyed all of existence had he not been stopped. The group faced hardship and loss through the long fight, but they had survived to settle a new world, until Discord arrived.

Derpy walks through the mid decks, munching on a muffin from the kitchen. It hadn’t taken her long to realize that Jane makes the best muffins she’s had since Equestria. She continues through the mid decks for a time, wandering aimlessly. The ship is a well-oiled machine, but it requires the maintenance and participation of all its passengers, and Derpy has been doing what she can to keep it functioning. Derpy hopes to find something to do, to keep her hooves busy, and sees someone walking down the next hallway to the right, a bag of something in hand.

Derpy quickens her pace slightly to catch up, and she quickly sees that it is Kanaya, elegant and sharp-tongued troll. Her figure matched her demeanor well; she was somewhat taller and more slender than the others around her, with asymmetrical horns that ended in sharp points, and a fashionable yet functional wardrobe of a black shirt and red skirt.

KANAYA: Oh, Hello Derpy

KANAYA: I See You’re Becoming Acclimated Well

DERPY: yeah!

DERPY: it’s nice having a professional cook now, too. i missed having muffins this good.

KANAYA: I Agree. Our Previous Journey Did Not Offer Much In The Way Of Dining

KANAYA: Pre-packaged Things And What We Could Alchemize, Mostly

KANAYA: Rose And I Did Our Best, But Neither Of Us Had Much Experience

DERPY: heh, yeah. i’ve had to try and do some cooking myself.

DERPY: fancy pants only ever used a microwave for his food.

DERPY: and doc tries, he really does. but i’m just better at that kinda stuff than he is.

KANAYA: Hmhm~ Well, Everyone Has Their Talents

KANAYA: And Speaking Of Food, I Was Just On My Way To Bring These To Rose And Terezi

KANAYA: I Find That In Plotting Our Course, They Often Forget To Listen To Their Own Stomachs

DERPY: man, you’re telling me.

DERPY: i’ve had to remind doc to eat more than a few times.

The two enter into one of the control rooms near the center of the ship. At the table in the center of the room sit two more girls, the Seers of Light and Mind. Rose, dressed in the orange garb of a hero of Light, sister to Dave, is deep in thought and doesn’t notice the two’s approach at first. Terezi on the other hand- simply dressed troll with black shirt and pants, shoulder length hair and short, conical horns- notices them immediately. Normally she wears a pair of slanted red shades, but they are currently on the table.

“Hey gals.” Terezi greeted. “What’s up?”

“We thought you two could use something to eat.” Kanaya answers. “It must be tiring work plotting this course. We were never meant to go back to the Green Sun from our new world, and it’s far from a straight shot like last time.”

Terezi sighs. “It’s more or less a straight shot now. It was busy work for the first leg of the journey, adjusting our course for the shifting space out in the furthest ring. But we’ve pretty much figured out our plot, and carrying on in this direction should see us most of the way there. Still… Gotta be aware of complications.”

“Have you had many complications so far?” Derpy asks.

Terezi shakes her head. “Nah. A few false alarms, one or two slight adjustments, nothing too terribly difficult to fix.” She reaches into the bag Kanaya and Derpy had brought and retrieves a piece of fruit Derpy doesn’t recognize.

Kanaya turns to Rose happily. “How are you holding up, Rose?”

She doesn’t answer at first, but seems to be focusing on something intently, eyes shut. Kanaya waits a few seconds, then attempts to get her attention again. Rose holds up a finger, clearly trying to work out something important.

Finally, she releases a nervous breath. “Alright, it is in the Alpha timeline.” she states. “Something’s coming. I had to be sure it wasn’t an offshoot I was sensing.”

“What is it?” Kanaya asks. By the tone in her voice, Derpy gets the feeling that she already knows, and Derpy has a sudden jolt of worry that she knows as well.

The look Rose gives the three confirms it all. All four in the room know what’s coming. “I’ll get on the intercom and sound the alarm.” Terezi says. “You guys get to the decks, but stay safe.”

The three swiftly make their way through the halls to the outer deck. Over the intercom, Terezi announces the approaching danger, and as Derpy, Kanaya and Rose move through the ship, they are soon joined by others, first by the Striders, fresh from a sparring session, then by John and Roxy. All weapons are at the ready.

When they reach the upper decks, Jade and Karkat are already standing at the starboard balcony. Jade stands slightly taller than Karkat, with long black hair flowing alongside her black Witch of Space ensemble. There is a fluffy white tail at her back and pair of ears on her head, and while the story of how those came to be was explained to Derpy, she had a hard time wrapping her head around it. Something about their world’s First Guardian, Jade’s deceased dream self, and obtaining God Tier.

“He’s definitely coming.” Jade says. “I estimate we have thirty seconds before arrival. Karkat, I know what your answer is going to be anyway, but will you please try and stick to the rear lines? If he gets you, you’re not coming back.”

“And if he gets to you, it’ll be a pretty damn heroic death, won’t it? You won’t come back either. I’m not leaving you without your wingman.”

Jade nods, both in somber understanding and affection. She leans over and gives him a quick kiss, before the two ready themselves at the balcony again. The scope of Jade’s rifle glistens slightly in the golden light of the ship, and the scattered light of distant worlds.

A familiar flash of green and yellow light fills the space before the ship. It fades just as quickly, leaving the shape of Discord in its wake.

“Ah, glad I caught you all before you got too close to that accursed ball of fire.” Discord taunts. “You wouldn’t want to leave me out in the cold without saying goodbye first, would you?”

“Were we only so lucky.” Kanaya retorts. “Between the good Doctor Scratch, the renegade Jack Noir and the God Cat, I find myself quite wary of your kind.”

“You wound me.” Discord says in mock hurt. “We spend our whole existences watching over our worlds, making sure things are safe and going the way they should, and that’s the attitude we get. Happens time and again.”

“I know what it’s like to want to protect something.” Kanaya says. “But sometimes, your influence is unwanted. Sometimes, you just can’t do anything to help. And there comes a time for you to let go. Your time to let go has come. The children of the world you served have created their new world, and need to spread their wings. And you’ve not only tried to keep them in a stranglehold, but have harmed countless other worlds in the process. Your time has come to leave this existence.”

“Not COUNTLESS worlds.” Discord says. “You can count them. Sixteen worlds that I had a little fun with before finding the one I wanted. Pretty small in the grand scheme of things. But while wandering, while doing a bit of damage here and there, I’ve found things. Secrets. Things no one should ever have seen. Even a First Guardian wasn’t supposed to know this stuff, but I’ve learned some VERY interesting facts about our existence.”

“Like what…?” John asks warily.

Discord laughs. “Suffice to say, there is a reason First Guardians are prohibited from approaching the Green Sun. There is an untold amount of damage we could wreak otherwise. We could break the game, so to speak.”

“Is that what you want?” Rose demands. “To throw existence into disarray?”

Discord chuckles happily. “Disarray, disorder… Chaos. Yes, that is what I want. I want to shake paradox space to its core, remind it who’s really in charge here. Us. ME. And I will rule over the broken worlds, foster a new reality.”

“I’ve heard that before.” Dirk states. “Twice in our session, people wanted that outcome for themselves. They’re both dead now.”

“I’m willing to bet that they didn’t have the kind of power at their disposal that I do.” Discord taunts.

“Perhaps not, but Lord English did.” Rose adds. “Even more so than you have, and he has been dealt with as well.”

“I’m not familiar with this ‘English’ person.” Discord admitted. “Doesn’t sound too bright though. Probably left his one weakness lying all over the place. I’m much smarter than that.”

Rose looks down slightly, confirming what he is saying. However, something sounds off in Derpy’s mind. Does Discord have a weakness that he is protecting? She doesn’t know what it is, but Discord may have just let slip that there is a way to kill him.

“Enough of this.” Dirk says. “You’re not coming with us to the Green Sun. We’re nearing it now, and you won’t be able to follow.”

“Exactly! I thought I’d give you a farewell present before you go, and meet you again when you leave. Don’t want you getting too full before supper.” With that, Discord readies his weapon.

Dirk is faster, almost too fast to follow with a naked eye, and his sword collides with Discords’ and instant later. Discord is thrown off at first, not expecting such a swift attack, but the grin grows back on his face a moment later. He welcomes the challenge. He swings his blade horizontally, throwing Dirk back for just a moment, before the boy charges again. Derpy can scarcely follow the action, as both are moving incredibly fast, the area soon filled with the sound of clashing metal.

Roxy and Jade ready their rifles, fingers on triggers, waiting for a clear shot. Rose’s wands glow with energy, but due to the intense blast they bring, she needs to wait until Dirk has stepped back to attack Discord.

John and Dave both leap into the air, sword and hammer at the ready. Derpy hesitates for only a split second before equipping her boomerang and flying after them. Dave waits until just after one of Dirk’s attacks, then dives in, his sword striking home at Discord’s shoulder. The demon flinches slightly and swats him aside, but this leaves Dirk an opening for several more swift attacks, which he takes without hesitation. Discord is quickly becoming enraged, knowing that no matter whom he decides to defend against or attack, someone else will have an opening to attack him.

He dashes forward, centering himself over the Prospitan ship and buying himself a minute to breathe, or so his thought process went. As soon as he was clear of the other fighters, however, those standing on deck opened fire. Jade, Roxy, Rose and- from the doorway to the lower decks- Jake and his dual pistols. Jake has achieved God Tier as well, but he has elected not to wear his outfit, instead opting for a simple shirt, pair of shorts and sturdy green jacket.

Discord growls in frustration, preparing to charge at the fighters below, but John’s hammer smashes into his head, effectively drawing his attention again. He grits his teeth, containing his anger, and unleashes a flurry of strikes, dealing damage to most of the fighters in the area. Derpy takes a hit, but is not seriously wounded, and drifts backwards to regain her balance.

Her communicator clicks on, and she quickly views the message from Terezi.

gallowsCalibrator entered the chat

GC: 3T4 4T GR33N SUN 1N S3V3NT33N M1NUT3S.

GC: K33P H1M BUSY UNT1L TH3N, 4ND W3 C4N JUST SH4K3 H1M.

Derpy frowns, the text quite difficult to read. Apparently it is common practice among trolls to personalize their typing styles with ‘quirks’ such as these, but Derpy can’t help but find it annoying and distracting. Still, she gets what Terezi wants to tell her: keep Discord busy for a bit longer, and he soon won’t be able to follow them any further.

She dashes forward, striking Discord at his exposed back, then dodges out of the way as he swings to retaliate. There are simply too many fighters attacking him at once, and he can’t seem to catch any of them. At last, he roars in anger and releases a burst of energy that sends everyone reeling back, stunned for a few precious seconds. He hefts his sword and slices across, wounding John and Dirk and spilling blood across the space.

Derpy struggles to her senses and takes a moment to observe the battlefield. The two hit by Discord are injured, but the energies of God Tier are already working at their bodies, healing them. Another reason the others would need to buy more time.

Discord readies his sword again, but hesitated. Derpy sees a small blue light on its surface, pulsing slightly. Discord observes it, confused as anyone. After a moment, it suddenly grows in size, encompassing the width of the blade, now larger around than a person or pony. The blue light stays at the edges of the circle, but disappear in the center, leaving a field of stars. It almost looks like a hole in the sword, but the stars framed by blue do not match the stars zipping by behind Discord; they are static.

Something flies through the hole, wings flaring. A portal gun is stored, and a rifle aims right at Discord’s head and fires a blob of plasma, against which he cannot defend. Discord flinches immediately, the plasma searing at his face, while the shape finishes its trip and lands standing on its back legs on the deck of the ship.

“Thought you could lose me, did you?” Fancy Pants taunts. “I’ve fought mid-bosses that were better at shaking me than you are!”

“Fancy Pants!” Derpy yells in relief. He’s alive after all. Maybe he even knows where Doc is.

“Hey there Derpy! I see you’re still standing. We’ll catch up after we deal with this guy again!”

Derpy nods in determination, and the two ponies charge at Discord. He has nearly recovered from his plasma burns, and swings his sword blindly, missing both. Derpy delivers two slices to his arm, while Fancy Pants zips around to his back, firing a point-blank burst of bullets from an assault rifle. He twists around to swat at Fancy Pants again, but Dave is ready, and swords collide again. Jake is in the air and gets close enough to deliver a series of point-blank shots from his pistols before needing to dodge.

This game of cat-and-mouse continues for several more minutes, Discord growing more and more infuriated, but even his shockwave attack unable to hit the fighters now. Fancy Pants prepares to open fire again, but all of a sudden, Discord stops moving, while the ship continues. He merely watches in fury as they leave him behind.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, humans, trolls and ponies, we’ve hit Green Sun space.” Terezi announces jovially over the intercom. “You’ll be able to see our destination ahead shortly.”

Derpy sighs in relief and drifts back to the deck of the ship. At last, they’ve found a moment of true safety.

Fifty-seven

Chapter in color

Fifty-seven

“Quite the group you’ve found.” Fancy Pants says, after being given a brief introduction to the humans and trolls aboard the ship. “Nice enough though, and great fighters.”

“Yeah…” Derpy agrees. “Plus they know where they’re going. I’m not sure what we’re going to do when we have to leave the Green Sun… Hopefully Doc joins us by then, because I don’t have any idea how to fly the TARDIS.”

Fancy Pants nods. “I could always try, but it looks way more advanced than anything I’ve ever attempted.”

“Heads up lads and lasses!” Jake shouts, telescope in hand. “We’ve got another vessel off the port side! Couldn’t say what build she is.”

“Stay our current course.” Terezi responds. “When we draw nearer to the vessel, we’ll adjust course to fly alongside them.”

“Aye, captain!” Jake responds. There is no real need for the two to act as though they are traditional sailors, but they are clearly enjoying themselves in doing it.

“You got it.” Karkat confirms at the helm, not caring to play along. Sollux stands by the railing behind him, equally as noncommittal. His attire is simple: a black shirt and grey pants, and mismatched shoes, one white and one black. A black shirt seems to be nearly a uniform for the trolls, as- aside from Aradia and her Hero of Time ensemble- all the trolls wear one, the only difference being the symbol on the front, all alien to Derpy. Sollux also wears a violet cloth over his eyes, an accessory he can afford to wear due to his already being blind.

Derpy and Fancy Pants move to the left side of the deck, soon joined by others, to view the approach of the other vessel. They can’t see it at first without the spyglass, but after a few minutes, the ship comes into view. Its design is more rudimentary than the Prospitan vessel, seeming to be made up of magically-bound stone and steel, creating a look of a mobile fortress. However, while comprised of common materials, it is crafted with a careful and exacting hand. The bridge at the back of the vessel and balconies along the sides are carved to resemble castle turrets, and at the front is a beautiful statue of a maiden with a harp. On the side of the ship is not a name, but a symbol of three triangles, joining together to form a larger one, a gap in the center. Instead of an artificial atmosphere, like the Prospitan vessel has, it seems to use a magical one.

A boy stands on the ship’s deck, seemingly human save his long, pointy ears, bright blue eyes framed by his sandy blond hair. His outfit attests to his origin from a foreign land: simple but strangely designed white shirt and pants, ending in leather boots and gauntlets, covered at the chest first by a chainmail shirt, then a green tunic. A sheathed but clearly well-crafted sword and shield are strapped to his back.

He doesn’t say a word, but seems to be reading the situation and observing the Prospitan vessel, deciding what to make of the three different species’ aboard and watching back. Derpy catches a glimpse of black smoke from one of the doorways of the other ship, and a few moments after it has faded, she hears an unfamiliar voice behind her: “Hello, neighbors. Hope you enjoyed your trip as much as we did.”

Derpy turns to see another man standing on deck. He has the same pointy ears as the boy on the opposite deck, and wears almost the same white shirt and pants, but that is where the similarities end. His hair is a spiky black mess, his eyes nearly as dark. He wears a collared jacket that covers his arms, but ends at his midriff, leaving quite visible a wide belt supporting sheathes for a heavy dagger and mighty broadsword. His boots are of lighter colored leather than the other boys’.

“Who’re you?!” Dirk demands, sword drawn. “How’d you get on our ship?!”

The man raises his hands in defense, but an extremely amused and relaxed expression is on his face, even as he eyes the sword pointed at him. “Worry not, I am your friend. I thought I’d pop over from the Airship Termina and say hello. After all, we’re going to be doing some strategizing at the Green Sun soon, we’ll need to get along. Lower that sword, yes, that’s better.”

He nods happily as Dirk lowers his weapon, then turns to the whole gathering on the deck and gives a curtsey. “Xekora, Prince of Void, at your service. My friend and ally Hylia, her pet mortal over there, Link, and I hail from the land of Hyrule. I’ll give you two guesses which one of us our planet was named after.”

“Alright.” Fancy Pants says, joining the conversation. “It’s good to have you and your crew with us. But I’m still curious, how’d you get over here? I didn’t see you attach any portals; that’s how I’d do it.”

Xekora looks at Fancy Pants for a moment, then takes a closer look at the whole crew. “You’ve got quite the assortment here, haven’t you? Three different species? Quite the story there, I’m sure. Anyway, I’m not sure of the realness attributes of magic on your worlds, but on Hyrule, it is quite real, and I’m what you might call an expert on the subject of dark magic. One of the nice perks of that is instantaneous transportation, at least to areas not protected against it. Although I have to say, portal technology is quite fun, and the next best thing when teleportation isn’t available.”

“So, did Discord hit your world too?” John asks.

Xekora nods. “We’ve had large-scale threats before, from both outside and within, but never anything on this scale. Usually a chosen hero could handle it. Sometimes Hylia or I would need to intervene. But both of us fighting at our peak strength weren’t enough to hold him back completely. Were it not for the intervention of that Ciella lass… Well, we’re lucky Hyrule is still in as good shape as it is.”

Derpy frowns slightly. This Xekora person sure likes to ramble. Still, he seems nice enough. “That’s good. The humans’ world is okay, too. Our world though… Discord really did his worst to us.”

Xekora frowns, seeming concerned. “Will it be alright? Worlds can be healed of damage, to a reasonable extent.”

Derpy shrugs helplessly. “It’s not looking good. I just hope we find a solution here.”

Xekora nods in understanding. “I hope so as well. No world deserves the fate this demon has dealt.”

Xekora soon makes his way back to his own vessel, but the two ships stay side-by-side as they approach the Green Sun. It isn’t long before everyone can see it looming on the horizon, a great ball of green fire glowing brightly in the empty space. Before they reach the meeting place, however, Jade calls everyone to attention.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to go with you any closer. I’m less First Guardian than Discord was, which let me get this close, but I’m nearly at my limit. I’ll have to wait for you here.”

“Figured that would happen.” Karkat says. “I’ve already rigged up one of the lifeboats on this thing, should be good to last for days if necessary.”

“Karkat, you know I can fly, right?” Jade says, confused.

Karkat nods. “Yeah, but I can’t.”

Jade shakes her head. “You don’t have to do that for me.”

“I’m aware. But odds are I wouldn’t be able to contribute anything up there anyway, so I’m going to hang back and keep you company.”

The two soon climb aboard the lifeboat and depart, while the others finish their trip to the meeting place. There are three other groups already there, all with different sorts of vessels. Ciella was not yet among them. More teams gradually begin to arrive, all awaiting the one who had gathered them.

Fancy Pants taps Derpy’s shoulder urgently. “Derpy, Derpy look! Over there!”

