Guardians

Chapters

Chapter 1: Reset
Chapter 2: The First Dream
Chapter 3: And So it Begins
Chapter 4: The Wake-Up Call
Chapter 5: Angel
Prologue

Chapter 1: Reset

I rubbed my eyes. I hadn't intended for this flight project to take so long. The cursed thing was due in a week, and I was still stuck on the basic maneuvers! I was expected to have one trick for complex inertia, two for wind shaping, and at least four towards streamlining, along with a wind catch for extra credit. Which, thanks to my "C-" in math, I desperately needed.

I had sat there, in my closet-sized Study Hollow, wracking my brain for half an hour. All I had was a jettison takeoff, jump fall, loop de loop with a halfway-point stop (inertia from the fall would finish it off; I was glad I had that taken care of), and a long dive before an abrupt catch, which I would use to coast back up for a momentum display. Hopefully it would earn me extra points.

I twirled my pencil in my magic, letting it diagram my thoughts. Maybe if I added a flip, or braked after the last rise...

I was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," I said. Trinity Star flung the poor door open, annoyed. Her cringe widened when she saw the Study Hollow's bare wooden walls. "Ugh, you're still using this pantry of an office?" I nodded, discounting the remark. I happened to like its, um, coziness.

"You're coming out soon, right?" She asked. "Mom wants you to help with dinner. She said I wasn't old enough for specially treated fruit. Not sure what she means, but it probably has something to do with that 'erisberry' stuff."

I laughed a little bit. Of course Mom wanted me to handle spelled fruit. "Yeah, I'll be out in a second." Then I noticed my sister's signature pout. "No, you can't help. You remember what happened last time, right?"

She looked confused for a moment, then remembered the dinner she'd spent as a pig. "Hehe. I forgot about that. Okay, but you have to teach me soon," she huffed. "Mom's not a witch, and she does it just fine.

She trotted out of the Study Hollow before I registered the insult. I grimaced. Somepony would have to teach her manners soon.

I released the pencil and stood, stretching my sore legs. Once I was satisfied, I reluctantly stepped out into the light of the hallway. A strange aroma of cookies, apples and spectrum oil identified Summer Sky's cooking.

I chuckled, remembering the first time a friend of mine came to dinner unannounced. I'd had to explain how to smell the minute differences between raw chemical aether and rainbow juice. It was probably the first time I'd felt like a competent chef, too.

My mother called me to the cutting board while pushing a pan of multicolored, yet-to-be-baked cupcakes to the side. I rolled my eyes. She was testing another experimental recipe, which would likely end in an explosion. I had to hand it to her, though; all the ones that didn't blow up were neighborhood-famous a week after theorization.

As always, she threw me into work the moment my hooves were washed. "Windleaf. Dice. Now," she designated as she blitzed around the enormous pantry.

I quickly magic-gripped a knife and diced the vegetable. I eyed the chunks, noting that it would be more decorative to leave them in rings (and according to any textbook on culinary arts I'd ever read, safer too). I waved the thought away; "Chef Summer" was pretty well known locally, and she happened to know her way around a bakery too. It would make sense that she could mesh the two together and find little bonuses.

After a moment, she flew out of the pantry with a bag of most likely precariously-chosen ingredients. When she noticed my knife work, she grinned and swept the windleaf squares onto a hot skillet. Surprisingly, they didn't let off any sparks. Dangerous ones, anyway.

She dumped the bag unceremoniously on the counter, picking through the semi-edible mess. After a moment, she pulled out a vial of her best vanilla extract. She set it aside for later use. She had a bottle just like it as a cutie mark, nearly hidden beneath a tattered apron.

My mother smiled. "It's going to work this time. You just wait!"

She nitpicked the pile for a few extra minutes, giving the windleaf time to simmer. By the time it was ready for use, Summer Skies had already chosen two boxes of etherberries, erisberries, aquava, a bar of high quality chocolate, and another vial of something I couldn't identify. The grin on her face reminded me of a mad scientist.

I was immediately given an order to slice the fruit into wedges, which was even more dangerous than cubes. I went to work, eyeing the berries suspiciously. Once I finished that, my mother let me leave and work on my project. The entire time, I was vaguely aware of clattering pans and a sizzling sound.

After two hours and minimal progress, she finally called everypony into the dining room. Me, my sister, and my mother ate quickly, anxious to try the new, apparently nonexplosive dessert.

Eventually, the cook, pulled a tray of ornate cupcakes out. The berry wedges and windleaf cubes had been arranged on top to look like precious ore. I was sure I'd seen the crystal pattern before, but I couldn't quite remember where. I ignored the thought, levitating a confection to my mouth.

I bit down. Most of the time, cupcakes didn't quite taste fresh. While you could use the word to describe being just-baked, it was more... Ocean-y than usual. Why were these so familiar...?

My mother smiled weakly. "I'm glad you like them. You know, I'm going to serve them at the memorial dinner, too."

I finally recognized the decoration's shape, a mineral. Hydrostone.

Years ago, when Trinity was still a foal, my father had been working in a hydrostone mine. Everypony knew he was great at it; even his cutie mark was a shield made of the stuff. We also knew he died doing what he loved, or at least something close.

My unicorn father had been working when a concentrated chunk was split, creating a huge explosion. He'd held the corrupted magic back for hours, but it wore away at the walls he built in seconds. Eventually, he couldn't keep up. A few days later, they found him and brought him to the hospital, but couldn't get there fast enough. The burning aether had already reached his lungs.

Anypony could've saved him. They could've carried him, or doubled up the spell...

Suddenly the cupcake tasted bitter. The memorial dinner... It had felt so distant before, but now... I pushed the confection away, cringing. Summer Skies frowned. "I know, Melody. I know." I felt tears welling up.

No, I thought. Not here, with the others watching.

I asked to be excused, and my mother nodded solemnly. Trinity just sat there, oblivious to the whole ordeal. She hadn't really known Dad.

I skulked to my room. I couldn't do this. Not now. Maybe not ever.

I flopped onto my bed, magically locking the door. I was alone, and I wasn't going to hurt anyone. I let the reality of the situation in, processing it, remembering. My eyes burned with tears, and I had no reason to hide them.

It had been a while since I'd cried. Despite the horrible sadness, it at least helped to let myself feel for the first time in weeks.

After Dad died, I'd been sent to three psychologists. One had suggested antidepressants after I started ignoring him, but they didn't work. So there were two more: A nosy one that, while progressive, made me hate shrinks, and another that let me play with the toys in her office, as long as she could watch and ask questions. Both had said I was locking myself away, and I needed to let my emotions out.

Maybe someday, I would be able to listen to them around other ponies. But for now, I would protect Trinity. It was better if she thought I was just angry. If she saw me cry, she would think she was missing something. Which, luckily, she was.

So I cried in the dark, all alone in my room. Nopony could hear me, as I'd soundproofed my room. Despite all the precautions, I buried my head a pillow - one extra measure. I knew the others would let me have a while alone. Besides, it wasn't the first time, and Summer would keep my sister out until I was ready.

Or at least, I thought she would, until she came in and bothered me. If only the lock were on the inside, I thought. "Mind if I sit?" I nodded slightly, but I really wished she could just leave me...

She sat down next to me, but allowed some space. She didn't say anything, but I knew she would start something eventually. I tried to say something, but every time I spoke I started crying again.

After the fifth failed response, I finally just collapsed. My mother stroked my mane, trying to help me calm down, but it didn't help. I finally got fed up with it and swatted her hoof away. I knew it was cruel, but for some reason I didn't feel guilty. Like always.

