Abbyby KingNyroc15ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1Royal Nexus was seen as a typical Canterlot Guard; always serious, always protective, always punctual. However, all of that bored him. He wanted action, he wanted adventure. He didn't want to stand in the same spot for months on end. Sure he managed to earn the rank of Knight, but what was the point if he was still instructed to stand and wait? When he joined the Royal Guard at the age of twenty, Nexus expected excitement. At first, he received his wish. He trained along the other recruits and found himself to be a skilled combatant in sword fighting. After a little more than a year passed, he earned his title of Knight Nexus. Weeks passed before he quit. Nexus managed to leave with anyone knowing for a few days. His regiment was sent to Manehattan to be stationed there. After two days, Nexus went AWOL and left to explore Equestria on his own. He felt that nothing was being done by the Guard. Their practices were being wasted by simply sitting at a post and waiting for something to happen. On more than one occasion, Nexus asked why they couldn't go out and investigate the land; finally he was doing it himself. Nexus roamed Equestria, looking for anypony that needed his help. He aided a few ponies, but nothing was satisfying him. He was reaching an impasse in his life. After five months, he became lost. He didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted excitement...needed excitement. He couldn't go back to the Guard; he would be considered a traitor. What kind of job could he find? His cutie mark didn't tell him anything; he didn't even remember how he got it. Nexus was a white earth pony with a royal purple mane and light purple eyes. His cutie mark was a black fleur de lis with two grey swords forming an X behind it. Everyone tells him that it represents his "royalness" (he rolled his eyes just remembering that) and his combat skills. Nexus thought about many things as he walked down a dirt path leading to Ponyville. He had heard many things about this town, mostly that it seemed to be the epicenter of strange events. This little town? The center of chaos, or so they say? Nexus saw a shadow on the ground. It was a pegasus flying over him. Wait...those wings look different. Looking up, he saw what appeared to be a Lunar Guard mare flying overhead, except she didn't have her armor on. Bat ponies are really cool...and cute. Nexus smiled at that thought and trotted into town. He assumed he wouldn't find that particular mare but you never know~. Any distraction would be welcome at this point. Nexus was known to flirt with any mare that strikes his fancy; sometimes even with mares in a relationship. His advances sometimes ended with fights against angry coltfriends, but they quickly knew not to mess with a Knight. Feeling confident once again, Nexus strolled into town, head held high. That mare had to be somewhere. As he scanned the sky, he quickly noticed something in his peripheral vision. Is that...? It can't be. Nexus' eyes weren't deceiving him; he was looking at an honest-to-goodness alicorn that wasn't a princess. And the bat mare he saw flying earlier was with him! Dang it. That's another mare to check off. And she was the first bat pony I was going to flirt with. He turned around to begin walking into town, but a pony was in his way. Huh, another mare. Nexus examined her everywhere. From her black coat to her dark blue mane to her cutie mark on her nice... The mare's mark seemed to be a rock cut in half, and inside the rock was small black crystals. After examining the mare, Nexus noticed she was looking at him the same way. "Can I help you?" he asked, wanting to break the silence. Unfortunately, the mare decided that silence was worth a thousand words. "What's your name?" More silence at first. "I was hoping you would try something else besides inquiring about my name." "Like what?" "Maybe the same thing you were going to try with that bat mare." His eyes widened a bit. "What do you think I was going to do? It's not everyday you see a bat pony." She gave a small smile. "And was that not enough to flirt with her?" "I wasn't going to flirt! Besides, she's with that alicorn. Who is he anyway?" The mare returned to a neutral expression. He saw the look in her eyes again; they weren't normal. "That is not important. I see that you will not be helpful to me, so I shall take my leave." She turned her back towards him. "I can be plenty helpful. I'm roaming the country to be just that. Helpful." She looked at him again. Were her blue eyes glowing? They're so bright...and pretty. "I still do not think you are useful. It was nice meeting you, Royal Nexus." She didn't say anything else after that. As the mare walked away, Nexus stood there, mouth agape. There is no way in the goddesses' world that she could know my name! Nexus decided to follow the mare for a bit. He stalked her to the plains outside Ponyville; she was heading towards the nearby forest. The Everfree? Why do so many ponies go in there? It's like a common death wish or something. Nexus ran up to stop her, but she teleported away when he got close. He looked in all directions. "Was she a unicorn? I don't remember a horn," he muttered to himself. "No...she was definitely an earth pony. Is there someone else?" "No. Just me," the mare said from behind Nexus. He jumped away from her as a result. She still held a neutral face as she looked upon him once more. "So...you followed me." "A mare who knows my name and acts as strange as you? Why wouldn't I? You're quite the character...and magician apparently." "You would not understand the half of it." "Oh? What's a mare like you have to do in the Everfree?" "Nothing that you should get yourself into. I do not need help. Ponies would just get in my way." "Are you saying you're all-powerful? I think I remember another magician claiming she was great and powerful." "She would be a mere magician, and I would not be exaggerating. I am more powerful than you think." "Can you read minds? You seemed to be doing that to me earlier." "Yes." Nexus actually didn't expect her to answer so easily and with such confidence. Seeing Nexus' stare, the mare continued. "I can read minds, perform magic like a unicorn, and see distant memories...to name a few abilities of mine." "Miss, I highly doubt you can do any of thaaaaaat!" Nexus was lifted into the air mid-sentence. He looked down at the unflinching mare. Does she ever lose that expression?! The mare lowered Nexus to eye level and gently grabbed his head in her hooves. She closed her eyes and entered his mind. She picked a particular memory that seemed far from anypony's knowledge. "As a foal, you looked at blades and swords with great fascination," she explained. "You even learned how to hold them with your hooves instead of your mouth rather quickly. An unnatural yet strangely effective way to fight. By the age of five, you secretly practiced with blades that ranged from hidden daggers to longswords. You were too small to try anything bigger and were lucky enough to not harm yourself with blades much longer than you. "As you were practicing a technique using a steel katana, your parents discovered what you have been doing. Instead of being upset as you predicted, your parents marveled in your skills. They even asked the Guard Captain to take you under his wing, literally due to him being a pegasus. It was then and there that you became a part of the Canterlot Guard." She opened her eyes and looked into Nexus' disbelieving eyes. "How...?" he gaped. The mare perfectly explained one of his past memories that barely anypony knew! "Under strange circumstances, I have unlocked abilities that no normal pony should have. As you have just witnessed, I am not lying." She tilted her head at Nexus. "Now you are considering stopping me or hoofing me over to the Royal Guard. I doubt anypony can save or stop me. If you will excuse me, I have one thing to do before I die." "You're going to die? Is there anyway to save you?" "No. Within the next twenty four hours, my brain will most likely destroy itself." "The princesses can help