Derpy looks to where he is pointing and squints. A team of four has just arrived, and while it takes Derpy a moment to place it, there is something familiar about them. “Wait, are those… Are those ponies?”

The two wait for a moment, then nod to each other and rush towards the new group. Derpy tells John that they will return in just a moment as they leave.

“Hey, you guys!” Fancy Pants yells in an attempt to draw the other team’s attention. “Ponies!”

Sure enough, they react to this call, and as Derpy and Fancy Pants approach, Derpy can see that they were once residents of Equestria, just as they were.

“Sweet Celestia…” one of the stallions says as the two approach. “I can’t believe it, somepony else survived!”

There are two stallions and two mares in the other party. Derpy doesn’t recognize any of them by face, but just being ponies gives them a feeling of familiarity.

“We thought we were the only ones for the longest time.” Fancy Pants says. “It’s great to see we were wrong. But if you’re here… Discord got to you, too?”

“Yeah. He really wanted us dead, but it also seemed like we weren’t his main target. Was that the thing Princess Celestia warned us against right as we were leaving?”

Derpy nods. “He looked different back then, but it’s him alright. He smuggled himself through our session, tried to set himself on the throne of our new world. We didn’t let him. He decided if he couldn’t have it, nobody would, and just started destroying everything.”

The stallion shakes his head sadly. “Sometimes makes you forget that this all started from a simple video game. How’d it go from that to running and fighting for our lives?”

“I wish I knew…” Derpy sighs. “But, nothing we can do but look forward, right? So, you’ve got four ponies in your group?”

“Five.” one of the mares says. Derpy hadn’t gotten a good look at her yet, as her back was turned while she was preoccupied with something. “We had eight in our party, and lost four during our session… But as you said, we have to look forward, right?” She turns around, and Derpy can now see a small foal in her arms, no more than a year old. The stallion who had been previously talking wears an incredibly proud expression on his face.

“Awwww!” Derpy exclaims. “She’s so cute!”

“She sure is.” the stallion says wistfully. “We had her just last year. The first pony to grow up away from Equestria… But we’re going to make sure the world she grows up in is just as good as the one we grew up in.”

“So, does this make seven ponies that survived now?” the mother asks.

“Eight.” Derpy replies. “Three of us survived our session. We got separated on the way here, and we’re still not sure where Doc is… But he’s alive. I’m sure of it.”

“Eight out of eight million or so? Sounds like a solid start to me.” the stallion jokes. Still, Derpy does have a feeling of confidence. The pony race is on its last legs, but this foal proves that it can and will persist. The bloodline of Equestria will continue, even through something like this.

“Attention, please.” a familiar voice calls across the space where the heroes are gathered. Derpy turns to see Ciella floating nearby, her First Guardian companion by her side. “The sixteen parties that have been affected by the rampage of Discord are gathered here, and it is time we discuss how best to compensate and recover from the damages.”

Immediately, several heroes attempt to talk at once, each with an idea to put forward. They are swiftly silenced, then called upon one after another. Derpy listens to each, finding some to be quite reasonable, some to be awful ideas. At last, however, a coherent plan begins to emerge: moving parts of the damaged and broken planets, along with as many people as possible, to planets that could take them. As it happened, several of the planets were largely water-based, with only one major continent, and could potentially shelter the refugees from the worlds that could not continue past the damage Discord had dealt.

Next comes the task of deciding groups, which lands would become tied to which. It is easier for teams that still had a Hero of Space which, along with Time, was a mandatory class for all sessions. Each session would have one of each, but there was no guarantee that they would be able to stay alive, and in many cases, they did not. Those sessions that did not have a surviving Hero of Space have to wait to have their lands appraised by that of another session.

Xekora’s land of Hyrule is one of the worlds that is largely aquatic, though apparently, this was not always the case. However, the fact remained that it could and would house refugees. Another, under the domain of the sole survivor of the session, Ashunera, was in much the same position; a world that had once been full of life, now flooded in all but one major continent. Upon hearing the name of this land, Derpy and Fancy Pants knew that it was the one they had to join: Tellius. They recall quite clearly the cryptic message the Draconian Dignitary had given them, that they had friends in Tellius. What the connection was is still unknown to them, but they know that it is a connection they must pursue.

One other world would be joining them, led by its sole survivor, a being called Eryngi. He is an odd one- appears by all accounts to be a walking mushroom with large eyebrows- but is a potent Thief of Time. His world is among the most badly damaged in the group, and instead of bringing a large piece of his land as a continent on the new world, he would have to bring in a series of islands, as all the land had already been fractured.

“When we’re ready, we’re going to have to make a run for it.” Eryngi states. “Discord will be on us in a second, but if we all make a mad dash out of here, we might just confuse him long enough to escape.”

“I agree, outrunning him seems like our best option.” Ashunera adds. She appears human, with a beautiful blue dress and hair as rosy as sunrise. “I fancy myself skilled at my role as Maid of Space; I can likely give us the initial burst of momentum we’ll need to outpace the demon.”

“You’ll need a bit more insurance than that.” someone says. Derpy and Fancy Pants turn to see Dirk floating behind them, a supply bag slung over his shoulder. “If he pursues you in particular, like he has been, four heroes is not going to be enough to stop him, no matter how good you all are. I’m going with you.”

“Dirk, I- I can’t ask you to do that!” Derpy protests.

“You don’t have to. And you can go ahead and not ask me to change my mind, either. It’s already decided, I’ve made my peace, said my goodbyes. It’s already been emotional enough. I’ve got my bro’s Time Tables; his mode of time travel, but he can do it without them. But I know how to use them too, and you’re going to need that.”

“Going to have to agree with shades on this one.” Xekora states, appearing behind Dirk. “It’s you that Discord wants to finish off. And I’ve got my swords, a particularly potent mortal in stasis, and as many Hylian artifacts as I can carry to help keep him off of you. It’s time for Hyrule to gain peace from my insanity. Your people are stuck with me now.”

“I would not ask you both to leave your own worlds for ours.” Ashunera asserts.

“And as this lad said, you don’t have to ask. If Discord isn’t stopped, then we’ll all be dead anyway. We must do anything we can. Our worlds will be defended enough without us two, and your world might stand a chance with us.”

“What about Doc…?” Derpy whispers, only loud enough for Fancy Pants to hear.

He doesn’t answer right away. “We can’t wait here forever.” he answers at last. “Doc’s clever, he’ll be able to find where we went. Besides, if he were here right now, you know what he’d say. The safety of our people comes first.”

Derpy nods sadly. She doesn’t like it, but knows that Fancy Pants is right.

“The hell is that noise?” Derpy hears Sollux shout from a short distance away. Her ears perk up, and sure enough, she begins to hear an odd noise as well, a sort of hiss and electric crackle in the air.

An explosion sounds in the direction of the Green Sun itself, deafeningly loud. A chillingly familiar laugh follows. “Probably shouldn’t have done that, eh?” Discord chimes, though Derpy can’t pinpoint his location. “I wonder what will happen if I keep doing it?”

“The Green Sun is becoming severely damaged!” Ciella shouts. “Run for your new lands, now! I will hold him off as long as I can.”

Ships launch from the meeting place, speeding away from the danger that lurks behind. The TARDIS, Falchion and Prism sail in unison, bound for Ashunera’s world of Tellius, remains of Ivoire and New Equestria behind them. Fancy Pants sits at the edge of the Prism, rifle at the ready. Derpy stands behind him, and the TARDIS on the deck behind them both.

“He’ll be coming.” Fancy Pants states. “He’s breaking the Green Sun, and that’s where the First Guardians get their power. But Discord’s got more in him than that, while Ciella’s partner doesn’t. She won’t last long against him in that state. But Discord’s made another stupid mistake in his drive for sheer chaos. If the Green Sun goes down, he’ll be a lot weaker. Killable.”

“You think you can do it?” Derpy asks.

“I think someone can. And I know I’m sure as hell going to try. When he catches up with us, we’re going to continue our previous duel, and I’ll make sure he knows just what he’s messing with.”

“I doubt we’ll have long to wait,” Dirk adds, “Unless his speed is a First Guardian ability that would be lost along with the Green Sun. He’s never had any problem catching up before now.”

Derpy settles uneasily by the deck of the ship, waiting for the inevitable attack.

Fifty-eight

Chapter in color

Fifty-eight

Fancy Pants

“Almost two weeks, and no sign of him.” Fancy Pants comments, breathing a bit easier. “Ciella must have done a really good job at delaying him. How fast are we going right now?”

“We are still riding the shockwaves of the Green Sun.” Ashunera answers. “I should be able to keep up that pace until we reach Tellius, which should be… around another three weeks. Normally it would take years to make this journey, but normally, we wouldn’t have this amount of energy at our disposal.”

Fancy Pants nods. “Dirk!” he yells after Ashunera walks away. “You and I are sparring today.”

The members of the team spend the better part of the day training against one another, making sure their skills are sharp. It is agonizing business waiting and preparing for an enemy that could appear at any time.

Fancy Pants sits at the edge of the Prism, spy glass held aloft by magic and rifles at his sides, when Discord is sighted. His ability to teleport seems to have been stripped from him after his foolish attack against the Green Sun, but he still moves fast enough to catch up.

He briefly considers shouting to the others, alerting them of Discord’s approach. Someone would need to slow him down. None of the others know he is here yet.

Fancy Pants sighs and nods. He places Leeroy’s guitar on the deck of the ship, a clear indication of what he’s decided, and launches himself from the ship, directly towards the approaching demon. He equips a bladed rifle, and it clashes with Discord’s weapon shortly.

“Come back for round two, eh?” Discord taunts. “I knew you couldn’t resist me for long.”

“What can I say? I’m a completionist. I don’t like leaving an enemy undefeated once I’ve fought him.”

Discord laughs. “Fine then! Let’s see if you can keep up your same pace! There’s nowhere your friends can run from me.”

_____________

Ivoire and Equestria arrive at their new home, the planet of Tellius. Eryngi assists Derpy in removing the time lock from her world, and she goes about rounding up the Children of the World to a section of land that could be moved from one planet to another. No one quite knows where Fancy Pants had gone. Most assume that he spotted Discord approaching and left to fight him himself, without telling anyone. They hadn’t seen any sign of either since he vanished. Derpy had been simply trying not to think of it, just as she was with Doc. Surely they’re both still alive. They have to be.

The operation of combining the worlds is one of careful precision, removing the salvageable pieces of Equestria and Ivoire and keeping them intact upon impact. Equestria proves the most difficult, being one large continent as opposed to Ivoire’s new status as a series of islands, and takes the joint cooperation of all the heroes present. Ivoire proves easier, and soon two islands are being moved at a time. To the heroes, it is a task, but to the people below, it was surely a miracle to behold; new land and peoples delivered upon Tellius by gods themselves.

Once the world is settled, Ashunera and Eryngi go their separate ways from Derpy and the others to tend to their people. Derpy, Dirk and Xekora stand upon a small sandy island, closest to Equestria but secluded from all land.

“What will you do now?” Dirk asks. “Will you return to Eclipse and guide your people as you did before?”

“Doing that didn’t save them last time.” Derpy says. “I… I failed them last time. I failed to protect them, and without Doc and Fancy Pants at my side, I doubt I’ll be able to guide them now. I doubt I have that right…”

“Your people would come to embrace you again.” Xekora assures her. “You’ve not turned them against you yet; I know from experience when that point comes. They’ll forgive you yet.”

“Maybe… But Discord will come back. And the people of Equestria will be in danger again. I can’t let my guard down until he’s stopped, and… I think that might mean staying distant from the people I’m trying to protect. I think Discord still wants to rule this world, which means the heroes here are the only thing standing in his way. We can’t put the innocent people between us and him.”

“Hate to say it, but I think you’re right.” Dirk confirms. “I overheard the other two saying much the same thing. Eryngi says he’s got a decent place of seclusion. Ashunera says she’s going back into her tower, where she can watch over her people but be as secluded as can be.”

“That’s what I want.” Derpy says with a nod. “To watch over them without endangering them.”

“Perhaps something can be arranged.” Xekora says thoughtfully. “This island is in a good location.”

“What about you two?” Derpy asks hesitantly.

“Personally, I’ve had enough of the secluded life.” Xekora explains. “I’ve had enough of being that strange guy lurking in the shadows. I’ve been offered a new start here, and I’m going to take it. I’ve always thought the life of a bard was an admirable one. Going around the world, trading stories and information… That’s a life I’d like to try. Of course, I don’t plan to lose contact with any of my allies. I’ll make sure to check up on you all periodically.”

Dirk takes a moment before answering. Finally, he begins: “Some old friends of mine came from a world that knew it was going to face trouble one day. There was a person who watched over that world, preparing it. When Armageddon arrived on that world, they were ready for it. I think that’s what we need now. We need to make sure this world is ready for Discord’s arrival, so that when it’s go-time, we can survive it. I want to stay with the people of this new world as well, and make sure that they are strong enough to persevere.”

“So that leaves me to wait…” Derpy thinks out loud. She knew that this would be the case, but the prospect of being left alone is still less than ideal.

“Yes. But maybe not alone.” Dirk says. “I don’t think your friends are dead. And if they’re still out there, they’ll track us down too. I’ll keep an eye peeled, and if one of them turns up, we’ll send them your way. Who knows, there may even be some mortals who could prove trustworthy.”

“Maybe…” Derpy replies. Despite her tone, a small fire of hope flares in her chest. Maybe her new life doesn’t need to be one of total seclusion. “In the meantime though, we should prepare ourselves. We have no way of knowing when he will arrive, so we should assume it could be any time. If I’m going to stay on this island, I’ll need a place to live.”

______________

Time passed. The world grew and changed, the three formerly independent worlds adapting to their new neighbors. Though a hundred and fifty years of peace reigned, swords remained sharp and the arcane arts flourished. The people were preparing for something, though they knew not what.

Discord’s arrival was quiet, unlike his previous entrances. Before, he had been a beast of power and destruction. In a century and a half, he had apparently learned something of subtlety and tactics. Three countries existed in Equestria by this time: Dusk, Dawn, and Eclipse.

It surely wasn’t a difficult task for the demon to exert his dark influence, pushing those people in power to do as he wished, until a violent civil war had erupted. The reigning houses of each country called upon its lesser houses for support, and one by one, the countries became more and more united against one another.

Four years after the war began, House Apollo was among the last to remain neutral in the conflict. Through pressure from the Queen of Eclipse and increasing ferocity of attacks from Dusk and Dawn, the two sisters at the head of the house persevered.

However, they would not be able to evade conflict forever.

One evening, a fortress guard entered the throne room and bowed, bearing news. “Lady Celestia, Lady Luna,” he said, “a man has come seeking audience with you. He claims to be a bard, and wears no emblem of any of the three kingdoms, but appears well-armed.”

“One cannot survive in this world without a trusty blade.” Celestia commented. “Even travelers of peace and lore must be prepared for a skirmish, I suppose. Bring him here, we will hear what he has to say.”

The guard nodded and left, and a new figure entered the chamber a moment later. His hair was a wild, dark mess, and his clothes were built for travel. A large sword was slung across his back, and his nearly black eyes sparked with both an unpredictable danger, and a sort of kindness.

“My ladies.” he said, a strange lilt to his voice. “It’s an honor. My name is Xekora, a wandering bard and self-proclaimed merchant of information. I come to you as the latter, as I have some vital information that you should be aware of.”

Luna frowned. A merchant of information? Most likely an agent of espionage for hire. Celestia seemed to come to the same conclusion. “If you’re here to offer us information on the war, we want no part of it. Apollo will remain neutral in this conflict.”

“I’ve information of the sort, yes.” Xekora started. “But not in favor of any of the three. I’m on your side, mistresses of Apollo. I want this war to end, and I have the information that can stop all of this.”

“A secret that can bring all three to their knees?” Luna asked, fear in her voice.

Xekora shook his head. “Quite the opposite. This secret can bring all three to peace. There is a being living in this world, whose influence can be found in the hand of all of the acts of this war. Tell me, who can say what started this conflict? Who can say what caused the three countries of Equestria to despise each other so? There was a clear line, a point at which the countries were at peace and would not dream of war. After that line, after the arrival of this being, this war was on the horizon.”

“Surely it can’t be that simple.” Celestia argued. “One being who instigated an entire war, that’s claimed the lives of thousands already?”

“You underestimate this one.” Xekora warned. “He has strange, terrible powers that even the Gods of this world live in fear of. Such an act is not beneath him or beyond his power.”

“Who is this being…?” Luna wondered aloud.

Xekora hesitated only a moment. “He is called Discord. I know both where he is, and how to stop him. And the price of this information is only the promise that you will help me do it.”

Luna looked to Celestia. This could still be a steep price to pay. Celestia’s eyes were alight, though. Luna understood. If there was a way to end the war with peace, she would do what it took. She turned to Xekora again. “How can we be sure that you speak the truth? You have made some bold claims, but have you anything that can earn my assurance that they are true?”

“I do.” he confirmed. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a perfect white sphere that fit comfortably in his palm. “This object is one of Discord’s weaknesses. It is sometimes called a ‘Magic Cue Ball’, and by others it is simply called an Oracle. Regrettably, it cannot be weaponized to inflict any harm upon him- at least, not that I’m aware of- but he cannot touch this, and possessing it provides a protection from his influence.

“I show you this because it has another power. To those who can see beyond its outer shell- and I’ve little doubt that you can do so, Lady Celestia- it can offer the answer to any question you present it. Please, take it. Ask in your heart if my words are true. I’m certain that it will show you what you need to see to be convinced.”

Celestia nodded and took the object in her hands. She closed her eyes for a moment, then gazed at the sphere. “Who is the one who orchestrated this war? Who is to blame for the loss of these countless lives, and the conflict that threatens to rip Equestria apart?”

Luna watched as her sister gazed upon the ball, her expression changing from one of skepticism to one of horror. The surface of the sphere didn’t seem to change to Luna, but she could almost see reflections of images in her sister’s eyes. Finally, Celestia squeezed her eyes shut. “I… I’ve seen enough.” Luna frowned, concerned. Her sister was clearly quite shaken. “I’ve seen the truth… So tell me, Sir Xekora, what can we do to stop this monster?”

Xekora smiled, but there was little joy in his expression. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. It won’t be easy stopping him, but there exist several artifacts that we can find and employ. I believe they will give us the power to do this.”

“You believe?” Celestia asked, once again skeptical.

“Discord is unpredictable. These artifacts should be capable of sealing him away. Almost certainly. But we can’t know for sure until they are put to the test.”

At length, Celestia sighed. “It’s our best shot, I suppose. What are they?”

“The first can be used by you, Ladies of House Apollo. They call it the Quest Bed. It will give you both a great amount of power, and if you learn to utilize that power together, you will be nearly invincible. The other, the Elements of Harmony… This will require us to find a few others. There are six warriors- two each from Eclipse, Dusk and Dawn- who are meant to wield the power of these artifacts. The Elements are very picky, you see.”

“Are they anyone we would know?” Luna asked. “It’s difficult to not be aware of the key warriors involved in the war.”

“Two of them are famous.” Xekora confirmed. “The others are not. I’m sure you’re familiar with the revolutionary magician Starswirl. He is one of the two from Eclipse. The general of Dawn’s army, Madeline, is another. The others are a gambler, a mage of a lesser renown, a knight of civil defense, and an assassin. I’m confident that it won’t be difficult bringing them together.”