I couldn't tell when she gave up. A few minutes later, my mother pulled her hoof back. She walked away silently, locking the door. She knew I could get out on my own.

For the next hour, I replayed the incident in my head, over and over again. I found some new way to hate myself every time.

✴

The crowd of hundreds cheered as the starlet spiraled offstage. They requested an encore, the third one in a row. They waved glittering posters and batons with an almost impossible zeal. Impossible, of course, for anypony but Symphonic.

Nevertheless, she was absolutely worn out. She finished her pirouettes, leaped out of sight, and struggled getting back to her hooves. Her wild fans would just have to wait.

The young unicorn let her guards escort the way to her dressing room. Three makeup artists waited inside, who quickly dabbed the old cosmetics off. When they were sure it wouldn't smear, she shooed the professionals away. She pulled off her mask. The glorified thing stuck on her poofy, chocolate-and-strawberry colored mane a few times, but no more than expected.

The pony underneath sighed, relishing in the cool air. In all reality, she was a small town filly named Peachy Pie, or Twinkie to her friends. But the longer she could keep the paparazzi away, the better. Besides, she really liked having an alter ego.

She quickly slid out of her bright jumpsuit and threw on a party dress and masquerade ball visor. She only had a few moments to change before the entire cast was called out to give autographs. She dashed outside, forgetting to cover her microphone cutie mark.

A long line of ponies wound across the venue. Every one of them was holding something for her to sign, whether the item was a T-shirt, poster, letter, or book. The entire lot of them shrieked when Peachy Pie, or rather Symphonic, appeared.

She panicked for a moment, but quickly affirmed her wits and cast a vocal amplifying spell. "Alright, everypony, my team and I only have a little while before we pack up. So foals first!"

A surprisingly large portion of the line split away, grumbling. Wow, the unicorn thought. I've got quite the fan base, don't I!

She didn't let it go to her head, though. She picked up a dozen pens in her magic grip, scribbling notes on every souvenir offered. She smiled at everypony who passed, but kept herself focused.

She didn't have time to notice ponies very much. So of course she didn't see the golden-coated stallion who recognized her cutie mark.

Chapter 2: The First Dream

The world spun around Violet, so dizzying she couldn't even stand. It took all her effort to avoid sliding down into the surrounding pit.

Tongues of flame leapt up at the unicorn filly, forcing her into the center of the platform. She couldn't stay long, though; the boulder above was about collapse. She had to think her way out, and fast.

Scenarios ran through her mind, but none of the non-magical options were anywhere close to safe. Even if she activated a spell, the nausea would make it impossible to guide.

But it was better than nothing.

Violet lit her horn, channeling her magic. She began with simple levitation, lifting herself from the platform. It remained stable for about three seconds, enough to lower her guard. Then, it whipped her around the edge of the "sight zone", as she called it, and nearly plunged herself into the pit.

Panicked, Violet swung herself out of the grip and towards the precarious boulder. She landed with a thud, shaking her temporary position. She took a few moments to catch her breath, then steeled herself for another dangerous spell.

The iris unicorn clambered to her hooves, then hopelessly lifted the boulder below. If she dropped it or lost control, it would have no stationary position to rest in.

She struggled to keep it in check, but practice and its sheer mass helped her stay steady. She pulled herself and the hunk of rock up through the shaft of light that supplied the sight zone. Every foot of distance induced a fit of nausea, but she stayed on track.

She reached top of the shaft, but there wasn't an opening, just a dark ceiling. She tore chunks of rock from her carrier and bashed them against the expanse above, but nothing happened. She couldn't even phase through; it was too thick.

Violet gave up on the ceiling. She'd had this dream a lot lately, and even though she didn't know what was outside the sight zone, she wasn't about to find out. Which meant the only way out was down.

She tried to push the boulder back down, but it wouldn't move. Despite her best judgment, she reluctantly shuffled to the edge and peered over.

The platform had come up with her. To make things worse, so did the fire. She pulled her muzzle away just as a spout of flame shot up at her.

She was trapped. Really, utterly trapped. And she was running out of time.

✴

I replayed a thought message in my head. It was an apology to my mother for the outburst the day before. After a few modifications, I reluctantly blinked it on its way.

I came to an intersection and glanced around. Most ponies could sense thought messages, but for the most part only unicorns could actually transmit them. I'd only gotten these powers recently from the Tree, and I didn't want to show off before I came to terms with them.

Suddenly, an emergency call echoed through my head. Most of the other ponies nearby looked liked they'd heard it, too. A few unicorns lit their horns and tried to trace it, but nopony seemed to have much luck. I doupted I would be much help, even if I were alone.

Then I noticed two unicorns in the center of the crowd, glancing around with their horns lit. They weren't caught in the same spell as the others, though; their magic halos wrapped everypony else's up, skipping over the few semi-calm ones. One of them was pink with a straight blue and gold mane and tail, round and firm. The other was tall, had a lime green coat and fiery locks that curled and bobbed around her face.

They exchanged a look and activated the spell. The messages were gone, nothing but an odd memory. It was over in an instant, and the intersection was calm again, if not confused. Ponies shook the incident away and continued down whatever road they were taking, worried looks on their faces. The two unicorns nodded, turning to leave. I caught up just in time.

I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry, but, who are you?" I asked nervously. They seemed perfectly normal, but that spell was part of a whole other level of magic, one that I might never be able to perform.

The silver made turned and smiled. "I'm Lilac, and this is Ember," she said, waving at her companion. "No need to thank us, it's all part of the job."

I was about ask about "the job", but Ember shot the pink girl a warning look and cut me off. "Apologies for my friend. She's a bit... forgetful sometimes." Lilac shrunk a little. "We were just passing through, but we couldn't just leave a frightened child. It's not honorable! I trust you understand."

I blinked, confused. I decided to leave her odd speech alone. "Yeah, but what child? The whole transmission was just a jumble of emotions, wasn't it?" I was starting to dislike this mare.

Ember went wide-eyed. "What in heavens do you... Oh." Her frown deepened. "I thought you were a Caster. Thank the stars! I apologize again. You just seemed so in-tune. Forgive me. Anyway, the message signature was-"

Now I was even more confused. "What's a Caster?" I asked.

The fiery pony looked at me in disbelief. "Why, an unnatural magic user, of course! How could you not know those vile witches?!" I jumped slightly at the change of attitude.

"What? I'm not- I mean, I am, but..." I stammered. Ember scoffed. "You only state proof," she replied venomously.

I bit my tongue. "Fine. Just where did the distress call go?"

Ember sneered. "Find out on your own, witch." She turned and walked away.

Until that moment, I'd almost forgotten Lilac. The colorful unicorn sighed. "I'm sorry about my sister. She doesn't really have a sense of empathy. But she's a good pony, once you impress her. I think." She handed my a business card that had seemingly appeared from nowhere. "The messages were sent to ponies who could help and/or translate it, although we're kind of limited within our own operatives. It was too widespread for me and Ember, since we don't have any tech with us. But it'll be fine! And I really, really am sorry about her."

I read the card. It was written in fancy ink lettering, which said "Temporal Task Force, helping those in need since 943 G(alixian) D(ynasty)." When I looked up, both unicorns were gone.

✴

Domino pummeled the dummy. The poor makeshift thing buckled several times, and split seams made it look like an old stuffed toy.

Her trainer smiled weakly. While the duchess may be able to take down a pony with such mindless offense, it would be useless against another dragon. Still, she was a fine disciple, a half-breed no less.