you. They can transfer some of your knowledge into themselves." "No. That will kill them over time as well. I know they are princesses and should be immortal, but their bodies aren't. What I have inside me is something no other pony should live with." She put Nexus down. "I see everything," she continued. "Every heat wave, sound wave, magnetic wave. Every breath and thought of everypony. The magical energy and circulatory system in every living being. The life in the plants...in the air...underground. I can read and speak every language and decipher any code. My knowledge tells me what is where, where is who, and who is what. Nothing escapes me...nothing." Nexus found this mare to be insane. If she truly did have all of those abilities, what did she need to do? The mare touched Nexus' forehead. "If you want to see my plan, neither of us will be alive in the end. I won't kill an innocent because they are curious." "Won't you?" She gave a small smiled and turned her back to him. "I like you, which is odd considering my emotions are being faded away by my excessive knowledge. I may not like you for long." "You don't have long anyway." "True. If you wish to follow me, that is your choice." She began walking away. Nexus smiled; of course he was going to follow her. Chapter 2Nexus followed the mare through the entrance to the Everfree Forest when he realized something. "I don't even know your name." "My name is Obsidia, but my friends used to call me Abby." "Why Abby?" "They tried to shorten my name to Obby, but it sounded weird. They asked me if Abby was a good nickname. I agreed with them, and it has been my nickname ever since." "Obsidia...I like it. So what exactly is your plan, Obsidia?" "Abby is fine. And my plan is to put my knowledge somewhere safe. Somewhere only the truly gifted can unlock." "Again, the princess may help. They won't try to take your knowledge, but they certainly wouldn't want one of their subjects to die because of it." "I know this. However, it is something only I can do." "If you say so. I'm in this for the long run." "If you say so. You do know we're most likely going to die." "That means you know exactly where we're going and how to get to it. What's the destination?" "The Canterlot Library." Nexus froze while Obsidia kept walking. They wouldn't harm us for breaking into certain parts of the library...would they? He trotted back to her side. "If we're going to Canterlot, why are we walking through the Everfree? We can easily take a train there." "I plan on using transportation. I am strolling through this dangerous forest to think, hoping my conscience will deter me from attempting my plan. So far I am having no such luck." "If I remember the tales correctly, there should be a zebra shaman near here." Obsidia nodded. "Her name is Zecora, and no I will not accept her help. She will have no remedies for me. Not even scientists could create one." "Have you tried asking them?" "Nexus, do you know what scientists do?" "Depends on the scientist. What do you think they do?" "They feed off of information. Imagine what they would do to capture the impossible knowledge flowing through my mind right now. An ever-growing knowledge that destroys the mind but increases in capacity every hour." Nexus and Obsidia didn't say anything else after that. It was obvious to Nexus that this mare was hurting. Of course she wouldn't like what's happening to her. But what caused it in the first place? If it could happen to her, it could happen to any other pony. "Abby," Nexus called after they finally exited the forest. It was nearly sundown. "Yes." "How did you acquire your abilities?" This time, Abby was the one to freeze in her tracks. She looked at him without turning her body. "Let us find somewhere to rest. Canterlot can wait until tomorrow." "Didn't you say your mind will not be able to live that long?" "It was a theory and an exaggeration. I should be fine for another day or two. Tomorrow, we will reach Canterlot by 5 o'clock if we take the first train in the afternoon." "If you say so. I'll be with you if things go south." Their conversation ended. They found the closest inn in Ponyville and rented a room for the night. Since there was only one bed, Nexus gave Obsidia the bed while he slept on the floor. Curling up in a spare blanket with eyes closed, Nexus couldn't stop thinking about the mare's predicament. She's claims to be nearing infinite knowledge. She predicts she only has a day or two to live, yet she refuses to find help. I want to trust her but...I can't let a pony die. There's no point thinking about it right now. I'll just wait till tomorrow and find one of the princesses when we're in Canterlot. The next morning, Nexus awoke to a strange feeling; something was pressed against his chin. Opening his eyes, he looked down and saw Obsidia cuddled against him. Somehow sleeping with her neutral expression, the mare held him as she slept. "Abby?" "Yes?" she whispered in reply. "What are you doing?" "Trying to feel again." "Feel what?" "Anything. A bond with somepony, love, friendship, lust. Something to help remind myself that I was once a normal pony." "You're still a normal pony in my eyes. You're just ridiculously smart." "Thank you, but I am far from normal now. An earth pony, or anypony for that matter, shouldn't be able to do what I can." She stood up and looked down at Nexus. "We should start moving. Wake yourself up and let's go." The pair left the inn and made their way to the train station. Nexus glanced at the inn's clock on the way out of the lobby; it was almost noon. The first train should be available within the next hour. After taking a seat at the station, Nexus realized that Obsidia dragged him here without letting them eat breakfast first. "We should eat before leaving," he commented. "The train arrives in about thirty-five minutes. If you can bring us food within that time frame, I will not stop you." "I'll try my best. I'll be back in time." With that said, Nexus ran into town. He quickly saw a bright-colored building that looked like it was made from candy. He immediately wanted to go in there but knew better. They didn't need sweets right now. He saw a restaurant not far from his current location and made a beeline for it. Nexus would have walked straight towards the restaurant if a pony didn't accidentally slam into him. He was knocked to the ground. Rubbing his head, Nexus looked at the pony, who was also on the ground. She was a grey mare...with bat wings. "Sorry about that," she said. "I was trying to catch up to my friends who just left." "Don't mention it," Nexus replied slowly. She's even cuter face to face. "Do I know you?" "Me? Doubt it." The mare started to sniff him. Nexus pulled his head back. "Are you a guard?" she asked. "What makes you say that?" "Your mane smells like gravel and steel. The same scent of the Guard's armor. That stuff never goes away. You also have..." She sniffed again. "...the faint smell of a mare. The ladies' colt are we?" You could say that. Wait...why didn't I say that out loud? I could easily flirt with this mare. What's stopping me? Maybe it's because of the task at hoof? "A hug from a mare can make any stallion smell like one," Nexus said. "If you'll excuse me, I have something urgent to attend to. It was nice meeting you, miss..." "You can call me Nyra. And what is your rank, sir..." "Nexus. Knight Nexus. It was nice meeting you!" He ran off as he exclaimed the last sentence. "A knight, huh? Not bad looking." Nyra looked in the direction she should have been running in. "Hmm, looks like I lost my window to follow them. Oh well." She turned towards the front door of a nearby house and entered it. Nexus returned with food just before the train arrived. He and Obsidia entered then found a cart to be alone in. Barely anypony was traveling to Canterlot at the moment. As the train made it's way through the country, the two sat next to each other as they looked out of the cart window. "So," Nexus started. "Hmm?" "How exactly did you get your powers?" "Ah yes, that. I seem to have forgotten to tell you. It is somewhat of a long story." "We have plenty of time." "Indeed