“What of these Elements of Harmony, and the Quest Bed?” Celestia asked. “Do you know where they can be found, and how to use them?”

“I know where they can be found.” Xekora answered simply. “And I know how to operate the Quest Bed. I did it once, long ago, and it’s hard to forget. I will explain when we get there. First, we should locate our allies.”

Celestia stood and approached Xekora. She placed the Oracle back in his hands. “I am entrusting the life of myself, my sister, and quite possibly all of Equestria with you. I pray that you do not give me reason to regret this.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Xekora says with a smile. “I recommend we travel to Eclipse first. That’s where we’ll find Starswirl. We may be able to locate our assassin friend, Surprise, while we’re there. From then on, we’ll have to travel discreetly, as our path will take us to Dusk and Dawn. I doubt they’d appreciate the Ladies of a house of Eclipse, even if you maintain neutrality.”

Fifty-nine

Fifty-nine

Some time later, nine people stood gathered around a large slab of rock, at each corner of which was a pillar, existing only for decoration and holding nothing aloft. Luna took a moment to survey her companions while they were all gathered and- for the first time in weeks, it seemed- not engaged in combat.

Starswirl and Surprise of Eclipse. Luna doubted the two would have ever worked together if not for the Elements of Harmony. Starswirl wore the trendy mage outfit of a blue robe and pointed hat, and behind his salt-and-pepper beard was a showman. His spells were as flashy as they were effective, and he had quite a way with words. Surprise, on the other hand, wore nondescript black and two lightweight swords across her back. She was a woman of few words, but of precision and efficiency. The one thing the two seemed to have in common was their deadly effectiveness in combat.

Madeline and Jonathan of Dawn. Madeline was a knight if there ever was one; no nonsense and proud, and an absolute terror in battle. Despite her apparent unapproachableness, she had become a solid friend since she joined the group. Jonathan was a small, soft spoken person, and even on the road could usually be found with his nose buried in a book. His blond hair was long and relatively unkempt, and he wore a pair of spectacles and a worn leather jacket. However, his mastery of ice magic- a difficult breed of spells even for a skilled mage- made him a force to be reckoned with.

Firefly and Ace of Dusk. These two, unlike the other two pairs, had already had a history together. Ace, an enigmatic gambler with sweet words and a speedy knife hand, often found himself involved in less than legal activities. Firefly, a cheerful but passionate enforcer of the law, often found herself clashing with him, but on occasion, they had united to bring down bigger threats. Each had developed devastating techniques during their various clashes with each other: Firefly, a sonic flare that made her a blur of flame, an unstoppable force that cut through her enemies; and Ace, a complex lottery of skills determined by cards and dice, each as effective as the next.

Then there was Xekora. He claimed to be from a faraway land, but more than that he refused to say. He was both a potent swordsman and a terrifying dark mage, more skilled than any Luna had ever seen. A student of dark magic herself, the girl had already learned much from the bard. It was difficult to learn anything about the man himself, however. He had many oddities, but they were all material, unimportant things. His cheerful façade was nearly impossible to bypass, and all Luna could guess about him was that there was something in his past that he wanted to forget, and didn’t want to speak of.

Lastly was her older sister, Celestia. As she always had been, she was a wise woman who believed firmly that the pen was mightier than the sword. If at all possible, she would resolve a situation with words before conflict. However, if it came to it, her Blade of Light- sister to Luna’s Blade of Dark- was a potent weapon in her hands. Though she was still the same person as when they had begun, the journey so far had affected the elder sister. She believed that the war needed to be ended in peace now more than ever, but she had been exposed to much bloodshed and cruelty that was plaguing Equestria. She now fought not only for the sake of the people of Equestria and the survival of the countries, but for justice for the lives she had watched fade away.

“So…” Celestia began, eyes lingering on the stone slab before them. “This is the Quest Bed?”

“It is.” Xekora said, nodding. “A gift from the fallen Goddess, Cheerilee.”

“How is it used?” Firefly asked, studying its surface. “I won’t lie, it doesn’t look like much.”

“This artifact will be best used by Celestia and Luna.” Xekora explained. “Through it, you will both attain the God Tier, a state of near immortality and a great deal more power. I’ll need a moment to set the conditions right, otherwise Discord will be able to locate one of several loopholes.”

Luna and Celestia nodded and watched Xekora cast several spells on the slab. It didn’t seem to change in appearance, but after a few minutes, Xekora nodded in satisfaction.

“So… how is it used?” Luna repeated.

“Yes, that’s the tricky part…” Xekora started. “To ascend to the God Tier, one must sacrifice the blood that currently runs through their veins. In essence- I assure you, you will be back on your feet momentarily after the act is complete- you must die on this slab. You will then arise again.”

Celestia considered the slab for several long moments. “You’ve made many dubious claims in the past, Xekora,” she began, “but you’ve come through for us with them time and again. However, this is a heavy matter. We’re playing with lives. Even your time-tested word does not quell my doubts.”

Xekora nodded. “Then I suppose I will need to prove it to you in the only way I can. I told you that I used one of these myself, yes? I arose from the slab that day, so long ago, and while I can be struck down, I will not remain that way unless by specific circumstances; if my death is heroic or just, then I shall not return to life.”

The enigmatic bard retrieved his sword and drove it into his stomach with one swift motion. Luna shouted in alarm and attempted to step towards him, but he held up a hand. “Give it a moment!” he ordered, his breath ragged. Life seemed to fade from his limbs and eyes, and his body swayed in place for a moment. None of the eight surrounding him moved, and few dared to breathe.

A rapidly flashing, multicolored light flared around him. He was suspended in the air, kept from falling. It dissipated with a flash after a short pause, and his sword clattered to the ground. Xekora landed on his feet, as alive as ever.

“There’s no trickery here.” he said, brushing the dust off of his clothes. “And no amount of dark magic can bring a person back from the dead. No, such an ability comes from sources beyond us, and the Quest Bed is our way of attaining it.”

Celestia looked upon the slab for several seconds, then nodded slowly. “I suppose if it’s the only way, then we must do what it takes to save Equestria. Luna, do you agree?”

Luna nodded after a pause, the lump in her throat too great to speak. She knew that she has to take the chance for the sake of her home. But at the cost of dying? This was not something she was looking forward to.

“Then I’ll need the two of you to lie down upon the slab.” Xekora explained. “I will take care of the rest.”

“You’ve done so much for us already, Xekora.” Celestia replied. “You have sacrificed much. I would not have you wear our blood on your hands.”

“The alternative is having one of the others do it, or doing it by your own hand.”

“I’m aware.” Celestia confirmed. “If we’re to take this power for ourselves, at the price of our own lives, then it should be by our own hands.”

Celestia took Luna gently by the hand and walked with her to the slab, sword in her other hand. She embraced her sister in an ultimately failed attempt to comfort her. “Forgive me, sister. I swear, it will be over in only a moment.”

Luna nodded, her breathing ragged. It was a necessary sacrifice, she told herself. She willed herself not to think about it further.

She felt the sharpest jolt of pain she had ever known, followed by several moments of darkness and numbness. She wasn’t sure if her eyes were open, but she saw what was surely the most bright, horrible light that ever existed.

Her eyes flew open, and she was on the Quest Bed again. She and Celestia scrambled to their feet, and looked at each other in wonder. Not only were they alive, but their wardrobes had been replaced with distinctive, foreign garments.

Xekora nodded in satisfaction. “The Thief of Light and Maid of Void. They suit you both well. Now… Before we face off against Discord, we should first help you to unlock the true potential of your titles, push you to your limits. He certainly will, and you’ll need to be ready.”

_______________

The group of nine approached a seemingly abandoned fortress, weapons at the ready. The landscape had been ravaged by weather and time, with dirt and rock dominating the area, and few patches of green in sight. Though Luna had been under the impression that this place hadn’t been inhabited for quite some time, Xekora assured her that this was Discord’s refuge.

“I hope none of you get stage fright.” Xekora commented. “Practicing your new techniques against each other is one thing, but you’d better be able to pull all that and more off here. Discord is not a force to be taken lightly.”

“Will the nine of us be enough for this operation?” Madeline asked. Behind her eyes, Luna could see her mind hard at work devising a tactical strategy of attack.

“We will be using small numbers for this, yes.” Xekora confirmed. “However, there will be one other joining us. He will be here soon, if he’s not already waiting for us somewhere around here.”

“You know me too well.” an unfamiliar voice said, and a man stepped into view from behind a rocky outcropping. He wore a God Tier outfit as well, a dark magenta color emblazoned with the image of a heart halved down the middle, and with one side hollow. A pair of triangular sunglasses sat on his face, framed by blond hair.

“So…” he started, looking to Xekora. “These the ones you picked?”

Xekora nodded. “I believe they have what it takes. The two sisters of House Apollo have achieved God Tier, and the six heroes from the three nations have unlocked the power behind the Elements of Harmony. We have to believe that this will be enough to put a stop to Discord.”

“Have you got a plan, then? We weren’t able to kill him before, when we had dozens of God Tier fighters to work with.”

“Yes, I’ve got a plan. And that’s the trick; we aren’t going to kill him. We simply don’t have any way to do that. But we can do the next best thing and seal him away. This world operates on a strong binary of light and darkness. And with Luna and Celestia at the God Tier, they are surely the strongest people with control over both. Surely they are strong enough to use this and lock Discord away.”

The man thought this over for a moment. “You know more about this world’s magic than I do, but it sounds like that might work. But it would make these two into the keys to his prison, you know that right? If one of them ever dies, he’ll be able to get out.”

“I know. But with him out of the way for the time being, we will have the chance to find another solution. And if this plan goes smoothly, they won’t die.”

After a moment, the man sighed and nodded. “Sounds like that’s our best option. I’ll cover you as much as you need.” He finally turned to the others standing around the two, listening intently. “Name’s Dirk. I’m sure it’ll be an honor fighting alongside you all.”

“Are you from the same place as Xekora?” Luna asked. “He’s told us that he’s from another world.”

“I got here the same way he did.” Dirk confirmed. “Discord attacked, and we had to leave. But I was from a different world than him.”

Luna nodded, and Xekora drew his blade. “Alright, everyone. The more time we waste, the more people are suffering. Let’s put an end to it.”

The others all nodded and readied their weapons. Luna and Celestia unsheathed the Blades of Light and Dark, weapons passed down through the Apollo line. Others could wield them, but it was said that only those of the House’s bloodline could use them to their full potential.

Luna took a wide look around the interior of the fortress. Fallen brick and dust cover the ground, and there is no ceiling more than five feet from any point on the walls. Tattered banisters hang around the entrance hall, swaying tiredly in the weak breeze. A cobbled staircase leads further into the ruined structure. By all accounts, it still seemed to be abandoned.

“Don’t be fooled.” Xekora cautioned. “Discord’s a showman. He’s here, just waiting for the chance to make a flashy entrance.”

“Oh, you’re no fun.” A voice pouted from somewhere beyond the group’s line of sight. “I don’t feel there’s any point to making an entrance now, now that you’ve ruined the moment.”

A large figure stepped out from the shadows of the next room, lanky and inhuman. Each of his body parts seemed to have been ripped from a different creature, and Luna couldn’t hope to name half of them. A smile sits on his fanged, bearded face.

“So, princes two from worlds so far away…” he began poetically. His gaze hardened somewhat. “This is your army? A pair of heiresses made gods and a handful of misfits armed with ancient magic? It’s a start if anything, but surely you don’t plan to end it with this?”

Xekora chuckled. “Discord, you and I aren’t so different, you know? Once upon a time, I had the same ideas in my head as you do. Incite chaos, take control, all that good stuff. But I was stopped, and by less numbers than this. Came to my senses too, but I doubt the same fate awaits you. My world had heroes, who brandished weapons of old to protect their homes. I know the kind. These people, the Elements of Harmony and the sisters Apollo? They’re made of the same stuff. And I believe in them.”

Discord laughed sarcastically. “Well, I suppose that’s all it takes then! A twinkle in the eye and the belief of their friends! Very well, Prince of Void. Let’s see if your conviction holds.”

The demon draws a huge red sword from behind him and twirls it in one hand. Xekora swears under his breath. “The Blade of Blood. It’s become swollen with the power of all the lives it’s taken, unable to properly unleash it.”

Ace cast his arms wide, a card in one hand and a die flying from his other. Four and diamond. Luna felt the gentle but reassuring pressure of a wave of magic, a defensive shield placed around the team. Firefly and Surprise kick off the ground and begin hovering on their wings, swords at the ready. Firefly made the first move, zipping forward at unnatural speeds, the sound barrier breaking almost immediately and a wave of fire filling the air. She rushed forward with sword poised behind her, blazing with light. Discord blocked, but the impact knocked him back several feet.

Jonathan was ready, magic flaring upon his palm. He pulled his fist back and threw a punch, ice forming around it and slamming into Discord’s unprotected side. The demon grunted in anger and swiped his sword across the ground, but Starswirl’s energy magic stopped it short, then pushed it back in the opposite direction. Firefly delivered several lightning-fast blows to Discord’s chest, and Surprise flew behind him and delivered several to his back with her twin katanas.

The two swordswomen and two mages were sent reeling, but landed on their feet. Discord’s eyes flared with anger, but he saw Madeline a moment after it was too late to stop her. Surrounded by a brilliant white aura, she leapt over his blade, her rapier poised at her side, and thrust straight into the demon’s chest.

He howled and flailed, shaking Madeline loose. She landed roughly on her back, but rolled quickly to her feet, her aura and armor absorbing the impact. Xekora’s blade collided with Discord’s flailing weapon, a wide smile on the prince’s face.

“What’s the matter, Discord? Gotten rusty? Or perhaps you’ve been doomed by your own blindness to the power of mortals?”

Discord only pushed forward in response, swinging his sword and moving Xekora back. Dirk was right on him as soon as he had an opening, and Firefly was at his back. “You’ve taken enough worlds.” Dirk states with an unwavering glare. “This one stands.”

The demon roared and unleashed a burst of energy, then charged forward with a flurry of strikes. Madeline and Firefly took hits in the attack, but got back to their feet easily enough. The others were able to dodge out of the way. Given an opening, Celestia charged forward and sliced across his back. Luna followed closely behind and fired a burst of dark magic, striking him in the head.

Surprise flew out of the sky and delivered a terrific barrage of attacks upon Discord, and he was only able to begin blocking after at least a dozen connected. The assassin was moving so fast, it seemed as though there were two of her, until she removed all doubt. She continued to keep Discord’s sword busy at the front, while an identical shadow form separated from her and began flitting around the demon, slicing at any point he left open.

Discord tried to swat both away, but a violet aura surrounded him, and a wide smile grew at Starswirl’s mouth. He had found the magical frequency necessary to block the demon’s energy wave. Xekora nodded slightly, his gaze still firm, but Luna could tell that his heart was racing. His chosen warriors were succeeding. She dared to hope that they might really pull it off.

Discord leapt forward, throwing off Surprise for a moment, and swings his weapon hard. Firefly blocked, but was sent reeling and colliding with the opposite wall. Jonathan dodged one attack and blocked another with a quick ice spell, but was hit by the third and fell to the ground some distance away. Madeline reacted immediately, charging at the demon and parrying his enraged attack. She threw several attacks at him, all parried in turn. She buckled under the weight of one attack, and was knocked back by the next.

Left open, he was struck by several bolts of light, a grinning Ace at the other end. He held up another card as Discord charged, and blocked the next several hits with his spear, before dodging out of the way of one that would have been too strong to parry. Celestia was quick to pick up the fight, flying over his sword on her snow white wings and slicing at his arm. He swung clumsily at her and missed, giving her an opening to strike at his chest.

She flew forward, intending to take the shot, but is knocked back by a blast of energy. She tumbled to the ground, but was able to get to her feet. Discord turned and struck Starswirl to the ground, distracted by attempting to contain Discord again.

His arms were suddenly bound by darkness, and he was pulled back stumbling. Xekora waited behind him, one hand on the dark strings. When his balance had been sufficiently taken, Xekora leapt into the air and delivered several powerful strikes at his back.

Dirk skidded to Luna’s side. “He’s weak and distracted. You know what to do?”

Luna nodded, her blood pumping. Her heart was screaming in fear, but her mind was sharp and ready. Dirk nodded and dashed across the ruined hall to Celestia. Madeline ran past Luna, rapier glowing with energy, and joined Xekora in his continuing attack. Surprise and her shadow persisted in the air alongside them. Firefly, Jonathan and Starswirl were struggling to regain their balance, all wounded. Ace watched the battle intently, giving supportive effects and delivering attacks whenever he saw the opportunity.

Luna looked across the hall and saw Celestia nod. She nodded back, and the two sisters readied their swords. Leaping into the air, an aura of light surrounded Celestia, and one of darkness surrounded Luna. Their wings flared behind them, swords poised to strike.

“Move!” Xekora shouted, leaping back. Surprise and Madeline followed. Discord had only a moment to allow his eyes to dart around the room, searching for a threat, before the sisters struck. A blinding burst of magic filled the room and shot into the sky above, and scarcely a sound left Discord’s lips. The sisters hit the ground feet-first on opposite sides of the hall, the demon frozen in place, eyes full of rage and panic. His sword was on the ground.

Celestia and Luna raised their swords to the sky, then pointed them at the frozen demon. Beams of silver light left both, and Discord disappears in a brilliant explosion of light. Though the ten warriors gathered were unharmed, the mortar of the fortress groaned, and the walls of the opening hall collapsed outward. Dust filled the air, but soon settled on the loose bricks. Luna’s breath was heavy, as was everyone’s.

Xekora smiled and shook his head. “It actually worked… I had my doubts, but it really worked. He’s been sealed.”

“So… what happens now?” Firefly asked, having pulled herself to her feet. “Do the three nations call truce?”

“It won’t be quite that simple, but tensions will begin dropping.” Dirk explained. “But the war hasn’t ended yet. It’s not enough to remove the catalyst, but to bring in a new catalyst of peace.”

“What do you mean by that?” Madeline asked.

“I think I understand.” Celestia commented. “They need someone to inspire them to lower their weapons and bring discussions of a truce to the table.”

“Precisely.” Xekora said with a nod. “And more so, they need someone from a position of neutrality, who can bring all to peace without any feeling as though they’re the loser of the war. Celestia, Luna, I don’t think there’s anyone better suited for the job than you.”

Luna looked to her sister, who looked just as surprised as she felt. “How will we do that?”

“I’m not certain.” Xekora admitted. “You’ll need to be able to speak from a position of power.”

“Perhaps she can fill the shoes of the late Queen Platinum.” Starswirl offered. “She had no descendants, and in the event of the royal bloodline coming to a halt, one of the heads of the royal houses is to be elected to ascend the throne.”

Celestia nodded. “Me, become queen…? I suppose it could work. But only if I can continue to rely on you all for support.” Everyone gathered voiced their approval. “Very well. Then let’s leave this ancient, accursed place and return to Fortress Apollo, and we’ll plan our course of action. That includes you, sir Dirk. I’ve only just met you and know precious little about you, but you fought alongside us all the same. I’m sure we’d all like to get to know you a bit better.”

Dirk shrugged sheepishly, but agreed. Xekora hefted the blood red sword. “I want this hidden. It’s terrible power should rest.”