The royal brawler jumped from the dummy and inspected her bruised hooves and popped claws. She winced as she snapped them back into place, hiding them from her trainer. If he knew, she would never be able to continue playing Rush. He would be fired first.

As she inspected the wounds, a message pinged through her head. It was sent directly to her receptionist, where she could review it later. If it was urgent, they could just pass it to some other response team.

Once her hooves were ready for practice, she returned to her typical flurry against the beat-up figurine.

✴

The Temporal Task Force was buzzing with activity. Calls from every end of the galactic sector rang on ancient telephones, and creatures of all shapes and sizes dashed through office doors with unsteady parcels and documents.

The transmission wove through the air, startling several employees and throwing bundles of paper into the air. It finally settled on a tired, pail lady. The Gomungan had six dull eyes, which brightened at receiving an assignment. She stretched her graceful limbs as she stood, hitting a small red button on her phone.

"Arosa, you are needed in my office at once." She trilled, nearly forgetting a celebration. "Oh, and bring bagels!" She removed her finger.

Moments later, her smiling office manager glided in. He lit down on the back of a recliner, a box of confections in his two paddle-shaped hands. "I figured you might like donuts instead," he explained cheerily. He admired his mentor greatly, but had decided long ago to wait. This job required utmost focus. "So what's the occasion, Mrs. Nueshkuz?"

She smiled back. "For one thing, call me Kizuana," she replied, "and for the second, we have an assignment. You'll never guess!" She laughed, plucking a donut from the box. The office manager was glad to have achieved a first-name relationship, even though it didn't work on his end; Only the most noble Aegoshans had surnames.

Arosa slid into a chair. "An invasion on Kasaroy?" He questioned, preening his enormous wings. Kizuana shook her head. "The Faiem star system needs refueling?" She dissapointed him again.

He tilted his head curiously. "War on Equus?" He chirped.

His boss pondered the correlation. "I suppose. Not quite so substantial, though."

Arosa smiled. "Oh, just tell me then!"

"A dreaming pony just saw the future."

"Should I ready the Divide?"

"Definitely."

✴

Violet struggled against her fatigue, ready to faint as she withheld the spell. She didn't have long, though; Her grip on her own dreamscape faltered, and the flame had risen around her boulder. Every few seconds another burst spat up the side, chasing her around the surface. She didn't want to find out what would happen if she let go.

She was weighing the idea for the third time when a gap opened in the ceiling. Violet looked up to see a smooth, paddle-shaped appendage. As strange as it was, it was her only way out.

She reached up, levitated her back legs, and dropped the boulder down the shaft, or whatever remained of it. The appendage sculpted itself around her hoof, and tiny pinpricks bit into the skin. The rest of her was left dangling above the flames.

She was cautiously pulled out of the gap, through an impossibly long tube of glass. The sunlight above was blinding, and there wasn't any cover nearby other than a few spindly petrified trees. The ground, as far as she could tell, was all stone and sand, scorched and bleached by the sun.

Her leg ached as her rescuer brought her out of the shaft. It was full-on, blazing pain in a few minutes by the time she reached her destination: A mass of churning iron, seemingly hollow on the inside. She winced as she was dragged back into darkness.

Violet looked up to thank whoever it was for helping her, but her words caught in her throat when she saw them.

The one who had carried her up was completely covered in feathers, but they were much softer than any bird or griffon's she'd ever met. It had eight limbs, if you included its golden wings, which were each a few times longer than his chubby, rose-colored body. The other four were strong, taloned feet on virtually nonexistent legs and the same paddles that had carried her up. Its face protruded at the top and bottom, and was fringed with blue.

The other, who had to be at least seven feet tall, slithered on a long, steady tail. It had two elegant legs hanging at its sides, each with a minotaur-like hand on the end. Its six precise eyes were welcoming, if a bit apprehensive. Despite having no wings like its companion, it had a flexible beak, which curled up slightly. It took Violet a moment to realize the creature was smiling.

She sat there for a long moment, trying to process the situation logically. The creatures gave her space, but were clearly on a schedule. Violet shook her head, annoyed at her completely rational stupor. These people, whatever they were, had saved her. She ought to thank them.

She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "Um, thank you both," she said in a quivering voice. "But, uh, who are you?"

The winged one smiled gratefully. "Good to see you're adapting so well! Most of your kind take a little while, y'know. So used to the same thing as always. Nice life you all have got." Then it realized it was rambling.

"Gah, sorry about that! I'm Arosa Dianan. I'm usually just an office manager, but sometimes I get to go on missions like this. I'll let my boss explain; she's much better with words," he chattered.

The tall lady smiled warmly. "Thank you, Arosa. Now, filly, this is only partly a dream. It exists in the psychological plane, but is real enough to travel into and have factual influence on reality. You might not remember when you wake, but try not to forget us. We'll cross paths again, my friend." She knealt down and helped Violet to her feet. "My name is Kizuana Nueshkuz-Urash. Me and my associate work with an organization called the Temporal Task Force, and it is our job to preserve this world. It would be an honor to have you as a colleague one day, if you see it fit."

Violet had started to like these people. "Uh, okay. But can you help me wake up?"

Kizuana frowned. "Actually, you're already on your way."

The world tipped dangerously, pouring its inhabitants back into reality.

The unicorn filly screamed, but retained the dream. She caught herself and cast a spell to insure her prolonged memory of the dreamscape. Then Violet opened her dream journal, scribbled down the events of the entire night, and let the encounter trickle away.

Chapter 3: And So it Begins

After meeting Violet, Kizuana hated her job. She'd never expected a filly like that to be part of her charge. Usually, the Temporal Task Force left the potentially emotional missions to the denizens of the planet. Once in a while, though, they were hit with something unplanned.

She shook her head, dismissing her resent. "Arosa, fire up the engines. We're not done yet."

Her feathered companion looked up innocently, forgetting their next destination. "Where to, ma'am?"

"The edge of the Everfree. One of them is having a panic attack. Due to lack of sleep, probably." She smiled briefly, admiring Arosa's ability to remain positive. He was, as the saying went, a "live-and-let-live" kind of person. He really wasn't cut out for this kind of work, but he did his best.

He stretched his nimble claws and typed in the coordinates. The clacking of the touchscreen made Kizuana flinch, but by now she was accustomed to it. The great blob of fluctuating metal around them stopped, then pulled its edges into a streamlined shape. The Divide shot out of Violet's prophetic dreamscape and back into the Void.

✴

I quietly gathered my school equipment, letting the other students leave first. It was the end of the day, and I doubted today would be any different than every other. Still, I had a job to do at home. It might help me take my mind off things.

I was about to leave when the teacher, Ms. Page, stopped me. "Melody, I'm sorry, but I would like to have a word with you. In my office, please." The sand colored mare directed me to a door next to the blackboard, thoroughly derailing my plans for the afternoon. If I had any, that is.

The office was about half the size of the classroom itself, with brick walls and hardwood floor that made me seriously question cloud architecture's limits. There was mirror next to what looked like a supply closet, and three walls were lined with tall, metal bookcases. There were several photos near her desk, most of which were slightly altered for color and light. For example, her mane in the college graduation photo was a slightly more eye-catching auburn than her actual chestnut. A worn green rug had been laid under the desk.

The older pegasus rifled through a stack of paper, finally pulling out a very familiar paper. "As you can see, I have here your flight project. Thank you for turning it in so early, but... Well, the maneuvers are a little, um, risky. Maybe you should hand this in later?"

