Fallen Crown, Rising Sword

Hours Earlier, ????

Darkness... darkness is what surrounded her. A prisoner in her own body. Tapped in a corruption. What could she do? She couldn't fight. Just barely hanging on to what's left: Her own name. It was lonely in here. Trapped in her own head. Just something that she got used to after these years. Standing there. In her own head.

She felt a sudden presence on her shoulder as if it were a comforting hand placed itself on her. White then replaced the Darkness as she watched on in awe. Then she heard a comforting voice..

"A bit lonely in here."

She turned to come face-to-face with a creature she felt like she has met before, but couldn't quite remember it. His presence was relieving to say the least as he just smiled at her.

"Been a while since you actually looked at yourself, eh?" He asked to her utter confusion.

"What?" She simply asked.

"OH right... you ain't Wrath... you're who it took over." He stated.

"Who... who are you?"

"Me?" He looked at her with a wider smile. "Why I'm Infinity, and I'm here to set you free."

She didn't know what to say, she just stood there as he approached cautiously.

"What's your name dear?" He asked a bit sweetly.

"An...Anniselle.."

"Alright Anniselle, I want you to take a deep breath and count to five... I'll even count with you." He said as he put an arm around her.

She nodded and inhaled deeply.

"One... two... three... four..."

Now, Canterlot

Infinity cracked his eyes open to find himself in a room he didn't recognize. Judging by the architecture of the room, he was still in Canterlot Palace. Slowly he began to sit up, finding that his shirt was removed in favor for bandages and a certain lavender mare hunched over in a chair fast asleep. He laid back down with a small smile.

Morning came, the crack of dawn peering over the horizon with it's glorious warmth. Infinity cracked his eyes open and looked on to the sun creeping out. He immediately sat up in excitement and hopped out of the the bed. Twilight came in and laughed a bit at her lover running around the room like a child before speaking up.

"Guess you saw the good news?" Twilight smiled.

Infinity looked over at her and quickly rushed over to grasp her in a tight hug and kissed her.

"Oh hell yeah." He smiled back as he stared into her eyes.

Twilight could see his excitement that left a glint in his eyes. She could express the same happiness now that she could see Celestia's sun shine over in the blue Equestrian skies. Which, honestly, was a welcome enough change. Twilight's smile faded into a slight grimace as Infinity looked out the window.

"So, do we know how much these clouds have retreated?" He asked.

"Not at the moment, but when we get back to Ponyville I might be able to get my hands on a full report from one of my contacts." Twilight replied as she pulled away from him.

"Contacts? My my, the mare I love has been busy, hasn't she?" Infinity chuckled as he looked at her. He saw the expression.

Twilight couldn't help but smile a little at his comment. "Yeah.. well.. you know me. I like to have information on any situation."

"Guess that's true." Infinity got closer to her, taking her hand gently. "Is something wrong, Twilight?"

She just looked at him and quickly pecked his cheek. "Nothing. You might want to get ready, my friends are here and both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would like to speak with you."

"Your friends came all the way out here?" Infinity looked at his mare.

"Yeah, I kind of did disappear on them without telling them just to come to Canterlot with you." She explained. "Which did worry them when they did find out I was gone."

"And what of the Princesses? What do they want?"

"They didn't tell me. Just that they wanted to talk to you."

Infinity nodded and kissed Twilight's lips gently with his before he let go of her hand and walked over to the chair his lavender lover slept in last night. Mainly he was heading back for the bed, but he caught the sight of some new clothes on the chair. He eyed for a bit before picking up the top article and looked at it.

He shook his head a bit and realized that he was holding a top for a royal guard uniform. Only this on was a bit custom to represent Twilight more than representing either Celestia or Luna. There was a patch on either shoulder with Twilight's cutie mark. The main color of the fabric was dyed to resemble, as he guessed it, her navy blue hair. The buttons and trimming seem to take on a more silver hue.

"I know you don't do formal.. but I hope you like it.." Twilight stated sheepishly.  "I uh.. tried to make it look the best I could."

"Like it? No.." Infinity turned towards her with a stoic expression, "... I love it. Thank you."

Twilight sighed in reliefs and smiled a bit, blush in her cheeks. "You're welcome. There's even some slits in the back for your wings."

"You thought of everything for this, didn't you?" Infinity asked as he slipped on the top, and taking off his pants.

