The Bill-inning

by EmperorDalek

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Queen Chrysalis, Romance, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Alternate Universe, Human, Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna
Length: 228231

A displaced human becomes Bill Cipher from Gravity Falls

A displaced story about a man who becomes the most powerful being in the universe, at least in MLP terms.
As you may noticed, i have just had a multi-dimensional makeover

Follow Bill in the realm of Equestria in his search for the ultimate goal that all seek in life.
Warning: Contains harsh language and a little bit of gore

Published 2016-07-29 20:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-07-29 17:26:15 UTC

Chapter 2 (edited and spellchecked version)

Nightmares!

*A year later*

Luna, with a gentle trot, moved through the hallway interiors of her and her sister’s castle in the Everfree. Most of the guards were asleep and the world was at peace; the only detectable sounds being the silent ambience of the Castle of the Two Sisters. A calm wind blew through the corridors and hallways, but it was a gentle breeze, one that you would enjoy on a really sunny day, but which still keeps your body heat up enough to prevent freezing.

The business of the day had been concluded, all taxes had been addressed, and all visitors to the castle had now had their one hour and had been sent on their back home to Ponyville for the night. Celestia had already teleported off to bed the minute visiting hours were over, but she had decided that she wanted to have a nice time enjoying the quiet and beautiful ambience of the castle at night.

Passing a nearby window, she stopped and turned her head to look out at the moon. She smiled as she saw it, but her smile faded as it became a frown upon her face. She sighed, exhaling a deep breath, her eyes trailed down, and her head turned back, staring down the hall as she continued down its path. On the walls fell a certain shadow, which silently followed her.

With a gentle turn she rounded a corner, her head still held low at the sad truth that filled her mind. She did not like admitting it to herself, but everything had just changed so much in these recent days; the terrible defeat that ended in no songs of victory, the defeat of a powerful evil, and the discovery of a new power having just entered their world was too much for her to bear. She wanted to leave, she wanted to forget, but she had a duty that she could not ignore. Despite what was demanded of her as a ruling Princess of Equestria, she just wanted a small break, a moment to clear her thoughts and just… feel refreshed for once. Was that too much to ask?

Suddenly, before she rounds the corner fully, shadows erupt from the walls, reaching out for her!

"GAH!" she manages to scream!

In a different part of the castle, Celestia’s eye shots open, one of her ears perked up as it detected a loud scream echoing from the hallway.

Her body shot up, her eyes wide as they stared at the door at the other end of the room!

"Oh no! That was Luna’s voice!" She exclaimed, throwing the covers off her and rushing to the door! Her horn started to light up, and with a *Pop* she disappeared out of her bedroom, re-appearing in the hallway outside her room. Another ear-piercing shriek sounded down the left corridor! She quickly spun, and started running down the left route!

As quickly as she made her turn down the left corridor, she extended her wings, rising up into the air after a mighty flap. With great beats of her mighty wings she flew down the corridor to help her sister. No one lets out a scream like that unless they are in serious trouble. But just because they are both immortal goddesses their bodies are not, they can still be killed.

Flying through the castle at intense speed, the shockwave in her wake was strong enough to make pictures become unhinged, hanging sideways on the walls, armor sets were knocked over and even the walls had large cracks rip their way through the once-thought to be durable walls.

As the screaming finally got loud enough to precisely pinpoint its origin, her horn started to glow with a golden aura of magic, she disappeared shortly casting her teleportation spell. In a few seconds she popped back into reality, appearing in another part of the castle. She quickly got to running the last distance. She rounded a corner, but immediately stopped in place, her jaw dropping, and her eyes growing wide from pure horror.

Out of the walls, black tendrils reached out, wrapping themselves around the limbs, body, and especially the horn of a restrained Luna. Like veins, shadows were moving through the wall, spreading out to other parts of the castle.

Luna's eyes were clenched tight; her face had a frightened but also disgusted look as the black tendrils, while gripping tightly onto her hooves started to move over them, working their way up along her arms and legs. As the tendrils held her in their grasp, a black goo seemed to drip from them, splattering onto the floor where they were absorbed into the ground, and like the blackness in the walls, started to spread out into the rest of the castle. As it passed underneath her hooves, Celestia nervously raised them up, not knowing what would happen if she let them touch her. But instead of doing anything, it moved past her, following the rest of the castle. In very little time the entirety of the castle had been turned to pure black, with the edges being outlined by white. Windows, pictures, tapestries, doors, and even the books, etc. Everything in the castle was turned into a literal black and white version of itself! Just without the filters.

The entire castle started to shake, the torches swapped out the regular flames for white ones, and paintings and tapestries changed into a figure that looked to not have a specific form, merely a shadowy shape. The shadow wore a white cape which was fastened with a red broach. It held a cane with a shadowy arm, wore gloves, and a rather large hat atop its head. In front of its left eye was a monocle. In the many pictures, paintings and tapestries it seemed to be wearing the same clothing, but still had the a certain calm, collective air about it.

Outside the walls, the shaking castle finally managed to crack open, breaking apart from the ground, and rising up into the air. The castle was suspended high above the ground with a large crevice left behind in its former resting place!

Backing away from the nearest window, Celestia directed her eyes towards the black goo that was steadily encasing Luna. Her face frowned, glaring up at her sister in growing rage, her horn having a buildup of magic that she would use to free her sibling from that terrible… whatever it was!

However, when it was discharged from her horn, an arm suddenly seemed to shoot out of the wall and formed a shield in front of Luna, Celestia’s attack did little more than just be deflected off the shield, ricocheting off the walls as she ducks down to avoid being hit by her own attack. It breaks through the glass window, and flies off into the distance. With wide-eyed shock, she watches as the window regenerates itself back to its original state.

She turns her head back, casting a shocked, jaw-dropped stare back at her sister, watching as the blackness completely submerges her entire form in the black goo. "Sister!" Luna cries out in a fearful, screeching voice, before her face is swallowed up.

"Luna!" Celestia calls out, extending her hoof out to her sister, as if she was going to break free and begin reaching for her. But what really happened was that the tendrils that originally bound her, and had been restraining her while also covering her by the goo now retracted into her, separating from the wall. A flash of light erupts, shining so bright that it blinds Celestia, who must raise a hoof up to shield her eyes from the violent light!

When the light dies down it returns to a level that is tolerable enough for her to lower her hoof. The bright light continues to shine for a few more seconds before dying down to the way it had been before the light had begun to shine. However, the figure that greets her already distressed eyes did nothing to help reassure her in the slightest. It was an Alicorn!

The Alicorn’s entire form was black, except for its jaw which was filled with sharp fangs, and completely blank eyes. Its wings were still in the shape of a wing, but was heavily deformed with tendrils in place of feathers. The front hooves were broken with black bones jutting out. The mere sight of it disgusted Celestia so much that her expression said it all.

Taking a step forward, this shadow version of Luna fell down, landing face-first against the floor.
"Oh my! Luna, are you alright?!" Celestia asked with deep concern, and was about to approach her collapsed sister. However, the figure in front of her started to move, lifting its body up from the floor and suspending itself in the air. Luna’s old legs disconnected from her shoulders, dropping to the ground, and dissolving away into a puddle that melted through the floor, dripping the remaining leftovers down onto the far-away ground underneath the castle. New limbs started to grow out, but not the ones that one would expect. A much longer arm grew out, resulting in three spider legs that took the place of her formerly digit-less hooves on the end of her new arms. Tendrils grew from her back, as well as sharp spiky protrusions. Out from her blank eyes, blood began running down her face, dripping from her cheek, and splattering onto the floor, but it too started to burn through the floor, once again the floor resealed itself shut.

She tried to take a step forward, but did not get an inch closer to the small equine in front of her. She turned her head to look back and noticed that her hind legs were not co-operating as they just stood still in place. She growled through gritted teeth, which just sounded like Luna screaming. She raised one of her clawed arms and with a fell slash pierced her own flesh, severing her lower-half from the upper-half! Instead of simply falling down, she was suspended in mid-air while her other severed half exploded into a large mass of black goo that splattered onto the walls and floor, burning them – Again, it all regenerated back.

Gasping, Celestia took to shaking her head in denial at what she was seeing happen to her own sibling! Her jaw was completely dropped.

"L-Luna?" she inquired in horror to her deformed sibling, backing away just as frightened as her voice indicated.

Out from just under her waist, black slime shot out! The slime solidified, re-sharping into the slender, sharp legs of a spider. Gasping at the deformed monstrosity that was her sister, she backed away from it nervously.

"Luna…No!" She said softly to herself, shaking her head in denial at the creature before her. Raising its head with a terrible crunching sound, her deformed sister gazed at her through eyeless holes.

Luna’s jaw dropped, hanging open as it appeared to be letting out a terrible growl at her, but instead of an animalistic growl, it was the voice of Luna screaming in agonizing pain! Moving her left arm, she reached out towards the perfectly normal Alicorn in front of her, its claws opening up to grab her! Before reaching her, Celestia acted on impulse and leaped to the side just as her monstrous sister’s arm instead crashed into the wall, breaking through the floor and wall! Luna retracted her arm, the damage being re-sealed.

Luna's head turned to the side, staring out at the Alicorn in front of her with her bleeding eyes – Her quick movements causing the melting blood from her eyes to splatter onto the floor and the walls, making it all start melting! Her jaw dropped, emitting a hollow moan from it!

That was it! Celestia had to get away from her. This was not the Luna she knew! She was long gone!

She turned to face the other direction, and quickly jumped up into the air, taking to flight! The Luna-creature was already moving its right arm towards her in a slow fashion as it thought that she would not resist! But as it watched the elder sibling fly away, the slime peeled away, revealing real flesh! It extended an arm, then moved the other, and then the other, and the other again, and every time it moved another step its pace quickened, until finally it was finally running after her!

Its terrible howls echoed through the castle, ensuring that its prey never truly escaped the pain of the loss of its sibling. A tearful Celestia hurried down the halls with all the strength her very being could conjure! But no matter how fast she flew or how much she flew in random throughout the nightmarish castle the Luna-creature’s roars were always just as close, and never got anywhere close to fading into the distance!

Out of the castle walls, tendrils shot out at her, but because they could not predict where she was going to go she eluded them by teleporting away! Monstrous chests with sharp legs and teeth on the inside, books that flew through the air with teeth, Ponies made out of actual glass and giant eyeballs with wings, all of these abominations she encountered on top of fleeing from the already monstrous version of her sister!

After chasing her through several enlarged hallways, making room for it to move through them, their little game of tag had finally come to a stop. The Luna-creature had led her to the throne room! Or at least something that vaguely resembled a throne room.

At hearing the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps her eyes got wide with horror! The Luna-creature was getting closer! She turned around to look, but when she did she jumped back in panic. Standing right in the doorframe of this throne room, was the Luna-creature!

Celestia gasped, realizing that now that it had her cornered there was no way out of this terrible place! Never mind the Ponies down on the surface. Who knew what had happened to them at this point?!

Luna’s jaw hung open, the steady and continuous moans of a pained Luna being the only sounds to fill the chamber. She stumbled back till she reached the base of a raised, triangular pedestal. Atop the platform stood no one.

Behind the platform was a large, circle-shaped window, and this entire room was completely black, but there were outlines in rainbow colors around them.

She looked around the chamber for any potential means of escape. Unfortunately, she had been so caught up in looking for an escape route that she had completely ignored the creature itself. It gripped its spider-leg claws around her, grabbing tightly as it raised her up towards Luna’s face.

Celestia tried resisting the Luna-creature’s grasp on her as best as she could, but her efforts were like throwing pebbles at a river that had burst its banks!

The Luna-creature held her up in front of its face, fixing its blank bleeding eyes at the normal Alicorn. Its nose trills flared as it breathed, emitting fractions of the blue from Luna’s mane. When Celestia saw this, she averted her eyes, releasing a choked sob at the sight of it for it reminded her that this monstrous deformity was or had been her sister.

Raising its left arm, it touched the tips of two of its claws to the side of Celestia’s head. She soon started to shrink, being reduced down till she was the size of an eye. Luna grinned evilly. Her jaw dropped, exposing thousands of sharp teeth inside a spiraling maw!

Celestia, upon seeing this, started to move frantically, once again trying to get away from her "sister's" grasp. She did manage to free herself, but before she could escape, the Luna-creature shot one of its tendrils, which wrapped around the shrunken sister, restraining her in place.

The tendril moved in front of the creature's mouth, holding the small struggling Alicorn mare in its grasp. Looking down into the maw that awaited her, she could not avoid the motion-stopping horror that was in front of her!

The Luna-creature let out a loud moan as its tendril prepared to swing the miniature pony into its maw, but right before did so Celestia closed her eyes, tightening her face.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, something shot past her, which made the Luna-creature let out a loud howl of pain, dropping miniature Celestia. However, before she could fall into her sister’s maw she suddenly landed on something and she felt herself being pulled back. At which point she finally opened her eyes. She was sitting on a hand. It was obvious that she was up in the air as she had to look down to see the Luna-creature, whose bleeding eyes were now looking up at her.

"Don’t worry, it can’t get you now." A voice said from behind her and she turned her head to look.

Unsurprisingly, her eyes grew wide again, but this time from just plain confusion for the figure that had her in its hand was a one-eyed triangle, which wore a bowtie and a top hat, with arms and legs.

"Hey, how you doin’?" it asked casually, smiling its eye at her.

"Uh…" she stuttered, "fine, I guess?" she shrugged.

"Ah good, I was beginning to worry that I was too late." the triangle said.

The Luna-creature frowned, snarling through its sharp teeth.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I almost forgot about you", the triangle says.

He extended a hand, pointing his finger towards the monstrous form underneath him.

With rapid turns, Celestia looked back between the Luna-creature and this odd triangle-creature, and she realized all too clearly what he was trying to do. In her panic to save this monstrosity which was still her sister, she suddenly pushed her hooves against him, but lost her balance and fell off his hand, accidentally firing a blast from her horn up at his eye.

"What the -?"

But before he could finish his sentence the beam hit him in the eye.

"Ahhh! My eye!" he screamed, dropping her and instead reaching up to his eye in panic. But she was far from focused on his pain as she soon came to regret her decision in attacking him to save Luna. Watching with wide-eyed horror as the Luna-creature shot its maw open, a tendril shot out from inside the maw, grabbing her, and twirling itself around her. It quickly pulled her back inside and closed its teeth down on her!

In that moment, the dream ended and Celestia's eyes shot open. She quickly sat up in her bed, panting heavily and sweating profusely! In quick succession, her head turned, looking around the room to check if it had all been real as she was breathing heavily. She was so terrified of what she had experienced in the dreamscape that she did not know whether it was over or if the nightmare was still going.

Chapter 3 (edited and spellchecked version)

Return to the Nightmare Realm

The next morning Celestia was still shaken from the events of last night’s dream, the Luna-creature, and that strange one-eyed triangle creature with limbs. True, it had saved her from the monstrous version of her sister, and even the darker version of their castle. It was a small detail, but large enough to leave a real impact. One thing she knew for certain though, the darkness that had possessed the dream version of Luna was much too…well, it was exactly something out of the deepest of nightmares that had not been seen since the Dark Years. Celestia shuddered as old, painful memories resurfaced, and she did her best to suppress them again. Sitting on her throne her head was held low. She had not been thinking of much else beside the horrible nightmares since she awoke.

The doors to the throne room opened as her sister trotted inside, trotting along the red carpet up to the throne at the other end of the room. Stopping in front of it, and looking up at the depressed figure that was sitting atop it. She brought a hoof up to her mouth and let out a cough loud enough to get the white Alicorn’s attention. Celestia’s eyes slowly looked up, falling upon her sister’s face.

"Sister, you have not been yourself ever since awakening this morning. What is troubling you?" asked Luna. Celestia only let out a heavy sigh.

"I had a nightmare last night, and not a very good one at that. I was being chased by…", her eyes grew wide, looking up at Luna nervously, "eh, that’s not important, it resulted in me being saved by an odd creature in the form of a triangle with a top hat, a bowtie, though it looked like two smaller triangles pointing at each other, with arms and legs protruding out of a stick figure, and a single eye in the center, with bricks at the bottom." Luna blinked her eyes a couple times, processing what she was hearing. "The triangle saved me, but I was attacked by what was chasing me and eaten." Luna narrowed her eyes, giving Celestia a deadpanned look. She exhaled a deep sigh, lowering her head. "I know, it sounds extremely -"

"Eerie." Luna interrupted.

Celestia looked up, narrowing her eyes to give her sister a confused look.

"Why do you say that, sister?" Celestia inquired with a nervous tone.

"Because last night I could not gain entrance into your dreams. Like something was purposely keeping me out. Normally I would just shrug it off as me purposefully preventing myself from spying into your dreams, but with what you have described, and that casket found at the bottom of the hole where you claimed to have felt a strong source of power, I am beginning to worry that last night’s events were no mere coincidence."

"Then if that is the case, and it was really just a ploy to frighten me, I need to snap out of this depression and-"

"No!" a frowning Luna interrupted her.

Celestia's face contorted into a look of shock at her sister’s response.

"No?" Celestia replied.

"Precisely. If we wait till tonight, then we can go to sleep together, and I can connect my mind to yours so that I can be with you from the beginning, because if I try to enter your mind after you have fallen asleep, I might just be blocked out again, but if I’m with you from the start, nothing will be able to separate us."

"Hmm." Celestia grumbled. Her eyes looked up, giving Luna a stern look. "You do understand that if we do this I cannot be held at fault for what you might see?"

"I do." Luna nodded. "But if it means purging your mind of the demon that is tormenting you, then I deem the risk worthwhile. Equestria cannot survive without its leader, especially is she cannot rest her mind without fear for dreadful nightmares that will traumatize her to the point where she will always be paranoid about going to sleep for fear of seeing those things again."

She lowered her head, her eyes peering down in great thought at the floor, before being raised back up, as she looked into her sister’s eyes before a twitched smile appeared on her face. However, it became a permanent one.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let it be night!" she shouted as she extended her hoof out in front of her in a triumphant manner. Luna, though, only raised a confused brow at her sister.

"Um, Celestia?" she asked looking up at her sister. "You do know that it is still a good eleven hours until night falls, right?"

"Oh" she replies nervously. "Um…" she brings a hoof up, touching it to her cheek as she ponders over that revelation.

"You want to get something to eat? I’m quite hungry myself." She lowers her hoof, giving Luna a nervous stare and shrugging her shoulders.

"Uh, sure?" Luna replies.

"Great! Let’s go, sister!" she beams. She stands up, and trots down from her throne, starting for the door. Luna turns around and joins her as they make their way across the room.

Luna turns, giving her elder sister a coy smile. "So, sister, how long has it been since you’ve eaten your last cake?’’ she asks.

Celestia turns, raising a brow at her little sister.
"Like, slice?"

"No…a whole cake?" Luna corrects.

Turning away, Celestia blushes as she understands the full meaning of the question.

"Um, shut up’’ she replies, trying to hide the embarrassment in her voice. Suffice it to say she failed, earning a giggle from the blue Alicorn beside her. She looks away, but continues to blush.

As they round the corner, closing the door behind them with their magic, the room is left completely empty. However, movement was seen, as a mask started to vibrate, coming lose from the wall and hovering down through the air. The mask itself had one half that was black (right side), while the other was white (left side). The eye on the left side was black, and the one on the right was yellow. However, the mouth itself was just red.

"Ah ha ha ha hah," it spoke to itself, as the nearby shadows came out, forming a single figure, which the mask attached itself to. "My master was right. They are doing just as he predicted." He held out a disembodied glowing hand and snapped his finger, his form disappeared, emitting a small wave as it passed through the air.

*Meanwhile, in a faraway place*

In a dark room with rainbow-ish outlines on the things within the large space, a literal shape was hovering in the air, its eye narrowed, and its hands were behind its back. It was deep in thought, when it brought a hand up to its non-existing chin. Scratching it.

"Hmmm…" it grumbled. "There has to be something that works. I- I’ve tried everything I can think of, but nothing fucking works!" he exclaimed, raising his fist, and then slamming it down into a table causing it to crack and shatter into a million shards of glass.

"I promised her, and how can I make good on my promise if I cannot even complete my side of the bargain?"

He snapped his fingers and disappeared. Shortly after, he reappeared floating in the air, sitting upside down on a throne. "Hmmm…" he continues, his hand still on his non-chin, and his eye narrow, deep in thought. "I have already found a way for how to bind it to a single form, but it’s how to make it an everlasting supply that I have yet to understand." He sighs, closing his eye, and letting his arms hang. "If only the real Bill Cipher was here. He would certainly know how to do something so simple." He snapped his finger, disappearing, but this time re-appearing vertically instead of horizontally. Arms crossed, with an angry eye.

"I could try looking for an Infinity stone, but it would take millennia to find such a gem, even in this part of the universe it would take me years to search on every single planet. Not to mention all the constellations where one could potentially be created, all the asteroid belts that might hold one, and all of the endless galaxies in the universe! It’s impossible!" He spun on his heel, reaching out, pointing his index finger out in front of him, and firing off a red finger-beam. The beam shot out, flying across the room until it penetrated another, virtually identical clone of himself. Leaving behind a large hole where the bricks were.

"Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Don’t take your frustration out on me!" his doppelganger said angrily, extending an arm out in front of him, and pointing another index finger back at himself. "After all you were the one who made that stupid deal with her!"

"Yeah, well what else was I supposed to do?!"

"Brainwash her into giving you control of this realm!" the doppelganger shouted back, while the hole regenerated itself, patching up the hole.

"Nah, that’s not how I do things." his doppelganger just shrugged back.

"Well, now that you’ve mention that Infinity stone, why would it be so difficult to find one?"

"Because there is only one in the entire universe…" his voice decreased its speed, slowing his tone down significantly, "Only…One!"

"Well, what makes them so important to you?" the doppelganger asked, pointing a finger.

"Any energy you see fit to store within them can be harnessed later, but the beauty of an infinity stone is that it will never run out of said energy, and will continue to supply you with as much energy of said deposited energy for whenever you wish. It does not matter how much you seek to deplete, as soon as it has recognized any form of energy it will forever continue to replicate the energy. As long as the stone survives, the energy inside it will endure for all eternity!"

"Hm. Then I can easily understand why you would want to get your hands on it."

"Indeed…" the original Bill turned away from his doppelganger, crossing his arms. "But I have yet to find one, and since there isn’t one that I can detect that is ready for use I have no options concerning how I am going to hold my end of the bargain."

"Hmm…" his doppelganger replied, putting a hand to its non-chin in deep thought. Growing wide, its eye looked back at his original self.

"But what if you have been looking in the wrong place?" it asked, grinning its eye. The original Bill turned around, his hands hanging down.

"That is impossible, but go on." He made a motion with his hand for the doppelganger to continue.

"I know that we are looking for an empty Infinity Stone, but what if the stone we are looking for isn’t empty?"

The original Bill’s eye narrowed. He moved forward through the air, reaching out his arm. A cane suddenly appeared in his grasp, which he started to lean on.

"Explain!" he said in a loud, demonic voice, as his body suddenly got uncomfortably closer to himself. His red eye staring at him with bright red shooting out from it.

"Well, consider that the Ponies have existed for thousands, maybe even billions of years, doesn’t it seem likely that in all their history that they would have come across an object that could prove useful to them, say, having fallen form the skies. Maybe it already contained the energy source, or maybe it was sealed in at a later stage, but the point is that they have found a powerful source of magic that they can use to protect themselves. However, unfortunately, it seems like the only way for them to actually access this magic is to use the same magic that is inside of it…and once unleashed, nothing can stop it!"

He flies up into the air, extending his arms and legs out, causing fireworks to appear all around him. "Ah hah ha hah ha ha ha ha!" he starts laughing manically until he hears a cough and looks down to see the original Bill looking up at him with an annoyed glare in his eye.

"Get to the point." His eye glows momentarily bright red, holding out a hand as a red flame appears in it. Both the red in his eye and the flames disappear a second after appearing. The doppelganger-Bill flies down. Returning to his spot.

"What is heart-shaped, and very powerful?" he says putting a lot of emphasis on the "very".

Bill’s eye grows wide in shock, and both he and his doppelganger, at the same time, say in unison what the Infinity Stone might be. "The Crystal Heart!"

"Ding, ding, ding! What do we have for him, Johnny!" the doppelganger exclaims while making a bell ringing motion with his hand.

"You have got to be kidding me! The Crystal Heart, in the Crystal Empire, is an Infinity Stone?! B-but how could the Ponies have the knowledge of how to put such simple energy into something as complex as an Infinity Star?!?!"

"Dude, you’re an all-powerful triangle with limbs, clothing, and one eye. Does this seem like a situation that should make sense?"

"I guess not!" he replied in a newly joyful tone.

"Then what are you waiting for?! Go get that damn heart so we can get this fucking thing overwith!" he shouts, pointing towards the wall.

"Great idea, I’ll be off then!"

He snaps his finger, but instead of teleporting out of the room, his body merely flies back towards the wall, crashing through it, and once out dissipates into bubbles.

"Hey! You owe me a new wall!" the doppelganger calls out after himself through the fresh crack in the wall.

"I owe me jack!" Bill's voice echoes as the bubbles pop.

*Later that day*

As the light of the sun begins to fade with every inch of it that falls below the horizon, the sky becomes gradually darker, but somewhat illuminated as the moon begins shining high above in the sky.

Inside the Castle of the two Sisters, Luna and Celestia are trotting back to Celestia's bedroom to go to sleep. Tonight is the night that they will capture the fiend that had been tormenting Celestia all of last night.

They return to Celestia’s room, locking the doors behind them. Celestia undresses from her royal regalia, and gets into her wide queen-sized bed. Luna merely flies up into the air, suspending herself in mid-air with a steady beat of her wings.

Celestia gives Luna a look of concern, but Luna merely counters Celestia's nervous paranoia with a friendly smile, which only makes Celestia’s frown grow worse.

"Look, sister…" Luna says, "everything is going to be fine. As long as the link between us remains unbroken, and I am able to concentrate on keeping it, nothing will happen."

Celestia lowers her head, looking downward. She closes them, inhaling a soft breath. Flaring her nostrils as she exhales back out again. She raises her head, staring back into her sister’s face sternly with determination.

"Let’s do this."

Luna's smile grows, as she nods her head. She closes her eyes, her face shifting into a more concentrated look. Closing her eyes and laying her head down on the pillow, Celestia slowly returns back into the dream world.

Tapping further into her magic, her face started to strain, grimacing as she was forced to use a whole lot more energy than when she simply entered the dream world. White threads of magic started to move up along her horn, which once at the tip of her horn started to extend out like a thin magical thread. The thread extended down until it reached Celestia’s head, connecting to her forehead. An impulse went from her horn, passing down through the thread until it reached the end of the thread.

When Celestia opened her eyes again, she found herself no longer laying down in her bed, but instead standing up. Her head turned, looking around at her surroundings. It had been done. She had returned to the dream world.

Luna’s eyes slowly opened, looking out at the surroundings of the formerly peaceful dream world of her sister’s mind. To her great astonishment, it was not as bad as she had made it out to be. Sure the walls were dark with white outlines marking them, but aside from just looking like a darker version of the castle, there wasn’t really much that could be described as belonging to a nightmare. At least, not one that was that bad.

Remembering Celestia and what they had come there to do, her eyes grew wide from the sheer shock of having virtually forgotten her for a moment, gasping as she called out "Celestia!" her voice echoing down through the hallways, eventually fading off into the distance. All she was left with was the dead silence of the seemingly abandoned castle hallways.

"Drat! We didn’t end up in the same place." She cursed, striking the air with her hoof. "The only explanation as to why this might have happened, is because the mastermind knew we were coming and planned it so that when we entered into the dream world together, she would be placed away from my position." She growled, shaking her head with a frown. Slowly, she started down the massive hall. Making her way through the eerie silent, dark version of the castle. With a soft growl her face frowned, her eyes looking off to the side.

"I hate admitting it, but that was actually quite ingenious on its part. Still using the dream realm to separate us, even though we are technically in the same dream. Brilliant!" she muttered quietly to herself.

Looking up on the walls she saw multiple pictures, paintings, and other illustrations. The ones to truly catch her attention were the full-body portraits that depicted a bunch of odd creations. Three of them being a figure that had Discord’s body, but instead of wearing nothing, he wore a white cape with a red broach, a really big hat, a monocle in front of his left eye, and holding a cane with his tail, but instead of having the color scheme of the normal Discord it was all green, except for the eyes which were still the same old yellow with the red, disproportionate pupils. The second was what looked to closely resemble identical versions of herself and Celestia, but with mismatched colors, and wearing crimson versions of their regalia. Celestia especially had a fiery mane, and skin like molten rock.

Coming to the end of the hallway she stopped in place, casting a confused grimace up at a picture frame that looked to be covered up, dust gathering over it, with cobwebs indicating that it had been millennia since anyone had tended to it. She could not make out much, but she could vaguely tell that the frame was made out of gold.

Flying up towards it, she extended out a hoof to try and move the covers away. But before the opportunity could even be presented, multiple black tendrils extended from the walls, which quickly shot towards and wrapped themselves around her, restraining her in place!

Growling behind gritted teeth, her horn glowed with a sudden dark-blue aura! She swipped her head down, the magically empowered horn cutting through the tendrils that held her. Once severed, the tendrils retreated back into the wall, while the remnants that held her dissipated away into smoke, and then…into nothing.

Extending her wings, she caught herself in mid-air before her body had the opportunity to fall. She looked at the covered up frame, narrowing her eyes at it. Again, her horn came to life, the aura enveloping the covers, and gently started to pull the covers away so she could finally see the picture that awaited her eyes…

But suddenly, the frame leapt to life! Jumping forward, leaping over her, at the bottom of its golden frame, it started to grow many legs, which it used to catch itself with as it came into contact with the floor! It started to run, hurrying down the hallway!

"Hey! Come back here!’’ Luna called after it, after finally snapping back from her stunned shock at watching a picture frame actually jump over somepony and then begin to move on spawned appendages. With a quick flap of her wings she took up the chase after the moving still-covered-up frame! Chasing it down through the dark hallways of the castle.

Chapter 4 (edited and spellchecked version)

Mini Boss Part 1

She was not too sure where she was. The castle was so vast and held so many varying pathways, corridors and hallways that it was not surprising that she had become somewhat lost. Fearful of the Luna-creature finding her again, she had stuck closely to corridors with windows or other escape routes.

Letting out a deep sigh she cursed under her breath. Still paranoid about Luna’s whereabouts in this terrible nightmare world, she was mentally kicking herself for bringing her sister into these things. With her on the long journey through this maze of darkness was the thought of encountering the Luna-beast, or even worse things. All she wanted now was just to return to having her sister by her side. She was alone in this terrible place that was ironically somewhere deep within her own mind.

She had not encountered anything as terrible as last night’s monstrosities, but the fear of them eventually turning up was ever-present. Especially in a place where literally anything can happen and anyone can appear at any time. Just as she was thinking about all this, her ear perked up at the sound of a deep clanking of machinery starting up! Her head turned, looking in the direction of where the sound had come from. But when she looked, her horn was empowering an offensive spell.

Her head turned, as she slowly rotated in place while looking down the hallway and without knowing when the approaching steps would finally reach her.

The running stopped and, as evidenced by the sudden whoosh, it had leaped into the air and taken flight. But it did not seem too slow, as it was still moving down through the hallway at a much faster speed.

As it flew through the dark spaces down the hall in front of her, it did not sound like the typical beating of wings. It was formless, like a shadow.

Standing her ground, she narrowed her eyes down the hall, preparing to cast the spell.

*Creature’s Pov*

With great speed it flew down through the corridors and hallways in its path. Its vision was uneven, constantly shifting from side to side. It was rather…unfocused to say the least!

However, eventually something stood out against the black walls with white outlines as it entered its field of vision! A quadruped form was standing at the end of the hallway and staring straight back at it. Its eyes narrowed, and while picking up speed, it was moving towards her at increasingly faster and faster speeds!

It released a hazed breath, letting it echo throughout the hall! Soon it was right in front of her, almost hitting her square in the face!

*Celestia Pov*

However, as Celestia turned her head, looking all around, nothing happened and there was nothing to be seen.

All of a sudden, the floor started to shake. In fact, everything was shaking! Debris started falling from the ceiling, cracking to pieces upon impact with the floor as the walls started to crack, letting beams of light shine in from the outside world. However, no matter how much she wanted to run, she was somehow paralyzed in place!

‘’What?!’’ she shouted, looking to both sides. ‘’No!’’

But in spite of her intense struggling, nothing she did seemed to be strong enough to move her hooves out of this terrible paralysis that had taken her over body.

Suddenly, the cracked wall shattered like pieces of glass, revealing a dark-purple sky with waves moving through it and moving toward the left.
The ground suddenly started to shake again. But it did not last for very long this time as a black figure emerged from underneath the cracked wall! The form of the creature looking down upon her was that of a demonic-looking worm! Four pink tentacles sprouted from a giant maw that was its mouth, and five eyes on both sides of its head. There were aquatic-looking fins on its head going back down along its blue body!

The large serpentine body of the creature moved through the air, just staring at her in silence. That was until the point at which, inexplicably, a box appeared in front of her, followed by text.

"Fool! I am the Great Blue Serpent, cursed to roam these wretched halls for all eternity…!" as some text within the box read.

"Huh! What is an 'Azetlor'’?" she responded, once she noticed a smaller box up in the left corner of the first box, displaying the name 'Azetlor' inside it. She absolutely had no idea what was happening!

"I have been lenient on you by granting you access into the deeper regions of my master’s castle… But no more… Our little game ends here! Prepare to die, mortal!" The box disappeared shortly afterward, leaving her staring up at the giant worm, but she was unable to read its face well.

It let out a mighty roar, which distorted her vision of it – despite the fact that she was looking right at it just as she had been doing this entire time. However, she saw it more clearly once the roaring stopped.

Suddenly, she felt that she could move again, and her ear twitched. Her head turned as she looked around at her surroundings with a confused glare on her face.

"Where in the world is… that coming from?" she asked herself confused, though despite moving her jaw up and down, she could only hear the words in her head. Seriously! This was a dream, but the weirdness was way off!

Meanwhile, the strange…music, or at least that is what she guessed it to be, because it didn’t sound like regular sounds, continued to surround her airspace.

Suddenly, a shadow formed above her, shrouding her in darkness. Becoming wide-eyed, she looked up above her as the creature labelled as "Azetlor" suddenly dropped down, its head crashing into the spot where she was! However, when she tried to move her legs normally, they wouldn't budge! Quickly looking down at her hooves, her face strained as she tried to once again get them to move, only to fail yet again! She looked back up, but when she did so, she was hit by the Azetlor-creature! Dust blowing up off the ground.

However, instead of being flattened, or worse, she was just knocked back out of the way. Her body flickering momentarily red, and then just in an unfocused manner.

"Ow!" she heard her own voice speak as it hit her, but without her actually opening her mouth.

"Okay! Seriously! What is going on?"Her mind screamed as the confusion exploded within her head.

As unexpectedly as everything else, a sudden box of text appeared in front of her. Before looking at the box, she looked up above her to make sure that it wouldn't hit her. Her jaw dropped as she saw Azetlor just… standing there, still directly above her.

"Not even going to bother asking this time!" she tells herself before guiding her eyes back down to the box, and beginning to read it.

"Hm…" she grumbled after reading it.

"Welcome, 'Princess' Celestia to a literal game of life and death. This game, as you might have noticed, is unlike any game you have ever played… However, your sister has played something like this many times so if she were here then you would have no trouble beating this little mini-boss in my service."

She growled internally to herself, turning her head to look around the hallway. Still, Azetlor was not making his move.

"Good. At least I won’t get injured in a realistic manner," she thought. Her eyes shifted back down to the box of text, staring at it with her "reading eyes".

"If you want to have any chance of progressing beyond my guardian, you must first defeat him, and you can only do so with the spells I see fit to leave you with."

"Wait, what?!"

"Have fun, kid!" it actually said to her. As she was freaking out from the sudden voice, jumping back away from the box, it disappeared amid a gentle and magical flurry of pixels.

The first thing to pull her back into reality was her restored mobility, which she became aware of just as Azetlor resumed slamming his body down against the ground!

As he picked himself up off the ground, she struck a stance, as if to show that she was ready to fight this demon. Suddenly, before she could even finish thinking, another box appeared in front of her, earning a frustrated groan from her. Instead of wasting time thinking about it too much, she instead quickly read the message. Once again, Azetlor was frozen in place. She quickly resumed scrolling through the text.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention that your normal movement is useless in this 'virtual-world'. You can only move left and right, and even then you can only do so by thinking about it; your normal movement has been shut down." She groaned hard as this sunk in. "Also, all spells aside from levitation and a weak energy blast attack are useless here. However, the blast attack can be charged up in advance for greater damage, but don’t wait too long or it will only give your opponent enough time to strike you before you get a chance at him…"

"Huh, surprisingly helpful" she thought with a certain air of comfort.

"The only spell you are allowed to use is a shield "spell" which when well-timed allows you to get physically hit, but sustain no damage. The second is your standard teleportation spell for a quick last-minute save should you become desperate. Although I should warn you that you have a limited supply of these. Lastly, you have a heal spell that will allow you to recover all AP (Attack Points) and HP (Health/Hit Points), but these too come in a limited supply so use them sparingly. However, you will be able to restore your energy so that it can be re-used, but this takes one point from your HP. Aside from that, you can restore as often as you wish. K', got it? Okay, ciao!"

The text box folded in on itself until it was gone, immediately followed by reality resuming.

"Okay, I think I got most of that." she still heard herself say without actually moving her mouth.

"Let’s see… maybe if I…" she uttered in her mind while concentrating on achieving simple movement.

"Move left!" her mind called out.

Suddenly, as if some unnatural force inside her was manipulating her own body, she ran to the left. But, looking really awkward in the process. It was comparable to how a picture would move in the second dimension. She now had a greater respect for those simple tapestries on the walls in their castle back home.

The music started up again, and she quickly looked back up towards Azetlor, who with so many eyes, could not tell where he was looking exactly.

Narrowing her eyes, she started to run out, hurrying across his unfocused range of sight.

Suddenly, multiple red beams started appearing on the floor. She looked up, seeing that his eyes were starting to glow! She could only jump to conclusions about what it meant about his intended action! She looked back down towards the floor, which made here grow even more nervous when she saw that she was actually standing in the place where the presumed eye-beams would be fired!

Quickly, she did the only thing she could think to do. Closing her eyes, her horn started glowing! – Meanwhile his eye-beams are just about ready to fire! – Her horn erupted, surrounding her entire body in light as ten beams shot from his eyes, flying down through the air at speeds greater than even the fastest Pegasus! Colliding with the earth, and making the floor explode! Leaving behind a large, gaping crack in the floor.

Turning its head, it looked from side to side, staring down in many different directions as it looked for her. Its eyes started to glow, shortly projecting multiple beams down onto the ground, which scanned along the floor for her whereabouts. Meanwhile the crack in the floor resealed itself.

While it was searching for her, something suddenly exploded against the left side of its head. Its jaw dropped, and its entire body was shown to be red. It flickered for a minute, before being returned back to normal again. Its head turned, shifting its searchlight-eye-beams down at the spot where the blast had come from. But when it looked, there was nothing its eye-beam projections could detect.

Growling, Azetlor narrowed its eyes. Its head turned, looking first left, before briefly turning right. It snarled in frustration as it activated its eye-beam projections, looking them down on the ground.

With a loud growl, its head retracted back out of the of the cracked wall. Its body gently moving back and forth, almost like it was locked in some sort of movement pattern.

Jumping up into the air, her horn glowed, removing her invisibility spell. The eyes on the side of its head looked out, widening from surprise when they spotted her out of the blue! A red exclamation appearing above him, suspended in the air!

Her horn glowed, building up energy to fire at it! She figured that a normal attack would cause some damage, but powering up would probably double or even triple the damage being done to him!

Just at the moment when she had almost reached a high enough level of power, she suddenly faced an unexpected complication.

A slimy appendage suddenly wrapped itself around her leg. It pulled her out of her concentration, interupting the spell process and hanging her upside down. She struggled to free herself, punching the tentacles with her hooves and even kicking them. But nothing she did seemed to have any sort of impact. No matter how much it looked like the blows would have hurt someone else, they did not seem to have any effect. Her deduction was based on the consideration that the only time she had seen it be affected by her attacks was when it flickered red, then just flickered, before returning back too normal.

"Urgh! Let me go!" she shouted, continuing to bang her hooves against the tentacle. One other tentacle slithered up to her, grabbing her left hoof, while another took the right, and another took her hind legs, grabbing both the left and the right.

Another text box appeared, followed by readable text.

"Impressive, very impressive…" it then scrolled down, showing more text.

"But I am afraid that it is time to end your games, thus awakening you from your dream…"

Once again, it scrolled down to reveal more text. "You will never interrupt my master’s plans!"

The tentacles tightened their grip, squeezing so hard that she was on the verge of feeling bones breaking!

"I will rip you limb from limb! It is going to be fun!" she begrudgingly read with her eyes. Becoming wide-eyed with a frightened face as she looked back at it.

The box then disappeared, leaving her with a growing pain in her limbs, which was hurting more and more by the second!

Author's Note

I added the image of Azetlor from the stylized version of Ghostbusters in case i didn't do a good enough job of describing the demi-god from the Ghostbusters Video Game:twilightsheepish:

Chapter 5 (edited and spellchecked version)

A little visit to the Crystal Empire wouldn’t hurt Part 1

Night hung over the Crystal Empire. The entire city was quiet. The only sound indicating any form of life to be heard throughout the previously bustling streets was the wind. All the houses were dark, as everyone had turned their lights off. Everything was quiet, and yet there was some form of life moving through this quiet and peaceful city.

"But Mom, I’m not even tired yet!" a Unicorn filly whined as her mother escorted her to bed.

"I know you’re not, but you know that school starts tomorrow, and we cannot have you being late, again. Your teacher is complaining way too much about your tardiness."

"Okay, first off, he is not my teacher, he is just my 'substitute teacher',’’ she said, indicating with her hooves, "since we’re on vacation, and secondly, I am already learning enough from just reading the books I find at the Crystal Empire's Library. They're really educational."

"That they may be, and I do know that you are learning quite a bit from them, but I doubt your teachers are going to look at that way," she said, ruffling her daughter's mane.

"Learning history is one thing, but you need to be exposed to a wider variety of things if you are going to make it in today’s society."

"N’awww!" she whined, dropping her head down in disappointment. Her eyes shot open, and her head shot back up, as she turned back to face her mother.

"But since I'm not feeling too tired yet. Can't I at least read a little in the bed?" she asked. Quickly she noticed uncertainty on her mother's face about whether or not she should allow her to do it, but she appeared to be leaning more towards the negative option. "Pwease! I can at least get some reading done so I can show my teachers I didn't slack off during the weekend," she said with pouting her lips while her eyes were widening which made her pupils twirl.

Chuckling, her mother smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, you can read a little, but only for ten minutes. I don't want you staying up too late… and especially on a school night."

Smiling back, she nodded her head.

"Will do, mom," she hurried into her room, leaving her mother behind in the hallway. She quickly returned, planting a kiss on her mother's cheek.

"Thanks, Mom."

Upon seeing her mother's smile, she was quick to leave again, disappearing off to her room.

Shaking her head, her mom turned away, heading back to the living room. A clear smile on her face.

"That girl really needs to get some friends," she chuckled slightly to herself as she went.

Shutting the door behind her, she crawled into bed. Getting herself comfortable as she pulled the covers over her body, getting cozy. Reaching out with her hooves, she grabbed a book from the nightstand next to her bed, and pulled it over to her and then placed it down on the bed.

Supporting herself on her hoof, she opens the first page with her magic, and starts reading it.

"Chapter 1, History of the Two Trees," she read aloud to herself, but in a tone more fitting of whispering as her eyes began following one row of words till they reached the end where her eyes moved down to the next row and she continued reading.

Slowly her eyes begin to close and her head starts leaning forward. But before her head can collapse onto the pillow, she catches herself in mid-air as her head was about to fall off her arm. She lifts it back up, blinking her eyes. She then brings her hooves up to her eyes, wiping them clear of any sleep, and looking back down into the book before she continues her reading.

Suddenly, there was a sound coming from outside her window. Her head shot up and her ears perked. With a turn of her head, she looked up towards the window.

She removed her covers, stood up in her bed, and approached the window. Placing her hooves on the window frame, she looked out.

It was not very clear, actually quite blacked out by the night, but from what little she could see, something was hovering through the air as it passed by her house. Though despite being so close, its true form could still not be seen amongst the darkness of the night.

"Hmm..." she grumbled. She stood there by the window for a few seconds, silently observing it. It might not be too big of a deal.

But when she saw where it was headed, she quickly retracted those thoughts. The hovering form was heading for the Crystal Castle.

Whatever it was, the fact that it was making its way for the castle meant trouble. That it was doing this at night was also not helping and basically meant bad news.

With a turn of her head, she gave a quick glimpse back at the door, then down at the book on her bed.

"Hm" she uttered with a stern expression settling in place of the blank one from a few seconds ago.

Pulling herself up with her hooves, she gently climbed out the window, easing herself down onto the pavement. Looking carefully from side to side to make sure nopony saw her before she started after the silhouetted figure.

A shadow peeks out from behind the edge of one the houses, looking from side to side. Scanning its surroundings. When the coast is clear, it runs out, hurrying across an open street. Not stopping until it has reached the next house.

Once safely hidden behind the walls, it peeks back out, making sure no one saw it before ducking down behind the wall, and continuing on its way up the small alley.

Rounding multiple turns and passing through several surprisingly narrow alleys – considering that it was a rather small place to begin with.

After much strife, she finally reached her end-destination.

Extending a hoof out, she grabbed the edge of the wall. Gently peeking her head out from behind it. She made certain she did not make too much noise, but when she laid eyes on the floating form in front of the Crystal Castle, a soft gasp escaped her. However, now they were in a much more open area, where the moonlight shined down upon the hovering figure's silhouetted form.

She quickly ducked back behind the wall, hiding herself from the eyes of… whatever that thing was.

"Huh, that’s odd!" she said to herself, rubbing her chin gently with her hoof.

"I swear that its body had the shape of a triangle, with arms and legs."

She touched her hoof to her chin, having a thoughtful expression settle on her face.

Suddenly, the triangular shape turned around, an eye looking behind itself.

"Hmm…" a voice said, its eye first narrowing. Looking for a moment, until it turned its back on her and started floating up towards the main entrance doors. It snapped its fingers, and a cane appeared out of the blue, which it gripped tightly with its fingers.

Peeking out from behind the wall, the little filly looked up in direction of where she had last seen the hovering triangle. But instead of being suspended in midair, it was no longer there.

Her eyes grew wide with shock, but mostly with fright since she did not know whether it had spotted her or just moved on to complete the task it had come here to do. With a rapid turn of her head, she looked from side to side. Trying her best to find it again, quickly.

At the snap of a finger, her attention was suddenly drawn to the front entrance of the Crystal Castle… where she saw a tip disappear inside two doors. She gasped, bringing a hoof up to her mouth.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, quickly bursting out from her hiding place and running out towards the castle.

She stopped at the opened doors.

"It’s gone inside the…"

She swallowed down, staring nervously into the darkness that awaited her, "the Crystal Castle."

Her body shivering from fear, she did not want to go inside the castle, especially at night, and without adult supervision, but the floating triangle had gone in there for a reason if it was violating the privacy and majesty of the ruling government of the North.

Swallowing her fear, she reluctantly moved a hoof inside the open doorway, taking her official first step into the castle. First, it was just her hoof, but eventually she subjected her entire body to the darkness that awaited her inside the castle hallways and corridors.

"I have to do this… for the Princess, and the Crystal Empire, itself," she told herself as if to prevent her morale from wavering.

She would not lose herself to the horror that awaited her inside those darkened halls.

Author's Note

Oh my, what is this? What's happening in the Crystal Empire?
:pinkiecrazy:

Chapter 6 (edited and spellchecked version)

A little visit to the Crystal Empire wouldn’t hurt Part 2

The halls of the castle were dark and the ambience of the night hanging prominent in the air. An eerie silence existing throughout every corridor and hallway that she passed through. While the torches illuminated some of the darkness, they still did not provide enough light to make it possible to see what awaited her.

While she was not too skilled in magic, she could use simple spells such as illumination and levitation. Looking back behind her at the darkened corridors, then back up at the darkness in front of her.

With a turn of her head, she looked around at the darkness all around her. The illumination from her horn shone down the corridors before her. But in the unmoving shadows there was nothing of life, so she continued on her way. The clips and clops of her hooves travelling down the hallways, surrounding her.

However, once she turned away from the corridor, one of the shadows started to move and went slithering through the darkness of the corridor. While the torches illuminated quite a bit of the castle's entryway and passages, they still did not shine upon every corner of those pathways.

Behind her as she continued down through the hallways, black tendrils started to emerge from the castle walls. As the tendrils grew longer, they all started to turn and follow after her. Silently slithering through the air towards her.

In the all-enveloping darkness, she felt utterly helpless and exposed…fragile. Inside her, the fear of something lurking just behind her grew, her eyes continued to peer behind her…

But when she did look – quickly turning her head back around, and looking down the corridor that was behind her, there was nothing there. The hallway was still being vaguely illuminated by the torches along the walls.

The light from her horn illuminated the hallway, and she proceeded to check every last nook and cranny of the hallways to make sure that there was nothing there.

A loud sound of something clattering down onto the ground was enough to pull her attention back toward the dark space before her, down the hall.

Starting to run, she hurried down the hallway. Following where the sound had come from with great interest.

Up behind her, on the walls, shadows started to move, slithering through the 2-dimensional space they inhabited as they followed her.

After running through the castle hallways for a while, she eventually stopped upon arriving at something that looked to be a fork in the path. One corridor lead right, and the other lead left. With a simple turn of her head, she looked back and forth between both passages. Both corridors were dark, so nothing could be seen beyond where she was. There weren’t even any torches along the walls of these hallways.

"Hmm, I don’t remember hearing about any 'Separating Paths' in the books," she said to herself. "Either way I don’t like the looks of this."

She continued to look back and forth at the dark pathways ahead of her. But coming to no conclusion on which one she wanted to take.

Perking her ears up, she noticed something. A faint sound coming from the left corridor. It was not very loud, and it was... running, flowing, bearing close resemblance to a great ocean. There was also… something else, but it was not something she had heard before so could not pinpoint anything specific.

Giving a quick look back at the right corridor, she turned back to the left. Then, with an uneasy feeling, stepped forward, heading into the darkness on her left. Her body being quickly subjected to nothing but shadows. The only thing that was left untouched being her horn, which even then was only being illuminated from her spell.

Trotting through the darkness, she did not stop for anything, nor did she raise any questions about any of this for fear of stopping to think about them. It was not that she was afraid of taking the time to analyze what her eyes were seeing or what she was hearing. Occasionally, she would turn her head back, trying to look behind her. But she would stop herself each time, reminding herself of the water that lay ahead of her.

She had come too far to simply give up now, or lose herself to the fear of being all alone in the castle of one of the greatest kingdoms on this earth.

Eventually, she entered into a large chamber, which was still very much darkened, except there were torches on the walls so she could reduce some of the intensity of her light spell. The chamber looked to have been built from stone bricks, which was odd considering the whole castle was made out of crystal.

In the center of the chamber, there were three doors. One made of rusted steel, the other of a black, hardened substance, and the third one, which looked to be composed of two white trees whose branches were connected to one another – In fact, it was more of an archway than a door, she decided to save that for last. But the thing about them that got to her was that they were not connected to the walls. But the advantage of being a Unicorn is that one gets to experience all kinds of weird magic all the time. But doors? That was just plain weird.

She nervously approached the first door (rusted one), using her magic to turn the knob, and then pushed it open with her hoof. Its hinges creaking as it moved inward away from her. When it was all the way opened, she gently trotted forward. Disappearing on the other side of the door.

Unexpectedly, the darkness that had once surrounded her quickly disappeared. Being unfortunately replaced with a sudden bright, white light. Averting her head away, she quickly brought a hoof up in front of her eyes in order to shield them from the blinding light.