I frowned. I knew it was a tricky set, but I'd spent the entire night working on it. Besides, I wanted my performance grade early so it would have less of a bias. If I really got in trouble, I could just teleport out. There would be a lot of explanations, but I just wanted this to be over with. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm sure I'll be fine."

She smiled uneasily. "I know you're a good flyer, Melody, but I don't think it's your forte. After all, you're still searching."

She waved a hoof at my flank, which was still without a mark.

I shifted myself so my sides were hidden. Most ponies, especially those with Gifts, already had their cutie marks. Nobody picked on me yet; that was a thing of the past. But it was coming soon. And, as bad as that was, I might lose control of my magic if I tried to retaliate.

The teacher put her hoof back down, frowning. "I'm sorry, but it would much safer if you revised your project. I know you tried, but effort isn't always enough. Time must be taken into consideration. I'm not going to let one of my students crash for one of my assignments. Polish the edges tonight, and maybe I will grade it tomorrow."

I took a deep breath, then took the paper. I chewed my lip to keep myself from getting angry. I knew she was just being careful, but now I had to go back through and analyze the entire thing!

She escorted me back to the hall. At that point, I was just about ready to kick something. She was treating me like a little kid!

Then I caught my reflection in a window. My red and pink mane had been curled this morning, and I still didn't know how to care for my wings properly. They were silky and long, but nopony could fly well on them. I had the look of a filly throwing a temper tantrum.

Worst of all was the fact I didn't have a cutie mark, while everypony else had discovered themselves years ago. Maybe I was a little kid.

I scowled at the reflection, earning a strange look from Ms. Page. She smiled knowingly. "Melody, I understand. I was blank for three years after my younger siblings. But look at me now! I'm a flight instructor with a perfectly happy, normal life. In fact, I honestly think not having a mark so long. I was able to try a lot of things, while everypony else was, how to say this, stuck. Why, I bet you'll get a Gift from the Great Tree, too, if you haven't already!"

That cheered me up a little. I wasn't about to tell her the accuracy of that statement.

She nodded. "You see? It's perfectly normal."

I smiled as she ducked back into her office for her saddlebags. Still, something about that just seemed wrong. Then it hit me. What if I didn't have a talent? What if I never got my cutie mark?

What if I was just normal?

✴

Eris stretched across the old couch, nestling into the pillows. Today was her day off from patrolling the Border of Everfree, and she wasn't going to let anypony wake her up.

She was just about to fall asleep when the roar of machinery knocked her back to the Land of the Living. The half-breed swore under her breath, then rose to find out who in Equestria dared to wake a draconequus.

She stalked through her house first, since the sound was close. She checked the kitchen and lounge, deciding to leave the closets be, and proceeded upstairs to her sisters' rooms. Carol didn't like loud noises, and Mayday... Well, her door was locked. But Eris knew the sound was coming from in there.

She pondered for a second, trying to find a polite way to bust down the door. Then she remembered she could just snap herself through.

There was a brief moment of weightlessness, and then she was in Mayday's room. Oddly enough, there wasn't any technology in here that could be making the noise. Stranger still was the perfectly blank expression on her sister's face.

She frowned. "Hey. So, um, you know what that sound is? It's really messing with my sleep schedule." The golden alicorn in front of her shook her head passively, bent over a desk.

Eris knew there was something wrong. She also knew it was easier to eavesdrop. Decency? Nah. It was way too early to be acceptable.

She snapped through again, then dropped on all fours and pressed her ear to the door. It took a few moments for Mayday to register her absence.

"There!" The defensive girl shouted. "I'm alone. Now what, you... Um..."

Then another voice, one she'd never heard before, piped up. "'Friends' would be acceptable. We're just trying to help. Now please tell us: Have there been any strange dreams lately, ones you couldn't leave?" It sounded like a colt, but had a strange trill to his voice.

Another voice. "Dear, this is important. We just need you to cooperate." This one was a mare, with a much silkier voice than anypony Eris had ever met. She was starting to get very worried.

Her sister sighed. "I'm fine! I don't need your help! Whatever you're looking for, I don't have it. You... Gah! What are you, anyway?"

"Friends, dear," the mare said.

"No, you're freaks! You're beasts!" Mayday sobbed. Then in a smaller voice, one she only just recognized, "just like me."

There was a fit of crying. Eris was just about to snap herself in when she realized something. Mayday and herself were almost complete opposite sides of their father, Discord, and it would just hurt her more. Neither of them had normal thought processes; She automatically directed herself to mischief and manipulation without thought, while her sister defaulted to the most nightmarish, self-destructive version of the truth without a defense mechanism.

If she thought of herself like that... Eris could be the other side, one that looked evil but was good on the inside. She shook her head at how innacurate that was, but knew her sister could trick herself into things like that. She dejectedly lay down again and listened.

Now the strange voices were trying to console her, but they weren't helping much. Eris had to back away in order to stop from charging in and making things worse.

The mare spoke first. "Dear, you aren't a 'freak'. I'm not sure if we can say the same, but... Well, whatever is going on to bring us here, it's not your fault. We just need help. I know this is difficult, but please trust us."

Then the colt worked up the courage to talk. "Let's try and make sense of this. What me and my boss know is that you have Gifts. You know, unnatural powers given by the Great Tree of Foresight. We're not sure what yours are, but it might have something to do with..." He paused, considering his next choice of words. "... There are voices, right? Extras in your head?"

That was the last straw. First these things were interrupting her sleep schedule, then they isolated Mayday. Next they wouldn't leave her alone, and were making some seriously dangerous thoughts pop up. Thoughts that couldn't be controlled.

Now they were asking about the Voices, and Eris would not let that go uncorrected.

She didn't even bother snapping. She blasted the door open, half-barrel rolling into the room. She felt herself collide with the mysterious intruders, forcing them to the ground. There was a sickening pop sound, a sharp pain in her abdomen, and then it was over.

The draconequus rose to her feet, surveying the damage. Sawdust floated through the air. The remains of the door hung pathetically on broken hinges. Her sister was barely visible, pressing herself into a corner. Most of the furniture was intact, the exception being an old wooden chair that had clearly contributed to the clogged air.

Then she saw the intruders. They definitely weren't ponies.

Arosa barely had time to stand before the horrible pain of a broken wing kicked in. Usually his cranial implants were able to divert it long enough, but not this time. He bit his lip to stop himself from screaming, but was left silent when he saw the twisted angle. It wasn't as bad as it could be; the only real damage was a bone fracture. Still, he wouldn't be flying until it was properly healed. Kizuana, though, was a whole other story.

His mentor writhed on the floor, snakelike tail twisting uselessly. She'd fell on her back, popping a vertebrae in the process. Gomungans like herself didn't actually need all 253 in their skeletons, but certain ones (including the one that had come off-track) were vital for bodily control. This was, of course, forgetting about enormous shock wave of liquid pain the break had triggered.

For a second, Eris couldn't do anything but gawk. Okay. Definitely not ponies, she thought. She completely forgot about the cut in her torso. Here were two creatures she'd never met before. They didn't even fit into any Equestrian biological orders. And they were in her house.

She tried to speak, but couldn't think of anything. Instead, she let Mayday talk. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

Yup. That summed it up pretty well. It could probably go without the growl, though. She made a mental note to teach her sister some social skills.

Chapter 4: The Wake-Up Call

Eris couldn't believe her eyes. Monsters. In her house. Two of them. And it was her first day off in years, too. Things were quickly spiraling out of control, causing her to call an ambulance.