we do. Very well. I grew up in a wealthy family of earth pony miners. My father and older brother mined for gems every day. They always knew where to look and who to sell them to. As they did this, my mother taught my about various kinds of jewels and minerals. "One day, my father brought home a strange sapphire. It seemed to be teeming with blue fire inside. I asked if I could hold it in my hoof to get a better look at it. As I held it, I found myself unable to look away. When my father attempted to grab it, the sapphire refused to leave my hoof; it appeared to be cemented to it. Then the gem began to burn into my hoof. My family could only watch as my red eyes changed to neon blue. I spasmed on the ground but calmed down within the minute. It was then that I stood up, walked outside, continued away from my home, and never looked back." "You weren't in control of your body," Nexus said. "Eventually, you knew what you had to do to remove this strange power so you could return to your family." Obsidia nodded. "But how did that rock do this to you?" "I do not know. All I care about is removing it. It was clearly not meant to be found by any creature." "Whoever, or whatever, buried it obviously didn't count on miners." "Apparently not. The past is the past. I am only interested in the future." Nothing was said for a few minutes until Nexus finally spoke up. "So your eyes used to be red?" Nexus asked, looking at her bright blue eyes. "That must have looked cool." "Do you want to see?" She locked eyes with him. "Do you have a picture before the incident?" "I will not need one." Obsidia's eyes shined, and her eye color changed to a brightish red. Nexus was stunned. "Wow...you look amazing like that." Obsidia's eyes widened a little; Nexus swore he saw a small blush. She felt something. "Thank you for the compliment. I suppose I could keep my eyes this way, but I do not want ponies to see my eye color as intimidating." "Is that why you kept them as blue?" Obsidia looked down. "And this is why I said you're still a normal pony. You feel a little embarrassed right now." "I never said I do not feel any emotion. I simply said that they will not be with me for long." "Well then the only thing that matters is right now~." He scooted down the seat to sit right next to her. "I would rather focus on what I have to do in Canterlot." Abby backed away and positioned herself to take a nap during the trip. Nexus sighed and continued to look out of the window. Why do I feel bad for wanting to flirt with Abby. No...her name is Obsidia. Fits her much better. Chapter 3The train arrived in Canterlot's Train Station. There were more ponies waiting for the train than there were on it. The few ponies on the train stepped onto the platform and went about their day. Obsidia didn't even wait for Nexus when she made her way to the Canterlot Library. After Nexus caught up, the two arrived at the library within ten minutes. The interior was circular with most of the walls being lined with bookshelves. There were about eight bookshelves position symmetrically, all pointing to the center which had seats and tables for reading. The center also housed the librarian and her desk, but the pair wasn't interested in her. Abby walked straight towards the door hiding in the back reading 'Canterlot Archives.' Under that was a makeshift sign reading 'Closed until further notice.' "There was a strange attack on the Archives hundreds of years ago. Some crazy stallion convinced Princess Celestia to close the Archives to everypony but the librarian, her, and Luna." "I know, but the thing I need is in there." "Is it now?" a calm feminine voice said. Obsidia and Nexus turned around. They came face to face with Princess Celestia. She matched Obsidia's typical expression while Nexus became very nervous. "What are you two doing back here?" "May I ask you the same?" Obsidia retorted. "I am making sure no pony gets hurt by entering a dangerous room. The librarian signaled me that two ponies were investigating the back." "It's only assumed to be dangerous. I doubt whatever is in there, if there even is something inside, can hurt me. May we go in?" Abby's stare became a little more intense. Princess Celestia glanced at Nexus as she responded. "I'm afraid I cannot take that chance. Yes, it has been centuries since that day, but a trustworthy pony has begged me to keep it closed from the public. If you two are not going to check out books, I will have to ask you to leave." Nexus remained nervous (and slightly shaky) while Abby scoffed and began exiting the library. After they left and were out of sight, Nexus stopped Abby, who seemed a tad irritated. "I know how badly you wanted to get in there," he started, "but there's no point taking on the princess." "We're getting in there. I only seem annoyed because I could not force her to let us through. She must have been maintaining eye contact with you. I cannot alter someone's mind unless they focus on me. We will try later. If she is still there..." "Things will get ugly?" Obsidia didn't say another word and continued down the road. Nexus caught up with her. "Where to now?" "We find a hotel room." "Oh my, that's rather forward." "Nexus, I barely feel any emotions. Of those, lust is not one of them." "Apparently, fun isn't one either," he muttered. He then spoke aloud once again. "Oh well, I was just joking. I still like being with you though." "I appreciate that. I must advise you to not form too strong of a bond since my due date is nearly here." "Hey." He stopped her by putting a hoof on her chest. They looked into each other's eyes; Nexus looked serious, while Obsidia returned to neutral. "I'll save you, ok? If I can't do that, I won't let you die alone." "Now you're choosing to die with me? What for?" "I...I don't know. I have nothing to really live for. I abandoned the Guard, have no home, no family, no friends. I'm just a lonesome drifter looking for entertainment. That's you; you're the entertainment that is the center of my life right now." "Touching, at least I'm sure it would be if I could feel. Do not feel sad about my comment. It's not like I choose to feel barely anything." "I know." Nexus hugged her; she didn't flinch. "I'm here for you...till the very end." "Thank you, but you really shouldn't kill yourself just to be entertained by me." "There's more than one way to entertain me." He winked an eye at her. "I suppose there is, but with me, all there is to do is follow. We may have to deal with a few guards, but I can easily dispose of them without causing harm." Nexus' smile faded and he sighed. What's the point of even flirting with this girl? For a mare who's extremely smart, that stuff just goes right over her head. Shouldn't you be dead? Soon. I don't want you to die. I don't either. You don't want to die, or you don't want me to die? ... Nexus opened his eyes. The hotel room he was in reminded him of the Ponyville Inn, except this one was nicer as to be expected. He looked up and saw Abby, still asleep on the bed. Even though she barely felt anything, she was still adorable in Nexus' eyes. He thought back to the strange dream he had. What would he feel if Obsidia died? He definitely felt an attraction to her. If she gets through this, would she feel the same about him? And why was he so attached to this mare? It has only been about two days. "Good morning," Abby greeted as she rubbed her eyes. Nexus snapped away from his thoughts. "Good morning. How do you feel?" "Like I am ready to end this." Nexus moved the blinds away from the nearby window. Nighttime. They were really going to do this. Abby told him that she was going to break into the Archives when the library was closed. He knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Celestia knew their plan; she was going to take precautions. "Are you ready, Nexus?" "I guess so." He looked into her eyes. Warn her, warn her. Why can't I freakin' warn her?! Abby walked out of the hotel room; Nexus followed right behind her. It took them only a few minutes to reach Canterlot Library again. Walking up to the front door, Abby put her hoof on it and quickly unlocked it. Nexus