Things could be better for me. So, so much fuckin' better. Currently, I'm...I'm just waiting for my death really. I can't even do anything about it either, since if I do, Fate will change even more so than it already will, but that doesn't mean I can't relish in the briefness of my existence. So here I am, at the "Leaking Keg". It's the most-out-of town joint I could find that actually had some form of alcohol in this damned country. The only thing that they sell here though, is hard cider, so I don't really get that much of a buzz from it.
The reason I'm even here in the first place was because I had just received some news from one of my Canterlot informants. What was basically passed on to me was that, Twilight was coming back from a lecture. Now normally it wouldn't have been that big of news in the grand scheme of things, but this lecture was special, in that she had made it. If my knowledge of mlp history or ,more accurately, Equestrian future events were correct than that means that this is the day where she meets up with Starlight for the second time. Since my network is usually only made up of two-to-three ponies per town at a given time, that could mean her train is on its way here currently, or that she could already be here in Ponyville on the way to her castle. This, could then eventually lead her to find Starlight in her crystal palace with her hooves upon the magical friendship map. I don't really care all that much though. I would try and stop it or avoid it, but I don't think I can. Fortunately, it hasn't even happened yet, so I can still enjoy the alcohol that I had bought.
I am still thankful for all these moments that I can have before the time travel spell erases my current existence, you know. However, ponies are staring at me as if I'm some sort of oddity. Which is sort of right, I guess. I mean, a human isn't really one of the most normal creatures in Eques is it? However, at this moment, I don't give a shit about what they think of me. I just want to drown my inhibitions before I get revised in this wondrous fate I've found myself in. I mean sure, the country of Equestria is a great place to be in. You get to explore countless lands, experience the great differences between many species' cultures, discover the glory of magic, heck, you can even find out how the hell this place works with the supposed geocentric system that they got here. However, that is only when you have a say in the first place though.
I've lived most of my time here as a sort of apprentice/helper to Zecora as well as a practitioner of spiritualism and thaumaturgy. Yeah...those are actual things here. It's just really hard to do when you have absolutely no natural reservoir of magic like all of the other creatures here do. Mostly I just borrow anything else's magical springs to do the spells, incantations, and all that crap. Now, I'm a Brony at heart, so I've tried to explore some of the place around here by way of Zecora's guilt money, as well as my own, but I can't really do that though since every time I come onto a train, or another form of transportation, everyone would see me. It gets really annoying after a while when the elderly start asking, "Where are your horns, young bull? You look to be at that age already. Did you cut them off?" Yeah. Seriously getting tired of everything mistaking me for a minotaur. I don't even have fucking fur on me!
It's not like I can't explain to them what I am, but I just don't really want the full frontal assault of all the paparazzi, scientists of the world, as well as, the mane 6 on my back about this issue on my moral standings. I have to avoid them enough as it is. Now you all might be like, "What?!?! A brony who doesn't want to hang out with them? He must be such an asshole, as well as a moron! Who wouldn't want to spend their day with cute ponies? Hadoy!!". Now that, my friends, isn't really true. I'm no moron or asshole. I do want to hang out with them. Not all the time, but it would be great to actually know someone personally besides Zecora. The only reason I even am personally known by Zecora was that she was the first pony/being I had seen. I do want to be in a part of their adventures as much as the next guy. It's just that I really don't want to mess up the natural causation of the world. Think about it for like a few seconds right. Guy/Gal pops up in Equestria to have some pony fun. Talks to all of the main 6. Gets Twilight on their side to either A) figure out a way for them to get home, which may disrupt Twilight's studies into Friendship and other forms of magic which would then causes nasty/stupid/sometimes awesome villians to conquer Equestria/Eques, B) stay with them, hang out, disrupt Twilight's alicornization in your constant involvement, disrupt her natural path to 'Godhood', Celestia then becomes angry because her laid out plan to actually have someone else do the paperwork is foiled, and now you're stuck in all of the horrendous escapades and might just end up killing yourself or, finally, C) even if human does find a way out of all this without messing up timelines, would going back home really be a good option? If the Equestrians found a way to find Earth, any number of things could happen, including the annihilation of this world, Earth, or even just other sapient beings. Not really a fun picture now, is it?
These are the main reasons I decided to try and avoid the main 6 entirely. I have no doubts that you may think that those reasons are entirely pieces of shit, but I have no vanity. I know I can't take on anybody at the power levels of somebody like that of a regular unicorn with the Alicorn Amulet. I can probably take on the average unicorn, but it's not really all that good since I have to use someone else's magic to do it. Anyway I probably shouldn't be reminiscing on my whole history and regrets while I'm here at such a shoddy place. I need to keep my wits about me after all, even if they aren't all that much.
Sighing, I grab the side of my hole-filled jeans and take out my scratched-up phone. It's been with me through a lot of moments when I need my peace and quiet, but it looks like it's about to run out of battery. Thankfully, I've become a better alchemist, which means that making and diluting lightning in a bottle is simple enough. It has also made it easier to get a charge out in the Everfree too, with all of its 'wild' weather. Right now though, it's only good enough to be a paperweight since I don't have that on me. With a huff, I shove it back in my pocket and reach around to feel Tim.