“I can take care of that.” Jonathan offered. “It can be buried deep below the fields beyond my hometown. No one will find it there unless they know just where to look.”

The ten walk out of the ruin, weapons sheathed, patting each other on the backs and offering congratulations. Surely the worst of their journey was over.

Sixty

Sixty

12 years later

Derpy

For a time, Derpy had allowed herself to believe that Discord had been controlled, his influence stopped. She had allowed herself to hope that with that weight lifted from Equestria’s shoulders, it would begin to recover. And in the first years of Celestia’s rule, the wounds did begin to heal.

Discord wasn’t finished. Though his body and direct influence had been sealed away, he still found the strength to spread his chaos, even from where he was. From afar, she watched as Celestia’s grip on her own morality began to slip, Discord’s influence working its way into her mind.

In the previous year, she had deployed a stunning, unexpected military movement, dethroning the rulers of both Dusk and Dawn, Eclipse rising to rule over all three war-torn countries. The onlookers were shocked, especially Derpy. This aggression was not what Equestria needed to move on.

Derpy stood upon the balcony of her tower, the structure that she had built on the secluded island, and that had served as her home through these years. Her eyes lingered on the horizon, and she imagined Equestria just beyond her line of sight. After a few minutes, a figure appeared in the air and made its way to the tower.

Dirk’s feet touched down on the balcony, and he nodded to Derpy. “What’s the situation out there?” she asked.

“Mostly the same.” Dirk explained. “Dusk and Dawn are still putting up attempts to resist annexation, but they just don’t have the energy to do it anymore. The war left them tired, and under Celestia, Eclipse is too strong to fight against.

“However… Princess Luna is heading one of the branches. The Elements of Harmony are behind her again, even though they all have families now. They’re not aiming to liberate Dawn or Dusk, but to break through Celestia’s iron defense and, if they’re lucky, bring her to her senses. If not… They seem to be ready to dethrone her if necessary.”

Derpy’s eyes averted Dirk’s gaze. “Have you tracked down Xekora yet?”

Dirk shook his head. “The guy just up and vanished. I would think he would help with this battle, but he’s nowhere to be found. It’s just you and me for this one. So, that begs the question… What do you want to do?”

The two stepped into the tower, and Derpy thought for several minutes. “I don’t want to encourage my people to fight.” she finally stated. “I don’t want to pick a side, even if I know the other is wrong. That’s not what I want them to think of their goddess. Besides… Would any of them even remember me?”

“They tell stories.” Dirk offered. “It’s been a while since any saw you, but they have stories from their ancestors of the three beings who once walked among them, and who surely still watch over them.”

“Just one now…” Derpy said sadly.

“We don’t know that. We never heard back from Fancy Pants, but that doesn’t mean he’s gone. And Doc’s a Timelord, and a God Tier. By all accounts, he should have regenerated, and should be out there somewhere.”

“Yeah, but like you said, we don’t know where they are. And wherever they are, they aren’t here right now. It’s just you and me, and I don’t think we should join a band of rebels to overthrow a queen. That’s not a message I want to send.”

“Then why don’t you speak to the rebels and impress upon them that Celestia should be reasoned with, not overthrown? I can try and talk to Celestia while you’re doing that. She used to trust me, and if that’s worth anything to her now, she’ll at least hear me out.”

Derpy nodded after a moment. “That’s our best shot. I’ll gather my things. I’m going to speak to them, then leave as soon as that task is complete. You can decide for yourself what you’d like to do; if you want to join them, you may, but keep in mind that you must not kill Celestia, and avoid overthrowing her.”

Dirk thought for a moment. “I think I’ll do the same as you. A world is like a child, and the Gods are its parents. Even if I’ve only adopted this world, I want to give it room to grow on its own. And sometimes there are growing pains. We can try to steer it in the right direction, but we have to let this issue resolve itself in the end.”

“Well said, and I agree. I’ll be ready to leave in a minute.” Derpy moved into her tower and walked up to her God Tier outfit. She hadn’t needed the garment for some time, but she decided she needed to be prepared. She put on the hoodie, and retrieved her fetch modus and strife specibus. The old technology wasn’t running as quickly as it once had, but it still served her well.

She and Dirk glided away from the tower a few minutes later, taking care to avoid being seen from below, only parting ways when they reached the capital city of Eclipse. Perched atop one of the castle’s towers, Derpy looked out over the city she had helped to found. It looked almost nothing like it used to, but she’s certain that the castle was in the same place as the old church, likely built up from it. The old place of worship was probably still inside, somewhere.

On the way to Eclipse, Dirk had told Derpy that the resistance party was camped out some distance from the western gate to the city. Derpy knew she didn’t have all the time in the world, and flew over the city towards the western gate. Past that was flatland. Not the ideal place for a group that would need to avoid detection, she thought. Sure enough, it didn’t take long for her to spot the party camped about a mile away.

She touched down a short distance away, contemplating her approach. These people may remember the presence of the gods, but she doubted they would remember their appearance. To them, she would appear a strange, alien creature. Perhaps she could amplify her voice and make it seem like she was speaking from the heavens?

“I’m trying to work out what you are, but I’m drawing blanks.” a voice spoke from behind Derpy. “I’m sure Firefly would say that this isn’t unusual for me.”

Derpy turned to see the man standing behind her. He wore a worn set of red leather armor, a wide brimmed hat atop his head of blond hair just beginning to lose its youthful shine. A spear hung from his belt, along with several pouches surely containing various supplies. He looked at her not with fear, but with curiosity and confusion.

“I can gather one thing though.” he continued, “You’re watching our camp.”

“I am.” Derpy confirmed. Best to begin simply. “I need to tell you all something, but… I wasn’t sure how to approach. I mean, you see what I look like.”

The man’s mouth twisted into an understanding but still confused frown. “Yes. That being said, perhaps you should tell me who and what you are. You haven’t done much to make me think you’re a threat, but you haven’t done much to prove you aren’t, either.”

Derpy thought for a moment, then sighed slightly. She couldn’t think of a lie that would get anything accomplished. “I am the one who watches over Equestria.” she began. “I am one of the three that guided it from birth, and I am the one who gave it the shape it holds today. I am… I am the one who failed you. I failed to stop Discord, and I’ve failed to stop… this.” she motioned in the general direction of Eclipse.

The man considered her words for a moment, before his eyes widened in realization. “You… Are you saying you’re the goddess?” Derpy nodded, and the man hastily lowered himself to one knee, head bowed.

Derpy shook her head. “Please, I would not have you bow to me. Even had I not lost the right, I considered myself a friend to the people, not a ruler.”

The man stood after a moment, but his demeanor had visibly changed. “What is your name?” Derpy asked.

“Ace.” he replied simply.

Derpy nodded. “You and your friends succeeded where I failed; you sealed away Discord, an act I had believed to be impossible. And I pray that you can destroy my expectations again; this is why I’ve come to you. I need to impress upon you that, if possible, Celestia should be reasoned with, not overthrown. Equestria is weakened by the war. If you overthrow Celestia, the chaos Discord put in her mind will grow stronger, and the fever of war will grow stronger again. And if she is killed, the demon will be freed. You MUST do everything you can to help her break his chains.”

“I understand.” Ace said, nodding confidently. “And, goddess… Might I ask, for all of us, your personal assistance in this task?”

Derpy shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid I can’t. It’s more than just feeling like I don’t deserve to, like I failed you and will fail you again. But a god should not step in to dethrone a ruler. I can’t put that kind of doubt in the minds of the people.”

“I see. I understand, your grace.” He clearly didn’t quite understand, but he accepted her word.

“I wish you and your friends luck, Ace.” she told him. “Do what you can, and if nothing can be done, do what you must. But she and Luna must stay alive at any cost.”

_____________

Ultimately, the resistance failed. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony fell in the ensuing battle, the Elements themselves shutting themselves off and becoming little more than inactive trinkets. The children and spouses of these heroes would mourn their passing, but their blood would carry on.

One man would always be in the shadows, watching over the descendants of these heroes, never once allowing himself to be noticed. Another would walk among the people a self-proclaimed merchant of information and historian, keeping a careful eye on Equestria.

Queen Celestia knew that, should Luna die, Discord would be released. So instead, she was given the same fate as the demon, sealed away within the earth, to be released one thousand years after the event. A reasonable amount of time for two immortals.

Luna’s would be the last large-scale resistance to Celestia’s ascendance, and soon, Equestria began to change under her rule. The castles of Dusk and Dawn were left in ruin while Eclipse rose to splendor. The people gradually moved away from the former capitols, instead moving to or founding cities closer to Eclipse, or venturing into formerly uncharted land. The Children of Water, a nomadic people that had been more severely wounded in the war than any of the other three, never completely recovered, and began to dwindle. Even the historian could not say whether they found a home somewhere secluded or died out, but after a hundred years, there was hardly a trace of them left.

Four hundred and seventy nine years after Luna’s resistance, a boy awoke in the ruins of Dusk.

__________________

He pushed himself to his feet and shook his head. What happened? He couldn’t remember how he got there, but as he thinks, he realizes that he can’t remember much at all. He thought he had some flashes of memory, but they were gone as soon as they had occurred to him. A few disjointed, meaningless words and images were all that seem to be in his head.

He frowned and looked around. He was in a town plaza that had been abandoned long ago, a thick layer of dust and grime covering the road, the stone cracked, the wood rotten, the metal rusted. No one had been to this place in a long time; that much was apparent. But now he was. He couldn’t help but wonder why that was.

He heard something from the next street over, a stone being knocked loose. Perhaps he was too quick to assume that he was alone. Something about this place told him that he should avoid being seen, then leave as soon as possible. He dashed across the plaza and through an empty doorway, then hid behind the wall.

After several seconds passed, a tall creature walked into the plaza, skin glossy and pitch black. It walked on two legs, with two long, clawed arms hanging at its side, and two yellow eyes glancing around the area. The boy watched cautiously from his hiding place, knowing it was probably looking for him, the intruder to its territory. It paused in the center, seeming to sniff the air, although it had no visible nose. At last, it seemed to find nothing of interest, and walked away down another road.

The boy released a bated breath, mind racing. He’d need to get out of here, but he didn’t know the way out, nor how he got in at all. But surely if he followed the main road, it would lead him out; either that, or further in, but it was his best shot.

He walked out of the building, careful to be sure the creature had truly moved on, then begins walking briskly down the largest road connecting to the plaza. He assumed this was the way out, as the buildings along the opposite side seemed to grow larger further down. He passed by a building that seemed to have once housed a massive machine, pipes and wires poking out and rusted. He poked his head inside, and saw an object shining dully on a table. Approaching, he saw it was a small glass ball, glowing slightly with a red magic. It had been sitting for a while, but it seemed to still have a spark left in it.

He pocketed it, then looked around the building for anything else useful. Several of the pipes had been dislodged, and one of them seemed to be about the right size to be used as a weapon. He picked it up, left the building, and pressed on.

After two more blocks, he heard shuffling from somewhere nearby. He froze, then looked around for somewhere to hide. The city, self-contained and very well developed, had left this part of the road with only walls on either side, and there weren’t any holes nearby. He wouldn’t be able to hide this time. He braced himself and took off at a run.

The creatures were faster. He continued to hear them around him until they leapt out in front of him. Two of them stood, teeth barred, claws raised, blocking his passage. He clutched his pipe. There was no side passage to escape through, and no way could he outrun them. He had to fight.

He quickly retrieved the glass sphere from his pocket, prayed that it would work, and threw it with all his strength. It hit one of the creatures in the chest, and a burst of flame exploded on the point of impact. It wasn’t enough to hurt the other creature, but the one that was hit writhed in the fire before collapsing to the ground and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

What manner of creatures are these? the boy wondered, but he had no time to find out. The other creature leapt at him, and he blocked hastily with his pipe. He pushed forward, knocking it back, but it followed up with two swipes of its claws. He blocked the second, but failed to stop the first from cutting through his shirt and drawing blood. It was just then that he registered his clothes; he was wearing an outfit of varying shades of red, with a long hood that brushed the ground. The image of a lighter red gear was on his chest.

He shook his head and pushed forward, swinging his pipe. The beast swung a claw, and he deflected the hit, then stepped forward and jabbed his elbow into the creature’s midsection. It stumbled, giving the boy enough time to bring his weapon down and hit it in the head, hard. The impact was enough to kill it, and it burst into a cloud of black smoke just as the other had.

He shook his head. What were these things? He supposed he could figure out when he was away from them. He continued along the road at a hurried pace, stopping only when a large gateway loomed on the horizon. He knew that would be the exit. However, a stairway to the rooftops was to the right, and he ascended to get a better look around. He reached the top and looked out beyond the gate. Sure enough, the city ended there, and he could see grass beyond the dry, gray dirt that sat before the city.

Something felt wrong about the entrance plaza, though. He got the feeling that there were more creatures around. He was able to handle one of them with his pipe, but he doubted he could take more than that at once. Still, maybe if he ran for it, he could clear the exit and leave the city before they saw him. He couldn’t imagine why they wouldn’t just leave with him, but he decided it was worth the try. He could fight them better in the open.

He descended the staircase again, braced himself, and took off at a run. He cleared the first gateway, entering the plaza, his feet clacking against the cobble below. He was nearly to the exit when his arm was grabbed, the clawed hand belonging to one of the creatures. He swung his pipe and knocked the hand aside, but two more were on him in the same instant.

He struggled against their grip, but he couldn’t raise his arm to swing his weapon. One of the creatures was about to bite into him when it burst into smoke. The boy could just see the glint of steel before it swung around and killed the other two.

A figure in a heavy black coat, hood over their head, stood just behind the boy, katana in hand. Back to the boy, he barked an order: “More of them inbound! I’ve got your back, now fight!”

“Y-yeah! Got it!” the boy stammered, gripping his weapon tightly with both hands. As the man had said, several more of the creatures leapt from the shadows, claws at the ready. The boy swung hard, knocking one of them aside, then swung low and kicked one’s feet out from under it. A downward jab finished it off. He could hear the cloaked man’s sword cut through the air, fending off many creatures at once.

Two of the beasts remained on the boy’s side. He blocked one of their attacks and swung at the other, but it leapt back to dodge. The first swung at him, catching his arm and cutting through his shirt, but the boy followed up quickly and hit the beast in the head, destroying it. He then turned to the second, but the cloaked man dashed forward and cut it clean in half.

“We shouldn’t hang around here.” he said. “More will be here before long, but we bought ourselves enough time to escape. Can you run?” The boy nodded. “Good. Follow closely behind me.”

The two took off at a run out of the city, and past the dead ground to the rolling green hills. The boy was about to ask to take a rest, his breath growing short, but the man had the same idea and slowed to a halt.

“This is far enough, they won’t catch us here.” he said. He lowered his hood, revealing a head of blond hair and a pair of triangular shades. “So, what were you doing in that place?”

The boy shrugged sheepishly. “I don’t know. I woke up there, and… I don’t have any idea how I got there, where we were, or… where we are, or anything.”

“Memory loss? Just my luck.” the man sighed. “Oh well, not much can be done about it. Even so… Your outfit says it all. You’re a Hero of Time. I need to test one other thing; with your permission, I’d like to test your heartbeat.”

The boy nodded, and the man put a hand on the left side of the boy’s chest. Strangely, he then moved it to the right after a few seconds. A smile grew on his face. “Oh, I know someone who’s going to be very happy that I found you. Can’t believe you actually made it, either… You regenerated young, too, that’s a bit odd. Ah well. Even without your memories, you’re alive, that’s what’s important.”

“I guess so.” the boy agreed. “So… I guess I have a lot of questions, but I think the first should be ‘Who are you’?”

The man extended a hand. “Dirk Strider. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

The boy shook his hand. “Then… Who am I?”

Dirk grinned. “They call you the Doctor. Now, there’s some nasty stuff going down in a place called Ivoire right now. They’re struggling against a demon called Sulphur, and could surely use a hand. What do you say we go on an adventure?”

Sixty-one

Sixty-one

Three years went by, Dirk and Doc becoming both fast friends and effective partners. Though Dirk had mentioned a friend of his that would be happy to see Doc, and continued to mention her from time to time, he did not take Doc to see her in that time. He always told Doc that he needed to be ready, used to the world. Without any memory of the three lands, everything was vaguely alien to the boy, though he typically picked up on things quickly. The knowledge was there, buried beneath, he just needed a refresher course.

Though Dirk was a skilled swordsman, he taught Doc the importance of non-violence. Though it was sometimes necessary, most problems had a more pacifistic solution. With this in mind, the pair travelled across the planet, and eventually through time, with the assistance of Dirk’s Time Tables, to help those in need. Doc marveled at the devices, but Dirk assured Doc that he did not know exactly how they worked, and that they were simply a gift from his brother. On occasion, the swordsman would tell stories of his brother and friends, whom he had not seen for some time. It was clear that he missed them, but knew he was needed on this planet.

The pair was deposited by the Time Tables in an alleyway, out of sight. “Where are we now?” Doc asked.

“Ivoire, year… nine-twenty, Ivoire calendar.” he replied. “Four ninety-five Equestrian, fourteen seventy-two Tellian.”

Doc nodded and looked around. “This looks like Monetopia. Is something happening here?”

“Not that I know of. I just thought it’d be nice to grab a drink and take a break.”

“Sounds good to me.” Doc agrees. The two make their way out of the alleyway, expertly blending in with the rest of the people on the street, and make their way to an outdoor restaurant.

“Two orange sodas.” Dirk told the cashier. Doc stood just behind him admiring the mighty city. The buildings here were huge, reaching to the sky, and decorated with the most beautiful seashells. This was the largest center of commerce in Ivoire.

The two time travelers sat at a table, sipping their drinks. They had a variety of outfits- God Tier outfits, as Dirk called them; the heavy black cloaks they used for stealth missions- but today they wore average attire. Still, Dirk’s shades were a constant, and Doc always found it strange when he removed them.

“So…” Dirk began, “I think I’ll be able to take you to that friend of mine soon. Not quite yet, but the time is approaching.”

Doc’s eyes widened slightly in interest. Dirk continued: “First, we should gather a team. Not because she’s dangerous- although danger tends to find us anyway- but because I think, after you two meet, you’ll probably want to stick around a while, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have some extra company. They say friendship is magic, after all. There’s one person I know we’ll need to grab, and I’ve got a few good ideas for a couple of others.”

“Alright, that sounds good!” Doc agreed. Dirk took a sip of his drink, then frowned, looking at something behind Doc. The boy turned to look, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Dirk stood and walked towards whatever he was looking at, and Doc followed, bewildered.

He stopped just before an alleyway. Doc heard something rummaging nearby, but still saw nothing.

“Miss, if you’re desperate enough to dig through the trash, I’d be willing to buy you a sandwich or something.”

“Dirk, who are you talking to…?” Doc asked. Dirk glanced at him, confused, then back to where he was looking before. “Yes, I’m talking to… you.” Understanding dawned on Dirk’s face. “I’m not supposed to be able to see you, am I?”

He raised his shades above his eyes to look without them, then put them back on and nodded. “It’s the shades. They have every kind of filter you can imagine. Here, Doc, put them on for a second so you can see who I’m talking to.”