She reluctantly set the phone down, then returned to the trance-like scene. That phone had been just about her only clawhold on reality, and... everything was just so surreal. Even her house, which she'd lived in for the better half of a decade, was alien.

She scoffed, thinking about how fitting the word was. If only she'd chosen the title for her unwanted guests earlier.

She was broken out of her reverie by a shriek, peeling from her sister's second-story room. Not Mayday, her voice was much sharper. It was that snake lady. Eris wasn't going to let her wait for a hospital trip without some comfort. She quickly nabbed some bandages, a stethoscope, a sewing needle, and - just because she needed proof this wasn't a dream later - an audio recorder.

She wound herself up the stairs, flinching at the colorful bout of swears echoing through the hallway. She bit her lip, kicking herself for trying to associate Mayday's innocent, young self with the mare she'd grown up to be.

She arrived at the scene a few moments after, levitating the supplies behind her. She knelt down, setting the tape recorder on the floor nearby. She regarded her sister, searching for a reaction.

Mayday's mane and tail were silver and pink, swept over her face like a curtain. Her pale golden coat was thin over her skin, undoubtedly from stress. It took an enormous resolve just to own powers like hers. Her eyes were golden with crimson slits. Glinting fangs hung from her mouth, drawn in a snarl. Mismatched horns sat on her head, belittling a pair of pinched ears.

Mayday scowled. "What." She eyed the recorder.

Eris winced. "Well, what's going on would be nice." She wanted to be kind, but when she started acting like this, another one of the Voices was in control. It had to be taught to back down. She wasn't going to let her sister fall to their will, whatever they were.

The alicorn growled, hunching her shoulders. "I told you I DON'T KNOW! Why aren't you questioning them?! They're the ones that just showed up!" Mayday shot an angry glare at the aliens, rising into an attack position. The bird-like one stepped in front, puffing up and widening his own stance.

Kizuana frowned them. "Honestly, dears, I would've thought you could be decent to each other. Arosa, I know you're trying to be brave, but it's a hopeless gesture and you know it!" She rose slightly, balancing on her arms in order to avoid the cracked vertebrae. "Serendipity, I -"

Mayday whirled around, facing her, mouth practically foaming. "THAT'S NOT MY NAME! I'M NOT HER!" Kizuana barely had time to throw her strong arms up before the alicorn lashed out, nearly sinking her fangs into the alien's jugular vein. She threw her forehooves at the face of her target, planting the other two directly on Kizuana's fractured bone. They both screamed, feral cries of pain and rage twisting into a terrible symphony.

Eris and Arosa shot forward, pulling them away from one another. The draconequus girl did the brunt of the work, but the pudgy Aegoshan was the deciding factor. He had wedged himself between, effectively forcing them apart and taking most of the blows. He bit his tongue, distracting himself from the lightning pain that shot through his body like lightning.

They dragged the brawlers to opposite sides of the room, taking measures to avoid long-distance assault. Kizuana's tail was wound tightly on a bedpost, and Eris cast a nullifying spell on Mayday's horns.

Once everything was secured (including stray furniture; they were both just strong enough to throw a desk at the other), Eris' single intact horn lit. She blanketed the two in a calming charm, drawing out their anger and letting it dissipate harmlessly in the air. Both of them slumped down in seconds, but kept the violent glares for awhile longer. Soon, though, they were replaced by remorse.

The lanky draconequus let the spell fade. Both her and Arosa let go of their charges, reluctantly backing away in case another scene erupted. While Eris was a master at afflictions and mood spells, her skill in levitation was less than a child's.

Kizuana spoke first, shooing imaginary dust from her tail. "I see I have made a mistake, miss. Your name is...?"

"Mayday. I'm not exactly... I'm sorry." The young alicorn frowned, turning her eyes to the floor. "The outburst was uncalled for."

Eris chewed her lip, narrowly avoiding a fight of her own. It wasn't Mayday's fault! It was those Glix-forsaken Voices, messing with her head and forcing her to do things! If only her sister would listen... but of course she couldn't, the Voices wouldn't let her.

Still, she didn't have much of a choice than to let it go. She backed away, grumbling. The only one who seemed to notice was Arosa, but he wisely let it pass.

Kizuana unwrapped her tail from the bed, easing back slowly. "However, if you are not the alicorn Serendipity, I have to find her. I'll leave my colleague with you, just in case this raises some... questions from the authorities. I will be back as soon as possible to collect him." She was lying, clearly; the Divide could move through time as well as space, so they didn't actually have to wait. What Kizuana really wanted was for Arosa to explain to the draconequus the gravity of the situation.

She nodded at him, quickly assuring her motives. When he returned the gesture, she shifted her weight towards a corner.

Eris perked her ears. A black orb appeared, growing over the snake lady. After a moment, it had swelled so large that it covered her completely. The mass kept expanding, twisting itself into an ellipse.

A sudden wind caused everyone to blink, and when they opened their eyes again the Divide was gone.

✴

I tried to keep my focus on the paper in front of me. I was, of course, failing completely.

"Agh!" I slammed my hooves on the desk, rattling the Study Hollow. The papers tacked onto the corkboard nearby flapped wildly, and most of the desk's accessories fell away. As usual, I ignored them.

I rubbed my eyes with a fetlock. The door clicked open, and there was the familiar sound of my mother's hooves on exposed wood. "Can I help?" She asked quietly.

I frowned deeply. "I'm fine, I just..." I sighed. "I already finished this, but the teacher is making me redo it. She says it's too dangerous. I can handle it!"

Summer Skies sighed. "She just wants to make sure you're safe. You know that." She muttered something that sounded a bit like "so do I". She sidled forward a few steps, just enough to see the paper.

"Hmm... Well, what if you added a curve here?" She suggested, pointing a hoof at my freefall finish. I waved the notion away, levitating the pen over to the criterion. "Ah, you need a brake glide. Well, it's supposed to cut close, so... what about pulling it over here?" She nodded to a spot just over a pond, which the teacher had us diagram.

I inspected the idea, weighing its merits. I didn't want to look like a safety nerd, but... "Okay. But how do we get it over there in the first place? I can't just fly, I need to do a trick for every empty space."

"A corkscrew would work, although you would need momentum. Maybe a hill climb?"

The conversation continued like this for an hour or so, with me critiquing inconsistencies and limits and my mother giving little additions to what I already had drawn. By the end, the project was finished. As long as I could actually perform it, which made for sixty percent of the grade, I would be fine.

"... And finished with a point-blank wing catch. Will it work?"

Summer nodded. "It should. Just make sure to hold back thrust on the second twist."

I smiled, proud that I'd gotten it done again, even though I had to get help. "Thanks. I, uh..." I trailed off, unsure of how to proceed.

My mother smiled back. "Anytime, dear. Besides, I used to be very good at flight work. It's actual kind of fun. You know, not like math." She joked.

"Hey! I like math!" I frowned slightly, but I didn't really care. I owed her, a lot. Plus, this was actually pretty cool. I rarely enjoyed flight classes thanks to the minute differences between basic wing positions and such. Ms. Page was a real stickler for that kind of stuff, but who could blame her? A single feather out of place could mean the difference between a glide and a nose dive. However, where actual flying was involved, there was a thrill that came to me that, although brief, couldn't be explained so easily.

When Dad died, I became claustrophobic for a long time. Then I started working in a closet to help combat it, and it worked a little bit - with a price, that is. Soon, I was so used to the enclosed space that I couldn't handle being outside. That is still very real, and the two combined make daily life pretty disturbing.