My handmade rifle was a thing of beauty. At least, in my eyes. It had taken me nearly 2 whole months to make the firing mechanism alone. It was probably my best achievement to date ever since I tried dabbling in metallurgy. It was one of my first projects in that field. The whole gun itself wasn't really all that hard to do, but just knowing the chemical reactions doesn't made it easier. The only hard part was that you still have to find something hot enough to actually melt the metal so as to mold it. Thankfully, that was solved when I found that dragon's cave. It had a lake of lava running n the deeper parts of it. That was probably why it chose that location to begin with. I haven't even told any other being about Tim since, technological boons be damned, guns should not really belong to ponies. Something about tiny ponies shooting each other's brains out just doesn't seem all that appealing to me.
Anyways, no bandits had stolen it yet, so they probably just thought it was a weirdly shaped metal club. Means I won't have to resort to violence. I'm sort of happy for that. I was never much a fan of killing things, but it was made easier ever since I got here. It gets tiring enough when I have to show the monsters how tough I can be when pushed to the limit. How Zecora can get through that place without nary a scratch, I'll never know.
Damn it. Why don't they have anything better? I don't want to think. I want to kill my brain cells. Sighing, I put down the cider and get out of the stool. Standing, I look around at the drabness of the bar. Many ponies are just sobbing their hearts out on the tables, or passed out at various places. There was even a pony drunk on the chandelier. The barkeep, with her hooves washing her glasses, and her wings dusting the place, stared at me as I got up. I threw her some bits I've gotten from Zecora for the 'helpful work' I've been doing. Honestly, that mare. I should've refused them and told her that her tutelage was payment enough, but God knows that you can't really do that much in a world like this without the bits or skills necessary to survive.
Grumbling, I shuffle away from the barstool and pass by the old tables and chairs. I move a sleeping pony off the floor and onto a chair before I walk towards the entrance. Opening the swinging doors, I can see the brightness, that is the mid-morning sun. I push through my temporary blindness, before coming to see what was around. The Everfree Edge was near twenty feet away to my right. To my left, branching pathways lead to several cities. Judging by the signpost there, the paths led to at least 4 before branching off. Behind the bar, stood the town of Ponyville in all its country-like glory.
I will definitely miss this town when I'm gone. The rolling hills, the birdsong, heck, even the night sky is better than where I used to live. Even if dulled by lights, it still leaves its mark on me. Glumly walking along, I push through towards the town center which takes me through the town marketplace. Thankfully, ponies have seen me here before, usually working on Zecora's shopping list, so they've gotten used to me over the frequency of the visits. Unfortunately ,with all of those visits, I had met Pinkie Pie. Now no offense to her, but she's kind of the last thing I need when keeping a relatively low profile. Thus, I had a Pinkie Party despite my wishes, but thankfully she had respected my opinion to make it a very tiny one. I avoided Twilight's Library and Castle at any cost while I was here. If she were to ever find out about me, well you kind of already know my paranoia, so I'll leave it at that. I went over to Fluttershy's from time to time, but besides that, I avoided everyon---ahem, sorry everypony else in the mane 6. Gotta remember the terminology when referring ponies.
Anyway, I succeeded in not making a mockery of the timeline. I can at least get some sense of accomplishment. I head towards the town park and decide to watch the foals play for a while. Some of the parents are staring at me, which is understandable. I look strange, I smell like crap, and I carry strange equipment on my body. Might as well scream kidnapper or child molester with all I have going on here. However, I just sit there. Not really caring one bit. It's not like I haven't gotten strange looks before. Heh. From here I have a perfect view of everyone's demise. It's ironic isn't it. Usually when one knows they're about to die, they rage against the unfairness of it all. I've known it for a while however. If it wasn't by dissection, wild animals, or villains it was probably going to be by this if I didn't screw with the timeline. That's what I get for being watching that one finale instead of skipping it I guess.
Getting an idea, I begin to mutter incantations under my breath while pulling a potion from my belt, I gulp it down, not quite ready for the horrible taste. Then the effects kick in. I can SEE. Everything magical now has a field around it which permeates through. Sure, you can already see the magic color of the being using it, but that's only for unicorns. Theirs is a more directed and manipulative version, so there's more build up around their horns when they use more complex spells, like producing light. My potion is different as it sees the interactions of magic, objects, and every creatures magical wells. If there's a pegasus shaping some cloud, there's its faithful magical color surrounding its being and the cloud ,as well as, its own fading aura which goes into the background energy in the immediate surrounds. It was a pretty neat potion when it came to what it did. I'll have to thank Zecora again for her tutelage sometime if I'm alive to do it.