Gently lowering her hoof, she dared to look back out at the sight that awaited her.

Taking a step forward, her hoof touched down against a steel surface. Evidenced by the obvious sound of her hooves against its hardened surface. She lowered her head, looking down at the floor of whatever place she had come to. She tapped the steel floors, hearing it clatter underneath her hoof.

All of a sudden, the floor started to shake. Moving from one side to the other. The floor creaked underneath her.

"Wha-... W-where am I?" she muttered, narrowing her eyes to try and get a better grasp on the world surrounding her. However, this world was nothing but pure darkness. But eventually it did let up, and the world came into focus.

The blackness transformed into more defined imagery before her eyes. Skies, water, and dark-red steel.

When a sudden spurt of water came up from underneath the edge and the floor creaked, rocking to one side again, she finally understood where she was. It’s not every day she gets to see one, but she knew that this was a vessel frequently used by the Equestrian armed forces to contest the rogue Ponies on the seas.

"By Celestia, I am on a ship." she said aloud to herself.

All of a sudden, the side of the ship is hit by another wave, causing it to rock slightly. The sudden rocking causes her to lose her grasp, and she slides down to the left side of the ship, hitting the steel gunwale.

As she rises to her hooves, she is accidentally bumped in the back by somepony. But when she turns around she does not have time to see or what it is. But there is nothing behind her.

She turns and trots towards the nearest spot where she can stand. With her hooves, she grabs hold of the edge, and lifts herself up onto it.

Turning around, she looks out at the large sea that had been just out of her vision behind all the steel. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes grew wide with shock.

"No!" she protested, shaking her head in defiance of what her eyes were seeing. "It cannot be."

But as much as she shook her head or spoke out against it, the truth of the matter was that what she saw was definitely real.

"Catapults!" a voice suddenly called out.

With a sudden glance to her left, she watched in sheer horror as large siege engines thrust upward and forward, hurtling large forms of fire up through the air. She quickly turned, looking to where the flying objects were landing. But as with everything that she had seen, this sight also troubled her.

"No!" she called out as she watched the flying fire crash into the strong walls of a large castle and causing them to collapse until nothing but large gaps remained. Throughout the entire city, flames started reaching up from behind the walls as screams of pain and cries for help echoed far into the distance as the ships continued to approach the now burning harbor. The city’s fleet had been destroyed long before the siege had begun and was now nothing more than an open gateway for the invading fleet to seize the city. From up high on the mountainside, the foundation of a tower became so weakened that it could not maintain stability. It fell, crushing the inhabitants who could not escape in time.

"Prepare to dock!" a gruff voice shouted out once again. The winds around the thousands of ships started to fill their sails, increasing their speed, and greatly reducing the travel time it would take for their enemies to get reorganized to mount a suitable attack upon arrival. The skies above darkened, blotting out what little remained of the sunlight.

She turned her head back away from the terrible carnage that was taking place. She was refusing to bear witness to such death and destruction. Choked sobs made their way out, and despite her desire to look away, her eyes were drawn to view what was happening. Maybe the citizens of the city would be able to mount a suitable defense against the invaders, and fight back. But no great charge came, no banners of noble colors, no giant tidal wave that would destroy the entire fleet. No victory came for the Ponies.

While the invaders fought the Ponies on the beaches and in the forest, the ship’s siege engines started up again. Releasing another terrible barrage upon those still trapped behind the walls of the burning City of Temples, which was once known for being the location where the first real pyramid was built… Now, a burning ruin that will fade with time.

Back on the ship, she watched with horror in her eyes at the massacre that she had just borne witness to.

"Hurts, doesn’t it?" a voice suddenly spoke up from behind, making her turn around to face whoever it was that had spoken out to her. What she saw was a tall dark, hooded figure standing by the door that she used to get here. It stepped forward with the movement of its legs visible behind the robes that obstructed any direct view of its legs.

"The pain, the sorrow, the loss of one you care about," it said, and she frowned back at it, fresh tears still running down her chin.

"I don’t care about one Pony, but all of them." She turned around, directing her eyes back at the city in flames. "It’s not fair…" she sobbed, "Pointlessly destroying lives for what? Conquering lands?"

"There is not a single nation, creature, dead or undead, whose mind is not defiled with the thought of conquest. It is a natural desire that resides in the heart of every creature in this realm of creation."

"Well, it’s something I don’t approve of. Wars accomplish nothing, only making those caught in the crossfire suffer for no reason."

"Precisely" it said. Her head lifted, her eyes narrowed, and a stern frown settled on her face. She turned her head, looking back at its hidden face behind the hood.

"What do you mean?" she asks it, obviously confused.

"You finally understand the consequences of your actions" it declared.

This only confused her even more, adding some element of hostility into the mix.

"What are you talking about? You’re talking to me as if I'm in need of learning something". She backed away nervously, fearful that she would fall off the edge of the ship.

"I am… And if not for your sins, I would not be here" it replied with a cold tone to its voice.

All she could do was stare at it, paralyzed with fear from every word it spoke.

"You, my dear, can still be forgiven. Your crimes can be claimed by history as nothing more than mistakes, and abolished all together. Everything can be forgotten…"

It raised an arm, extending something that looked to be a claw out at her.

"The souls of the dead, the tormented, and the suffering will be at peace…"

A flesh-less, bony claw reached out toward her from behind the large sleeves around the figure's arm, extending itself further and further until it was only an inch away from her nose.

"...once you are dead!"

Before she could react, the claw tip pushed lightly against her chest, and while she was standing securely on the ship, the deck underneath her seemed to vanish away, fading into nothing!

With a mighty splash, she landed in the water, and her body started to sink down beneath the water regardless of her efforts to stay at the surface.

Further and further down she went, the dark waters enveloping her more and more as the light from the surface became weaker. Soon, the entirety of her was submerged by the dark waters.

Some bubbles escaped from her mouth. But right in front of her, a large red eye with a slit pupil opened, staring out at her. Without hesitation, her jaw dropped and a loud scream could be seen to be uttered, but not heard! The eye only blinked as it watched her freaking out in front of it...!

Her real eyes shot open, and she fell forward, landing against the soft pages of a book. She was still screaming her lungs out, but stopped when she realized where she was. She was back in her bed, in her bedroom in the Crystal Empire.

Panting and grasping her chest, she left her bedroom, her eyes wide with horror at the things that she had witnessed in that apparently crazy dream.

Her mind snapped back to reality as she heard the sound of muffled panicking coming from outside the house.

"What in the heck?" she asks confused.

With all the speed her little hooves can manage, she rushes for the door, opens it with her magic, and runs outside. To her surprise the streets are crowded, as Ponies are hurrying towards the Crystal Castle.

"Oh no! This cannot be good!" she thinks to herself. Her eyes momentarily trail down towards the wall, falling upon her shadow. But wait-something is a little…different about it today. It's triangular with strange arms and legs, and a hat on top. A sudden red slit pupil opening, catching her off-guard.

"Gah!" she exclaims, jumping back in shock.

She turns around and starts to run in the direction of the Crystal Castle with as much strength as she can muster.

On the wall of a nearby building, the shadow of a triangular figure with arms and legs and wearing a hat appears.

It is holding what appears to be gem. With a simple snap of its fingers it vanishes, laughing as it disappears.

Chapter 7 (edited and spellchecked version)

The Force at the Heart of Darkness

Panting like mad, Celestia ran through the dark hallways of the castle. Not bothering to look back as she knew what was there and that doing so would only be wasting time.

Rushing toward her, and at an increasingly shorter distance, was the notorious Luna-creature. The monstrosity that she had first-hoof witnessed being possessed by evil and transforming into the beast that was now pursuing her through the darkened halls of what could be described as a nightmare-ish version of their castle.

As she charged after the normal-looking, white Alicorn, her eyes narrowed and her jaw dropped, hanging open. Black tendrils extended outward, reaching through the air towards her. Black claw-like digits taking shape as the tendrils turned into a pair of arms.

With a violent slam of force, the claws crashed down against the floor! Missing her by mere inches due to her continued running. The floor shattered and crumbled into pieces, which fell down into the black void below, before resealing itself.

"ONCE I GET AHOLD OF YOU I AM GOING TO TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!" a demonic voice shouted from… somewhere. It could not have been from the Luna-creature’s jaw as it was currently sprouting those black slimy tendrils from its mouth. However, even then, the voice sounded like it was a deep echo emanating from the surrounding walls of the now more appropriately namable "Castle of Fears".

Already panting heavily, she could feel her heart racing faster and faster from the fear that was being generated for every second her monstrously deformed sister was chasing her!

Thrusting her black tendril claws towards her, Celestia quickly leaped up into the air, her wings extending out, and with one mighty beat, she started to fly up in the air! Meanwhile, the Luna-creature’s arm crashed down into the floor, creating a much larger hole in the floor.
Because of her impaired vision, she could not see where she was going, and at the moment when her vision was weakest, her left claw accidentally slipped through the open gap, causing her entire mutated, shadowy form to crash down onto the floor with a loud thud.

In her current state of worry, she could not bring herself to look back at the apparent commotion taking place. She could care less if it had tripped on a banana peel as this moment of hesitation on its part had presented her with an opportunity to finally elude it and lose it within this twisted temple of madness.

She turned left with quick maneuvers, rounding a corner as she came upon it. Flying down the rest of the corridor. The growls and shrieks of the Luna-creature could be heard from behind her in the furthermost parts of the corridor where she had just been.

"I WILL FIND YOOOOUUUUUU…!" that terrible voice echoed behind her.

A flash of light occurred. When it faded, there was a loud echo of multiple, sharp legs crawling along the floor…and the walls…and the ceiling! Everything sounded like it was being assaulted by a physically destitute creature that was made up of billions of crawling forms.

"AND WHEN I DO…YOU. ARE. GOING. TO. SUFFEERRRRRRR!"

Hearing this only made her increase the intensity with which she was beating her wings.

*Ten minutes later*

Every turn she rounded. Every fork in the road she encountered. She was just forced to take a chance. Some of them, though, unfortunately had some…less than pleasing obstacles: A tall and slender yet completely skeletal, face-less figure wearing a suit had tried to grab her with the black tendrils growing out of its back.

Her body was now pouring sweat, and her heart was literally on the verge of exploding…

Back in the real world, she was moving around uncomfortably in her bed. Her eyes twitching and wanting to open in order to put an end to this nightmare. The stress it was putting on her heart was quickly driving it towards a fatal overload. The sheets were completely drenched with sweat from the physical ordeal she had been through in this unwoken state. Whatever she was actually experiencing, it was no normal dream - or nightmare - by any means. It had actually been designed to wear her down physically while perpetually trapping her mind and soul in the dream world.

But who, or what, could conjure such power to actually control her dreams to that extent? The thought alone was too unnerving to even contemplate.

*Back in the Dream Realm*

She continued flying through the darkened halls and corridors of the castle for as long as her body could hold out.

However, her concern about the durability of her body back in the real world were put on hold as, without knowing about it, she had flown inside a completely different part of the castle. It was a large chamber, which did not really stand out that much from the rest of the castle's dark style, outside of what this room contained.

Obviously, the room was very big. But on the walls, it was aligned with a few stained glass windows, and an especially large one in the center of the room, through which a bright red light shined down upon the floor below.

Three loose parts of the floor (that looked like they had just been up-rooted from the ground) hovered throughout the room, with a fourth one being higher than the others. It was not difficult to see that this must be a throne room of some sort. But the question as to whom it belonged was another story.

With the little energy she had left, she floated up towards the nearest platform and landed, planting her hooves against its stone-cold surface.

"Whoever… or whatever resides in this place must clearly hate decorations. There isn't a single tapestry here; absolutely nothing in this place." Celestia said as she scanned the room, taking in every single detail that she could.

"AH HAHAHAHAHA! That you are correct about, Princess!" a voice uttered before starting to laugh in an insane manner.

The voice echoed for a few seconds, while she looked around the dark room to make sure what she was hearing was "real". In this insane dream, it hadn’t exactly been easy to tell what was normal and what wasn't. She could not pinpoint its source as it was echoing all around her from a multitude of directions, but she could identify its gender: it was… neither. It was an omnisexual voice, meaning it had traces of both male and female voices all blending into one.

She did not know if this was the same being that was responsible for the creation of the Luna-creature, last night, but if it was, she relished the thought of kicking its flank for putting her through such a horribly traumatizing experience. And in her own head of all places!

Her anger started boiling to the surface, and as she was no longer able to repress her frustration, she let out a loud and angry, "Where are you?! Show yourself demon!!"

"As you wish…!" it said.

All of a sudden, a black slimy substance started leaking from the walls, pouring inside the room. However, instead of running down along the wall, it suspended itself in the air as it moved towards the highest platform, splattering down onto it, where it reassembled itself back into a solid mass that stood up, reshaping itself into a tall, dark hooded and robed figure.

With a lift of its hood, it looked down towards the platform where she was standing. Its arms hung down beside its body, where skeletal claws could be seen emerging from the sleeves. Her eyes grew in shock and her face gave it a deadpanned look.

"Then I obey it" a voice finished.

After this, a silence fell over it, during which it did nothing but stare back at her from behind its hood. Being the one to break the silence, it raised an arm up, extending a finger and pointing it towards her.

"You…" it said. Its voice still heavily drenched with no explicit gender. "...are the one I have come for."

This piqued a newfound interest in her towards this strange being. She raised a brow, giving off an aura of intrigue on her face. But for her own safety's sake, she slowly backed away. Worried that it might be provoked by any sudden movements.

It raised its left arm, holding up another skeletal claw.

"I have tormented many of the greatest criminals throughout the history of this universe… But you, you are undoubtedly the worst that I have ever been tasked with sentencing."

It extended both its arms, connecting its fingers, popping them, hearing the joins snap.

"But then again, that is why I am going to enjoy tormenting you…" it said as it waggled its claws in excitement, and then disconnecting them from each other.

"It is not often that I get to enjoy the pleasures of breaking an actual goddess."

She swallowed down. This was beginning to get serious now.

But there might still be one chance at survival. An opportunity to fight back, to live to wander this earth one more day, assuming that this truly was someone sent to kill her. An idea popped into her head. Yes… it was not much, but if she put everything on the line, it just might work. If only for a moment.

She lowered her head, hiding her eyes from its sight. She dropped to her knees – still staring down at the floor. Tears flowing, streaming from her cheeks. Dripping down onto the floor far underneath her, where it dissolved once coming into contact with the dark stones.

"Then, if this is to be my final hour, and if you really are my angel of death having come to claim my essence…" she said, trying her best to make her voice sound as broken up as possible. Everything depended on her fooling this creature into giving her an opportunity to enact her plan.

"Then please tell me one thing, one solitary thing. What is your weakness?"

As calm as possible, she started building up a supply of magic in her horn.

A wind blew through the room, tugging gently at the figure's cape and sleeves. It lowers its arms, letting them hang down on the sides.

"Very well, then, Princess Celestia," said the figure.

It raised a hand, touching it to the right side of its chest.

"I have used a crystal from the Mindscape to travel here. It is what sustains me in this realm. It is what allows me to remain inside your mind for as long as I want without the need for inhabiting your body. It also grants me the power to manipulate your dreams," it explained.

‘There we go!’

"And so, if I am summarizing correctly, you cannot remain inside my mind without that crystal?" she asked, hoping that she had got most of the details correct.

"Correct" it replied, nodding back.

Her eyes narrowed, and a hidden grin settled on her face. She raised her head, staring back at the figure with a grin on her face.

"Good to know!" she said.

"What?" it replied in confusion.

"You really thought I was going to just die, like that? I don't think so! I plan on going out in a manner worthy of my abilities to protect my little Ponies!" she said as she lowered her head, obviously pointing her lethal horn in the direction of the exposed crystal adorning the figure's chest.

"NOOOOO!" it screamed out, raising a clawed hand to cover its most exposed weakness. It finally realized what she was planning on doing. But it was too late to move out of the way of her strategically aimed horn.

Suddenly, the entire castle began shaking. Celestia lost her hooving and at a rather inopportune moment, as she had just fired off the stored energy in her horn! As it shot through the air, the figure became surprisingly calm as if he were feeling somehow relieved. He stood there completely still. His hood could be seen turning to one side as he was following the beam. He calmly watched as it missed him.

‘’NO!’’ It was her turn to scream out.

Both of them watching as her energy blast impacted the wall, causing a powerful explosion. One great enough to create a large crack in it. Like everything else that had been damaged, the wall regenerated itself back to how it had been just a few seconds ago. This time, it was finally her turn to feel despair and worry.

Her fear-stricken eyes looked to the side, falling upon the figure in front of her.

"Well, well, well…" it said.

The hooded figure turned back, and looked down upon her.

"Seems like your one and only plan has failed, my little Princess," it said, mocking her, and pointing a sharp claw at her. The look of despair on her face told it all it needed to know. From behind its hood, an eye narrowed, staring out at her with evil intent.

Taking a step out from behind the platform's edge with legs hidden behind its cloak, it was suspended in mid-air. Its cloak blowing in the wind that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Slowly, it descended down towards her until its hidden legs planted themselves down on the stone surface of the platform she stood upon. Its cloak trailing down behind it, obstructing any view of its concealed body. It now wished so badly that she would be cowering in fear from the thoughts of what it might to do her. But instead of fearing it, she stood strong and proud against it.

"I cannot believe that nopony has ever tried that before. Asking me my weakness, and then turning the tables on ME!" it said while touching its claws to its chest as if to accentuate his standing in the universe.

"I admire your bravery and audacity for carrying out such a feat against me, but that will not diminish your punishment in the slightest, 'Princess'."

Suddenly, black tendrils shot up out of the ground, wrapping themselves around her front and hind legs, neck, wings, and especially her horn. A dark crystal appearing at its base, which prevented her from using her magic.

Grinning madly, it stared back at her. Enjoying the sight of her helplessly struggling to free herself from the tight grasp of the tendrils on her body. Their tight hold was scorching her flesh, leaving behind burning symbols around her hooves, wings, and throat.

In the real world, her body did indeed suffer burns, but the only marks to become visible on her was the one on her neck. The symbols in the real world were scorched, flaming, burning (You get the picture).

Suddenly gasping in the Dream world, Celestia raised her hoof up to her throat. Gagging, choking on her own breath, her lungs ceasing to work properly anymore. The breath that was inside of her lungs was beginning to dissipate, leaving her lungs decaying.

Behind the hood, a smile of pure evil settled on the figure's hideous face at how she was suffering.

"You know; it's not often that I get to destroy a being such as yourself. It really should be considered quite an honor." Putting an arm behind its back, it bowed in front of her.

"W-what? The fact that you get to destroy me?" she asked, her voice gagging as she desperately needed air.

"No, that you get to die by my hand. That I was what it took to bring you down once and for all."

It giggled excited at that thought. It was itself impressed with its accomplishing such an undisputable feat.

Suddenly, the ground shook once more, violently spreading throughout the entire room. A deep rumbling followed causing cracking across the ceiling. Stones loosened and fell down, but this time the ceiling and walls did not regenerate.

All of a sudden, the sound of approaching hooves sounded in the distance making both of them turn their heads to see who it was. The sounds grew louder and louder for every second that passed.

Just then, around the corner, hurrying into the giant chamber was a large portrait, which disintegrated into nothing once it was inside.

"What the-?" its voice pierced the wall of silence between the two of them.

"I thought I sent you to- " Suddenly, before it could finish, Princess Luna entered the chamber after swiftly rounding the corner, and she came to an abrupt halt once inside the chamber. She was obviously confused by the new surroundings, and she looked up at the different things about this chamber that attracted her attention. Her gaze eventually falling upon the four platforms hovering in mid-air, and upon the two figures on the one.

She gasped, bringing a hoof up to her mouth in shock.

Celestia's eyes went wide as she stared back down at her sister. She turned her head. Her eyes looking fiercely at the figure before her, tears streaming down her cheek, and through an angry voice she managed to squeeze out the words:

"No! Not my sister! You leave her alone… I'm the one you want! She has nothing to do with this!" she screamed out at the creature who barely acknowledged her remark. It turned its head, looking down at the blue, winged Unicorn below. A devilish smile forming.

"I have no need for Luna, she is of no consequence to me. You, Celestia, are my sole target, not her."

It raised its right arm. Holding it up as it reshaped into a fierce-looking blade, which was interspersed with flesh, and a reptilian eye in it.

"Either way, I believe that it is time for us to conclude our business together, my dear."

A shining glimmer could be seen along the sharp blade, as it was held in the air. Clenching her eyes shut, she awaited the forthcoming pain from the weapon with which it intended to end her life once and for all.

*ZAP!*

*SHATTER!*

However, instead of a painful sensation, which never came, her ears picked up the sound of something altogether different:

The firing of a beam, and something being shattered into bits.

Her eyes slowly opened. Blinking them a few seconds, before turning her head towards the spot on the large floor where she had last seen her sister.

With great astonishment visible in her eyes, she was amazed to see smoke rising up from the tip of Luna's horn, which she blew away with a single breath.

With a smirk upon her face, her eyes narrowed, and an overwhelming confidence came over her, which shocked even her big sister.
Raising her hoof, she suddenly felt herself being gripped by magic that was pulling her down and safely away from the now less menacing figure, who had been standing there motionless the entire time. Not moving an inch from the spot where he stood. With gentle care, she was placed back down on the floor again. The black tendrils around her body dissolved into small fragmented pieces that drifted upwards into the air and vanished.

"Celestia, are you okay?" a concerned voice asked her.

Her head turned, and her look fell upon a figure that she never expected to find herself being saved by.

"Did he hurt you?" Luna asked, putting a hoof on her sister's shoulder. But the only thing Celestia could do at this moment was stare with a dropped jaw. Shaking her head in disbelief.

"Luna…" She said and then paused.

"H-how did you do that?" she asked in astonishment.

Luna’s mouth opened, and she was about to speak, when an unexpected voice weakly uttered the following words from above them. Both Alicorns heads turned, staring up at the platforms again.

"Yes, Luna…" the figure said.

"H-how did one such as yourself manage to destroy my enchantment?" it asked, clutching at dead air with its left arm, while also looking to be in terrible pain.

Luna smirked back at it.

It continued, "There is no way you could have known about the crystal…"

"You are right…" she replied. "But never underestimate me, Judge." Her voice was suddenly changed into… well, not the normal voice of Luna. Both Celestia and the Judge seemed to realize this. Celestia gently backed away from the form disguised as her sister.

With a raise of her hoof, a finger-snapping sound filled the room. What followed next was so bizarre and so strange that even Celestia was shocked by it. The form disguised as her sister started to morph. Her eyes were forced to watch as the fake Luna's form shrank down into that of a triangle, while her royal regalia changed into a top hat and bowtie. Her hooves then changed into arms and legs. Her face faded away, leaving only a large eye with a slit pupil in the center, with bricks at the bottom.

"WHAT?!" the Judge reacted, screaming out in disbelief. "Bill Cipher?!"

Lacking a mouth, the floating yellow triangle called Bill Cipher was still able to make a clicking noise, pointing one of his hands up at the platform where the Judge was standing.

"That’s my name, don’t wear it out," he replied in delight.

"B-but how can you be here?! YOU SHOULDN’T BE HERE!" it shouted down at them.

Its restored claw tightened, still grabbing at nothing but the dead air in front of it.

"Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!" its voice was loud, dripping with rage.

"Yeah. I’ve just stopped you from killing the Princess of Equestria, duh," he said, summoning a yellow cane out of nowhere, and leaning on it. It growled, its fists tightening.

"You may have destroyed my crystal, Cipher, but I can still kill Celestia with the little time that I have left in her mind."

"You so sure about that buddy?" Bill’s eyes narrowed, showing delight, his hand pointing up at the ceiling above them.

"What are you talking about, Cipher?" Its eyes narrow, staring at the triangle with an angered, but also weary confusion.

"Don't you know, Judge?" His eye grins.

"NOPONY... messes with my FRIENDS!" he says. His voice oddly shifting back between normal and demonic. He snaps his fingers, causing the whole room to shake like mad.

The entire chamber then starts to shake, as if being ravaged by a terrible earthquake!
The bricks of the ceiling are ripped away from their place, tearing the ceiling to pieces, as the fragments started flying up into the air!

This creates an even larger and larger opening up into the sky.

"Wha-what is this?! What is happening?!" the figure asks in horrified confusion, as it looks down, watching as the sleeves of its robe start to be lifted up. A pulling sensation taking hold on its form.

Raising her head, she looks up into the sky. Her jaw dropping as she laid eyes on the force behind the violent shaking!
"Oh…My...Mother…of-"

"Celestia!" Luna utters in another corner of the castle. Her face is practically plastered to one of the glass windows. Her eyes are peering out, staring up at a large form of light above the darkened castle.

A large tear in the fabric of reality is in the skies above the castle, or what little could be seen of its contents, and it is spilling out a bright red and orange light down upon the world underneath it! Waves of swirling energy are moving around inside of it. Multiple colors are presented to its observers! Fragments of its edges are being pulled up into this other reality, but are still clinging tightly to the crack in reality.

The pulling force grows stronger.

Slowly but surely, the invisible force is getting a more secure hold of the Judge, and it is beginning to lift him up off the platform.

The Judge is moving around frantically in a desperate attempt to free himself from the gravity of the tear!
Turning his head downward, he looks back at Bill and Celestia.

"NO!" he screams, his form is already beginning to glitch out (in the form of TV static).

The time has come. He could no longer sustain itself inside her mind without the crystal. He pulls his arms back, and then thrusts them forward. His arms extend forward, turning to black slime, which grab at the floor, which stops it from being pulled into the crack.

While Bill is not looking, the Judge lunges with his arm extending outward at Celestia. His black mass envelopes her, and forms a giant claw that grips her tightly in its hold!

"I AM NOT GOING UNLESS SHE GOES WITH ME!"

His arm is finally starting to deteriorate along with the rest of the Judge’s form. The black slime cannot remain solid, and becomes a runny liquid, loosening his grip on the floor, and his arm retracts, and is incorporated into its original source.

His other arm retracts too while still holding Celestia in its grasp. Despite her best efforts to fight back against it using her (somewhat) fiercely pounding hooves against its still-solid skin.

The arm returns to the Judge without releasing its grip on her. Celestia looks back up at the dark hooded face of the Judge and stops struggling with it.

"Yesss, that’s right, Princess. Resistance is useless now…It will all be over soon," he said, sounding slightly friendly for the first time during this entire encounter with her.

"Hey, Judge?" a voice calls up from the floor below them.

Both Celestia and the Judge turn their heads, looking back down. "Did you know that Celestia is my girlfriend?!"

Raising his brow as he turns around, the Judge looks back down at Celestia, and is confused by Bill's remark.

"What is it, now, Cip-?" he says as his form freezes in place upon noticing a bit too late that a fist is heading directly towards him.

With violent force and a painful impact, he is punched in the stomach, causing him to flinch from the intense hurt he was feeling after taking a blow from the over-sized, cartoony glove that had done such damage to his form.

"Which means hands off, creep!" he heard Bill’s voice, as he reeled from the pain in his stomach. Both of his hands reached down to grab at where it had been hurt, causing him to release his grip on Celestia in the process.

With a snap of the finger, she is suddenly teleported away from the Judge and re-emerges back on the floor beside the hovering triangle, Bill Cipher.

Wheezing as it regains its breath, it is unable to do anything about being sucked into the rip. He lets out pained groans as the two entities watched it being sucked up towards the rift.

In the last moment before it vanishes into the rip, it manages a last stare back down at the two of them. It weakly raises its arm, and points a claw down at Bill.

"Heed my words, Bill Cipher... a day will come when you will look back...and you will regret interfering on this day!" it shouts down at them…before finally being sucked back into the wild flurry of colors of the rift and disappearing from sight.

From out of the rift, a concentrated wave of energy erupts. Coming down from the sky, it passes over the castle as it makes contact with it. It goes down all the way until it reaches the surface of the world underneath.

In the Real world, the scorch-marks start to disappear.

Smoke and steam emerge from the parts of her body that were afflicted.

Back in the Dream world, everything is calm. A silence hangs over the castle… alas, it was nothing but a temporary calm…

The castle starts to shake. This time much more violently than the first as tremors are striking in full force! All throughout, in hallways, corridors, chambers, rooms, it is all starting to come crashing down on itself. Pieces of the wall come loose, as the bricks start to float upward and are sucked directly into the rift! Windows shatter and float up along the same path as the bricks.

"W-what is going on?" Celestia asks with her hooves reaching out towards Bill in panic.

"The castle is coming undone. Without the Judge to control it, or maintain it with his power, there is no longer a reason for it to exist. It is coming undone,’’ he explained.

"Well, what are we gonna do?!" she asks him.

Looking into his one big one, she hopes that he has the answers.

"Well, duh, we leave…" he replied, but the look in his eye revealed to her that he was being rather smug about the situation.

"Here, let me show you," he says holding out a hand to her. She hesitates to take it at first, but when the ground tears open, and several of the bricks start floating upwards, she flinches, and takes him up on his offer. She extends her hoof, grabs his hand, and he take a firm grip on her hoof.

He snaps his fingers, which causes both of them to quickly disappear with a POP.

Running through the crumbling castle, Luna does not know where she can go. Ever since that rift in the sky had opened, everything has gone to Tartarus. But oddly enough, it did not start destroying the castle at first, as it had instead hesitated for a few minutes, and well…now she is in her current position.

At the moment, she is just running for her life through this cursed place. When it started to collapse she had tried to exit Celestia's mind the normal way, but something must have happened to return control to her sister, as her magic was not strong enough to break through the mental barriers of her sister's mind.

The floor is crumbling to bits and the bricks are starting to float upwards. They vanish upon reaching the void above!

"AHHH!" she screams as she falls down through the collapsing floor.

However, she does not fall because someone, or rather something, grabs her hoof and holds her.
She looks up…not believing the sight that greets her. Namely, a yellow triangle with one eye, limbs, and clad in a top hat and bowtie is holding her up with his arm.

'Tia was not kidding when she said that she was saved by a triangle in the first dream.' Luna thought.

"You know, you could help me a little?" the triangle said with a strained voice, which seemed to snap her out of her stupor. She shakes her head, and with a swift motion thrusts her other arm up, so the triangle can grab it – which it does.

With an almighty pull, she gets lifted up. She lifts herself up over the edge of the collapsed floor, and returns to standing up on her hooves.
Raising her head, she immediately sees Celestia and the triangle beside each other – Celestia’s face betrays her concern.

"Come on, Luna! Quickly!" she says with a lot of urgency in her voice. She extends a hoof, holding it out for her sister to take. Luna leaps forward, grabs it and clings firmly to her sister’s hoof!

With a turn of her head, Celestia faces Bill. "Now, get us out of here!" she instructs him.

With a raised hand, Bill is about to snap his fingers when Luna opens her eyes. She looks down and notices that he is not standing beside her sister, but rather hovering!

"Wait, are you…hovering?" she asks.

But in that moment Bill snaps his fingers, which causes the trio to disappear out of the crumbling hallway.

The rest of the castle is swallowed up, stone by stone. Every one of the castle’s battlements, towers, and great dungeons all crumble to pieces, reducing it from a solid mass to a large gathering of disconnected stones that all get sucked up into the rift! Not one stone is spared or forgotten. In the end, the Dream world is returned to how it had once been: Nightmare-free.

Back in the real world, Celestia’s eyes shoot open!

Author's Note

Thought i might as well release a new chapter since i was feeling a little up to it. Don't worry, i will still release a chapter on friday like i always have. This was just something i thought i'd do for the heck of it.
I hope i did well on this one too:twilightsmile:

Edit: saying that this chapter was hard to edit doesn't even cover it. For anyone who read this chapter previously i appolagize for all the mistakes that you must have experienced. This was one of the worst chapters that i and my editor have gone through.

I just hope that he will continue to be my editor after this one.

Link - Doctor Who Unreleased Music - Forest of the Dead - River's Death

Chapter 8

Bill Cipher and Luna meet

Finally, it was over. Celestia’s mind had been returned to its original state, the invader that had attempted to seize control of it had been driven out, and control of the mind had returned to its rightful owner.

*Return to the Present*

Quickly sitting up in her bed, Celestia let out heavy pants as her breathing was still trying to catch up with her after such an experience.

When her breathing became a little more controlled, she narrowed her eyes, and started focusing in on some of the more important information that she had obtained while purging her mind of this horrible nightmare.

‘’Bill Cipher…’’ She said, still remembering the name quite freshly in her head. Gaining a serious face for a moment, she stared off as she thought about this mysterious character that had just and out of nowhere entered into their lives. She did know why, but she had the nagging suspicion from the back of her head that she needed to keep a close eye on him.

Secondly for security matters, but firstly because he seemed a little…eccentric. They had dealt with an energetic being before, and that had been during the battle for the whole of the Equestrian race. ‘’Why can’t I shake the thought that he is a distant cousin of Discord?’’ She asked, shuddering at the thought of having to deal with somepony like the likes of him again. Not because he was a true danger to Equestria, he really wasn’t. But because he might just annoy her.

Sleeping idly on the floor beside the bed was the gently breathing body of Luna. Her eyes closed, and her horn no longer connecting them to the same dream. A smile upon her face as she wandered the Mindscape.

In the Mindscape, there was a green hilltop overlooking a beautiful plain of green grassy fields. A single tree growing out of the ground at the center of the hill.

Opening her eyes, Luna saw that she was no longer in her sister’s version of the Mindscape – Thankfully – but instead in another that could be said to belong to her. There was afterall no one else there, so it had to be hers, right?

Exhaling a sigh, Luna became more relaxed in her face, feeling the gentle intake of air leave her lungs as she sighed from relief. ‘’Thank Celestia that the nightmare is finally over.’’ She said outload.

‘’Indeed, but hey, every nightmare had to come an end sometime, right?’’ A disembodied voice suddenly interjected itself amidst the silence of this green, nice place.

Her body tensed, and eyes stared out, wide with shock that it was now her turn to be plagued by dreadful things in her dreams.

‘’Heheh, no need to worry about me, Princess. I am not a being of pure evil like the Judge.’’ It replied. ‘’I am friendly, despite that little show I had to put on back in your sister’s part of the Mindscape.’’

With multiple turns of her head, she looked around her surroundings. Hoping that she could see something that looked out of the ordinary enough to pinpoint where the origin of this invisible voice was coming from.

‘’’Well, if you really are such as you claim to be, then reveal yourself to me.’’ She spoke out. However, the only sound to linger on the air, was the blowing of the wind as it passed her by.

‘’Hm.’’ She grumbled, her eyes narrowing and face growing sterner in appearance. ‘So I guess he isn’t going to show.’ She thought. ‘’Such a shame.’’

The hill all of a sudden started to vibrate, shaking as an earthquake came over it. Her former stern look changed to instead wield a deadpanned look of surprise at what was happening.

However, instead of being meet with a rift in the skies above – or the ground – she simply heard a voice speak to her from behind. ‘’Hey, how you doin’?’’ Followed thereafter by the click of a tongue.

She turned around, and to her great surprise, she saw a triangle leaning against the tree, supporting itself with an arm which touched against the tree. The triangle itself was virtually identical to the one she had received help form in the – More appropriately named Nightmare realm version of their home. It was pointing a finger towards her, and wearing a friendly smirk.

Luna turned her body around, staring back at this…strange creature with confusion, but also great curiosity.

‘’Who…are you? What are you?’’ She asked the triangle.

‘’The name’s Bill Cipher.’’ He replied, reaching up and grabbing his top hat, but instead of moving it, his entire body moved in its place, before being moved back into place, he let go of the hat, and lowered his arm back down. ‘’Self-proclaimed Dream demon.’’ He held up his left hand, almost pointing up into the sky.

Luna’s face frowned, raising a brow, she nervously retracted her hoof back away from him – She had raised it when he had first said his name, but now retracted it after hearing that second bit.

‘’Dream demon?’’ She asked skeptically. At seeing this, Bill’s arms dropped, hanging down as he leaned forward, his eye closing. Some of the stern in her expression deflated, and she looked back at him with…pity in her eyes. She could sense that she had somehow hurt him.

He let out another deep sigh, tightening his hand into a fist that was shaking, which made it all the more alarming to her. Not just because he might attack her, but that she may have accidentally taken a step too far in wanting to know about someone that she had done something unintentionally.

‘’Look…’’ He said, his eye opening, but looking off to the side, away from her. ‘’I know when I am not wanted, and…’’ The triangle turned away from her, looking the other direction. ‘’If you do not me around, I understand that, I know not to overstep somepony else’s boundaries unless they want it of me.’’ He raised his hand, ready to snap his fingers and leave.

That was, until he heard a voice calling out to him from behind with a sporadic ‘’No!’’ Stopping him from doing anything else while. He turned around, his eye moving the side until it reached the center of his back, his arms, legs, and bowtie doing the same.

‘’What is it?’’ He asked in a really downer tone of voice. His eye moving back behind him, and staring at her angrily. Okay, that was a little freaky for her to witness.

‘’Look! If you really are going to just interrogate me because I’m different, I-…’’ He sighed. ‘’I understand your reasons for doing so. I mean, a anthromorphized, sentient triangle-shaped creature, who possess the ability to do whatever he likes with reality, would be worth asking a few questions. I get that…’’ He motioned with his arm, which was facing the other way.

‘’But I am just so sick of people/ponies like that, always considering me a danger to them because I have powers beyond their comprehension…But did any of you ever take the time to actually figure out WHO WAS THAT POWERS BELONGED TO?!’’ His voice raised at the end, sounding down-right demonic. His eye even larger, staring down at her completely white. She had to raise her hooves up to shield them from the bright light, and the intensity of his anger.

When the light lessoned, and the shape could be felt to be backing away from her, she lowered her hooves. Seeing just Bill back to his original appearance – Without the eye on his back. His arms folded, and an angry look on his ‘’face’’.

‘’Do you know what it feels like? This feeling of being alone, judged by others who don’t even know you?’’ He asked. ‘’To be ignored, your feelings, you’re very being…nothing them.’’ He raised a fist up, tightening it to the point of having the ground shake slightly, and the skies to darken.

Lowering her head, Luna thought about what she had just been asked by this…Bill Cipher. She did know what he was going through, to an extent. She too, had feelings that went unnoticed by others.

She remembered back to that day when she first ever raised the moon with her magic. She had been so proud of herself. Her sister had complimented her about that first time, saying that it was a means of beauty to see her accomplishing such a feat of magical prowess. All on her own too.

*Flashback*

‘’Great job, Luna. That was amazing what you just did!’’ Her older sister’s hoof went down to her shoulder, patting it.

‘’Thanks, Tia...But then again, I didn’t do it on my own.’’ She said with a turn of her head, looking back up at the warmly smile of Celestia.

‘’No, but you did.’’

‘’But I didn’t, did I…?’’ She replied, shaking her head. ’’I may have been the one who used the magic, but it was you who cheered me on. Motivating me to keep going…Even when I was at my breaking point, and about to give you still kept me pushing, never giving up.’’

‘’Oh, Luna.’’

‘’Oh, Tia.’’

Jumping up, she suddenly hugged her sister tightly. Her small hooves grasping tightly at her older sister.

Her ear perked up when she started to hear a slight gagging. Opening her eye, she raised her head up. Looking at her sister’s face.

‘’L-luna…Chocking.’’ Celestia’s voice wheezed out. Lunas eyes grew wide in surprise, and her hooves immediately let go of around her sister’s throat.

She fell down to the ground. When her eyes opened, they looked up into her sister’s heavily breathing face.

*Squee* She smiled.

‘’Hehe...heh. Sorry.’’ She said nervously.

*End Flashback*

Feeling a tear run down her cheek, she brought a hoof up to her chin, wiping the tears.

‘’Yes…’’ She said softly. Eyes looking down, and a slight smile forming. ‘’I know what it feels like.’’ Her smile faded away as soon as she raised her head, her eyes looking upon Bill in a sad manner.

She watched as his eye one again did that moving thing where it moved along his body to reach his back, but instead it got to where arm, and looked back at her while he crossed his arms – which were still the right way forward.

‘’What was that?’’ He asked.

‘’I…’’ She sighed, eyes closing. ‘’I understand what you’ve been through.’’ His eye narrowed itself, but the rest of his body seemed to turn around. Finally looking back at her right way this time – Though his arms were still crossed, and his eye was giving her a suspicious stare. ‘’When you asked me if I have felt anything close to how you felt, not being acknowledged as an entity but just as…a thing, obsolete…’’ She lowered her head, her eyes looking down as tears started to begin running down her cheek. ‘’And despite being up high in the sky where they can see it, they never do.

They never notice the work I put into it…For them, they notice it! They always just sleep through it as if it is not-optional to enjoy the opposite of the light!’’ Her eyes tightened, and her contorted, the expression on her face becoming angrier and angrier…But also sadder. It was obvious that she had been holding these feelings looked up for a long time and never really talked to anyone about it.

The once-suspicion in his eye started to pull back, the hate for her not wanting to trust him over a simple little detail, turning to sympathy as he watched her breaking down right in front of him. He, like her, knew full what she was going through. That burning feeling of being the only one who had a passion about something and wanting others to share that passion. Of course, he knew where this would all lead. Being alone like that, and never truly finding another, would inevitably drive someone to do things that they would never in their wildest dreams thought they would ever do.

Lost in his thoughts, he was suddenly ripped back out of them when he heard her beginning to break down emotionally. Her voice was breaking, and she was struggling to stand upright in a regal way.

She broke down into tears, her body almost collapsing onto the ground. However, Bill moved in, and caught her, grabbing her with his arms, and holding her up. But she almost seemed to deliberately ignore him, crying into him. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her warmly.

‘’Shshh…It’s okay, it’s okay.’’ He calmed her, gently stroking her back up and down with his hand, his voice speaking to her in a soothing calming tone. Letting her continue to cry.

‘’Just let it out...’’ He began stocking her mane, which albeit was a little weird – Creepy even – but she excused on not exactly knowing how to calm her all that perfectly. ‘’Is obvious to me now that you have suffered greatly, but instead of talking about it with someone, you have kept them all bottled up inside of you, and thus you have never needed to face them.’’ His hand moved away, instead moving up to the back of her head, holding her in a soothing way.

‘’I-it is true, what you speak of…’’ She sobbed. ‘’I have never had a friend whom I could talk to – Sniff – Not even about just basic things, not necessarily the night. Things which interest me, dislikes, etc.’’ She sobbed against him. His eye opened, staring out in front of him with a frown upon.

‘I understand that – his eye narrows – I am way too familiar with it.’ He thought. Gently, his eye moved down, looking at her.

‘’Hey, hey…’’ He gently moved his hand down along her neck at a slightly faster pace. ‘’It’s okay…It’s okay…You won’t ever have to worry about being alone like that ever again.’’

She sniffled, raising her head, and looking up at his lone eye.

‘’H-how?’’ She asked, wiping the tears with a free hoof. ‘’I have no friends, and while I consider my sister a close enough friend, she cannot have a lengthy conversation with me about the wonders of the night…’’ Her face contorted into a frown, and she laid her head back down against his lower body, looking it to the left. ‘’I will always be alone.’’

His eye shook back and forth. ‘’Not anymore.’’ Her ears picked up, twitching at first. Her eyes narrowed, gaining a confused appearance about them. ‘’Wh-what do you mean w-when you say that?’’ She asked. Slowly, her head raised itself back up, staring up at him, as she backed away from him a little.

‘’If a good friend is what you seek, then I will try best to be one for you.’’ He said, looking his eye off to the side. ‘’Y-you know, if you wouldn’t mind being friends with- ‘’ he was interrupted mid-sentence as he felt himself being suddenly embraced in a powerful hug.

‘’Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!’’ Were the only words he was able to hear as she did not break away from giving him a whole barrage of hugs. He was not able to miss a single one. ‘’A thousand thankyous!’’ Once again she was crying, but not from sadness. But from joy.

Rolling his eye, he moved his arms in, hugging her back.

‘’Y-…you’re welcome.’’ He hesitated slightly.

She tried gently nuzzling her mussel against him, but remembering that he was not a Pony she scratched that idea as soon as she saw the yellow bricks at the lower half of his triangular-shaped form.

After holding his eye closed for a few minutes he opened it again. Starring out in front of him.

‘’Okay, okay, okay,’’ he gently moved her away from him, interrupting the hug. He turned back, seeing that she only gave him a blank stare, coupled along with several blinks of her eyes at being pushed away so sudden. ‘’So, should I start, or do you want to go first?’’ He asked her.

‘’First at what?’’ She replied, a tone of confusion evident in her tone.

‘’At socializing of course.’’ He held out his arms and legs in the air in excitement.

Lowering her head, she looked down at the ground. Her mind thinking about what she could say.

‘’I-…I don’t know.’’ Her eyes looked up, looking back up at him. ‘’I’ve never talked with anyone outside of my sister, and most of the time it is just about the wellbeing of our government, and not as much just friendly chatter.’’

‘’Pfft!’’ He swatted his arm through the air. ‘’That is no fun at all. Hm,’’ he struck a sitting position whilst hovering in mid-air. A hand going up to his front, presumably where his chin would have been if he had one.

‘’Oh, I know!’’ He jumped, snapping a finger.

All of a sudden, the ground shook gave a violent quake, cracking open to create a crevice, out from which burning tentacles emerged. Luna turned, staring at it wide-eyed.

‘’Whoops!’’ He exclaimed, getting rather wide-eyed, himself. ‘’Sorry about that.’’ He snapped his fingers again, to which the crevice resealed itself back up, forcing the flaming tentacles back down into the ground. Afterwards, it looked like it had not been there at all.

She turned back, giving him a raised eyebrow and a stare.

‘’Eh heheh…’’ He laughed nervously. ‘’I-I’m really sorry about that. But it is just a habit of mine, every time I get a thought or an idea that I like I snap my fingers. It was just something quite simple that I used to do back in the old days, sometimes just because it easy, or, like I stated before, because an idea popped into my head that I liked particularly well,’’ he shrugged, ‘’Or it was just something that I liked doing for the hell of it. Here, watch.’’ Her eyes grew wide again, and she almost jumped down in expectance that when he snapped his fingers that something maybe much worse would happen.

But when it did happen, her ear twitched a little from suddenly hearing it again, nothing occurred. When opening her eyes, she saw that the Dream world was still the same as when she had closed her eyes a few seconds ago.

‘’There, no biggie.’’ She heard a voice from the side say. She turned back, seeing Bill hovering in front of her. ‘’See? Nothing bad happened.’’ His eye closed, and he swiped his arm to the side.

Smiling back at her, he tried his best to keep the protective bubble around up as it was still not safe to go out of it. For outside it loomed a giant form of ethereal substance, a long crown upon its heed, as it had long locks of its ethereal hair flowing through the air. Soft lips on a face devoid of whether any eyes or a nose.

‘I’ll deal with her when I leave.’ He thought to himself.

His form suddenly descended down to the floor, planting his feet against the soft grass, and then stretching out like one would when waking up in the morning. Joins snapped, and bones popped.

‘’Ahhhh!’’ He sighed, looking his shut eye up at the skies above. ‘’Reminds me of the fresh air back…home.’’ His eye opened, looking out at the mare in front of him. Seeing him stop mid-sentence like that certainly earned a lot of her attention.

Her horn lit up, and a single POOF later, a bench appeared beside them. Smiling, she motioned towards the couch with her hoof. Taking her up on her offer, he bowed his form, snapping fingers, and then re-appearing seconds later, sitting on the bench. He gave her a warm smile, patting the seat next to him for her to get that he wanted her to join him in enjoying the view. She smiled, lightly shaking her head, and then with her extended wings flew up, seating herself down next to him.

Both of them looked back at each other, smiling warmly back at one another – Of course, Luna could guess what emotion he was displaying cause the only sign to telling her such was his lone eye.

While their eyes were locked, the sun started to move down past the horizon, being replaced by a dark-blue background – Which was the sky – All over the backdrop were these small, but marvelous sparkling forms of light. It was the stars, but the greatest one was yet to arrive on the scene.

But lo and behold, up from behind the uneven, ragged mountains far away, a shape that was at first glance nothing but one half of a circle. But as it reached higher up into the sky, its light shined much brighter, giving off a beautiful shade of white.

Drawing their eyes away from each other to see, they immediately found their attention stolen away by the world that surrounded them.

Returning her eyes to look upon Bill, she could not refrain from smiling as she how much the night sky seemed to have drawn his attention…Or it could be because he had some problem seeing, you know? He only had one eye.

‘’So, you said that you snap whenever an idea that you like, you think of?’’ She asked him. He turned back at her, meeting her eyes, as he watched her smile back at him in anticipation of whatever answer he was going to give her.

‘’I,’’ he turned his back to her a little. He fumbled with his hands, nervously. Despite thinking that he did not let her see what he was doing, she still allowed him to think so.

She raised a hoof to his side, gently touching it. His eye returned to being on his back, and stared up at her.

‘’It’s okay, Cipher, you can tell me.’’ She said. His eye looked down, obviously thinking about it.

Looking back up, the eye gave her a stern stare, before moving back along the body till it returned to being back in its original place. He exhaled a deep sigh.

‘’I’d rather not say. It’s too private that I feel ready to share with anyone else…Uh, no offense.’’ He pointed a hand back up at her, seeing only her smile back.

‘’None taken.’’ She said, both hooves going to the sides of the bench as she turned back, eyes looking up at the night sky.

‘But I promise you, Cipher, secrets do not stay hidden from me for long.’ She chuckled, only earing a single stare from him before he turned back to staring up the night sky.

‘’You really have outdone yourself this time.’’ She heard him speak up beside her. She turned and looked down at him. ‘’I don’t mean to be brash, but you’ve really outdone yourself with a sky like that.’’ He complimented her, raising his arms up. Trying to hide it by turning away, her face blushed.

‘’Oh, stop.’’ She swatted a hoof.

‘’No, I’m serious when I say that your night sky is the most beautiful,’’ her head turned back, staring down at him, ‘’The stars you have created grace a truly magnificent sky…Like diamonds upon a sheet of the nicest blue wrapping,’’ her jaw dropped slightly, hanging open as she had never anyone describe her night like that before. Not even Tia had used words like that to describe it.

‘’Bill…’’ She unintentionally let slip from her mouth.

‘’However, there is one thing missing on this picture.’’ He said, holding up both his hands and making a triangle shape with his fingers. Sudden confusion settled on her, as she turned, looking back up with eyes that scanned the whole of the sky above them.

‘’What? What’s missing?’’

‘’Ah! There we are…Almost forgot…’’

He snapped his fingers, causing a diamond to suddenly appear in the sky, almost as big as the Moon. She raised a confusing brow at this action, and turned back to him.

‘’A diamond?’’ She asked. He turned, looking up to meet her gaze.

‘’It’s nothing much really…Just another diamond up there on the sky to shine brightly.’’ Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped to hang open.

Judging from the expression that followed next he seemed confused about something or other.

‘’N-no good?’’ He asked, nervously. ‘’I can take it down if you- ‘’ He stuttered, raising his arms up.

‘’No!’’ She suddenly snapped, holding out a hoof in front of him to stop him. He quickly jumped up to his feet, giving her a worried look.

When she seemed to calm down, her warm smile returned to occupy her face – First one, then followed by many tears.

‘’It’s beautiful.’’ She said, wiping one of the tears. He seemed to beam, evidenced by his eye.

‘’Really?!’’ He hoovered up into the air, holding his hands together eagerly.

‘’Yes,’’ she said, ‘’This, more than anything is more than anypony has ever said or done about my night.’’

‘’I couldn’t agree more.’’ He said. ‘’My favorite time of the day is when it is dark, I mean, I do see sunlight from time to time, and it is something I cannot live out…But if I had to choose, I will always choose the night.’’ Her eyes just couldn’t stop watering, could they? ‘’Also, the sun doesn’t burn my eye if I try to get a better look at it.’’ He shrugged. Saying that got her to let out a small chuckle.

‘’You actually do that?’’ She asked, wearing a cross between a smirk, and a raised brow.

‘’Meh…’’ He shrugged. ‘’I cannot help myself. I’m a sucker for the details about things I find interesting.’’