was surprised but knew better than to ask how. Stepping inside, Abby made her way towards the back while Nexus scanned everywhere. Wait...if Abby is extremely smart and has amazing abilities, she should be able to detect any other ponies, even if they were camouflaged. "Do you think there's anyone in here?" Nexus whispered. "I cannot hear anything. There's the door." She trotted to it and repeated the process of unlocking it. They found a staircase that spiraled down and around the main room. At the bottom was another door that led to a circular room underneath the library. The Archives. It had two floors and was the same size as upstairs, except the shelves were arranged different. The walls were still lined with them, but two rows of shelves curved with the room as they circled the center. At the center were railings and a makeshift wooden flooring. Nexus approached it. "So down there is where something attacked the Archives? And they housed in inside instead of removing it?!" "That happened centuries ago. We have to go down there anyway." "I'm not going down there unless you tell me what we're looking for." "Three orbs were created as an experiment to house anypony's magic as long as they could project it into said orb. One was already sent away; one might be at the castle, or both are down below. It took two princesses to create them, so it wouldn't be impossible for me to inject one with all of my powers. It will most likely kill me in the process." "Then I'm not letting you do it." "You don't have a say in the matter." Abby broke the wood flooring, levitated the pieces to the ceiling, and glued them there. She then jumped down into the dank, dim floor. Nexus looked at her from the top floor. She looked around the darkness for the orbs but didn't seem to find anything. Suddenly, a bright ball of light spawned at the top of the Archives, blinding Nexus and causing Abby to hide. "Halt! By order of the Royal Guard!" Nexus cursed to himself and laid on the ground. The ball of light dimmed and revealed four guards and Princess Celestia. She looked mildly disappointed. It was hard for Nexus to tell; the princess always had a poker face. "Where is she?" the alicorn asked. Nexus refused to answer. The princess looked towards the bottom floor. "Two of you investigate downstairs. We will stay here." Two guards nodded and jumped down there. Not a minute went by before an explosion shook the Archives. The four ponies on the upper floor ran to the railing and looked down. There was something glowing downstairs. Celestia teleported all four of them down one floor to investigate the light. They saw Obsidia sitting against the wall, holding a light blue orb as she stared at it with wide eyes. An open black box sat next to the mare. The orb pulsated with blue light as it absorbed Obsidia's powers. Princess Celestia took a step towards the mare. "Please give me the orb. I know what will happen to you if you use it completely." "In either scenario," Obsidia started with slightly more panic in her voice, "I will die. Either I store my powers in this orb for the worthy to collect then I die, or I choose to not store it and still die." "Obsidia," Nexus said. "There has to be something we can do to help you." "If she wants to use it, let her," a new voice said. Only Nexus turned to see that it was Twilight Sparkle. "Miss Sparkle, Celestia's Favored Foal," he recited formally. "I hate it when ponies say that. Anyway, I'm afraid that there isn't any other way. From what Princess Celestia says, and from what we heard from you two, she is doomed to die. It hurts to admit it but—" "NO!" Nexus shouted. "I won't let her die!" "Nexus..." Obsidia said softly. He turned towards her, who was now in front of him. "It's ok." Those two words broke his heart. He felt tears wanting to form. "I cannot be saved. Do not perish for me. You need to live." "So do you. You were dealt a bad hoof of cards; you shouldn't die because of that." She put a hoof on his cheek. "You should go. These ponies will make sure everything happens according to plan." "I will never leave you." "And I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that, but there is nothing anypony can do for me." He saw her eye twitch. "I'm staying...and I'm perishing with you." "You can't!" Twilight exclaimed. "Her death is unavoidable! You shouldn't kill yourself to be with her! I already know a pony that wishes he could have died in place of a mare." Another eye twitch from Abby. "I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle, but I need to do this...for her. I have nothing else left. Obsidia, I..." He trailed off when he looked back at her. She was clutching her head with panicking eyes yet with a smile. Obsidia snapped her head up at Nexus as tears formed in her eyes. The guards, Celestia, and Twilight looked at Obsidia in shock and interest as she began to speak rapidly to Nexus. "I can see everything, Nexus! More than what I was able to see previously. I see time itself. The past...the present...the future. Goddesses, the future. Decades from now... green fire, massive spells, political war, famine, a wasteland waiting to capture everypony. No one will see it coming. Even if they do, they won't be able to stop it." "Abby, get a hold of yourself!" Nexus held her hooves, which still clutched at the orb, as they sat down; he was beginning to worry. Tears began forming in his own eyes. This was it. "The past had the same problem but with different armies. The sun and the moon...locked in eternal combat. The Elements saved us, the Elements will save you all again. The future, Nexus, the future." "I'll be with you in the future. You're going to be ok. We're here to help." Obsidia's mind and body began to freak out, and she sparked with unknown energy. Nexus held her face, looked into her eyes, and smiled. He felt his body absorbing some of the energy. "I told you. You're not alone. I will always be here for you." Feeling something, Obsidia put one hoof on his cheek and, while crying, smiled back. Emotions... They're back. "Nexus...I...I lo—" The energy created a massive explosion of magic, causing everyone to shield their eyes. When the blue mist from the explosion cleared, they saw that the two ponies were gone. Twilight seemed the most shocked by this. Was it really over just like that? she thought. Twilight felt her body give up as she sat on the ground. They just vanished; gone forever. Celestia walked up to and sat beside her student. She draped a wing over Twilight's shoulder. "There was nothing we could have done for either of them." "I know, but the stallion... Nexus, was it?" Celestia nodded. "Royal Nexus. A guard who was stationed in Manehattan before quitting." She looked at Twilight's saddened expression. "Twilight, I'm afraid I must ask you to tell no one what you have witnessed here. That goes for everypony." She looked at the guards then back to Twilight. "I won't say anything." "I know you planned on leaving for Ponyville soon. If you do not wish to return immediately, you may stay at the castle as long as you want. Luna and I will be here if you need to speak with us." "Thank you." Celestia stood up and ushered everypony to leave. Twilight remained in the Archives alone, looking at the soot that was left behind by the two ponies. "I hope they at least celebrated Hearth's Warming..." Ugghhh... Where...am I? Head hurts... What happened? There was an explosion. What caused it? Black... Black? Black armor in front of me. Vision clearing. What the hell are these things? Ponies in armor. Vicious... How do I know that? Technology everywhere. There's a screen behind them. Aether... Space Pony Base Gamma? Space... Space...... Moon inside the room? No...not the moon... Picture of the moon...on a flank? Luna... Luna hiding... Away from these ponies? They're not friendly. Where the buck am I?! Why is she here?! (End) Author's Note I don't know what this story was really supposed to be. I mostly made it for the emotions of the characters. It was never meant to be anything too in-depth. And for those who were wondering, yes, it is based on Lucy. I tried to only use the basic concept of the movie, not the movie itself.