It's a little hard to find what I'm looking for all with all of this background magic 'radiation'. Thankfully, I have some binoculars that I bought earlier from one of the market vendors. They were primitive compared to my old stainless steel ones, but they'll do good with a little enhancement. I put down the binoculars and reached into my belt. I pulled out some sand and some herbs. Saying apologies under my breath, I take the two ingredients and I ram them together. Briefly whispering hexes, I take apart the sand and eat it. It's not the most enjoyable of rituals. It tastes bad going down the throat, but it does what it needs to do and drains the plant of its magic. Thankfully, its only left without magic for a brief period before the background radiates into it, so it essentially is replaced fairly easily. Now if I were to do this to a living, breathing animal, it would probably take them a while to actually get their magic/personality/soul back, but with plants its a heck of a lot easier since they don't have neural networks or anything else of the like. Unless you were to stuff a soul in one, but let's not go down that path shall we.
Now, I only have enough magic for it to last about five seconds before it dissipates back into the world, so I have to be quick. Picturing what I want in my mind, I put my hands out towards my binoculars and focused. Green magic pours out of my fingers towards them. They swirl around the lenses before turning them purple. I wait a few seconds until all of the spell finishes and the magic stops flowing from my fingers. Unfortunately plant magic doesn't really do all that well when being used for anything other than growth, light, or any other plant stuff, so the spell would only last for a little while when using it for something else. A little while, however, was all I really needed.
Putting the plant back in my belt, I look up and spot almost all the parents staring at me. I wave hello and reach for my binoculars. Instantly an orange aura appears around it and floats it further away from me. I sigh and turn away from the binoculars. In front of me, there stood a purple unicorn stallion with a dark blue mane. "What do you want?"
The unicorn flinched before replying. "I...um.........What are you doing here exactly? It doesn't seem like somepony like you would have a kid here."
I could tell him that I want to witness everyone's demise, but what good would that do? Just panic him for no good reason or make him think I'm crazy, which I don't really need with the rep I have. "Bird watching gentlestallion. There's some fine canaries over in that tree over there."
Of course, I was pulling this out of my ass, but it was the most convenient of excuses. Some of the pegasi glared at me at the comment though. Must've thought it was a slang term or something. Thankfully the stallion looked towards the tree, so now I can do something whilst his attention is away. Reaching for my tool belt, I release a phial filled with gas. As it falls to the floor, I quickly cover my mouth and nose with my clothes. When it breaks the gas inside billows out like a fog settling in. The surrounding parents look to their hooves in surprise before the gas finally settles in their lungs.
Sleep soon befalls the pony parents, and I was left alone in the land of consciousness. Reaching my other hand to my tool belt, I pull out a specific jar. In it contains the one thing to get rid of this gas, pure carbon dust. I release the cap and throw the dust to the wind. The gas dissipates leaving none the wiser. Removing them from my lips, I sigh and take the downed binoculars. Thankfully, the enchantments still active, so I wouldn't have to use even more ingredients.
I bring them up to my face and look towards where the castle should be. The enchantment was thankfully still working, so all I could see was the castle and the signatures inside. However, these giant signatures emanating from the tower, were blending in a mirage of color and light. I couldn't pick out anything from that. Just great....Can't see shit. I...I didn't really want to use this. I was saving it for a special occasion, but I guess I have to take it out now, don't I? Grumbling I reach into my tool belt once again. Trembling, I pull out a few things. A dragon scale, a lock of hair, and some ground up dust. These three things I had gotten on somewhat questionable means. I'm not even sure if that hair even belongs to Twilight. All I have is the word of one crazy fanatic. I at least know the other things are real. The dragon scale had fallen off during Spike's premature growth, and the dust was just something of a spell enhancer. I don't really know how it works, but who am I to question how dandelion powder could do that in this type of world?
Trembling, I bite back the tears and cut myself with the scale. Blood shimmers along the edge. I sprinkle the hair along it. Muttering incantations as blood dripped down my hand, I shove some leftover magic into it to give the necessary kick. The spell activated, and the ingredients are used up and turned into spellwork. Now the glasses can pinpoint Twilight's magic. However, I have no real way to locate Starlight's. Thankfully, I have the dandelion essence, so I can rule out some unnecessary magic levels, such as an average unicorn's wellspring. Some fine tuning, is all it needs anyhow. Bringing the binoculars one again to my face I notice that
Using the ol' technique of incantation, the spells effects finally are being performed. Now I can only see two magic signatures. Twilight's and Starlight's. She has entered her crystal palace, but I'm not exactly sure if she's on her way to the map room or not. She is moving but it really isn't towards the map room because ,according to this spellwork of mine, Starlight is at least seven rooms away from her. Heh. Nothing profound. Nothing wise. Nothing. All I can feel is acceptance. Even as she gets closer, I don't feel any remorse. Not even anger. I did what I was able to do. I got to do some things no other person can admit. Oh look. They finally meet.
Some choice words. Choice actions. Then all that will be left of this world will be altered. Gone will be these people. Gone will be this world. The only thing left will be the alterations. None of the same experiences. Just....different. Different lives, different people. Maybe I wouldn't have ever arrived in Equestria, and just stayed on Earth trying to get through college. Or maybe I will be stuck in Equestria, just not ME, me. A different version of my existence.