Doc took the shades, still somewhat confused, and put them over his eyes. Where there was nothing a moment ago, a woman now stood. She wore a red shirt and brown shorts, along with a leather belt and gloves. Her hair was a dusty brown and fell to her waist. She looked average enough for Ivoire, but the strange fact remained that she couldn’t be seen without Dirk’s shades.

Quietly, she spoke to the two, likely to avoid being heard by anyone else. “Can we move to a more private place, so we don’t alarm anyone?”

Dirk nodded, and the pair follow her into the alley. She pulsed with light once, and Doc realized he could now see her without the shades and handed them back to Dirk.

“So, are you a phantom?” Dirk asked. In Ivoire, the spirits of strong-willed people often lingered as phantoms, who walked unbeknownst to the living. Some remained for a time until moving on to the afterlife, some of those remaining until they fulfilled a specific purpose. Others joined the Phantom Brave, Marona, in fighting to defend Ivoire.

“Yes.” she answered. “Well… essentially. My body is technically still alive, but it’s somewhere that I can’t reach. So I didn’t become a phantom the normal way, but I’m stuck this way. Now, it’s your turn to explain. Why could you see me?”

“I already said the gist of it.” Dirk said. “It’s my shades. A lot of crazy tech went into these, the filters can see a lot. Including phantoms, apparently… I wonder how many I’ve seen without realizing? Anyway, why were you digging through the trash?”

“Well, I don’t need to eat.” the phantom explained. “I was actually looking for a game or toy or something. Being a phantom gets frighteningly boring, especially when I don’t have the option to move onto the afterlife.”

“There’s always the Phantom Brave and her forces.” Dirk offered.

The woman was already shaking her head. “I… I was with them for a while, but it got… awkward. I was friends with Marona before I lost my body, but then there were some complications, time travel shenanigans. We were traveling through dimensions with our Putty, trying to find someone. We got separated, and I ended up landing several years earlier, when she already had a version of me, and after I tried staying for a bit… It was just too awkward. I didn’t want to stick around and make things more complicated than they needed to be.”

Dirk frowned sympathetically. “I understand more than you know. When did you and her go on that trip originally? When that happens, you’ll be the alpha version.”

“It’ll be a few more years.” she answers. “I think it was nine twenty-three that we leave to search. I suppose I’ll go back after that, but until then, it’s finding entertainment however I can.”

“You could come with us.” Doc offered, reminding the two that he was still there. Dirk nodded in agreement.

“Are you sure?” the woman asked. “It’d be a bit strange walking around with a phantom.”

Dirk waved his hand in friendly dismissal. “I don’t mind. In fact, I’ve got a better idea. First, I don’t think we ever exchanged names. I’m Dirk, and this is Doc.”

She gave a look for half a second. Odd name for a kid, she must have thought. “I’m Castile.” she replied. “So, what’s your idea?”

“I’ll need to go grab something. Be right back.” He retrieved the Time Tables and disappears in a flash of light. Before Castile even had time to ask where he went, the spot where he stood flashed with light again, and he stood with something slung over his shoulder.

He sets it down, and Doc sees that it’s a whole robot, shaped just like Castile, save for its red eyes. “Popped into the future, built you a robot body. Man has it been a while since I worked on a robot. I almost forgot how much I loved it. Anyway, you’ll be able to possess this, and it should be more than durable enough to take whatever you throw at it.”

Castile frowned. “Not that I don’t appreciate it- I do- but won’t that be even more conspicuous?”

“Thought of that too.” Dirk said with a smile. “It has a cloaking device that will kick in when you possess it. And don’t worry, you can stop possessing it at any time, too.”

“A-alright.” she said. “Wait, hold on. Did you say you got this from the future? You can time travel?”

“Yes.” Dirk answered. “And, if you want, I can take you to the day your friend returns. But if you want, I would welcome you to my side for a time. There are people out there that need help.”

Castile thought for a moment, then nodded. “Between being a phantom and being a robot, I’m not getting any older. And if there are people that need me, then I can wait a little while longer to go back to Marona.”

She became invisible again, and nothing seemed to happen for a moment. However, the robot soon began to activate, glowing blue from inside, the eyes lighting up bright red. Then the cloaking device kicked in, and it looked just like Castile had a moment ago. She raised an arm and examined it, flexing the fingers experimentally.

“It might be a little stiff at first,” Dirk explained. “but it’ll adjust pretty quickly.”

Castile nodded and attempted to put her hand in her pocket, only to remember that it was only a hologram. She chuckled. “I guess I’ll pick up a jacket later. So, where are we headed first?”

“We’ve got a very important person to meet.” Dirk said. “But there are a few others we need to gather first. Grab my arm, and we’ll be off.”

Castile stepped forward and put a hand on Dirk’s arm. Doc did the same, already used to the procedure of traveling through time. Dirk quickly adjusted the settings on the Time Tables, and the three were sent flying through space and time. They landed seemingly a moment later in a clearing of a thick forest. There was one building at the edge, large enough to comfortably house a few people.

Castile stood blinking for a few seconds, unaccustomed to time travel and slightly shaken. Dirk stepped up to the door of the cabin. “This shouldn’t take too long.” he assured the two, then knocked on the door.

“Who in the blazes…?” a voice began from behind the door. It opened, and the man standing behind it sighed after a moment. “Ah. Figured you’d track me down eventually. How long have you know I’ve been out here, my friend?”

The man was a few inches taller than Dirk, with a mess of black hair, simple pants and shirt, and a jacket that ended at his midsection. His eyes were as black as his hair, but he didn’t look terribly aggressive.

“A few years, anyway.” Dirk answered. “I’ve been around, and so have you. You didn’t think you’d evade me forever, did you Xekora?”

“Suppose not.” Xekora replied cheerfully. “I just elected to live a different sort of life. All my life it’s been large scale conflict. I wanted to try the life of a simple man, a record keeper and storyteller. And I’ve quite enjoyed it.”

“Good to hear.” Dirk said dryly. “But honestly, I think what you’re doing will pay off in the end. So after this one task, I’ll let you get back to it.”

Xekora raised an eyebrow. “What task would that be?”

“I found him.”

Xekora’s other eyebrow rose, and he looked past Dirk to examine his companions. “This one? He’s younger than I imagined.”

“I thought the same. But he has two hearts, and had a Hero of Time outfit on when I found him. And besides that, he’s proven himself to me time and again.”

“Two hearts…?” Castile asked Doc quietly.

“It’s a long story that I don’t quite understand myself.” Doc admitted.

“So, you’re going to bring him to the tower?” Xekora asked. “And you thought I should be there too. I agree.”

Dirk nodded. “There are two others I’m going to get before we see her. I’m going to drop you all off at the tower, then fetch them. Since I imagine at least some of us will be staying there for a while, I thought some company and allies would be helpful. There are two kids I’ve been keeping an eye on that are just right.”

“Otherwise unoccupied, I hope? Orphans, perhaps?” Xekora asked.

“Both orphans, yes. One’s a descendant of one of the six Elements, the other’s part of a nearly lost race. But both have nowhere else to go, and I imagine they’ll appreciate the companionship as much as we will.”

Xekora nodded. “Fair enough. Lead the way, my friend. Oh! I’m sorry, how rude of me, I haven’t formally introduced myself to you two. What a terrible host of me. My name is Xekora, Prince of Void. A wanderer from the far-off land of Hyrule, now a simple historian and bard.”

“My name’s Castile. I’m not sure I have much to say; I’m from Ivoire, I fought in the Final Purge, and I’m tagging along with Dirk because he says there are people that need help.”

“And I’m Doc, but apparently you and Dirk already know more about me than I do.”

“All in due time, my lad.” Xekora promised. “Your past is a complex web that needs to be untangled, but when we meet our friend, you’ll surely learn a lot about yourself.”

Doc sighed, but nodded. Dirk had been telling him the same thing for a while now. Hopefully he would get some answers when he met this mystery person.

The four soon launched through space and time once more, this time landing on a beach. Doc turned around to see an old, mighty tower standing at the center of the small island.

“Year four-seventy, Equestrian.” Dirk announced. “Now, I’ll be right back. As I said, two more people to bring here.”

He retrieved the Time Tables and vanished, reappearing only a moment later, two children about Doc’s age at either side. One was a girl with fiery orange hair and wings, while the other was a boy with black hair and a grey horn atop his forehead. Doc knew he was a Child of Water, as he had interacted with them when they still roamed Equestria with the others. However, at this point in time, this boy was surely one of the last of his kind.

“Miss me?” Dirk joked. He put a hand on the girl’s head. “This is Spitfire, descendant of one of the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”

“Though he won’t tell me which one…” she mumbled bitterly.

“Spoilers.” Dirk replied. “You’ll find out in time. Anyway, this…” he put a hand on the boy’s head. “is Perun, descendant of the Children of Water. And this…” he walked over to Doc and put a hand on his head. “Is Doc. He had quite a few adventures before I found him, as both a Timelord and an Heir of Time, but for reasons that I can only theorize at, he’s lost his memory of that life, and taken this form.”

The two clearly didn’t fully understand what Dirk had said- Doc had noticed that trend with Dirk, he often forgot who would or wouldn’t understand certain bits of information, or just didn’t mind- but they still seemed happy to meet him. “Those are some sweet titles you have.” Perun commented. “You must have done some great stuff in that last life.”

Doc grinned. “That’s what I’ve heard. Dirk has taken me on more than a few adventures in this life, too.”

Dirk proceeded to introduce Xekora and Castile to the pair, then turned to the tower. “Xekora, you’re staying behind me. I’ll tell her I tracked you down, first.” Xekora nodded, and the two approached the door to the building. Dirk knocked on it, hard enough that it would be heard wherever its occupant was. She must have been at the top, because it took almost a full minute before the door opened. From where he stood, Doc couldn’t see the person on the other side.

“Dirk! Xekora!” her voice greeted. “It’s been a while! I’m glad to see you both again.”

“I’m glad to be back.” Dirk said. “Not sure I can speak for this one.”

“Don’t you try and sell me short, boy.” Xekora commented cheerily. “I’m happy to see you both as well. I’ve been making myself useful in my own way, it was just an inconspicuous way.”

“It’s not just us, either.” Dirk continued. “I dragged a few friends along with me.”

The door opened wider, and the tower’s resident stepped onto the beach. Doc’s eyebrows raised slightly. She wasn’t like anything else he’d ever seen. The shape of her body was vaguely reminiscent of a horse, but she was smaller than an adult human, her limbs thicker and softer than those of a horse. Her head wasn’t quite human, but her large eyes clearly showed human intelligence, and her snout was barely more than a nose. She had a gray coat and yellow tail and mane. Her eyes moved separately from one another, looking at two people at once.

“Everyone, this is Derpy.” Dirk said, then motioned to each of them in turn. “This is Castile, Spitfire, Perun, and… Doc.”

Derpy’s expression changed slightly. She stepped forward towards Doc to get a closer look at him. It was several seconds before she spoke. “I knew you’d change, but… I didn’t expect you to become so young.”

“I can only assume that there was a problem with the regeneration.” Dirk explained. “His Timelord regeneration, his God Tier revival, and his attempted shift from his pony form back to his Timelord one… No one could say what was going to happen there. And the result was him taking this form, and… losing his memory. Well, the memories are there, but we haven’t found a way to bring them all back.”

Derpy frowned. “So you… don’t remember me?”

Doc hesitated a moment before answering: “I… I feel like I should. There’s something familiar about you. But… No, I don’t remember anything specific.”

Derpy looked incredibly sad for a few seconds, then slowly adopted a determined expression. Looking towards the others gathered, she became surer of herself. “Alright. We spent a good part of our childhood together, and many years after. But if you don’t remember that… Then I guess we’ll just have to do it again.”

Before Doc had a chance to ask what she meant, a blue light enveloped her, and he stepped back with an arm over his eyes. When it faded, she was still standing before him, but she seemed to be somewhat smaller, younger.

Xekora seemed to be the only one not confused by this. Even Dirk didn’t seem to understand what just happened. “Did you…” he began, “Did you just change your age?”

Xekora laughed. “Dirk, did you not know we can do that?”

“No, I had no idea!” he replied. “Why do you think I still look seventeen when I’ve been around for seven hundred some years?”

“I got my God Tier when I was younger than you, why do you think I look like I’m in my thirties when I’ve been alive for thousands of years?” Xekora responded. “We can adjust our age, pause it, let ourselves age naturally or more slowly, all that good stuff.”

“I’m pretty sure nobody in my group knew about that.” Dirk said. “Man, now I feel like I’ve been missing out. You’ll have to show me how to do that later.”

Doc looked to Derpy again. Whoever she was, she was willing to revert to a younger age just to grow up again alongside him. They must have had something strong before. As though reading his thoughts, she smiled at him. “We were good friends before. More than that, even… But that can come later. From your point of view, we’re just meeting… So we should start as friends, right?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Doc said. He extended a hand, and she placed her hoof in it and shook. “It’s a pleasure to, um, meet you.”

“Same here.” Derpy said with a grin. “Listen, I know it’s going to be a little awkward at first, and I’m sorry. But I’m sure what drew us together before will draw us together again.”

“I’m sure too.” Doc agreed. “You seem so confident on that, it’s hard to imagine you’re wrong. Besides, you seem nice already.”

“Well, you kids all have fun now.” Xekora said. “I’ve got stuff and things that need to be taken care of. Dirk, I’m not sure if you noticed, but the town nearby to my house is home to several other descendants of the six heroes. Somehow, I get the feeling someone should be keeping an eye on them. I’ll take care of that.”

“Alright.” Dirk replied. “There was another group I was keeping an eye on, too. A group of Goldoans that got stranded here on a diplomatic mission. There’s something strange about the lot of them, and who knows what Celestia has in store for them.”

Xekora nodded and disappeared in a burst of black smoke. Doc guessed that he had some teleportation ability of his own, linked to dark magic.

“I think I’ll let you guys hang out for a while, too.” Dirk said. “There’s some business I should take care of. Castile, care to join me?” She nodded. “We’ll be back before too long.”

The two departed with the Time Tables, and almost immediately, Spitfire shook her head. “Now that he’s gone, what’s his deal? He would give us a straight answer on why he brought us here.”

“Yeah…” Perun agreed. “I mean, it’s not like I had anything else to do, but he wouldn’t tell us why we needed to be here.”

Doc and Derpy both chuckled knowingly. “He is a bit flighty sometimes.” Doc said. “I’m actually not sure what he had in mind by bringing you here, either, and he was cagey about Derpy, too. Didn’t tell me who I would be meeting or anything. Still… He knows what he’s doing. Always does. He’s got a plan for all of us, even if he’s partially winging it. So I guess the least we can do is play along until we know exactly what to do.”

“That sure sounds familiar.” Derpy said jokingly. “You’ve always been the same way, Doc. And if he’s the one who’s been teaching you for a while, you’ll probably keep at it.” She shook her head, detaching herself from that line of thought. “Anyway, if you three are going to be staying here for a while, we should set up some rooms for you. There’s plenty of space in the tower.”

Sixty-two

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Sixty-three

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Sixty-four

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One

Book II: Wings of Time

One

Preface, added to this journal after near-completion for chronology

The earliest memory I can recall, in terms of my own life, is eating ice cream.

Of course, the earliest memory I have chronologically is the birth of the planet as we know it, but I feel that is rather beside the point.

To elaborate, I remember eating ice cream on a peak overlooking a wide ravine, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Equestria. Doc and Tavi were both there with me, both with a frozen treat of their own. It wasn't like it was a particularly memorable moment in time; eating ice cream was literally all that happened that day. But for whatever reason, that one moment in time always stuck with me. I think I was around seven at the time.

Perhaps, before I go any further, I should make one thing clear: I can travel through time. How I can do this I will explain in due time, but the point is I can. For the longest time I wasn't really in control of it; Doc was the one doing the traveling, and I was just along for the ride.

Doc. Where do I begin with describing him? In terms of appearance, that at least is easy. Fairly tall, brown hair and eyes, always with stylish but not overly-expensive clothing. Explaining his relationship to me is the hard part.

All my life it had been me and him against the world, and he was the only one I could call a father; but I wouldn't really call what we had a typical 'father-son' relationship. I guess he was more like that super-cool uncle who shows up at your birthday and plays guitar for everyone, or takes you out to wrestle bears for the weekend. Of course, this is only based on what I had heard about fathers and super-cool uncles, as I couldn't really talk from experience. I didn’t really have any reason to think he wasn’t my blood father, but it always seemed too good to be true. Doc was just... what he was.

Like I said, it was Doc that took me through time. We went for all the obvious joyride stops, of course- the birth of the world, the Goddess War in Tellius, the great Civil War of Equestria, the rise and fall of the demon Sulphur in Ivoire, even several trips into the future. I have seen all kinds of heroes and evil in action, and know things about this world that normal people were probably never meant to know.

One might ask what Doc did to support himself and a young child as they traveled through time- and the answer is both incredibly simple and stupid, and widely frowned upon/high five-d. By traveling back in time a decade or two and depositing some money, then retrieving it a decade or two later (a process taking maybe an hour), interest would have compound nicely and give a sizable turnout. The only trick was to use older money at the first part. Kind of a cheap trick, I'll admit, but hey, whatever works.

Thing was, I didn't really have a specific time I could call my own time. Like a family living indefinitely as a caravan, always on the road from one place to another, Doc and I were always on the move from one time to another. We had a few small home bases set up here and there, but there wasn't much in them; they basically just served as a place to eat and sleep. What few precious belongings we owned, we kept with us.

But while we didn't have one true 'home time', there were two specific locations that I can look back fondly upon: I refer to them simply as 'Octavia's Time' (which currently is on year 490 Equestrian calendar by my count) and 'Raphael's Time' (Year 930 Ivoirian calendar, or 504 Equestrian. As a side note, it would have been around 1471 Tellian. Sooner or later the three worldly calendars are going to have to agree on a universal number, but it just hasn't happened yet). They had a general location on the map as well as the clock: Octavia's was centered at a small but lively town in Old Dawn, Equestria, and Raphael's was the training grounds in Forestia, Ivoire. They were of course named after my two best (and perhaps only true) friends in the world.

Raphael, in addition, was named after the great hero of Ivoire: one of many who fought to stop the demon Sulfur and save their homeland, and who nearly died in the process. The original was the perfect picture of a valiant, selfless knight in shining armor: one of the strongest fighters ever known, extremely charming (as I've been told), and leader of the prestigious White-Wolf Army. Some say he still roams the earth, perfecting his swordsmanship, but I had never seen him. My Raphael took pride in his name and fought hard to live up to it, but there were definite differences between the two. He was a few inches taller than the original, and objectively looked nothing like him: whereas the original had long, straight, golden hair and always wore a taciturn expression, mine had caramel-brown hair that he always wore in kind of a messy-on-purpose style, and usually had a smile on his face.

I knew Raphael as a friend, a confidant, and in many ways a partner in the same boat as me. Doc brought me to this time in order to help teach me about combat: Doc was a pacifist himself, and could do nothing for me when I told him I wanted to learn how to fight. So, after enough pestering, he brought me to this time to learn what I could, and I found myself learning right alongside Raphael.