He turned back, putting both arms behind him as he continued to look up at the night sky.

‘’Yeah…Me too.’’ She said, turning back to stare up at the Moon high up on the sky. A soft smile appeared, followed by a gentle chuckle.

‘’Hey,’’ her head turned, looking down at him, ‘’want to see something I can do?’’ He asked. She shrugged her shoulders, giving off a dumbfounded but excited smile.

‘’Surprise me.’’

‘’Okay, just give me a minute.’’ He turned his back to her, crossing his arms.

For some time, he didn’t move, which finally seemed to get to her. She crossed her brows, giving him a confused look.

Meanwhile, up high in the sky, something was happening on the surface of the Moon. A black formation was moving across it.

Suddenly, all of a sudden, a light was switched on, shining down on her whole body. Her eyes grew wide from the sudden appearance of the light, turning her head to the side – Looking out in front of her.

The light was a little bright, but she could see that it was coming from up above. Her eyes looked up, staring at the Moon.

‘What? It’s just the Moon. What’s so special about the- ‘But upon a second glance, she noticed something moving across the surface of her precious Moon. She leaned forward a little on the bench, narrowing her eyes to try and get a better look at what she at first believed to be just a simple trick of the eye, but now seeing as being something a little more…complicated than simple trickery.

Though, she flinched a little as she watched it continue to move across the surface of the Moon, not stopping until it was at the center – At which point the projection of light from it ceased, making it a little easier to look up at it.

Across the very surface of the Moon was a slit.

Her eyes widened from shock once she realized what it was she was seeing. Her jaw dropped, and with a quick turn of her head, looked to the side of her, down at Bill’s form still sitting on the bench. Her jaw dropped, and eyes grew even wider when she, to her greatest of shocks, witnessed Bill’s beginning to move on its own.

He put his arms behind his back, and then stood up onto his legs again. But the most jaw-dropping moment of the whole thing had to be when it turned around, revealing to her that the lone great eye in the center was gone. Crossing his arms, it just stood there, facing her in an eerier way than when the eye had been there.

‘’B-but that’s…Impossible!’’ She stuttered, hesitantly believing that which her eyes told her was the real deal.

‘’No trickery here, I’m afraid,’’ at hearing Bill’s voice again, she turned back to look up at the Moon. Still seeing his eye on it. ‘’everything you see is real.’’

‘’H-how? I-I know you were powerful, but this?’’ She stuttered once again.

‘’It was nothing. A simple parlor trick…’’ From the sides, several bricks started to fly towards the Moon, forming themselves around the slit iris. Once connected, there was a spark of lightning, which following after that, Bill was seen to once again be returned to his usual self once more. ‘’But it’s a dream, right? Shouldn’t I already be able to do whatever I want? I mean, hey, isn’t your limit the creativity you can put out in a place like this?’’

Twirling a cane in his hand, he descended down from the sky towards her. But even when he reached her, she was still jaw-dropped by what he had done.

‘’I don’t care how much creativity one has, that somepony can just ‘’leave’’ their body like that is still astonishing…Even in the Dream world.’’ After saying that, she finally closed her mouth, smiling back at him.

‘’Eh, I don’t find it to be that impressive anymore.’’ He swatted his arm, looking his eye off to the side. ‘’When you’re as powerful as me, who can do anything, it tends to get kinda boring after a while,’’ his eye looked down at the ground, ‘’things usually are when you are alone.’’

Luna’s excited smile deflated into a sympathetic frown, as she looked back at the triangle. Having an idea pop into her mind, her smile returned to her face.

She trotted forward, getting a little closer to him. Drawing his eyes attention back to her.

‘’But we’re not alone anymore, are we?’’ She raised a hoof up to his hand, touching her hoof against his fingers. ‘’We have each other.’’ She looked up, meeting his one eyes staring back at her.

He suddenly embraced her, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her tightly. His eye closed, gently holding her in his embrace.

A little taken aback by his sudden hug, her eye looked to the left, falling upon him, smiling warmly. She raised her hooves, wrapping them around her triangular companion’s form. Eyes closing shut, and her warm smile growing ever stronger…

However, her eyes opened a little, as she felt something on her being. Her pupils looked to the side, back at him. Down along her chest fur, something was felt to be running.

‘’Thank you...Princess!’’ A slightly muffled voice said, she blinked her eyes a few couple times, starring back at him with her smile still untouched.

‘’Heh,’’ she gave a gentle chuckle, ‘’just call me Luna.’’

‘’I will…I will.’’

Standing there, the two of them did not move an inch away from each other. Their embrace being so strong that not even if her sister were to enter into the dream would she be able to rip them apart. The warmth of the friendship that they both felt being something that both had never really felt as strongly before…Until now.

Slowly, the world around them started to change. The already beautiful backdrop of this dream changing to become a dark-blue one, white shapes of varying sizes appearing in a randomly dispersed manner. Behind them, the Moon appeared, shining brighter than it ever had this whole evening.

Slowly opening their eyes/eye, they meet each other gaze, both smiled as they saw one another again. With a turn, both, looked to their side, their eyes staring up at the Moon before them.

Out of nowhere, the bench appeared, and they both sat down on the bench together, their arms hold around the other as they watched the Moon shine amongst all those stars, which while quite bright on their own, could not hope to come close to shining greater than the Moon.

-

‘’Bill?’’ He heard her speak to him, he turned, looking towards her.

‘’Yeah, Princess?’’ He heard a gentle chuckle from his side.

‘’I never want this moment to end,’’ Luna said, ‘’I just want this moment to go on forever and ever.’’ He gave a scoffing laughter.

‘’Me too…’’ He said, his voice a little down. But there was no hiding it from her. She could tell that something was troubling him.

‘’But?’’ She asked, raising her head up to look at him, he turned, their eyes meeting. But his did not look to chipper, in fact it looked downright sad. She stood up, adjusting her sitting stance on the bench.

‘’What? What is it, Bill?’’ She inquired, worry in her voice, and on her face. He turned, looking up at her, their gaze holding, before he suddenly broke it. Looking down at the bench.

‘’Bill?’’ She asked – Obviously – a more worry in her tone.

Raising his hand, he gently touched it to her hoof, letting out a sad sigh, before looking up. Their eyes locking once more.

‘’You said you wanted us to be together,’’ he shook his eye from side to side. She knew something was coming, something bad, but she just didn’t want to hear it.

‘’No.’’ She protested, shaking her head in objection to what he was saying.

‘’I’m sorry, Luna, but I cannot stay. Here, our ways must part…’’

‘’No!’’ She said again, much more of a worried tone being inserted into her word.

Suddenly, reality around them started to become brighter. A witness was swallowing up the reality around them. Everything faded, the stars, the Moon. Everything was consumed into it.

‘’Noo!’’ She pleaded, grabbing tightly at him, and holding him up against her. Holding him tighter than she had ever done anything. Her eyes clenched. ‘’I won’t let it take you!’’ She sobbed, refusing to let him go.

‘’Luna…’’

Her eyes shot open, and she pulled back from a little so their eyes could meet. Her frown meeting his sad eye.

He leaned in, raising a hand, and putting it to her ear.

‘’I will see you again.’’ He whispered into her ear.

Then, everything went white, the two of them being swallowed up by the whiteness.

Luna’s eyes stirred awake, gently opening themselves one at a time, though being put under some strain as the sunlight shined right into her face. She had to shield herself with her hoof while they adjusted.

‘’Oh thank goodness,’’ a familiar disembodied voice spoke up. Luna turned to her left, seeing a white Alicorn standing beside her. She leaned down, a worried expression upon her face as she looked down at her younger sister. But Luna ignored her. Luna’s face just frowned.

Looking down, she saw, to her great disappointment, that Bill Cipher’s triangular body was not there anymore. He was gone.

Her already sad frown grew rose, becoming sadder as she realized that he had truly been lost. Her sister took notice of her sister’s saddened state.

‘’Luna? What is it? Is something the matter?’’

Exhaling a deep sigh, she shifted her body onto its side. Laying down as her eyes looked out at the wall in front of her.

‘’No,’’ she shook her head in reply at her sister, ‘’he isn’t.’’ She mumbled to herself.

‘’Oh. Well okay then, but hey,’’ Celestia said, her voice changing into a much happier tone, ‘’on the bright side the nightmares are gone. We did it, we liberated my mind.’’

‘’Yeah…’’ She mumbled, her eyes looking down at the floor.

Being no fool, Celestia could tell that something was on her sister’s mind. Something was bothering her.

‘’Uh, are you sure that there is nothing on your mind?’’ She asked again.

‘’No.’’ Luna replied, gently blinking her eyes.

‘’Um, okay then,’’ Celestia’s horn started to glow, a magic aura enveloping Luna, gently removing her up off the floor. Slowly, and with gentle care, Luna’s body was put back down onto the bed, and the covers – held in a telekinetic grasp – moved up over her body. ‘’Well, you’ve certainly earned a good night’s sleep.’’ She smiled. ‘’You were brave in there, facing off against those dreadful nightmares, all just for me.’’ Luna slowly nodded.

‘’Yeahh…’’ She let out.

Leaning down, she planted a gentle kiss on Luna’s cheek, then turned and trotted off.

‘’Good night, Luna…You sleep tight, and maybe we’ll talk again later?’’

‘’Yeah, sure…’’

Celestia not did say anything else after that. She just shot her a smile, and then activated her horn’s magic, teleporting out of the room in a silent POP that Luna did not hear.

With her magic, Luna closed the windo

ws of her room, shrouding the entirety of it in the darkness.

‘’Maybe tonight…we’ll see each other again.’’ She sniffled, feeling her pillow becoming a little wet where her head lay. ‘’Another day, another dream.’’ She sniffled, wiping the tear with her hoof before laying her head back down on the pillow.

Despite what her sister had said, Luna had already gotten a whole night of sleep, and thus there was currently no need for her mind to rest. She knew that if she wanted to see Bill Cipher again she would have to wait for the night to return.

And it just couldn’t get here any faster.

Chapter 9

Meeting with the Empress Part 1

‘’I will see you again.’’

Those words continued to echo in his head. His mind being unable to concentrate on anything else other than the continuous echoing of his last words to Luna.

Slowly, his eye opened again. But instead of being meet with the fading sight of the dark-blue Alicorn mare, he was instead faced with an entirely grey void devoid of anything. He was no longer in Luna’s Dreamscape, having been already pushed out of it when her dream had ended. His eye narrowed, its expression changing into a saddened one as he was once again all by himself.

He raised a hand, and with a gentle snap of his fingers disappeared. Teleporting away, out of the Mindscape.

Returning back into the real world, he appeared in a room that was impossible for him to forget. Stretching his arms. He continued till he heard the joins snap, and bones to crack. He then lowered them, exhaling a soft sigh.

His eye shot open, looking to be returning to its usual eccentric attitude.

‘’Ahhh! Another day, another hour or more to get weird.’’ He pumped his fist into the air. Looking forward to what the new day was going to bring.

His arm went back behind him. Returning shortly, holding a heart shape in his hand. ‘’While I am honestly surprised that I had to confront the Judge, I cannot say that the whole night was entirely wasted.’’ His iris looked, falling upon the gem in his hands. ‘’I would have never been able to nab this if he had not caught Celestia’s attention. Now, word of its disappearance will never reach her pesky, prissy, princessey ears.’’

Suddenly, everything started to change, becoming completely grey. His eye looked up from the crystal in his hand. Staring out, randomly at the world turning nothing but grey.

A flash appeared, which only seconds later is followed by the appearance of a female figure. The figure appears to be Humanoid – except for the arms – with a plaid skirt, each square being in multiple colors, and with a head at the top, but instead of having anything other than five eyes in place of the usual features of a face. Its scalp was blank. Out of the sleeves of a purple shirt, two tendril appendages, both with blue tips on the end, stretched out. With its legs being the same as its arms. The rest of it was indisputably belonging to a Human female.

All her eyes looked down at him, her tendril-arms touched against her sides.

Taking the hint that she was clearly upset about something, he floated over to her, putting the craved crystal away. He asked her what was wrong, at which point her eyes twitched. She crossed her arms, and turned away from him – something of a frowning expression being the one to occupy her lacking in detail face. He raised a brow as she did this.

‘’How dare you try act so casual as if nothing has happened.’’ She huffed, her aura glowing along with her as her voice spoke.

‘’Oh, come on. Seriously, what did I do to suddenly get you so mad at me?’’ Bill asked in an ever growing frustration.

Two of her eyes opened. Still glaring back at him.

‘’You haven’t called me-er-us in a week.’’ Her other eyes opened, still glaring at him bitterly. ‘’I-we have been worried sick about you.’’

His eye merely blinked a few times, confusing mounting on his faceless front.

‘’Oh, come on,’’ he swatted at the air. His eye looking off to the side. ‘’Did you ever, really think that anyone on this world, in this abundant universe could match me in strength? To them, I am a God…Even the Princesses admire my awesome powers.’’ He rotated his hand in mid-air.

She exhaled a heavy sigh, and undid her crossed tendrils. Moving one of them up to him. Touching the tip against his side. His eye looked down at it, giving it a momentary glance, before moving up. Staring back at her, her eyes now shown to be frowning.

‘’What?’’ He held out his arms, not knowing what she was trying to get a cross to him.

‘’Do they know…?’’ She asked. Her eyes blinking. ‘’Do they know that you can use those powers in real life, and not just in the Dreamscape?’’ As she asked, his eye returned to how it looked normally. Blinking, as he remained silent for a while. His eye then looked away.

With slow movement, she hovered through the air towards him, putting another tendril on his other side of his – triangular – body. Stopping in front of him, his eye looked up, staring at her multi-eyed head, their gazes meeting.

‘’You do know I care about you, don’t you, Cipher?’’ His eye just blinked.

‘’I know, Ann. But- ‘’

‘’But what?’’ She interrupted, her three upper eyes glaring at him, while the other two gave him a sad look. ‘’What could be more important than simply letting others know that you are okay? Since we’re not there to look out for you, to have your back against whatever danger you may face,’’ all of her eyes changed to reflect a saddened gaze. ‘’You may be powerful, Bill Cipher, but there are some things that not even you can defeat…Even with your incredible power of reality.’’

Crossing his eye, it was now his time to shoot her a glare. He stretched out his arms, pushing her tendrils away, and then backing away from her with an angry stare staring back.

‘’HOW CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!’’ His voice changed to sounding demonic. ‘’Do you know how long I suffered in that hellhole of a dimension?!’’ His voice once again changed to sounding demonic for one of the words. ‘’A flat world with flat minds. Sure there was one place I knew I might find happiness to saint me for the rest of my life,’’ his eye narrowed, changing his usual color scheme into blood-red and bright white. ‘’DO YOU?!’’ His sudden outburst caused her to slowly back away from him. Staring up at him with horrified wide eyes.

‘’Once I liberate this world, I have big plans! And I will SUCCEED…’’ his body suddenly shot towards. Her body being covered in the bright light of his eye. Hovering above her. ‘’where the Cipher failed.’’

‘’AHAHAHAHAHAHA!’’ He started laughing. Holding out his arms, as violent blue lightning started to be discharged.

‘’No! Stop!’’ She reached out a tendril towards him. With a quick motion, his eye looked down to her, a beam of bright white light being projected down upon her.

‘’What…did you say?’’ He asked in a somewhat calmer tone, which was surprisingly even creepier when his voice was demonic sounding.

‘’I…Uh…’’ She stuttered, eyes looking off in every possible direction to where she might escape if things began getting too violent.

‘’Y-you cannot do that!’’ She shouted up at him, eyes glaring, as she pointed her left tendril up at him.

‘’Oh yeah, and why not? What’s to stop me from just destroying that pathetic world in its entirety?’’ His eye was completely white, projecting such a bright light that it was making it difficult to see his eye.

‘’Because you are not Bill Cipher.’’ His eye seemed to loosen up. The bright light projection dimmed, until finally she was looking back into his eye, which alongside his form, was back too normal. ‘’I know that there is frustration in you, hatred for what…they have done, and you just want to see an end to this suffering.’’ She raised her right tendril, touching it to her chest. ‘’But take my word for it, you do have his temper…’’ She did several motions in the air with her tendrils. ‘’Despite how much I wish that you didn’t. Your scary enough.’’ She mumbled to herself.

‘’Then what’s keeping you back?’’ Bill asks. She elevates the brow of her eyes, giving him a confused stare. ‘’If I’m so scary, then why are you here? You can leave my side whenever you’d like. No one is forcing you to stay.’’ He puts both his hands on his sides, staring at her with an angry eye.

Her multiple eyes grow wide with shock. ‘’Do not think that just because you’re in the Mindscape that you can hide what you say in my presence. I. SEE. EVERYTHING.’’ In his eye an image of a green and blue planet appears in his eyes.

His fists tighten, holding them out beside him. His eye turns red, and his form is about to revert back to how he had looked when he had started to get angry. Like, REALLY angry.

‘’Now…Tell me,’’ he paused, ‘’why are you not leaving? You know you can, so what’s- ‘’

‘’Because I can’t leave you!’’ She suddenly cries out to him, clenching her eyes shut.

His eye widens in surprise, and his fists loosen. ‘’What…?’’ He says.

‘’I can’t leave you, because I…’’ Her upper three eyes open, staring back at him with tears welling up in her eyes. She brings a tendril up to her face, wiping the tears away. Quickly, she turns her back on him. Hurrying to hover through the air, her voice heavy with sobbing as she hurried away from him.

When there was a good distance between her and Bill, she swung her tendril down to slice it through the greyed-out fabric of existence, opening a disfigured rift into another dimension that looked to contain a world of hellish colors, and odd waves of multi-colors.

‘’Ann! Wait!’’ He called out, extending a hand, and reaching out to her. But she failed to give him any attention. However, her form did hesitate in its place for a single second, before it suddenly leaped out into the rift.

‘’NOO!’’

Her eyes opened as she heard his voice cry out for her like that, but nothing stopped her from changing her mind about her decision to flee from him. Back out in the Mindscape, the rift started re-sealing itself up, the grey colors disappearing alongside it, and gradually returning the room to its original self before her arrival.

His eye shot open, looking rapidly around him at his surroundings for any sign of her. But unfortunately for him, she was already gone. The world had returned to normal, meaning that the grey that had once been – almost – the only color for his eye to see, was now replaced with a darker one, with rainbow-colored outlines.

Realizing that he was all alone in the room, his eye closed, and a heavy sigh exhaled from his non-existent mouth.

‘Guess I should just maybe get this,’ reaching behind him, he pulls out the crystal he had been eyeing earlier, ‘to her majesty. I doubt the Matriarch enjoys ponies be late for their meetings.’ His mind thinks, staring down at the gem in his hand for a few longer seconds.

His eye looks up, seeing a door in front of him. Moving through the air, his hovering form approaches the door. Snapping his finger, the door opens. Closing behind him as he leaves out through it.

Author's Note

A rather short one this week:twilightsheepish:

Just a little experiment with how well smaller chapters like this do.

Chapter 10

Meeting with the Empress Part 2

Inside a dark-green castle, sitting on a lone throne inside a great chamber, a dark, armored, insect pony was sitting on said throne. She was motionless, with a stern look on her face, and only occasionally blinking her eyes. On both sides of her throne were two guards, however their armor was very different from the usual drone’s. Standing by a large door are also two other guards, clad in the same armor as the ones by the throne.

Suddenly, her eyes grow wide, and she raises her head, looking out in front of her at the throne room.

First, the ground begins to violently shake, drawing the attention of the guards in the room. Then the walls begin to quake, cracks appearing in the skin of them. The cracks begin trailing down along the wall until it reaches the floor, and begins moving through the skin of the floor. On the opposite side of the wall, the same happens.

The cracks in the floor join together at the center, but instead of just cracking or crumbling together, they start moving around on the floor, forming a wheel shape on the ground, six symbols forming on the outer wheel. But one the inside, a triangle with a giant eye in the center, arms and legs, a top hat and bowtie emerges in the center.

A blue begins to glow, filling the cracks. A wild, manic laughter begins to sound, filling the entire chamber with it. A sudden wind blows the doors open, and a howling wind starts to fill the entire room in a matter of seconds, making everyone inside it to begin shaking from the cold. A surprise because they’re not usually easily chilled by the reverse of heat.

A light shots up from the triangle in the center, followed by a flash of light…

But after it has vanished, everything is now back too normal, restored to how it had all looked before all of this craziness happened, the symbol on the ground is gone, as well as the cracks in the walls.

However, one small detail remains of some significance in the room.

A triangle with one eye, limbs, and a top hat and bowtie is not hovering in the room. A gleeful delight on its eye.

Rolling her eyes, she stares up at the triangle in front of her.

‘’Oh, it’s you.’’ She says in annoyed tone, swatting her hoof at the air. Her guards stand down, resuming their original positions beside the throne.

‘’Did you miss me? Admit it, you missed me.’’ He touches a finger to his non-existent cheek, grinning his eye at her.

‘’Well, it has hardly been this quiet, even without you.’’ She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, frowning a little deeper at him.

‘’Oh, you!’’ He waves his arm through the air, eye momentarily looking away from her, before then returning to look upon her again.

Following the sound of clicking teeth, he raised his hand, pointing his index finger at her.

She scoffed, shaking her head as a visible smirk made its way onto her face. Her eyes were momentarily closed.

‘’No fooling you is there, Lord Cipher?’’ Her voice now in a much chipper tone as she asked him that.

‘’Nope, you are going to have to try harder if you are ever going to convincingly prank me.’’ A straight finger pointing back at his chest. She merely scoffed back.

‘’Yeah, well…’’ her eyes looked away, smiling a little wider. ‘’It’s kinda a little one-sided when you are essentially pranking someone who, if he wanted to, could just you and your species out with a single second.’’

‘’True…’’ he put a finger to his non-chin, thinking it over. ‘’I am pretty impressive, wouldn’t you?’’ He suddenly vanished away in a POOF, returning seconds later standing a leg up on a rock, a crown atop his head, and a golden cane in his hand as he struck a pose.

‘’Cipher,’’ she shook her head. ‘’Your attempts at humoring me, is humorous.’’

This time he rolled his eye at her comment, as he returned back to his normal self again.

Hovering in the air, he put his hands behind his arms behind his back, connecting them. His lone eye staring at the Changeling Matriarch before him in patient silence.

‘’So what do we owe your…sudden meeting that you have desired to have with me?’’ She asked a lot regally than her humored tone earlier.

‘’Empress Pollus, Ruler of the Changeling race’’ he greeted her, putting a hand to himself, his eye closing in respect. ‘’I, Bill Cipher, beseech thee,’’ his eye slowly opened, staring out at her. ‘’For I bring great news that are of grave value to the whole of the Changeling race.’’ His eye narrowed, giving her a sense that he was most likely smirking at her.

Her eye grew wide in surprise.

Something important? But that could not be…that could only mean, her mind thought, racing to try and fit the pieces of what he was trying to tell her.

Her face started to reflect the feelings of excitement she felt.

‘’You do not mean…’’ Her jaw dropped, hanging open from the overwhelming enjoyment her mind was telling her that she should be embracing. She knew that Bill would never leave her with too high hopes about anything unless it was important, and if he was normal that must mean that it must be REALLY important.

‘’My Empress, Changelings,’’ he extended his hands, extending all of his fingers, and holding them out in front of him.

A bright flash erupted out in front of him, erupting into a blinding flash of light that blinded everyone other than Cipher, himself. The Empress and all her Changelings had to use their arms to shield their eyes from the terrible intensity of the light.

When they finally lowered their eyes, once the light died down to tolerable levels of intensity, they were still meet with a glowing shape of light, but this time it was not as bright as the first time.

Lowering her hoof, she finally saw what it was that Bill had brought with him.

Her eyes widened, and jaw dropped, along with every other Changeling in the room.

The reflection of the shape hovering in the air being reflected in their eyes…their large eyes.

‘’That cannot be…It is impossible…’’ She spoke in denial, shaking her head in protest that this was not real. It was just a trick, it had to be!

‘’But not even my greatest legions could acquire it...’’

‘’Well, am I your legions?’’ She heard him ask.

She lazily/awestruck shook her head as her eyes seemed to be almost glued to the sight of the hovering gem that he was showing them.

His smirked with his eye, grinning madly.

‘’My Empress, Changelings of this earth,’’ he gently lowered his arms a little, ‘’I give you, the Crystal Heart!’’ His voice echoed around the entire room as he emphasized the name.

Hovering teen inches from him, was a still glowing, projecting small beams of light, Crystal Heart.

All eyes are on him as he holds the faintly glowing shape out for all to see. Every one of the Changelings jaws are hanging open, staring up at the crystal in shock that the artifact that they have been seeking for so long has finally fallen into their possession. The greatest weapon for the defense of the greatest city in the world, was finally theirs.

But one question lingered in the back of her mind, how had he procured such an invaluable treasure?

Eh, it doesn’t really as much…As long as we finally have it now, she thought, her grin growing wider by the moment her eyes could not rip themselves away from the heart. Its form spinning around in the reflection in her eyes.

‘’AHAHAHAHAHA!’’ Bill’s laughter echoed around the whole room. Whether the Changelings were put off by it or not was something that neither really seemed to care about, due to their overjoyed expressions, and stares that they could divert in any other direction than the Crystal Heart.

Then, the Empress started to partake in the laughter that Bill was letting loose, filling the whole throne room with her own mad cackle.

However, amongst the loud laughter from both Bill and the Empress, the giant twin doors of the throne room creaked open, providing an interruption to this moment of great rejoice for the Changeling race.

Looking away from the heart to the door, Pollus stared glaringly at it as she expected an average Changeling drone to be the one to interrupt a meeting like this, but when she actually saw who it was, her eyes eased, and a soft smile settled in place.

‘’Ah, my daughter,’’ she paused, earning the attention of Bill and the other guards in the room. They turned around, and looked in direction of the door, their gaze falling upon a small Changeling filly that was nervously looking her eyes up at her mother on the throne at the other end. ‘’Come in, come in. Join us.’’ She held out her hoof, waving towards her daughter, motioning for her to enter into the room.

‘’What brings you here to my humble abode so late in the evening?’’ She asks the timid filly at the doors.

With nervous eyes – that constantly look around the room, shifting from one spot thing to the next – she gently walks into the room, approaching her mother’s throne.

When having reached the throne, she stops, looking up at the calm smile of her mother.

‘’I-I was just coming by to see how you were doing, mom.’’ Her eyes nervously look down at the ground.

Smiling, Pollus stands herself up, about to go down from her throne to get closer to her daughter. However, someone else beat her to that idea.

‘’Well, well, well,’’ a male’s voice speaks behind her back – Behind her back, Bill slowly descends down towards her – her eyes shoot up, getting chills as metaphorical hairs stood up on her back, her eyes tensing up, and pupils shrinking from paralyzed fear. ‘’What do we have here?’’ The unseen asked, seeming to have gotten closer.

A shadow fell upon her – and the floor – showing the shape of a triangle.

She turned around quickly, only to stare up at a figure that she didn’t even know what was, and coming face-to-face with one large eye that looks similar to theirs in that it has a slit pupil. However, unlike their eyes, there is only the one.

The lone eye, however, is not the only thing to catch her attention, her head looking the hovering shape up and down with her eyes. But what truly gets to her enough to cause her to suddenly jump up, leaping away from it, is when the eye in the center blinks. This is not fake, it is real…and it is alive!

Letting out a frightened scream, she suddenly jumps back away from the creature in front of her, softly planting her hooves down on the slimy surface upon which her mother’s throne stands.

Rushing behind her mother’s front legs, she gently peeks her head out from the side to see that if the creature was still there. But when she looked, she let out a gentle yelp as she saw that it’s lone eye, that big eye, was still staring back at her. It blinked at times.

The creature’s body was a triangle shape, with bricks underneath the eye, arms, legs, a top hat, and a bowtie.

Twirling a yellow cane in its hand, that seemed to have materialized out of thin air, it leaned on it, staring back at her in a manner that would have actually been quite creepy to her, if her mother had not been there by her side.

She gently tugged at her mother’s hoof, hiding herself a little from its eye. That big eye.

‘’M-mother, wh-‘’ she shyly asked, pointing a nervous hoof out at the figure in front of her and her mom as her eyes could be drawn away from the triangle-thing.

Turning her head and looking back at him, Pollus’s confused frown changed into a smile, a smile that calmly looked back down at her hiding daughter.

Putting a hoof to her smaller shoulder, making her daughter first look at it in confusion, before then looking up into her mother’s face, her nervous nature of a few seconds ago being replaced with a blank stare that could not describe the confusion inside of the little filly’s head.

‘’Um, Chryssie?’’ she asked in a very motherly tone, always a good thing to use when calming one’s child. ‘’You know how mother said that she had struck a deal with somepony very special long ago?’’

‘’Mhm?’’ She nodded back, not knowing where this was going.

Her mother’s eyes looked away from her, staring back down at the figure in front of them with a warm smile on her face. Slower than her mother, she also turned her head, looking back at the figure’s non-existent face. Aside from there was hardly any easy detectable emotion on it.

Raising a hoof up, she pointed it at the triangle.

‘’Well, this is him.’’ She was obviously proud as she said this, it was obvious in her voice. ‘’This is the extraordinary being, Master of the Mind, Bill Cipher.’’ She proclaimed proudly.

Suddenly, he took a bow, closing his eye, looking to be calm as he struck a respectful bow to the two royals, striking a regal stance,

‘’Princess, Empress.’’ His golden aura around his whole form glows alongside his voice.

Sounding off a friendly scoff, the Empress shakes her head, smiling a little wider at what the triangle is doing.

Will he never learn cease trying to impress me?

‘’Well…’’ she pauses, her eyes look down at the filly behind her leg, seeing that she is actually coming out a little more from behind it, her fear gone…and instead replaced intrigue for this creature called ‘’Bill Cipher’’. She has never heard the name before, but immediately knows that it is not one used by their tongue, or any in Equestria…as far by creatures that yet to be discovered.

‘’Bill Cipher, meet my daughter, Princess Chrysalis, future Matriarch of the Changeling race.’’ She moves her leg out of the way, no longer obstructing the view of the shy little thing.

Immediately, without the cover of her mother’s front left hoof, she feels vulnerable, afraid of this…Bill. Despite having been introduced to him by her mother, she cannot help but feel nervous in his presence, timid, a little too shy to move up or even get close to him.

Cowering, she lets out a soft wince, ducking down to hide behind her hooves.

‘’Oh, it’s okay, sweetie,’’ Pollus tries to calm her daughter. Arching her neck, she looks up into her mother’s face. ‘’Bill is a close friend of mine.’’ She touches her left hoof to her chest, but Chrysalis was not paying attention to her anymore. Her mind had blacked out when her mother had mentioned that whole ‘’close friend of mine’’ bit.

Wait! Did she just say…friend?

Turning her head, she looked down at him, meeting his gaze.

‘’He has actually done a lot of good for our race.’’ Her smile grew wider, her eyes following her daughter as she had looked away, and was now staring back at him. ‘’Probably the biggest way he has done so, is by bringing us the legendary Crystal Heart from the Crystal Empire, itself.’’

This additional news made Chrysalis’s eyes go wide with shock.

Wait, he did what?!

Turning back, she shot her mom a jaw-dropped, stare of impressive shock.

‘’Mhm, I know,’’ She nodded. ‘’Quite impressive.’’

This guy...this Bill Cipher, what are you? Why are you helping us? We are Changelings…Nopony helps out Changelings

Turning back, her eyes once again fell upon Bill again.

‘’Here, let me show you even.’’ He said, raising a hand, and then snapping his fingers, immediately summoning a heart shaped crystal out of nowhere.

‘’Wow.’’ Chrysalis said, as her eyes could not deny that what she was seeing was real. This was actually it, the legendary Crystal Heart that was said to be that empire’s most powerful weapon, and artifact.

Her eyes could not look away from it for even one second. Pollus and Bill saw that this was clearly the case.

‘’Beautiful, is it not?’’ She heard him ask. All in which she could nod her head back in response with a sounding ‘’Mhm.’’ Alongside it.

‘’But mother, I must ask,’’ she turned back, looking up into her mother’s face again. ‘’How did Bill come by such an object of great importance?’’ She asked.

Her mother’s face frowned slightly, giving her an idea of her answer.

‘’Honestly, I don’t know,’’ her eyes looked up, falling upon him. ‘’I was wondering the exact same thing myself.’’

She looked up, raising a confused brow, and stare at Bill.

‘’Actually,’’ she started. ‘’How did such an elusive treasure come into your possession, Cipher?’’

Bill’s eye looked away, staring off to the side.

‘’Oh, I called in a favor from a friend.’’ Chrysalis and her mother turned to each other, exchanging confused looks.

‘’What kind of ‘’friend’’?’’ Pollus asked, raising a suspicious brow and suspicious stare. ‘’Was it somepony you meet while on your travels?’’

‘’You could say that.’’ Bill replied, putting his arms behind his back.

‘’So,’’ a smaller timid voice spoke up. ‘’This pony, whoever it is, can master time travel?’’ Chrysalis asked, drawing the attention of both Bill and her mother.

‘’Well, so can I,’’ he said pointing a finger back at himself. ‘’But I thought it would have been boring to go by myself to obtain something that important, but when I asked him if he wanted to go he said that he had other plans. Respecting his wishes, I left him to attend those matters.’’

‘’Then how is it a favor if you didn’t manage to collect it?’’ Pollus asked.

‘’Did I say that it was a successful collection of a favor?’’ The two of them shook their heads. ‘’There you go. I went by myself to the Empire, got what I needed, and then left.’’

Swatting the air for a second, he shrugged.

‘’But enough of details, details, details,’’ his eye looked back, staring at Pollus and Chrysalis. ‘’Why can’t we just celebrate our greatest moment of victory?’’ He asked.

‘’You know, enjoy what might be the greatest moment for all Changelings?’’

Pollus looked down at Chrysalis, smiling at her daughter in that warm, soothing fashion.

‘’That is true, Cipher,’’ she blinked her eyes a couple times in a soothing manner in front of her daughter.

She looked up, before briefly returning her gaze down to the filly. Raising her head, she looked up at Bill.

‘’You know; this might actually be a good time for you two to get to know each other.’’ Chrysalis’s eyes went wide, and she quickly looked back down at Bill. ‘’I should see to that the news of our acquiring of the Heart is delivered to every Changeling in Equestria. This news is too important not to be sent out at once.’’

‘’B-but, mom,’’ she tried protesting, grabbing onto her mother’s hoof tightly, looking up with a sympathetic, worried frown to her face. Her eyes looking back at Bill with worry in them. ‘’I-I don’t want to go with him.’’ She paused, holding an unbroken gaze with the triangle’s eye. ‘’He scares me.’’

Pollus looked up from her daughter, her gaze temporarily falling upon Bill, who just shrugged his shoulders in response.

‘’But, sweetie,’’ she chuckled nervously. ‘’Bill Cipher is really a nice guy when you get to know him.’’ Her eyes looked up, staring back at the heart shaped crystal. ‘’Doesn’t the fact that he brought us the Crystal Heart say a little something about who he considers his friend?’’

‘’We are Changelings, Chryssie, we’re not particularly popular in Equestria.’’ A sad frown plastering itself to her face. ‘’I think you should at least give him a chance…’’ She turned her body around, lowering it down to be closer to Chrysalis’s height. Putting a hoof on her shoulder, she smiled warmly back.

‘’After all, no one gave us one. They judged us by our appearance.’’ Nudging her heads – and her head – to the side, Chrysalis turned, looking back at Bill as he hovered there in front of them. ‘’How do you think he must feel?’’

Blinking his eye at moments, he was absolutely silent as the Empress explained these things to her heir.

But this is different, mom! Chrysalis thought.

Lowering her eyes, she looked down.

Slowly, she turned around to face him, though she didn’t look up, or meet his eye’s gaze.

‘’Chryssie?’’ Her mother’s voice spoke up. ‘’Are you sure you don’t- ‘’

‘’Pollus, just stop.’’ A sudden voice spoke up, drawing both Pollus and Chrysalis’s attention to it. To both of their great surprise it was Bill.

‘’Pollus,’’ he said, holding out a hand. ‘’I appreciate the gesture that you want me and your daughter to bond, after all, we two are such good pals.’’ He nudged the air with his shoulder, as it nudging her. ‘’But I don’t want her to feel obligated to know me if it is not what she wants.’’ His eye looked down, his gaze falling back upon Chrysalis, who was still staring up at him blankly.

He hovered closer to her, which only made her back away from him.

‘’Hey, kiddo,’’ he said, gently extending out a hand to her. But all she did was stare down at it. ‘’You may not want it now, or ever for that matter…But if you ever want to hang out, or even just talk about anything, you can always come visit me.’’ He held out his hand, and a blue flame appeared in his palm.

The flames passed away to reveal a glass triangle.

‘’Here, for you.’’ He extended his arm, reaching the strangle glass triangle to her. But all she did was look at it confused.

‘’What is it?’’ She raised a hoof which she points at it.

‘’It is a little something to make visits a little easier for someone your age.’’ After he said that, she just looked at him with a scrunched frown. She clearly did not understand what he meant by that he said.

‘’And what is that supposed to mean? Are you telling me that I am too young to defend myself?’’ Her eyes narrowed a little him. ‘’Because I will have you know that I may look small, but I do know quite a lot of defensive and offensive spells, mister.’’

Bill and Pollus chuckled at the little filly’s attempt at being angry, when in reality all she ended up being was just cute.

‘’No, hardly…A big girl such as yourself does not need protection like that,’’ his eye chuckled. ‘’But she does need a key if she wishes to come visit me in my part of your mother’s castle.’’

Chrysalis, Pollus, and even the guards were shocked at finding out that it was a key.

‘’B-bill? W-what are you trying to- ‘’ Pollus asked nervously, having Bill’s eye stare at her.

‘’You want your daughter and me to become friends, well the first step at friendship is being kind to others and not expecting anything back…’’ Her mouth opened, but she clearly stuttered at finding the words she wanted to speak. ‘’After all, why did you think I sought you out?’’ She was still stuttering well after he finished speaking.

His attention was however drawn away from the Empress, instead falling upon little Chrysalis, who was now suspending the triangle in a telekinetic grasp, and looking down at it.

‘’T-thank you…Bill.’’ She looked away from it, staring up at him with a shocked face.

‘’Hey, don’t mention it, kiddo.’’ He was about to extend an arm out and ruffle her mane with his hand, until he all of a sudden stopped himself, holding it there for a couple seconds, before pulling back away from her.

‘’Well, it’s been fun,’’ he said, hovering back away from them, gently tipping his hat for them, their only response being slow nods. ‘’But I am afraid that I have other plans for the evening,’’ he chuckled in a slightly nervous voice. ‘’And I do believe that I have taken up quite a lot of your time already.’’

Coming to a stop, he lingered there suspended in the air.

‘’Empress, Princess.’’ He took a bow, putting one arm behind his back, and one in front of him, which he touched to the front of him. ‘’See ya later, ciao.’’ With a raised hand, he snapped his fingers, making him suddenly appear away in a small form of light.

When the light passed, he was no longer there.

Chrysalis continued to keep her eyes plastered to the place where he had been. While her mother stood up from her throne, and trotted down the steps. Proceeding to trot up towards the other end.

‘’M-mom? Where are you going?’’ Chrysalis asked, once she noticed that her mom was heading off somewhere. Her mother, however, did not respond, and just continued walking.

‘’N-nowhere, honey…I-I’m just going to…retire back to my room…for the remainder of the day.’’ She replied.

‘’Huh?’’ Chrysalis replied to her mother’s reply.

‘’’J-just go back to your room, Chryssie. I’m going to be a little busy for a while.’’

‘’Uh, mom?’’ She asked, even more confused this time. But this time, unlike the first, she did not receive any reply from her mother, her horn only started lighting up. And when the spell was utilized, she disappeared with a POP, leaving Chrysalis by the throne.

I guess I’ll just go back to my room, then…I guess, Chrysalis thought to herself.

Stepping down from throne, she headed back towards the door she had used to enter. Quietly slipping out through it, and leaving the guards the only occupants in the throne room, carrying the glass triangle with her magic as she headed down the hallways towards her room.

Opening her door, Chrysalis trotted inside. Behind her, as the door closed, she did not look away to see what her magic was doing, having been so used to it by now, as she approached her bed.

Extending her insect wings, she started to flap them as she flew up towards her bed. Her hooves being planted down on the soft surface of her covers, as she landed down atop it.

Her magic levitated the triangle that Bill had given her up onto her nearby nightstand. She lay her head down on the soft pillow, turning her body on its sides.

Occasionally blinking her eyes, they looked silently at the glass triangle.

‘’I don’t know who you are, Cipher,’’ her eyes narrowed, staring off at the triangle angrily. ‘’But if you do anything to harm mommy, then there will be no one, no matter how powerful, that can keep you safe from me.’’

She still didn’t trust Bill, he looked too weird to even be considered a trustworthy…whatever he was. Her mother may trust him, but that does not mean that she will…

But, just because he might not be trustworthy doesn’t mean that she shouldn’t get to know him, find out more about him, maybe try to find out enough that she can make her own assessment of him. Either way there would be upsides, she would please her mother by getting to know one of her closest friends…actually, her only friend, or if she is right in her assessment that he cannot be trusted, then she can at least prove herself to her mother that she is not just some small child.

‘’Then it is decided,’’ she stood up off the bed, supporting herself by her hooves, her eyes looking out to the wall in front of her. ‘’I will befriend this…Bill Cipher.’’

‘’Who knows, he could be a nice guy, and his attentions are really just to help out somepony in need…’’ her face, blank and thinking, changed into an angry frown. ‘’But then again, there has still not been an instance where somepony who shows eccentric characterizes have really proven to be of benefit to anypony…other than himself.’’

It’s odd…He does seem frighteningly close to Discord. Aside from appearance, they could practically be brothers, she thought to herself. They are both equal freaks.

Chapter 11

Adventures in the Dreamscape Part 1

*Meanwhile, in a faraway land…*

Standing close to one of the windows of her bedroom, Luna’s face was pressed up against the window, staring out, and watching as the sun descended gradually lower and lower down to the horizon. Its light diming as it got closer and closer to the ground.

Just a little more now…And we’ll be in business! She exclaimed excitedly in her mind as her pupils now followed the slowly dropping orb of fire.

Her face was obviously tense, as she was soon going to be returning to the Dreamscape, where she would – hopefully – meet with Bill Cipher again, that kind, generous soul who had shared a conversion with her for longer than two minutes, and spent actual time surrounded by the night, giving her compliments, and just generally treated her with the respect and admiration that she had expected to receive from her ponies out in the real world.

It was just too bad that he did not possess a physical form of his own, then their interactions could have lasted for longer than just a few hours before she had to wake up and leave him for a certain number of hours that was higher than the time they spent together.

Smiling, her eyes looked down to the side.

It is going to be great to see Bill again. After all, we did not get to spend too much time together due to Tia’s nightmare, she raised a confused brow, as her face contorted into pure confusion. Does that mean that my sister getting attacked at the mental level was a good thing? Without the parasite, or whatever that entity was, Bill would never have had to enter my sister’s Dreamscape, and if he had never visited her, then he and I would have never…

She shuddered at thinking not ever meeting an individual such as himself. Equestria may be a big planet, but it was somewhat limited by various cultures, and even some of the beliefs of superiority that dominated it, but belief in one’s superiority was not always the path to true peace. Bill may be a bit unstable, and possess both a chaotic side and a controlled side, but he could to some extent control it to where he did not necessarily believe himself the ultimate being just because he could do things that other could not.

Suddenly, she was snapped out of her depressed thoughts, as a shadow fell upon her face. She looked up, being just quick enough to witness the last shreds of daylight fade into the horizon.
Her face lit up with life, as she lifted it up, staring even more intensely out of the window as this news hit her. Grabbing the stone walls to better support her body.

Outside, the skies darkened, the eventual glow of starts following shortly after it got dark enough for them to shine brightly.

Closing her eyes, and grinning like mad, she knew that it was time, time for her to enter the Dreamscape.

Giddy like a schoolfilly, her horn was enveloped in a magical glow. From underneath the horizon, a round shape slowly crept up, moving up high, finally finding a place on the night sky, and shining brightly, illuminating the night of the world.

Pulling her head back away from the window, her smile ‘’demoted’’ itself down to a calmer, controlled one, instead of that super excited one that she had worn a few seconds ago.

‘’There,’’ she says out loud to herself, letting out a satisfied sigh at her handiwork. ‘’Now, on to more pressing matters...’’

With a turn of her head, she looks behind her, staring to right, looking upon the bed.

‘’Mhmm.’’ She calmly batts her eyes, inhaling deeply first, and then exhaling it shortly following.

‘’Finally, we shall see each other again.’’

Turning her body, she walks across the stone floor, the gentle sound of her hooves clopping on the floor accompanying her. Moving the covers out of the way, she gently gets into bed, moving the earlier-moved covers back over her, she lie her head down on the pillow, staring out, and meeting the wall in front of her.

Her eyes close shut, and a smile appears. Her mind calms itself, opening itself, and finally allowing her to enter the Dreamscape, and forget about the worries of the day.

When she opened her eyes again it became immediately clear that she was no longer in the real world, as she was no longer in her and her sister’s castle, but instead a castle throne room of a castle that looked to have been made with cream colored bricks of stone. Aside from a few covered up tapestries, torches on the walls, there is nothing really decorative outside of banners depicting an unrecognizable appendage. The closest thing she could come to was the paw of a Dragon. However, this one lacked the sharp claws on the end, and was white…Also sprouting an additional finger/claw.

Not far from where she stood was the entrance to a balcony, where outside was a clear, blue sky. It all seemed so calm and serene…if not for that small flock of winged eyeballs that flew across the sky.

Wait, what?

With a growing confusion and curiosity mounting itself in her head, she could not resist the urge to go and investigate what all of that was about.

As she started trotting up towards the balcony’s doorway, while flying by the balcony, one of the winged eyeballs stopped in mid-air, flapping its wings – that was standard Pegasus wings, aside from being a little bigger – as it hovered in place. It’s lone eye watching her as it was approached by her.

While watching her step out onto the balcony, several other by-passing eyeballs stopped in mid-air, their eyes also being drawn down to the blue Alicorn that was approaching her.

With a curious mindset at the moment, she gently turned her head, gradually observing as more and more of them had their attention drawn towards her. Now with her being out onto the balcony, she could better make out that faint sound that she had heard coming from out here. It had sounded like the chirping of birds, but the only creatures here were…

Her eyes went wide with realization, and she slowly looked at each of the eyeballs again. The original shock of the eyeball’s appearance was now being degraded back into just a simple shock with confusion in it.

All she could do was raise a confused brow, as she reached the end, stopping in front of the rail. The eyeballs almost surrounding her, just as confused like her by the creature that they were seeing.

‘’Wha- ‘’ she was about to ask, not knowing whether these creatures were actually sentient to speak, but before she got the chance, her attention was drawn away as a familiar voice sounded off to the side behind the small flock of eyeball…birds?

The eyeballs too turned around to see who the voice was coming. But rather unexpected a hand moved towards them, waving them off.
‘’Shoo, shoo!’’ He said, as he waved at them, getting the message across that he wanted to move. Which they started doing, flapping their wings much faster in order to move away from him as they headed up, or pretty much any direction as they scrammed away from her.

Once the eyeballs were gone, most likely have flown up to the roofs, Bill floated over towards her, a hand behind his back, and one just hanging. Coming to a stop in front of her, he raised his arm, holding it out, gesturing with his hand.

‘’Well, well, well, wellwellwell.’’ He said, his hands on his side, as he started to create duplicates of himself, which as more of them appeared, they surrounded Luna in a circle. ‘’Princess Luna of Equestria, my old pal.’’ His voice echoed as all the other Bill’s spoke along with…whichever one was the real one. Probably the one right in front of her.

Her smile returning, growing in place on her face.

‘’Bill Cipher,’’ she said softly, ‘’How are you?’’ She asked after greeting him.

He groaned, crossing his eye, and looking suddenly annoyed at being asked that.

‘’Well, it has been hell having to wait an entire day before I could hear your graceful voice and look upon your beautiful face once more.’’

She scoffed, ‘’Yeah, tell me about it.’’ She rolled her eyes, emphasizing the point that she too had been through Tartarus having to wait through the entire day before finally being able to go to sleep again.

Smiling his eye, he let his arms drop down.

‘’It really is good to see you again.’’ He said.

‘’And you too, Cipher.’’ She smiled.

After both of them finished talking, an embarrassing silence started to hang in the air between the two.

Luna gently touched her hoof to the back of her right, her eyes looking off to the side, and Bill just kicked a non-existent pebble.

‘’Sooo…’’ He said, finally interrupting the awkward silence. ‘’Want to see my airship?’’ He pointed behind him – his hand doing a thumbs-up – giving her a confused look.

Her squinting eyes suddenly opened more, giving it her face a more normal look about it. A smile returning alongside it.

‘’Yes.’’ She replied dumbfounded.

‘’Well,’’ he raised a hand and snapped his fingers, holding it still. ‘’Jump aboard.’’

Up from behind the balcony, the sound of spinning propellers followed suit. With time the propellers got louder and louder, and evidently closer, as up from behind the edge a large object suddenly emerged, flying up, but backing away from the balcony so that its large size did not collide with it or the nearby walls of the castle.

The airship looked like a regular ship that is used on the water, but the primary differences with this one and those were the elongated propellers that suspended it in mid-air, the three cannons on its sides, and the obvious grey Bill Cipher triangle on the front, which had everything except for the arms and legs.

A ramp descended down, crushing the rail of the balcony, and creating a perfect access point for Luna to ascend upon the ship.

Floating over towards her, Bill bowed respectfully in mid-air. Closing his eye, and putting one arm behind his back, and gesturing one towards the airship for her to board. ‘’My Lady.’’ He said.

Looking her shocked eyes up at him, she closed up her hanging jaw. Staring down at the bridge for a few seconds she was hesitant on crossing it, but then decided to just do it, and gently took a step out on it.

A step, which at the first was slow, but that eventually lead to her mustering up the courage to proceed further.
Soon enough, she was walking across it with no problems, no worries, and no concerns about it managing to support her.

Once on the other side, the bridge retracted itself back, standing up at first, but then just vanishing in a POP of magic. And speaking of vanishing and re-appearing…

Bill suddenly teleported beside her, wearing a Captain’s hat instead of his usual top hat.

‘’Welcome aboard, Lady Luna’’ He said with a gentle bow, closing his eye. Suddenly his eye opened, and he held out both of his arms. He touched his hand to his Captain’s hat, gently tipping it.

‘’I will be your Captain for the evening.’’ He put both arms behind his back, looking back at her with a blank look. ‘’If there is anything you require from me or the crew feel free to let us know.’’

He clicked his tongue, pointing his index finger at her, before turning away and floating over to some stairs that lead up to the bridge. The he positioned himself clearly enough so that he had a clear sight of what was in front of him.

‘’Okay…’’ He began saying to himself as he held out his arms, gesturing with through the air, moving them in strange patterns. ‘’Let’s see if I still have it.’’

The Airship’s blades started to spin a lot faster. Especially the one on the back, which turned right in synch with Bill holding out his right hand. Going up as he instructed it to. But having a gradual ascendance, eventually reaching the clouds after nothing but a completely clear sky.

While he was busy tending to…whatever it was that he was doing, Luna’s un-diverted gaze shifted away from him. Though, her calm state was interrupted by a double-take as confusion started to settle on her, and she stopped moving, and with the raise of an eyebrow, she asked, ‘’Wait, ‘’me or the crew’’?’’

Suddenly, something passed her by, distracting her from her train of thought. But as her eyes followed it, she that it was just Bill…no longer wearing the Captain’s hat, and instead a Sailor’s hat, holding a bucket in his hand as he walked away.

Her gaze, which had not been shaken by his movements, watched as he walked out towards the deck of the Airship, put the bucket down, and several more Bill look-a-likes downed their cloths with the water from the bucket, and began scrubbing it on the deck. Washing it clean. All of them wore the same Sailor hats, but some were a different color, like one was red, another blue, and one green. These three Bills were not doing anything, aside from point out jobs for the other duplicates to do.