Wait..that's new. A little sphere of sorts just appeared in the air. It's faintly glowing blue. I expected something to appear just...not this tiny. Sure, I know a spell of this magnitude has to have some sort of power behind it, but...this is just pitiful. It's only slightly larger than an adult stallion. How can something of this size, affect the whole time-space continuum? Aww who am I kidding, why do I care? I can't meddle in the affairs of ponies anyway. If I were to my faults and mistakes would haunt me for years to come from them. What I could've done better, and what I could've done worse. Eventually I resume my stalking of Twilight, Spike and.....
And Starlight's gone. It's only a matter of time before Twilight and Spike head on through. Bringing my binoculars down, I sighed and thought about all my troubles and tribulations. All of my history here and anywhere else. Are you telling me I wasted my alcohol money on this? Oh wait! There was a delay wasn't there? In the finale? We had a shot of Pinkie with some baked goods afterwards... How..how do we know when it happens? How are we supposed to know?
I bring the binoculars back up to my eyes. I see nothing. Twilight's essence and Starlight's have disappeared. There's nothing left. How long? How long till' non-existence? Sighing I begin to put my binoculars down, but then I see a faint glimmer. Bringing them back up, I notice a faint ring of blue. Starlight's magical spell no doubt, but....something isn't right here. The spell was already performed, so why would there be a thing happening. Confused a focused as far as I could on it. Then, somehow, it activates, pulsing in rhythm and gyrating beyond my comprehension. Then it stops before becoming a bolder color. It then grows. Not slow mind you, it seems like it as it gets bigger it becomes even faster. Most likely, it'll soon envelope this entire planet in a few more minutes. I feel a touch upon my back. I look and there before me lies a slowly coming to conscious parent.
An orange pegasus was slowly getting up using my back as support. Oh crap. I forgot about the time. It looks like the parents are getting up. Have to get the hell out of here. Quickly, getting off the bench, I begin to sprint as they awaken. At least one is delayed since it must've fallen as soon as I had gotten up ,so I have to at least be thankful for that. Knowing that I can't head towards the ever growing dome, I start to head off towards the Everfree Forest. It is my only hope for surviving this whole mess, since ponies don't go in there without a good reason. I looked behind me. Instantly my legs kicked into high gear as I began to see what I feared. The parents were getting up, but the bubble was fastly approaching. Some of them noticed me, but before they could have even acted on it, they were swallowed by the growing sphere. Then poof. Nothing was left. I couldn't even see the playground anymore. It was just consumed by the glowing blue magic spell. Not even the magic was left behind. It just got changed to the same type of blue. I ran through town. Ponies who were walking by, looked at me in confusion, before walking right into it. It was about five yards behind me and gaining with every second.
I looked back in front of me. I passed the final lengths of houses and kept going into towards the Everfree. I conjured up the insane idea of saving myself by hiding in that 'wild' magic. I know it is pointless, but my heart, driven by adrenaline, coursed me onwards to what it thought was safety's reach. Only 4 feet away. It caught a bit of my leg, but I managed to pull it free and accelerate towards the forest edge like a madman. Further and further it went. it had consumed almost all of the backhalf of my body. Somehow I was keeping up with it. I didn't question how. Only my head was left untouched. I know that if it gets that, I'm doomed. I reached with my hand towards the furthest looking branch, grabbed it with all my might, and pulled my body forward. I couldn't do it in time.
The last thing I saw was Zecora up ahead picking some herbs and my 'magic vision failing. The last thing I heard was her speaking her rhymes in greeting and the howls of the forest. I closed my eyes and thought my last, which mainly included, 'Fuck me, if this is it. I can't go out like this. Scared and alone....',amongst some situation appropriate curse words. Then that was it. Nothing more was to happen to me except a brief pain and a sudden darkness.
Author's Note
Time is rewriting itself and a new existence takes hold. This is only the beginning.
I have no excuse.
As the darkness gives way to light, we find that our scenery has changed dramatically. No longer are the lush and wild woods of the Everfree surrounding us. Now we are surrounded on all sides by crystal walls, ceilings, and nobility. A party has taken place inside this lovely abode. To commemorate a recent victory over the Equestrian forces. There were many nobles around. Chatting away, like nothing was wrong in the world. There were also a few slaves around serving to their whims and fancy. Being their chairs, stools, waiters, and various other roles. Magical light is shining down upon them all and in the corner of the room lies our 'new' hero. His build has all but diminished. His lanky figure is covered completely in a nice, black silken cloak that hides what scars he does sport upon his face. He carries nothing on him, but a metal club and some powder bags tied to it. His gaze may be hidden under his silken hood, but he's concentrating dead straight on one figure across the room. This is where we find ourselves now.
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There...there he lies. Laying down on the biggest chair in the room. Fast asleep. Lazy bastard. Now often most people would think that he would be surrounded by guards twenty-four/seven. You'd be half right. He does have a contingency of guards, but they're mostly for everyone else's safety. He sometimes gets off the handle, so the guards can be found releasing some anti-depressant magic spells that get him out of his moods. It's really the only way for him to say anything without grumbling and complaining about the current lack of crystal pylons in Equestria. Although that doesn't leave him completely unprotected.