Our training varied greatly, though. I won't lie, I've always been kind of a scrawny kid, and no doubt would never have made it through basic training. I received private tutelage from a warrior staying at an island nearby called Tempest Isle, an Owl-man loner called Persimmon. He taught me to unleash my above-average magical energy through physical objects, namely a set of twin battle discs. They were basically two steel circles, a meter in diameter and an inch thick, with cross-pieces forming an X in the center, and spear-tip blades at the ends on the outside. A silly and cumbersome weapon choice for many, perhaps, but I feel confident I could tear someone apart with them. I wasn’t sure about much of anything when it came to Persimmon himself. He was never one to share details of his past; though I got the feeling he was involved in some way with the Final Purge against Sulphur. All I knew was that he had a strong desire to see Raphael and I grow stronger.

Then there was Octavia. She came from some serious money, but while she looked the part, you wouldn't have guessed just by talking to her. Octavia wasn't like a lot other people who had money: she was very caring, empathetic towards other people, and would give all she had to someone in need. She learned archery as part of her noble training, and while she wasn't a fan of unnecessary violence, she got into a rough spot every now and then, and only needed to be bailed out once or twice.

But I was always more than happy to help her in these situations, or any other. Because- I'm far from ashamed to admit it- the two of us were completely and totally in love.

Doc brought me to this time and location for the rest of my schooling, though I probably couldn't have cared less about most of the stuff I was supposed to be learning. History was laughably easy for me, as I had seen much of it firsthand, and 'language arts' was little more than a waste of time in my opinion. I suppose I was pretty good at math and science, though that didn't make it any more enjoyable. No, the only subject that kept my interest was music.

I was taught alongside Octavia by the private tutors hired by her family. I'm not sure how Doc got that kind of connection; he probably helped pay for it or something. Like I said earlier, money was no issue for a couple of time travelers. So it went- a class of two- both Octavia and I wading through our other classes dutifully until we reached music class on Friday. This was her favorite class as well as mine, and it didn't hurt that Doc often would help teach.

This is, I believe, the point at which I should describe what I left on the table before: the source of mine and Doc's time-travel abilities. It all comes from a single, utterly remarkable device, whose origin is as mysterious as its capabilities: the Time Tables. They act as a single cohesive device, but are in the form of two disconnected discs that communicate wirelessly. By adjusting a set of vinyl discs on their surface, you set your destination: one disc determined the place, the other the time. After inputting this information, a runic symbol appears between the two, reading in an ancient language the information as it is presented, and touching the symbol sends you on your way.

The trip through time and space is the hardest part to grasp (like the rest of this isn't to someone new to the concept). After activating the symbol, a pillar of light envelops the user and anyone within his/her very direct vicinity. This light completely obscures the view beyond its wall, and the user will become weightless for a few moments- then the experience is over as soon as it began. The light clears, and poof! you're where and when you wanted to be.

But, coming back to music class, this was not the only function of the Time Tables. The discs that had to be in place for travel were not the only ones that could be used. Doc always described the base device as a gateway to the rest of the world, and the two vinyl discs acted as the key. But in Ivoire, discs quite similar to these had been mass produced, and music imprinted on their surfaces. Coincidence or not, the Time Tables were capable of playing these music discs, giving it a second function as a musical instrument.

But, as I am told is my nature, I wasn't satisfied with letting the music play out as it was. By copying a technique used by some musicians in the future, I messed around with the records as they played, gave birth to entirely new music and became history's first disc jockey by about fifty years. More advanced music players would be invented later on and my discovery re-discovered, but in my own times I am a musical god. Doc allowed me to borrow the Tables for this purpose, and Octavia joined me with her cello to create some real kick-ass music.

This is a pretty good summary of my childhood life, I think. I would alternate between the two places once every two weeks, giving me a break from combat with academic work, and vice-versa. Time was not relative, of course, and I returned after only a weekend had passed for both time periods. You'd think this would cause me to grow older than them much more rapidly in comparison, but... No. I'm ashamed to admit that's the best answer I can give, as I really don't know myself. It seems like I might grow slower while traveling regularly, but this last year has proven this isn't true when I'm stationary in the universe. I wish I had an explanation for it, but I'm still looking for it myself.

But enough of this summary nonsense. You've heard enough to get you going. Now I aim to describe to you why you should care, whoever ends up reading this. My life took a violent turn recently, and I've only just pieced together what it all means. This document may be the only record any of this ever existed, and I need to make sure there's something left if anything goes wrong. But now, I'm not sure that will even matter anymore.

My name is Scratch. And if I fail to make things right, there is a good chance that you will die.

Four

Four

Year 504, Equestrian Calendar

Scootaloo

I awoke late the next morning, still snuggled nice and cozy next to the other two Crusaders. Luckily, we weren't expected until the afternoon, so we still had time. Applebloom woke up a few minutes later, followed by an extremely groggy Sweetie Belle. We didn't have a whole lot of time to waste, or stuff to waste it on, so we made our way to the house at the entrance to the Acres.

The walk back was a pleasant one. The many trees populating the rolling hills of the farmland were almost all in bloom, and the pastel-y shaded petals cascaded gently down upon us as we passed. I sniffed lightly, all the pollen in the air around this time of year always getting at me.

We approached the clearing at the gates to the property, an organized gathering of buildings forming a miniature town square for the farm. One of the buildings held all the seeds to be planted, one stored all the harvested crops, one was a well-stocked tool shed. The largest was the actual house, the place that the Apple family- and, off and on, me and Rainbow Dash- called home.

It would only be off-and-on for me now, though. After dating for five years straight directly following the Moonlight Uprising, Rainbow Dash and Applejack had finally been married last year. It was a busy life for our big old mix-matched family; Rainbow Dash still tore through the skies as the leader of the Wonderbolts, Applebloom and I both raked in a fair amount of money for the crusader's music, and in our downtime we all pitched in to help with harvest at the Acres. Since all four of us worked, we were doing pretty well in terms of money. We probably could have afforded to sell the farm and buy a nice house in town- but what would be the point in that? This was our home. It was worth using the money to keep it in good repair. Besides, Granny Smith would never dream of leaving.

Both Dash and Applejack were standing in the clearing, waiting on us in order to see us off. But as the three of us approached, I saw that they looked ready to go themselves. Rainbow Dash was decked out in his Wonderbolts uniform: blue and yellow vest, plain blue jeans and a black shirt, his broadsword slung over his back. Applejack had donned some proper clothing herself.

"What's going on?" I asked casually as we reached them. "You got a show today too?"

Rainbow Dash laughed knowingly. "Sort of." He said sarcastically. "Luna never told you, did she? We're doing a combo show. You'll be doing music accompaniment for my guys."

"Oh man, really?" I said, excited. "Why have we never done that before? This is going to be crazy-awesome."

"It's not easy to get a stage that can hold that much awesome at a time." He answered. "We had to go all the way of course, so we needed to wait until we could get that big ol' coliseum in Eclipse City. It's going to be so worth it though."

Luna had agreed to meet us at the entrance to town, so the party of musicians, stuntman and spectator began the short trek through the streets. While we walked, we brainstormed about which songs would be best to use for the show. It had to be something action-y, obviously, but not one that had too much vocals that would draw attention from the main show.

At the gate in the wooden fence around town, Luna- the fourth Crusader- stood. Her beautiful midnight blue hair billowed well past her shoulders, and her odd pupil-less eyes were just as dark blue, almost black. Her black wings, uncharacteristically large for her age, were ruffled out behind her.

To imagine her actual age made me dizzy, but for all practical purposes she was around eighteen. She had in fact lived for five hundred years, in a state of Godhood, bound to her evil sister, Queen Celestia. Neither had aged a day since they became Gods during the first civil war five hundred years ago. In addition, Luna had been sealed away for centuries only a few years after achieving Godhood, released only a few years before the Uprising, so she didn't even have the knowledge that came from living through such a long time. When Celestia was killed, Luna was released from Godhood, and began aging normally again. Thus, the former princess Luna was physically, mentally and emotionally eighteen years of age.

She was smart though. It was difficult for her to adapt to being launched five hundred years ahead of her time, especially since the only two people who she once knew- Celestia, and the immortal historian Xekora- both destroyed each other, leaving the poor girl all alone. Still, with the help of her knew friends- the Crusaders- she stuck it out and did her best to fit in with the new world. She fit right in with us, at least, and with our expert guidance she had begun to adapt.

She saw us approaching, and a big smile broke out on her face. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and I all ran forward, meeting her halfway in a big, confused group hug. Her dark wings wrapped all the way around the three of us.

The crusaders were, as a rule, a pretty hug-y group.

"Apologies for being tied up in Eclipse for so long." Luna said, detaching herself from us. "We never imagined there would be so much work involved in being the former princess."

"Almost makes you miss the regular princess garbage, doesn't it?" Sweetie Belle joked.

Luna laughed harshly, patting Sweetie Belle on the shoulder. "Not likely. Our work is more tedious than anything. They need us to help fill in all the blanks in the history books, correct all the false information our sister presented as truth. It's a slow process, and not terribly exciting, but it feels good at the end of the day. It feels like we're finishing the work our dear friend Xekora started."

After other greetings and pleasantries were exchanged, the six of us prepared to set off. Rainbow Dash wrapped his arms tightly around Applejack, and Luna paired up with Sweetie Belle. That left me to grab Applebloom from behind. I unfurled my wings slowly, eternally stiff, and began to channel the wind energy around me. While my wings were a step above useless, I made up for it in unheard-of potency in wind magic.

The three two-person teams ran forward as one, kicking off the ground in perfect sync. With the help of the others keeping me aloft, I was able to direct myself with my own wind magic and glide alongside them. It was no comparison to real flying, I knew, and I wished I didn't have to rely on others to be able to do just this, but it was still the quickest way to Eclipse. On foot, the journey would have taken a day or two, but when gliding over the fields at such high speeds, we would be there the same afternoon.

Applebloom was enjoying the ride, casting out her arms like stabilizers and letting the wind rush past an through her hair. Conversely, Applejack had her eyes squeezed shut, trying to ride out the trip as quickly and painlessly as possible. She never did enjoy flying, but her little sister couldn't get enough. Sweetie Belle was enjoying herself as well, as were all three of us flyers.

We reached the edges of Eclipse City after flying for around two hours. The first glimpse at the capital city never got old. The buildings were built of magically enhanced metals, giving them both increased durability and a beautiful radiance in the sunlight. The stronger building material allowed them to soar higher than was possible with wood or brick, and many boasted several stories.

The sight was completed by the mighty castle of Eclipse, looming majestically in the center of the city. The shining spires and turrets climbed the rock it was built around, reaching higher into the sky than anything in the outer city. The numerous stained-glass windows and crystal fixtures reflected and refracted the sunlight, bathing the streets in brilliant lights of all colors and hues. It was a sight to see at sunset, when the lights seemed to dance across the stone.

The show wasn't actually happening until that night, so we had a few hours to kill in this amazing city. So much, yet so little about it had changed since Luna's time, making her and Sweetie Belle the experts of the area. The two princesses led us around town, showing us any sights worth seeing. There was no shortage of wondrous architecture in this city, since so much had been preserved since ancient times.

At the center of one of the many squares was the pride and joy of Rainbow Dash, Applejack and the other four Elements of Harmony, as well as Luna: a brand new, historically accurate statue of the six original Elements. General Madeline and Arcmage Johnathan of Dawn, Captain Firefly and swashbuckling gambler Ace of Dusk, enigmatic ninja of no-known-name and sorcerer Starswirl of old Eclipse. Since the six new Elements had met the spirits of these six- their ancestors- they saw it right to commission a sculpture of the team to pay them proper respect, based on their own memories. Luna, having lived and fought alongside them all, helped immensely with the effort of restoring the heroes to proper status.

In another square was a statue of the more recent Elements: Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie, as well as Queen Rarity, Dash and Applejack. I hadn't seen much of Pinkie or Fluttershy lately, but I knew they were still around somewhere. Twilight, on the other hand, had taken off with her fellow former 'human weapon', Phil, and somewhat crippled sister Trixie to travel the world. Last I heard they were on the far edges of Ivoire, but I had no idea where the three could have been by that point.

We completed our tour of Eclipse as the sun was just beginning its descent in the sky. The coliseum was centered in the eastern sector of the city, so we strode quickly through the streets with the sunset at our backs. We weren't the only ones making our way there either- plenty of people were rushing to their seats, preparing for the explosion of awesomeness that was about to happen.

The other members of the Wonderbolts were already gathered at the coliseum, flown in from their own home towns all over Equestria. All were my age or older, but Rainbow Dash was the oldest member. This was an entirely new team of Wonderbolts, as all the original members had either retired or- in Spitfire's case- faded back into the unknown. Rainbow Dash now led a fresh team, all hand-picked by the originals.

"You lot ready?" Dash asked as he approached his team. He was met with a resounding and enthusiastic 'hell yeah!'. There was no question about it: each member of the team lived for this, and was ready to roll.

Feeling obligated to do so, I turned to my own partners, and demanded to know whether or not they were ready. There were only two of them, so their response wasn't as dramatic, but they were just as enthusiastic and ready for the show. As the last vestiges of sunlight began to fade, Applejack bid us good luck and left to find her seat, and the two teams crept backstage, all our new equipment waiting for us. I took a moment to tune the unfamiliar guitar, then flipped my pick between my fingers as I had last night, then stepped forward and pointed dramatically toward the stage.

The Wonderbolts all leaped forward as one, gliding straight through the curtain and to their positions around center stage. As soon as they were in sight, the crowd outside erupted into a gigantic cheer. For a moment, I experienced a great wave of longing to join them, to be able to fly with them across the sky. I was sure Rainbow Dash would have taken me if it weren't for my pathetic broken wings.

"Scootaloo, snap out of it." Applebloom said, bringing me back to reality.

I shook my head clear, then nodded. "Yeah. Sorry about that. Let's go." Composing myself for what I could do, I slung on the guitar and ran forward, the girls right behind. Another raucous cheer went up around us, but I figured it was more for the princess in our ranks than the band itself. People of Eclipse didn't tend to like our actual music much.

Regardless, we were going to give it our all. Despite the crazy amount of people in the audience, I was feeling good. I wasn't sure about the others, but I was ready to rock. The six Wonderbolts hovered in formation around the stage, centered in the field of the arena, surrounded on all sides by the audience seating.

I brought my hand down, sending a wave of noise crashing down upon the stadium, and met a response just as loud. I cast a single glance back to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, who nodded once excitedly. Applebloom began the actual song, laying down a rapid beat on her drums. As soon as the pattern began to repeat, I joined in with my guitar. The Wonderbolts were quick to react, branching off away from the stage in different directions, to arc back around and meet in the center, then launch forward and start the complex stuff. The tempo fell into a shorter, more jagged rhythm, fitting the techniques and pacing of the six flyers perfectly.

The show was off to a fantastic start. In addition to all the stunts done by the Wonderbolts, Sweetie Belle was adding to her singing with frequent low-powered, flashy light spells, creating a backdrop of brilliant fireworks resembling shooting stars. The winged warriors danced around the sparks, light glinting off the steel of their naked weapons.

A strange noise brought me out if the ecstasy of the performance a few moments later. I had never heard anything quite like it, at least not that I remembered. It was almost like a far-off hiss from some insect or snake, but was more drawn out yet focused. It soon evolved into something of a whistle, and while I never let up on the guitar, my attention was definitely on this strange sound. I looked up to the western edge of the stadium, where I thought it was coming from, and noticed an orange light sailing through the sky, arcing up and back down towards center-stage...

The light exploded violently in the air, shocking everyone out of their enjoyment and knocking one of the Wonderbolts off course. A split second passed as nothing happened, then another explosion rocked the ground to the north. It didn't take anyone long to realize we were under attack by some unseen force, and panic soon broke out in the stands. The Wonderbolts broke their wide-spread fancy formation and came to rest around the stage, weapons ready for serious battle.

The Crusaders and I all tensed up, but we wouldn't be able to do much as we were, unarmed save for Sweetie Belle's and my magic. All our weapons were back at our quarters in the castle. Unable to escape or fight back, we watched helplessly as a third explosion took out a good section of the walls of the coliseum, and four figures became silhouetted in the fiery light. They strode forward as one, moving menacingly towards the stage. Weapons were drawn: one held a deadly-sharp sword and another had claws that hung from their sleeves. Judging by their size and gait, I guessed both of these were girls. The third was a bit taller and walked cockily, holding a knife in one hand and a bottle of something in the other. The fourth obviously packed some muscle, and held two katanas at his side, one of which glowed strangely with a pink light, the other blue.

"Oh no..." Rainbow Dash muttered as he stood between us and them, broadsword wavering. "They're here... Not now..."

"Dash, what's happening?!" I asked, starring to get seriously scared. If Rainbow Dash was worried, I knew we were in trouble.

"It's them. They've begun..." He breathed, and the four attackers grew closer. For the first time, I saw they were all draped identically in heavy, pitch-black cloaks. "The Order..."

Seventeen

Seventeen

The dreams were becoming more frequent. Each individual trip into this continuous dream provided frustratingly little information, but when strung together in my journal, a definite story began to take shape, even if I was missing a lot of details. In my dream, I finally began the game that I had heard about before, and left the chaos around me behind. I entered a land truly befitting a dream world, a Land of Storms and Balance. With me was a being that scared me to no end, a terrifying machine with no real form. I hated it, but I could not rid myself of it. I needed it. It was the only thing that knew about the game, and could help me and my friends.

It didn’t quite make sense to me, but I knew that it was coming together, and that it was going to become more complete with every dream. Finished transcribing my last dream, I packed away my two journals and made my way out of the inn. Today was the day Octavia could leave the training grounds, and I wasn’t going to be a minute late to greet her. I swiftly made my way to the street housing the entrance to the barracks, and leaned against the wall opposite the gates. Several other people were milling about, with the same idea of greeting their newly recruited loved ones in mind.

After almost an hour of dutiful waiting, the new recruits began to make their way out of the barracks, stretching and taking their time for what must have been the first time in two months. I kept my eyes on the gates, waiting to see Octavia exit, and after a few more minutes, she did. She looked different than the last time I saw her: skinnier, but with more muscle on her exposed arms. Shortly after I noticed her, I noticed Lyra, beside her as always. She looked about the same as she ever did, but in a much better-fitting trainee uniform than anything she used to wear back at Ponyville.

As it happened, Lyra noticed me standing against the wall first, and a knowing smile dawned on her face when she recognized it was me. Octavia had been saying something to her, but when she saw Lyra’s smile, she turned to see what it was. Even from where I stood, I could see her eyes light up, and a huge smile grew on her face. We both stepped forward, slowly at first, but soon broke into a run. I caught her as she leapt into my arms, and after gravity took over and we spun around a bit, we kissed. It wasn’t a long, drawn out kiss- just a peck on the lips that lasted two or three seconds- but I still thought it was absolutely perfect.

“Vinny!” she exclaimed happily, nuzzling her head against mine. “You’re back earlier than you said. How’d it go? Oh, where’s Doc?”

I frowned slightly. “Tavi, can we… go somewhere a bit more private to talk? Lyra, you’re welcome to come too…”

“Nah.” she said, waving my offer. “I’m the third wheel for you guys enough of the time anyway. I’m going to hang out with some of the other recruits for a while, and I’ll catch up with you two later. But hey, Vinyl!” She nodded. “It’s good to see you again.”

I nodded back. “You too.” She left with another recruit, and Octavia took me by the hand and led me down the street. Eventually we ended up at a small restaurant tucked between two bigger buildings. After ordering a pair of drinks, I cleared my throat and began.