Still, flying is such an amazing thing to me that it counteracts that fear. It doesn't make sense. Then again, it never did. But despite everything, I can't imagine my life as anything other than a pegasus. It's not easy, and it's no special talent, but it helps.

The cerulean mare chuckled. "Alright. I'm sure Dusty will like your performance. She's a nice mare. Try and give her a chance, okay?" She didn't wait for a response. My mother trotted out, no doubt headed for the kitchen.

I grinned, stuffing the paper into my utilitarian saddlebags. The next morning, I could still hand it in early. I might even get the first performance spot!... "Calm it." I drew in a long breath. "Don't get your hopes up. There will always be a prodigy."

Still, I walked out with a spring my step, the first real one in weeks.

✴

"What?" Eris cocked her head. "Where is this story going?"

Arosa facewinged. "It's not a story! This is aetheric science! Your sister is in danger, and you won't even help us?" The draconequus frowned.

"Of course I want to help, but I don't get it. What's an 'aetherum'?" The conversation had only declined for the past hour, and Eris didn't understand any of it.

The feathered male bit back an outburst. "An aetherum is the part of the brain that only magical creatures have. For instance, I don't have one, but you do," he tapped her forehead where he predicted it would be. "Do you understand it?"

Eris frowned at his pride, but nodded. She didn't know many of the technical terms he used before, so this was a bit of an improvement. "And how does that matter? In this case, anyway."

"Your sister's is fluctuating. My colleague thinks this may have something to do with the Voices. You found your sister after a spell, right?"

She flinched at the mention, but it made sense. She'd never been good at magic, but when she became hostile her power seemed to rise. Maybe this would explain it... "That sounds about right." She nodded again.

Arosa began retelling the theory. "Alright, listen closely. Let's start at the beginning..."

✴

Fifteen years ago...

Mayday sat up with a jolt. Creation had pumped her veins full of adrenaline, but the purpose was unknown. All she knew was that she wasn't "born". She was alone.

She was fine with that, as long as she could get out of this cave. The stench of stagnant water filled her senses, oozing through the freezing air. Plus, she couldn't feel her limbs. When she though back to it, it was probably completely normal. Nonetheless, it was terrifying at the time.

She gasped, filling her new lungs with oxygen for the first time. It was strange; in the seconds before, she'd felt fine without it. Then when she'd taken that first breath, she had been so empty - and then the sensations were forgotten.

She stood shakily, propping herself up on numb legs. Or... she seemed to look like a pony. Would they be hooves? Suddenly she realized something: she'd never seen herself. She knew what parts she had, but nothing more. Well, there was the silver and pink hair - er, mane that obscured her right eye, but...

Within moments, an instinct for walking flashed into her mind. She slowly trudged toward a flat pane of crystal, one she could use as a mirror.

Mayday was surprised by the sight. She'd assumed she would look evil, as she was unnatural. Maybe she would be normal. Her mane would flow, and she should at least be tall... Right?

But the mirror told another story. Her height was less than most adult's, but her face gave the impression of adolescence. She had dual horns, one like a stag's and the other... Well, a bit like a ram's if they grew straight. She had a sunny yellow coat, and it shone like gold. Her mane was just as she'd expected, silver with pink shot through the middle, and it hung over the entire left side of her face.

Speaking of her face... her breath caught as she noticed it. Sharp canine teeth were just visible, each one five inches long. Her ears were pinched, laid down in surprise. The most frightening thing, though, was her eyes. They were large and round like a child's, but the pupils... They were red, blood red. The irises were an even brighter shade of gold than her coat. In the back of her mind, she knew it was hereditary... But from what? What monster had created her?

Suddenly, she knew who she was. Not her name, but her father. Discord, the King of Chaos. And his "children", creatures created every time he changed his ways... there were dozens of Chaos Angels, but very few survived their own power. Especially if they tried to meet their father.

But Mayday had sisters, a filly pegasus and a full-grown draconequus. And they were looking for her.

Chapter 5: Angel

Fifteen years ago...

The unicorn traced a figure with her chalk-covered hoof. The cave, although well lit by crystals along the walls, was stagnant by now. There was never anything new. She couldn't even explore; the whole place was just a very glittery circle. Luckily, there were plenty of supplies, including white sand and a crystal in the shape of a bowl.

So she decided her time would be better spent digging through the library of her mind. Maybe she could find a way out that didn't involve teleportation. She'd already tried those, and the spells canceled after about fifteen feet of solid crystal.

Now, she had found a spell that might work a little better: a spacial fall. When she activated it, her essence would be moved into the Void between Worlds, just long enough for her to find a way out. However, it would take a few hours in her mind. Luckily, she could spend them thinking. In addition, she had rigged it so a flare would be sent up for her sisters. All in all, it was an okay plan. Great? That was debatable.

Mayday grinned at the finished project. Two basic circles had been drawn, the gap between filled by what were called "cyphers". They were like runes, but had a more controllable power over the Fourth Aetheric Field - the very fabric of reality. Besides, she didn't actually know anything about runes, so it was much safer with these.

They operated on sound, which made them excessible by anyone - not just unicorns, or even ponies. As long as you could sing, you could use cyphers. Fortunately, very few creatures actually had the magical capacity for their true power. Most natural creatures, alicorns included, used them unintentionally, and thanks to that Equestria was home to hundreds of impromptu musical numbers.

Still, this kind of power... it was nerve-wracking to know just how badly she could mess this one up. She would most likely be fine and things would go as planned, but there was always a chance...

The unicorn brushed the notion away. She'd been practicing this - well, not exactly. She'd done all of the individual things, but she hadn't tried them together. But who cared? She was finally going to get out!

Her smile grew even wider. The thought of the outside thrilled her. It had only been a few days, but it felt like an eternity. She would finally see the world with her own eyes...

She lit her horns, steeling herself. No distractions... If this were to work, she had to be completely focused.

She stepped into the inner circle, careful not to lose any of her makeshift chalk. She dipped a hoof in the bowl, turning it up so none of the contents would fall. Then she focused her magic on the cyphers.

A tune ran through her mind. She responded quickly, closing her eyes and humming the notes as they came. It was a lament, a lilting song that filled the air. The melody swirled around the cave, rising and falling like the wind. Or probably like the wind, Mayday didn't know.

When the song was over, she blinked. The crystals along the walls were pulsing to the rhythm, radiating white hot magic. The unicorn was thankful for the apparent circle of protection.

Suddenly, the world spun dangerously. The unicorn's vision blurred, and huge crashes rang in her ears. She became detached, ignorant of the chaos surrounding her. There was a sickening pull, and...

Then she fell out of the world.

✴

Back in the living room, Eris gasped. "Impossible! She's here! How could she..." She sobbed into her clawed hands. She knew where this was going; everypony who knew cyphers knew Second Life.

Arosa extended a wing to comfort her, but the draconequus slapped it away. He pulled back, drawing a long breath. "I'm sorry, but it's our best explanation. How else would she not know her own Alicorn Name, but have already ascended? The Voices... While they could just be insanity, you can't ignore the chance."

Eris wiped away the tears. "... Fine. Continue. But so help me, if you are lying -"

The assistant quieted her. "Then we're both in the dark, trust me."

✴

Light.

Mayday opened her eyes, already reeling from the glare. She beamed. It had worked! She escaped!

She regarded her surroundings with wide eyes. This wasn't at all like she'd expected. Where were the green fields and flowers and trees? Where were the happy creatures, welcoming her? Where was the blue sky? All she could see was a misty ground and smoky mountains in the distance. Multicolored orbs bounced in the air, weaving to a rhythm she couldn't hear.