Currently he has a tier 3-5 magical barrier around him. I can't tell however, since some of his focal signals are covered. I can at least tell that those spells are ones of the more basic shield variety that you can conjure, but it's a bit more complicated since he has at least 5 ingrained and inlaid on him or his armor with some permanent rune spells as well. So as long as he has magic those things are going to block every physical and magical attack in the book. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about that since I know a little work around called my ambient nature. I just have to direct it properly and contain it. My hands were still shaking and my body had tensed up where I stood. Alright...you've got to remember why you're here. There are people depending on you to do this. As well as some cash prizes, but that's just a nice friendly bonus when it comes to this retribution of mine.
Regaining some control over my mobility, I slowly crawled towards a nearby table laid with food. There was so much here at stake. But...a few sugary confectionaries wouldn't hurt. I stuffed a few into my mouth. And tucked some away inside the inner linings of my cloak. Reaching for my sack-of-all-things ®,I grabbed a few ingredients, crushed them in my hand, and patted my cloak. I let the magic do its work before doing something that would definitely be labeled as dangerous by The Board of Magic and Science down in Canterlot. I forced part of my soul into the bullet. Now, thankfully, it's not as hard as one might think it is to do, but there is a terrible price that must be paid for forcing one's soul to be elsewhere than its natural residence. The price being, my life cut shorter than it was going to be naturally otherwise. However, right now I do not think that that is a problem considering a war is on, and my life will likely not live long. Just got to remember that it's a one time thing. I'm not like Voldemort or anything. Now...I have to focus.
My breathing slowed. My body clenched tightly. The gun was shaking slightly in my hands. I guess this might've been caused by some part of me, declaring to the world that what I was doing was wrong. That it could be solved another way. Maybe Sombra is controlled by a being such as The Nightmare. Maybe friendship could've helped me solve this particular problem, like it taught me all those long years ago. However, this part of my mind has grown much smaller ever since I came here. Sure it was the same world, the same people, but...it was definitely different circumstances. Zecora...the only one that ever believed in me 100% or helped by teaching me the ways of the planet. In another life, we could've probably been more than just friends, but....that scenario is no longer possible to me.
She was just too young to have gone out like that. It wasn't even by the very things that she called comrades in the Everfree. It wasn't even by any of Sombra's soldiers. It was just another day. She was just heading towards Ponyvile to see if any of the merchants were left. Some had moved on further south to get better deals and trade-ins for their stuff. I hear that one had even immigrated to Saddle Arabia to escape the war. Anyway, she was just walking out of the forest, when all of a sudden. Boom! Bam! Splat! Dead.... I hadn't even noticed she was dead until three days after. When I found her, oh my heart did ache. My friend, my one and only friend who was with me the entire time I was here. My teacher, who had trained me in the ways of magic. Dead from a spike. A giant crystal spike poking straight up from the ground. It was taken down shortly after, but her body was just dumped inside her hut. I didn't even have time to put on a proper burial that she might've wanted since without her own magic supplying the 'Go Away" enchantment put around her house, wild animals were going to soon be on her doorstep, ravaging everything in their path, and most likely taking advantage of a free meal.
My 'home' was denied to me ever since then. Without a base of operations and constant attacks by those creatures, I would be put past my limit and surely die. I could've moved to Ponyville, but nothing was there for me. No new life. no new friends. Just the damn war and the apple cannery. So I took a train, and headed wherever I needed to be. It wasn't until two months ago that it finally set in. She was dead. I was alive. The person that killed her was still out there. Probably making more corpses. Making more friends and innocent people suffer and die. That was when I got my shit together and took this job. That was the only reason I was here today. I sighed. My body relaxed and I let my hands tighten around the gun. Raising it up quickly and precisely, I let all of my inhibitions go, and pulled the trigger. A loud bang and then it was done.
Ponies shrieked as he fell. That was only temporary though. The slaves had all, but stopped in their tracks and stared at the dead emperor. It didn't take long before manic grins formed upon their faces. With the threat of death now no longer on the horizon, ponies will be quick to carry out their judgment on their 'masters'. Soon the throne room doors spilled open as the peasants befell the nobility that were around him or ever supported his rule. It was like the revolution of France, with how bloody it's becoming in here. I put away my gun and the special powder that I used back in my pouches. Quickly, I grabbed my outer cloak and tossed it off, revealing dirt rags with holes near the bottom. I let it go and as it was being blown away by the brief wind, making my form seen for just a moment. Quickly I focused what leg muscles that I had developed in my life, and jumped out a random window. I was high off the ground by at least a couple hundred feet, but thankfully I had some time before I hit the gravel, so I repositioned myself to hit the ground with bent knees. Normally this would have ended with me having leg bones be pumped straight through my upper body, but thankfully gravel has a lot of different properties than concrete. It has give to it. As I hit the ground in a crouch, I fell to my shoulders and knees, hurting like crazy, but I had to make it seem as real as possible. With the finesse, I've developed over the few scant months I've been here, I crawled quickly away from the onslaught and the tiny crater my drop had caused. To any outsider I would've just looked like a fleeing servant that was trying to escape the carnage.
