A Journey Across

Book 3 - Burning Hope

Chapter 1 - Growing Hope

Deep below Canterlot

The computer prepared for the secondary signal. The timeframe was almost there and the cryogenic chamber had to be prepared. It send out a command, requesting all data on the cardrange 42 for transfer to tape. The according tape spun up, awaiting data.

Failure. Cards 42-A to 42-Z not available.

The command was send again.

Failure. Cards 42-A to 42-Z not available.

The computer tried one last time. The command was accompanied by an request for additional failure information.

Failure. Card 42-A to 42-Z not available.

Extended Report: Failure mostly harmless

If the computer had any feelings, it would panic. Vital informations were missing. The responsible components did not work correctly and returned wrong faul reports. The subject could not be awoken. The primary mission could not proceed. All informations were kept on printcards. 26 in total. All missing.

The computer requested for fallback instructions and reported the error to paper over the line printer.

Failure. Fallback instructions not available.

It had no other choice. The Emergency Protocol was activated. The line printer wasted meters of paper as the various programs were tested and activated.

Sirens blared as the cave system was quickly pressurized. A pink magic shield errected in the back, protecting the peripherals from the rocket engines exhaust. If necessary the computer would execute the main program earlier and then proceed with the secondary mission. It needed somepony that would be able to operate the cryogenic chamber.

Two secret passages opened under the ashes of canterlot. Nopony noticed the clouds of dust rising above the charred ground. A faint red light emitted from both passages, indicating that the rooms behind them were still radiated or did not contain enough oxygen for ponies to breathe.

The big ventilation system had been standing still for centuries. Now the fans turned again, pumping fresh air from the outside inside. The smell of ash and burnt flesh had been filtered out. Magical systems activated, removing the radiation slowly from the ground and air.

A clock started ticking down. It was an old-fashioned digital clock. The digits were printed on black cards seperated in the middle, which fell over to reveal the next digit. Each second a tick, sounding loud and unsettling in the great halls and caves of the system. Above it, a few white words where imprinted on black stone. They read 'Time left until Emergency Procedure:'.

The clock ticked.

30:00:00:00

29:23:59:59

29:23:59:58

7 days since Canterlot's fall / T-29:23:57:20

Anyone in the room stared at Applejack. She let out a deep sigh. Order had told her that they might not trust her.

"I know you can't really trust me. Order might explain it better," she spoke.

For a second it looked like she slept in, her whole body slowly inching forwards, about to fall over, and her eyes closed. Suddenly she jerked up again. Her pupils weren't green anymore, instead they were bright white, still contrasting to the rest of her eyes for some reason.

When she spoke again her voice had changed. It didn't sound anything like the apple farmer before. Her voice was like pillows, soft and warm, "Hello. I know you are still shocked by this. Ask me any question you want."

"What are you?" asked the doctor.

"I'm the sibling of Entropy. I prefer sister, but I don't really have any gender. I'm the god of order and peace, as my name suggests," she answered calmly, "We met before doctor. Don't you remember?"

"What does she mean?" demanded Rose.

"When I regenerated, she gave me a choice to either try a normal regeneration and die or be a pony and live," he answered.

"There are more pressing matters. Entropy is getting himself and anyone ready for the final war. He prepared armies in so many universes and he is about to do the same here. He will never stop attempting to end everything," Order interrupted.

"What will happen exactly if he wins?" asked Twilight.

"The heat death of all universes. All energy sucked out to feed his warmachine and himself. Normally it would have taken him billions of years to accomplish this but when he saw what the race of your Kerbal-friend here did, he changed a few rules. He made the explosion bigger and pumped the energy into himself. Before he was like a sleepwalker, now he is fully capable of destroying everything in his way, as you saw."

"There must be a way to stop him," claimed the doctor, "every villain can be stopped."

Order sighed, "sadly, no. My brother will win at the end. But we can slow him down, throw him back in the state he was before and keep him sleeping a little while longer."

"I assume you already pushed us in that direction, am I right? My ship," muttered Jebediah and stood up, "We didn't repair it for no reason."

"That is indeed correct. I implanted that idea in the doctor's head. You need to fully restore the ship. However, you initial plan would not work. The explosion would never be big enough. You need to fly the ship back, directly in the eye of the storm..."

"...my universe", interrupted Jeb.

"Again, this is correct. The pilot must navigate into his universe and detonate the ship. The changed laws of physics should enlarge the explosion enough to let the universe dissipate. After that the hole in existence will fix itself and stabilize the multiverses," Order said, "I'm afraid that I have to leave now. Good luck to you all."

With that Applejack's body went limp for a second before her eyes opened again, this time in their normal green color. "Can you trust me now?" she asked.