One of the ones with the different color schemes looked away from his job. Eyes falling upon Luna. His eyes momentarily flinched, before calming itself. Hovering towards her through the air, he stopped a few steps away from her.

He raised a hand, moving the other behind him, and giving her a smile.

‘’So how are you enjoying the journey your travels so far?’’ She was asked. The question caught her off-guard, and she hesitated before answering him.

‘’Y-yes, I am enjoying it quite fine…Though,’’ she replied, looking her eyes off to the side. Intrigued, he moved closer.

‘’Yes? Is something bothering you?’’ He asked in concern. Her eyes being drawn back to him.

‘’Well…It’s just that It’s a little unnerving to see so many of you all at once. It messes with my eyes a little.’’

‘’Oh…Um,’’ his eye looked off to the side, putting his hands together and started fumbling with them as he tried to think of something that he could to make it a little easier for her. His eye moved along his body to the back where it looked out at all the other Bills going about with their chores. When it turned back he meet her eyes for a few seconds exhaling a soft breath, and turning his whole body around to face the other Bills.

‘’Eh hem.’’ He coughed. But none of the other Bills seemed fazed by him sounding off for their attention in the slightest. Crossing his eye, he stared back with anger predominant in it.

‘’EH HEM!’’ He coughed once again, his voice sounding demonic in its tone. The other Bills look up from their current jobs, staring back at the angry blue Bill.

Realizing that they would do best to not get him angry again they get up, and walk over to him. Forming a formation line, staying absolutely still as they await him to deliver the message that he was trying to get across to them.
‘’Now,’’ he began as he hovered in front of them. Both his hands behind his back, and a strict tone in his voice and his eye. ‘’You may have been given duties for the day. However, I am terminating those orders, and instead having you crew retire for the evening.’’ He said. His statement doing nothing other causing the other Bills to groan in frustration.

‘’But sir…We’re going to have to do the entire again. Never mind what we are skipping out on now.’’ One of the Bills said as it held up a hand to show which one of them that was talking.
‘’Yeah.’’ Some of the other Bills started muttering.

‘’We do deserve some kind of a break for all the work we do on this ship.’’ Another spoke up. Looking equally not as pleased as the others.

‘’If we are going to be forced to go through with being put on forced leave, we are going to get pay leave.’’ Another said.

‘’Yeah! Pay leave!’’ The whole group shouted in unison.

‘’GRRR…Fine! You won’t have to work, and you will get full pay for the time you are not working now! Just get out of here!’’

‘’WHO-HOOOO! Cancelled work, and paid leave!’’ The group said as they burst out into cheers at the news.

‘’Fine, fine…Just get out of here.’’ Blue Bill demanded, pointing his arm off to the side. Motioning for them to leave already in an ever growing frustration.

With happy snaps of their fingers, the overjoyed Sailor Bills all teleported off. Disappearing from sight, leaving only the Red, Blue and Green Bills, as well as Luna as the lone individuals on deck.

‘’There you go, Mrs. Luna.’’ She hears Blue Bill say to her. Hearing a sense of pride in his voice. With a turn of her head, she looks at him as he floats towards her.

‘’Thank you.’’ She says back. Smiling at him. ‘’It was getting a little weird with so many Bills on deck. One is enough.’’

To her surprise, she sees his expression changed into a blank stare.

‘’Oh…So does that mean that you would like for me and those two to leave you two together?’’ Blue asks.

She looks at Red and Green, and smiles as Red just looks angry, and Green just stares back at her with no particular expression.

‘’If it’s not to be a bother.’’ She smiles warmly at him.

‘’Well then, who am I to say no to such a lovely Lady such as yourself.’’ He says with a tip of his hat, making her blush at his comment.

Red just rolls his eye, and mutters ‘’Showoff.’’ Earning a look from Green.

‘’Thank you…Bill.’’ She says, a little confused by the whole naming thing at this point.

‘’Don’t mention it…After all,’’ he shrugs as he floats back towards the others. ‘’We are here to make your journey comfortable.’’

‘’Oh yeah, that reminds me...Where are we going?’’ She asked the trio. Gently she watched Blue’s eye become excited. He gently raised a finger up over where his mouth might have been.

‘’Spoilers…’’ And with that he snaps his fingers making the three of them teleport away, now leaving her as the sole occupant on the deck.

Looking her eyes around the deck, she smiles calmly as she sees that those Sailor Bills did do a good job of keeping it clean.

Turning around, she headed for the stairs leading up to where Bill was. Gently trotting up the steps as she ventured up to where he was controlling the ship from.

Gradually the ship started to lift upwards, flying increasingly higher and higher. Though it seemed to be something that she was not aware of.

‘’Bill?’’ A voice his non-existent ears heard was speaking to him. With a turn of his head he looked to the source of the voice. With a blink of his eye he watched Luna stepped towards him.

‘’Mam.’’ He said with a slight tip of his hat.

‘’Captain.’’ She replied with a gentle bow of her head.

While going back to controlling the ship with his powers, his eye turned back to her. Looking at her blankly for a couple seconds.

‘’So…I saw that you dismissed the crew.’’ He mentioned passively. His eye looking at her while awaiting an answer.

‘’Mhmm.’’ She nodded. ‘’I can get a little…crowded with multiples of one entity.’’ Her eyes grew wide as she said that. Her head turned, looking at him as she said ‘’No offense.’’ As a nervous smile of a grimace settled on her face.

‘’None taken.’’ He held up a hand to illustrate that he was fine with her speaking her mind. Her eyes looked down at the deck. Frowning a little.

‘’Hey Bill?’’ She asked, attracting his attention. Having his eye look at her, though she did not realize that his attention was on her until she heard him speak up with a ‘’Mmm?’’

At which point she turned around to face him.

‘’You never said…’’ She said, pausing, and turning her head to look back at him. ‘’You never said where we’re going exactly.’’

His eye smiled. Giving her a look that she couldn’t tell if was being creepy or just downright weird.

Raising his hand, he extended it up above him. Extending the index finger, and gently swiping it forward, touching something that appeared to be invisible at first, but then appeared to be disintegrating away.

‘’Why don’t you look for yourself?’’ He replied, holding out a flat motioning hand. ‘’I think you will the mere sight enough to answer any questions you have about our destination.’’

Raising a confused brow, but still heeding his suggestion, she turned around. But once she looked all the way to the left she held her gaze for a few seconds before turning back towards him.

‘’What? I don’t- ‘’ Her face suddenly froze, taking on a wide-eyed shock. She did a double-take, returning her attention back to that which lay beyond the railing of the deck.

The vast space that greeted her ever widening eyes and hanging jaw was almost impossible to describe in words. The only one that even close was Beautiful. But even then it could not capture that which she was seeing.

She trotted slowly up to the railing, stopping only when her body connected with it.

A black backdrop, upon which billions of billions of stars lay, all of them shining brightly, illuminating the darkness that outnumbered them. The Moon, undoubtedly, being the biggest contributor of light.

Thousands of planets were interspersed with the stars. Some black, some red, green, some yellow. Even some that were both green, yellow and red.

The Sun shone brightly, but its light was not as strong as the Moons, which seemed to be the primary provider of light.

‘’Space, the final frontier.’’ A voice said behind her, though she was still much to mesmerized to turn to face it. ‘’This is the voyage of the Airship Bill-O-War…It’s ongoing mission, to explore the unknown, and…’’ He paused.

A soft WHOSH moved through the air, moving up towards her from behind.

Gently, an arm draped itself around her shoulder, something that caused her to turn her head, looking to who had put it there…Only to come face-to-er-eye with Bill. A calm, soothing expression upon his face.

‘’And ensure that we have an enjoyable evening together…now that we finally have a chance to get to know the other better.’’ He smiled back.

‘’This…All this,’’ he said, reaching out with his arm to point out at the giant space of the universe that was before their very eyes. ‘’Is just for you.’’

A smile started to form on her mouth, as she stared back at him.

‘’B-bill…’’ She stuttered a little as she spoke.

‘’Wait, wait! Here comes the best part.’’ He suddenly interrupted her.

He gestured with his left hand, doing several motions. When the motions were done, the ship slowly started to turn right.

For a time, the ship only drifted soundlessly through the black waves of space.

‘’Wait for it…’’ He held up his finger, emphasizing the point that something was about to happen.

‘’NOW!’’ He retracted his hand from her, and pointed out in front of them.

Just as he was pointing, a large round shape came into view. Its bright light shining down on them as the ship moved in front of it. Putting the two of them in front of it.

Luna suddenly had to raise a hoof up to cover her eyes from the brightness of the light.

‘’Oh…What is that? It’s like it’s made of diamonds.’’ She groaned.

‘’That, my dear Luna…is the Moon.’’ He said. Luna’s eyes could be diverted from it as he said that. But they did widen when he said that it was the Moon. ‘’And not only is that the Moon…But it is a Moon made out of pure diamonds.’’ This was enough to get her to finally look away from it, and instead onto him. His eyes then meet hers, looking just as calm and comforting as his words.

‘’Do you remember the last time we saw each other? I said that the Moon was a diamond in the sky…And I meant what I said.’’

With once again a dropped jaw, she turned to look her eyes back upon the now revealed to be made out of diamonds Moon.

Gently she lowered her head.

‘’I always intended to- ‘’ But when he saw what she was doing he interrupted himself.

‘’Luna?’’ He inquired, putting a hand on her back.

That was when he noticed her lip was quivering, her breath was slower, and she was avoiding eye contact with him. He did know, however, not to let something that big of a sudden thing be ignored.

‘’Is something wrong?’’ He asked, moving in a little closer with more concern in his voice.

Down along Luna’s cheek ran a gentle trickling of soft water. Followed thereafter by a smile.

‘’Thank you…’’ He faintly made out as she mouthed it.

‘’What?’’ He inquired. ‘’Luna, you’re going to have to-WHOA!’’ Then, in mid-sentence he was suddenly tackled by her to the deck.

Looking up after she separated their bodies for breath, he looked up into her face. Seeing only what could be described as pure joy. Her eyes watered.

A single drop fell from her cheek, splattering against his golden form.

‘’Thank you, Bill Cipher *sniffle*…F-for….’’ She sobbed a few more times, having some difficulty forming cohesive sentences.

‘’For what? Being ki-‘’

‘’For being my friend.’’ She interrupted, clearly not having finished speaking to him.

His eye widened in surprise at hearing her say that.

‘’Y-you’re welcome.’’ He replied nervous. Their eyes locking with each other’s.

Luna, lowering her head, saw that she was standing over him. Her cheeks quickly began to blush, beckoning her to step back, getting off of him.

‘’Oh, dear me,’’ she said in obvious embarrassment. ‘’E-excuse me.’’ She smiled back. ‘’I-…Uhhh…’’

She quickly spun on her heel, and trotted away from him. Extending her wings at the steps, and quickly taking to the air, flying down to the deck, where she trotted up to the front. Seating herself, she immediately stared out into space. Her attention being taken up by the immensity of the universe that was quite literally on all sides of the Airship.

Getting to his feet, Bill started hovering in the air again. He got back to his spot, holding his arms out as he began to pilot the ship again.

While controlling the ship through space took up most of his time, his eye occasionally looked away from the limitless stars, planets, asteroid belts, and nebulas that they flew by, looking down to Luna as her attention was all but stolen away by the sights that they passed.

His eye smiled as she seemed to be enjoying herself, even if it was in the same manner one would entertain one’s child…

But hey, curiosity of the great mysteries of the universe is something that can dazzle a child as much as any adult.

For a time, they ventured across the galaxy. Seeing planets as they passed, great forms of nebulas and vast asteroid belts, the sea of stars and comets that flew across, riding the invisible waves of space.

The final sight of their sailing across space were the giant Moons and Suns that were always to be found in the hundreds of other galaxies.

Re-summoning the three differently colored Bills he set them to work on keeping the Airship on track. That way he and Luna could have some time together.

Sitting at the front, they spent the rest of journey together. Galaxy after galaxy, planets, whole portions of creation passing them by as the two sat there.

Standing in a corner, Red just frowned, Blue rolled his eye at Red’s unreasoned anger, while Green was piloting the ship by doing the same thing that had the original Bill had done with his hands.

Other than Red making a constant nuisance of himself with his pointless bickering there was nothing that disturbed the ship’s journey through the galaxies.

With time the ship started keeping a fixed course with one of the planets. This one, unlike many others, they were not going to try and avoid.

With the space behind moving like waves as the ship moved towards it, they truly had sailed far. Who would have known that a simple airship could get this far?

After landing the Airship on the surface below, Bill and Luna disembarked from it. With a snap of his fingers Bill used his magic to teleport both of them off to another part on the planet where they could be by themselves.

Leaving the three brothers behind to look after the ship.

On the other side of the planet re-emerged Bill and Luna, standing atop one of the towering mountains.

Stepping away from him towards the edge she dared to peek her head out to see how far down it was.

‘’Hey, Luna…Don’t stray too far!’’ Bill’s voice called behind her from the unseen spot of ground he was hovering over. ‘’It wouldn’t be much of a trip if you ended you getting lost.’’

‘’Yeah…’’ She said, holding on her only word before leaning herself a little further. ‘’It would be a real…shame.’’

‘’Anyway, let us just enjoy ourselves while we have the night for such things.’’

*SNAP*

*POOF*

All of sudden the entire mountaintop became covered in smoke.

Fortunately, the smoke did not last long. And when it started to fade away, she was gradually able to see what he had summoned with his snap.

But as the smoke completely faded, leaving the mountain peak as it had once been. However, as her eyes set their sights on what he had done with his magic, she was a little shocked by what it really was.

With a raised brow she stared back at him. ‘’A picnic blanket?’’ She asked, somehow confused. Staring back up at him with a deadpanned look.

‘’Heheheh…One does not need to have the most advance of setups to have an enjoyable time on another planet. Even the simplest of things can become fun.’’ Replied Bill as he floated down towards the picnic blanket he had made ready for them to sit on while they enjoyed the sights of the planet they had come to.

‘’Come,’’ he said patting the blanket with his hand. ‘’Let’s just unwind…relax…do whatever we want.’’ Putting his hands up behind his back – where his eye would have been – and lay down against the blanket. His eye closing as he started to relax.

She was a little hesitant at first since it was a little too simple of a setup. But wearing something of a slight smile on her mussel, she stepped towards the blanket, sitting herself down on it.

Shifting around in her seat a little before finally getting into a position she found enjoyable.

Looking around at the surroundings she was surrounded by, her gaze fell upon Bill, some of the other mountains around, and the setting Sun in the horizon. Causing a flash of green light to flash up from the horizon. But instead of simply vanishing a second later, they instead spread across the sky like a wave, changing the one normal sky into that of a crossbred with blue, with yellow trimmings.

Sitting up in his seat, Bill watched as Luna’s eyes looked out towards the horizon. His gaze holding on her for a few seconds.

‘’Uh…Pie?’’ Her ear twitched upon hearing the voice, causing her head to turn in the direction it had come from in order to see it.

On her side she saw a suspended plate with a sliced piece of Pie on it and a fork. Looking beyond it, she saw Bill sitting up with his arms down on the carpet. She chuckled a little, smiling back at him.

‘’Sure…Thank you.’’ She said, grabbing the plate with her magic.

*SNAP*

Suddenly another plate appeared of nowhere floating next to Bill. He grabbed both the plate and the fork with his hands.

Eyeing him as she ate she was a little surprised to see that when he made a small slice with his fork that he just held it there for a few seconds without anything happening.

What are you…

*CHOMP*

Suddenly the slice disappeared as it looked like someone had taken a bite out of it. Her eyes went wide from the surprise of seeing it just disappear like that.

Slowly turning her head back, she tries her best to shrug of what she had just witnessed, and instead just enjoy the time they have to spend here on this planet…

But she, like Bill, is unaware that a pair of eyes is watching them from across the giant gap of the mountains.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ The figure laughs by itself. ‘’What is this? Two armed guests who are not of pleasing?’’ It says. ‘’Quite interesting this could be.’’

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’

Author's Note

Appolagies for the delayed release...Had some personal matters that got in the way of it being posted yesterday.

Chapter 12

Adventures in the Dreamscape Part 2

Sitting atop the towering mountain peak, Luna and Bill were just enjoying each other company. Both individuals exchanging social topics as they were trying to think of other ways they could make their small excursion a little more enjoyable while they were there.

While the surrounding landscape was beautiful to look at, it could only get you so far. Instead they had taken to begin discussing various things about each other. Particular the being at their very core.

‘’Something most ponies don’t know about me is that I…play video games when I am alone in my room.’’ Luna said, turning away as she blushed.

Bill thrust his fists into the ground, causing the whole mountain to send a shockwave down through it.

‘’No way!’’ He said with a tone of shock, merely earning a confident nod from her.

‘’Yepp…I play whenever I’m feeling down, or just I want something to take my mind off of things.’’

‘’I never took you of all ponies to be interested in video games. I almost imagined your sister would be more qualified to fill that position.’’

Luna just rolled her eyes, her smile fading into a frown.

‘’Unfortunately that seems to be the more popular of the things our subjects think about us. Not just about hobbies, but about the two of us in general.’’ Luna said. ‘’Everypony thinks Celestia is the more fun, the more interesting, the kindest…While I am for the most part left in the shadows, and considered the brooding one. The one who always wants to be alone…yet,’’ she lowered her head, hiding the beginning of her tears. ‘’they never consider that I might be alone due to me not being quite as liked as my sister.’’

‘’I hear you, I hear you…’’ he said, as he leaned forward putting a hand to her shoulder. ‘’I too know what it is like to be judged rather unfairly based on your appearance.’’

Lowering his eye, looking down, it turned sad.

‘’I can still remember it…’’ Raising his eye, he looked up at the sky. ‘’I was shunned, avoided, not even given a chance by anyone because of the way I looked. I was avoided, never given any attention by anyone. Outside of a few questions…though, not a single one was about me as a person,’’ he said bringing a hand up to the side of the bricks. ‘’Everyone assumed that because I was a nerd I was not worth the time getting to know…’’ his hand moved away, and started gesturing in the air. ‘’The only ones who ever showed me any kind of attention was my family…But they were my family, they pretty much had no choice.’’ Luna’s gentle vanished away, contorting itself into a saddened frown.

Wait, what did he say? Ne-

‘’Sure, I had other things to occupy my mind with, video games, movies, and a whole worldwide web of things…’’ His voice lit up, becoming relatively happy…for a moment. His body hovered up off the blanket, suspending itself in the air. Shrugging his shoulders. But they quickly fell down, hanging beside him. ‘’But honestly what can replace the warmth of at least the slightest of social interactions?’’ He finished. His eye grew sad once again, and the top of his triangular form leaned forward. A sigh followed close behind it.

‘’Oh, Bill…’’ Luna said as she stood up from her spot, and with gentle trots stepped over to him. Standing herself beside him.

Feeling something touch him on the shoulder, his eye moved to his right side. Looking towards the figure that was standing beside him. His eye meeting Luna’s as hers did his.

While their gazes were locked, a gentle smile started to settle on her face.

‘’You won’t have to worry about being alone like that ever again…’’ She said, while her smile grew a little. In response to her increasing happiness, his eye smiled back.

‘’Tha-‘’

But before he completes the end of what he was about to say, he suddenly felt soft fur around him. His eye watched as Luna slowly wrapped her hooves around him and pulled him into a warm hug.

Her eyes closing, and her smile fading slightly, turning into a much smaller one. Though, it was not to say she wasn’t happy, she was just using a much subtler smile to illustrate it.

A little taken aback by her sudden – but slow – hug he remained still. Eventually, though, with his own arms, he moved them to her back. Hugging her back the same she was hugging him.
‘’Luna…?’’

‘’Yeah, Bill?’’ She replied, gently opening her eyes in the processing.

‘’Promise me that you will always be there for me…’’

She chuckled softly, nuzzling her head a little against him. ‘’Don’t worry, tough guy, I will always be there to- ‘’

‘’No, you’re misunderstanding.’’ He interrupted her before she got the chance to finish. From the confusion of being interrupted when she clearly gave him an answer her head pulled away from him. Staring back with a confused look on it.

‘’What do you mean?’’ She raised a confused brow.

‘’What I mean when I ask if you will be there, is will you always remain in Equestria so I can find you?’’ He replied as he asked the question again. ‘’The thought of losing you would completely destroy me…and I cannot stand to think about what would happen if you were taken out of my life.’’

His eye looked down in a broken sadness.

‘’Oh, Bill…’’ She brought a hoof up to just underneath his eye. His eye saw it, directing his slit pupil back up to her face, which smiled back in a most comforting manner. ‘’You will never have to worry about losing me. I am not going anywhere.’’ She grabbed both of Bill’s hands, gripping them tightly. ‘’Equestria is my home, and I would never abandon the place I grew up in…Least of all hurting the friends that I have made.’’ Her eyes grew comforting while her smile grew a little wider.

‘’Thank you, Luna. I don’t know what I would be doing with myself now if I hadn’t meet you in your sister’s mind.’’ Adjusting her hooves and his hands so that he was holding her hooves.

‘’Well, technically we only saw each other in my sister’s mind. We officially meet in mine.’’ Moving a little closer to her, Bill’s eye changed into looking like he was calm. But his voice indicated that he was trying to sound romantic.

‘’And what a beautiful mind it is.’’ She rolled her eyes at him, smiling as she adapted a cool attitude to her.

‘’Shut up.’’ She said, causing him to chuckle in response.

‘’But seriously, what say you just turn around and stare at the sun for the few that we can see it on this planet?’’ he asked, pointing with his thumb-up hand behind him. She chuckled softly, responding back to him with a ‘’Sure.’’ Earning his eye to smile back.

They turned around. Standing beside each other as they watched the sunset. Watching the Sun slowly be swallowed up as it passed further down behind the horizon. After its light was extinguished, a darkness fell over the planet, which was shortly after illuminated by the stars and other wondrous constellations, planets, and Moons in this corner of the universe.

With Bill by her side, Luna gently lay her head down against him. His triangular form supporting her as they stood there together. Their eyes watching the newly brought night that had come to the planet they were on.

After finishing up their little excursion, Luna and Bill finally decided it was near time to be heading back to the ship so they could return home. Clearing up after themselves, Bill and Luna stood beside each other. Bill snapped his fingers, and with a *POOF* they vanished from the mountaintop.

*POOF*

Standing once again on the mountain peak where their airship was parked. But immediately when they saw it, something seemed…off about it. It didn’t look like it should usually when they had last laid eyes on it. There was a good reason why. It was damaged…badly.

Smoke was rising high into the sky from multiple still burning holes in the side of the ship. The propellers poles had been bent, and there was a great crack down the center of it. Their eyes going wide from the sight of the state it was in…or lack thereof.

‘’What the hell happened here?!’’ Bill suddenly shouted, holding out his arms and legs in sure astonishment at what had been done to his ship.

‘’Something must have attacked the Bill-o-War while we were off on our little trip’’ Luna spoke up, snapping him out of the stupor at the loss of his ship.

‘’That would seem most likely…’’ He drifted upwards, floating up towards one of the nearest and biggest of the scorched holes on the ship’s side facing them.

His eye examined it, studying it closely for hint of what might have happened here, what kind of energy based assault the ship had been subjected to.

‘’Regardless, whatever did this, I’m gonna find whoever did this to my precious Bill-o-War.’’ He touched his hand to the side of the ship, gently brushing it across the scorched wooden planks.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ A creepy laughter suddenly started sounding on the air.

Both Luna and Bill were surprised by its appearance, thinking that whoever had destroyed the Bill-o-War would have come back to finish them off now too. Quickly, Bill hurried and descended back down to Luna’s side. Standing close by as his eye looked out at their surroundings.

‘’Who are you? What do you want?’’ He called up in the air. But no response came, just the gentle howling of a growing wind.

‘’Show yourself, coward!’’ He shouted out, holding his arms and legs out as his rage began to mount itself. Getting stronger by the minute the more this annoying voice was going to keep playing hide and seek with them.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ It laughed again. But this time with a more normal pitch to, instead of sounding like an echo.

’’I have chortles.’’ A voice finally spoke. Two red dots started opening up. Suspended in mid-air, the red orbs began to have spirals in them. Followed thereafter by a smile that could not be described as anything but creepy. Especially with how it was showing off its big teeth.

Slowly, a body started to become gradually more and more visible, as a green head appeared. A red robe appeared around what to be its concealed body. Aside from a hood covering what little they could see of the figure’s head they weren’t really allowed to see much of what this newcomer looked anything remotely like as its body was all but hidden. The answer to how this being was suspending itself in mid-air was shortly answered, as it was revealed that it was standing on a small platform that was holding it up.

‘’W-who are you exactly…? And why did you destroy our ship?’’ Luna asked the strange creature.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha…’’ It suddenly laughed once again its child-like glee after she asked it.

Spinning around, causing its robe to spin around in the air as it struck a bowing pose. Its creepy teeth still being shown to them. It never shut that disturbing mouth.

Unfortunately for Luna and Bill, the newcomer only allowed them a slight moment to see what lay behind the robe. But it was wearing some sort of black clothing, and seeing the actual body was impossible with how fast it had been spinning.

‘’Ah, that is indeed the question that is the lunch to end the hunger of curiosity that you are experiencing…’’ It said. ‘’But instead it is I who shall inquire as to your identities, and your intentions for trespassing on the planet that is mine.’’ Bill and Luna both turned towards each other, exchanging blank looks with each other. Turning back, they faced this strange creature, who was apparently the owner of this planet.

‘’W-well, I am Princess Luna, co-ruler of the Kingdom of Equestria…’’ She turned, pointing her hoof at Bill. ‘’And this is Bill Cipher, Dream Demon, and Master of the Mind.’’

‘’Hey, kiddo.’’ Bill said, clicking his lips, and pointing a gesturing hand back towards the little green figure.

‘’Hmmm…’’ The figure hummed to itself as its mind thought.

‘’Well then, as a businessman who meets the commoner I shall greet thee…’’ A pair of arms pushed the robe out of the way to the side, revealing the rest of its body underneath. Standing proud on its little hover pad.

‘’I am the being who is called Fawful. I am the master of this planet and all galaxies around it.’’ His words made Luna raise a confused brow at it.

‘’Master of all the surrounding galaxies? How would we know that we have trespassed on one of your planets?’’ She asked.

Retreating his arms back into his robe, he just returned to standing normally on the pad. Or as normal as it could with that grotesque grin. ‘’Each of Fawfuls planets have a flagpole on it that shows the glorious face of Fawful. It is the calling card that will forever announce the fame of Fawful to all galaxies.’’ It let out a soft chuckle, looking surprisingly more disturbing by just doing random things with that mouth.

‘’Oh, well…we’ll be more aware of that next time we are moving throughout your galaxy, Lord Fawful…’’ Luna said as she started to back away from the little figure. Nudging with her head towards Bill to signal for him to do the same. Seeing Luna signaling him, he responded by doing the same as she was, and gently floated back away from Fawful.

Turning her head, she looked back at him. ‘’Anyway, I think it would be best if we head back home now…So, yeah, bye, Lord Fawful. May we meet again in another corner of- ‘’

‘’No!’’ He interrupted her. His eyes crossing themselves, and that creepy laughter of his to sound from his mouth.

‘’Allow your sudden departure from the presence of Fawful I will not…Least of all you.’’ Extending a hand out from behind his robe, he pointed back at Bill.

Confused, Bill pointed his own hand back at himself. ‘’Me?’’ He asked confused.

‘’But of course.’’ This caused Luna to narrow her eyes a little closer in a sudden, but newfound curiosity for this Fawful creature.

Luna raised her brow, giving Fawful a confused look. ‘’What do you need him for?’’ She asked.

‘’A simple favor, but of course.’’

‘’What favor?’’ Bill asked, crossing his arms as he meet Fawful’s demented spirals, that could easily be mistaken for glasses rather than glasses. Maybe they were, but just looked too…freakily real to actually be real.

‘’This.’’ He held up both his hands to show what to do. ‘’Do this.’’ He instructed, raising his index fingers to point up.

Confused more than anything, Bill raised his hands up, holding them up in just like Fawful had illustrated. Raising his eye up as well to see if he was pointing at anything specific.

‘’What, this?’’ He asked, confused by what he was even doing this.

‘’Your willing to assist is excellent.’’ Fawful replied, chuckling a little as he returned his own hands back down inside his robe.

‘’Now…’’ Suddenly, pushing the robe open to the side, he is now pointing his right arm directly at Bill. But unlike before he was now holding something in his hand. ‘’Freeze!’’

*ZAP*

*BOOM*

From his handgun he had fired off a beam of blue energy. When hitting Bill, it had caused a lot of smoke to suddenly appear out of nowhere. Shrouding the entire mountain top in icy cold smoke.

Coughing when the smoke started to fade into a much more seeable clearing, Luna could only see Fawful still standing on his hover pad. Bringing a hoof up to her head to scratch the side of her temples, she watched as his grin grew even more.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ He giggled again, attracting her attention now more than ever.

‘’Well, it seems the time of Fawful’s leaving has arrived sooner than I would have liked. Shame, Fawful would have enjoyed humiliating one such as you.’’ He said, now longer seeming to be focusing his attention on her. But instead onto her left. ‘’Headgear!’’ He called out, snapping his finger.

Down from the sky a strange shape started floating down towards the location they were at. From Luna’s perspective it looked like a shape of glass with two sticks poking out on either side with strange dome things attacked to the end of them, and an even more confusing hose that reached out, the end of which was attached to a strange jaw. A golden band aligning the side of the underside of the glass shape. Letting out another one of his little giggles, the headgear started created suction. The suction lifted Fawful up off the hover pad, and fitted itself to his head.

Wow! Now he just looks like he’s wearing a really stupid hat, she thought to herself as her former look of horror started to change into a deadpanned look.

The hover pad suddenly disappeared out of existence, leaving him suspended in mid-air as flames had come out the bottom of the two domes attached to his headgear’s sides. ‘’Now onto the takings of Fawful’s prize.’’ The strange hose at the top of the headgear started to extend itself forward. Moving once again to the left of Luna’s beckoning her to finally turn her head and see what all of the commotion was about her left side. Also, why didn’t Fawful even act like she was there?

With wide-growing eyes, her jaw dropped at the sight that she saw. Her body turned around to be better aligned.

‘’No…No…!’’ She was backing away from the sight that greeted her. The desperation in her voice penetrating through the icy cold silence that was returned to her from where Bill had been moving only seconds ago.

‘’No…Bill!’’ Her voice started to break as she shook her head. Trying even harder to protest against the sight that was left Bill Cipher.

‘’Yes, you are correct…’’ Fawful’s chipper voice interjected amidst the whole moment Luna was having. ‘’Your precious Bill Cipher has been frozen as stiff as the coldest refrigerator.’’ What Fawful said was true. Bill Cipher had been frozen solid, now encased in a massive block of transparent ice. With a sharp turn, Luna glared back at Fawful with gritted teeth.

‘’Change him back, at once!’’ She shouted at the small figure. But instead of receiving any sorts of words she was meet with another giggle from Fawful’s creepy teeth.

‘’You are irrelevant. Waste too much time on the likes of you Fawful shall not.’’ The extended stalk stood up, displaying the teeth on the end.

‘’Fawful senses hostility coming from your pointless corpse which I spit on.’’

‘’Your damn right I’m hostile.’’ Luna retorted, putting her hooves out, and getting into an offensive stance.

‘’While Fawful would enjoy just leave you here, as clearly you are alone, Fawful must admit that the heat of battle is…invigorating.’’ Said Fawful. ‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ He laughed shortly after. Gross, she instantly thought after hearing him say that.

‘’Well then, why not show me what you are made of?’’

Fawful’s gleeful expression suddenly deflated into an angered frown, and a sound of anger sounded from him. ‘’Fawful grows tired of your pointless existence…’’ The stalk atop his headgear opened its teeth, as if ready to launch something from it. Fawful’s creepy smile followed shortly after.

‘’Feast on this, Fink-rat!’’ The headgear suddenly fired a good multitude of green spheres from its teeth down towards her. Luna’s eyes widened from the sight of such a quick and sudden attack being unleashed against her.

But instead of simply standing still while she was hit, she jumped up into the air. The blasts hitting the ground where she had once been, exploding as they impacted the ground.

She extended her wings out, and with bats of them started to suspend her body in the air. Fawful shooting her an annoyed glare.

‘’You can fly?’’ He questioned her.

A cool smile forming on her mussel, and a stare which told him that she was overconfident.

‘’Surprised? What did you think they were?’’ She asked, a little confused, herself, about how someone could mistake her wings for anything else the second one would have seen them.

‘’The hairiest of extra arms.’’ Fawful giggled, smiling back at her mockingly. Giggling as she got angry at him.

‘’You are going to regret that you little- ‘’

‘’Fawful thinks not…’’ Fawful interrupted her. ‘’Fawful think it is time he disposed of thee. You are the very weed in my garden of evil that I am unable of removing.’’

‘’Hah. Just face it, Fawful. I am stronger than you.’’

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ He suddenly laughed. ‘’While your words are true, you are forgetting of something of the utmost importance.’’

With an angry glare upon her face, she raised a confused brow at him. ‘’How so?’’

‘’I was not aware of your wings.’’ He reached inside his robe, rummaging through it. ‘’But that sickness is easily remedied…’’ He said as he pulled out a remote and pressed a giant red button.

Suddenly the ground started to shake. Two giant beams of light being projected up into the sky. With great tremors that shook the entire mountain, something sounded to be stomping towards them. But exactly from which direction she could not be sure.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ Fawful just chuckled.

Turning her head around. Looking from side to side with worried eyes, she could see not seem to get any better of a fix on where the sound was coming from. Or from what direction Fawful’s summoned attack was going to come from.

Up from the sides of the mountain, giant metal legs started to grab hold of the mountainside. Surprising her by how durable it was to resist such powerful weights being lowered down onto what would have been a very fragile mountain back in Equestria.

‘’Rise, Megaleg. Autonomous creation of mine!’’ Fawful shouted, raising his arms up into the air. Up behind Fawful, a giant shape emerged. Revealing itself to the very point of origin for each of the three legs that it was using to stand up.

Towering high over Luna, at the front where two emotionless eyes projected out large beams, and a large cannon-like protrusion on the front serving as its snout. Underneath it, was a protrusion that could not be mistaken for anything other than a cannon. It was likely this was one of the means it was going to use to attack her. Aside from potentially just slamming its massive body down on top of her. Possibly trying to squash her underneath its large size.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ Fawful’s annoying laugher could be heard, which drew Luna attention away from the giant metal creature, and instead onto himself.

‘’Fawful does regret to be leave you now at this glorious moment in the spotlight of your moment of destruction.’’ He floated on over towards Bill. Hovering above his frozen form. ‘’But Fawful will remember to inform the Great Bill of your defeat.’’

The teeth-appendage reached down, grabbing its teeth down hard on the block of ice holding the Dream Demon. ‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ Flying up into the sky, he brought the ice cube with him as he flew away from the mountain top.

Luna, with her wings at her disposal, tried flying up after him. But Megaleg suddenly shifted his stance. Looking his eyes giant eyes down, the light projected from them fell directly upon her. The blinding light stopping her in her tracks, and unable to move.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha...’’ She heard echoing, as the voice that the laughter belonged to vanished further away into the horizon. Vanishing shortly from her sight, as all she was left with now was Megaleg.

Hearing the clanking of engines and wheels of its machine body, she watched as it started to move one of its many legs as it adjusted its positioning on the mountaintop.

A shadow moved up over her, indicating that it was going to slam it down there onto her. Hah ‘’Too easy.’’ She said with a confident smirk on her face. Building up a little of strength, she leaped out to the way to the side.

However, as she extended her wings out, using them to brace her movement through the air. Her ears suddenly heard a loud boom from above. Followed thereafter by something apparently picking up speed as it moved through the air.

Arching her head up, her eyes instantly grew at the sight of a black tip shooting down towards her. For the split second that she had time to take in its additional details. Her mind was baffled as to why the sharp tipped object speeding down at her had a pair of eyes, arms, and a crazed smile similar to Fawful. Even the glasses that she had originally mistaken for eyes were in the same spiral pattern as Fawful’s. With a mighty flap of her wings she just narrowly avoided. Passing to the side while it grazed her crown.

It continued to shoot downwards till it crashed against the ground. The exact same spot where Megaleg’s leg slammed down into the mountainside. The entire mountain shook violently from the impact. Several cracks tearing through the skin of the mountain. In result of the mountain being that badly damaged the cracked parts of it started to fall down. The pieces rolling down the mountain and colliding with whatever lay beyond the foggy mist.

Adjusting its leg to better grab onto the mountainside, Megaleg lowered itself down a little so now it wasn’t directly above her. Which meant that now it was vulnerable, and with Luna being airborne now she could get a chance to fight back properly against it.

Wearing a stern expression, she held her hooves out in front of her as she flew back up towards it. Her eyes narrowing themselves towards Megaleg’s eyes as that seemed to be its weakest spot.

Her horn started to glow with her magic building itself up to be fired down on the eye. Turning its head around, it was now looking for her. Smirking to herself, she made certain to try her best to stay out of its lights. This battle would be over without them anyway.

But raising its head a little, Megaleg’s lights finally spotted her. As was to be expected from such bright lights falling upon the unsuspecting eyes of a pony, it blinded her.

She accidentally discharged the beam from her horn prematurely. Her ball of concentrated magic shot down towards the right eye, it was not strong enough to do sufficient damage to its eye.

Adjusting its stance, and raising one of its giant legs up into the air. It swung it down hard against her. Hitting her body, and bringing on quite a lot of pain from the impact alone. Her body was sent flying downwards from the violent impact of Megaleg’s leg against her.

She was sent crashing down against one of the mountains. Hitting the side of one, and creating a small crater in its side. Reaching both hooves out and grabbing the sides of the crater she had unwittingly created, she pulled herself out of the crater.

Coughing slightly as her head peeks out of it. Raises it up to stare back at Megaleg as it is re-positioning itself on the collapsing hilltop. Studying it with her eyes, her face twists itself into a confident smirk. She now knows a great way that she might possibly distract Megaleg enough to land a strong enough blow to it.

With a turn of its head, Megaleg looks in her direction. Its lights falling upon her once again. Watching her as she crawls out of the crater. Brushing herself off.

Raising her head back up. Staring her stern eyes back up at it, her stern expression growing only bitterer and bitterer the more she is forced to look upon this dreadful thing.

Her horn starts back up her magic aura, as she extends her wings at the time. Pressing her hooves down against the ground. Preparing to suddenly fly up towards the giant monstrosity of metal and wheels.

*KA-BOOM*

With a great explosion erupting from the crater as she took off she now flew back up towards Megaleg’s face once more. Her eyes narrowing themselves onto the eyes specifically.

But this time she made certain to cast a spell that would shield her eyes from the bright light. She had greatly underestimated the intensity of the projections from its eyes. This time she would not make that same mistake again.

Charging her horn up, she smirked back at the giant beam of light that she was being surrounded by. All too easy

However, it seemed Megaleg heard that, as on the sides of its head protrusions started to emerge. They looked like thin black tubes, but she failed to see their significance right away…
That was until the cannons, just like the ones underneath it, suddenly fired several sharp tops. But this time it was much worse than she had originally assumed, as instead of seeing only two tops shot down at her – once again wearing those creepy Fawful faces – it turned out to be that there were far more than she had originally assumed, because there were now five or six of those things. The rest of them appearing as they flew up from behind its head. Joining with the group of others that were now forming a circle formation in the air.

The look of worry that had formed from seeing so many at once was pushed aside, and she tried concentrating on simply defeating them. Not being afraid of them.

Her charged spell, which had almost been shut down from seeing all of the tops speeding in her direction, fired from her horn. Shooting up at the air towards the bullet-fast things.

*WHOOSH*

*BOOM*

Her spell managed to get two or three of those bullets. But the rest were still coming towards her. Three of them started to increase their speed. Flying down much faster than the rest from the group. Thinking fast, she simply fired off one quick burst energy up towards the one closest to her.

It exploded upon being hit by her spell. But the second closest one was now too close for her comfort. Once again she started activating her magic up again.

*POOF*

Surprising, and confusing it, she teleported herself out of the way. Quickly resuming her flight when she could.

However, she had forgotten something. The third one…Lifting her head up, she saw the bullet approaching her. Being far closer to her than the other one originally was.

In a moment of panic, she just discharged a random burst from her horn. It engulfed both her and the bullet. An explosion erupting, and surrounding both in black smoke and small flames that shot out and started raining down towards the surface below.

The other bullets altered their course. Flying away, and avoiding the explosion. Gathering themselves back into a group in front of it. Their spiraling glasses/eyes watching as the explosion died down…

Even Megaleg’s eyes was looking to see what had become of her. But when the dark smoke calmed, there was nothing left to be seen. The only hint of anything having been there was the faint fire that was falling through the air.

There was no sign left of Princess Luna or the bullet with Fawful’s face on it. Thinking that they had done a job well done, they chuckled in the same manner as Fawful, and about to begin flying back towards Megaleg to be stored away for later use…When a sound suddenly reached them…

*BA-ZAAP!*

A beam suddenly shot out of a nearby bush up towards Megaleg’s left eye…

*KA-BOOOM*

Suddenly, Megaleg’s left eye exploded. A beam of highly concentrated energy having been strong enough to penetrate the sturdy steel used to construct it.

Caught off-guard by the blast, and the sudden loss of sight on its left side. Megaleg flinched! Its giant mechanical limbs moving erratically. Slamming them back down against the mountainside, Megaleg finally managed to regain control, and lifted itself back up. Standing once again tall. Towering over the mountain it was using to support itself on.

Lowering its head, it directed its still functioning projection of light down towards the ground. Moving it around the surface like a searchlight in search of whoever or whatever had attacked it.

Their eyes looked down towards the mountainside. Spotting several bushes where something could have launched a successful strike against Megaleg without being noticed while they were occupied with their defeat of Princess Luna. Flying around in the air the bullets with Fawful’s face, started to fly around in the air. Looking around for any sign of the attacker that had greatly crippled Megaleg.

Down in the nearest bushes, a blackened Luna was peeking out at the surveying bullets as they flew high across the sky. Turning her head, she focused her attention on Megaleg.

Great! He seems to be distracted...,

she thought to herself with a smirk forming.

He’ll be easy…pick-…ings…

Her thoughts seemed to trail onwards as something seemed to have taken notice of something, all of a sudden. She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look of it.

What is that?

She mentally asked herself as she seemed to have spotted something at the very top of Megaleg’s head. Atop the automaton’s head was a steel cage in the form of a dome. A light was spinning around from inside it.

Narrowing her eyes, a little, she tried a good look of some sort of ethereal field at the center of the dome. Ignore the other eye, this was of much greater interest.

Hmmm…, she said within her head in thought. It is another possibility…and it is less defended on top of things. I just might have a better chance of taking Megaleg down if I can shut disable its hold over whatever is at the core of that field. The best I can hope for in any case that it will cause an overload.

She looked up, seeing that the bullets were now circling above her and Megaleg, though, occasionally a few would fly down to patrol around the virtually unprotected machine.

I’ll do it!

Putting all of her hooves down against the ground, she started pressing down, building up energy, holding her wings up into the air. Then…

*BOOM*

With great intensity in her speed, she shot up into the air with just a single flap of her wings A giant crater being left in her wake in the side of the mountain. The explosion happened behind Megaleg, who immediately started reacting to it. Slowly turning himself around to face the source of the loud and sudden racket that had occurred on behind him. Behind her, as she soared up high into the sky, she was leaving a streak as she flew through the air. Fortunately for her Megaleg was not quick to see it before it dissipated.

Above her, she saw that she was quickly coming up on the circling bullets. She was worried at first, but then got an even better idea instead of the one she had planned for dealing for them. Smirking, she started outputting magic into her horn…

Then firing it from her horn in a violent blast up the circling group. Her solution being to merely blast them to smithereens, since they did not seem to have caught wind of her taking off from the ground in such an extreme way.

Two or three bullets were claimed by the beam as it shot up from underneath, one in the middle being destroyed completely, and the two being almost grazed by it, but being close enough to get caught in it. From the sheer touch of her powerful attack, they exploded. Caught off-guard by the blast the bullets all stopped circling around, and all started looking back and forth between each other.

All of a sudden, she suddenly flew up from underneath them, surprising them even more, once again. However, unlike the first time, their eyes became crossed and completely red, and smiles turning into angry ones. Uttering the same laughter like Fawful steam started to emerge, before all at once they started shooting up. Speeding after her.

Looking down behind her she could see the remaining bullets having finally taken up the chase after her. She smiled once seeing this.

Perfect. I seem to have gotten them interested.

Folding her wings back down against her body, she stopped in the air for a second…before starting the eventual fall downwards. Energy being outputted into her horn, which she used to instinctively teleport away from the bullets. Re-appearing with another *POP* down behind where they had just gone. They were left confused for a few seconds as they all stopped in the air and turned around. Their confusion was cut short, as one of them spotted her plummeting down towards the cage atop Megaleg’s head. Realizing what she was doing they immediately started taking up pursuit again.

Extending her wings back out, she instead of flying began speeding down towards him extended wings. Gravity would do the job of picking up speed for her well enough on its own. Taking a few short and rapid breaths she began concentrating. Fired from her horn a few seconds afterwards is a blast of equal strength to the one she had used to damage one of Megaég’s eyes. Being too far away the bullets can do nothing to stop the blast from hitting the cage. The cage shatters, causing quite a substantial hole to be left in its wake, a hole big enough for one remaining task. The final blast. Luna smiles as she sees that she has a free shot directly down at it.

Thinking that she has another free shot, she forgets that she is quickly coming up on Megaleg, having ignored all this time that she was getting closer and closer to him. Seeing this, her expression changes into one of first shock and then frustration. Think quickly, she adjusts herself in mid-air, allowing the air to catch her by the wings. Blowing her away, up, away from Megaleg, just barely missing him.

The bullets are unable to pull up in time, but instead of it being a good thing, they instead adjust themselves so that instead of hitting Megaleg’s uttermost greatest weakness, they instead simply shoot down into the side of its head. Exploding upon impact.

Finally flapping her wings again, she keeps herself suspended in mid-air. Her eyes looking down at Megaleg with victory in her eyes. Scoffing at the sight of it trying to adjust itself on its gradually crumbling mountain. An alarm has gone off, and several gritted fences have come up, forming a protective wall around the innermost ethereal dome. Inside of which Luna can faintly make out a star shape, its colors which are greatly faded. This, more than anything, confirms that this battle will be over with a simple blast to that ethereal shield pinning it in place.

‘’All right, let us get this over with.’’

Flapping her wings, she started quickly gaining speed as she flew down towards Megaleg. However, before she got too far, Megaleg suddenly having protrusions pop out around his head. However, unlike the first time, though, there were plenty more canon-like protrusions emerging. When they launched the bullets this second, there were a whole lot more of them. Nearly twenty in total. The appearance of them swarmed together forced her to stop in mid-air. Soundlessly watching as all of them flew towards her.

Her eyes looked up at each of them. Analyzing what possible strategy she could utilize against all of them. She couldn’t possibly fight every single one of them, she would tire herself very quickly if she had to use too much time recharging her blasts. She would hardly get a chance to attack the core thing.

‘’Hmm.’’ She grumbled. Touching a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. Raising her eyes back up, staring them out at that giant wave of bullets. ‘’Maybe…it’s my only shot. They should do the rest of the work for me.’’

Dropping out of her thinking, she suddenly stopped flapping her wings. Her body dropping downwards. The approaching wave of bullets following after her as she did.

Adjusting herself in mid-air, again, she held her hooves out in front of her. Her body picking up more and more speed. When she had got enough speed, she extended her wings out again, flapping alongside her plummeting down towards the surface. Right before hitting it, though, she vanished with a *POP* Re-appearing up in the skies above Megaleg and the wave of bullets. But unlike the first wave, these ones were smarter. Turning around and looking more thoroughly until they spotted descending down towards the top of Megaleg’s head. Acting fast, they gave a sudden boost of their speed. Flying up fast to intercept her.

Seeing them finally following her again caused a smirk to appear on her face. Good. Luna thought. She only needed to focus on flying correctly. Her whole plan depended on her maneuverability.

A black form shoots up at her. But some of the bullets started to break away. Instead approaching from directly beneath her. This was indeed a problem. But their numbers were a little more reduced than the main wave. From the tip of her horn she fired several well-energized bolts down at them. Most of them exploding upon impact with her attacks. But some managed to narrowly dodge them, but even these ones were caught, and exploded. Some managed to completely dodge her attacks. But once getting too close to her, she was given better aim, and destroyed them before they could do any sufficient damage, aside from causing black soot to stain her coat.

Folding her wings back onto her body, she gently makes small adjustments of her body as she is beset upon by all of the bullets. All of them swarming to hit her, but because she has reduced her size a little, she had therefore made it a lot harder for them to hit her like this. Almost because there are so many of them are trying to be careful not to hit each other, thus increasing their hardship even more since their size is a little bigger than hers. Without her wings out, she is not as big a target for them, putting them at a greater disadvantage because of their larger numbers.

Aside from some soot from the already destroyed bullets, she has escaped virtually unscathed…And now with free range to the exposed core. Making a sharp turn up in the sky, the bullets prepare themselves for another attempt to get her. This time they split up, spreading themselves out a little more. Creating a first and secondary wall of defense that, should she try and make another run for it, the second line would be ready for her. In order to maximize their chances of success, they form a round wall, getting as close to the other as they possibly can.

Putting a large deposit of magic into her horn, Luna grins to herself, as she readies herself for the final part of her plan. This will take a lot out of her, virtually everything she has, but it is truly her last chance of destroying Megaleg once and for all. She has had to increase the amount of magic used in her spells, but it is something that has to be done.

Extending her wings out, they catch the upcoming drift of air, slowing her descent down. Getting to a point where she can gently plant her hooves against the steel surface of Megaleg’s head. The metal clanged underneath her hoof as she walked around the core cage. Arching her head up she watched as all the bullets continued to come speeding towards her. She inhaled deeply, releasing a soft breath. Magic started flowing into her horn, gathering magic far faster than she was used to.

Up above, once the bullets saw this, started to fly down even faster. Increasing their speed. Time really was of the essence now…for both sides.

‘’Almost…come on.’’ She remarked, as she watched the bullets get closer. Almost being where she wanted them.

‘10…9…8…7…6…5’ she began counting down, watching as they closer and closer with every number.

‘...5…4…3…2…1…NOW!’

*POP*

Suddenly, she vanished once again. Having teleported away. The bullets stopping in mid-air. Once again confused by her sudden disappearance and then re-emergence. It was getting to be quite obnoxious to say the least. Coming together, they gathered around Megaleg, and closely to him to ensure that she did not try any funny business again.

What either Megaleg or the bullets failed to be take into account was that Luna was already where she wanted to be. POOFing back into existence high above them. And with an already charged horn, all she had to do was point it.

‘’NOW!’’ She screamed with all of her might, as from the tip of her horn, she fired an immense beam of devastating energy down at them from the heavens above. The beam still had some ways to travel. But with the intensity she was outputting, it would only prove to be beneficial, as every second spent travelling towards Megaleg would only make it all the more devastating when it finally hit.

Sensing the energy hurtling towards them, and also by simply just looking up above them, the bullets watched in shock at the beam that was approaching them at a rapidly growing speed. In desperation, half of them tried to intercept it. Hopefully they could cause it to go off in mid-air, far from Megaleg’s core. But their attempt was meet with an unexpected result. The bullets did indeed cause an explosion to occur in mid-air, but instead of their explosions being enough to stop it, the beam only continued to shoot down. Its speed, as Luna had predicted, growing fiercer as it approached him by the second…Until finally, it hit!

Shattering the field surrounding the star held captive inside it, allowing it to escape, Megaleg was not only forced to content with no longer have any source of power to draw from. Its legs shook and quaked. Gears broke free from their positons, and fell to the surface, explosions erupted form the side of its head, and the pieces connecting its legs came loose. But to add insult to injury, the mere contact of captured star and the energy beam, was rapidly causing a violent reaction. And while Megaleg’s crumbling and dismembered head collapsed down towards the surface underneath it, a violent explosion occurred, stretching out far. Engulfing up both Megaleg’s remains, the other bullets that had momentarily survived, and the surrounding mountains in a violent and intense explosion of light and energy.