As I walked away I was reminded of many things that have happened in the time I was here. I remembered how in many of my travels, ponies ,and often other beings, wonder what it is that I actually do from time to time. Sometimes I tell them that I'm a good ol' handyman and I find it useful to not have fur in the way of everything. A regular Fix-it-all kind of guy. Other times I say I'm an apprentice mage that was slightly deformed during one of my spells. The truth however, is that I'm a radical.....Nowadays, death would follow those words, no matter if they were spoken out of context or using it as a battle cry. I can't afford doing that though. Not right now anyway. I am too prepared for any of that.
You know, I used to live and train in one of the wildest places here on this forsaken continent. A....way to sort of test myself if you will. I always believe that bettering yourself is basically the be-all and end-all of things. Nowadays, though I don't need to live there anymore with how this world has become. It's just....there....out in the world now. There's a war going on, that's on the verge of becoming like my previous home planet's World War II, only liberty, freedom, and peace are the losing side now. 'Dark' magic is growing unstable across the country of Equestria and 'Harmony' no longer exists as it once did. Sombra's armies are rampaging across the countryside. Only Celestia herself can hold them back, but she refuses. One alicorn can only do so much though. *sigh* If only Luna were here. Then the fight could've been pushed back, rather than the slow defeat that it is.
However, now it is different. Sombra is dead, his spells are no longer active, and the nobility supplying him financially and in other ways are taken care of by the populace. Right now though, is not really the time to be stuck in my thoughts. I have to save myself, after all, because ,as of now, many ponies are just gleefully killing each other in cold blood. The high nobility was being destroyed amongst the ranks and the lower classes were tearing everyone apart. Whether or not they were friend or foe, no one cared. Squelches and puddles of red dotted the cobblestone roads. Even a pony's half emboweled corpse littered the sidelines. Flies were already buzzing around it. I decided to get out of the city as fast as I could. With how everything's going, ponies are likely to...Wait....Crap. I forgot all about that. Since I did do this, it would become a very bad problem for Equestria because right now. The only thing keeping it at bay, right now, is the 'hidden' crystal. Why do I always end up with these moral dilemmas. On one hand, I could leave the country never to return, with the whole of the continent falling to savegry and deceit, while on the other, I could become the unsung hero of the war, saving millions from death and destruction as I protected everyone from internally falling to madness, anger, and bloodshed.
With a sigh, I cursed my own stupid morals, and turned around narrowly avoiding a thrown axe to my back. From that point on, I crawl at a faster pace towards the crystal castle. Thankfully, most of the crystal ponies were not really that aggressive towards me in particular, so I was able to get there without a few more incidents like that occurring. I should've killed Sombra later damnit or come up with better plan than KILLING THE BITCH RIGHT THEN AND THERE! Now all the negative emotion crap is going to do things to Equestria. As I approach one of the crystal prongs at the foot of the tower, I can see that the few scant guards around me are slowly beginning to awaken from their spell. However, even with Sombra dead, his mind control spells will last at least 4-5 days with how much magic he put into them to stop ponies from usurping him. This means that some guards will still follow his orders even if the other awakened try to stop them. However, that was with only Sombra providing it. Now we've got to deal with a rampant crystal heart fueling every pony's blood lust and anger.
Crap. I really should've checked all my safeguards. Now, I'm just going to have a really difficult time with this. Wait....I just thought of another thing that might've just screwed everyone over. I don't know if anyone else in Equestria is acting like this, but if they are then this could be enough to set THEM free. Celestia, Luna, and myself are probably the only beings on this world that know about them. One isn't even on the damn planet anymore, the other one's all the way in Canterlot or someplace in between here and there. Celestia might be able to stall Discord by placing more enchantments upon him. She definitely can stop Tirek however just by posting more guards and better security. However, that would only stall them if for a little bit.
That means that I and I alone can save Equestria from the 'evil' of Discord and the greed of Tirek.....Dear God, when did my life become a fan fiction. Alright, I have a few ideas that I can pull if I play my cards right with the crystal guards. I might be able to find the heart if I remember his special vault. However, the bastard could've moved it between the time the empire returned and now. *sigh* Only one way to find out however.
As I slowly reared my head around a crystal pillar, I could feel the deaths of the tons of ponies that I had indirectly killed. I could feel....joy from this. Pure unadulterated bliss in the form of quiet chuckles. NO! Stop damn it! It's just the damn crystal. Just the crystal...Having regained some modicum of control, I turned back around. Determination filled me as I figured out how to get in. Each of the pillars had a door and a resulting staircase climbing up to the more mainstream rooms. All I had to do was get around this pillar and quietly enter the whole crystal palace.
It was going to have to be quick. I couldn't do it silently, that was for sure, but I could at least do it quickly and not have to knock out all the guards. Taking a deep breath, I got up off my hands and knees. I slowly stuck my head out from behind the pillar. Thankfully at least three of the eight guards were turned towards the opposite arch, but unfortunately four were turned on my general direction. I noticed their widened blood-red eyes and quickly decided to take advantage of their momentary surprise at my appearance.