"Well... Celestia gave me the uniform... I decided to tweak it a bit in your favor."

It wasn't long before Infinity was now standing in front of a door he couldn't quite recognize himself. Fully dressed and back to his pegasus form, he sighed and pushed on the handle for the door to open. Twilight had returned to the dining hall to meet with her friends and inform them of her reasons for just disappearing on them.

Infinity was met with a friendly face accompanied by her sister. He only spoke to Celestia very little but she had a calm demeanor. His eyes met a rather surprising sight, they both were sitting at a small round table with a golden platter stationed in the center of the table with a porcelain teapot and cups. Three cups to be exact, each with their own little saucer to boot. Both of the royal sisters nodded to him. Infinity made his way casually over to the table and occupied a seat.

"Morning, Prince-" Infinity was immediately cut off.

"Please Infinity," Celestia spoke calmly, looking at him with a smile, "there's no need for formalities here. Just us and a some tea."

"Well, I'm sure you wanted to have more than just a simple chat with tea Celestia." Infinity smiled as the cups and teapot started floating around.

"Well, we'd also like to thank you for saving my sister, Luna, and me." Celestia took a sip of her tea.

"How is thou feeling?" Luna quietly asked, her eyes aimed more down than trying to make eye contact with him. "Thou seemed like some hits were taken quite roughly."

Infinity took a small drink before he spoke. "I may just experience a bit of back pain, but I'll be fine. You're both welcome by the way."

The two sisters nodded and took sip at the same time.

"So, Infinity, the situation appears to be more dire than it let on as time went on." Celestia stated as her gaze is fixed on the white pegasus across the table.

"Appears to be is an understatement. This isn't just some mystical creatures from the far reaches of the continent of Equestria, these are beings from the far reaches of the realms." Infinity set his cup down gently, his expression going mutual. "This isn't them flexing their powers over you either. They were prepping this place for a full-scale invasion."

"You speak as though our world is not alone." Luna now looked at him, her cup out of sight.

"It's a bit complicated to explain in its entirety, but yes, your realm is not the only one. There are many realms that are all separated for one another. I technically don't exist here, or anywhere, so I can go crossing into these worlds like you would a stroll in a park. I'm not a pony though the form itself did originate here, it isn't how I really look either. I'm kind of a guardian of sorts. I protect realms form the likes of these now-so-called 'Lords of Chaos' with whim only one I have a history with." Infinity went on to explain, ending his statement with a drink of tea.

"Lords of Chaos? Hath we the Spirit of Chaos dear sister?" Luna went to ask her elder sibling.

"Yes, we do, but I think these aren't what we think they are Luna." Celestia tried to reassure her sister. "Infinity, can you please elaborate on these 'Lords of Chaos?'"

"I only know one of Lords, and he's a bit of a trouble to actually defend against. I know he goes by the title of Fear. He doesn't attack physically unless you find him, but he attack the subconscious, causes you to have nightmares on end to keep you awake, exhaust you. Other than him, I know next to nothing on the other Lords and what they do." Infinity swirled his cup around a bit

"Which brings us to why we wanted to speak with you, Infinity." Celestia calmly set her cup down and looked at him dead in the eyes. "How about we offer you an office within the palace and a handful of royal guards to carry out any needed activity to combat this Fear character."

Infinity looked backed and smirked a bit. "No offense Celestia, but unless your guards had the most extraneous mental training, they wouldn't last a week trying to combat that thing out there. They would all run home and actually cower."

Celestia couldn't help but smile. Infinity did make a good point about the guard not being able to hold out against this otherworldly being. She should have known better since she and her sister were technically defeated by one of them. Then, by some unknown reason fate had, saved by this stallion.

Meanwhile in the dining hall of the palace, Twilight sat with five of her closest friends: and getting chewed out by Applejack. She's been at it for a solid hour now. Rarity in the middle of doing her nails, Fluttershy actually grooming her hair, Rainbow fast asleep in a nap, Pinkie being Pinkie and nodding her head wildly. Twilight does feel bad for not telling her friends where she ran off to, but they did leave in a bit of a rush.

"What were yah thinkin' Twi? We war worried about 'cha!" AJ finished off with that strain in her voice.

"Uhhh..."

Twilight was about to answer the cowpony, but interruption cut her off in the form of the door to the hall being opened. Somehow, the noise awoke Rainbow. Everypony in the room turned their heads towards the visitor. Twilight smiled and sighed in relief seeing that it was just Infinity coming in awkwardly.