Chapter 1Royal Nexus was seen as a typical Canterlot Guard; always serious, always protective, always punctual. However, all of that bored him. He wanted action, he wanted adventure. He didn't want to stand in the same spot for months on end. Sure he managed to earn the rank of Knight, but what was the point if he was still instructed to stand and wait? When he joined the Royal Guard at the age of twenty, Nexus expected excitement. At first, he received his wish. He trained along the other recruits and found himself to be a skilled combatant in sword fighting. After a little more than a year passed, he earned his title of Knight Nexus. Weeks passed before he quit. Nexus managed to leave with anyone knowing for a few days. His regiment was sent to Manehattan to be stationed there. After two days, Nexus went AWOL and left to explore Equestria on his own. He felt that nothing was being done by the Guard. Their practices were being wasted by simply sitting at a post and waiting for something to happen. On more than one occasion, Nexus asked why they couldn't go out and investigate the land; finally he was doing it himself. Nexus roamed Equestria, looking for anypony that needed his help. He aided a few ponies, but nothing was satisfying him. He was reaching an impasse in his life. After five months, he became lost. He didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted excitement...needed excitement. He couldn't go back to the Guard; he would be considered a traitor. What kind of job could he find? His cutie mark didn't tell him anything; he didn't even remember how he got it. Nexus was a white earth pony with a royal purple mane and light purple eyes. His cutie mark was a black fleur de lis with two grey swords forming an X behind it. Everyone tells him that it represents his "royalness" (he rolled his eyes just remembering that) and his combat skills. Nexus thought about many things as he walked down a dirt path leading to Ponyville. He had heard many things about this town, mostly that it seemed to be the epicenter of strange events. This little town? The center of chaos, or so they say? Nexus saw a shadow on the ground. It was a pegasus flying over him. Wait...those wings look different. Looking up, he saw what appeared to be a Lunar Guard mare flying overhead, except she didn't have her armor on. Bat ponies are really cool...and cute. Nexus smiled at that thought and trotted into town. He assumed he wouldn't find that particular mare but you never know~. Any distraction would be welcome at this point. Nexus was known to flirt with any mare that strikes his fancy; sometimes even with mares in a relationship. His advances sometimes ended with fights against angry coltfriends, but they quickly knew not to mess with a Knight. Feeling confident once again, Nexus strolled into town, head held high. That mare had to be somewhere. As he scanned the sky, he quickly noticed something in his peripheral vision. Is that...? It can't be. Nexus' eyes weren't deceiving him; he was looking at an honest-to-goodness alicorn that wasn't a princess. And the bat mare he saw flying earlier was with him! Dang it. That's another mare to check off. And she was the first bat pony I was going to flirt with. He turned around to begin walking into town, but a pony was in his way. Huh, another mare. Nexus examined her everywhere. From her black coat to her dark blue mane to her cutie mark on her nice... The mare's mark seemed to be a rock cut in half, and inside the rock was small black crystals. After examining the mare, Nexus noticed she was looking at him the same way. "Can I help you?" he asked, wanting to break the silence. Unfortunately, the mare decided that silence was worth a thousand words. "What's your name?" More silence at first. "I was hoping you would try something else besides inquiring about my name." "Like what?" "Maybe the same thing you were going to try with that bat mare." His eyes widened a bit. "What do you think I was going to do? It's not everyday you see a bat pony." She gave a small smile. "And was that not enough to flirt with her?" "I wasn't going to flirt! Besides, she's with that alicorn. Who is he anyway?" The mare returned to a neutral expression. He saw the look in her eyes again; they weren't normal. "That is not important. I see that you will not be helpful to me, so I shall take my leave." She turned her back towards him. "I can be plenty helpful. I'm roaming the country to be just that. Helpful." She looked at him again. Were her blue eyes glowing? They're so bright...and pretty. "I still do not think you are useful. It was nice meeting you, Royal Nexus." She didn't say anything else after that. As the mare walked away, Nexus stood there, mouth agape. There is no way in the goddesses' world that she could know my name! Nexus decided to follow the mare for a bit. He stalked her to the plains outside Ponyville; she was heading towards the nearby forest. The Everfree? Why do so many ponies go in there? It's like a common death wish or something. Nexus ran up to stop her, but she teleported away when he got close. He looked in all directions. "Was she a unicorn? I don't remember a horn," he muttered to himself. "No...she was definitely an earth pony. Is there someone else?" "No. Just me," the mare said from behind Nexus. He jumped away from her as a result. She still held a neutral face as she looked upon him once more. "So...you followed me." "A mare who knows my name and acts as strange as you? Why wouldn't I? You're quite the character...and magician apparently." "You would not understand the half of it." "Oh? What's a mare like you have to do in the Everfree?" "Nothing that you should get yourself into. I do not need help. Ponies would just get in my way." "Are you saying you're all-powerful? I think I remember another magician claiming she was great and powerful." "She would be a mere magician, and I would not be exaggerating. I am more powerful than you think." "Can you read minds? You seemed to be doing that to me earlier." "Yes." Nexus actually didn't expect her to answer so easily and with such confidence. Seeing Nexus' stare, the mare continued. "I can read minds, perform magic like a unicorn, and see distant memories...to name a few abilities of mine." "Miss, I highly doubt you can do any of thaaaaaat!" Nexus was lifted into the air mid-sentence. He looked down at the unflinching mare. Does she ever lose that expression?! The mare lowered Nexus to eye level and gently grabbed his head in her hooves. She closed her eyes and entered his mind. She picked a particular memory that seemed far from anypony's knowledge. "As a foal, you looked at blades and swords with great fascination," she explained. "You even learned how to hold them with your hooves instead of your mouth rather quickly. An unnatural yet strangely effective way to fight. By the age of five, you secretly practiced with blades that ranged from hidden daggers to longswords. You were too small to try anything bigger and were lucky enough to not harm yourself with blades much longer than you. "As you were practicing a technique using a steel katana, your parents discovered what you have been doing. Instead of being upset as you predicted, your parents marveled in your skills. They even asked the Guard Captain to take you under his wing, literally due to him being a pegasus. It was then and there that you became a part of the Canterlot Guard." She opened her eyes and looked into Nexus' disbelieving eyes. "How...?" he gaped. The mare perfectly explained one of his past memories that barely anypony knew! "Under strange circumstances, I have unlocked abilities that no normal pony should have. As you have just witnessed, I am not lying." She tilted her head at Nexus. "Now you are considering stopping me or hoofing me over to the Royal Guard. I doubt anypony can save or stop me. If you will excuse me, I have one thing to do before I die." "You're going to die? Is there anyway to save you?" "No. Within the next twenty four hours, my brain will most likely destroy itself." "The princesses can help you. They can transfer some of