Back up high in the sky, Luna was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She tried fighting it for as long as she could, but finally could not contend with the undisputable fact that she was exhausted. Having spent every single last part of her power in that one last teleport, and that one last attack.

Her body became motionless, unable to keep herself in the air anymore she just fell. Plummeting down towards the explosion that was taking place on the surface. Soon she would be engulfed by it, and she would cease to be in this dream. Losing the last chance of being reunited with Bill again…However, as her body fell down towards the surface, it was unexpectedly caught by the star that she had freed by destroying its prison.

With its rapidly becoming unconscious savior, Luna did not observe as the star flew up into space. It bringing her along, as it flew out into the unknown.

Author's Note

Link1 - Fawful is There - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Music Extended
Link2 - Megaleg - Super Mario Galaxy Music Extended

Chapter 14

Adventures in the Dreamscape Part 4
Battle at Fawful Castle Part 1

Silence, that was all that dominated every corner of the vast and infinite space that surrounded one planet in particular that always is enveloped in darkness, even during the day…for it is really is a day of darkness a Dark Day as created by this planet’s ruler who bears the name of Fawful.

The Sun is dark, the Moon is dark, even the rays of light that penetrate through the – even dark – skies is nothing but a black a wave shining down from a world beyond that consists of nothing but the great dark.

All across the world from which Fawful rules her great empire there are great and terrible camps where the local populace has been made into slaves to serve her foul war machine of eternal desire for conquest, in these terrible factories great war machines are forged, great beasts whose skin are iron and their very breath is flame from their cores.

In great castles Fawful’s governors rule their respective sectors as set up by Fawful, they report to her on the success of progress of the construction of various projects…

But recently contact with these production plants have been cut, and at a steady pace more and more of them seem to be forcefully cut off from communicating with Fawful Castle…As time have passed more and more of these production plants have been crossed off as no longer operable due to abrupt interruptions.

Because of these interruptions Fawful have been forced to constantly reschedule her weeding with Cipher for fear of attack on that particular day if she is too lax, thus she cannot take any chances.

A fleet of Airships have gathered to form a protective perimeter around Fawful Castle, but Fawful will not do anything until this annoying revolt has been crushed and her authority is once more the one that reigns supreme.

*Present*

Standing atop the deck of the main Flagship in Fawful’s armada a creature with a small body that is hidden behind green robes and a white mask that bears the same facial expression as Fawful is scouting the landscape from the Bridge of its particular Airship.

Moving around down on deck several other identical clad figures are attending various duties, all standing at the ready in case the enemy suddenly appears to attack the castle.

‘’Captain,’’ a random crewmember speaks up as it approaches him.

‘’Speak soldier.’’ He instructs.

‘’No sign of the enemy has been seen as of yet, though, the other ships are reporting in the same news.’’

‘’Hmmm…’’ he raises his – stubby – arm up to touch the underside of his mask. ‘’Inform all ship Captains that at the first sign of anything suspicious report back to me, no risks are to be taken that will devastate our armada.’’

‘’Yes sir.’’ He said before away and walking off to tell Communications Guy to relay that message to the rest of the armada.

With only the sound of the ship’s propellers sounding on the air the Captain put both arms behind his back as he continued keeping his eyes peeled on any signs of trouble approaching the castle.

The Bullet Bill cannons were full loaded and ready to fire so unless they were attacked from above then there was nothing that could penetrate their prepared defense.

(Listen to this track until the next music track)

Behind the castle walls, out in one of the courtyards a column of six with two rowed battalion of mask-wearing creatures were marching. However, unlike the ones on the Airships these ones were riding sword tipped pogo sticks.

After rounding a corner, the battalion vanishes from sight, probably further down the hall, a sudden *POOF* flash emerges in the courtyard, standing in the once vacant space is both Princesses Luna and the one to be named Peach, someone who had her kingdom stolen from Fawful.

With multiple turns as she looked around the courtyard she made certain that no one had seen them in there since it had been a longshot in teleporting there in the first place with just the two of them.

‘’Okay, the coast seems clear,’’ Luna assured Peach, guiding her attention along the stone walls until she spotted a pair of doors. ‘’There, -! that door should lead into the main halls that lead directly to Fawful’s throne room.’’ She pointed her hoof towards the doors to show.

‘’Indeed they should.’’ Said Peach.

Stepping/trotting up to the doors Luna’s horn started to glow as magic flowed to its tip, an aura enveloped the handles of both doors, pushing them open for the two females to enter inside the dark corridor leading into the deep inner workings of Fawful’s castle…

But despite the doors being closed behind them a figure atop the nearby battlements peeked its head out from behind the wall that it had hidden behind, a devious grin forming on its face.

‘’Heehee…Won’t this be an interesting tale to tell the master?’’ It chuckled to itself as its eyes narrowed towards the door. ‘’But just who exactly were they? I have never seen that blue horse thingy before, and that other pink dressing Human is not one that my memory is telling me that I should be familiar with…’’

‘’Bahh…Whatever, I have a message to deliver.’’

It turned around and started to bounce along the top of the wall.

After some time of bouncing the figure started following a stone bridge that lead out across a gap between the wall and the main castle, vanishing down into the darkness of the open doorway as it ventured deep into the castle.

After some time of continuously bouncing through various corridors and hallways it arrived at a pair of rather large doors.

Knocking on them, it was suddenly startled when an angry, ‘’What?!’’ Shivering it was hesitant on opening those doors at first, but finally did.

Pushing one of the doors open the inside of the room was nothing but pure darkness, gulping down before stepping into the room he slowly bounced inside the barely illuminated shadows. The light from the opened door being the only source of light.

He did not stop until he reached the center of the room, though, not of his own wish to do but because raspy breathing could be heard throughout the room.

Nervous, his head started looking throughout the room.

A pair of large, blood-red veiny eyes looked back out at him from the darkness, narrowing as they only continued to make him feel uneasy about coming here.

‘’Speak...’’ The voice instructed, a predominant metal tapping beginning to accompany it as those angry eyes looked back in expectantly at the new arrival.

‘’W-well,’’ he stuttered nervously shifting the attention of his eyes around the room. ‘’Intruders have somehow breeched the Airship armada and snuck into the castle.’’

‘’Intruders?’’ The eyes bulged wide from surprise, accompanied by a hint of lightly uncovered rage. ‘’What did they look like?’’ The eyes asked in anger as they became cross, a loud of something being gripped tightly sounding shortly after from behind the shadowy veil.

‘’O-one was a blue horse and the other was a Human in a pink dress.’’

‘’Hmmm…’’ The eyes grumbled, shrinking back down as they looked away. ‘’The former sounds familiar, but the latter is all but a mystery that I cannot catch.’’

‘’She was wearing regal attire so she might originate from one of the conquered kingdoms.’’

‘’Perhaps…’’

‘’S-shall I go and deal with them, master?’’ He asked.

The eyes looked up staring back out at him again.

‘’Yes, we must stop them from delving any deeper into the castle…Go,’’ out of the shadows a clawed hand reaches out to him. The rattling of chains being the sound that accompanied its slow movement out of the darkness and into the partial light. ‘’Assemble your squad and begin sweeping the halls, corridors and all other corners of the castle. We cannot allow them to overstep their boundaries more than they already have.’’

‘’Y-yes master, I will see to it immediately.’’

With a bow the newcomer gently started to bounce back the way it had come, making sure to maintain a continuous visual fix with the eyes in front of it…

Slowly, the claw retracted back into the dark, vanishing from sight.

Behind him he closes the door as he bounces out of the room, returning the room to its dark and lightless environment, the only source of light, ironically, being the only to shine any sort of illumination is the pair of glowing eyes.

*15 Minutes later…*

Wandering in through the halls and corridors of Castle Fawful Luna could not help but think it was more or less, kind of…dull, it wasn’t as awe-inspiring as she had expected from a place that was described as belonging to one of the cruelest rulers, instead it mostly consisted of dark stone walls, purple flame torches aligning the wall and banners that depicted that ever maddening grin of Fawful. Even the carpets had her face.

While on their small journey they came upon a long hallway part of the castle that had these glass windows through which shone black light.

Outside the windows the two females could see the vast armada of Fawful’s Airships forming a protective circle around the floating castle, their banners flying the always present face of Fawful on it.

Scrunching her face at it Luna could not help but still glare angrily at it, Fawful’s joy was but the misery of others, it was sickening…and somewhat disheartening since she could make out, not too well but well enough, the crews of the Airships moving to and fro in tending to their respective job.

It was the fact that they stood up on all fours that got to her.

Behind the duo further back a small formation of those hooded/masked individuals were bouncing down the hall on their sword like pogo sticks.

One of the masked bouncers at the back did a turn of its head looking down the hall on its left.

Oh it’s just a Human wearing a dress and a horny blue horse with wings, it gently resumed its bouncing, following after the rest of its companions shortly after having that thought pop into its head.

Wait, what? W-was there anything about that that made sense? Its mind screamed as it poked its head back out from behind the wall at realizing how bonkers that sounded.

For the next ten minutes the duo of females trotted/walked down the hallway, Luna was looking around at the hallways which despite looking fairly similar still had some elements that drew her attention and made it difficult for her to look away, the paintings, the tapestries, and especially some of the more spiked windows were all things that her eyes, no matter how she wanted to, could not look away from.

Peach hung her head low, holding one of her arms with her hand as she walked beside Luna.

Gently raising her head, she then lowered it again back down, but not before noticing something that looked to be rather sudden, and just enough to get her to do a double take.

Her body tensed freezing in place, and not moving another step further from where she was now standing.

Luna’s peripheral vision did not fail her, as while she was admiring the right side of the hallway they had been travelling down on she had suddenly noticed when Peach vanished from her sight.

She stopped and turned back towards the motionless Human who was wearing a look of frozen shock, beckoning Luna to not only raise a confused brow at her, but also turn her own and look back down the hall where Peach had seen whatever had caused to just suddenly stop in her tracks like that…

But when she looked down the hall her eyes grew wide from surprise…but mostly from shock at what meet them.

‘’Well, well, well, boys,’’ a figure riding spring knife at the back – with a pair of floating eyes – which is ridden by a red round horned figure said. ‘’Looks like we’ve found ourselves a good couple of trespassers.’’

‘’Yeah!’’ One of the figures of the formation spoke up in synchronized bounce.

‘’Ooh, you’re going to get it!’’ Another said as it too bounced in its place.

‘’Listen up gang, these two are obviously intruders who intend on crashing master’s awesome party so it’s our duty to make sure that these two intruders don’t get any further than where they have come.’’

The smaller figures started bouncing up and down, cheering as they were all getting hyped up to contend with these two unfortunate souls who thought that they could defy their master’s word and come here unannounced without an invitation.

While the group cheered in front of their leader, Luna and Peach merely turned to eachother, exchanging confused looks with one another.

‘’Um…I’m sorry, but who are you?’’ Luna asked as she turned back to face the group.

The cheering suddenly went silent and all eyes fell upon her, an uneasy silence hanging on the air.

‘’What?’’ Luna asked confused from all the stares she was receiving.

‘’Y-you seriously don’t know who we are?’’ One of the small creatures asked.

‘’Uhh-‘’

‘’Yeah, seriously! Like, what rock have you been living under?’’ Another one of them rudely interrupted her.

‘’We are the proud Shysters, and this,’’ all of them moved out of the way, extending their arms back up towards their leader who stood behind them. ‘’Is our great leader…’’ with a sudden synchronized turn of their heads they all looked back at the two females. ‘’Who is going to pound you two rule ladies into granite after he is finished with you.’’

‘’Oh you guys…’’ The leader gestured with its hand, averting away in a voice that Luna and Peach knew to be feigned humiliation.

‘’Okay...But the issue still stands about who you are. You still haven’t told us your name. Which is…?’’ Luna leaned her head in a little closer, raising a brow at the spring knife’s rider.

Inside his eyes flaming orbs started glowing, smoke started coming out of his mouth, accompanied thereafter by actual fire.

‘’RrrrrRRRRGHH…!’’ He growled.

‘’My name’s MACK!’’ He shouted out in blind rage, elongating his neck, which was on a spring, out towards them. ‘’MACK! MACK! MACK! MACK!’’ He repeated with a deep and infuriated toned voice.

‘’OHHhh…!’’ Both Luna and Peach said in a perfectly toned and synchronization.

A silence hanging on the air as silence interjected itself inbetween what the two female had said and what Peach immediately followed it up with.

‘’Well that sounds pretty lame, whatever.’’ Peach suddenly said as she brought a gloved hand up in front of her yawning mouth. ‘’All that buildup for nothing...Aside from a pathetic little tantrum.’’

“GrrrRRRAAAHHHH!’’ Mack shouted in pure rage.

‘’KILL THEM!’’ He shouted, removing a hand from his handlebars to point at the two females.

‘’Yes sir!’’ The Shysters all said in a single voice, as they all started to bounce giddily in place.

(Listen to this track until the next music track)

Bouncing forward, they leaped into action against the ones that had angered their master to such an extent that he actually sent them in first instead of dealing with them first. But whatever, at least now they could get a chance to get back at that ignorant little blue horse for not knowing who they were.

Following the Shysters’s movements with her eyes, Luna suddenly let out a shout of, ‘’Look out!’’ upon finally noticing that the Shysters were riding sword-tipped pogosticks!

Magic flowed to her horn, and she suddenly raised a protective barrier around both herself and Peach.

*BRA-WOING*

Being deflected away by their sharp tips impacting the force field the Shysters were forced to back away, putting some distance between themselves and the females since their attack had relied on them getting in a first strike, but now they were completely exposed being so close – Luna meanwhile took down the barrier.

‘’OOhh…You’re going to regret ruining my fun like that, you female dog!’’ One of the Shysters bounced angrily.

Drain

He shot a fireball at Peach, hoping to get in one for his master – and now him, being insulted.

However, Peach was hit by the fireball, but it didn’t seem to do sufficient damage to her. Surprised, the other Shysters started exchanging looks with one another at his failure.

Drain

All the other Shysters all started sending their own fireballs towards Peach, five of them being sent in Luna’s direction, though, she just raised another protective barrier to fend them off.

Peach on the other hoof/hand was taking most of the fireballs without any problems, aside from her dress becoming darker and darker.

‘’Aw-rgh…Forget her, let’s focus on the horse.’’ One of the Shysters spoke up, his direction being shifted onto Luna. ‘’She seems far easier to take down.’’

‘’Yay!’’ The group of other Shysters agreed in one voice, happily bouncing in place.

The Shysters all got together in a single group, all of them banding together into a rather tight formation.

From his spot further back Mack watched the group with intrigue, trying to analyze their strategy. Their two opponents hadn’t even attacked them yet, and they had already done more to harm the Shyster’s pride, more so than any attack so far.

Hmm…I don’t like where this is going, Mack thought as he continued to watch the battle.

Lazy Shell

Pulling out a large – and noticeably lacking an inhabitant – Koopa shell, Peach immediately kicked it along the floor towards the Shysters…

*BRA-WOING*

However, the giant spinning Koopa shell missed them as all of them merely jumped up, dodging it.

Seeing this course of action, Luna hesitated slightly on taking her turn to attack, as she squinted her eyes a little, narrowing them towards the group of Shysters.

A smile forming as a plan was created in her head.

She leaned in closer to Peach, bringing a hoof to her ear as she whispered what she was thinking to the growing frustrated Human female.

Peach’s face changed from annoyance to a smirk that Luna returned back with a rapid synchronized tapping up of both of her eyes.

‘’Just let me do my thing first.’’ Peach nodded, holding up a thumb to her.

Luna nodded and then turned her head to look back in direction of the Shysters, her eyes narrowing upon them.

Upon closing her eyes an aura began enveloping her horn, growing brighter and brighter as she concentrated more and more energy into pulling the spell off in the way that she wanted it to.

Moon Beam

Luna’s eyes shot open – her eyes enraptured in a white glow – and the buildup energy in her horn exploded out across the hall, surrounding all the Shysters. Aside from Mack who was much further back.

When Luna’s eyes, and horn, died back down to their normal selves she blinked her eyes a good couple of times.

However, upon looking back towards the Shysters she saw exactly what she wanted to see.

Groaning and laying on the ground, the no longer standing up on the pogo sticks Shysters were all covering their eyes with the eyes of their masks.

‘’GAH...! It burns!’’

‘’I cannot see!’’

‘’MY EYES!’’

They all called out as they lay on the floor. Some even had spiraling eyes and starts above them from the mere impact against the floor had disoriented them.

*The enemy was Paralyzed by Luna*

With a smile Luna turned her head back towards Peach, to which Peach looked back into her face as well.

‘’Now!’’ She shouted as she pointed her arm back out towards the group of grounded Shysters. Peach just did a mere nod of her head before directing her attention back to the Shysters.

Lazy Shell

Once again she pulled out that giant shell out, and after putting it down on the floor kicked it over towards the downed Shysters.

*BLAM*

Once the Shysters were hit by the spinning shell they all experienced a brief but damaging hit from the shell when making contact with them.

‘’Ughhh…’’ The Shysters groaned as they all lay on the ground, beaten from the quite damaging damage sustained from Peach’s Lazy Shell attack.

Well...there goes their promotion, thought Mack as he watched with horror-struck eyes as his Shysters all lay defeated in front of him. Fine *Sigh*…Looks like it’s my turn to have to deal with these two troublemakers, myself.

As they both watched the Shysters lying motionless on the ground Luna turned towards Peach, a smile looking back up at the victory-struck woman who was pumping her fists in a victorious manner.

‘’Good job Peach.’’

Peach turned towards her, giving Luna a confident smile back.

‘’Hey, don’t sweat I,’’ she said as she extended a raised hand out to her, giving a thumbs up. ’’It’s a little thing called teamwork, pal.’’

‘’Sure thing,’’ slowly, she turned her head back in front of her, staring down the hallway that now looked to be free-range. ‘’Now, let us be on our way so that we- ‘’

‘’No!’’

A voice shouted at them from down the hall, earning both of their attention. Down at the other end of the hallway they could see the angry-looking Mack bouncing madly in place, steam was coming out his head, and both his eyes and mouth was flaming, black smoke appearing through it.

‘’I will not allow you to move another inch further through this corridor!’’

*BRA-WOING*

He jumped up high in the air. Both Luna and Peach’s eyes watching him as he rose first high up, and then descending back down, this time much closer to them.

‘’This is where I will end your whatever little game you think you're playing!’’

(Listen to this track until the next music track)

The floating eyes of his knife-pogo stick started to glow red as he pulled his head back.

Flame Wall

Suddenly moving his head forward in a quick motion, making it spring forth due to the spring that was his neck it was pulled back to his body.

In front of him, a giant tall wave of fire suddenly started to come hurtling towards them at a quick speed!

Peach narrowed her eyes towards the fire, and hurried to pull her arms up in front of her in a defensive stance…
Luna, however, only started pulling energy into her horn, but because the fire was approaching her at an uneven speed it was hard to properly defend from it. It ended up reaching her before she too soon and she was, unfortunately, intercepted by it and engulfed as its heat passed over her body. Getting Peach too in the progress.

As the wall dissipated Luna was left sizzling from the intense heat, while Peach had not suffered so much as a scratch on her, instead only lowering her arms back down, shooting Mack a confident glaring smile.

With her peripheral vision she noticed Luna had been roasted from Mack’s attack, her overconfidence fading at the sight of this.

‘’Hey Luna…!’’ Luna’s left-side ear twitched as it picked up Peach’s voice. She turned her head looking back at the Human standing beside her on her left side. ‘’Mack’s is going to use magical attacks to contend with us, but despite his appearance don’t be fooled since his attacks, while quite weak, they can be a little difficult to defend against unless you are skilled at fighting him.’’

Breathing a little heavier as she recovered from his attack, Luna just nodded back to Peach, despite not knowing what she was just told; ‘’difficult to defend against unless you are skilled at fighting him.’’ What did that mean?

‘’My turn.’’ Peach said, suddenly extracting another one of those over-sized shells out of her dress, holding it with her hands.

Narrowing his eyes in glee, Mack tightened the grasp on the handlebars of his knife-pogo stick, preparing himself to avoid her attack. Sweat beginning to run as he watched Peach’s hands begin to let go of the sides of the shell. The timing was everything here, it always was.

With rough strength involved, she suddenly kicked the shell with her foot, sending it spinning through the air.

Watching with interest, Luna, Peach, and Mack watched as the shell started to go down towards the floor. It was going to touch down with the floor and move along the floor like when they fought the Shysters.

There! Mack shouted inside his mind seconds before the shell hit the floor.

Jumping upwards, his pogo stick quickly started going where he wanted at quick speeds, which was up.

*BRA-WOING*

But when he was up in the air, about to begin gloating at how their attacks were not going to do much to him, he suddenly grew wide-eyed, as while in mid-air his red pupils looked down towards the floor just in time to see the shell suddenly, and very unexpectedly, ricochet off the floor, instead speeding up towards him.

‘’Wait, what?!’’ He shouted at seeing this sudden change in how events were supposed to go down.

*WHAAAM*

Those were his only words before the shell hit him point-square in the face. He was hit so hard by it that his head was sent backwards by his spring-neck, disconnecting his head from his body.

The pogo stick returned back down to the ground, along with him still standing atop it, but instead of looking the way he had when he hangs down behind him while his arms were trying to reach behind him for his head.

‘’I will get you for this…’’ Mack shouted while still struggling to get his head back. ‘’That is, once I get my thoughts straight.’’ He grunted when he only ended up hitting his own head with his hands instead of actually getting a grip on it.

*Mack was neutralized by Peach*

‘’Yess!’’ Peach gestured with her fist in a victorious manner as she saw Mack struggling.

With a turn of her head to her right, she looked back at Luna, who was still a little surprised by everything that had happened.

‘’Luna!’’ The voice of Peach shouting to her seemed to snapped her out of it, and she, like her, turned to her left, meeting the other female’s face.

‘’A little advice!’’ Luna blinked her eyes a series of times. ‘’Mack is weak to electricity, my recommendation would be to use it on him before his defenses come back online and he will able to counter it.’’

*DING*

Luna’s eyes widened, turning back towards Mack while watching him continue to struggle even harder to reach for his head now that he had overheard the two of them talking about his primary weakness.

She frowned at first, feeling somewhat remotely sorry for Mack, despite his attempts to impede their advancing deeper into the castle to reach Bill Cipher…

‘’Luna…now!’’ Peach shouted in pint-up frustration when she did not seem to be doing anything.

Mack grinned, his hands finally gripping onto his head, getting enough of a grip, and began to lift it back up into its proper place.

Luna was motionless, her body consumed by pity, clouding her mind, and holding her back, preventing her from doing what had to be done.

Suddenly, everything started to turn red, getting progressively redder and redder.

Peach, being the only one of the group who could turn her head, looked to her right, staring out through the glass windows, but in doing so also dropped her jaw and instantly widened her eyes as she saw what was approaching them at rapid speed.

‘’Luna, get down!’’ Peach screamed as she extended a hand out to her, her loud warning being picked up by Mack, who was very surprised by what he was hearing...

Was someone attacking them? If so, then he needed to hurry and get his head back on so he could better contend with it…

However, unfortunately for both sides, a rapidly approaching fireball penetrated the glass windows, shattering the glass into tiny little pieces.

With tremendous force the fireball shot down into the floor, crashing against it, which only seemed to ignite it as an explosion erupted outwards from the point of impact!

*KA-BLAAM*

The explosion had the intensity of ten nukes, which made its shockwave look tame.

Luna’s motionless body, before she was swallowed up by the flames, suddenly saw a black shape position itself in front of her, holding its arms up in a defensive stance.
Mack on the other hand was just engulfed in flames, and then forced back through the hall.

The flames did not merely stop once reaching both sides, instead it travelled out through the hall, destroying more and more that it came across, causing entire walls to collapse as its foundations were weakened.

Before long smoke could be seen rising up from the castle’s center. The tallest tower creaked as some of its standing strength was lost. However, this was not enough to bring it down.

*Five minutes later*

With giant cracks and holes in the blackened walls, small remnants of fire remained in the mostly destroyed hallway. Black soot and ash were all that was left of the paintings, tapestries, and other fragile objects.

Pushing several large stones of the wall and ceiling off him, Mack grunts as his body emerges out from behind a small mound of destroyed rubble on the floor. In the meantime, Luna, who had not flinched from her spot suddenly blinked her eyes as she noticed that the entire hall had seen quite some devastating destruction.

‘’Ohhhh…’’ A figure moaned in front of her, grunting in pain as her scorched, singeing form lay down on the floor in front of Luna.

Gasping, Luna rushed over to her side, holding her body as she lifted Peach’s still smoking body up off the ground to hold in her arms. ‘’Peach! A-are you alright?’’ She asked as she lifted the woman’s body up.

*Cough Cough*

‘’I’ve been better…’’ She said weakly, as a smile started to form on her face, before having it be interrupted by another onslaught of coughs, making Luna nod her head, smiling with the sound of a sniffle accompanying it.

‘’Look,’’ she weakly raised her head, averting her head away from Luna, to the side, as her eyes tried to look to her left. Raising a weak hand, she pointed a finger back out at the other end of the hall where Mack was stepping back out into the center of the room.

‘’Mack is still alive…Y-you need to finish the job, so you can…’’ her face contorted, being accompanied by a painful groan. ‘’So you can get deeper into the castle and reclaim that which was stolen away from you.’’

Back down at the other end of the hall Mack was weakly walking out to the center of the hallway, his torn and shredded cape blowing in the breeze.

He was noticeably lacking his knife pogo stick, and considerably weakened as evidenced by his walk, and one of his arms were hanging down beside his body in a useless manner, one of his horns were broken, and the other had chips in it, his mouth was missing several teeth, and his left eye was flickering back into being normal while also being damaged at the same time.

He breathed heavily, obviously still alive, but recovering at a very, very, VERY slower rate than he was used to.

Narrowing his eyes, he glared back towards Luna and the dying Princess whom he did not know who was.

Peach continually tried to speak, only to suddenly feel something inside her snap!

Her eyes suddenly shot wide, and she let out one mighty gasp for air as her lungs started failing.

‘’L-luna!’’ She struggled as she tried to get what she was trying to say out…-

But was cut-off mid-sentence as her face become blank, her mouth hanging agape. Her head, like her arm, fell back down against the scorched ground…-

All movement becoming silent, motionless.

(Listen to this track until the next music track)

Luna’s look of concerned sympathy only grew pale at the sight of Peach’s motionless form as it lay there in front of her.

She tried gently shaking the not-moving Human body with her hoof, but no matter what she did nothing seemed to affect her. She didn’t flinch, she didn’t speak, she didn’t even breathe anymore, as shown when her chest failed to heave with another inhaling of breath.

‘’Peach?’’ Luna asked in a more worrying tone of voice, her hooves holding the Princess closer to her, shaking her body a little, but nothing she did procured anything other than dead silence, outside of the flames of the destroyed corner of the castle.

Standing at the other end of the greatly damaged hallway, Mack’s eyes narrowed in evil delight as they watched Luna mourn the passing of her friend.

With a silenced grin, he watched as she brought the dead female’s forehead to her own…

Gently putting the body back down on the ground, and standing herself back up off the ground. However, she did not move from her spot as her head was looking down towards the dead woman.

This annoyed Mack, but there was nothing that said he couldn’t use this to emotionally toy with her even now.

‘’Hey! Will you stop being so down in the slums? Some of us actually have things to do!’’

But even with this provocation and vile taunting from him, she did not avert her gaze from her fallen companion.

‘’Hey, you’re acting like someone just died…’’ he called back to her, holding of until just the right moment…

‘’…someone important anyway.’’ He added.

Luna gently lifted her head up, slowly turning it to be facing him directly.

Finally! He had managed to lure her into his little mind game.

His grin grew, though, only making her stern frown, staring back at him from across the hall grow sterner with every passing second.

‘’Her name,’’ she finally spoke, surprising him with her daring to open her mussel to speak like this to him.

‘’…is Peach.’’ She said in a tone as strict and tough as an angry teacher who is unimpressed that the class bully will not bullying the other students.

He backed away by several steps, frightened at what how her voice was speaking back at him.

‘’I may have held back once,’’ gently, she shook her head back at him as some of her anger, surprisingly, was taken off her face. ‘’But I won’t this time…’’

‘’This time, I will make sure to not fail in destroying you…As I should have done earlier.’’

While he backed away a few more steps, the fire in his mouth started to burn a little stronger.

Grinning, he looked back at her with a more courageous look on his face.

‘’Well, it’s nice to see that some of us have not forgotten that we are supposed to be fighting, not just standing around and staring at bricks.’’ He said as he took several steps forward.

She narrowed her eyes angrily at him the way that he was gloating.

‘’I will make sure to leave nothing of you so that my master will reward me with the highest of positions in the armed forces.’’ He scoffed, holding a hand out, and gesturing with it.

‘’I was never one for castle duty, but with your death, like your friend over here,’’ he back his hand at the corpse of Peach. ‘’I will no longer be seen as useless! AH HA HA HA HA HA HA!’’

He raised his arms, holding them up into the air as he laughed manically at how he would be celebrating his victory after defeating her.

Her eyes shot wide open, but not from his plan, no, but from just how…how…how not-fulfilling it sounded.

‘’A-are you serious?’’ She asked casually, with a hint of genuine surprise introduced into it. Magic being charged up into her horn, as while she was taking the time to ask this, she was not going to just leave herself open to attack.

Mack, upon hearing her ask that, stopped laughing, looking back down at her with an annoyed look.

(Listen to this track until the next told to stop)

‘’What?’’

‘’Eh, nothing, ‘’ she shrugged non-gallantly. ‘’It’s just that your goals just seem to be quite…pointless if you’re going through all of this trouble to defeat me…’’

‘’Well, who is to say that I am not aiming higher in life?’’ He asked back to her.

The smoke from the fire becoming quite prominent as it passed through his broken and unbroken teeth.

Narrowing his eyes, he stared back at her with a newfound evil glee.

That’s it, just a little more now… Mack thought.

But his mistake, the one that finally betrayed him were his eyes. From where she stood, she did notice what he was doing with his eyes, and it all became clear to her…But instead of doing anything that posed a threat to him…-

She instead just closed her eyes, calming the rest of her body and mind, not giving in to the anger that he was trying to stir within her.

Her sudden course of action did bring a lot of confusion over Mack, but he still stood firm where he was standing.

He homed in on her, frowning angrily in built-up frustration at seeing her just ignoring him like this.

‘’That’s…IT!’’ He shouted in an intensly loud voice that shattered the glass windows around, though, did nothing to the walls aside from causing specks of dust to fall to the floor, as he slammed his foot hard against the floor in rage.

He shot his head up, extending his arms out, and holding them beside him with tight fists. Fiery black smoke shot out of his eyes.

With sudden movement he raised his hand out in front of him.

‘’SEE YOU IN HELL!’’ He screamed out in violent rage, just as a ball consisting of nothing but pure, fiery energy that shot out in front of him towards Luna, who was still standing completely still in her place.

An almost too-violent sudden eruption from his hand as he sent the ball of intense power flying across the devastated hall towards the spot where she was standing.

…But in single second, all of time seemed to stop, moving slower, as everything around her came to a halt…

Her eyes shot open, looking back out in front of her, catching enough of a glimpse of the approaching ball of flaming energy that was in front of her.

With a single thought the magic that had been stored up inside her horn was finally unleased, an aura of blue magic surrounding the sharp tip, the crackling of electricity surging throughout the aura embalming her horn.

*WHOOSH*

A sudden wind came over the devastated hallway, moving over Luna before the ball of fire did, blowing dust up off the ground, and shrouding both her and it in a wall of grains of broken stone and specks of dust.

With a sudden grunt, Mack’s hand started lightly shaking, as he could feel something fighting back against him. He could still feel the ball that he had tried to attack with still existing, but definitely meeting an obstacle.

‘’Grrr – Come on!’’ He grunted in a quickly mounted irritation that was only getting worse by the second he was faced with this unseen obstacle in the path of his attack.

The dust was blown aside as a light suddenly shined through the wall of the gradually descending grains of dust and stone.

The light fell upon his face, but only on his damaged eye, mixing its blue and red colors to create a purple pupil.

It did not distract him, but he was slightly taken aback by it.

He was about to question it all, but before he could, the dust was blown further away from the hole the light was shining through to project itself onto his face.

Out of the wall of grains, trotting out with a slow and calculated manner in every step she took

…was the, female unknown to him as, Luna.

His violently burning eyes started to grow wide, with a shocked and agape mouth, as he bore witness to not only her emerging out through the wall of dust, but also the still burning ball of fire that he had originally launched at her.

As she emerged from the wall, the dust fell down behind her, covering the ground behind her as she stepped towards him.

From the tip of her horn she was shooting beams of electricity towards the fireball, keeping it in check…But also infusing her own power within it.

The electricity of her spell was bonding with the fireball.

It started to flicker back and forth between red and blue flames, which was slowly starting to merge together in a mix of blue, electrical flames.

Sparks shooting out from it as a result, hitting the floor and causing random burn circular marks to be left behind where they had used to be.

With deadpanned, stern eyes she looked up from the ball of fire-lightning to Mack, seeing the mounting look of fear that was mounting on his face as he was still in quite the disbelief at what he was seeing this random female to be capable of doing.

‘’N-no! T-this can’t be happening!’’ He spoke as he was struggling ever more and more to keep the ball under his control, his power draining every second that the fireball failed to hit its target…and as a consequence, his strength to put a viable counter-defense against her.

His hand had gone from quivering to violently shaking as every attempt of putting out more energy to try and defeat her was just being harshly countered by her power growing exponentially, just as if to taunt him.

‘’NrrrrggghhHHHHH’’ He grunted in growing frustration.

He dropped to his knees, hearing only the violent crackling of the electrical flames as he could now feel the ball getting close enough to feel the devastating energy it was putting out.

He tried looking up to meet his opponent’s face, but all he could see, in this final moment, was the electricity growing fiercer and fiercer.

Again, sparks shot out across the hall, connecting with the walls and shattering pieces of the brick walls.

Still she only continued to slowly approach him, the ball of energy being forced closer and closer.

In that moment he watched as she was now so close him that all he could see were the blinding light of the lightning, -

But for a single moment, he could see her eyes, they were staring back into his fiery ones, but they were not the eyes of a weak little pony Princess, but instead the ones of someone stern, strict, and powerful.

He was, simply put, spellbound by them, his courage fading away into nothing, and all hopes of resistance leaving him, but when he finally noticed this, it was already too late to do anything about it.

Coming to his senses far too late, the flame in his eye finally went out as he realized that all hope had left him.

The mad crackling of the lighting finally beginning to tear at his body, even from his distance, causing cuts and chips in his body.

In his final moments he let out the only sound he could, -

‘’NOOOOOOOOO…!!!!’’

…an ear-piercing scream…

and with that, she finally did it.

She sent the ball forward with a sudden pulse of energy being released from her horn, his screams being drowned out by a violent light unleashed by the energy ball being free from Luna’s control.

It made contact with his body, he let out a final scream as the electricity contained within the ball ravaged him, bringing him more pain than anything he had ever felt during his entire existence!

But that was not all that the electricity did, it caused his entire body to turn grey, solidifying in place, despite his attempts to move, -

But nothing was proving to be effective against his body being turned to pure stone.

His loud scream was cut off as his face was petrified, putting out the flames in his mouth.

Now, nothing was left of him, except a statue that had Mack’s likeness.

The ball came to a stop at the center of him, and started to glow brightly, sending rays of light out through various cracks that it made in his stone body, cracks started running down along his skin, expelling more and more light out, the intensity growing brighter and more violent, ripping first small pieces apart, but then an internal chain-reaction caused an overload of the energy in the ball!

*KA-BOOOM*

His body violently exploded, scattering the bits and pieces of his body around the room as an explosion consisting of nothing but light erupted from his body!

The explosion was so violent that it caused Luna to be sent flying back away by the force of the shockwave, making her fall back down on the burnt floor a good while back from where she had stood.

(Listen to this track until the next told to stop)

Looking back up as she was still lying on her side, she watched in shocked awe, with wide eyes, back up towards where she had last Mack to be standing, -

But all she saw were what little remained of his feet, still petrified in their place, as smoke raised up through the air, but officially there was nothing left of him.

Her attention was suddenly gripped, startled as a matter of fact, as quite suddenly, a metal object suddenly CLANGED down in front of her, steam floating up off it.

Upon further inspection, she saw that it was a, still-petrified, side of Mack’s face. More accurately, his eye.

She, with a slightly nervous face, looked around the destroyed hallway in case any other enemies were headed her way, as she slowly stood back up on her hooves.

When she was standing all the way up, her head suddenly shot up and let out a sudden gasp.

‘’Peach!’’

Turning around, she quickly started to hurry back to where Peach’s body lay.

But when she actually saw it, she suddenly in her tracks, her newly acquired look of concern becoming a sad frown at the sight of the lifeless body of her friend.

Seeing how dirtied she looked, and how motionless she was, she was painfully reminded that she was dead, and that there was no hope of getting her back…not now at least.

Her eyes were closed, making her look so peaceful, so calm, like she was just sleeping, but of course she knew that was not case.

She averted her head, looking back the hall, before moving it back to looking at Peach, giving her once glance.

‘’I will not let your sacrifice go unnoticed, I will stop all of this madness…I promise you that.’’

(Stop listening to soundtrack here)

She was silent for a moment, before quickly turning around, and running down the other hallway.

She ran past Mack’s remains, but did not spare them a glance, he was the least of her worries now, as she hurried down the hall, hurrying with all speed towards where Bill was being kept.

After she had left, out of the shadows, a small and constantly re-arranging cube floated down from the ceiling.

It looked down the hallway at her, catching just a faint glance of her before she rounded a corner, disappearing completely from sight.

It turned towards the shattered glass windows, and silently floated out into the night, gradually flying higher and higher up into the air towards the tower.

Author's Note

*Phew!*

That was one incredible chapter, not just to get through correcting the ''last few'' mistakes before it was published, but also finding the good music ques to use.

I don't know if this new soundtrack inclusion is something that many would appreciate, but it is something, if received positive feedback, might be incorporated in every chapter from now on.
...Idk, it helped me.

Also, the additional litteral sub-title was just to distinguish it a little bit from the rest which i thought was just build-up for what is to come.

Link1 - Bowser's Castle (Second Time) - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Music Extended
Link2 - Fight Against Monsters - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Music Extended
Link3 - Fight Against an Armed Boss - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Music Extended
Link4 - Star Wars Episode III - The Immolation Scene
Link5 - 24. "Voldemort's End" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (soundtrack)
Link6 - 18 - Loved Ones & Leaving - Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix Soundtrack

Chapter 15

Adventures in the Dreamscape Part 6
Battle at Fawful Castle Part 2

*One hour later*

Standing out in front of the door to Bill’s room, the tall, armored creature that had been ordered to guard Bill Cipher’s room was addressing several bipedal figures clad in armor (Their heads and hands)

“…and since no one has seen Mack since that great explosion in the Eastern corridor I am deploying you two to fight whoever is responsible”

“Mwee hee hee!” One of the figures that was being instructed to by the Commander laughed.

“Fear not, Commander Boomer, those puny insects were dealing with Mack, who, as we all know,” he gestured with his hand.

He pulled up his hand in front of his mouth, leaning slightly in to the left, towards the figure beside him.

“Is not the greatest warrior.”

He whispered.

“Hee hee hee!” The other figure laughed, its eyes displaying the devious joy in talking about one of their master’s weaker minions in such a way.

“He probably didn’t last more than five minutes against them.”

“I know, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Eh hem.”

The two of them had their attention drawn away from the fun they were having in making fun one lower than them, and instead looked back up at the tall, armored figure in front them.

Crossing her arms in frustration with their idiocy, she shot the two of them an angry glare.

Immediately, the message that she was trying to get across started to sink in, and the two of them resumed their original stance. Looking back up again with obedience in their eyes at the figure before them.

“That’s better…” She said in a much lighter, calm tone of voice.

Gently, but then getting louder and louder, she begins tapping her armored finger against her arm, -

But neither of them gets the hint that she is so obviously sending them.

“Well?”

“Well…what, Commander Boomer?”

Closing her eyes, she inhaled a soft sigh.

“Go and find the intruders!”

She suddenly shouted in an infuriated rage at the two of them.

“Yeeps!”

“Jeepers!”

Both exclaimed in startled fright as her loud voice caught them unaware.

“Y-yes, mam, Commander Boomer!” Both suddenly shouted out, saluting her off, before they both turned tails and quickly hurried down the hallway to get away from their frightening superior.

After watching the two of them rounded the corner, she shakes her head with an unimpressed frown on her face, and crossing her arms, once again.

“It takes an idiot to know an idiot.”

Still shaking her head, she turns and walks back away towards the two giant doors leading to Bill’s room.

Turning the knob, she opens the door and proceeds inside.

Closing the door behind her.

Bah, I couldn’t agree more. Not even I would have such idiots in my service.

A pair of floating purple eyes opened in mid-air.

Crossing themselves, the eyes looked out at the dark-purple hallway in front of it.

“Aaaaaahehehe.”

The eyes chuckled to itself.

With a shift, performed by its unseen body, the pair of eyes started to move towards the wall, vanishing out through them, as it started heading off to other parts of the castle.

*****

Back inside the room of Bill Cipher, the door creaked open, -

Standing by the open balcony, Bill suddenly turned around on the spot.

Turning around to face the tall, heavily armored, imposing form of Boomer as she entered into his room.

As her eyes fell upon the anthromorphized triangle she watched his eye become angry, his arms touching against the side of the lower part of his triangular form as he glared angrily back towards her.

“Doesn’t anyone ever knock around here?” Bill asked in angered frustration at her sudden, unannounced, entry into his room.

After closing the door behind her, she stood at his attention, bowing her head down in respect while bringing an arm up to her chest.

“My apologizes, Lord Cipher, “she apologized to him. “But a situation has arisen.”

The apparent reason for interrupting him like this caused him to extend his arms out beside him, and his eye to became relaxed, downright surprised at the news that he had just been given.

“Situation?” He floated up into the air, shooting her a suspicious look. “What situation?”

“Nothing that you needn’t worry with, Lord Cipher, my men have got it all under control.”

But what she said only made Bill raise an unimpressed brow at her.

“Uh huh…’’Your men’’,” he said while making bunny ears with his fingers.

“And by ‘’your men’’ I assume you mean the two incompetent morons I heard you talking to just outside my room?”

Crossing his arms, his stare did not waver as he kept it affixed on her.

“Uh…I…H-how did you- “

“I heard everything that you said,” he said, interrupting her small moment of confused shock. “You really should work on developing a much calmer voice.”

Nervously, she bowed her head again, trying to be respectful towards him.

“Y-yes, my Lord, I’ll- “

“I mean, seriously, what if Fawful is meeting with an important dignitary, and a situation develops, and if they still would want to continue discussions with each other it would be really inconvenient if suddenly they hear a loud, angry voice coming through the walls.”

She raised her head, staring back down at him.

“But, my Lord, I couldn’t lower the temperament of my voice,” she responded back with a light hint of feeling nervous. “My troops would not be able to take me seriously if I do not keep the demanding voice of a Commander.”

He rolled his eye at her returned response.

“I am not telling you to change your tone entirely, but just keep it at a much lower tone so that Fawful’s guests won’t have to be worried about hearing you barking orders through the walls.”

“Seriously, you’re so loud that you can shatter dimensional glass.”

With a sad expression mounting on her face after being told such…well, surprisingly helpful, yet devastating news, she lowered her head, hanging it low as a sadness came over her.

“It’s that loud, huh?”

With a closed eye, Cipher’s eye nodded back to her.

With a sudden, tensing face, she was immediately freaked out by it, but not to the point where it distracted her too much.

A gentle shaking of her head was enough to clear her mind of how weird that had looked.

“Aaaanyway, - “she hesitated slightly, holding on that note, before she continued.

“Oh! – Are you saying that you would like me to help you master your inside-voice?” He suddenly spoke up, his eye shooting open with newfound energy as he looked back up at her.

Her eyes flinched, shooting wide open, as she made certain that she understood what had just been said to her…

She had.

“Um, no thanks, L-lord Cipher…” She nervously replied back with a small hinge of undetermined certainty in her voice. “I’m fine.”

Lowering her head, she averted her gaze from him, bringing a hand up and holding her shoulder.

Raising a suspicious brow, Bill looked back at her with refusal to believe that her behavior was any indicator that she was ‘’fine’’ with the situation, but despite his chaotic nature there were limits to how insane even he would act with someone else, especially a complete stranger.

“Very well then, then would you please leave me?” He asked as he tried shooing her away. Having her attention return to him, she guided her eyes back to looking at him once more.

“I’ve got some band practice to get to if you wouldn’t mind.” He said whilst turning away from her, putting his hands behind his back as he floated off to his left side.

“Band practice?” She asked befuddled.

“But there isn’t any band performing here…Or anywhere for that matter.”

This caused him to suddenly turn around, staring back with an angry eye at her.

“Oh yeah?” he replied bitterly, silently raising a hand up. “Then what do you call…That?” He asked as he pointed towards the left.

Her head turned, looking off to where he was pointing.

With sudden widening eyes her face took on a surprised look when she saw that standing by the wall, upon which stood several other identical duplicates of Bill Cipher. Some of them having hair and some wearing clothing.

“Hey, come on! We’re practicing over here.” The guitarist said shaking a fist at her as he floated above the stage. His guitar being suspended in mid-air next to him.

“Yeah! We’ve got a gig that we need to be ready for in a… “ he raised his arm up, looking down at his arm while a giant clock appeared out of nowhere behind him. “A couple minutes.” He said as his eye looked back up at her causing the giant clock to disappear out of existence.

She turned back to Bill, giving him a confused look on her face that not visible due to being hidden behind the face-mask she was wearing that was part of her helmet.

He raised a finger, holding it up in front of his eye, -

But she must be seeing things because she could almost swear that his eye actually seemed to resemble a mouth going Sshhh to her.

Putting his hands behind his back his eye shifted its attention back towards the stage, which, shortly after she did too, directing her attention back up to the three figures suspended in mid-air on the stage.

The guitar floated on over to one of the Bill duplicates, allowing him to grab it before turning back towards those behind him.

“Ready, guys?” He asked the other Bills behind him.

“Ready!” The other bandmembers said in unison.

The Guitarist-Bill raised his hand up, ready to begin the first note of whatever they were trying to be practicing for, -

When suddenly the Bill that was hovering beside her snapped his fingers, out of nowhere summoning two large black boxes beside the Bills.

Their sudden appearance caused her to suddenly turn her attention back to the Bill hovering beside her, -

“Oh! I almost forgot the most important thing…The sound!” he swiftly raised his hand up, holding it up for her to see, her eyes looking down at it in shock.

“Wait!” She called out…

*Snap*

Uh oh!

*Meanwhile, in another part of the castle*

(Listen to this track until the next music track)

Suddenly the entire castle hallways shook violently, shaking like a terrible earthquake was hitting it…

But not only was that an impossibility, but the guards stationed outside on the walls had all their attention directed up towards the central tower where it was that their master’s groom was residing, as it, despite their best attempts to, could not deny that what they saw was…stranger than what they usually saw.

The entire tower was bouncing up and down in place, sending violent tremors through the entire castle as every time it landed down on the stone surface the entire castle experienced a wild shaking that caused the airborne castle to almost begin tilting downwards but not entirely.

Through the stone bricks flashing rainbow lights were accompanied by loud but muffled music.

*****

Out on the deck of an Airships, several of the crewmember’s attention was now directing itself up towards the airborne castle. Great surprise and awe taking over them at what they were seeing.

“Uh, Captain?” A crewman on the deck of one of the Airships asked out to its superior despite not being able to rip its eyes away from the sight of the strangely-behaving airborne castle.

“Yes-…Cre-w-…man?”

The Captain of the ship responded as he approached thee crewman, his at-first expression of annoyance from being summoned by a simpleton, but as he approached the crewman his pace slowed, eyes going wide from being just as shocked as the crewman was at seeing the castle the way it was, stopping in place beside him and staring back towards the wild castle as it was acting as if, -

…alive.

“Uh, do you think that is a signal for us to do something?” He asked pointing his stubby arm back up towards the castle that was behind them.

They both turned their heads, looking back at each other with blank, deadpanned expressions on both their faces.

“I think it does.” The Captain said before turning himself around and facing in a different direction, and heading for several stairs leading up to where he might better oversee things.

He shoots the individual standing by the large wheel that controlled the Airship a stern glare.

“Bring us around and take us back to the castle…I don’t like what is going on over there.”

It barked the orders to the helmsman, pointing its angry but still stubby arm towards it to make the order understandably more important.

“Yes sir.” The helmsman responded back with a salutation of its own stubby arm, before it quickly turned the wheel, spinning it around quite fast.

The ship creaked as it started turning the front tip of the ship back in direction of the floating castle behind it.

“Hey, that is turning back towards the castle!” The crewmember on one of the other ships called out, using its (stubby) arm to point to what he was referring to.

“What!?” The Captain of the ship shouted from the upper deck.

The crewman turned its head, looking back up at its confused superior on the upper deck.

“Yeah, he’s heading back to the castle!” It shouted up.

Rushing over the second deck’s safeguard rail, it held the sides as it observed that the other ship was indeed altering its course.

With incredible speed, it pointed its right arm back towards the helmsman on their ship, shouting “Turn us around, and take us back to the castle at once!” as it ordered the ship to change course, immediately!

‘’Yes sir.’’

The helmsman responded back with a salute, before quickly spinning the wheel fast around.

With slow movement, the ship started to turn, following the same course as the other ship was as it headed back towards the castle.

Soon following this other ships started doing the same, and before too long, the Airships all had their course set up on moving back towards the castle in the center of their great Airship armada.

However, a giant, swirling form of greens, reds, and blues all suddenly started to penetrate through the clouds high above the castle, speeding down towards the castle.

Starting to separate, the singular masses started separating into four, as each of those four went for an individual Airship.

The unsuspecting crews of the armada were completely caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of the swirling mass as its existence finally became known to them, -

Especially after the thousands of shells that composed it pierced the wooden ships like nothing, cutting them in half to the point of extremely crippling the ships to the point where it slowly started to fall out of the sky, its nose pointing down as black smoke started coming out of the two halves while the ship gradually lost orbit in the sky, plummeting down towards the ground.

As the mass of thousands of Koopa shells with wings turned around it started coming back up, ramming right into another of the Airships in the process, repeating the same that they had done.

However, unlike the first time, their speed was greater and when coming up through the deck it caused an explosion to accompany it, ignited by the gunpowder in the levels beneath deck for the cannons stationed at the ready there.

Devastated, the armada tried in vain to alter their course to fly away from the castle that was now being swarmed by hundreds upon thousands of Koopa shells.

Up in the air above the castle, Koopa with glasses and that rode clouds with faces were dropping small spiked balls down upon the castle.

After landing on the castle floors, the balls started to twitch, beginning to move.

Eventually, they all started to crawl on the floor, moving inside the castle, albeit at a far slower pace than the bipedal Koopas who used two legs they were forced to crawl on the floor. This would make their siege on the castle much slower than if the Koopas would have accompanied them.

Unlike the first attack, the stragglers were boarded by the shells, which when touching down against the wooden floors had the occupants of the shells popping out, standing up on their feet.

After a substantial number of them had gathered on the deck of the ship, their attention suddenly fell upon the short, masked figures in robes who were staring back at them.

Then, after a single moment of silence, a loud uproar of battle chants from both sides erupted as both Koopas and Shy Guys charged at each other.

However, as the two factions reached eachother true battle erupted from the center of the Airship’s deck as both sides went at it.

The Koopas used each other as footballs there were to be kicked across the deck, knocking the Shy Guys over with a single swoop…

To counter this the Shy Guys used Shy Guys with propellers attached at the top of their heads to be suspended above in the air. While in mid-air they used slingshots to take out the Koopas that were getting to be deployed against the Shy Guys on deck.