Bringing my knee swiftly up, I knocked one of the guards helmets off, as well as, knock him down for the count, if I can trust that he's not faking the shallow breath. Unfortunately, I had brought my attention away from the second guard. Thus, I was attacked very easily. Hit on the side of my arm with a sword. At first I felt nothing, like usual whenever it comes to pain, but then I stung. A lot. This was mainly caused when the pony guard was trying to pull his sword out of my arm. He couldn't however, due to one fact. I was holding it in there. His manic glare slightly faltered when he couldn't understand what I was doing. However, I knew how to do this song-and-dance. While his attention diverted away, I quickly placed a well good kick on the pony's forearms.
He screamed bloody murder as one of his forearms popped out of its socket. Thankfully, it was his sword arm, so he won't be swinging anything for a lo...OH FUCK ME!!! Intense pain came from my arm as the stallion just forced even deeper in. Blood spewed forth like a fountain drenching me, the blade, and the would-be-soldier. All the while, his manic grin greeted my face. The shakes crawled over my body as the blood loss was setting in. I had to act fast. I pulled both arms towards me, and stepped back, trying to ignore the swift pain that came with it. The guard was surprised that I had pulled back and fell forward onto the sword he was pushing into me. It nicked his injured fore arm slightly as he fell, adding a little insult to injury.
Before the guard had a chance to get back up, I stepped on the back of his head and pressed slightly. With a strangled cry, the guard passed out. I looked to see that the other pillar entrance guards were about 2 yards away. I could handle them pretty easily I think, but I can tell that at least 4 of these newcomers are unicorns, so I'd have to calculate magic into their fighting styles, which would be too much for my brain to keep track of and try to avoid their ranged attacks. Because of this, I did the most logical thing that my brain came up with. Run. There was absolutely no way that I could handle these guards without some aid or more bullets, which I didn't have at this time. I turned around and began to run towards the crystal doors, but I fell before I could get to the doors. I looked behind me seeing the fallen guard grabbing my left leg in a death lock.
I could get up and drag him with me, but I doubt that I could get through the door in time without the other guards catching up. Only one real option could present itself. Bringing my right leg up, I step down hard upon his forearms. A sickening crunch was heard throughout the area, as my foot broke the joints on one of his forearms. He screamed out in intense pain and, with a quick jab to the head, I put him into coma-land for the next year-and-a-half. I hope by then that he'll forgive me, but as of right now, I'm not really bothered by the consequences of my actions and more bothered to GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE!!!
Quickly, I pulled my foot out of his hold and ran towards the door. It was only a few seconds before arrows riddled my back and my one of my legs felt an intense burning sensation. I locked my jaw and screamed in pain as I opened the door. I stepped in and turned around, only to see a guard about 6 feet away, flying towards my unguarded face. At this moment, I would normally be either panicking or just dodge him, but pain has limits on the body. Adrenaline can only do so much before, you run out. I was only really left with one option. I slammed the door on his face and barred it with my body. I heard a muffled roar of pain and rage as he slammed his body into the crystal structure. I grabbed the nearest thing within my reach, which was conveniently a spear, and jammed the door shut. It was only a few moments later that a few more bumps were heard and their ramming session began.
That spear won't hold them for long since it is only crystal. I sighed and turned towards the hallway before I noticed something really disturbing. That spear wasn't from one of the inanimate suits of armor that usually adorn the palace. It was from a pony guard that was just staring at me. Some quick thinking brought me to two conclusions. A: Might be in a coma, is one of the possibilities to the removal of the spell, B: Could be friendly, C: GET HIM THE FUCK DOWN!!! I was very interested in option C since adrenaline was still rushing through my brain, but thankfully rationality was always the better part of my brain. It didn't look like he was that much of a crazed maniac anyway, so I can take some chances right now since its only us.
Before I could do anything however, the guard's eyes glowed green and he slipped into the shadows....Huh. Nice knowing Chrysalis is helping a little in the Empire. Or it could be that one guy, but I don't know. I just hope that they're holding back the emotional power output that this thing is doing, otherwise they'll be left without a meal or their lives, as they destroy themselves. However, now's not the time to stand around looking dumb and caring about others. With renewed confidence, I went up the stairs as fat as I could. That was a big mistake. I was tiring out pretty easily from the amount of stairs this place had, and I could begin to hear multiple voices, from up and downstairs. This is a problem. I'm going to be surrounded soon and then I will most surely die without any help. Thankfully as I kept running upstairs, I found that there was a floor to the right of me so I instantly took the chance that I would not be kabobbed as soon as I stepped through the door.
Wait. I'm back where I started. Thankfully though everyone's dead for some reason. That's good. If the knowledge I have is still correct, then there should be a hidden basement under the throne. It would be terrible if anyone was here to stop my passing through. However, I will have to clean this cloak of mine. It wouldn't do if it had permanent stains from all the blood on the floor. Anyway how am I going to do this? I do not have magic, I can't simply make a door, and I don't think anger infused punches will do anything. All I have is my pistol, some simple scrolls that would help in various social situations, and....THAT'S IT!!