your knowledge into themselves." "No. That will kill them over time as well. I know they are princesses and should be immortal, but their bodies aren't. What I have inside me is something no other pony should live with." She put Nexus down. "I see everything," she continued. "Every heat wave, sound wave, magnetic wave. Every breath and thought of everypony. The magical energy and circulatory system in every living being. The life in the plants...in the air...underground. I can read and speak every language and decipher any code. My knowledge tells me what is where, where is who, and who is what. Nothing escapes me...nothing." Nexus found this mare to be insane. If she truly did have all of those abilities, what did she need to do? The mare touched Nexus' forehead. "If you want to see my plan, neither of us will be alive in the end. I won't kill an innocent because they are curious." "Won't you?" She gave a small smiled and turned her back to him. "I like you, which is odd considering my emotions are being faded away by my excessive knowledge. I may not like you for long." "You don't have long anyway." "True. If you wish to follow me, that is your choice." She began walking away. Nexus smiled; of course he was going to follow her.
Chapter 2Nexus followed the mare through the entrance to the Everfree Forest when he realized something. "I don't even know your name." "My name is Obsidia, but my friends used to call me Abby." "Why Abby?" "They tried to shorten my name to Obby, but it sounded weird. They asked me if Abby was a good nickname. I agreed with them, and it has been my nickname ever since." "Obsidia...I like it. So what exactly is your plan, Obsidia?" "Abby is fine. And my plan is to put my knowledge somewhere safe. Somewhere only the truly gifted can unlock." "Again, the princess may help. They won't try to take your knowledge, but they certainly wouldn't want one of their subjects to die because of it." "I know this. However, it is something only I can do." "If you say so. I'm in this for the long run." "If you say so. You do know we're most likely going to die." "That means you know exactly where we're going and how to get to it. What's the destination?" "The Canterlot Library." Nexus froze while Obsidia kept walking. They wouldn't harm us for breaking into certain parts of the library...would they? He trotted back to her side. "If we're going to Canterlot, why are we walking through the Everfree? We can easily take a train there." "I plan on using transportation. I am strolling through this dangerous forest to think, hoping my conscience will deter me from attempting my plan. So far I am having no such luck." "If I remember the tales correctly, there should be a zebra shaman near here." Obsidia nodded. "Her name is Zecora, and no I will not accept her help. She will have no remedies for me. Not even scientists could create one." "Have you tried asking them?" "Nexus, do you know what scientists do?" "Depends on the scientist. What do you think they do?" "They feed off of information. Imagine what they would do to capture the impossible knowledge flowing through my mind right now. An ever-growing knowledge that destroys the mind but increases in capacity every hour." Nexus and Obsidia didn't say anything else after that. It was obvious to Nexus that this mare was hurting. Of course she wouldn't like what's happening to her. But what caused it in the first place? If it could happen to her, it could happen to any other pony. "Abby," Nexus called after they finally exited the forest. It was nearly sundown. "Yes." "How did you acquire your abilities?" This time, Abby was the one to freeze in her tracks. She looked at him without turning her body. "Let us find somewhere to rest. Canterlot can wait until tomorrow." "Didn't you say your mind will not be able to live that long?" "It was a theory and an exaggeration. I should be fine for another day or two. Tomorrow, we will reach Canterlot by 5 o'clock if we take the first train in the afternoon." "If you say so. I'll be with you if things go south." Their conversation ended. They found the closest inn in Ponyville and rented a room for the night. Since there was only one bed, Nexus gave Obsidia the bed while he slept on the floor. Curling up in a spare blanket with eyes closed, Nexus couldn't stop thinking about the mare's predicament. She's claims to be nearing infinite knowledge. She predicts she only has a day or two to live, yet she refuses to find help. I want to trust her but...I can't let a pony die. There's no point thinking about it right now. I'll just wait till tomorrow and find one of the princesses when we're in Canterlot. The next morning, Nexus awoke to a strange feeling; something was pressed against his chin. Opening his eyes, he looked down and saw Obsidia cuddled against him. Somehow sleeping with her neutral expression, the mare held him as she slept. "Abby?" "Yes?" she whispered in reply. "What are you doing?" "Trying to feel again." "Feel what?" "Anything. A bond with somepony, love, friendship, lust. Something to help remind myself that I was once a normal pony." "You're still a normal pony in my eyes. You're just ridiculously smart." "Thank you, but I am far from normal now. An earth pony, or anypony for that matter, shouldn't be able to do what I can." She stood up and looked down at Nexus. "We should start moving. Wake yourself up and let's go." The pair left the inn and made their way to the train station. Nexus glanced at the inn's clock on the way out of the lobby; it was almost noon. The first train should be available within the next hour. After taking a seat at the station, Nexus realized that Obsidia dragged him here without letting them eat breakfast first. "We should eat before leaving," he commented. "The train arrives in about thirty-five minutes. If you can bring us food within that time frame, I will not stop you." "I'll try my best. I'll be back in time." With that said, Nexus ran into town. He quickly saw a bright-colored building that looked like it was made from candy. He immediately wanted to go in there but knew better. They didn't need sweets right now. He saw a restaurant not far from his current location and made a beeline for it. Nexus would have walked straight towards the restaurant if a pony didn't accidentally slam into him. He was knocked to the ground. Rubbing his head, Nexus looked at the pony, who was also on the ground. She was a grey mare...with bat wings. "Sorry about that," she said. "I was trying to catch up to my friends who just left." "Don't mention it," Nexus replied slowly. She's even cuter face to face. "Do I know you?" "Me? Doubt it." The mare started to sniff him. Nexus pulled his head back. "Are you a guard?" she asked. "What makes you say that?" "Your mane smells like gravel and steel. The same scent of the Guard's armor. That stuff never goes away. You also have..." She sniffed again. "...the faint smell of a mare. The ladies' colt are we?" You could say that. Wait...why didn't I say that out loud? I could easily flirt with this mare. What's stopping me? Maybe it's because of the task at hoof? "A hug from a mare can make any stallion smell like one," Nexus said. "If you'll excuse me, I have something urgent to attend to. It was nice meeting you, miss..." "You can call me Nyra. And what is your rank, sir..." "Nexus. Knight Nexus. It was nice meeting you!" He ran off as he exclaimed the last sentence. "A knight, huh? Not bad looking." Nyra looked in the direction she should have been running in. "Hmm, looks like I lost my window to follow them. Oh well." She turned towards the front door of a nearby house and entered it. Nexus returned with food just before the train arrived. He and Obsidia entered then found a cart to be alone in. Barely anypony was traveling to Canterlot at the moment. As the train made it's way through the country, the two sat next to each other as they looked out of the cart window. "So," Nexus started. "Hmm?" "How exactly did you get your powers?" "Ah yes, that. I seem to have forgotten to tell you. It is somewhat of a long story." "We have plenty of time." "Indeed we do. Very well. I grew