Some Shy Guys stood themselves up on poles and tried to use the feet of their poles to stomp the Koopas… However, the Koopas would fight back by using the same tactic to render their legs useless.

Continuously the Shy Guys would keep bringing forth newer and other variations of the Shy Guys to try and contend with the Koopas surprisingly overwhelming superiority despite being only turtles: Some of which included the fire Shy Guys who could launch fireballs at the Koopas. Now that did some damage to their push, for a while, but the Koopas’s response to that was to call in the Lakitu to come in and drop the Spinys on the Fire Shy Guys, knocking them out. The same went for Ice Shy Guys who were only slightly stronger.

Once cleared completely of crew the Koopas assumed control of the Airships and immediately got it ready to fire the on-board cannons against the Airships that posed a more substantial threat to the mass of airborne Koopas with their cannons form a safe enough distance.

With the Airship’s cannons, they wiped out the majority of the armada in a short period of time.

After moving on to the next Airship after the other they greatly weakened the Shy Guys abilities to combat them, and soon most of them resulted to changing into Shy Guys with propellers at the top of their heads, using the new airborne abilities to flee from the doomed ships, hoping to land on another and aid in the defense of that one, hopefully taking the Koopas by surprise.

*****

Back at the castle, Luna was running through the castle with all speed, and haste since she still did not know for how much longer the Koopas could hold Fawful’s defenses at bay. They had said that they had braved Fawful’s armies before with ease, but it was Fawful, herself, that was real challenge that had always stopped from fully retaking the castle.

Every time her hooves made contact with the floor the clopping of her hooves echoed all around her on the hallway walls as she passed by countless windows, torches, tapestries and horrific paintings that depicted nothing other than Fawful’s terrible visage in all manners of various victorious poses. Some that were even quite horrific, straight out of a nightmare.

After quite a long while of following these dark and dreadful hallways she rounded a corner, finally stumbling upon something new that she could understand…Sort of.

In the center of the room or rather suspended in the air above it, there floated a small constantly re-arranging glowing blue cube shape. The closest thing she could compare to it was ghostly emotions as smoke seemed to emanating off the bottom of the cube.

“What are y-?”

However, before an answer of any sorts could be provided, as she extended a hoof out to touch it the glowing square suddenly started to move forward, its current direction leading away from her as it zoomed down the hallway.

“What?” was her reaction as her wide eyes watched the cube moving on its own.

This sudden action startled her, causing her to flinch from its sudden movement-…Watching with shocked eyes as the cube speed down the hall away from her. Some of its ghostly mist trailing behind it as it shot through down through the air.

“Wait, hold up!” She called out with a raised hoof after it, only to observe that it was flying away from her.

Instead of doing positively nothing but stand still she immediately flared her wings out beside her, holding them out beside her body, and with a quick beat of them leaped up off the floor, delivering powerful beads in mid-air as she flew after the ghostly cube.

However, she was focused on following the cube that she failed to notice that a square shape emerged from a pulled-for tapestry, silently hovering in the air as it followed after her.

*****

Down the other hallway two figures were left in a confused state as they silently exchanged continuous confused looks between each other.

“Uh…Domino?”

One of them asked, having the other one beside him, causing him to turn his head, giving him a blank stare.

“Yeah, Cloaker?” Domino said, turning to face the…whatever Cloaker was.

“Where is the intruder? I thought she was supposed to be here by now.”

“Yeah…But she isn’t here.”

Cloaker turned back in front of him, staring back down the hallway. Domino looked too, staring in awkward silence as nothing seemed to happen despite his wishes that something would happen.

The duo turned back to face each other, staring back at each other.

“She still isn’t coming, Domino.” Cloaker said.

“I know.”

“…”

Both ‘’said’’ after another minute of nothing happening.

*****

*Meanwhile, in another part of the caste*

Flying after the cube like there was an obsession about it that she couldn’t shake, she followed it all around the castle, passing by corridors, entrances to the outside battlements, even the routes that lead down to the dungeons. She pretty much went wherever it did, if not just because her curiosity was unable to turn to other things until she had learned what was going on with this strange cube and why it had revealed itself to her or its reasons for acting the way it was.

After watching the cube rounding a corner she followed it, putting more strength in her wings flap to catch up to it again since it had been getting a little too ahead of her, and she really needed to find it since she did not know where she or even where she was going now.

But upon rounding the corner she was instantly meet with a sight that caused her to stop in mid-air, hovering above the floor.

Across a long hallway, at the other end of said-hallway there stood a tall, armored, Humanoid figure, with a sword in its scabbard.

The armor style was familiar to her, but she couldn’t remember quite where she had seen it from.

Raising its head look back down the hall at its sudden new arrival, the figure narrowed its crossed angry blue eyes at Luna.

Bringing a hand down to the handle of the sword in its scabbard it stood ready to pull it out at any sign of provocation from the strange horse creature that had somehow stumbled upon the place that it had been tasked with guarding.

Standing just as still, Luna’s eyes crossed as she narrowed them back towards this strange form.

There was a small moment of silent intensity between the two enemies as their long stare did not break.

“I take it you are the one that I was with protecting Lord Bill Cipher from?” It asked her.

Gently, Luna nodded back to it with a stern expression on her face.

“Indeed I am…” Luna returned.

Raising one of her brows she returned this creature’s stern glare.

“And I am to take it that behind those doors are Bill Cipher?”” Luna asked.

With a gentle nod of its head, its eyes narrowed.

“He is.” It said.

“Then I am to assume that you are the last guardian that stands in my way of reaching him?”

Instead of saying anything it just gave a gentle nod of its head.

Inhaling a deep breath, she exhaled it heavily as her face took on an annoyed look.

“Well, I had hoped that I would have that one day where I didn’t have to kick any evil-doer’s butts, - “

Her horn started to glow, storing up magic for a magic spell that she would have to use.

“...but I guess we can’t all have it our way…You least of all.”

Once more, an uneasy silence fell over the long hallway in-between them.

(Listen to this until told otherwise. Might have to replay it a couple times)

Boomer tightened her grasp on her sword, narrowing her eyes while Luna’s continued putting out more magic that she was storing for any signs of a confrontation, which all the evidence was pointing to was the case.

Both just stood silent, slowly watching the other for any signs of movement that suggest provocation, -

…and then, both started running towards each other.

Boomer drawing her sword from her scabbard and holding it down behind her as she ran, -

…While Luna’s horn started visibly glowing with a magical aura that Boomer could see through the eyeholes on her helmet.

As she was running as fast as she was Luna almost stopped in place for a single second before gaining enough strength to make her big leap off the ground and into the air.

While in mid-air she only flares her wings out beside her for a momentary boost as she only flapped them once, giving her a substantial speed-boost, propelling her body forward at an intense speed with her horn affixed so it was pointing straight ahead of her.

Boomer’s eyes grew wide with shock as she saw this, but still kept her speed building, even as she was essentially running towards her enemy who was attempting a quite bold move.

As she ran down her end of the hallway she raised her right arm up, holding it like she was expecting to be using it shortly.

As she speeds down the hall she lightly looked back up, taking notice of how far away from the very tall humanoid figure was in relation to her as she continually shot down the hall like a bullet… Her already activated horn glowed a little bit brighter.

Followed by an aura that seemed to envelop Luna completely, -

…while at the tip of her horn a small (but growing) ball of glowing energy started forming. Its intensity growing stronger getting stronger and more violent for each second that passed.

Around the ball electricity started crackling, having more and more frequent rapidly discharging energy.

While getting closer, Boomer could finally take enough of a notice of something about her opponent that she had not been able to see before, a quite big something too… She was not only growing her stored magic’s intensity stronger, but she had also enveloped her entire body in a magical barrier, a barrier that was already strong enough to render her blade as threatening as a straw of grass, which could only mean one thing: She was preparing for something big…very big!

Boomer’s mind immediately started to think over-time, trying to come up with anything that could be a (relatively) close answer as to what this blue horse was trying to pull off.

Then, like a shock, it hit her, -!

… And it was far from the most pleasing thing she could have thought of at this moment.

Oh no!

She immediately thought as she realized way too late what she had just walked into…Or rather run into.

Luna formed the biggest smirk on her face that she could conjure at this point. Pointing her horn straight out in front of her, she aimed it directly at her opponent’s chest and just sat back for the rest of the ride. Something told her that it was soon going to be over.

Suddenly pressing her boots down into the floor, Boomer could only watch with wide eyes as Luna only got closer and closer, her fears that the inevitable was coming filling her with more dread than anything else about this whole attack on her master’s castle.

In the final moment before Luna and Boomer physically made contact with each other, Boomer, all of a sudden did the last thing that was expected she’d do… She ducked down!

This unforeseen action caused Luna to actually give off a worried look – for a second – as she thought that this might have been a mistake. Especially while she passed over the tall figure, time slowing down as she watched her opponent outsmarting her, watching it as it was crouched down on the floor. Patiently waiting for her to pass by before returning to standing up again.

But then, while passing over, and watching her opponent be crouched down like that a radical idea entered her head.

Maybe she wouldn’t have to worry about catching her unawares with this great opportunity at her hooves.

Closing her eyes, she pulled all her attention away from trying to keep the ball of energy under control... and instead just letting it all be unleashed in that one final blast.

However, instead of just exploding right there and then, the ball of rapidly-becoming-unstable-energy detached from her horn, being left behind her, above the crouched figure…while she continued to speed forward. Her horn still being connected to the intensifying ball of energy by electricity that was coming from her horn’s tip, -

…when they were disconnected there was nothing to keep the ball of energy back from finally releasing all its restrained power.

Having picked up so much speed on her trip across the hallway, she crashed right through the door to the room that Boomer had been guarding.

She shattered right through the steel door, startling the figure that was on the other side behind I, causing it to flinch in response to her abrupt entrance, though, it recognized her immediately by the color of her fur.

“Luna!” He immediately called out after recognizing her.

Her body crashed down into the floors, leaving behind a rather long trail of torn up floor stone bricks.

Back with Boomer, she could finally feel the energy of the ball left behind by Luna above her or rather she could feel…something.

She moved out of the way, standing back up, only to be faced with a large, very violently dispelling electrical surging ball of raw destructive power.

Facing the opposite direction, she began running in the other direction away from the spherical form of energy, that by the looks of things had finally reached the end of trying to contain this violent eruption within it anymore.

Shaking in its place, the floor underneath it started to crack open, the loosened stone bricks losing their stability, and falling down to the rooftops and other sections of the castle that was underneath it. The whole hallway was ravaged by terrible tremors as well as being accompanied by the powerful electrical surges moving across its ceiling, walls, and floors, destabilizing every bit of the foundation’s once strong grasp on every stone. Bricks fell out of the sky, ensuring the castle’s inevitable destruction was just a few moments away from coming to fruition.

Spreading across every stone brick in the castle like a disease it almost activated something of a self-destruct that was telling the castle structure to just…come apart, leave nothing behind.

Even the main tower that Bill had been kept in was starting to show this as parts of the ceiling fell onto the floor, walls shaking with such force that they were completely ripped to shreds, wide-open cracks forming. Not much of the castle would be standing for long now.

Noticing that everything was going to hell, Bill gestured towards Luna with his hands, lifting her up off the ground, and suspending her now motionless body in the air beside him.

All around them stone and wood was falling and shattering on the floor around them.

“We’ve got to get out of here, and fast!”

With a snap of his fingers a large object suddenly poofed into existence outside the tower’s balcony.

Quickly grabbing Luna, he hovered out onto the tower’s balcony, smiling in relief as he spotted the large and around shape of a familiar sight.

Without wasting any more time he teleported both himself and Luna onto the ship, appearing in a large chamber where the self-sustaining ship already a course laid in: Anywhere but here!

Sitting down in two chairs and strapping themselves in with their seatbelts in front of a giant monitor. Holding Luna close to him he shut out everything else that was taking place beyond the Dalekanium walls of the ship.

From within the crumbled hallway, the ball of energy exploded into a large spherical shape of bright, blue energy that almost seemed to eat away at the stone bricks as it came into contact with it.

A violent shockwave shot out from the giant sphere of destruction, that only grew bigger, swallowing up more and more of the already decaying castle.

When the sphere of flame dissipated its earlier stages of pre-detonation had already done sufficient damage, but now with the additional damage from the explosion and the shockwave, that had virtually crippled the foundation utterly, every stone brick started coming loose, plummeting towards the ground underneath.

A good distance away from the castle, the crews aboard the Airships had stopped their fighting when they had seen the castle have a giant energy sphere just…come out of nowhere from inside the castle, itself.

While the shockwave and blast had settled the castle’s, magic had already been severely broken, leaving just a small sliver of hope that the magic originally holding it all together could reconnect to try and save the rapidly-declining state of the doomed castle, -

...but unfortunately it couldn’t.

*****

Meanwhile, in another corner of the rapidly decaying castle, in a darkened room, stones were plummeting from the ceiling down onto the floor, shattering upon impact, as the room shook with violent force.

“W-what is happening!?”

The voice of a pair of glowing eyes and a raised, worried hand watched everything beginning to collapse around it inside its chamber.

Dust fell from cracks in the ceiling and walls, and paintings and torches were shaken loose from their holdings on the walls, falling to the floor.

The two doors fell forward, crashing onto the floor, presenting the enshrouded figure with an open corridor.

Being quick on its feet it began running out of its chamber.

Once it was out of collapsed behind it into a giant flaming abyss.

Wasting no time, it began running down the corridor as more and more of the corridor that passed it by while it was running started to crumble away into nothing, fire rising through the violently shaking floor that had now been ripped into open gateways for the destructive flames to reach.

She was eventually lead outside to the castle’s battlements. Standing there, she watched as everything was collapsing down into itself, only to have fire erupt from within, shooting up into the sky.

With a look of pure shock, she could not avoid from looking out in amazement as everything…the very thought that she had once been invincible was seemingly falling into ruin all around her. This castle was meant to be a symbol of strength…but what would one see now as it was being reduced to nothing but fire and ash.

Hearing something from above that was not an explosion, and having a bright light fall on her, she turned around, looking up above her, a hand needing to be held up as the light was quite bright for her to see.

But shortly the light activated some sort of boost, as a loud humming noise followed by rapid movement as the light seeming to move away from her, heading up into the sky.

As the lights got calmer and calmer the further distance was put between it and the castle there was finally no longer a need to hold her claw up so to protect her eyes from its brightness.

More and more details of the light’s true form became clearer as she saw what little she could of its ever-distancing shape. But from what she could make out the shape had stood out the most to her: a round circle.

*****

Back onboard the saucer, once they were far enough into the upper atmosphere, Bill undid both his and Luna’s seatbelts.

With a snap of his finger, both disappeared, teleporting off.

They re-appeared shortly after in another room where there stood a large tank filled with some sort of fluid. Around the room duplicates of Bill were moving back and forth, all of them wearing lab coats and some were holding the equivalent of an iPad mini, looking into things on it.

Holding her in his arms Bill approached one of the closest Bills, who upon seeing them approach looked towards him.

Worry evident on his face (eye).

“Is everything ready as I instructed?”

The other Bill nodded, and gestured his hand towards the tank behind him.

“Just put her in and we’ll get on with it.”

Bill nodded before turning to face the healing pod, holding his gaze on it for a few seconds, before giving Luna a momentary stare of sympathy.

He looked back up towards the healing pod, and then hovered towards it…

*****

Outside the ship’s iron walls, it had seen the last of the planet, as it had put quite a lot of distance between itself and the planet.

Back on the surface of the planet, she watched form the battlements as the ship speed away, igniting its boosters, causing it to fly into the air at an enhanced speed.

Suddenly, something is shot from the saucer, which upon entering the atmosphere is sent hurtling down towards the surface.

Impacting the surface violently it starts digging down further through the earth until it reaches the core of the planet.

Once at the core smoke starts rising through the air of the hole that it had made, -

…followed shortly by a rapidly growing light.

Bright red light begins to shot out through forced cracks in the planet’s surface, wild tremors ravage its plains and fields, shaking mountains until they crumble, and having oceans rage till they bubble and boil, -

…and then it all stops.

…

Everything becomes silent, even the intense shaking ended, -

…but then it happens.

*****

Returning to present time, the ship resumes its flight away from the planet, its engines humming as it speeds away. Leaving behind a dreadful sight.

The planet begins to disintegrate, falling to pieces as central point at the heart of the planets begins devouring everything, every particle, every speck of dust, every living creature that once existed there…all of it disappears into a swirling blackness that swallows up everything, destroying it all by disengaging it until there is nothing left but dust and ash… But in the end not even that remains.

Back onboard the saucer, Bill is hovering in front of a giant rectangular glass casing, silently observing, with his hands behind his back, as the blue figure inside is floating amongst all that fluid. A breathing apparatus connected to her mussel as bubbles occasionally emerge from it, drifting upwards through the fluid within the glass tank.

It was slow, but gradual progress could be seen to slowly restore her back to the way she was.

Outside the tank, Bill just continued watching her, silently blinking his eye from time to time as he just hovered there.

Outside in space the ship’s top compartment continued to spin around as it moved through the blackness of space, uttering no order sounds than the gentle vibrations of the engines steady hum.

*****

Later, Luna gently stirred awake from her extended sleep.

Moving around, as her motor functions were being restored and her senses starting back up, she could feel her fur brushing against the soft fabric of a bed mattress.

“Mhm? What?” She inquired as she gently opened her eyes to look out in front of her…What she was a darkness that surrounded her on all sides. Surrounding the bed was an illuminating circle of light being projected from somewhere above the bed. But when she looked up she could only see a blinding white light, forcing her to squint her eyes to ensure that the light did not overwhelm them.

“Luna?” An echoing voice that was quite familiar, and most welcome sounded from the front of the bed. Lowering her head, she looked out towards the bed’s other end.

... Hovering in the air in front of the bed was the triangular form of Bill Cipher. Someone that she had not seen for quite some time now.

Her mouth dropped, hanging slightly open as she stared back in silence at him.

After some time of watching her stare at him, Bill raised a brow at her from the confusion that was generated from seeing her strange reaction to seeing him again.

“Uh, Luna?” He gently asked.

It seemed to snap her out of whatever she was under, and she lightly shook her head.

She blinked her eyes as she looked back at him, a smile starting to settle in, though, somewhat repressed at first.

His eye’s changed its expression after that, seemingly indicating that his worry had vanished after the adjustment of her expression.

He silently hovered over to her right side on the bed, raising his hand and touching it to her hoof which lay down on the mattress.

“How are you holding up? Are you feeling alright?” He questioned her with a look of concern, to which her smile only grew, and she let out a gentle chuckle.

“It would take more than that to stay me.”

Her reply seemed to confuse him, almost as if to indicate that she had swore in front of him in a most inappropriate manner.

“What?” She asked when she saw his reaction. ‘’Did I say something?” but there was no response from him…yet, he just stared in silence.

“Wait, you don’t…remember?” He asked her.

Now it was her turn to give him a puzzled him as she had no idea what he was talking about.

“No…What? What is the big deal?”

Bill suddenly raised a finger to underneath his eye, giving off a thoughtful stare out to the side.

He then turned back, staring back with a raised brow, watching her deadpanned expression staring back at him, while occasionally blinking her eyes.

“Okay…” he exhaled with a soft breath.

“You destroyed the castle.”

Her eyes widened from shock.

“W-what?” She asked with a tone that was very obviously confused, but also amazed at the same time.

His eye closed, nodding back at her.

Opening again, it looked back into her face.

“Yes, whatever it was that you were attempting, it destroyed the whole castle, piercing the magic holding it together and becoming too much of a stain…eventually leading to its destruction.”

“B-but I wasn’t even putting all that much-concentrated energy into that blast. How did I, - “

Before she could finish she was interrupted by Bill, who had raised a finger to indicate silence.

“I don’t want you to overthink any of what we went through, -” he hovered closer, moving his hand up to her shoulder.

“...I just wanted to make sure that you were alright. I couldn’t stand the thought if you had died there.”

Luna’s blank expression immediately changed into a smirk.

‘’Didn’t I already tell you, Bill…” she giggled back. “I don’t go down that easy.”

His eye showed enjoyment, and a soft chuckle seemed to escape his non-existent mouth.

“I know, but even the greatest warrior needs a break…once in a while.”

His hand was slowly retracted from her shoulder as he started to drift back away from her, both still smiling at each other as their eye contact could not be broken.

“See ya as soon as you’ve made a full recovery, Lulu.”

She scoffed, chuckling slightly at the nickname given to him.

“Bye...Bill.”

*Squee*

She blushed as she smiled back at him from her rather embarrassing attempt at giving him a nickname like he had for her.

“Heh, it’s okay.” He gestured with a raised hand.

“Till our next meeting.” He lightly tipped his top hat to her. She had a good chuckle at that.

“Remember, reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold, bye!”

He said before vanishing into a flash of light that almost seemed to warp reality around him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5IYT9FdTRk

Scoffing once he was gone she shook her head while wearing a humored smile upon her face.

“What a…Dream Demon.” She said to herself before she lay her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes, silently and without concern drifted into a nice sleep.

Meanwhile, the blackness surrounding the circle of light dissipated, fading away to reveal her normal room.

… However, when the darkness was all gone, the grey filter that seemed to have been put over the background of her room returned to being normal colors again.

Outside her bedroom window, the moon shone just as brightly as it always had with tiny stars joining in and lighting up the night even more.

… However, outside the window several eyes started folding back into itself, forming a solid colorful cube that as soon as it was completed flew away from the castle.

Once far away the cube was consumed by a bright light, and disappeared.

Shining in through the crack of Luna's opened drawer there stood a small box that was just barely visible as a crack of light shone in through the open door.

Author's Note

Yeahhh...Looking forward to hearing what you think of this one.

Hope it isn't too much of a letdown, since i...you know, didn't have a big final battle with the main villain in this one. I hope the castle's destruction made up for it.

Link1 - Gravity Falls Theme Song 【EXTENDED Rock Version】Song by NateWantstoBattle
Link2 - Lord Of The Rings Soundtrack-The End Of All Things-Full Version.avi
Link3 - Gravity Falls│Weirdmageddon Part 3 Soundtrack│Stanley Forgets
Link4 - Gravity Falls / Feels│Weirdmageddon Part 3 Soundtrack│The End
Link5 - REALITY IS AN ILLUSION, THE UNIVERSE IS A HOLOGRAM, BUY GOLD, BYE!

Chapter 16

Chrysalis and the Cipher

Several days passed and Luna and Bill continued to have their little meetings on the side, though, many of them were less dangerous as their first outing into the Mindscape together.

They went on a whole bunch of various other adventures within the Mindscape, but this time Bill was more aware of his surroundings than just picking a planet at random for them to enjoy themselves on. He created duplicate versions of himself that he sent down to make sure that nothing would be able to interrupt them this time.

They surfed on the waves of an exploding supernova, swam through the rivers of the world of the dead, and even had a game of chess with a Sumerian god, Gozer, itself, with the backdrop of a world in flames…

… That one was admittedly a little too weird…Even for Bill, not least because Gozer existed thousands of years ago and this was just a dream, but also because Gozer was in the form of what Bill had explained to her as being Humanoid, a creature from his home dimension.

However, it was the actual form of Gozer that confused her. Why was a gender-specific creature like Gozer in the form of a Humanoid female (seemingly) wearing slimy clothing, -?

… It wasn’t until Bill explained it to her did she finally understand. She was still confused, but understood…a little.

*****

Back in Changeling Kingdom, life continued like it always had with the Changelings always searching for other viable sources of love to feed on.

At the center of the Changeling Empire was the capital castle where future Queen Chrysalis’s mother ruled the entire empire. Every day news was delivered there at the castle about the constant updates relating to the matters taking place beyond the empire borders.

Far, far, far into the distance, a bright light emanated from beyond the horizon. Changelings looked to it, wondering endlessly what the strange lights were, -

…though, no one would actually dare to venture there.

Not least because of the dark clouds lingering above the area where this was taking place, but because ghostly shapes had been flying towards it. Their ghostly mist trailing behind them as they flew towards the ever-present green glow. The ground shook violently with tremors as if the very earth, itself, was coming to life.

The incredible thirst for answers as to what was causing the bright glow was one that every living creature, not just the Changelings, wanted to quench, but the fear of what lay beyond the horizon was unfortunately the thing that held them back, preventing them from going any further than they already had.

… They should have then just been fortunate that whatever was happening beyond the horizon did not reach them…yet.

*****

With the castle, inside her private room Chrysalis was sitting atop her bed in a bored state, lazily supporting her head by her hooves since there was nothing else for her to do at the moment.

Letting out a loud groan in annoyance she continually shifted back and forth on the bed. She rolled around atop her bed, unable to get into a spot that was comfortable nor even enjoyable, there wasn’t much else to do when there wasn’t anything for her to do.

Laying down with her head on her pillow she exhales a bored sigh, staring blankly up at the ceiling above her.

With a gentle turn of her head, she looks out to her left, staring silently at the small triangle form of glass. Her eyes blinking as they watched small grains of sand moving up from the ground, almost like the grains of an hour-glass…but in reverse, as they were instead moving back up.

Scoffing at it, she stood up on the bed, jumping back down onto the ground, immediately starting for the door to her room.

She picks up the glass triangle and levitates it along beside her as she trotted across the floor. With a deadpanned monotone stare mounted on her face, she used her magic to open the door, making her way out into the hallway rather quick for a filly her size.

As she wandered down through the large hollow hallways of her mother’s castle, she could not keep her eyes from wandering back to the triangle. Unable to look away from it, and the weirdness that was taking place contained within the glass casing.

“Mother would probably know what to make of you…At the very least she will be able to explain what this thing Bill Cipher gave me is” she said to herself while using her magic to move it around in front of her face as she walked so she could constantly get better glances at its strange shape, -

…but whenever she would look in through a triangle from another angle she always saw a different image in each one. The reverse sand grains could only be seen from specific angles.

She didn’t try to look for long in either of the other triangular ‘’windows’’ because what she saw on the other side of the glass were all kinds of horrific nightmares…Some she couldn’t bring herself to want to try bringing back up in her mind on for too long since they had been quite gruesome and she didn’t have any desires of seeing them for longer than was necessary.

Upon arriving at the doors of her mother’s throne room, she inhaled a soft breath before stepping inside.

The door creaked open, causing the inhabitants that were on the inside to have their attention be drawn towards the loud door that was being pushed open.

Seeing the small figure step into the throne room brought a smile to her mother’s face. Especially when she noticed the class triangle suspended in midair. Her smile grew even wider at that big detail.

Her guards ignored the arrival of the Changeling Princess, instead resuming their duties as they stood motionless in place.

Crossing the hall at an albeit slow pace Chrysalis wore a serious stare on her face as she watched her mother’s throne getting closer and closer with every step she took on the red carpet that reached all the way up to the two giant doors behind her.

Upon finally reaching her mother’s throne she raised her head so she was facing her mother. The only thing she could explicitly on her face in terms of emotions was a warm smile that was greeting her daughter as warmly as she could.

“Chrysalis,” Pollus stated. “Beloved daughter of mine, what has earned your kind visit?”

Chrysalis turned her head, looking straight at the triangle, following it as her magic levitated it up to her mother, whose own aura of magic grabbed hold of the triangle, lifting it up into the air, and suspending it in front of her face. Her eyes staring back at the transparent reflection in the glass, catching glimpses of grains of sand floating back up instead of down.

“I want to know what this thing does...I am bored that I’d like to do something, anything” Chrysalis said.

Her mother looked away from the triangle back down to her daughter, and then back towards the cube, and then back towards Chrysalis again.
Chrysalis only blinked back at her mother continued exchanges back between her and the triangle.

She scoffed softly at it. Her eyes may be looking at the triangle, but her was staring back down at Chrysalis.

“Yes, I’ve heard about things like this before–…” her eyes were guided back to look down at Chrysalis.

“… but I’ve never actually seen one in action. I’ve heard that all you have to do is put it down on the floor.”

Chrysalis raised a confused brow at what her mother was telling her, but she still complied, giving a gentle nod of her head.

She gently put the triangle down on the floor and looked back up at her mother.

“Okay, now what?”

“Hmm,” Pollus thought, giving off a thoughtful look as she brought a hoof up, holding it underneath her chin.

Her thought-filled eyes looked up from the floor, staring back at Chrysalis with more open eyes.

“Shatter it.”

Pollus’ instruction hit the filly like a brick, surprising her, and causing her to look back up at her mother with a puzzled look, scrunching back at her with a disapproving frown of the idea of stepping on glass.

“You want me to what?” her vocal response was.

This made her mother chuckle, showing an obvious sign of this when her serious face that changed to a sudden (and poorly done) repressed smile.

“Not you…Just break it with something.”

This immediately cleared it up, as evidenced when Chrysalis responded with a, “Ohhhhh…”

Outside the castle, the ghostly forms of mist suddenly stopped in mid-air, turning towards the castle of the Changelings, looking at it for a few seconds as they could sense…something behind those walls.

Something very powerful was behind those walls, but they dared not to go any further. Turning away, they floated away from the castle, heading out their original headings.

Using her magic Chrysalis’s mother summoned up a dark crystal for her to use to shatter the glass shape.

Holding it with her own magic Chrysalis could not help but give off confused glances back up at her mother and the triangle that was placed on the floor.

“A-are you certain that is what I’m supposed to do?”

She questioned her mother since her uncertainty was being quite dominant in her decisions right now.

After exchanging confused glances between her mother and the triangle she finally raised it up above her head.

She managed to hold it in place for a while, only staring back down at the triangle, her holding on it, before she eventually brought the crystal down with a sharp thrust, instantly shattering the triangle.

The top portion of the triangle was left exposed with evident damage to its top portion.

Slowly, Chrysalis stepped towards it, nervously leaning her head down to look inside it, but inside the triangle was…nothing.

It was empty.

She looked up at her mother with a raised brow, giving off a confused look as she was puzzled by how nothing was happening.

“Mother, I don’t thin-...”

…but before she could continue that sentence a burst of light shot out from the cracked triangle.

Catching Chrysalis, her mother and everyone by surprise, causing them to flinch at its sudden light!

Chrysalis especially immediately started to back away from it, fearful of what might happen if she gets too close to the broken triangle, and especially the light.

The light starts dying down, but that only made it take on a physical form, as while the light’s intensity was reduced, a ball of light and energy floated up into the air from the broken top triangles top.

However, it just hung there in the air, hovering suspended in mid-air above its former casing.

Chrysalis, her mother, and everyone else present had their eyes almost glued to the sphere, staring at it with wide-eyed stares of amazement at the ball of energy’s unexpected appearance.

“Touch it.”

Entranced by the sphere and beckoned even more by her mother’s suggestion to touch it, she slowly raised a hoof up, extending it out towards the sphere to touch it.

She gently touched the orb, but fortunately her hoof was prevented from going any deeper into the sphere, just being able to gently touch its surface.

It started to float up into the air, -

…but instead of doing nothing a sudden shockwave shot out from it, -

…and within a single second the shockwave moved out across the room, instantly changing everything about it within what would be the equivalent of one of the heartbeats that was in a minute.

Everything in front of her line of vision changes, transforming the dark-green slimy walls, floor, and ceiling into black stone with an almost rainbow-ish color outlines.

The room is dark, but somewhat illuminated due to a bright red light whose shadow has fallen upon her where she is standing on the floor.

“What the-…”

She questions as she turns around to see whatever is shining that light upon her, -

… However her eyes widen in sheer astonishment as she sees the source of the projected light.

Seeing what is behind her immediately causes her to flinch, almost jumping at the sight of a massive, red, stained-glass mural depicting an oval eye with a slit pupil. In front of it is what seems to be an elevated pedestal.

Nothing appears to be happening, -

…until a shape whooshed past her from behind.

Her attention was focused on the object, and after squinting her eyes narrowed them so she could get a better look of what it was.

“W-who is there?”

She called out towards the place where her ears had heard the sound.

However, nothing was there that she could see.

With gentle turns, she looked around her surroundings, staring up at the twisting forms of the ceiling, the odd and twisted architecture in general, and…just the weirdness that took place there in general.

There were several doorways on the normal ground, that was fine, but then there were also ones up on the ceiling. It looked like one of those paintings that she had heard so much about where the equestrians through that just by illustrating their artistry on a sheet of paper that it qualified as ‘’art’’. To her it just looked like the insane drawings of someone who clearly had waaaaay too much time on their hooves to be coming up with that stuff.

As her mind began thinking about other things with just as much ‘’creativity’’ put into them, -

…she failed to take notice of a figure that floated past her behind her back with no sound being made that her ears could pick up on.

The figure (seen to be a black silhouette) floated up from behind the elevated pedestal.

Putting its arms behind its back it was silent as it looked down at her, its shadow falling upon her as she was unaware of him hovering there atop the pedestal behind her.

With crossed eyes, she slowly turned her head to the side, looking out at the entire room to make certain that nothing was there in the room with her. She narrowed her eyes so there was no way that she would have possibly ignored anything.

“I know that there is something here.”

She guided her sight slightly upwards to the ceiling, staring up to where she had not been able to see what had been up there.

“My ears are never wrong, so whoever I heard trying to sneak up on me come out or face my wrath.” She spoke out into the room.

She received no response, aside from the ambient silence of the room she was in.

In a very silent manner the figure put its arms behind its back where it connected them, staring down at her in silence as she didn’t even seem to notice it being there.

“Hiya kiddo” a sudden voice spoke up from behind.

The sudden introduction of a voice was enough to make her jump in surprise in her spot, exclaiming as she reacted with the loudest and most terrified scream.

She instantly turned around, discharging a blast from her horn up at the origin-point where the voice had come from.

The blast shot through the air up towards the figure who only extended an arm, catching her energy with its hand, causing her to gasp when it happened.

It looked down at the ball of crackling energy, and with casual gentleness threw it away. The glass behind the figure pulled back, allowing the ball of energy to pass through it.

Outside the glass it fell till it reached a form of steel and exploded. Meanwhile the glass resealed itself back up.

Her brows jumped, startled at what it had so casually done with her given-form magic.

Putting its arm behind its back it just looked down at her in silence, an aura of menace falling over it.

*Gulp*

She swallowed down as she did not dare to break eye-contact with the figure. The figure just being silent and remaining motionless as it returned her stares.

Suddenly, it floated down from where it had been, moving towards the floor in front of her, to which she could only back away from it. Giving it room.

When its lazily, hanging limbs touched the floor it remained just as silent and motionless. Its eye remained transfixed on her where she was standing.

However, in a move that she never expected something this threatening and nerve-wracking to do it suddenly stood on its knee, bowing itself down in front of her in a respectful manner.

It was bowing to her!

“Welcome, your Highness.”

It said in an echoing voice that Chrysalis knew all too well, and instantly recognized from when she had heard it back in her mother’s throne room in the palace.

“Wait a minute, I know that voice.”

Hanging her head, she thought about it, and while she was doing trying to find the label that would better suit the silhouetted figure, -

…all while something was sneaking up on her from behind, its hands ready for whatever it was planning on doing.

Her head shot up, staring out at the silhouetted form with wide eyes as the name that she had been searching for finally came to her.

“Bill Cipher!” She said with an almost whispering tone in her voice.

*Poke*

*Loud horrified scream*

*Snapping of fingers*

*Poof*

“…AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

After having been poked on the back of her shoulder Chrysalis had the biggest freak-out she ever had, screaming like never seen, and instantly running around the room in wild panic.

Meanwhile, the two figures moved closer to each other, standing beside one another as they watched the insanity of the Changing princess freaking out the way she was.

Their eyes following her as she ran all around the room as if she was being chased by one’s worst nightmare.

She continued like this for five minutes straight before she, just lightly looking in their direction and noticing them watching her, she looked behind her, seeing that there was wasn’t anything there, and officially bringing this little moment of apparent ‘’hilarity’’ to an end.

Her previous look of pure terror contorted into an angry stare that she immediately directed towards the two figures standing idly by and watching her.

The veil that obstructed her from properly seeing the two figures was dropped, and their no-longer silhouetted forms were revealed to be that of the one that she had predicted it would be (based off its voice)

Her eyes widened as she saw her mother’s ‘’friend’’ standing beside his other identical clone, leaning against his clone, its arms crossed and just staring at her with such a casual mannerism.

Chuckling slightly one of the Bill’s stood back up-right, crossing its across, but she just groaned annoyed at it, rolling her eyes as she turned away from him, turning towards one of the hallways that lead out of this room. It was apparent that nothing was being achieved by hanging out here anymore.

When her back was turned to them all the way the Bill on the right (the one that had leaned against the other) raised a hand up, making it rotate 360 degrees.

The other Bill’s eye looked to his right, noticing the raised hand.

He gently raised his hand, clapping it against the already raised hand’s palm. The sound of it making Chrysalis stop in her place.

She would have looked behind her towards them, but decided against it since she knew that it would just be them rubbing their stupid scare of her in her face.

She just lightly shook her head and then resumed trotting towards the triangular doorway, all while the two Bill clones behind her disintegrated into blue mist that flew up towards the ceiling, passing the dark stones like a ghost.

Gently turning her head to look behind her she couldn’t see anything of the Bill clones or anyone for that matter.

She was (thankfully) alone.

Exhaling a sigh of relief, she conjured up a small smile now that she was free of Bill’s obnoxious voice.

*****

She continued down the triangular-shaped hallway, a look of determination on her face as she strode forward through the hallway.

Strange shapes could be seen all around the hallways, things looked like a mix between stained glass windows and crystal oval shapes could be seen on the walls in some parts, there were support beams in random places for no reason whatsoever, and then there was this room that resembled a giant black void filled with countless numbers of staircases going in random directions with glowing eye-shaped-windows placed in random places on the staircases.

“Somepony has clearly spent too much time admiring abstract art.”

Her face contorted itself into a confused grimace as she could not take her eyes off the weirdness that was taking place in this room.

Her eyes, which could not be ripped away from all the staircases going off in different directions, immediately snapped from one staircase to another as soon as she could not help but glimpse another one way sooner than her rapidly deflating excitement at seeing weirdly positioned staircases would have liked.

She even passed by a door at one point that had the initials OPEN TO PUBLIC COME IN! written on it.

… However she did not notice it since she was not tall enough to spot the sign in front of the door as it was shrouded in a thick fog of darkness that rendered it invisible to all but the one who shrouded it.

Continuing like this for a while as she explored the rest of…Bill’s home she finally seemed to be on the right track since there was a long red carpet that stretched down a lone hallway that did not seem to connect to the one she was currently following.

She decided it to follow it for curiosity’s sake, and also because it had an sign above it that read Throne room which was an obvious sign that this was where Bill would most likely be.

With a turn left she gently made her way down this new corridor, following it to wherever it leads.

After following the hallway for some time, she finally stepped out into a much bigger room.

Immediately the filly’s eyes widened and jaw dropped, hanging wide open as she was taken aback by the room that she had just entered…AND-…

*****

With crossed eyes, she muttered soundlessly under her breath as she saw the room, then proceeding to let out an angry groan in frustration.

“This is just where I started from!”

She shouted into the room as all her rage exploded to the surface at having gone around in circles and returning to the first room she had seen.

It was true, she had returned to that room with the strange raised pedestal and the weird mural glass-thing that was up on the wall behind it.

Even the strange pillar shapes were all in the same spot she had seen them.

“Ugh…I can’t believe this!”

She growled to herself as she trotted out into the room, an angry frown looking out across the room, making sure that everything was the same as before.

Coming to a halt at the center of the room she looked back up to the pedestal thing, staring back at it with a blank stare.

“Cipher, are you here!”

She called up towards the pedestal, expecting an answer to be given, -

…but receiving nothing.

The entire room was quiet, eerily silent.

Turning her head, she looked around the room to make sure that there weren’t any Bill clones there this time to scare her like they had earlier.

… But not even they were there.

The entire room was dead silent, the only lifeform capable of movement and speech being her.

Her gaze shifted around the room for several minutes, hoping to find something or someone else that could at least point her in direction of where Bill Cipher might be in this insane place, though, if they were anything like the rest of this place then maybe that was not such a bad thing.

With an annoyed groan, she spun on her heel and strode back down the way she had come.

After taking a good nine steps away from where she had stood one of her ears twitched as she heard a sound from behind her speak up as she was about to leave.

“Leave so soon?” An all-to-familiar voice reached her ears.

Her head shot up, staring out in front of her with wide eyes.

Slowly, she turned around, turning her entire body around so her eyes could indeed glimpse what she assumed had to be the real deal.

True enough, once she was now facing the pedestal and the large window she saw a triangle suspended in mid-air on the pedestal, its arms behind its back, legs crossed and a casual, calm demeanor about it as its lone eye looked back down at her.

“Hey.”

He extended a hand, waving it at her, but all the Changeling filly could do was stare up at him with shock.

She closed her mouth, but not because she was happy to have found him, on the contrary, she was furious with him. Evidenced when her face’s expression contorted into an angry glare that looked to be suppressing some of the anger she was experiencing at this moment.

She closed her eyes and looked a little of her head away from him, exhaling a heavy sigh as she suppressed her anger even more.

Upon opening her eyes again, she was about to begin laying the angry words she was saving up when she suddenly noticed that the room had immediately changed into something that was far from the room that she had been staring at seconds before.

Instead everything had been changed or re-arranged into a far more different layout…That was false, the entire room was still the same, except that the glass window had changed into a large oval window with a flat end at the bottom, inside which was an arrow pointing upwards with strange (but surprisingly well-crafted) shapes at the top and inside the triangle. There were banners on the both sides of a sharp and spiked throne that had taken the place of the pedestal, and the banners themselves depicted images of Bill Cipher with raised arms and the landscape of trees and other objects on fire.

Despite being a throne that he should have had no problems sitting on the Dream Demon that hovered above the seat looked to be far smaller compared to its large and grand size than was expected. Even the Bills on the banners looked big enough to sit on it.

“Yes, Princess Chrysalis- “

He said, his arms reaching out towards the throne’s armrests but not managing to reach due to the armrests being further away, and thus just falling right down.

He was surprised by it, and almost lost his stable hovering if not for catching himself half-way through falling with his arms that had failed to connect with the armrests, making him exclaim a “Whooahhh!” As he lost his balance.

Putting a hoof to her mussel she snickered at his failed attempt to put his arms down on the throne’s sides in a menacing display.

His eye looked up, his gaze falling upon where she was standing not that far away from his throne, narrowing his eye at her.

Her head shot up, staring back at him wide-eyed as his crossed eye met her staring pair.

With hanging arms, he locked eyes with her, creating a back-and-forth stare between the two that was not broken.

A silence devoid of any motion from either fell upon the room that lasted for a good couple of seconds, -

… it being only interrupted when Bill suddenly began to snicker.

What started out as a simple snicker eventually got progressively louder and louder before turning into a full-out laugh.

Seeing Bill reacting the way he was Chrysalis gently started to join him in laughing, not getting her voice any louder than that of a nervous laugh.

They went on for laughing for a solid five minutes with no signs of stopping.

By the end of it Chrysalis’ laugh had been reduced down into an annoyed laughter that was just so darn angry about things having gotten so drawn out.

Unable to take it anymore she snapped!

“AUUGHHHHH!” She shouted in a pint-up rage, her raised voice being enough to about the room being silenced.

Breathing heavily from having used her voice like that she guided her eyes back down towards the hovering triangle who was now looking back at her with a blank expression about its eye.

Reading its face was going to prove a little problematic.

Panting softly, she watched him adjust his bowtie before he floated through the air towards her, his hands meeting behind his back where they folded.

Watching him approach her with a look about his eye that told her he was either irritated with her and was now going to do something about that. She couldn’t know for certain unless she watched what transpired next, but whatever happened next would decide whether she would be relying on the precaution of a teleportation spell was indeed even more uncertain.

However, when the triangle reached her he immediately stopped right in front of her, he put his hands behind his back and directed his eye back to meet her gaze as he hovered in place.

Almost immediately a form of the ground started to raise up underneath, a rectangular box formed underneath him.

None of this made sense, but then again it was Bill Cipher, he was so strange and bizarre that he might as well have been Discord’s grandfather.

He then got down on one knee, bowing his…well…part of his triangular tip down in a manner that was close enough.

His actions confused her more than anything she had seen so far, in this palace of insanity

She had expected to see a few bizarre things, but one thing that she had never thought she would see was him, Bill Cipher himself, bowing before her like one of her subjects.

“Princess Chrysalis, what is thy bidding?” he automatically asked her as if this was just something he did on a regular basis.

She backed away from him, her paranoia growing with everything that he was doing now.

“Uh…what is happening?” she asked obviously weirded out by his strange behavior.’’

He looked up, both meeting the others eyes/eye.

“You are royalty, - “ he stood up, the floor sinking back down underneath him. Returning to normal. “Are you not?” he asked, doing random, but seemingly casual, hand gestures through the air.

Wait! He recognizes me as royalty…despite having the power to destroy our entire race under his boot?

Realizing that she had not answered him she quickly nodded her head to indicate that she had noticed his question.

“Y-yes, I am the Princess of the Changelings” she said with a little stutter unfortunately sneaking its way into her reply to him.

“Indeed… And as your mother regent I am in bound in servitude to you alike.”

His hands were behind his back and his eye looked back at her with a blank deadpanned look that greatly reminded her of her mother’s veteran guards back home who always responded to an instruction in the same kind of monotone voice.

“B-but you’re Bill Cipher,” she stated with a raising of her brow and a new mounting expression that perfectly suited the descriptions falling under suspicious. “Your far more powerful than even the Lord of Chaos, and I doubt the Elements of Harmony would have any effect on someone as powerful as you.”

She was taking a great risk on saying this to him since she knew full well that it could easily backfire, but her newfound curiosity towards this insanely powerful godly figure was behaving in front of her, something that could barely be considered a challenge with how strong her power was now let alone further down the line when she was older.

Outside of casually blinking his eye at her there was no auditable response from him.

“You forget that I don’t possess royal blood, thus I am not entitled to the throne of either the Changelings or any race on this world” he said while gesturing through the air with his arm.

“But that should hardly matter to someone such as you who can- “

“…control reality? Use the thread in the fabric of reality as a toothpick?” he interrupted her, gesturing with his hand in the air as he crossed his eye, narrowing it towards her.

Uh…How can one use reality as a toothpick? You don’t even have a mouth, she thought as she raised a confused brow at him.

“Just because I could move the Sun and the Moon with my finger does not mean that I am entitled to rule over everyone that cannot measure up to my levels of power…”

She was about to say something but he held up his hand, indicating to her that she was to remain silent.

“…If anything it just makes everything incredibly unfair for the those that I am subjugating under my rule, and what is the fun in just taking something because you can?” he asked as he held up his hands.

“I want to feel frustration at the possibility of losing, the heat of battle, and the sense of victory when I actually do win because it was through the might of my own power that brought it about.”

With a blank stare on her face, but raising a brow at him, she tried to not seem too surprised by his sudden change in mannerism.

However, in truth she was nothing but speechless at this since she had only seen him as being an insane party animal…like Discord, who did nothing but whatever he wanted. She had never in her entire life imagined him to actually have anything close to a moral standing considering he could so easily just do whatever he wanted if someone disobeyed him.

“But isn’t it…kinda…insane to not use any of the power that one like yourself who has such incredible powers by wasting it on such inferior creatures below?”

Putting his hands behind his back he folded them as his expression took on more of a smirk.

Thus, he hovered a little closer to her…Maybe getting a little too close for comfort.

“If I was to do that, Princess, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

After saying that he hovered away from her, providing her with some breathing space.

Raising a brow, she looked back at him confused by his statement.

“Why?” she asked, even though deep down she probably knew the answer to her own question but wanting him to answer it for her so she wouldn’t have to draw any conclusions that quick on her own.

“Because the Changelings rule Equestria?” she said nervously in an attempt, hoping that it was the correct answer to her question that she was looking for.

She only watched as his expression changed into a delightfully evil smirk.

“I would be ruling over Equestria…and would be the one holding your chains since you would be nothing to me but slaves.”

Her eyes wide in horror at the thoughts that entered her head.

Connecting his hands behind his back-Bill floats through the air – soundlessly – and approaches her with this creepy expression about him.

“How fortunate for us both that I am not like that…” he says right to her face.

*Gulp*

Upon noticing her swallowing down in such a horrified state, he hovered back away from her – his arms hanging back down beside him.

Returning to sitting in his throne his arms grew a little longer so that they finally reached the throne’s armrests.

Stepping back away from him a little she held a horrified expression upon her face as she beheld him sitting on that throne in the silent manner that he was.

“But enough about what I would like, what do you want to do, Princess?” he just – quite randomly at that – asked her as he adjusted his posture on the throne.

He raised his legs up to the right armrest, perching them there while his arms were brought up behind his triangular form.

His changed posture making him look quite relaxed.

“W-what are you doing?” she asked, her uncertainty surrounding Bill being returned in some small amount due to his quite…sporadic character.

Rolling his eye, he gently lowered his one leg down – letting it hang – while the other was still perched atop the side.

“Well, whatever you wish, your Highness…I assume you put yourself through so much effort to come here to seek me out for a reason.” he gestured in the air with his hand.

She tripped over herself trying to find the words that could dispute what he was saying, but there was nothing she could say that would not be the truth for her wanting to seek out Bill Cipher.

Finally, not trying to conceal it anymore, her expression turning into a blank frown upon her face, she meets his unbreakable stare that was awaiting her response.

“I’m bored.” she just blurted out in a deadpan monotone voice.

“There is nothing to do back home so I thought a little visit to you might find some way of making t a little…less boring, at least.”

“Hmmm…” he brought a hand up to his non-existent cheek, surprisingly thinking about it.

His eye looked up, staring back at her.

Standing back up in his throne he put his arms behind his back as he took to floating in the air towards her.

Stopping ten inches away from her with a deadpanned expression about him. It looked very serious.

Before the silence got to the point of getting silly, the floor was suddenly overtaken by violent tremors that shook the entire chamber with violent intensity.

She had a little trouble maintaining her balance, but it didn’t seem like it was necessary considering what came next.

With tremendous speed the floor suddenly caved in, a circular shape speeding downwards through the earth in something that was quite ludicrous, -

…and that was putting it lightly.

Holding on tightly with all possible strength that was enough to keep her from just flying off Chrysalis’ hind legs started moving up the more speed it continued to pick up.

Her skin started trail behind her, the sheer intensity of the speed being so strong that it was pulling on her skin back out of place.

Being able to spare a glance she could look out to the sides, seeing with her own eyes what this long tunnel was digging down through, -

… Instantly her eyes went wide in surprised shock at what she was seeing.

Everywhere she could see it was all dark clouds with large forms of light that were seen emerging from behind them.

All throughout she could see forms of various colors flying around. Some of them trying to get up-close to her.

However, they were unable to get within the carved circle since a protective green forcefield appeared whenever they tried.

Eventually some of them got bored and just floated away, though, there were still a few stragglers who could not bother themselves with doing something else and just continued following her despite not being able to penetrate the forcefield.

This is weird, she thought, but then again shouldn’t that already have outrun its use a while ago?

Just as she was beginning to delve deeper into her thoughts while thing carved circular piece of the floor was speeding down towards where wherever it was taking her…it suddenly stopped dead in midair.

This caused Chrysalis to be flung face-first against the dark stones.

“Urgh…” she groaned as she just lay there for a few seconds.

Lifting her head – as well as her body – she returned to standing up on her odd hooves.

Her pupil’s spine around inside her eyes momentarily, but a quick shaking of her head easily got rid of that, allowing her to return to full functionality once again.

“Ohhh…” she groaned as she rubbed the back of her sore head from that rough landing. “Let’s not do that again.” she moaned.

“I am sorry to say that it isn’t entirely over yet…” a familiar voice said to her.

She quickly spun around, staring directly back at the one who had spoken.

“… Especially if you are still feeling up for not spending the rest of the day in boredom.”

Crossing his arms, he looked back at her as his triangular form hovered through the air towards her.

Scrunching her face, she was suppressing some of her frustration with him doing all these…quite unnecessary things to impress her of his power.

Uttering a low growl, she looked back at him with a frown.

“Fine…” said Chrysalis as she returned to standing up on all fours in not such a dizzy state. “But you better deliver on what you’re promising me for the remainder of this day.”