Quickly I grabbed my boom powder and showered it all on the floor. Thankfully this stuff can't absorb moisture so it will still work, even with all the blood. Now, I know my boom powder is powerful, but at most I still need it to be directed downwards instead of in every direction. I don't have time to MacGyver a situation. With a couple grunts and heaves, I covered the pile of powder with the many toppled and destroyed remains of the chairs, and I topped it all off with the crystal throne itself. Hopefully the added weight will make it difficult to push it upwards. Now all I need to do is light it. Looking around, I grabbed the nearest torch. Threw it towards the pile and made a run for it. Even if the blast won't kill me, I think the high speed chairs might impale me. I heard a boom behind me and continued to the stairs. However, I was stopped in my path by the guards that I had heard earlier. However, they didn't have time to act, as I jumped over them and used their bodies as shields. They tried to turn around and run but my body kept them in place as the shards of wood and crystal impaled them and nearly went through their entire bodies and into me. I am sorry for what I had to do, but it was necessary. Hopefully someone, after all is said and done, will come and catalogue their remains. They deserve a proper burial, or at least a funeral pyre. Quickly I tossed them down the stairs, as I began to hear more guards, and hoped with all my faith that they would at least be stopped by the 4 bodies I threw down. After the act was done, I looked back towards the throne room through the archway and discovered my plan had actually worked.
I ran towards the hole in the center as I passed the newly impaled walls, bodies, and, apparently, eyeballs on the floor. Don't know how that happened and I won't ask. As I cam closer, I noticed that the blood that had pooled on the floor, was now being drained through the hole. I gulped as I realized my plan was somewhat bad, considering I will fall down those stairs to my death. I braced myself and trekked downwards. There was a little drop, as I could not find the exact beginning of the staircase, but other than that, nothing was really eventful. The only other complication that I had discovered was that, I could not really find the second staircase down there. It was well disguised though. Alongside the door, which I knew to be bad news, there was an identical one. I was literally playing a game of chance to find the heart. Hoping my luck wouldn't change with how its been going lately I picked one at random and went through it.
Thankfully, it did hold up and I didn't witness any of my surroundings change, like they had done for Twilight in that one episode. However, I do not have the luxury to walk all the way up the stairs. So I ran with all my might upwards. It is most unfortunate that I do not have anything comparable to gravity magic, otherwise I would've been able to just fall upwards like what Twilight had. I arrived at the top of the Crystal Tower. I looked and saw the heart. It was spinning and pulsating, all the while glowing a soft red. I could see purple veins travelling up the side of it. DAMN IT SOMBRA!! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DESTROY EQUESTRIA IF YOU COULDN'T HAVE IT!!! NO!! STOP IT!! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF DAMNIT!!!!! Getting this close to the heart, is making me very angry. Damnit. I might not have enough sense to destroy it now. I got to act fast. Quickly I put myself over the heart and squeezed it. Thankfully my essence is doing considerable work on the heart. It's spinning slower now, and I'm not getting as much a headache and nausea from being on it. However, something's wrong. The bubble outside the Empire is slowly failing. Snowflakes are falling to the ground. As I looked over the Empire I could see fire, as red as blood. Ponies were in the streets, and as I was on the heart. Slowly coming out of it. I would normally be glad right now about this particular situation, but I can only feel rage right now.
As the heart came to a stop, crystal walls shot up around me. I was fine with that. I knew that I was probably going to die here. My plan wouldn't have even worked if I wasn't crazy enough to pull it off and stop the reign of tyranny and oppression. My mind became calm with how I accepted my fate of ensnarement. Slowly my body became numb with rage, and I noticed something. I was freezing up. I didn't think it was cold enough to freeze me solid, but I guess Sombra put a lot of safeguards in this. As the ice crept up my legs and reached my heart, the screams from the outside stopped. Knowing Sombra he probably froze everyone else right along with him too. I think that everything is going to be alright though. With the heart neutralized, everything will go back to being normal, at least until something else happens. I..I think I'm going now. Too bad I didn't have a final will and testament. Heh... With my blood being frozen, I don't think my brain can keep up now. Everythings....going....
Zecora? Why can I se------
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As the light gives way to darkness for our hero, we hope that everything turns out alright for him and his lot. However, before any meaningful resolution can come, the sphere of blue returns to envelop the world. No one knows that it is enveloping everything they've ever known. All they now is that the war is over, and peace can return. The sun bringer herself notices the removal of the dark one's magic, and begins to order many ponies to send out troops to see what has happened in the northern part of the world. The sphere envelops them. A trees last leaf falls to the ground. Inches away from it, it is enveloped. A grandmother is put off life support. She is enveloped. Soon everything is gone in a sea of blue. Yet again the world does change. However, as we all know, it is different than what it once was.
Author's Note
Crystal lives are now free from tyranny.
I am sorry for the long wait to this next chapter. I had started this and forgot about it for a few years. For that I am extremely sorry. I hope now, with everything put up to date, people will be willing to forgive. I hope everyone likes what I've done.