up in a wealthy family of earth pony miners. My father and older brother mined for gems every day. They always knew where to look and who to sell them to. As they did this, my mother taught my about various kinds of jewels and minerals. "One day, my father brought home a strange sapphire. It seemed to be teeming with blue fire inside. I asked if I could hold it in my hoof to get a better look at it. As I held it, I found myself unable to look away. When my father attempted to grab it, the sapphire refused to leave my hoof; it appeared to be cemented to it. Then the gem began to burn into my hoof. My family could only watch as my red eyes changed to neon blue. I spasmed on the ground but calmed down within the minute. It was then that I stood up, walked outside, continued away from my home, and never looked back." "You weren't in control of your body," Nexus said. "Eventually, you knew what you had to do to remove this strange power so you could return to your family." Obsidia nodded. "But how did that rock do this to you?" "I do not know. All I care about is removing it. It was clearly not meant to be found by any creature." "Whoever, or whatever, buried it obviously didn't count on miners." "Apparently not. The past is the past. I am only interested in the future." Nothing was said for a few minutes until Nexus finally spoke up. "So your eyes used to be red?" Nexus asked, looking at her bright blue eyes. "That must have looked cool." "Do you want to see?" She locked eyes with him. "Do you have a picture before the incident?" "I will not need one." Obsidia's eyes shined, and her eye color changed to a brightish red. Nexus was stunned. "Wow...you look amazing like that." Obsidia's eyes widened a little; Nexus swore he saw a small blush. She felt something. "Thank you for the compliment. I suppose I could keep my eyes this way, but I do not want ponies to see my eye color as intimidating." "Is that why you kept them as blue?" Obsidia looked down. "And this is why I said you're still a normal pony. You feel a little embarrassed right now." "I never said I do not feel any emotion. I simply said that they will not be with me for long." "Well then the only thing that matters is right now~." He scooted down the seat to sit right next to her. "I would rather focus on what I have to do in Canterlot." Abby backed away and positioned herself to take a nap during the trip. Nexus sighed and continued to look out of the window. Why do I feel bad for wanting to flirt with Abby. No...her name is Obsidia. Fits her much better.
Chapter 3The train arrived in Canterlot's Train Station. There were more ponies waiting for the train than there were on it. The few ponies on the train stepped onto the platform and went about their day. Obsidia didn't even wait for Nexus when she made her way to the Canterlot Library. After Nexus caught up, the two arrived at the library within ten minutes. The interior was circular with most of the walls being lined with bookshelves. There were about eight bookshelves position symmetrically, all pointing to the center which had seats and tables for reading. The center also housed the librarian and her desk, but the pair wasn't interested in her. Abby walked straight towards the door hiding in the back reading 'Canterlot Archives.' Under that was a makeshift sign reading 'Closed until further notice.' "There was a strange attack on the Archives hundreds of years ago. Some crazy stallion convinced Princess Celestia to close the Archives to everypony but the librarian, her, and Luna." "I know, but the thing I need is in there." "Is it now?" a calm feminine voice said. Obsidia and Nexus turned around. They came face to face with Princess Celestia. She matched Obsidia's typical expression while Nexus became very nervous. "What are you two doing back here?" "May I ask you the same?" Obsidia retorted. "I am making sure no pony gets hurt by entering a dangerous room. The librarian signaled me that two ponies were investigating the back." "It's only assumed to be dangerous. I doubt whatever is in there, if there even is something inside, can hurt me. May we go in?" Abby's stare became a little more intense. Princess Celestia glanced at Nexus as she responded. "I'm afraid I cannot take that chance. Yes, it has been centuries since that day, but a trustworthy pony has begged me to keep it closed from the public. If you two are not going to check out books, I will have to ask you to leave." Nexus remained nervous (and slightly shaky) while Abby scoffed and began exiting the library. After they left and were out of sight, Nexus stopped Abby, who seemed a tad irritated. "I know how badly you wanted to get in there," he started, "but there's no point taking on the princess." "We're getting in there. I only seem annoyed because I could not force her to let us through. She must have been maintaining eye contact with you. I cannot alter someone's mind unless they focus on me. We will try later. If she is still there..." "Things will get ugly?" Obsidia didn't say another word and continued down the road. Nexus caught up with her. "Where to now?" "We find a hotel room." "Oh my, that's rather forward." "Nexus, I barely feel any emotions. Of those, lust is not one of them." "Apparently, fun isn't one either," he muttered. He then spoke aloud once again. "Oh well, I was just joking. I still like being with you though." "I appreciate that. I must advise you to not form too strong of a bond since my due date is nearly here." "Hey." He stopped her by putting a hoof on her chest. They looked into each other's eyes; Nexus looked serious, while Obsidia returned to neutral. "I'll save you, ok? If I can't do that, I won't let you die alone." "Now you're choosing to die with me? What for?" "I...I don't know. I have nothing to really live for. I abandoned the Guard, have no home, no family, no friends. I'm just a lonesome drifter looking for entertainment. That's you; you're the entertainment that is the center of my life right now." "Touching, at least I'm sure it would be if I could feel. Do not feel sad about my comment. It's not like I choose to feel barely anything." "I know." Nexus hugged her; she didn't flinch. "I'm here for you...till the very end." "Thank you, but you really shouldn't kill yourself just to be entertained by me." "There's more than one way to entertain me." He winked an eye at her. "I suppose there is, but with me, all there is to do is follow. We may have to deal with a few guards, but I can easily dispose of them without causing harm." Nexus' smile faded and he sighed. What's the point of even flirting with this girl? For a mare who's extremely smart, that stuff just goes right over her head. Shouldn't you be dead? Soon. I don't want you to die. I don't either. You don't want to die, or you don't want me to die? ... Nexus opened his eyes. The hotel room he was in reminded him of the Ponyville Inn, except this one was nicer as to be expected. He looked up and saw Abby, still asleep on the bed. Even though she barely felt anything, she was still adorable in Nexus' eyes. He thought back to the strange dream he had. What would he feel if Obsidia died? He definitely felt an attraction to her. If she gets through this, would she feel the same about him? And why was he so attached to this mare? It has only been about two days. "Good morning," Abby greeted as she rubbed her eyes. Nexus snapped away from his thoughts. "Good morning. How do you feel?" "Like I am ready to end this." Nexus moved the blinds away from the nearby window. Nighttime. They were really going to do this. Abby told him that she was going to break into the Archives when the library was closed. He knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Celestia knew their plan; she was going to take precautions. "Are you ready, Nexus?" "I guess so." He looked into her eyes. Warn her, warn her. Why can't I freakin' warn her?! Abby walked out of the hotel room; Nexus followed right behind her. It took them only a few minutes to reach Canterlot Library again. Walking up to the front door, Abby put her hoof on it and quickly unlocked it. Nexus was surprised but knew better