“Tavi… Doc’s gone.” Her face adopted an expression of concern, but I continued. “We were fighting against a group called the Order. We were looking for a weak point, first. A glimpse at their plans that would let us become a serious thorn in their sides. They found us first, though. Doc was able to save me by sending me back to this time and locking me here, but he… He didn’t make it. I have to fight back.”

“Oh, Vinny…” she said, eyes wide. “I’m so sorry… Oh, but, if you’re locked here, how are you going to keep fighting them?”

“It’s the Time Tables that are locked, not me. I think I’ll be able to unlock them, but it’s going to take some time to figure out how. I thought I’d stay with- or at least around- you until then, because this time… I really can’t guarantee I’ll come back again.”

Octavia frowned sadly, reached over and hugged me tight. “I believe in you, Vinny.” she said quietly. “You won’t let them get away. And you’re strong, I know you are. You’ll be alright.”

I hugged her back after a moment. She was already stronger, and not just physically. Six months ago, she had burst into tears when I told her nearly the same thing. But now, she had faith in me that I would succeed and return. I, conversely, didn’t feel very strong at all. With Doc gone, only one friend who I know I could both allow and count on to watch my back, and having the might of the Order still fresh in my mind, I wasn’t feeling very confident. But maybe, if I could borrow some of Octavia’s newfound strength, it would be enough…

Wistarian Waters

Year 930 Ivoire Calendar

Scootaloo

Drew’s boat bobbed up and down on the waves, as we sailed in relative silence back to Monetopia. Drew was staring out at the waves, guiding the vessel with one hand. He had a thoughtful look on his face, probably wondering what do to first if the paints worked. I sat against one wall with Applebloom on one side, and Angel on the other.

“Hey, Scoots… I’ve been meaning to tell ya’ somethin’…” Applebloom started, breaking the silence.

“Mhm? Sure, what is it?” I responded.

“Well…” she began, “I’ve been havin’ these… weird dreams lately. All the people in ‘em are these… these weird, four-legged things. Some of them have a horn in the middle of their heads, some’ve got wings… I think I’m one too, but I haven’t seen myself, so I can’t be sure. I’m not too sure what’s going on in the dreams, but I keep hearing somethin’ about a game… and there are these paper packages that have a picture of a house on them, I think they’re important, too.”

“Huh… That is pretty weird… Is it the same dream every time?” I responded.

“No, it’s more like… like one big dream, broken up into pieces.”

“Uh…” Sweetie Belle started, drawing our attention. She poked her head in from outside, on the deck of the boat. “We’re in range of seeing Monetopia… But that thing on the horizon doesn’t look quite right…”

Drew looked away from the waters and checked several readouts on the dashboard of the boat. “Something’s wrong.” he said, his voice low. “There’s smoke coming from the city. And… distress beacons. Lots of them.”

I nodded to Applebloom, and we both rushed out to the deck to see for ourselves. We could see the outline of the city from here, but as Drew said, there were several columns of smoke rising from below, and at least one of the taller buildings that was there when we left, was simply gone.

“You reckon it’s the Order again?” Applebloom said, her voice quavering slightly.

“I don’t know anyone else it could be.” I responded. “They’re either just destroying everything, or they’re trying to kill us. I can’t imagine why they’d want to, though. We haven’t done anything to them, we don’t have anything of value to them, no information they need to protect…”

“I think the question should be less ‘why’ and more ‘what are we going to do about it’.” Sweetie Belle commented, joining us on deck. “They’re attacking Monetopia. Are we going to run, or are we going to fight back?”

“I don’t know how much we could do to fight back…” I said sadly. “Equestria’s finest couldn’t take them down, let alone us, and we haven’t gotten any stronger since then…”

“I haven’t seen ‘Equestria’s finest’ in action…” said Drew from the helm, “but I’d like to see them stack up to the White Wolf Army. I can see two of their longboats already at the docks.”

I slipped back into the helm. Angel was already prepared to explain. “The biggest Raven clan in Ivoire. The best of the best. If anyone’s going to stand a chance against the Order, it’ll be them, or the Fighting Beasts. They’re the closest thing Ivoire has to a military, but the fact that they work on their own terms means they can get places a lot faster.”

“So then, it is not a matter of whether or not we will fight them, but whether or not we will help fight them.” Luna concluded.

I nodded, and without hesitation said “I’m in. We’re not going to run from them forever, and this seems like our best chance to do some damage.”

“I agree.” Sweetie Belle added. “We won’t have this kind of firepower again. Let’s give everything we’ve got to stopping them.”

The others hesitated, but after a few moments, Applebloom voiced her agreement as well. “Luna?” I asked.

She sighed. “You know that we try to oppose fighting…” she began, “But if returning will help us to assist those who are in danger already, then we see little other choice.”

“Yeah.” Angel agreed. “A lot of people are probably gone already, but there’s got to be a lot of survivors over there that need any help they can get.”

I looked to Drew, and he sighed. “I’d rather just get away from this, personally, but I’m outvoted. We’ll go, but you’ll tell me about this Order while we sail. I want to know exactly what’s going on here.”

I hadn’t thought to keep talk of the Order quiet, but it was too late now. So as we sailed, we told Drew all the basics: what we knew about how the Order operated, their attack on Eclipse city, our exile from Equestria after being branded traitors, and of who was leading the organization, Lord Discord.

He exhaled a heavy breath when we were finished, clearly shaken. “So, that’s what we’re up against…”

“You aren’t.” I corrected. “Just us, for some reason.”

“Save me the heroics, kid.” he countered. “All of humanity is up against this. If that demon Discord is half the monster you say he is, he’s not going to stop when you’re dead. He wants something out of this whole world. Control, or destruction, it doesn’t matter. He’s the enemy of all people.”

I sighed, but nodded. He was right. Looking at the bigger picture, Discord obviously had much bigger goals in mind, but for some reason seemed to be trying to get us out of the way. Did he think we could stop him? I couldn’t imagine how we would be involved at all, since we weren’t that much more skilled than anyone else like us. Surely there were more threatening people to his plans than us.

But in targeting us, he may have just ensured that we would be a threat. By avoiding his attacks on us and retaliating against the Order, he may have caused the very problem he was trying to avoid. However, that still didn’t answer the question of what he was trying to stop us from doing in the first place…

“Look sharp, we’re here.” Drew updated us, pulling the boat up to the docks of Monetopia. This part of the city was mostly unharmed, but we could see the smoke rising from deeper within the island. The few boats left in the docks were being loaded up with people, running for their lives.

“Drew, take Cody and stay behind us.” I ordered. “Applebloom, Angel, you’re at point with me. Sweetie Belle, Luna, stay close behind us. Let’s move!”

Scratch’s Journal

Year 490 Equestrian

Two months had passed since Doc sent me to this time for safety. I hadn’t put anything else in this journal since, but the dream journal was filling up. Especially after the most recent dream: the game we were embroiled in took a turn just as we thought we were about to win, and it had cost us one of our companion’s lives.

At last, while tinkering with the controls, the Time Tables became responsive again. Turning the discs gave me a time and place destination, and all the other readouts were just the same as the had ever been. I gave a mixed sigh, partially in relief that it was finally unlocked, but partly in sadness for the same reason. I had to leave. I had to leave Tavi again.

I waited until the end of the day, when she was free from training, and met her at the gates. She emerged and jogged over to greet me, but the smile quickly faded from her face. I had removed my sunglasses, and she could see by the look in my eyes that my time had come to go.

“You’re leaving?” she asked, her voice quiet. I nodded, and she stepped forward and embraced me. “Just come back safe, okay?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’ll try my best.”

She smiled, and gave me a soft kiss. “Then go on. Go save the world. We’ll hold down the fort here.”

I smiled and nodded. However, as I was walking away, I turned back. “Hey, one last thing. If you see any signs of trouble around here, just keep Lyra with you and stay safe. I’ll get back here as soon as I hear of it.”

She nodded dutifully, and I turned my head back forward. Once again, it was painfully apparent to me how much Tavi had grown already. How many times would I be able to see her again before the Equestrian Civil War, and the end of our friendship? Would I be able to see her again at all?

I didn’t turn back around, for fear of her seeing my eyes watering up. The Time Tables hovered at my sides, and with a quick spin, I made the jump through the time stream, away from safe territory and back into the fight. I was deposited from the streets of Equestria to the dirt roads of Forestia, year nine hundred thirty of the Ivoire calendar.

I entered the nearby town- the main settlement on the island- and looked around to get my bearings. The last I had heard of Raphael was that he was staying in this town, watching over the area. It may have been out of paranoia, but I felt the pressing need to move, to get Raphael and get back on the offensive. I felt that the Order was going to know I was back before long, and I needed to be ready.

It didn’t take me too long to find someone who knew where Raphael was staying. There were a few other humans in the town, but the majority of the residents of civilized Forestia were Scrabbits. Out in the wilds, though, the population was mainly Zombies: a misleading name, seeing as they aren’t actually dead, and are simply a race unto themselves. However, due to their ghastly appearance, relatively low average intelligence, long life and ability to sustain incredible amounts of physical damage, the mistake is an easy one to make.

The bottom line was that when a new human face was in town, it was hard to miss them. I was directed to an inn, and leaned against the outer wall for several minutes. I didn’t think I’d have to wait longer than that for Raphael to find me there, and I was right. From the street across from the inn, a tall figure in light leather armor, with bedraggled brown hair, a sword at his hip and a vague smile on his face approached.

“Scratch!” he greeted, standing before me. “It has been a long time. You look well though.”

“Thanks.” I commented. “It has been a while. Guessing you’re still here to try and get the attention of the White Wolves?” Raphael had always wanted to join the White Wolf Army, ever since he was young. He had this idea in his head that, since most people who just asked to join were rejected, he would prove himself in the fields of battle to them, and they would have little choice but to welcome him to their ranks.

“Indeed. There have been reports of pirates in the waters to the west. Likely to be of Tellian origin. A few White Wolves are in the area, watching for the next raid. I thought it prudent to station myself here and provide reinforcement if necessary.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” I said, “but I might just have a better offer for you. C’mon, let’s walk, I’ll tell you about it.”

He nodded. I detached myself from the wall of the inn, and we strode down the dirt road. “So, where have your travels taken you lately?” asked Raphael, curious. He hadn’t seen me for six months, so it was understandable. “And where is Doc?”

“That’s where it all starts.” I replied. “For the first six of past eight months, Doc and I have been working against someone. A group of incredibly dangerous individuals called ‘the Order’. I have only seen three of them, and only two of them in a combat situation. There are at least ten of them, excluding the late Numbers Five and… and Four. Upon the end of those six months, we were confronted by Number Two, and… Doc didn’t make it. He was able to save me by sending me to Octavia’s time, but he is certainly gone.”

Raphael gave me a sympathetic look and clasp on the shoulder. “Two more months passed while I got the Time Tables, our vessel through time, working again. I bade Tavi what might be my final farewell and came here.” I gave him a smirk. “Because I’m getting back into the fight, and I can’t do it alone. I need someone I can count on watching my back.”

He nodded vigorously. “Of course. Any group that is capable of stopping Doc in his tracks must take top priority. You have my sword, old friend.”

“Oh, speaking of which…” I paused and reached into my pack. “I know you’ll probably say something about wanting to stay honorable in combat, but honestly, it would make me feel better if someone who could actually use this thing had it.” I pulled forth Caledscratch, and handed it to him. I watched as he examined the broken blade and the dial on the hilt, just as I had. “It’s a very advanced weapon, yet an artifact from a long time ago. We needn’t worry about temporal instability as a result of using it. Turning the dial to the left will repair it completely, while turning it to the right will generate electric energy in place of a blade.”

He tried both and nodded, impressed. He then sighed and turned to me. “I will meet you halfway. Should a battle be too perilous, an opponent too formidable, for traditional honorable swordplay… I will use this weapon. Now, where will we find this Order?”

“Don’t worry.” I said, folding my arms. “They’ll find us before long.”

Thirty-two

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Due to the more limited formatting options of this site, I am unable to use the normal text colors in the chat logs. In fact, right now I'm waiting to see if these chapters are even going to be allowed on this site.

In the meantime, you can view this chapter with color here:

Chapter with color

Let's hope this works.

Chapter Thirty-two

A young filly stands in her room. It just so happens that today, the TWENTY-FIRST OF AUGUST, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED, YET. Three days ago, however, she acquired what is most commonly referred to as a CUTIE MARK- an emblem upon one's flank that denotes a particular talent- though she has no idea what this specific mark means. What will the name of this young filly be?

Well that was rather rude.

Her name is Derpy Hooves. She has an affinity for BAKED GOODS, namely muffins, and has already been inducted into the family business of POSTAL SERVICES by her MOTHER, with whom she lives. At first glance, it may appear she is cursed with a lazy eye, though in reality she has been GIFTED WITH VISION TWOFOLD. As an unfortunate result, she has once or twice been the butt of other ponies' jokes; however, knowing that this has far more positive an effect on her than negative, she tends to ignore such ponies.

Looking around her room, she fails to see much that would be out of place in any young filly's room. A bed unmade is neighbored on one side by a dresser, and on the other by a toy chest overflowing. Atop the dresser is a gift very recently received from a friend: a well-loved SMARTY PANTS doll, and a gift slightly less recently received by her MOTHER, a finely-made PAPER-MACHE BIRD. In the opposite corner of the room sits her COMPUTER DESK and MOBILE PHONE, both with touch capabilities to accommodate fingerless hooves. In fact, technology that is not operated by a touch screen or touch keyboard is both rare and redundant.

Her username is cross-eyedAngel.

Both computing devices click on and signal that a friend is attempting to contact her. Before becoming distracted by anything else, she accesses her computer in order to respond to them.

agelessTraveler began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 9:42 A.M.

AT: Good morning, my dearest friend!

AT: How fare you this morning?

CA: AT! :D

CA: ...

CA: hi.

CA: oh, hey, awesome news!

AT: Ooh, do tell.

CA: finally got my cutie mark the other day!

CA: i meant to tell you sooner, but there was a party, and then i was busy with work...

CA: i've actually had it a few days now.

AT: Fantastic news indeed! Well, enough of the suspense, what did you get? What is your talent developed enough to warrant its own emblem?

CA: um...

CA: that's the thing...

CA: i'm still not sure what it means!

CA: it looks like a bunch of bubbles.

CA: i kinda thought it might have been a letter... or a muffin.

CA: can't figure out what this means yet! i dunno what i'm supposed to do now...

AT: Bubbles, hrm... A possible reference to your ever-bubbly personality?

CA: aw, you're so nice to me.

CA: are you like this for all our friends?

AT: I try to be. Sometimes TT can try my patience... But I am almost always like this, yes.

AT: Though it certainly comes easily when speaking to you.

CA: hee hee!

AT: I do know how you feel, though, returning to the topic of Cutie Marks.

AT: I still haven't discovered the cryptic meaning of mine yet either. An hourglass...

AT: It's a curious concept, but I think I may have an idea.

AT: What if, instead of receiving our Marks when we discover our talents like normal ponies, our Marks are what lead us to discover the talent in the first place?

AT: Sort of a reversed process, if you will.

CA: huh... yeah, that might just be it.

CA: i wonder if anyone else got it backwards like us?

AT: Hard to say. If they had, I haven't heard of them, so I'm afraid we may have to brave this trial alone.

AT: But I digress, this is still a cause for celebration! Perhaps I can make it over there someday soon, and we can feast on cake in honor of this event!

CA: blech

CA: don't make it too soon.

CA: we’ve already got enough cake here to last all week...

CA: even muffins are sounding a little too sweet right now!

AT: Oh my. Is it that serious?

AT: Very well! I shall come bearing the finest vegetables known to pony kind! It shall be a feast of vegetarian kings!

CA: :D

AT: By the way, have you received the packages I sent to you yet?

CA: um

CA: i got one of them! the box with all the funny looking cards inside.

CA: i didn't get the game you were telling me about yet though.

AT: Strange... I keep checking up on everypony else, but so far only Cheerilee has come to possess her copy of the game, in addition to myself and the copy I kept, that is.

AT: Perhaps there was a mix-up at the post office...

CA: um...

AT: Yes?

CA: my mom and me ARE the post office, silly!

CA: i would know if there was a mix-up, since it's usually me that mixed it up anyway.

CA: nothing like that happened, so i don't think the games even made it to the office.

AT: Well, I did deliver Cheerilee's copy at an earlier date to help survey it, so that much does add up...

AT: But I sent your new sylladex and the games at the same time! And you say you received that package just fine. If none of the games made it to the office...

AT: Then somepony else must have intercepted them!

CA: :O

CA: a thief!

CA: one who steals video games...?

CA: doesn't matter! they messed with the postal system!

CA: and that means they messed with me!

CA: do you know what this means? we've got a real life mystery to solve!

AT: That's the spirit! It's as though the game has already begun... And it begins with a grand hunt!

AT: But I must caution you, my dear, our thief may be skilled with more than stealth and lock picks.

CA: what do you mean?

AT: I'm saying that they may have some fighting skill as well. And while I sincerely hope it doesn't come to violence over a video game, and I believe we both have the skill to keep it from doing so, a confrontation might be inevitable.

CA: um... okay!

CA: but i can't fight!

CA: i don't think you can either.

AT: Exactly why I hope it doesn't come to that. But we both may have to learn on the go.

AT: It'll be easier if we have something familiar that we could improvise as a weapon. Do you have anything like that?

Derpy takes another long look around her room, searching for something similar to what her friend is suggesting, but comes up empty. That is, until one of her eyes comes to rest on the toy chest in the corner. The lid is open, and the contents stick up messily in the air. Jammed in the center carelessly is a wooden boomerang, the same one she and her mother had been playing with just yesterday. The blue paint on its surface is peeling slightly, but she knows the wood is solid and sound.

Excited, she trots over to the box and, craning her neck, grabs the boomerang in her teeth. She then moves back over to the computer in the other corner, placing the simple device to her side and putting her hooves back to the touch keypad.

CA: back

CA: i got a boomerang.

CA: i'm real good with it, so i think that should work, right?

AT: Perfect. Now, in order to get the most use out of it, you'll need to properly equip it. You said you already opened the sylladex I sent you?

CA: the cards? yeah, i got them right here by the computer.

AT: Excellent. First, take the green captchalogue card and flip it over to the back side. There should be a touch screen menu there.

Derpy looks over at the strange deck of cards stacked next to her monitor. Admittedly, it isn't much of a deck, only five red cards topped by one green. The cards are fairly oversized, and have square edges save for what looks like a smaller square missing in the top right corner. The centers of all six are blank white. There is also a device that had come with them that is the same shape and color as a red card, but much thicker. A slot where one could put the cards rests at the top. Two buttons are on the back, but she hasn't tested to see what they do yet.

She reaches over and takes the green one off the top and moves it in front of the keyboard, flips it over, and looks at the other side. A black screen filled with two columns of uncounted white-texted options takes up the entire space. Most of the words are nonsense to her, but they seem to be ordered alphabetically. She looks up at the computer screen again, and reads AT's next message: 'Scroll down until you see the option for Boomerangkind. Select that. The back of the card should go blank, and the front will change.'