She rose unsteadily. This couldn't be Equestria. Her memory told her nothing of this place... Maybe she'd fallen through the Void. This was probably normal... But what if it wasn't?

She drew in a long, steady breath. She would just have to ask someone. The unicorn stuck a hoof above the fog, waving it with zeal. She scanned the world around her again, but the only things that moved were the lights and the fog itself.

Mayday huffed, pulling her hoof back down. So much for asking for help...

She turned around, nearly smacking her face on a white light. She ducked underneath and walked away. Maybe the ponies were just far away...

She frowned as the orb bobbed in front of her. She stepped around, ignoring it. It popped up one more time. Mayday let out a frustrated growl, shoving it aside. She was about to leave, when...

"Hey!" An indignant voice piped. "Do you want help or not, miss meanie?" The unicorn's heart jumped to her throat at the sound. The light sped behind her, magically yanking back her mane. This only made Mayday shriek.

The orb made a pained loop. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry! Jeez, it's like you've never seen a spirit..." It bumped the unicorn's mouth firmly shut, then tried speaking again. The voice was recognizable as a little girl's, though slightly more melodic. "I think we got off on the wrong... It's called a hoof, right? Anyway. Hi miss pony! I'm Angel!" The unicorn quickly noticed that it had a face, although so faint she couldn't discern colors or fine shapes.

Mayday offered a tentative smile. "Um, hi. I'm Mayday." She rubbed a fetlock. "I'm sorry, but where am I?"

Angel let off a pulse of light. "The Barrens, of course." The child caught herself. "Oh, sorry. You're not from here. This is Second Life. My mommy knows more about it, but she would ask me why I didn't just take you to Mrs. Goddess, so... Let's go!" The orb wheeled north, moving just slow enough not to leave her new friend behind. "Mrs. Goddess is nice, you'll love her!"

The unicorn sighed, following. "Shouldn't we at least tell your mother? She might be worried about you."

Angel whirled back. "Nope. Mommy is fine. Besides, she's probably busy right now, and she doesn't like Otherworlders very much. I am sure she'll meet us there, don't worry!" She bounced off obliviously, ignoring the worried filly's face. Instead, she sang a tune, similar to the song that had activated the cyphers:

Oh, my divine,

Lovely child of mine,

Dream in hope and wonder,

When you wake,

The fog will fade,

And you may journey farther.

Hope to see the sun ablaze,

Wonder for the moon,

The stars will shine upon your face

One day so soon.

Mayday frowned. Why would a child's song have such a sad tune? And that part about the sky...

She shook her head, dismissing the thought. She could think about that later. For now, she just needed to follow Angel. Maybe she could get some answers.

They walked for an hour, steadily approaching the mountain she'd seen before. It seemed to be made of the same mist as the ground, but as she came closer she could see a structure near the peak. Unlike the rest of Second Life, it was seemingly made of stone. Huge spires framed the building, and a medieval drawbridge loomed high over the fog.

They reached the castle, and Mayday watched with her jaw dropped as the drawbridges creaked down, revealing an ancient hall. An enormous jeweled altar stood in the middle, displaying a brilliant throne. Golden sentinels floated on either side, armed with rods of lightning. They regarded her coldly, but gave the visitors no trouble.

Angel smiled at the unicorn's amazement. This pony really didn't know anything... She politely nudged her companion forward. Mayday offered a wan grin, then walked inside, marveling at Mrs. Goddess' temple.

The spirit bobbed along, humming her tune again. Everyone seemed to love that song, and the child loved making people happy. They finally came to the altar. The pony, now overcoming the initial amazement at the temple, was struck dumb once again by the creature in the throne.

Mrs. Goddess stood nearly twenty feet tall, dwarfing every other being in the room. She was similar to the spirits, but was more of a column than an orb. Sparks flew from her sides, giving the impression of limbs, and she sat on a pair of slender legs that seemed to appear from nowhere. Her head was an spirit in itself, subconsciously controlling the rest of the body.

Mayday blinked. For some reason, this felt familiar, like deja vu. Her reaction had faded quickly after the feeling, leaving her on a somber tone.

Angel smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, it happens to everyone. It's part of her power; Mrs. Goddess is part of the Flux." The unicorn tilted her head. "The Flux is Second Life's reality. This is actually an insubstantial Jumper waypoint." When her companion just looked even more confused, Angel grimaced. "Ah, I see. Never mind. The point is, she's everywhere. Her mind sustains this world, but her corporeal form is stuck here as moving away would take too much power."

Mayday frowned. Suddenly Angel sounded like an adult. Not her actual voice, but her tone...

She jumped as the towering spirit cleared her throat. She coughed lightly, then spoke. "It's good to finally meet you, dear. A thing like you... Well, you'd think it would explode from such power," she cooed, "but with time and practice, you will be a fine Chaos Angel." Mrs. Goddess' voice was soft like velvet, but still deep and powerful. Her speech left a bad taste in Mayday's mouth.

"I, um. Angel said I needed to see you. And her mom is here, right?" The unicorn lifted one hoof nervously. The little girl turned red for a moment, hiding behind Mayday's thick tail.

Mrs. Goddess chuckled. "Yes, Diana is waiting in the Bell Room. Dear, would you please check on her? I fear she's a bit... Unstable without you," she said, looking at Angel. The girl smiled anxiously and flashed pink, but wheeled away without a word.

A guard floated through another doorway. A panel of stone hovered in front. "Ma'am, Shard wants to see you. He's at the gate. Should I let him in?" The woman on the altar frowned, but nodded. A moment later, the drawbridge lowered again, revealing a navy blue spirit. He practically radiated anger.

He stormed in, pulsing red. Mrs. Goddess looked down at Mayday, jutting her head towards the door Angel had gone through. She left obediently, ignoring the barrage of swears echoing through the hall. Shard seemed ready to burst.

She arrived to see Angel hovering nervously in front of a larger golden spirit. Her young voice wavered as she spoke. "...I'm sorry, but it's for your own good! That stuff is bad for you, and you know it!" Obviously, neither had noticed the unicorn yet. She quickly slunk behind a pillar, straining her ears to listen.

Diana hiccupped. "I know you don't approve, but what real reason have I to stop? It's not like I've much longer here. If you'd just trust me, I could..." The woman's voice cracked. "I'm so, so sorry, but I can't... I just can't, sweetie."

Angel practically roared this time. "Stop! You're becoming like them! You're stronger than this, I've seen it. Come on, you can be like that again, I know it." Diana's sobs echoed through the room. "Please, mom. You're going to be fine. I'm here."

Suddenly Mayday became aware of someone behind her. She turned to find Shard, his face pulled tight. "One of these days, those girls will break. I promise you, Diana isn't going to heal." The blue spirit sighed. "My baby girl, Scarlet... She was the same. Poor thing could've been a hero, could've saved lives. But once you meet Mrs. Terror, you can't break out. You fade away, and they tell you it might get better, but it won't. Nobody escapes. She's no exception."

Mayday gulped. "What's happening to them?" In the room, she noticed Angel crying in a corner. Diana was gone, probably also crying somewhere else.

Shard shook his head despondently. "Mrs. Goddess can't handle this world on her own. Her sister, Terror, holds her up. In order to do this, though, she needs a source of power. She has no magic on her own, so she steals it from other spirits when they do something bad. Scarlet accidentally caused someone to be killed. Diana's husband Jet died five months ago, and she went to euphoric magic instead of facing the facts. Heck, even I'm infected, just because I'm so angry now.