than to ask how. Stepping inside, Abby made her way towards the back while Nexus scanned everywhere. Wait...if Abby is extremely smart and has amazing abilities, she should be able to detect any other ponies, even if they were camouflaged. "Do you think there's anyone in here?" Nexus whispered. "I cannot hear anything. There's the door." She trotted to it and repeated the process of unlocking it. They found a staircase that spiraled down and around the main room. At the bottom was another door that led to a circular room underneath the library. The Archives. It had two floors and was the same size as upstairs, except the shelves were arranged different. The walls were still lined with them, but two rows of shelves curved with the room as they circled the center. At the center were railings and a makeshift wooden flooring. Nexus approached it. "So down there is where something attacked the Archives? And they housed in inside instead of removing it?!" "That happened centuries ago. We have to go down there anyway." "I'm not going down there unless you tell me what we're looking for." "Three orbs were created as an experiment to house anypony's magic as long as they could project it into said orb. One was already sent away; one might be at the castle, or both are down below. It took two princesses to create them, so it wouldn't be impossible for me to inject one with all of my powers. It will most likely kill me in the process." "Then I'm not letting you do it." "You don't have a say in the matter." Abby broke the wood flooring, levitated the pieces to the ceiling, and glued them there. She then jumped down into the dank, dim floor. Nexus looked at her from the top floor. She looked around the darkness for the orbs but didn't seem to find anything. Suddenly, a bright ball of light spawned at the top of the Archives, blinding Nexus and causing Abby to hide. "Halt! By order of the Royal Guard!" Nexus cursed to himself and laid on the ground. The ball of light dimmed and revealed four guards and Princess Celestia. She looked mildly disappointed. It was hard for Nexus to tell; the princess always had a poker face. "Where is she?" the alicorn asked. Nexus refused to answer. The princess looked towards the bottom floor. "Two of you investigate downstairs. We will stay here." Two guards nodded and jumped down there. Not a minute went by before an explosion shook the Archives. The four ponies on the upper floor ran to the railing and looked down. There was something glowing downstairs. Celestia teleported all four of them down one floor to investigate the light. They saw Obsidia sitting against the wall, holding a light blue orb as she stared at it with wide eyes. An open black box sat next to the mare. The orb pulsated with blue light as it absorbed Obsidia's powers. Princess Celestia took a step towards the mare. "Please give me the orb. I know what will happen to you if you use it completely." "In either scenario," Obsidia started with slightly more panic in her voice, "I will die. Either I store my powers in this orb for the worthy to collect then I die, or I choose to not store it and still die." "Obsidia," Nexus said. "There has to be something we can do to help you." "If she wants to use it, let her," a new voice said. Only Nexus turned to see that it was Twilight Sparkle. "Miss Sparkle, Celestia's Favored Foal," he recited formally. "I hate it when ponies say that. Anyway, I'm afraid that there isn't any other way. From what Princess Celestia says, and from what we heard from you two, she is doomed to die. It hurts to admit it but—" "NO!" Nexus shouted. "I won't let her die!" "Nexus..." Obsidia said softly. He turned towards her, who was now in front of him. "It's ok." Those two words broke his heart. He felt tears wanting to form. "I cannot be saved. Do not perish for me. You need to live." "So do you. You were dealt a bad hoof of cards; you shouldn't die because of that." She put a hoof on his cheek. "You should go. These ponies will make sure everything happens according to plan." "I will never leave you." "And I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that, but there is nothing anypony can do for me." He saw her eye twitch. "I'm staying...and I'm perishing with you." "You can't!" Twilight exclaimed. "Her death is unavoidable! You shouldn't kill yourself to be with her! I already know a pony that wishes he could have died in place of a mare." Another eye twitch from Abby. "I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle, but I need to do this...for her. I have nothing else left. Obsidia, I..." He trailed off when he looked back at her. She was clutching her head with panicking eyes yet with a smile. Obsidia snapped her head up at Nexus as tears formed in her eyes. The guards, Celestia, and Twilight looked at Obsidia in shock and interest as she began to speak rapidly to Nexus. "I can see everything, Nexus! More than what I was able to see previously. I see time itself. The past...the present...the future. Goddesses, the future. Decades from now... green fire, massive spells, political war, famine, a wasteland waiting to capture everypony. No one will see it coming. Even if they do, they won't be able to stop it." "Abby, get a hold of yourself!" Nexus held her hooves, which still clutched at the orb, as they sat down; he was beginning to worry. Tears began forming in his own eyes. This was it. "The past had the same problem but with different armies. The sun and the moon...locked in eternal combat. The Elements saved us, the Elements will save you all again. The future, Nexus, the future." "I'll be with you in the future. You're going to be ok. We're here to help." Obsidia's mind and body began to freak out, and she sparked with unknown energy. Nexus held her face, looked into her eyes, and smiled. He felt his body absorbing some of the energy. "I told you. You're not alone. I will always be here for you." Feeling something, Obsidia put one hoof on his cheek and, while crying, smiled back. Emotions... They're back. "Nexus...I...I lo—" The energy created a massive explosion of magic, causing everyone to shield their eyes. When the blue mist from the explosion cleared, they saw that the two ponies were gone. Twilight seemed the most shocked by this. Was it really over just like that? she thought. Twilight felt her body give up as she sat on the ground. They just vanished; gone forever. Celestia walked up to and sat beside her student. She draped a wing over Twilight's shoulder. "There was nothing we could have done for either of them." "I know, but the stallion... Nexus, was it?" Celestia nodded. "Royal Nexus. A guard who was stationed in Manehattan before quitting." She looked at Twilight's saddened expression. "Twilight, I'm afraid I must ask you to tell no one what you have witnessed here. That goes for everypony." She looked at the guards then back to Twilight. "I won't say anything." "I know you planned on leaving for Ponyville soon. If you do not wish to return immediately, you may stay at the castle as long as you want. Luna and I will be here if you need to speak with us." "Thank you." Celestia stood up and ushered everypony to leave. Twilight remained in the Archives alone, looking at the soot that was left behind by the two ponies. "I hope they at least celebrated Hearth's Warming..." Ugghhh... Where...am I? Head hurts... What happened? There was an explosion. What caused it? Black... Black? Black armor in front of me. Vision clearing. What the hell are these things? Ponies in armor. Vicious... How do I know that? Technology everywhere. There's a screen behind them. Aether... Space Pony Base Gamma? Space... Space...... Moon inside the room? No...not the moon... Picture of the moon...on a flank? Luna... Luna hiding... Away from these ponies? They're not friendly. Where the buck am I?! Why is she here?! (End) Author's Note I don't know what this story was really supposed to be. I mostly made it for the emotions of the characters. It was never meant to be anything too in-depth. And for those who were wondering, yes, it is based on Lucy. I tried to only use the basic concept of the movie, not the movie itself.