Carefully, she flicks her hoof across the smaller screen, stopping when she reaches the 'B's. A bit further down is the option her friend had specified. She touches it gingerly, and just as he had said, all the rest of the words vanish, then the black fades to white. She turns the card over, and sees that BOOMERANGKIND now reads across the top, with a bigger grey square in the center of the card and five smaller ones in a row beneath it.

She puts the card aside and goes back to the computer.

CA: okay, the card changed. now what?

AT: Good. Now just sort of lower your boomerang towards the card, as though you were going to drop it inside.

CA: alright...

CA: :O

CA: it's gone!

CA: the boomerang disappeared!

CA: but now there's a picture of it on the card.

AT: Worry not, that was what was supposed to happen. Your boomerang is now stored within the card, and you can retrieve it anytime just by holding up the card.

AT: Now that it is allocated to boomerangs, you can store any number of different boomerangs in that one card.

AT: Unfortunately, until you find another green card, that will be the only type of weapon you can use.

CA: that's okay.

CA: i don't think i want to be carrying around anything more serious than that.

CA: wouldn't know how to use it anyway!

CA: so what weapon-y thing did you find?

AT: ... Screwdrivers.

CA: screwdrivers?

AT: It's all I could find. In my defense, these things can get painful. Or at least very annoying if you keep getting poked by them.

CA: tee hee!

CA: so, anyway, what about the red cards?

AT: You can store anything else you might need in those captchalogue cards, but each can only hold one large object, or several small objects of the same kind.

AT: Think of them like your inventory. Use them correctly, and you'll never need a saddlebag again. You can keep them in the modus- the larger device they came with- when not using them, and you should be able to wear the modus like a belt.

CA: okay, so i can carry five more things with me...

CA: can the cards hold things bigger than they are?

AT: To a certain degree, yes.

AT: The modus you have can handle things up to five times its size, so as long as you don't go overboard, you should be fine.

AT: Also, before you grab anything else, keep in mind that the cards are very specific about how they are stored.

AT: Once they are in the modus, you can only get the item at the top of the deck, and putting something else in will push the all other items down a card.

AT: Pushing the bottom card down further will eject the item stored on it, so be careful!

CA: um... i think i get it... seems kinda complicated just to carry stuff.

AT: It takes some getting used to, but it's much more convenient that just dragging everything along, especially once you really get the hang of it.

AT: Also, there should be a button on the back of your modus labeled 'queue'; pushing this will let you grab the bottom item instead of the top one.

AT: You can reverse it any time, but it may eject the deck, so make sure to take anything sharp or valuable out first.

CA: still seems pretty complex, but i think i'm starting to get it.

CA: like you said, i think i'll just end up learning on the go.

CA: so i guess we should get started looking for the thief!

AT: Indeed! Keep a phone handy to stay updated, and keep me filled in on happenings on your end. I shall do the same for you.

AT: All fortune to you, my dear!

agelessTraveler ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 10:04 A.M.

Derpy leaves her chat room account online in case AT, or somepony else, wants to contact her, and moves over to grab her phone. Remembering his advice, she takes one of the red cards from the SYLLADEX, and cautiously lowers her phone towards the card's blank surface. Sure enough, just like the boomerang, the phone vanishes from her hooves as though it was never there, and an image of it appears on the card. She shakes your head in amazement at this strange technology, and puts the card to the side for a moment.

Next, she equips the modus, slipping the convenient strap installed on it around her waist, then inserting the phone card into the slot. The top of the card is still accessible as long as it is the only card inside. When she puts in all four blank cards, they seem to automatically shuffle in behind the phone card, the top of one still poking out so you can reach them. She guesses that the modus automatically sorts blank cards into a different compartment than ones in use, so that she can still store new items.

She looks around her room for anything else she might need while hunting for the thief that stole the four copies of the video game AT was so excited about. A leftover muffin from breakfast still sits on her desk, and after a moment of consideration, she decides that she might need lunch later. She pulls a blank card from the deck, and a new one pops up in its place, ready for use. When she inserts the muffin card, the phone card is pushed all the way into the modus. She briefly wonders how she is going to get to it now, but decides to cross that bridge when she comes to it.

As it happens, that bridge has just come to her. Her computer is making that noise at her that indicates she has a new message again, and her phone, being logged on to the same account, also makes a tone from within the modus. Since she can just use the computer instead, she decides to leave the phone where it is for the time being.

techTitan began chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 10:14 A.M.

TT: Deeeeerrrrrrrpaaaay

TT: where are you

TT: oh man, did you already get your phone buried under a bunch of stuff

TT: I told AT that would happen

CA: i'm here!

CA: sorry, yeah, my phone is under a muffin. but i'm still at home, so i'm using my computer instead.

TT: just a muffin?

TT: alright, no big deal then

TT: you'll probably eat it clear before you get another message

CA: probably XD

CA: so what's up?

TT: couple of things

TT: first, I got that present you sent me for my cutie mark party-jigger last week

TT: and

TT: you are seriously like the best friend anypony ever had.

CA: daw, thanks!

CA: it wasn't really that big a deal.

TT: maybe not for you

TT: but I had one of these when I was little

TT: dunno what happened to it... :(

TT: but then you gave me a new-old one, and it's like

TT: Ive been tripping on pure crystalized nostalgia for days on end

CA: i've had that one for a few years, but i decided to let it make somepony else happy!

CA: so you're very welcome!

CA: and anyway, your brother came by for my party, and his present was actually another one that was his childhood toy, too.

CA: it's a little more patched up than the one i gave you, but that just means it's well-loved!

TT: in the least gay way Ive ever meant anything

TT: which I guess isn't actually saying much

TT: I love you right now Derpy.

TT: ANYWAY, changing the subject now

TT: remember how you were telling me about those dreams you started having

TT: with the golden city and the weird two-legged white shelled people

CA: yeah, the ones where i'm on the moon of the planet prospit, and i can sometimes see the future in the clouds?

CA: i mostly end up just doing what i do here though, and just help that nice parcel mistress with her deliveries XD

TT: well, how did that start for you

TT: like, did you go to sleep in the real world and wake up there?

CA: that's usually how it happens, but...

CA: i dunno how it all started! it just started one day.

CA: sorry :(

TT: that's fine

TT: just curious

TT: because just last night I woke up in a dream, kinda like that

TT: except the city was like dark purple instead of gold

TT: and the people had black shells instead of white

TT: the city wasn't nearly as nice as the one you described though

TT: it almost seemed like it was under martial law, and no-one would talk to me about it

TT: and then I woke up :(

CA: purple and black...

CA: cheerilee might have mentioned something about that. you should ask her!

TT: thats the plan

CA: so your dream-self woke up on the other planet, and things are kinda tense over there?

TT: seemed like it

TT: are the two groups at war or something?

CA: not sure. maybe they are getting ready, but i don't think they're fighting yet.

TT: huh

TT: does everypony in the world have a dream self on one of the two planets?

CA: oh no, no, not even close!

CA: there's only three towers on prospits moon, and i think it's the same on the dark one.

CA: cheerilee lives in one on prospit, and i know AT's dream self is still asleep in the other one.

TT: six towers...

TT: you think it might be all six of us, our circle of friends?

TT: you, me, AT, Cheerilee, GG and GA?

CA: you know, i have thought that!

CA: you should look around derse next time you go there and see who else lives there!

TT: will do

TT: one other thing

TT: you get your copy of the game yet?

CA: no! in fact, AT and i found out that they never made it to the post office, and we think there's a thief on the loose!

TT: yeah, there is

CA: :O

TT: I found him just a few minutes ago

TT: really pale stallion with cheesy sunglasses

TT: he was being all sneaky, so I followed him

TT: then he started running, and I lost him

TT: but he dropped something from his saddlebags, and I grabbed it before he could come back

TT: it was one of the packages AT made up, with both the server and client copies of the game

TT: I guess that stallion must still have the other copies

CA: then there's no time to lose! he and i are going on a hunt after this thief to get the games back.

CA: you should help too! we need everyone we can get.

TT: dunno if I'll be much help

TT: the stallion looked like he was on the way out of town, and he’s moving way faster than I can keep up with

TT: he could be halfway to las pegasus by now

TT: I'll search too, but I think you and AT stand a much better chance of finding him

TT: anyway, the dreamworld thing was actually all I wanted to talk about

TT: so I'm going to let you get down to business now

TT: hopefully, I'll see you in the game

techTitan ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 10:32 A.M.

Derpy casts another glance around her room, a new sense of purpose filling her mind with awesome music of her choice. One of her eyes falls on her dresser, and the gift she had mentioned to your friend: a worn and patched up Smarty Pants doll, a gift from another friend who was off training to be a knight in Cloudsdale now. For some reason, the doll seems to call out to her, so she grabs it between her teeth and puts it into the sylladex. Now her phone is two cards down, and she still has no idea how she is going to get to it if she needs it.

She makes a fast trek down the stairs and hugs the wall as she comes to the ground floor, alert for any sign of her mother being home. Derpy and her mother almost always get along perfectly, but she can't see her getting excited about her going out on your own to confront a thief, armed to an extent and ready to fight. It would be better to avoid her altogether until she is done. After all, it is easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission, she finds.

Luckily, it seems her mother is still at work. No one is there to stop Derpy from trotting over to the front door and letting herself out, emerging into the pleasant suburb of Ponyville. She takes a moment to shade her eyes and uses one of them to look up at the sky. The sun is rather pale today, but its dim warmth is enough to make the weather comfortable. A few wispy clouds drift here and there. It is sort of a lazy-feeling day, but her determination to catch this mail-thief keeps her alert.

She doesn't really know where to start, so she decides to just head into the town square to see if anypony has seen him. She has only TT's description to go on- pale, and with cheesy sunglasses- but it is definitely a place to start. She gets a few odd looks when other ponies see her wearing the odd-looking storage device at her hip, and several responses that nopony has seen him, but after a few minutes of asking, she is told that such a stallion had been seen in passing near the south end of town.

From there, several more ponies tell her they remember seeing somepony matching her description, but nopony knows where he went, as they weren't paying very close attention. She knows that he is in town at least, but can't guess where he might have gone specifically. Ponyville isn't a big town, but it is big enough that she would waste a lot of time just searching everywhere. So far, though, she only has south town to go on.

That is, until she notices something out of the corner of her eye turn a corner on the next street. She doesn't get a chance to take a full look at it, but it looks white, possibly with a hint of green somewhere or other. She doesn't see a tail on it either, but it seems to be walking like any other pony. Without any other leads, she decides immediately to investigate, and trots off silently after him.

Fifty-two

Chapter in color

Fifty-two

Leeroy

The young Hero of Blood slashes forward, sword colliding with his own stolen weapon. Discord is furiously fending off attacks, but he is struggling.

Leeroy swings forward, turning his momentum into a spin, and delivers a series of slashes directly to Discord. Preoccupied with Quick Fix, Discord fails to block. Leeroy is shoved back, but not with any exceptional force. Discord is too outnumbered to deal with them all at once.

He snarls and lunges forward, blade swinging at the Dalek. The sprite manages to dodge the first few attacks, but is soon hit with a barrage of strikes, at the end of which a bright blue light explodes before Discord.

The demon wipes a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. “One down. Anyone care to volunteer to be next?”

Quick Fix rushes forward, giving Discord another series of furious strikes to block. Leeroy dashes forward as well, slicing away where Discord’s defenses were down. Ratchetsprite joined them in the frontal assault, with Derpy’s mom and the Heavyspartanguy firing away from a distance. Finally, Discord becomes enraged, and releases a burst of energy that sends the fighters reeling backward.

“Clank, open fire!”

Leeroy watches as an entire grid of massive turrets reveals themselves around the door, cloaked until necessary. At once, they glow with power, and bullets and lasers fly from every direction at Discord. He dodges deftly out of the way, but several of the turrets adjust too fast and hit him where he lands. Furious, he dashes forth, seemingly riding the storm of fire, and slashes one of the turrets in half. He proceeds with this process, cutting down the lines of turrets, ignoring the fighters on his tail.

At last, Ratchet falls back and yells into his communicator: “Clank, he’s moving in on your command station. Get out of there!”

“No you DON’T!” Discord shouts. He speeds forward faster than anyone can chase him, and slashes the command station clean in half. The cut wiring, machinery and ammunition causes a chain of small explosions in the pieces.

“CLANK!” Ratchet shouts, an expression of pure terror on his face. It is soon replaced by one of pure black rage. He rushes forward, wrench swinging, joined by Quick Fix. The two rage-fueled wrenches collide with Discord’s blade, and he has to continuously back away to avoid being hit. This doesn’t protect him from the bullets of the Heavy and lasers of Derpy’s mother. His health continues to drop.

At last, he practically roars in anger, leaps away from the two wrench-fighters, and swings his sword wildly at the Heavysprite. The sprite is struck, and explodes in a blast of pink light.

Quick Fix lands near Leeroy, flowing with dark energy as much as ever. “This is an uphill battle, sis. It’s not too late, Ratchet and Derpy’s mom can hold him off for a little while longer. Let’s just get out of here…”

“He will not be escaped.” she replies. “If allowed to live, he will continue his path of destruction, and someday find us once again. I will not leave while he lives.”

Leeroy sighs. “That’s what I figured.” He and Quick Fix ready their weapons and charge back into the fray. Ratchet is still holding his own against the demon, refusing to back down until his friend has been avenged. Derpy’s mother keeps her distance, hitting Discord with all she has while the others keep his sword busy. He has adopted a vicious smile, and Leeroy knows that their defense probably isn’t going to last much longer. They either need to finish him or escape.

Discord swings wide, knocking the three back, then leaps to the side. They attempt to charge him again, but he vaults over them, sword swinging, and cuts straight through Derpy’s mother. Another bright explosion. Leeroy, Quick Fix and Ratchet are the only ones left standing against him in the rubble. Discord’s eyes are clearly locked on Ratchet, and Ratchet’s on his.

The three charge. Discord blocks the first series of hits deftly, but Leeroy is able to slip past his defenses as Quick Fix’s next attack connects, slashing at his leg. It cuts deep, and Discord flinches back. Ratchet swings with his wrench, and when his attack is blocked, he dashes closer and punches with his machine arm. Discord makes a swing for the final sprite, but Quick Fix is faster, and blocks him while swinging her whole body closer. Discord’s free hand moves to deflect her attack, but she simply slams her wrench into his wrist.

He shouts in frustration, and begins swinging the blade wildly. Clearly, he isn’t accustomed to not getting his way. Leeroy slips behind him during his mad charge, delivering several hits to his back. His HP is under one quarter now. Reaching the end of the area, marked simply by the rubble of the turret grid, he turns around, vaults off of one of them, and slashes wide. Quick Fix manages to absorb the hit with a parry, but Ratchet is knocked back, weakened but not dead yet.

He grins, and his wrench disappears. On his normal hand, he begins charging an energy attack, clearly planning on putting everything he has left into it. Discord moves to stop him, but Quick Fix and Leeroy both intercept him, keeping him busy with a flurry of attacks and preventing him from getting closer.

“MOVE!” Ratchet shouts. Leeroy and Quick Fix dodge to the side, and turn to see their ally’s entire body glowing with energy. He charges, and Discord’s eyes widen. He readies his sword to block, but Ratchet swings around it, pushing it to the side, and barrels straight into the demon. He delivers several punches before Discord moves aside and brings his sword down to finish the stubborn sprite. As a parting gift, all the leftover energy Ratchet had prepared causes a massive explosion upon his death, and when the smoke and light clear, Discord is clearly on his last legs.

The two heroes rush forward once more, but despite his condition, Discord isn’t ready to give up. He blocks every attack they throw at him, and Leeroy knows that they were able to deal damage before because he had been distracted. But there’s no one left to fight now. A few errant Prospitans and Dersites, the underlings and the Denizens are the only living creatures left elsewhere in the Incipisphere, and Leeroy knows full well that they won’t be able to come to their rescue.

Quick Fix brings her wrench downward for a mighty strike that stuns Discord for half a second, enough time for Leeroy to slip in and slice at his arm. Discord angrily swats him aside, then deflects several hits from Quick Fix.

“That’s QUITE enough out of you.” he says, and raises his free arm. A bolt of red energy erupts from his palm, barely missing Quick Fix. The second misses as well, but the third hits, and dark energy fumes furiously at the point of impact. Leeroy can only guess that if she wasn’t under the influence of the Horrorterrors, that attack would have torn her arm clean off. Leeroy rushes in, but Discord turns to him, a snarl on his face, and delivers three brutal slashes, all of which connect. Leeroy pulls back, clutching his wounds.

Quick Fix doesn’t slow down, moving in once more with another series of attacks, but Discord has reached the point in rage at which he will not let another attack through. He pours energy into each attack and counter-attack, energy which reverberates through Leeroy’s sword, through Quick Fix’s wrench, hurting her with every attack she makes and every attack she blocks. The black smoke begins to envelop her body, but soon it begins to grow thin.

She leaps back, the dark smoke fading, but her eyes glowing brighter than ever. Leeroy catches a few sounds, horrible voices, but their words are incomprehensible. She puts a hoof out, a black energy glowing, pointing at her enemy. Discord smirks and readies his own red energy.

Both release their attacks at once. Leeroy expects them to collide in the center of the space between them, but they pass each other by, both too fast to be dodged. The red energy cuts straight through Quick Fix, and with a flash of light, the Horrorterrors’ grip on her is released. At the same time, the blast of dark energy cuts into Discord’s side, missing his center, but leaving a sizeable hole in his side. It begins repairing immediately, but his HP bar is only a few notches away from being empty. Hope flares in Leeroy’s heart, and he clutches his sword between his teeth. Maybe he can really end this.

He begins floating over, as fast as he can in his own injured state. Discord sees him and readies his stolen sword. “Think you’ve got enough left in you to deal the final hit before you bleed out?” he taunts.

Leeroy removes his hoof from his side. Both his arms and torso are dripping with blood, but he manages to right himself eyes fixed on Discord. Pushing his broken body to the limit, Leeroy rushes forward and slashes with his aero blade.

Regrettably, Discord is faster. The Blade of Blood chops down, driving Leeroy several feet lower in the empty space, the last of his energy sapped. For the first time, he notices that the Blade of Blood is larger than it should be, swollen with energy that Discord cannot properly release, energy only Leeroy was supposed to use. Energy stolen from countless innocent lives.

“Good fight, both of you. Now, enjoy bleeding out while I hunt down your friends.” Discord spits, moving over to the door to the exit of the session. Leeroy turns his head, about the only action his body will permit him now, and sees Quick Fix drifting over to him. She is clearly too broken to fight anymore either, but he sees in her eyes that she has regained her own mind.

“Welp…” Quick Fix sighs. “Guess we didn’t quite cut it, bro…”

“Don’t worry sis… We did good. We both did good…” Discord releases a string of curses, and Leeroy chuckles slightly. “We stalled him for long enough. That door isn’t opening for him. Derpy, Doc and Fancy Pants are safe and sound. He won’t get to them.”

Quick Fix smiles dimly. “That’s good… Shame you, me and Cheerliee couldn’t join them…”

“Yeah… But hey. Maybe there’s something after this. And if there is, she’s waiting for you there.”

Quick Fix nods shakily, but happily. Leeroy watches the last of her life fade out before him. Discord drifts over to the pair, enraged. He clearly thought he could force his way through the door, or at least allowed himself to believe it for a brief, emotion-fueled moment. Leeroy makes a point of sticking his tongue out in spite just before his own life fades away.