Bill’s eye smirked at her. His arms hanging down.

“Oh, when have I ever disappointed you so far during your visit, Princess?”

*Snap*

The next to follow right after Bill snapped his fingers was that the platform suddenly exploded!

Each stone shattering into dust that no longer gave Chrysalis something to stand on, and instead just drift through…wherever in Tartarus this weird place was!

Moving around frantically in the air her panic was short-lived as a portal swirling in on itself opened right below her and Bill, who was just casually hovering there beside her while she was having some trouble with the gravity in this place.

Looking back him – despite drifting upside down – her eyes meet his lone, managing just a single stare before the two of them were pulled into the portal.

‘’BILL CIPHER!’’ were the only words uttered from her before they entered the tunnel of light.

*****

(Later, at night)

Sitting on her throne in a darkened chamber that was only being illuminated by the torches aligning the wall, Empress Pollus was discussing the foreign matters that was being brought to her attention by her Generals, who were all gathered in the throne room with her.

“Hmm…” she grumbled, going to her thoughts to think about what had just been brought to her attention. “That is indeed very troubling, General.” she replied, lowering the hoof form her chin, eyes looking up to meet him.

“I don’t think you would find a single Changeling here would disagree with you, your Majesty.” the general replied.

She managed to let out a gentle chuckle at his attempt at humor, intentional or not, smiling warmly at him.

Her former seriousness returned as soon as she looked back out towards the rest of the Changelings in the chamber.

“Has any attempt been made to-? “

Before she could continue she was mid-way interrupted by a bright flash of light, that shortly followed to reveal the hovering figure of Bill Cipher and her daughter, Chrysalis, hovering beside him.

Her initial look of surprise changed into a smile that she used to greet the two new arrivals with upon seeing them.

“Cipher... Daughter.” she nodded her head at them individually.

Bill grabbed his top hat, but instead of tipping removing his hat he lightly tipped it.

“Empress.” said Bill in a respective tone.

The triangle with his eye flipped itself so that it was facing Chrysalis while the rest of his lower body was still facing the Empress.

“I hope that I have not inconvenienced you, but I and the Princess was just hanging out a little, you know, getting to know each other.”

Chrysalis looked towards him, but just crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at him as she hovered there.

“Oh no, it has by no means been an inconvenience…I’m just glad that she has been safely returned to me.” Her eyes shifted down from Bill to her daughter, whom she smiled heartfelt towards as she continued to hover there in the air.

…and that my little girl and one of my closest friends are finally getting along, she thought as she continually looked and forth between the two figures in the air.

Hearing a gentle yawn from their side Bill and Pollus both shifted their attention towards the source of the yawn.

Seeing that it had come from Princess Chrysalis, who was by now looking to be quite tired.

Both chuckled a little at it, staring at her as she just hovered there in the air, before shortly looking back at each other again.

“Something tells me that the young one is ready to retire for the night.” Bill said, raising his hand – his fingers outstretched – which slowly brought her back down to hovering just above the floor.

“I could not agree more.” said Pollus, watching as her daughter once again let out another much softer yawn, wiping his eye with her hoof.

Looking back down at the Generals still in the room she asked, “Will you gentlecolts excuse me, I must attend to my daughter,” to which the Generals responded with a series of “Of course, your Highness,” before bowing in respect, and afterwards leaving the chamber, leaving only the Empress, the Princess, Bill Cipher, and a few guards as the sole occupants.

Enveloping her growing progressing more tired daughter in her own magic field Pollus brought her a little closer to her through the air.

Looking to face Bill she looked towards his eye, smiling warmly at him.

“Thank you, Cipher, for keeping her entertained for the day.”

“Ah, it was no biggie, just show her a little bit of this and a little bit of that and she had her hooves full for a few hours.”

She scoffed/chuckled gently.

With a turn of her head she looked at the exhausted filly in her magic field, to which her expression deflated a little, turning into a light frown.

“I must however apologize if she might have been…a little much, even for you to handle.”

“Eh, she wasn’t all that bad...” he shrugged back a little uncertain in his tone. “And besides she’s a kid, I give her a little more leniency in that she isn’t exactly fully matured yet.”

“Here here…” Pollus nodded in agreement.

“But enough about us adults talking about her, why don’t we take her to her room?” Bill asked, gesturing towards the main door with his thumb.

“I don’t think that would be such a bad idea.”

Turning towards the main entrance to the throne they headed down the brief steps, Pollus trotted up along the red carpet that lead to those two large doors while Bill hovered in the air beside.

Standing at their attention upon seeing her, the guards also used their magic to open the door for the Empress and Cipher.

Trotting out of the throne room the two barely paid them a second glance.

*****

Venturing down the long hallway towards the Princess’s room Bill hovered silently beside the Empress. Arms behind his back as he tried to seem as high-standing as possible with the few Changelings they passed by on their way to Chrysalis’s room.

Upon reaching her daughter’s room, Bill waited in the open door as Pollus put her daughter to bed.

Standing over her bed Pollus could not help but smile as she watched her little filly gently stir under her covers, moving around in her sleep.

“Good night, my little Chrysie.” She said before leaning in and planting a kiss on her daughter’s cheek.

Watching her return to him, Bill backed out into the hallway so she could get out.

She looked back inside one final time, her magical grasp holding the door in place just before closing it, the light from the door illuminating Chrysalis so that her mother could see her child perfectly from where she stood.

With a final smile, she closed the door, enshrouding the room in darkness so that nothing would interrupt the filly’s slumber.

Turning back towards Cipher she just stared at him happily for a few seconds, before waving her hoof at him, gesturing for him to follow her as she turned and started following one of the corridors in front of her. Him hovering silently beside her.

*****

Trotting silently beside the equally silent Bill Cipher Pollus hung her head low, staring down at the floor in front of her as she trotted.

Finally, she eventually came to a stop, while Bill just continued forward, having not noticed it.

“Cipher…Am I a good mother?”

A question of that caliber, asked as sudden as it was enough to make him stop in his place.

His whole triangular form feeling an uncomfortable tension just from the weight of such a thing being asked.

He turned around to face her, seeing that her head was hung low and staring down at the floor in front of her.

“Have I failed my empire…? Have I…” she paused, lingering on like that for some time. Her mouth wide agape as if she was going to continue.

Suddenly, she lightly collapsed to the floor, Bill rushing over to her in aid.

She did not require assistance, but was now sitting up straight with her back against the wall, a sad expression upon her face that was hung low.

She looked up, meeting his eye staring back at her.

“…Have I failed my empire?” she asked again, her tone filled with sadness.

“Why would you say something like that, your Highness?” asked Bill with concern.

She didn’t answer, and instead just hung her head down again.

“I feel like while I may have a chance to save the Changelings from extinction through political means…that it will all be undone by my daughter…” she raised her head a little, directing her pupils back to looking up at his lone eye.

“She is quite suspicious of all who are not Changelings, and she has every right to be, there is much that we have done to earn such potential hostility towards us…”

“But what if an opportunity presents itself that we Changelings may live in harmony with the Ponies?” she asked him, a soft smile forming. “It will be an opportunity to save the Changelings from the extinction that could become a reality if we continue down our war-like path…” her smile quickly faded again, being replaced by sadness. “What if after my passing that Chrysalis will try to undo all my hard work because she does not trust the Ponies? How will that reflect on me as her mother?”

Hovering a little closer Bill extended a hand out to her, touching it to her shoulder. She looked up at him, meeting his sympathetic eye.

“I don’t know what the future holds for everyone, not even me, but I can tell you that as someone who has experienced Chrysalis as an individual for the first time that she is not that paranoid of others as you might think.”

She raised a brow, looking back at him.

“How can you be so sure? I have been raising her since birth, and even I’m not certain if I did it effectively.”

“That is because she was only raised amongst Changelings, not allowed to experience the kindness and hospitality that she can experience in the company of others who want nothing but to live their lives and tend to their loved ones.”

“B-but how did you do that? How could you possibly convince her that you weren’t a threat to her?”

Bill scoffed, smiling warmly.

“By showing her kindness, giving her experiences that showed her that while I am a little insane that I am just insane enough to be understand and loving.”

Pollus could only blink as they exchanged stares.

“In fact, - “snapping his fingers he summoned several squares out of thin air, that he grabbed with his hand. Holding them out to her.

“I wanted her to have these.”

Confused, she took them with her magic, moving them up in front of her face to see.

“What are-…” before she could continue her eyes had already fallen upon the pictures, and once they were seen she was virtually enthralled by them.

“It’s not much, but it’s something that I hope she might appreciate someday.” He softly rubbed his left arm, looking off to the side.

Moving squares back to the end she continued to look at them all in a relatively silent pause, her eyes watering at every single one that she saw.

“Oh Bill…” her voice was breaking, unable to hold back an overwhelming abundance of joy that seemed to coming to the surface.

“T-these are wonderful.” she said as she continued to flick through the last of them.

Looking up at him she could only see the kind expression of the Dream Demon that she had known for so long.

“…”

She was about to speak, but Bill raised his hand, silencing her.

“You don’t owe me anything…” he leaned forward slightly, extending his hand out to her shoulder. “Just that you live your life to the fullest.”

She opened her mouth about to continue speaking, but then decided against it, and instead just looked back at the squares she held in her magic field.

“Thank you, Cipher.” she nodded gently.

His eye closed as he nodded back.

Gesturing through the air his hand, she suddenly felt her right hoof overtaken by magical field that lifted it up.

He cupped it with his own two hands, looking back into her eyes with a kind expression.

“It’s what friends do.”

Left speechless by that, she didn’t even pay that much attention to when he used he let go of her hoof and floated back away from her a bit.

“Well, it is late, and as such I must now bid thee farewell…” him speaking seemed to snap her out of her trance.

“’Huh, wha -?”

“Good night to you, your Highness.” was all she managed to pick up before she saw him ready to snap his fingers, and decided to just act as quickly as she could before he left.

“G-good night to you too, Cipher.” was all she managed to utter before he snapped his fingers, vanishing in a flash before leaving the corridor devoid of life save for her.

Looking around her to make sure he wasn’t still there or just playing a trick or something on her.

When she saw that she was alone she just chuckled softly to herself, and then activated her horn, teleporting out of the corridor and back to her own room to retire for the night as well.

Vanishing with *Pop*.

*****

(Meanwhile, far far away…)

Preparing herself for a good night of rest Luna trotted back to her room, encountering many guards and other ponies of high positions that passed her by on her way to her room.

Many of them greeting her in a friendlier tone than others since they did know that just because she was royalty that she wasn’t going to despise them because they showed that they had the ability to show emotions and be friendly.

Upon returning to her room the first thing on her agenda was getting out of her royal regalia and into something more suited for sleeping.

With the aid of her magic she removed her chest plate and crown, while simply slipping out of her horseshoes like it was nothing.

Humming a gentle tune to herself she telekinetically opened the two doors to her closet, -

…but instead of continuing like she had originally intended she became motionless, her brows crossing themselves as she looked towards something that had rather caught her attention a little more than getting changed into suitable attire.

“Curious.” she pondered as her magic activated, enveloping a rectangular box, and gently lifting it out of the closet.

Backing away, she levitated the paper box over to her desk, setting it down.

Opening it, she curiously raised a brow at what she found lying inside it.

Her horn activated, and started to pull out-

“…Books?” was her response as she gently put the book down onto her desk, looking down at it with a newly mounted confusion at what she was seeing.

“Why would anypony send me books…? Or Tartarus, use a big unmarked box to get it delivered?”

There was no short supply concerning this strange find in her closet of all places.

What in the world was a box with no identification as to who had it placed been doing there?

Who put it there?

Why was there a picture of six-clawed paw on the front?

Author's Note

Final chapter for a while.

I will not be posting any other chapters for a while after this one, at least not until 2017. I should have tons more chapters by then so rest assured that even though it is going to be a long hiatus i will have much more content for you guys this upcoming year:pinkiesad2:

Thank you to all my readers who have enjoyed and supported this story so far:raritywink:

I am really Looking forward to giving you guys much more awesome content in the future:pinkiehappy:

See ya all in 2017!:twilightsmile:

Chapter 17

The Book of Secrets

The next day after Luna had lowered the Moon and her sister had raised the Sun to welcome the new dawn, she turned her attention back to the quite surprising discovery that had been made in her closet last night.

The second following her adorning her royal regalia once more she immediately turned her attention to the book.

Staring blankly down at it as it sat on her desk with the strange fix-clawed paw insignia on the front (with no number) So many mysteries were stirring inside her head at just this book’s mere existence, let alone who put it in her closet.

While she did blink, she remained otherwise motionless as she sat on the floor facing it with great curiosity surrounding it. A stern expression mounted upon her face as she could not manage to look away from it.

“What are you…?” she asked none in particular since she was the sole occupant in the room.

Extending a hoof out to its front, she gently pulled the cover to the side, revealing a page that read;

Written by Alex Hirsch

“Hmm…Well, whoever you may be, Alex Hirsch, I assume that one day we will have to meet so we can discuss why you left a box for me in my closet.”

But as she finished that sentence it dawned on her how dangerous it was now that she had a name to go on – stopping her hoof in mid-air thus. A nervous expression settling on her face as her eyes could not divert themselves from looking at the book, especially now with those thoughts.

Is it possible that whoever this Alex is that he…could be one who serves my sister and I? Could it be that the one who left this for us was a guard or one of the other ponies who occasionally come and visit us? It is aftercall impossible to keep an eye on everypony that come here.

Nervous about her surroundings suddenly she slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder, checking her room to ensure that no one was there with her in this moment.

Crossing her brows, she activated her horn, causing a blue light to that reached up from the floor to the ceiling, but was as thin as a thread, that moved from one corner of the room to the other opposite it, making safe that the no one and no thing was in there with her.

Using her magic again, but this time to de-activate the spell, returning the room back to before she had cast the spell and turning back to look at the book in front of her.

Her worried expression changing to a more relaxed blank stare she used to look at the book with.

“Okay then, back to business like usual.” she said as she resumed movement with her hoof – that had been suspended in mid-air after when she became distracted – but instead of flipping the page with her hoof she simultaneously used her magic to flip it the page while doing a swiping motion with her hoof to humor herself…

*****

Her eyes immediately jumped, as well as her whole body flinching as her eyes fell upon the second page that depicted a bipedal, pale figure that was clad in black robes and holding dark-green robes with a bald head and a face that had the slits of a serpent for a nose, but primarily those of a skull.

The title was up in the corner of the left page written in big letters.

The Unmentionable, the title read.

Guiding her eyes back towards the pale figure she stared down at the page for a few minutes longer than she intended.

The writing on the two pages was very crude, as if it had been written in a hurry.

Phrases like, He cannot be trusted, Murderer, and lastly down in the corner on the right page were the words, I…am afraid of him, written.

On both the pages was a lot of text relating to this “Unmentionable.”

One of the photographs displayed an open grave that displayed the image of a casket that had been lowered down into the hole.

Per the snippets of information found on both pages she could piece together that this…creature was born in 1963 during the Victorian era.

As it grew up it was associated with some horrific murders that had believed to have connections with the anti-non-magic users who, in Equestria’s old days, had performed a series of ritualistic murders of Earth Ponies and Pegasus Ponies due to them lacking a horn to which they could magic with.

Sacrifices were made to a god whose followers were promised a ‘’purified’’ world to which they would roam once they were the sole species of this world.

One in a while a ‘’chosen one’’ was selected who would be the vessel for the god’s spirit that was pure evil.

Once possessed the ‘’chosen one’’ would be transformed into a tall bipedal creature that was the god’s true form in whatever dark dimension it originated from.

Often it would rip the remaining horn of the chosen vessel from its forehead and use it as a means of casing its dark magic. It could use telekinesis well enough without the use of the horn, but it was otherwise forced to use the horn due to it being unable to fully manifest itself in this dimension for longer periods of a week.

However, while prohibited from using all its power at once the possession was enough to create a link between its vessel and its imprisoned self in the other dimension it had been banished to, and with its huge reserves of power in the other dimension it meant that its stamina was never depleted.

Only in the last few days of its possession would it grow exhausted and tired from slowly being forced to leave the vessel and return to its prison.

The last thing she saw of this terrible creature was a newspaper clipping that had been attached to the right page that spoke of this society called ‘’the Purebloods’’ who had been apprehended after a series of gruesome ritualistic murders had been carried out in their name.

Months had gone by without too many leads that gave exquisite evidence as to who were directly involved, but one cult member had eventually turned himself in and revealed the location of the society’s meeting grounds.

Apparently, he had been feeling great guilt about the things that he had done and wanted to hopefully save himself by preventing more murders by taking place.

In the following days, several arrests were made concerning key-figures within the main councilmembers who were part of an inner circle that were in direct contact with the deity so that they could carry out its will.

Once they were in Equestrian custody the society disbanded, since without the council to interpret the will of ‘’the unmentionable’’ there was no longer any purpose for their existence.

Seeing that a peace had been created the council was secretly executed to ensure a permanent peace was established and to infinitely keep the society from ever resurfacing again to continue their mindless string of murders…

*****

Feeling disgust at what she had read her scrunched expression looked away from the newspaper clipping as her magic turned the page.

When her eyes spotted the next entry, she saw that it was quite a strange yet recognizable one.

“Oh, what was its name…” she held up her hoof, trying to snap her non-existent hooves just like she had seen Bill do when he had trouble remembering something.

“Ah, yes!” she exclaimed, smiling as she finally remembered the name.

“Gozer… Yes.”

She trailed slightly off as she gently nodded her head from remembering the name.

Staring down at the picture depicting the god she was less impressed since she had already meet the deity personally.

“Meh… Already seen that one,” she commented on this page before using her magic to flip the page again with her magic.

However, as the page was flipped she missed one of the newspaper clipping that had a rather interesting title.

End of the World prophecy or just mad ravings?

*****

After flipping through the book’s many pages, seeing nothing but extensive entries on various creatures and sometimes even whole locations.

The building in particular confused her since it was just a simple sketch of something that looked like it belonged in Manehattan.

One of the entries was even stranger. It just looked to be what could be estimated schematics or designs.

Flipping onto the next page she crossed her brows almost immediately as soon as she saw the next figure depicted.

Raising one of her brows as this one caught her attention on a level that she didn’t expect to.

Scanning the page for any identification she eventually found it in the top corner of the left page.

Lord O

With the use of her magic she lifted the book up into the air, moving it closer to her face so she could better examine the attire depicted in the image.

Not because the quality of the picture was inadequate to display it well enough, but because it was giving her the strangest sense of Déjà vu that she had seen this figure somewhere before.

Raising her head – and putting the book back down on the desk – she looked out the window in thought.

Trying to remember where she had seen this before her mind immediately connected the image to a memory, remembering precisely where she had seen this before.

Thinking that it was better just to visit the actual place her horn activated the teleportation spell, making her vanish in a flash of light.

Several moments after she had left the door to her room was gently pushed open and a lone figure stepped inside the now abandoned room.

Turning its head, its eyes falling upon the book with the open page it stepped up to the desk.

Extending a hoof, she flipped through quite a lot of pages until she arrived at the last page. Its eyes widening in shock.

[Far away from Canterlot…]

Re-appearing in another flash Luna immediately turned her head to look around at her surroundings to ensure that she had arrived at the place she had intended.

She had.

She had arrived in the center of a large clearing where most of what surrounded it was a forest.

Standing at the center of a circular clearing she could see nothing but the forest that surrounded her.

Closing her eyes, she began to concentrate. A second later her horn was activated, a far stronger concentration being used than usual.

Energy crackled seemingly at random in the sky, but was soon revealed to be a large forcefield that flickered to life as the magic could sense the one who originally cast it ordering it to undo the spell.

Obeying the command the barrier momentarily flickered, suddenly causing several structures to flicker into existence.

Becoming clearer to see as the spell was lifted, the structures finally looked solid enough to make it clear that the spell of concealment had been lifted fully.

Suddenly a shape rose high into the air behind her!

Thinking that it was something attempting to sneak up on her she quickly spun around to face it, readying her horn for whatever she might encounter.

However, when seeing the shadow’s origin with her own eyes she immediately froze in place, halting all further movement, -

…seeing that the figure to meet her eyes was a solid stone statue that depicted a bipedal figure.

Standing tall the figure it extended its arm out, holding a sphere that unlike the rest of the statue seemed to be made from obsidian, making it stand apart from everything that was just purely carved from stone.

If shown to Equestria’s grumpiest critic it could never be argued that it had flaws. Everything was flawless.

Trotting around to the front she looked up at the statue’s face.

However, there was just one problem with that.

Its face was hidden behind by a large mask that covered the whole head, hiding any clues to solving the identity of whoever it was, though, that seemed rather futile now since no one when crafting a statue creates both the face and the helmet that it was wearing in this depiction.

The statue itself was very old

Scanning it with her eyes, her attention was drawn to a pair of broaches that were part of the shoulder pad armor.

Frowning her brows, she narrowed her sight onto the closest one of them, extending her wings beside her.

Delivering a powerful flap of her wings she flew up into the air, trying to get as close as possible to the statue so she could analyze the emblem worn by this…whoever.

Leaning in as much as she is allowed she begins looking the emblem over – both essentially being the same so comparing both is just redundant – taking in all its details to not miss anything important.

Shifting her eyes back to towards the large tower behind it, more accurately the door she notices a symbol that is suspended just above it.

Continually shifting her gaze back and forth between the emblem and the door, something finally starts to click in her mind.

“There obviously has to be a connection here,” she said aloud to herself in a light frustration. “Why else would this symbol be on both shoulder pads and above a door leading into a tower that is…, - “raising her head she looks up towards the very top of the tower.

At the top, which is a ring of four sharp spires pointing up into the sky.

“…very unique to say the least.”

Guiding her eyes back down to the emblem once more she began to think even harder about what all this could possibly mean.

“Hmmm…” she thought aloud to herself as an idea seemed to come to her. “Maybe if I think much clearer an answerer will become clear.”

Flapping her wings in a gentler pattern she flew down towards the ground again. Planting her hooves against the ground.

Emptying her mind, she readied herself for the mental focus it would take to be able to think in the manner of which she was going to attempt.

Sitting down on the ground she folded her legs so that they crossed.

It forced her to utter a small grunt from her because of the momentary pain of forcing one’s legs to sit in a position like that.

Inhaling a calm breath, she exhaled it moments later with a newfound calm from that simple breath she had taken.

Keeping her eyes closed she begins to focus her concentration on nothing but embracing whatever answers to unlocking the mysteries between the insignia and the door that exists.

Her powers begin to tap into the otherworldly, going far beyond anything that anyone has ever done before in their whole life. Going so far as to almost abandon the hold over her body to join with the greater forces of the universe that knows all…, -

…how fortunate then that she only used enough to only have dropped a small pebble into that ocean and not the entire rock.

While searching for the answers she was seeking something otherworldly reached out to her instead of the one that she had originally intended.

Moving through the large like a ghostly mist a hooded figure enveloped in a blue aura and clad in robes with a concealed face behind a hood.

“My my my…what do we have here…!?” a lone voice asked, interrupting the calm and serenity of Luna’s achieved state of mind.

The sound of boots stepping on the ground got louder as a figure seemed to approach her while in the state she was in.

She could not see it, but its presence was all around her..., -

…like it had become the very air her physical body breathed in.

All around she could hear unnatural snarling and growling of dark creatures, voices whispering to her in a dark language that she could not comprehend, -

…but still she could hear the figure approach her by the sound of its boots, and the wind that was blowing through its robes.

Raising her head, she looked up, turning from side to side to track the dark power that she was sensing surrounded her like a storm…and she was at the center of where it would hit hardest.

“W-who’s there?” Luna asked, her concern growing stronger even before she got an answer…if she even got one. “What do you want with me?”

A motion through the air was done, accompanied by a loud whoosh, and while she couldn’t see it she was suddenly overtaken by…a presence that was moving through the vast library of her mind, memories being accessed and other details about her character.

“Ahhh...Yess...! “the voice reacted as it must have found the information that it had sought.

She suddenly gasped as, again, but while she couldn’t use her eyes to directly see what was transpiring in front of her she could see feel that something was pointing in her direction.

“Princess Luna, is it not?” she was asked by the figure that she could not see.

“…Princess Luna…” the disembodied echoed in her head.

Lifting her head to look out in front of her at the creature near her she was slightly taken aback by its confusing question to her.

However, it was difficult for her to tell whether it was an actual question or a statement.

“Y-yes,” she responded, trying to put as much emphasize of remaining calm in the face of such a powerful individual. “…it is I…who or whatever you are.”

“Hmm…good…, -!” the voice in a hoarser voice.

“Good…” the voices echoed in her mind.

“Now…open your eyes…and face!”

Her physical bodies’ eyes shot open, staring out in front of her towards the powerful presence she had sensed only moments ago, surrounding her body in the real world.

However, there was nothing physical to meet her eyes.

Becoming confused she turned her head towards both sides, scanning her surroundings for any sign of that great power.

“W-who are you?” Luna asked blindly, hoping for an answer to be given. “Why can’t it-“

‘’Not see me…, -?” that familiar voice spoke up, though, this time without the other voices accompanying it.

Caught off-guard from being interrupted like that, Luna collapsed to the ground from her sudden jump of fright. Her hooves coming loose from their fixed position, allowing her to stand up on her hooves again.

As she stood up she picked up that it started to speak to her again.

“… It would seem that the answer to that question is not as difficult as you might believe!”

Mounting a strict expression, she looked around her surroundings again, still uncertain of where the voice was speaking from…but any attempt to do so only resulted in failure.

It was like…it was all around her. Even the very ground she trod upon was imbued with the energy.

“Who are you?” she asked in a calm, but suspicious manner.

“At ease, your Highness, -!” the voice suddenly replied, a little more concern in its tone this time than heard previously. “I have no quarrel with a Princess of Equestria!” it explained itself to her.

“… In fact, I would far prefer to instead speak with thee rather than fight!”

Luna raised a brow in a visual response, allowing whatever this voice was to see her reaction.

“Talk to me? Why cannot you just do that now? You seem to have pretty good telepathic abilities,” she asked.

“While right you are, a telepathic converse is not as good as one that can be shared face-to-face with another entity!”

“Hmm…” she grumbled to herself, thinking over the alternatives at her disposal.

She could either turn around and leave this place now, abandoning the possibility of uncovering the truths hidden behind those crimson doors…, -

…or she could gain entrance to a place that had been inaccessible to her despite her magical capabilities, and learn the facts behind its origin, if any could be provided at all.

Turning her head her attention fell upon the dark doors behind the statue. Narrowing her eyes, she looked at the door with a strict intensity.

Unaware to her, something very powerful was awoken deep within her subconscious. Something that would forever dominate her future from this point on…should she want to proceed from here.

Standing back up again she stepped out of the way of the statue, instead having her eyes set on the on the doors with a strict stare.

Thinking that some form of magic was required to open the door she closed her eyes in preparation of using said magic to open the doors.

All around her everything started to vanish into dark, swirling smoke that blotted out the surroundings.

“What am I to do if I want to gain entrance?” she asked the disembodied voice.

If the voices could grin, they would have.

“Only one thing, child; let that which has long been buried return to the surface!” the voice instructed to her.

Her strict attitude of a few seconds ago was quickly transformed into confusion at what she was being told by the voice.

“Do what?”

“Look deep within yourself… Find the desire that you have buried deep within yourself for such long a time…and unleash it!”

She opened her mouth to speak, but it just hung open as she could not muster the words she wanted to utter.

“I-I-…I don’t know what my deepest desire even is,” she winched, struggling to understand the task at hoof.

“Do not quell it…! Let it guide you towards what you want instead of denying it!”

“B-but I don’t know what I want! I’ve never known!” she hung her head, clenching her head with her hooves.

Suddenly, her eyes went wide as something could be felt in her chest.

Bringing a hoof up before her legs gave away, followed thereafter by the rest of her body she clutched at her chest.

The great pain emanating originally from her chest then spread out towards her whole body, forcing her to endure what felt like knifes being forced up along her skin, cutting pieces of her skin, -

…and she was all but completely helpless to make it stop tormenting her.

Out of the swirling smoke a hooded figure stepped forward with its dark robes trailing behind it as it approached her where she lay.

Gently lifting her head as some of the pain seemed to reel back in the presence of this hooded figure she saw it coming to a stop in front of her splayed-out body.

Wide-eyed with a pale stare she looked up at this figure as she shook slightly from the extreme she had been put under for the past five minutes.

Looking down at her the figure was silent behind its hood as nothing of its actual face could be seen from behind that darkened hood.

What Luna could see was that it was an equine with a long-elongated horn, though, from her current angle on the ground she couldn’t tell if this figure was or wasn’t an Alicorn.

“Pathetic…Worthless…Weakling” a voice clearly belonging to a female commented as it made (invisible) eye-contact with her laying body.

Slowly raising her hoof, she extended it out towards the robed figure before her.

“H-help me…”

She begged it, but instead of being meet with a hood in response the dark robes only moved away from her.

“Help…you?” it lightly tilted its head as it responded.

Opening her mouth, she tried to say something…but instead found that she was incapable of speaking.

The mare ignored her all the same.

It looked off to the side, hanging its head low.

“How far you have fallen, - “she said.

Slowly the hood turned back, staring down at the blue Alicorn.

“I shall deliver the fate of weaklings upon you…but I will grant you a warrior’s death.”

Slowly she raised her hoof up, having long sleeves droop down from the hooves as she pointed it directly at Luna.

Before Luna could get another word out excruciating torrents of lightning suddenly shot out from her hoof, ravaging her body with anything far surpassing pain that she had felt before.

It made King Sombra’s Dark Crystal scythe feel like a letter opener compared to the pain exacted upon her by this hooded mare who had the ability to unleash lightning just from her mere hooves.

The longer the lightning continued to ravage her body and bring nothing but unspeakable pain along with it she could not hold it back any longer, -

… She began screaming in agony!

An agony that far surpassed having a knife penetrate one’s own flesh.

“Young fool,” she said, her voice dripping with contempt and a lack of sympathy for the one that she tormented.

Every bolt of lightning that hit Luna’s body continually supplied the dark powers that were hurting her the strength to keep her grounded and enraptured by the pain she was in.

“Controary to popular belief the Princess of the Night is nothing but a weak and frail shell of her former self.”

From behind the hood a sick twisted smile formed.

“If you cannot protect yourself then you are nothing to those you wish to protect, nothing but a tool…of which your sister uses you to great effect in shielding herself…but not her subjects.”

Slowly she shook her head in disappointment.

Managing to guide her eye towards the mare, Luna looked back at her while being intensely tormented. Her attention now gripped by the mare’s words.

“Hmm?” she responded upon noticing Luna’s eyes staring back at her. “Mmm…”

Ceasing her relentless barrage of lightning Luna’s screams came to a stop as her body collapsed to the ground, smoke trailing upwards from her injured form.

“What is this? Bravery?” she responded in shock that was intended to mock.

Slowly raising her head Luna used her hoof to stand herself up in order to support her aching self, staring up towards the hooded face of the one who was tormenting her.

Deep within, her rage had started to bubble, getting warmer as the suffering she had managed to endure for this long did nothing but continually add wood to the fire that was stirring inside of her at this moment. Only getting stronger every passing second.

She gritted her teeth, breathing heavily as her eyes saw the dark hood and robe before her.

“Oh…” the mare responded as her eyes finally started to become visible, -

…revealing that they were shades of fiery red-rimmed yellow that seemed to glow as they looked down at her where she was standing up on her hind legs.

“Understand it, at last, do you?” she asked, only to be meet by Luna’s angry stare. “Poetic.”

Tightening her face a little she now glared back at her with an expression that unleashed nearly all the hatred she felt towards her at this moment being displayed in its full potency.

“Only now, at the end, do you understand,” she said as her hoof was raised back up, pointing it directly point-blank at Luna’s face.

Hanging her head low she looked down at the ground, something wild stirring within her that was no longer seemingly under her control.

… Something within her snapped!

Suddenly, quicker than Luna ever thought that she was capable of moving she swiftly shot her hoof upwards, pointing it towards the mare in front of her!

The mare’s eyes widened as she was suddenly forced back through the air.

She came into contact with the dark swirling smoke, but instead of passing harmlessly through it like she had before it instead subjected her to the full power of the lightning she had forced upon Luna.

Screaming in the same kind of agony the back of her robes was burned away, no longer covering the other half of her body.

In that moment, she collapsed to the ground her body fell to the ground.

Smoke trailing up from the parts of her body that had suffered the burns. Her robe was all but disintegrated by the black smoke, aside from her sleeves and the hood.

Grunting and sputtering from the damage sustained she weakly raised her hooves up to try and use them to crawl along the ground.

… However, she did not get very far as she was meet by a pair of blue hooves that stood in front of her.

Weakly raising her head, she looked up at the figure that was standing in front of her.

Once again, her eyes went wide as she saw that the one to meet her gaze was an angry Luna with a hate-filled glare that was now displaying the very same shades of fiery red-rimmed yellow that she had once possessed.

… Now hers had returned to being purple.

Her jaw started to tremble, trying to conjure up anything she could say…but was failing.

Looking down she could see that Luna’s hooves were randomly generating small surges of lightning. Returning her stare back up she could see Luna’s eyes narrow.

“L-luna, no,” she tried to speak, weakly trying to raise her hoof to shield her white face from the penetrating stare given by her sister. “P-please!”

“You hurt me, insulted me…” Luna spoke with a voice that was both dark but still retained much of herself in it. “You are the one that is pathetic!” she spat with distain most prominently in her tone.

“You don’t deserve to live for what you’ve done to me.”

Behind Luna a strong wind suddenly blew the dark hood off the Alicorn’s face, -

…revealing it to being her own sister; Celestia.

Luna’s golden, fiery eyes widened for a moment upon seeing her sister’s face being the one that had caused her such pain and humiliation.

“Celestia?” she asked confused.

“Yes…I-it’s me, Luna,” Celestia said in the motherly tone she always spoke in.

Luna’s rage subsided slightly, causing the electricity to almost fade.

“H-help me, sister…” She begged as she extended a hoof out towards Luna in a plead for help.

Luna was motionless as she stared down at her sister with jaw hanging agape at the revelation that it was in fact her sister who had done this.

“Please, Luna…h-help me.”

Celestia’s burned lower looked to almost be attached to a molten rock as her organic fur started to solidify, the fire within burning brightly through the solidified stone.

“Help me…please!” she begged one last time to the standing Alicorn in front of her with an outstretched hoof.

Luna’s pupils looked at the solid body of rock that her sister’s lower half had become, -

… Looking back at Celestia directly when she started to scream from the fire of the rock burning her organic body.

For a moment, Luna did not act, only look.

Eventually Luna slowly started to extend her hoof, raising it out towards her helpless sister.

At seeing this Celestia started to manage a weak smile at seeing her sister trying to help her.

Slowly she extended her own hoof up to meet her sister’s, -

…but it was not to be.

Suddenly, Celestia was once grabbed by a powerful telekinetic grasp, and her body was violently lifted off the ground and into the air again!

“L-luna, what are you doing!?” she shouted in panic down to the blue Alicorn in surprised shock, -

…only to be meet by her sister’s blank expression changing returning to being hate filled rage.

“Instead Celestia…” Luna said, her voice returning to sounding the way it had moments ago, …

“…you will die.”

Without hesitation Luna’s pointed hoof suddenly unleashed equally as violent – if not more so – brutal torrents of extreme bolts of lightning from her hoof upon her sister’s body that was suspended in mid-air!

Screaming like she had before Celestia was struck by continuous wave of lightning that reminded her of the swirling dark smoke around them and how it had hurt her as bad as it had. Except this time would end it forever.

Celestia’s body darkened, solidifying as her limbs, face, and mane were all turned to stone that the internal fire started to spread throughout, illuminated through faint cracks in the skin!

When everything was over and Luna ceased the unleashing of her wrath she lowered her hoof back to the ground.

The now un-recognizable rocky formation that was Celestia that hovered in the air fell to the ground with a violent crack, shattering to pieces, and exposing the flame inside it exposed.

… However, the flames only scattered through the air, existing while they could until they faded into nothing.

Standing over what had once been her sister Luna looked down at the pile of broken rocks with nothing but her golden eyes that conveyed the hate she was experiencing at the moment.

Standing behind her, a tall figure wearing black robes and a hood covering its face stepped soundlessly back into the swirling dark smoke, causing it to vanish from sight as Luna’s senses were returning to her.

Luna’s eyes shot open, but unlike the dark smoke that she was expecting to see was just the front entrance to the tower that she was trying to gain admittance.

However, unlike earlier times when she had seen it there was a very noticeable difference, -

… The doors were now open!

No longer locked by the strange forces that she had encountered and engaged conversing with.

With her mouth hanging agape she slowly stepped towards the parted doors, following the steps that lead up to it, -

…and vanishing from sight as her entire body was submerged in darkness!

Outside, the sphere that the statue had been holding this entire time crackled slightly with red flickers of lightning appearing randomly on it.

Author's Note

Finally...we have returned to continue where the story last left off!

How has your 2017 been so far? Good?

Aside from just this general announcement proclaiming my return to FIMfiction there is not for me personally to say aside from just welcoming all who has enjoyed this story so far and hoping that they enjoy this chapter.

So now...with my resurrection complete, how about we resume we left off?

Link - Star Wars Soundtrack - The Emperors Death - Theme

Chapter 18

In my experience, there is no such thing as luck Part 1

Trotting through the dark corridors of the tower Luna’s eyes could not help but be drawn towards the many torches that aligned the wall. The flames being blue rather than the usual fiery red that now did not illuminate as much of the corridor as the fiery red ones. That must have been why there were so many there then.

A lot of the decorative things along the walls were sharp and pointed.

Coming to a spiraling staircase that lead up she merely followed it instead of stopping to debate whether it was a good idea to do so in the first place.

Reaching what must have been the second floor she saw that it was not too far to reach the next set of stairs leading up.

However, as she passed by what was assumed to be just a wall she could sense…something behind the dark steel.

Coming to an immediate stop she slowly turned head to the right, noticing a pair of door handles close together indicating the placement of a door.

Turning her body around to better face the doors she maintains visual contact with the handles for a few minutes, before activating her magic and using it to pull the two doors open.

With slow creaking accompanying them the doors slowly proceed to be opened, moving out towards her per her telekinesis.

As they bang gently against the walls Luna’s eyes slowly look from one side of the room to another, scanning everything inside.

Her attention being attracted towards a pedestal atop which rests a rather unique object.

Trotting into the soundless chamber her eyes, while still being undoubtedly stolen away by the pedestal and its object, is keeping on high-alert as she steps further into the wide-open chamber.

Once out in the open her head arches upwards, catching a better glimpse of the open space of the chamber’s higher points, above, -

…but her attention does not falter to remain on the pedestal and its triangular object.

Adapting a strict face, she looks down at the triangle as she stops three steps away from the pedestal.

Taking notice of literally everything in the chamber she remarks to herself how the defeated King Sombra would truly enjoy himself in this place.

“And then there’s you,” she says guiding her eyes down towards the triangle, staring it with intensity in her eye.

“What are you?”

“What are you-are you?” several whispering voices like the ones outside the tower begins to speak.

Their voices echoing around the chamber as if their presence were close...and in a way, it was.

Suddenly becoming alert she turns her back on the pedestal, facing the front entrance.

“Who’s there?”

She calls out, but is meet with no response…other than the dead ambience of the tower.

“Who’s there-there?” the voices once more speak, making their presence known to be inside the room with her, -

…but impossible to be physically seen.

“Whoever you are, I command you, as co-ruling official of Equestria to reveal yourself before,” she demanded, her eyes slowly scanning the room as her body turned around where she stood to better guard in case the voices made themselves known and decided to attack her.

However, this time…the voices were silent.

Not a sound filled the chamber outside of the clopping of her hooves against those black, shiny floors.

Behind her on the pedestal the strange pyramid started to gently lift off its surface, slowly rising into the air.

“The Dark Side-ide!”

The whispering voices suddenly spoke up again, immediately warranting her attention once more.

Silently her eyes darted between the many doors, even looking towards the dark throne not too far away from the pedestal.

Again, as if she had asked there was no response.

The top piece of the pyramid started to disconnect itself from the rest, hovering softly above it as a light suddenly emerged from the two disconnected parts.

Noticing a bright light suddenly shining behind her she turned around, her eye finally seeing the opened tip.

Her mouth hung slightly open, staring wide-eyed at the hovering triangle as it slowly spun around in the air.

With her hoof raised she averted her head from the glow.

She did not look back until she knew that the light’s intensity had dimmed.

Her ears heard a soft humming noise, but even from hearing this she did not lower her hoof.

… However, what she did not know was that a tall figure with a blue ghostly aura around it was looking down at her.

“To whom am I speaking?” a sudden voice spoke, but unlike the earlier ones sounded like its origin was directly in front of her.

Quickly lowering her hoof from suddenly hearing it she turned her head back.

With her hoof gone and eyes fully exposed to look upon the being before her, her eyes immediately widen in astonishment as they look upon a tall – and from the looks of him, very aged.

Having clear white hair and a beard on his face, his attire was black with a belt, boots and a brown cape that was connected by a chain. It was effective simplicity.

It wasn’t until she noticed the transparency and the blue aura that she understood he wasn’t completely flesh and blood like she had originally thought, though, she was certain he was most definitely some sort of ghost.

Blinking his eyes a couple times she finally remembered what he had originally asked her.

“Oh… Well, I am Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria,” she replied, trying to force a friendly smile onto her face.

“Hmm…” the ghostly apparition grumbled to itself, raising a brow as if not impressed by her name.

Lowering the brow, he then bowed his head before her.

“Greetings, Princess Luna, I am Lord Dooku, Keeper of the Holocron that you have activated,” he explained.

Her eyes looked down at the hovering triangle, watching as the light projected from the open tip shone brightly, showing the Lord to her as a ghost lacking his legs.

“Lord Dooku,” said Luna with a respectful bow of her head.

“Uh, but I did not activate this…Holocron, I didn’t even make physical contact with it,” she remarked, pointing back towards the hovering triangle with her hoof.

“While I understand your point of view, Princess…allow me to explain how it works,” raising his he touched it to his chest with elegance.

“You may,” she replied, staring back with a blank expression that attempted to display her composed regal mannerisms.

“You must understand that the Holocron is connected to what we refer to as the Force, a great cosmic power that binds and surrounds all living things… It has been used for both the Light and the Dark, in some cases benefiting both sides” Dooku explained to the Princesss who listened with great intrigue to this new concept.

“So…this Force is like Unicorn magic?”

“Not quite…but If that comparison helps, then yes,” replied Dooku.

“How does the Force work?” she asked.

“The Force works just like your magic…, - “gently two of the fingers on his hand were raised up.

Suddenly Luna felt herself being grabbed by an invisible force that slowly lifted her from the floor, suspending her body in the air.

Remaining mostly calm she slowly turned her head, looking around her as her body floated there.

“What is this? What is going on?” she asked with an underlying hint of worry in her tone.

Dooku turned to face her, following her as she slowly hovered above the floor.

“I am using the Force to telekinetically levitate you off the floor.”

Luna’s brows suddenly jump, eyes widening at this news.

“B-but that is impossible. You hardly did anything!”

Dooku slowly shook his head at her in response.

“That is incorrect, your Highness. While you did not see it, I used my fingers to indicate to the Force what I wanted it to do…which in this case was lifting you off the floor to illustrate a fragment of the Force’ power to you.”

Gently waving hand through the air Luna suddenly felt gravity return to her and she was slowly returned to the floor where she planted her hooves against the dark obsidian underneath.

“But how does that work? How can the Force be controlled through simple…gestures of one’s body?” Luna asked, obviously confused by the whole concept about how the Force works.

“Ahh… Now that is a simple question to answer; the Force is generated through living tissue,” he paused knowing this would make less sense than what she had heard previously. “In lemans term; the more your body remains as pure flesh the stronger your ability to control the Force is.”

“So…if I was to lose my arm and have it replaced with a substitute would I still be able to channel the Force?”

“Yes, you would…but the abilities available to you will be significantly reduced as you will have lost some of your potential due to the loss of your organic arm,” Dooku continued to explain to her.

Lowering her head, she looked down at the floor as she tried wrapping her head around all this.

Before raising her head back up she exhaled a soft breath, her head slowly lifting back, and having her eyes fall upon the humanoid figure.

“This is a lot of to take in, Lord Dooku,” she said, interjecting a little bit of a scoff into her voice as she spoke.

“Of course it is, your Highness,” replied Dooku. “I would not expect anyone to still be as sane as they were if they were to learn the secrets of the Force in one lecture.”

To this her brows jump again, making her eyes big with shock.

“I-is the Force really that complex?” she asked him nervously, somehow not wanting know the answer because she already knew it.

“Indeed it is,” he replied with a bow of his head. “Like your magic, much can be taught…but even more can be shown.”

Her mouth hung open, about to speak, but she just gently closed it, debating about it with herself as she debated with herself over the wisdom of this this choice that she was about to make.

Casting aside any final thoughts of doubt about this course of action she looked back up into the face of Dooku with a serious expression.

“Then, Lord Dooku, keeper of the Holocron, will you teach me the ways of the Force?”

The humanoid figure raised its right brow.

“Will you become my mentor?” she asked.

“The path that you are choosing to embark on will not be an easy one, your Highness… Where the Force takes one will forever change you. I cannot promise that you will be the same when you leave this place.”

Closing her eyes, she inhaled a gentle intake of breath, calmly exhaling it again.

Crossing her brows she looked back at the ghostly figure with a serious expression.

“I have mastered the light…I will do the same for the darkness. I’m not afraid.”

Holding his hands together his eyes did not deviate from where she stood in front of him.

“You will be…you will be.”

Her face lost some of the courage that she had been putting into making her come across as strong and confident as possible to the Holocron keeper.

“Please kneel before the pedestal, your Highness,” Dooku instructed, motioning with his palm down to the floor.

“O-okay,” she replied a little confused, but thinking little of it as she believed it just to be part of an initiation ritual or something along those lines.

Bowing before Dooku her lowered her head, keeping it low so as to not make him think that he needed to explain the obvious thing about keeping one’s head low.

Suddenly there was a sound of energy being activated, humming loudly through the air that caused her to feel sudden alarm…but still despite its presence she remained calm and her head lowered.

“With the power vested in me, I, Lord Dooku, take you, Princess Luna, as my apprentice, “he said. The energy hummed as something was moved closer to Luna’s left shoulder before then being guided to her right.

The humming vanished, and she slowly raised her head, looking back up at him.

With his hand extended forward he held it above her head.

“Henceforth you shall be known as Darth…Zannah,”

On Luna’s face a smile formed as she looked up at her new teacher, not objecting to the name he had granted her as it must be a tradition his species has when taking a student to teach.

“Now, rise…my young apprentice.”

Retracting his hand Dooku looked down at Luna with a serious expression.

Standing back up Luna’s eyes fell upon Dooku’s own, -

…which momentarily shined golden as something had started to take root in her.

A power unlike anything she had ever felt before, perhaps even stronger than her natural magic.

Gasping she suddenly staggered back, feeling overwhelmed at feeling such a strength that she had never before experienced in her entire life.

Falling back she fell to the ground in a sitting posture.

“That, my apprentice…” she heard the voice of Dooku speak to her from above, raising her head her eyes once again looked upon him. “…was the Force taking hold in you, claiming you as you seek to claim its wisdom and teachings,” said Dooku.

Panting from her experience she looked upon him with awestruck eyes, amazed at the power of the Force that was coursing through her very being at this moment.

“Well I- “she said as suddenly froze in place, this overwhelming power beginning to fade away, until eventually she felt like herself once more.

“Wha-… What happened? Why can I no longer feel its power coursing through my body?” she asked, looking back at him with a surprised expression.

“D-did I-… Did I lose it?”

Shaking his head from side to side Dooku put his hands behind his back, still looking her with as serious a look as ever.

“The Force was testing you, seeing if you were worthy of learning the deepest secrets of the Force,” replied Dooku.

Biting her lip worry began to overtake her as seeds of doubt were planted in her mind whether she had passed this unexpected test.

Taking slow steps forward to him she masked her concerned behind a blank stare that just showed her as being curious.

“Well? Did I pass?”

… However, there came no response from the old figure, outside of his blinking eyes.

Holding up his hand it tightened into a fist…opening one of the doors as an invisible force caused them to swing open.

Her eyes were guided to the door, staring blankly at it before moving back to his face.

“Come, walk with me…Darth Zannah,” said Dooku before the projected light of the Holocron vanished, and he stepped out from the pedestal with a full body.

He turned and stepped towards the doorway, walking with his arms hidden behind his cape.

Stunned that she had passed the test she held her head low, staring towards the floor with a great deal of surprise in her expression.

I-I can’t believe it! I was actually accepted as being worthy of studying the Force under this Lord Dooku.

Hearing the lack of footsteps her attention was snapped back to the moment as she heard Dooku’s voice ask her, “The Force may be patient, my apprentice…but I am not.”

She swallowed, knowing that she had forced him to wait while her thoughts reflected on the moment.

“A-apologies, my master,” she said as she hurriedly trotted up beside him. “It will not happen again” she said with a hanging head as the humiliation of her actions could not bring her to meet the old figure’s gaze.

“Do not concern your mind with such trivialities, in the grand scheme of the Force there is no such thing as ‘’time wasted’’,” she heard Dooku’s voice speak to her as they walked down the hallway together side-by-side.

Raising her head, she looked up at him, his own staring down into her own.

“You may have made the decision to become my apprentice, Darth Zannah, but to become a student in the ways of the Force is not something to be taken lightly.”

“I-I know, master,” she replied with her head being gently lowered as to hide her frowning face from him.

“Ones does not merely learn the ways of the Force, one must devote their entire life to its teaching,” Dooku said as his attention shifted back to what lay down the hallway.

Wait, my entire life! How can I aid my sister in the rule of Equestria if I’m not there with her?

Her head shot up, looking down along the hallway with worrying eyes.

Did I make a mistake when I confessed to him that I wanted to learn the ways of the Force?

“Master?” she asked.

“Yes, my apprentice?” she heard being uttered off to her right side.

“If I am to become your student I must know how long my training will take, as my absence will be noticed.”

Stopping in place Dooku’s eyes shifted towards her, staring back with a serious stare.

The lack of footsteps let Luna know that he was not moving and she too stopped, turning around to look upon him.

“As I said, those that have tried to understand the Force in a short days time have all gone mad, “Dooku said with a hanging head. “I will understand should you wish to return to your kind so as to not worry them, but if you still desire to study the ways of the Force as my student you must be prepared that all out-side contact with anyone else will be excluded for an unspecified amount of time.”

Lowering her head momentarily she thought it over, smiling as she raised her head to look at him again.

“All right, master, I will devote myself to your teachings.”

Holding his hands together his expression did not change as he meet her gaze.

“For security measures, so as to avoid the knowledge of the temple falling into the hands/hooves of those seeking to use it for evil the temple will for a time disappear from this world. Nothing will, and must not, be allowed to interrupt you during your time as a student in this temple.”

Her eyes widen in shock from this follow-up statement.

“N-no one? Not even my sister?”

Gently shaking his head Dooku resumed walking down the corridor, leaving her behind.

“Wh-where are you going?” she called after him.

Coming to a stop some ways down the hallway he was silent for a time as he stood motionless in place. A sigh being uttered.

“From what I have seen of your surprise to remaining with me for some time it has become apparent that I was unfair in not presenting you with the whole truth of how long one would be staying here,- ” Dooku said as he turned around, staring back at her.

She did not say anything, but lowered her head with a slight hint of embarrassment of having made such a impactful decision on her own in the first place. She was after all the one who had made the request to him of becoming his student.

“…so I will allow you to leave the temple so that you may reconsider if learning under my guidance…but losing time with this sister you have mentioned is indeed what you desire. Unless it is your own desire to be taught by my guiding hands...I will not force it upon you.”

Slowly raising her head her eyes returned to look upon the ghostly figure before her.

“I cannot wait for long, though, as when the Sun sets on this day then I and the temple will disappear…not to return until ten years of this world have passed.”