He waved with a sheepish smile to the girls. "Uh.. hi, hopefully I'm not interrupting anything and if I am, terribly sorry about it."

"No.. yah weren't." Applejack almost scolded at him.

Infinity just laughed awkwardly and made his way to the kitchen, leaving the girls be. Twilight looked back at AJ who had the thousand-yard glare aimed directly at the lavender alicorn. Twilight audibly gulped down a lump in her throat as she tried to think up an answer. So far he mind is failing her in doing so.

"I... I don't know. It's just that we kinda left in a rush that I didn't think about letting you girls know." Twilight said as she started to look down.

"Are you eating a lemon?!" Dash blurted out, catching the attention of the others.

"Yes. I am. It wan't her fault, it was mine." Infinity stated as his hooves clacked against the tile, a lemon with a bite taken out of it in his hand. "Her forgetfulness should be blamed on me."

Applejack just looked at this pale pegasus, a rather familiar feeling as she looked into his bright red eyes that almost seemed to glow, but she kept steady as a mock glare was forced. "And yah are?"

"Infinity Plane, Twilight's personal royal guard. You may call me Infinity for short." He replied rather smugly, a faint gasp hit his ears.

"Twilight, darling, is what this stallion says true?" Rarity looked over to the young princess, having a hard time not referring to Infinity as 'handsome' or 'dashing.'

A faint blush crossed over Twilight's cheeks as she nodded slightly. Dash slid down her chair a little, groaning silently as she remembered the last encounter with him. Fluttershy kind of cowered at the sight of the rather imposing figure next to Twilight. Pinkie was making an 'O' shape with her mouth she she stared excitedly at the strange pony she already met twice before. AJ just stared at him, unmoving in nature.

Infinity offered his hand for a shake. "Don't worry, I've been contracted to protect Princess Twilight in this rather unusual crisis plaguing Equestria."

Applejack took the good-manner and shook his hand firmly. "Ah do't see why Twilight here would hire a single guard when she has her friends to do tha exact same."

"No offense to any of you..." Twilight spoke out, a rather noticeable blush from Infinity referring to her status suddenly, "..but even you all can't protect me from everything." She fiddled a bit in her seat, her wings shifting uneasily. "He has a specific set of skills not normally found here in Equestria to fend off whatever this is."

"What!?" Rainbow rose from her seat rather heated and brash. "What do ya mean we can't protect you from everything?!"

"Uhm.. Dashie has a point..." Fluttershy quietly spoke.

"What I mean is that Infinity is here to protect all of us instead of just me." Twilight then shot a look towards Infinity who then shrugged at her.

"Rainbow." Infinity then looked towards the rainbow-maned mare as she stiffened up at her name being called by him. "Keeping the dreams good?"

Rainbow mumbled something and nodded as she just sat back down without another interjection.

"If that is all, I'll be continuing to make my exit and leave you all to discuss recent events." Infinity took another bite of the lemon and left through the doors as rain started to tap at the windows.

Later on that day, Infinity stood shirtless on the balcony to his room, his royal guard attire had been folded and placed neatly on a chair near the closet. Twilight came is silently just in time to catch a sight of Infinity standing out on the balcony in some sort of black tights that cut off just behind his knees. Silently standing as he let the rain pour down on his fur.

Silently, Twilight just observed him. The doors wide open as he slowly started to move, bringing his forearms to his chest. What she saw next was something... magikal. She watched as her lover's movements became more smooth, flowing forth, out, and around as if he was the only one in the world. Slowly making her way to the bed and sitting on it, Twilight just watched in complete awe. Infinity was moving his limbs and body in one natural motion. The rain flying off his arms as if being commanded to. A crack of lightning lit up the sky followed by a loud thunderous rumble. She was left breathless. This being from another world, dimension, or realm  was moving with such grace. Yet, she found herself to be loving him more for it. A being who was neither pony or from Equestria caught her heart, and treasured it as she treasured his.

Infinity came to a gradual stop. His back still towards the room, he brought his arms up and extended them away from his body. With a powerful clap that was even heard from within the room, lightning struck his hands. Twilight jumped at the thunder that followed, but also noticed that Infinity had bolts of the stuff zigg-zagging around his legs, arms, body, and head. Then it just faded away, like nothing happened, like it wasn't even there.