"After that, they get pulled into depression, slowly being consumed by the tiny piece of Terror that follows them. Some worlds have gods or devils. Your world has Princesses and Nightmares. We have Mrs. Goddess and Mrs. Terror. But that oversized lantern... She could've saved them. She could've fixed it. She..." Something in Shard cracked. He turned away, but Mayday knew he was crying.

She didn't understand. Everyone here seemed so broken. Suddenly, a new resolve burned in her chest. Mayday steeled herself, ignoring the hopelessness of it all. She was a Chaos Angel, a guardian of immense power. Everyone had to choose what side they would fight for, but no others like her had been truly good before. She would change that, starting with Diana.

She would save them, even if it was the last thing she did!

Prologue

The cool night air felt wonderful after a long day of consciousness. At least it would have if it wasn't the umpteenth time I'd been in this dreamscape, but by now I was used to it.

I was flying over a grassland, dotted with little blinking lights. They were too big to be fireflies, but too sharp to be lanterns. Never mind, I could figure it out later. There were things to do, and ponies to see. I flew impatiently for a few more minutes, waiting for the silvery moon to be blotted out by... something. I didn't know very much about this place, and I didn't really want to stay and learn.

Finally, a huge swath of shadow melted out of the world below. It used to scare me, but I held my pace. After a moment, it shot up and coated over what was left of the moon's light. The entire landscape went dark, until a little beacon on the end of the horizon sputtered to life. Wait, was that the sun?... Yes, it was! How much time had I wasted?

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Melody," said a voice on the now desert-like ground. "You're just going to slow yourself down."

I jumped, or whatever you do when you get scared while flying. "Gah! Domino! Don't sneak up on me like that!" I scolded her. That's my best friend for you: disguising horrible moments with a joke.

She laughed as I wheeled down to earth, falling most of the way. I made a smooth landing, skidded a few feet, and abruptly tripped on a rock. Domino laughed even more.

The earth pony had a short black mane and tail, streaked with gold. Her bangs were pulled back so she could see better, though a few curly wisps always fell out. Her coat was icy blue, so pale it was almost white. Her cutie mark was, of course, a domino. Her current appearance didn't matter, though. We would look entirely different when we woke, and wouldn't remember anything from this life. That is, anything important.

I brushed the dirt from my coat. "Shut up," I said, refusing to face her. "Don't you think they deserve some respect?"

She looked at me, puzzled. "What do ya... Oh. Oh, we're here for their Rising, aren't we..." Her face fell. "I'm sorry, Melody. I... I forgot." She obviously regretted her remarks.

My face twisted even more. "You'd better be," I growled. I knew I was being cruel, but I didn't care. Here we were, on the barrier between Equestria and the spirit dimension, in our last moments of this time loop, in order to watch two of our best friends' souls die. We'd already lost two others, and we even been able to mourn. Even if I'd had a choice, I wouldn't have missed my chance.

And in order to preserve everything, in order to keep our universe intact, I had to wrench them back to life. Deny them the one rest we all receive in the end.

I knew I wouldn't remember when I woke up, but I would have to do it again at the end of the next loop, and again, and again! Couldn't Domino be serious, just once?

I felt tears in my eyes. I tried to hide them, but it was just too much. Domino wrapped me up in a hug, trying to calm me down. It didn't really help, but she tried. She always did. I was going to miss her, even if she was oblivious sometimes.

I suddenly realized I wouldn't be able to miss her. Of course not, she wouldn't have ever been... I shook even harder.

The sobbing continued for a while. I wasn't very good at telling time. She let me cry, knowing that any extra effort would just make me start again. She knew me even better than I did. And now, I would never learn. Nopony ever did, after we left this place...

Eventually, she let go. "Look," she said, pointing to the sky. "They're moving."

Shaking, I followed her gaze. Balls of light, just like the ones in the grass before, circled higher in the sky, miles ahead of the sun. There were hundreds of them, maybe more, but all of them were dim compared to a bright, soothing gold one and another royal purple one. Mayday and Violet, the angel and the genius. Two of my best friends in the world.

She looked at me knowingly. "Good luck."

I didn't allow myself to think; if I did, I would cry again. I shot off the dirt, flying straight towards the balls of light. The air around me screamed at my speed. Or... was that me screaming?

Never mind. No thoughts would be allowed now. I passed the beacons, yanking them along with my magic. Why does a pegasus like me have magic, you ask? That's... Just about the only mystery I hadn't solved. I would just have to figure it out next time.

Reclaiming my thoughts I aimed back to the ground, into a pit. That was the way into Equestria. I flew by Domino, who had started running in the same direction.

"We're almost there!" I cried. "Just a little farther!"

I didn't get a response. She was just trying to keep her eyes on her hooves.

I ignored my emotions. I ignored the pain. I ignored everything but my goal: breaking through to Equestria, revival, and the time loop.

I woke up to bouncing and a child's voice.

I suddenly remembered that I'd promised to make pancakes for my little sister this morning. Even though the stars were still out, she wasn't a pony to wait for the sun. I pushed Trinity Star off of me. I guessed she'd been jumping on me to make me get up. Well, at least I was awake now.

Trinity frowned. "You're late, sis. I'm hungry!" She pouted.

I smiled. Even though she was a tough filly, she was still adorable. "Fine, just give me a second." I slid out of bed, surprisingly alert. I yawned as I went to mirror to brush my mane, a red and pink tangle above my head. I shook out my wings, dislodging a few dead feathers. Trinity flew out of my bedroom, probably heading to the kitchen.

Suddenly, as I looked at my reflection, I had this odd feeling, like something was missing. There was something I'd forgotten. Something important. I ran through a mental checklist, but so far I hadn't missed anything. And yet...

I shook my head. I probably just had a weird dream that night. Nothing to worry about, until-

"I'm sorry."

I screamed. What was that? Trinity's head popped into the room. "You okay, sis?" I took a deep breath and nodded. She looked skeptical, but moved on. "Okay...?"

That was weird, to say the least. I shook my head. Somepony was probably trying to send a thought message and missed, that's all.

I dismissed it and went back to brushing my mane, but I couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched.

Somewhere in Ponyville, a little unicorn filly woke up from a nightmare. Once she recovered from the initial shock, she lit her horn and reached over to her dream journal.

She quickly picked up a pencil in her magic grip and jotted a note on the first blank page. Even though she knew it was just a dream, it sent a chill down her spine.

"I dreamed I died. - Violet"

On the outskirts of the Everfree Forest, a teenage alicorn locked the door to her room. The voices in her head asked frantic questions, like: "did we get a concussion or something?" or "is it just me, or did we all just... Die?"

She cringed and blew a strand of pink hair away from her face. "Shh! You're giving me a headache." They quieted themselves, but there were still occasional whispers pulling her attention.

She sighed. They really couldn't just shut up, could they?

She chanted an incantation under her breath, calming her needlessly annoying companions slightly. The whispers stopped, like a song pausing. She knew they would induce a migraine later to punish her for "closing the Gate", whatever that meant, but right now she needed to sleep, and she couldn't do that if they were nagging her all night.

She sidled back into bed, glad to have some well-earned privacy. Still, she felt bad about casting that weird spell. She knew it hurt the voices' physical form, whatever they were, and the incantation... Every time she said it, it was like having ice water poured down her spine. It was some kind of dark magic, wasn't it?...

You're fine, Mayday, she consoled herself. After all, a princess must be in control of her emotions. Especially a Chaos Angel.