Luna’s eyes immediately jumped, surprised by the number of how long she would be gone if she chooses to become his student.

“May you chose wisely…Princess Luna, - “said Dooku with a gentle bow of his head. “I will be waiting here until I cannot wait any longer.”

Managing a momentary smile, he turned away from her and began walking down the hallway until he rounded a corner.

The sound of his boots against the dark floor fading into the distance.

Turning around she ran back down the hallway with all the haste she could muster.

Upon returning to the throne room she shot the Holocron a final glance, watching it slowly rotating around as it hovered in the air above its resting place.

[Outside the temple]

The distant – but growing closer – hoof steps of Luna suddenly ended when her form escaped the darkness inside the tower, leaping from the steps and extending her wings mid-air, catching herself before she fell.

With mighty beads of her wings she flew up towards the origin of the many warming rays of the Sun that fell upon her.

A quick turn around and she was looking back down at the tower that she was fast putting a lot of distance between herself during her flight as it continued to get smaller the further away she got.

Maybe I choose well indeed, she thought as she looked back in front of her.

On the tower’s balcony, the ghostly image of Dooku appeared, watching as she became an increasingly smaller and smaller speck on the sky the faster she flew away.

His slight smile suddenly vanishes as a thought returns to him, and he lowers his head before turning around and returning to the darkness within the tower.

Within moments of him returning inside the tower did Luna finally teleport away in a *poof* of magic.

Chapter 19

In my experience, there is no such thing as luck Part 2

Re-emerging from her teleport she glides through the air as she begins to make a slow descent towards her sisters’ and here’s castle from the sky.

“Ahh… Home sweet home,” she sighs.

Saying aloud to herself as a smile forms on her face from the prospect of having being back, albeit from a rather short trip, but a somewhat extended trip nonetheless.

I cannot wait for long, though, as when the Sun sets on this day then I and the temple will disappear…not to return until ten years of this world have passed…

Her mind is suddenly ripped away from the thoughts about seeing her home again after seeing nothing but black marble, -

…however, when her thoughts are almost forced to return to thinking about what Dooku had said her smile fades, changing into an immediate frown at being reminded about the upcoming choice that she must make.

With a lowered head, she exhales a heavy sigh, holding her wings still so she just continues gliding downwards to the nearest balcony where her hooves gently plant themselves against the soft surface of stone underneath them.

Raising her head her eyes look upon the transparent doors in front of her…but she doesn’t want to enter, fearful of the outcome should her choice be the wrong one.

It is not Dooku’s reaction should she return to the tower to tell him face-to-face that she is concerned about...but her sister’s.

Celestia might get a little too involved should she learn about this big responsibility that her younger sister had herself requested to undertake. Possibly even to the point where out of desperation she would imprison her within the castle until time was up and Dooku and the tower vanished, not to be seen until its ten-year absence would pass.

… Still, she deserved to at least be told about this decision and to prepare herself for the upcoming years where Luna would not be around to witness the advances of their civilization and culture. Ten years sounded reasonable to assume that there could be some big changes ready for her when she’d return.

Luna had already made her decision to become Dooku’s student, and to learn the ways of this great power called the Force…and nothing was going to stop her from achieving that end.

Finally, she would have something that made her stand above her sister, that would make her unique enough in the eyes of their people to finally be worthy of their love and adoration…as to them she was nothing more than ‘’the dark one’’ because of her dark-blue fur and that she operated mostly at night.

Trotting down the hallway her face contorted into an angry frown, and she began tapping deeper into that great power that she had felt earlier when confronted outside the tower.

What she had felt at that moment was unconquerable grief when it had been revealed that it was her own sister had delivered such pain and agony to her…but she had also felt something more in the moments as she was being mocked and tortured by what she had now come to describe as Dark Celestia.

Deep inside of her something had snapped, a power stronger than anything she had ever felt – or sensed – in her entire life, and while the pain of her sister’s lightning had stung her body with far more agony than should ever be felt she had felt her hatred grow stronger, this new power feeding it, empowering it with whatever energy it was, -

…and at the last moment it had ultimately been what saved her from certain death with the Dark Celestia, completely obliterating her with her own version of that lightning that she had just somehow been able to discharge from her hooves!

By giving in to sadness, pain…a path had been opened for her where the use of the very hatred she had felt for her sister at that very moment to survive the encounter and prolong her own life while Dark Celestia had been destroyed.

Gritting her teeth, exposing sharp fangs that very same anger was called upon once again as the anger and frustration was fueled by the frustration and rage at her sister being the only one to receive praise and love from the ponies of Equestria, -

…like she, and what she did, was worthless in the eyes of the population because most slept through it, giving way for them to think less of it.

However, as her hate and anger grew stronger within her she was fortunate enough to be pulled away from those thoughts by a voice that spoke to her from the right side of another hallway.

Quickly snapping her head in the direction of the speaker her eyes immediately fell upon one of her Celestia’s Royal Guards.

“What!?” she exclaimed in a rage that had been bubbling to the surface while her thoughts had been unable to think of nothing but the envy and jealousy of even basic kind gestures that she had yet to receive had continued to fuel her hate-filled fire.

The mare jumped as she saw the Princess’s staring directly into her own, giving off an aura that she had never before felt from the Princess of the Night.

“P-princess Celestia has summoned you to the throne room immediately, P-princess Luna,” she said as her body tried not to shake from the now-present fear surrounding her that had been created from the blue Alicorn’s unexpected outburst.

“Hmm…” was all Luna uttered as her face scrunched, still wearing nothing but an angry expression on her face.

Turning away from the mare she began down the hallway, having a subtle run in her pace so as to not be late for whatever her sister had planned.

As she rounded a corner the female Royal Guard that has been sent for her almost her eyesight was playing tricks on her, -

…but she could almost swear that the Princess’s eyes changed from a golden color back to its usual dark-green hue the second before her Princess’s head disappeared behind the wall.

“Uhhg,” she shivered as the uncomfortable aura surrounding the blue Alicorn vanished down the hallway along with her.

*****

As she trotted through the vast and long halls of their childhood home Luna could not help but smile as she passed by many painted portraits depicting the previous rulers of Equestria that had held the title before she and her sister had claimed governorship of the Equestrian race.

Her smile fading slightly as two figures entered her vision, bringing her to a complete stop where she stood.

Turning around she sat down there, staring up at the two warming faces of ponies that she deeply wished were still here right now.

“Mother…Father,” she said softly, extending a hoof out in front of her and touching it against the soft fabric used in creating this wool tapestries of two beings that she would nothing more to have seen them achieve greatness in the world that they now ruled over.

While the conflict had indeed shaken the foundations of the world when it ended and peace had been restored in the aftermath, the biggest loss and unhealable scar left behind of its existence was the death of their parents.

The Castle of Trinity Peaks may have been destroyed and the Forges and Mines deep underneath the surface had been buried and lost to time, itself, and the Dark Lord defeated and cast down into the burning pits of Tartarus to suffer for his crimes for eternity nothing could ever compensate the warmth and kind spirits of her and Celestia’s parents who were said to have used their combined might to take defeat the Dark Lord, himself, in single-combat.

The struggle had been long and hard-fought…but in the end both of their parents were able to deal a crippling blow that brought that murderer to his knees long enough for their soldiers to arrive at where their great battle had taken place and take him away to be tried for crimes against Equestria.

Both the King and Queen had already passed away, lying beside each other as they held hooves one last time before the end, their dead eyes facing each other.

Luna’s mind instantly flashed back to the moments when the surviving Generals had brought the news to them about their parent’s passing…

Lowering her head, tears started gently running down her cheek as images of their parent’s funeral began to re-appear once more, as if she was actually there like long ago, relieving the sorrow it had brought.

Moving down through the hallway Luna gently raised her head, turning it to look down the right side of the hallway where the sound of gears originated from a wagon that was carrying quite the load.

Narrowing her eyes and raising a suspicious brow she was surprised not only by the fact that the wagon was coming from the castle wing where her chambers were located, but also that they were under an escort of six guards.

Atop the wagon were multiple books, many that she recognized, alongside multiple boxes that had been sealed up. These items were bound together by a rope that held them together.

Wait a minute, aren’t those supposed to be... W-what is going on?

Turning her head to face the Alicorn directly one of the mares of the group gave her an odd look as they passed her by.

What is going on here!? she thought to herself as her eyes followed the group until they rounded the corner and disappeared behind the wall.

*****

Upon arriving at the doors to their throne room the guards stood at attention when she reached the doors.

Their magic activating and opening the two doors for her to gain entry inside the large room that lay beyond them.

With a friendly smile upon her face once more she nodded to both guards before disappearing inside the room, at which they closed the door behind her.

Raising her head and looking to the side as the sound of approaching hoof steps Celestia’s head turned away from a nearby stallion that she was clearly engaged in a discussion with to looking down at the blue Alicorn that was drawing closer to her.

Standing by the wall multiple guard’s eyes were clearly following the younger Princess as she stepped up towards their ruler’s throne, sitting

Guiding her gaze up away from the floor to where the two thrones were a smile settled on her face as she saw her sister on the throne that had the symbol of a Sun on it. The other beside it having a crescent Moon that was obviously her own.

… However, upon seeing Celestia’s face Luna’s warm smile faded slightly as she noticed that her sister was not smiling back, but instead wearing a newly-mounted frown that settled in after noticing her sister’s arrival.

“Sister, halt,” Celestia suddenly said with the raise of her hoof, signaling for Luna to not take another step.

Confused, Luna heeded her sister’s order, her hooves stopping in place, not taking another step.

The two sisters could do nothing but exchange silent stares between each other as the eerie silence settled in.

“Sister, is there some-“

“Do you have anything to say before we proceed?” Celestia so rudely interrupted her before she could finish inquiring about the situation.

Proceed with what? What is going on here!?

Luna’s face suddenly contorted into confusion that could be seen upon her expressions.

Turning her head around from side to side her eyes suddenly took notice of something that she hadn’t upon her arrival at the throne room; along the walls the standard guards stood, but there was far more of them there then she had ever beheld.

Unlike regular guards too their eyes were all on Luna, watching her where she stood.

Worry started to fill her as suspicions started to form, making her incredibly weary of her surroundings.

Looking back and forth between the unusually high number of guards in the throne room with herself and her sister Celestia thought it best to speak up, calm her sister before things accelerated to a point that they did not.

“Calm yourself, sister, I don’t know why…but it would seem that you are a little tense about something,” Luna’s left ear gently twitched as she once more heard the voice of Celestia reach out to her.

Gently turning back her eyes to where they once more looked upon the face of her sister, but this time a lot more calmly.

“Then explain yourself, sister, why are you treating me like I’m a criminal? What has warranted such suspicions?”

Several of the guards turned to look at one another, and some even stared directly towards Celestia.

For a few passing seconds her sister was quiet, unable to respond to the blue Alicorn, only locking eyes with her as a serious frown settled in on Luna’s face.

“Explain your actions, is- “

“A new threat has been revealed to us, Luna!” Celestia immediately replied, cutting her sister off before she could finish.

Luna’s courage was pulled back, listening with intrigue to what Celestia had to say now that she had at the very least given her something.

“Really?” she asked while raising her brow in a display that illustrated to Celestia that she was being very skeptical of her sister’s explanation.

“Have Sombra or Discord returned?” she asked the elder Alicorn.

“What, no! It is not they who poses a threat to Equestria…, - ” said Celestia as she gently shook her head.

“Okay, sister, my interest has been peaked-” Luna said replacing the suspicious stare with a blank stare, intrigued by what her sister had to say.

“…it is you, Luna.”

“W-what?” Luna replied in confusion and shock from what she had just heard what her own sister was accusing her of.

The first thing Luna felt after hearing this was sadness, sadness at hearing someone so close to her actually daring to say these things to her own sibling…

“Yes, sister…but I wanted you to know the evidence behind these accusations before you are taken away… Secretary?” Celestia said as she turned to face a stallion that stood beside her.

“Yes, your Highness. Here are the evidence items,” the stallion replied as he trotted up to her with several items suspended in mid-air by a telekinetic grasp.

First of the items was a book that Luna’s eyes immediately snapped to, growing wide-eyed as she clearly recognized that book, but was also confused as to why it of all things was being used as evidence against her in this preposterous ‘’accusation’’.

Hey, that is the book I found in my room…but what is it doing here? What does that book, which was a gift to me from someone anonymous, how is it incriminating evidence against me?

“Amongst containing pages with descriptions and illustrations of…creatures that are complete unknown to us and has never been ever seen before, there are also entire pages in this book devoted to have what I can only describe as ‘’Dark Magic’’ spells and enchantments.”

“Be that as it may, sister, from what you are telling me now there is hardly anything in that book, a gift to me, might I add, from what little I have seen is filled with descriptions of various, strange, creatures previously never seen before…, - “Luna explained to her sister.

“If anything, this book was more or less given to me because they felt I have proven myself worthy as a Princess of Equestria to keep it. That’s probably why they even bothered to go through the trouble of bringing it to my room in the first place!”

Reeling herself back from her post-aggressive tone she took steps back.

Standing still as she looked up at her sister again, a blank expression settling in on her face as she patiently waited for her sister to respond.

Atop the raised platform Celestia narrowed her eyes, staring down at her silent and patiently waiting sister with judgmental eyes.

“Alas, there are in spells in here, that after looking over them, I have deemed as not only dangerous but potentially world-ending. There are resurrection spells, as well as a few bookmarked ones that acts as a multiplier for one’s battle power…, -“

Said Celestia as she flipped through the pages of the book until she arrived at one of these bookmarked pages, which she then turned so her sister could see.

“…and if I don’t remember correctly, sister, your battle power is quite below my own…, - “

“Yes, that may be true, but there is no reason for me to want to- “Luna tried to explain but was interrupted by Celestia.

“…AND, there is also the issue of your continued stress over these past couple weeks. Was it not you, yourself that told me earlier today at breakfast how annoying it was that your night was not being enjoyed as much as the day?” Celestia suddenly spoke up, interrupting her.

Luna was immediately silenced, staring back at Celestia with her mouth agape as she tried to form words to speak, but not uttering anything outside of chocked sounds at her own disbelief that this was actually happening to her, -

…and it was her own sister that was accusing her of these things!

“B-but, sister- “

“Silence!” Celestia immediately snapped.

Her voice echoed around the room, making the guards that stood by the wall stand attention and look away and become stone faced once more.

“You are right, Luna, that I do know you…but recently a question has started to replace that trust…, - “Celestia said.

On her face, the smile that had slowly started to return, comforting Luna, now vanished as it contorted into a frown that glared down at the blue Alicorn.

“...and that question is: what?”

Luna, as well as everyone in the room was silent as it sunk in as much to them as it did Luna, though, probably in a different way than it did with them.

“What would Luna do to be loved by our subjects? What are the lengths she will go to in order to get some if not all the love you would say ‘’I have stolen from you’’? Who will she become if she sacrifices all to win everything…? -”

“Sister, please no. Don’t to this…” Luna spoke softly, -

…a single tear trailed down her cheek.

“…the only one that will be left for them to love and the only one left to rule them…, - “

Activating her telekinesis, she started to flip through the pages once again, -

…until arriving at the final page.

Narrowing her eyes, she intensified her glare so being almost hate filled.

“…which is also why you summoned this…Bill Cipher to aid you in your plot to not just destroy me, but usurp Equestria’s throne for yourself and him.”

Staring upon the page that Celestia had flipped to Luna’s jaw hung slack, staring in shock at the image on this particular page.

Her pupils shrinking as an image hearing Bill Cipher’s appearance greeted her eyes.

Surrounding him was a circle made up of various symbols that she had not seen in a long while, -

…except for when her sister and her first found and used the Elements of Harmony against Discord.

Her sister’s eyes shifted from the book’s insignia depicting the familiar triangular form of Bill Cipher surrounded by that wheel with all those various symbols around the band to staring down at the blue Alicorn who by now was looking back up at the white Alicorn with worried, wide eyes.

“But even if I did harbor these feelings, these schemes to which you are accusing me, you cannot seriously believe that I would put innocent lives at risk just to accomplish a goal that goes against everything we stand for as selfless rulers,” said Luna as she brought a hoof up to her chest, taking slight steps towards her sister.

However, the guards standing at the ready immediately pointed their spear’s sharp tips towards the accused, their stares growing sterner as they looked across the room, their gazes becoming transfixed on the Night Princess.

This action reached Luna’s attention as her eyes sharply looked back and forth to the guards that outflanked her both left and right.

“I would refrain from both saying and doing anything as you are placed under immediate arrest, sister…, - “Luna’s ears hears the voice of her sister’s voice as she begins to speak again, the warm tone of her usually motherly tone having all but faded as she now spoke to her with more stern strictness than had ever been heard before.

Slowly turning back Luna’s eyes looked up towards the white being who was staring back with a stern frown, but still did not hold a candle to the angry glare that she was now being sent by the blue Alicorn.

Her anger growing within her at the betrayal and lack of being given a voice to defend herself.

All the willpower that held her back her intensifying rage was quickly torn down, only being weakened even more by Celestia not deciding to close her big stupid mouth as anyone with a brain could have seen that the blue Alicorn’s rage was only growing stronger with every word that was spoken to her.

“... Until proven innocent you will be imprisoned and placed under 24-hour surveillance by only the strongest of guards,” Celestia said, but Luna had already stopped listening to her a while back.

She stopped speaking when she finally took notice of the lack of attention given to her by Luna.

Hanging her head low a heavy breathing could be heard as she deliberately diverted her eyes from the white Alicorn that sat at her throne.

“Sister?” she asked, but was only meet with the breathing intensifying as Luna’s left ear twitched ever so slightly as the mare’s words reached her ears, -

…and no response.

Celestia started to worry a little now, not for her sister, but for herself and everyone that was in the room with her.

“Luna?” she spoke again, but was again only met with the breathing getting stronger, almost angrier with every breath.

An aura of hate and rage surrounded the Night Princess, and Celestia knew it.

She turned towards multiple guards, giving them a nod that they may restrain her.

The guards nodded back before staring back at Luna, raising their spears at her as they stepped towards her.

Sweating, they nervously approached her where she stood, head hung low and eyes closed.

… However, as they approached the mare one of the guards, a Unicorn mare, noticed that her nostrils were flaring with a discomforting intensity.

However, that was not all…, -

…something, a presence unlike anything she had ever felt before stood towering over the Princess in front of her.

Something very…dark!

Her eyes immediately shot open, causing her to stop!

“Wait, stop,” she said to the guard beside her, extending her hoof out in front of him to prevent him from taking another step closer.

“What? She’s right there. Let’s go,” they would say in reaction to suddenly being stopped like that.

“No, look at her,” said Guard 1, nudging her head towards the blue Alicorn that seemed to almost be frozen in place by…something that from what she could sense was eating away at her from the inside.

“So? We should take her now while we’ve got the chance,” Guard 2 said with an obvious impatience in his voice as he asked her.

Something she slowly shook her head back at with a worried look on her face.

“I think that would be an unwise course of action. I don’t think she would like it very much,” Guard 1 replied.

“What are you talking about? It’s just Princess Luna, how bad can she be?” Guard 2 scoffed as he disputed Guard 1’s claims, slowly raising his spear back up as he aimed the tip back towards Princess Luna.

Slowly proceeding forward towards the blue Alicorn the mare instead only looked on towards.

In a second that lasted as long as a single heartbeat Luna’s eyes shot open, scaring everyone that was approaching her from the sides.

Jumping back, almost all the guards flinched when they saw that she was looking out at them.

Oh no!

She reacted internally the minute the blue Alicorn Princess’ eye looked directly at her.

This is not good!

“Surrender, sister, or you will leave us with little choice but restrain you until a proper holding cell can be arranged,” Celestia declared to her still sister.

Slowly raising her head, visibly seen to be experiencing some kinds of spasms.

Around her body small bursts of a blue power sparked.

With a stern frown, she looked back up at her sister, feeling nothing but contempt for her at this moment, -

…and that was hatred was doing nothing but turning a key inside a keyhole to a door that had already been ripped violently off its hinges.

A power she did not know she possessed had been unlocked to life once more.

All she had to do was use it…and this was the perfect opportune moment to do so!

Feeling her power rising way beyond what had ever been felt before, a smirk started appearing on her face, that had once been occupied by nothing but an enraged frown.

Watching her sister where she stood atop the raised platform where both their thrones stood.

“He he, he, he…, - “Luna chuckled as she closed her eyes, feeling that the time was right. “I think not, sister… for you see, I think your self-believed arrogance is finally starting to cloud that already mighty dense head of yours.”

Celestia’s only physical response to Luna’s remark was to frown even more sternly.

“It hardly matters what I think, sister. What I think and my opinions are something you are not going to be hearing in a long time where you’re going.”

“I don’t think so. I would think that the Princess of Equestria would have better things to do than transport a prisoner there, herself,” replied Luna.

“She does, which is why my finest guards will escort you to Tartarous where you will remain until a thousand years have passed. I should think that your evil delicious will have passed by then.”

“Hmh, hmh, hmh, hmh…” Luna chuckled.

Turning her head, she looked back at the multiple guards stationed throughout the throne room giving her serious stares.

“Oh, you mean- “

*Bzzt*

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye Luna completely vanished from sight!

Before Celestia’s finest could even react they all suddenly started to feel something hit them on the neck, paralyzing them.

Before their bodies collapsed to the floor they were suddenly grabbed and lifted up before the one carrying them vanished again.

*Bzzt*

Reappearing in what felt like a second Luna was seen holding up a pile of motionless Royal Guards, an evil smile on her face as she delighted in watching her sister’s stern frown suddenly contort to a surprised stare.

“Wha-… What- “

“…these guards, right?” Luna asked with a small underlying hint of malevolence in her tone.

Dropping the pile of unconscious warriors to the ground Celestia could not refrain from staring at their non-moving bodies in astonishment, before slowly shifting her focus back to her sister who was now hovering in the air with her hooves crossed and staring back at her directly with an unimpressed frown aligning her face.

“If that was indeed your ‘’finest warriors’’ then I pray for our subjects that she cannot find anyone strong enough to not only defend her but also themselves. Your unhealthy rule ends today,” Luna spat at her sister with contempt.

“Hmm. Not that I’m thinking about it, that does sound like a good idea…Yeahhh, maybe I’ll do that, replace you as the ruler of Equestria…Yesss, it is after all for the greater good.”

Holding her hoof up in front of her she tightened her grasp, feeling the new power that was flowing through her, what was even giving her the courage to say these things to Celestia.

“With this new power I didn’t even know I had but apparently I do, I now have all the strength I need to take you down…for good!”

Stumbling on her own words Celestia could not say anything besides uttering random words.

Good, I have her frightened! Luna smiled in joy as she watched her sister’s expression still retaining that initial shock from watching her deliver a pile of defeated soldiers in front of her.

With swift and sudden motion Luna suddenly threw her hooves out, letting her true power explode to the surface!

A shockwave shot out from her body that caused the entire castle to shake with violent force.

Stone pillars were shaken to the point where their foundations suffered tremendous damage strong enough to destabilize the whole thing and have it come crashing down…

Windows in the nearby proximity were shattered as the wave of force hit them…

The stone floors became cracked, and the dust started to come falling from the cracking ceiling, followed thereafter by whole stones falling from the crumbling ceiling, violently crashing into the already cracked floors.

An aura of blue energy started to appear around the power-emanating mare, growing stronger and fiercer for every second that she was unleashing everything she had.

*****

[Meanwhile, halfway across the galaxy on another planet…]

Suddenly raising his head a hooded figure raised its head in surprise.

Its hidden eyes looking up towards the sky, turning his head and looking over his shoulder towards the source of the great power that he had just sensed.

“Oh dear, that cannot be good,” he commented.

Standing up, interrupting his meditation he could feel some of the initial power fade away, but the cause of concern still existing quite prominently despite the slight fade-out.

“It has been a long time since I have felt such a high level of power. I must find whose power level it was. Hopefully I should still have enough to be able to reach them before anything unfortunate transpires.”

Telekinetically calling his cane to him he hurriedly walked towards his Starfighter that was parked nearby, starting up the engines, and shortly after flying away from the ruined temple that he had been meditating in.

*****

[Back on Equestria]

Still unleashing a loud shout of rage as her flaming aura now surrounded her, Luna violent aura finally started to lessen, reducing down into a normal aura that surrounded her whole body in blue flames.

Almost panting she slowly lowered her head back down, staring back down at her sister who was looking back down at her with frantic eyes.

A silence falling over the room as she stared angrily at her sister, her tears being dissolved by the energy that surrounded her form as she stared back towards her sister, who was now looking back awestruck at this incredible sight before.

“L-luna?” the worried Alicorn uttered as she could indeed feel a near extreme leap in power between Luna and herself.

For once, since the Dream Demon Bill’s arrival, she could actually feel fear, a fear that she had not expected to experience ever again.

As she looked back up into Luna’s eyes she could see deep down the jealousy that had been long-since been locked away in her mind…but was not unlocked by the unfathomable rage that she had experienced at her own sister’s treachery.

Somehow, I don’t know how…but somehow Luna’s power has surpassed what I thought she would ever be capable of! she hypothesized to herself as Luna seemed far more interested in flaunting this new level of strength that she was now in possession of.

P-possibly even to where she could…surpass me!

That was the final nail that doomed Celestia’s once-existing courage to waver, abandoning her in this moment of greatest peril.

Finally doing something again Luna gently inhaled a breath, calmly exhaling it.

Staring down at her sister, she was incredibly delighted when she saw that her face was covered in something she couldn’t quite recognize…oh wait yes, she could, it was fear.

Looking even closer at things she took notice of a small detail that brought a creepy, but subtle smile to her face.

Once more folding her arms she looked down at her tiny, almost insect-like sister with a more than confident expression.

“Ironic how easily things can change...I thought I was supposed to be in your shadow,” she remarked, raising her hoof to point down towards where her sister was standing.

“Huh?”

“After I dispose of you then Bill and I will rule Equestria in your place and lead us all into a golden age. Aftercall, how is a leader expected to defend an entire kingdom if one’s own safety cannot be maintained?”

“L-luna, y-you have to calm down. You’re not thinking straight, your letting this incredible power you’re experiencing,” she said in an effort of trying to at least calm her sister to where she would be more manageable to take down at least.

However, instead Luna’s smile contorted itself in a stern frown.

For a time, she was silent as anger became more that a growing anger was prominent on her face.

“Goodbye, Celestia, it was nice knowing you…for a time-,”

*Bzzt*

Celestia’s eyes jumped as she suddenly watched the blue Alicorn completely vanish from sight.

Oh no! Where did she go! I didn’t see where she-

*Ka-poow*

The next second before Celestia could complete her current thought she received an intense punch to the face!

She was violently sent back flying through the air until she crashed right through the wall, leaving behind a large open crater in the wall behind her as she re-appeared through the other side.

The first wall that she had crashed through was just one of many.

She collided through many more at the insane speeds that she was sent flying.

*Bzzt*

Appearing in front of the first cracked wall with her arms folded Luna frowned as she watched the destruction that just a simple had caused…No! Correction, was causing, as Celestia’s body could still be heard crashing through more walls that were further away.

Holding up a tightening hoof she smiled in delight as she looked down at it, truly feeling the power that had lain dormant within her.

“Hopefully she’ll at least provide some kind of challenge…it would be a pity if I got all this and was left with nothing to use it on,” she said to herself as her eyes looked back up, staring down into the darkness.

Her fiery aura ignited, once more surrounding her entire body, before she then started to effortlessly fly down through the many holes that littered the multiple walls she encountered.

As she left the throne room everything was silent…until gentle footsteps could be heard from outside the room.

“Hey, halt, the throne room is off-limits to anyone unless requested by the-… *Sudden impalement through the flesh* -… AHHH-…Urgghh.”

“No… No… NOOO -… *Sudden impalement through the throat* -… urrggghhh,”

*Bodies collapse to the ground*

The wooden door suddenly exploded, both being sent flying off its hinges and hitting the floor where it was destroyed even further.

With gentle steps a tall figure steps inside the throne room, a large puddle of blood forming behind it.

“Oh…, - “an impressed voice uttered behind a hood that obstructs its face, but out the top two red horns protrude.

Looking around the throne room the hooded figure smiles as it personally sees the devastating effect of what Luna’s hidden power had done to the room that it was now standing in.

“Gooood…everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.”

Holding its hands together its narrowed eyes looked up towards the large cracked hole in the wall.

A confident smile on its face.

“Hm hm hm hm,” it chuckled softly to itself as it folded its arms across its chest.

“Seems like she has already taken to her new gifts like a shark in an ocean…its already quite vast, but imagine the potential that awaits.”

Gently turning its head to look back over its shoulder he heard the sound of galloping hooves fill the entire chamber as shortly following the intrusion of the sound, then equally as intrusive the room was suddenly flooded by ten to twenty Royal Guards.

“Surround the intruder!” the Captain in charge of this small group of guards ordered as he pointed a hoof towards the tall figure surrounded by a dark hood.

“Yes sir!” a loud uproar of voices called back as they charged towards the tall figure clad in black, surrounding him and pointing their spears directly at the tall figure.

“He he,” he chuckled as his turned, looking at the individual equines that surrounded him.

Stepping up from the crowd of golden armor a mare and a stallion trotted up towards him.

Oh, this should be fun. My apprentice can wait until I have seen what these two want…though, if I have to be honest I think I already know what that they want.

Stopping just six steps short of him the mare and the stallion looked back at him with angry glares.

Hm. Surely, they aren’t upset about the mess, that was already here when I arrived, he thought.

“I don’t know what you are or how you managed to best so many of my most elite warriors…but whatever you did it just earned you a one-way ticket to Tartarous. I know the Princess would share my opinion, so there wouldn’t even be an issue worth discussing,” declared the stallion to him as if he was passing some sort of impactful sentence.

“What issue is not worth discussing?” a soft, well-mannered voice spoke out from behind the dark hood that hid the speakers’ face.

“The subject of whether to send you to Tartarous or putting you under arrest to be brought before the Princess, herself, but you won’t have to worry yourself with that,” the mare suddenly spoke up, taking a step closer.

Both males’ attention shifted from each other towards the mare, staring at her.

When she saw the stallion’s face she hung her head low in sadness.

“Apologizes for speaking out of turn like that, C-captain,” the mare apologized.

Turning back to face the hooded figure the stallion directed his attention back to the tall bipedal figure whose real form was hidden behind dark fabric.

“Now, where were we?”

His voice was almost faint and blurred as he spoke, probably because the dark-robed figure was no longer paying as much attention to him as he was to something else, -

…however, his enthusiasm shortly returned as the thoughts that had previously been in his mind returned, bringing with it a smile to his face.

His head turned towards the Captain, wearing a look of delight.

“I believe that what you said was you did not want to change your mind about going to hell.”

Becoming suddenly confused by his reply the Captain looked straight up at the hood’s darkness, trying to find a face.

“What are you talking about? I-I didn’t say that.”

“Oh…Well then…um…let’s get on with it. I don’t have all day, you know.”

“Ok-ay. All right, you two- “

“Oh, there is just one more thing I need to add before you take me away, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Groaning in irritation the Captain turned back to face the dark figure.

“Yes? And what would that be?” he growled through gritted teeth as his irritation in dealing with this difficult…whatever it now was.

“Say hello to Celestia for me when you see her.”

The Captain raised a confused brow at hearing this.

“But…the Princess is not going to Tartarous.”

“Oh, I am fairly certain you’ll be seeing her very soon in the hell that I am sending you to.”

Suddenly opening his mouth, he gently blew out small red forms of energy that moved through the room towards each of the soldiers surrounding him.

Beginning to spin around him the red energy then transformed into a powerful wind that when strong enough grabbed the guards with such violent strength that all of them were suddenly thrown up into the air as the spiraling air current threw them up into the air.

Screaming as they were tossed around like ragdolls some of them could see small glimpses of the others as they too were hurled upwards, but it never lasted for longer than a second before they were pulled away from their vision of sight or they, themselves, were moved around within the current.

Crashing through the roof they were thrown through the air with such wild intensity that none of them could recover quick to prevent their incredibly painful reunions with the ground.

Back inside the castle he looked up into the sky with a pleased smile.

He jumped up into the air with swift speed.

Once out the hole he suspended himself in mid-air just above it.

Thrusting his right arm out from behind his dark robes he pointed his index finger out towards one of the falling ponies, -

…and without hesitation fired off a red energy beam towards him.

Already experiencing great fear, he was not exactly in a good situation either way, but the moment when the energy blast pierced his body he felt more pain surging through his body than he believed was ever supposed to be felt.

When the screaming came to a stop so did his life, and he now fell to the ground a lifeless corpse.

Quickly turning himself around he pointed his finger at the other falling guards, and then another, and then another, and then another, etc…, -

… However, instead of merely shooting the rest like he had the first he shot the beams in random directions, opening portals that suddenly transported each of the beams to fire from random angles at the thirty-nine other guards.

As well as being accompanied by screams of agony the skies were filled with randomly discharging explosions.

Far quicker than even three minutes could supersede him. His finger beams had killed everyone that the whirlwind had flung up into the air.

Soon there was nothing remaining of them but the smoking lifeless bodies that plummeted towards the ground.

Returning his arm back inside his robes he slowly started to fly back inside the cracked ceiling, floating down to the floor where his three digited feet connected with the floor, his tail being the first part of him to physically touch the floor.

Regaining his composure as he stood up he could feel a wind gently tugging at his robe that was coming in through the multiple large cracked holes in the wall and through many smaller cracks that had been created when Luna’s hidden power had been unleashed.

“Excellent, soon everything can proceed as planned ~ He, he, he.”

Author's Note

What is this?

Celestia betrays Luna?...Anyone think she's gonna regret that?

Stay tuned...for a change is on the horizon.

Link - Dragon Ball Super OST 46 - Frieza is Resurrected

Chapter 20

Luna vs Celestia

The entire castles foundation was not only greatly shaken by the near-explosive release of Luna’s hidden power, but also the repeated smashing of walls that Celestia’s body had been forced to endure.

On top of that she had indeed proven when she crashed through the final wall, reappearing outside the castle with many bruises littering her body and left a single bloody wound on her face that exposed the flesh under and partially bits of the skeleton.

As more and more walls, had been smashed through by her body it had slowed the momentum greatly, thus when she crashed through this final wall, reappearing outside the castle, before she could hit a rapidly approaching tower its speed had weakened greatly, and instead of passing right through it she instead merely smashed into it with her whole body, but this time the stone bricks actually prevented her from going any further than where she was now.

Weakly reaching out and grabbing both edges of the crumbling wall Celestia pulled her badly battered and bruised body out of the crippling hole in the tower’s side.

*Bzzt*

Immediately hearing the same recognizable thing seconds before Luna had punched her directly in the face she suddenly looked up, eyes wide in shock from all that she had seen in these recent couple of moments of her life.

Her eyes were slowly guided down towards the hole through which she had come crashing through, -

…where to her shock and horror, she saw Luna hovering in the air with that strange blue fiery aura around her body and an unimpressed frown on her face.

Lowering her head, she aimed her horn’s tip directly at the cracked wall from which Celestia was trying to crawl out of.

Celestia may have been badly hurt but she still understood what her sister was about to do.

In a violent release of energy, a beam of energy shot from Luna’s horn straight towards the crumbling tower!

“No! Ey-arggh!” she shouted as she threw herself out of the tower, narrowly dodging Luna’s beam –the equivalent of a finger beam – seconds before it shot inside the tower.

*Ka-boom*

In the moments as she was falling through the air Celestia was able a final glance back at the tower before a flash of light consumed it in an intense explosion that scattered large and small fragments of stone in random directions.

With a turn of her head Luna’s eyes followed Celestia as she watched her falling through the air.

Her eyes narrowed, staring at her sister in contempt for having the audacity to make her miss.

Celestia! she thought as her rage started to return, but this time nowhere near close to the level of when she had gained access to this power that had for most of her life been locked off from her.

As her body fell through the air she shortly started to pick herself back up, feeling some of her own power partially rejuvenating the injuries from earlier.

Mid-air Celestia straightened herself up, her hooves facing the ceiling before shortly tapping as they touched the stone surface.

Panting she looked up, seeing Luna hovering there staring back at her with hate filled eyes.

Silently, her body started to float down through the air, gently approaching a nearby tower that had been hit by one of the hurtled stones, and thus been greatly weakened.

As her hooves connected with the rooftop she stood up on all fours, still holding her arms folded while staring at her with an unchanged expression on her face.

For a time, there was a silence between the two sisters, a gentle wind blew through the castle.

Blowing through both siblings’ fur as they continued to stare back at each other, Celestia with a clearly exhausted look and Luna with a furious glare that was only a fraction of the rage that she had felt.

“Hm. Don’t begin to get cocky that just because you dodged a mere beam that you still have any chance of standing up against me. Your fate is sealed no matter what you try and I will make sure that in the end you suffer for the hardship you have put me through.”

“The only thing on my mind at the moment…is how you and Bill are going to share the power once you acquire complete control over Equestria,” Celestia panted, holding her chest as she hoped that her breathing became more controlled before Luna made her next move.

Luna’s eyes narrowed even more, her glare growing angrier as her rage got a momentary boost.

“If I were you I wouldn’t be concerning myself with matters that does not concern you, especially when one such as you try to prevent me from seeing him in the most pitiful way you can think of…, - “a smile soon returned, lessening some of the rage in a way. “Seriously, imprisonment was the best you could come up with? You have no idea how much disappoint you have caused with this lousy scheme of yours.”

As Luna talked Celestia do nothing but pant, its intensity slowly going away.

“I would almost feel sorry for what I’ve done to your face, but after today I guess neither of us will no longer possess any weaknesses holding us from achieving greatness…, -! “she shouts as quickly swinging her arm out towards the side with a swift motion. “Though, only one will draw breath this day!”

Gently chuckling she lowers her head to point her horn towards the white Alicorn, whose eyes suddenly widen in surprise at seeing this.

N-no! I’m not yet strong enough to-

Before that thought can be completed another beam shots from the tip of Luna’s horn speeding through the air towards her!

Exclaiming in panic she can only do what she can think of now: dodge!

Leaping up into the air she quickly teleports away from the beam or any potential places where Luna might fire a soon incoming barrage.

Luna’s eyes suddenly wide as she sees Celestia’s sudden teleport, gritting her teeth furiously.

“W-what!? Where did she-!?”

*Pop*

Hearing the sudden teleportation Luna’s head shots up, -

*Baam*

…but before she can turn around to see who or what it is a punch is suddenly delivered directly to her face.

The force of the punch is so strong it sends her flying forward crashing through a wall.

When she re-emerges at the other end, before she could recover from the attack her eyes can only see white coming towards her.

*Pow*

Luna lets out a painful grunt as the hoof punches her square in the face.

Before her hooves can be brought up to cover her face and protect it from any other blows to the face/or head a kick with greater strength than the first punch hits her in the stomach.

Its intensity is violent enough to almost knock the breath out of her.

She is sent flying up into the sky like a bullet!

Teleporting to her position, Celestia is already standing ready to throw multiple punches.

Seeing Luna weakly open her eye Celestia knows that she has the all-clear to go ahead, and unleashes everything she’s got without hesitating or holding back anything.

Giving one after another Luna is subjected to an intense of barrage of punches hitting her in the chest, face and stomach, each pain-inducing pain forcing her to come to terms with the terrible pain as a direct consequence of defying Celestia.

Down at the castle at the same time as Celestia is giving Luna an intense beating a presence halts as it stops in front under a cracked portion of a tower.

Raising its head, it looks up into the sky, silently observing the battle between Celestia and Luna.

Perfect. Everything is going as planne-, the hooded figure thinks, but instantly prevents another thought from being uttered as it notices that the figure beating up on the other is not Luna, but in fact her sister.

Exclaiming in surprise his face contorts into a look of surprise as he realized that his potential future apprentice was actually being beat pretty bad.

No! This cannot happen! I won’t let it!

He would have leaped in to join the fray when he remembered something very important that held him back just enough.

No…I cannot interfere. This is Luna’s greatest test, and as is the meaning of the test I must see that my potential student is worthy of studying under my great and infinite wisdom.

Growling enraged at this fact he folded his arms across his chest and he looked up, continuing to watch the onslaught in patience.

No... Patience in this fight is what will bestow me with a great apprentice.

Down along his head a small bead of sweat ran.

Back up in the sky all Luna’s sight was meet with was a continued barrage of fists that flew directly at her face, each blow bringing a sharp pain with it.

With a sharp thrust of her leg Luna kicked Celestia away from her, leaving a bruised imprint of her hoof on Celestia’s stomach, making her cough up blood for the second time…whereas she had coughed multiple times due to the white Alicorn’s relentless punches.

Being afforded a moment to catch her breath Luna panted as she looked her sister directly in the eye.

However, Celestia was not about to take a brake until she saw Luna pass out from exhaustion, and immediately charged directly at her without hesitation, but this time Luna was ready for her.

As the punches started to fly Luna – while already mighty exhausted and badly beaten – managed to catch a good deal of the punches that Celestia sent her way, but most of the punches that got through were dealt to her shoulders and while ensuring pain was felt they were not enough to do any serious damage. Most of which concentrated on random parts of her chest.

Hmmm. It would seem she has learned a thing or two over the course of her life. She wasn’t just always just a whining mouth with a body attached to it…but how do I actually defeat her? Even if I manage to keep her occupied with defending herself for a time there won’t be anything either of us can do to end this stalemate we’re in…unless…yess, it could bring about an end to this pointless conflict, Celestia thought amidst throwing punches and doing her best at not giving her a single chance to strike.

Suddenly, before Luna could react Celestia teleported away, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye…, -

Huh!? What the-

*Pop*

*Impale*

…and before she had a chance of mounting a suitable defense against her sister’s speedy counter-attack sliced the tip of her horn across her back, leaving a noticeable wound – out from which blood immediately started running down her back, staining her fur.

Luna let out an agonizing scream as the sharp pain tormented her for all but a few seconds.

Recovering from the attack somewhat quickly she would have turned around to mount her own counter-attack in self-defense of what Celestia had tried to pull…, -

…however, all her efforts were suddenly undermined as another sharp pain suddenly pierced her left arm!

Her eyes shot open and her whole body tensed as the pain she was experiencing now was beyond anything she had ever felt before.

Shakily, and very slowly her head turned to look to the side, but when she looked down her eyes jumped yet again, and out through an open mouth she could utter no other sounds than chocking on her own words as she struggled to words which she could actually speak.

N-no! she thought gritted teeth as she the tip of her sister’s horn coming out the front side of her left arm.

Blood was dripping from the protruding tip and even running down through her fur, the feeling of which made Luna’s body shiver from the intolerable pain of one’s own blood moving down along her fur/flesh.

Growling through gritted teeth she tried to move, but every time she made another movement the horn twisted itself inside her wound, bringing back the original pain but also being accompanied by a secondary sharp pain that went on to last a few more seconds after the first finally faded, before the cycle all over again.

With the opportunity that was presented to her Celestia raised her right hind-leg and thrust it towards Luna’s back, kicking her hard in the back!

*Crack*

Like so many times during this battle with her sister Lunas’ eyes jumped at the shock from the sudden pain, and her mouth opened, letting out an intense painful scream as she could feel several bones begin to fracture.

While nothing but chocked stutter could be heard being uttered by her greatly wounded sister Celestia stared frowningly at the blue Alicorn in front of her as started to relentlessly deliver one punch after another into Luna’s back.

Each punch was hard and quite painful, but was separated from each other by an individual second that provided a second-long pause between one punch and the next of the nine – but was supposed to be ten – punches that Luna was forced to suffer through.

After the first eight punches Luna, finally couldn’t handle it anymore.

With quick enough movement Luna thrust her elbow back, punching Celestia hard in the stomach, interrupting her barrage of punches and momentarily knocking the air out of her, -

…and with even more pain involved as she moved it back out, her telekinesis quickly pushed Celestia’s horn back out of her wound.

Hearing an agonized groan Celestia was about to look up when her face was instead meet with another punch to the face that immediately caused her to move back away.

Moving back around to the front where they once again saw Celestia saw how badly bruised Luna’s face was, in response she folded her arms across her chest, glaring back at her defeated opponent.

“H-h-how?” Luna asked weakly. “H-how can you be this strong? I-I-I got a significant boost that should have rivalled your own power,” she stuttered.

“Simple, Luna, your power increase was unexpected, but you were so confident in your own abilities that it never dawned on you that perhaps you should use it conservatively.”

Panting, Luna did nothing but stare back at the white mare with her remaining eye.

“Evil-doers like yourself are always so confident in your superior might you never take the time to understand it properly, and once I noticed that you were starting to miss I could see a small window of opportunity.”

“B-but my power! H-how could it be wasted s-so fast?”

“Ah, a simple question asked by a simple mind deserves only the simplest of answers.” Celestia replied in a mock tone. “You have only just tapped into this power, but that doesn’t mean your body will be used to it. All of these attacks you have been pulling off required a huge amount of energy, and as such you unwittingly began drawing on your own so that you thought you would be able to finish me off,” she said, her smile spreading from ear-to-ear.

“You may have been strong enough to defeat me, and would have…if you did not recklessly waste it all in toying with me…, -” as Celestia continued to talk Luna lowered her head in defeat, feeling the blood that would not have been there if she had not failed run down through her fur. “…and based on that alone you give me no choice but bringing your body to the gates myself. You may try to escape and death is not a fate I have planned for you.”

With a new serious frown a ball of energy starts to form at the tip of Celestia’s horn, growing in strength for second that went by charging the level of energy in the ball.

Her eyes closing as her sister’s words sunk in.

“Luna…” a disembodied voice spoke to her, her eyes shooting open as a result.

Hearing a voice speak to her – and it did not belong to her sister – she slowly looked up back again, staring out at the source from which the voice was coming from…, -

…however, as she looked to see where the voice had come from she could not see anything but her sister hovering suspended in the air in front of her.

“Luna…” the voice suddenly said to her again.

With a turn of her head she started to look around at her surroundings…but seeing only white clouds and a blue sky overheard.

“W-who are you? W-where ar-re you? I can’t see you.”

“Hm?” Celestia reacted as her smile deteriorated slightly, staring back at the bad condition Luna’s body was in.

She watches in stunned confusion as Luna slowly looked around, staring in one direction after another as she was seemingly searching for something.

Maybe I hit her a little too hard? Celestia wondered as she just blinked at the sight that she was seeing.

Turning her head around Luna looked out through her remaining good eye to try and find this mysterious voice that she had heard speaking to her just moments ago, but wherever she looked there was nothing to be found of anyone present aside from her sister.

Turning back her gaze accidentally moved past her sister, and she would have just ignored her and continued her search if not for a single thing that had changed since last, she looked out in front of her.

It was not her sister that she was seeing anymore…but instead a being that she did not recognize now stood before.

Her eye shot open, staring back in stunned silence at the dark silhouette as its blue eyes was the only thing she could see of its face, but as soon as she took notice of its blue eyes they seemed to narrow.

“No!” she gasped in surprised shock. “B-but you’re…dead,” Luna said, the sensible part of her mind immediately telling her that this was not real to try and rationalize it.

However, as she spoke to him, he remained silent. Only returning her surprised expression with a stern one.

“Why?” the dark figure asked softly.

Her eyes shot wider again, surprised by the question it had posed.

Stunned into a silence she looked back into its eyes as she knew that it was impossible for her to avoid his stern gaze, uttering a constant stutter as she chocked on her own words.

“Why did you let everything I was die for nothing?”

After that was said to her eyes jumped in surprise.

“B-but your death was not in vain…y-you sacrificed yourself so that I could live to fight another day.”

“Hmpf,” he scoffed bitterly, narrowing his eyes so he looked to have gotten angrier. “I gave my life for you, and this is how you chose to repay me? By letting your weak, inferior sister defeat you in a battle where this would be nothing to what I could do?”

“N-no…I-I did everything I could to beat her…, - “lowering her head she hung her head in defeat. “…but in the end, it was still not enough to overcome her.”

“Hmpf,” the dark silhouette scoffed, once again showing its angry expression with its eyes. “Still you are a slave to your sister’s words. Just because she gives you an explanation for something it does not mean that it is the truth.”

What? she thought in her mind, but did not actually utter a single word in reality.

“While I will agree with her point that you have spent a considerable amount of energy and that has made you vulnerable, I can assure you that Celestia is still far weaker than she is letting on. She fears you, and believes that this final lie will be enough to bring you back under her boot long enough to forever doom your future.”

She lied? H-how could she still be lying to me after I’ve already threatened to obliterate her?

Hanging down beside her body, her remaining functioning hoof tightened in rage, small bursts of electricity appearing randomly on her body.

What!? No! She can’t be...!

“If you will not put your faith in anyone but her, then cast her truth aside and believe the one I am telling you now, which is the truth.”

Slowly raising her head again, she looked back out at the white Alicorn, whom she visibly sees was shocked by her no longer see her so defeated and broken because of her brutal defeat.

NO!

“Do you still remember the technique I taught you long ago?” he asked with his eyes that looked to be delighted.

“Yes, I still remember it. How to perform it at least, but I guess that is enough.”

Smiling a creepy smile, her fiery aura suddenly ignited again, flaring wildly around her form as she glared back at her sister very scared sister.
Raising her sole functioning arm up, she extended it out so that Celestia was unmistakably unable to escape from her attack.

“Ka…Me…Ha…Me-…, - “she said as a blue ball of energy started to form, imbuing it with what remained of her power.

Huh? What is happening? She suddenly seems to be preparing for battle…but wait, how can she still be kicking after an intense beat down like that? Surely, she would be done for already, he thought in reaction to what his vision was showing him.

NOOOOO!

“Good… now give her everything you’ve got, MAKE HER SUFFER AS SHE HAS FORCED OTHERS TO SUFFER! He shouted loudly before quickly jumping out of the way, once more revealing the sight of Celestia to Luna’s eyes.

Narrowing her eyes/eye she glared back at the white Alicorn, seeing at that moment that she was preparing to fire back at her even in this weakened state.

“…HA!”

Shouting as loudly as she could on the top of her lungs she quickly thrust her hoof forward, the ball of energy that she had been powering

Immediately thrusting her hoof forwards, an intense blast of energy shot forth towards the being hovering in the air in front of her.

“NO! I WILL NOT DIEEEEEE!” Celestia screamed as she saw the beam of golden energy towards her, -

…and just like Luna she too fired off a blast that contained nearly all the power she had towards the one that shot towards the blue Alicorn.

As both blasts clashed the moment both impacted the other it sent a powerful that flew out from its center point.

Sweeping across the castle it caused the large structure to suddenly begin shaking from the immense energy that had just hit it.

Watching from his spot, his previous look of concern was replaced by a look of pure delight.

“Perfect, she is holding her own against her sister far better than I was expecting,” he commented aloud to himself.

The surrounding trees all started to sway violently as the wave of energy washed over them, pulling at them with all its might, hoping to rip them from their place and send them flying through the air to be randomly dispersed, few were uprooted…but neither of them were sent further than crashing into another tree.

Cracks opened in the ground, swallowing up whatever once stood above the darkened crevices.

Back with the two sisters both were separated by two – differently colored – beams of violent rage that were both at odds with the other, the other threatening to swallow up the other as the ones that were firing them were putting all their energy into overwhelming their opponent.

Uttering chocked grunts through gritted teeth Luna was using everything she had put into this one attack, but even despite that fact she was surprised to find that not only was her attack not getting anywhere close to pushing her sister’s bac…but that her sister was actually starting to gain bit of an edge over her and slowly pushing her attack back.

Grunting she tried to stabilize her physical condition so that she did not suffer too great of strain to where it could lead to her downfall, but as things were going now they did not look too good.

Trying even harder to concentrate she closed her eyes.

It helped a little as she pushed her sister’s blast a little further back, but still it was not enough to keep her at bay forever.

On the other side of the intense clashing of energy Celestia had extended both her arms out in front of her so she could better control her beam as it seemed like they would be here for a while.

Wearing an expression-less frown she was in full control of her own attack, giving it all she could.

Back on Luna’s side, behind her a darkened figure faded into existence, its eyes narrowing as they stared back at her as she was failing to combat her sister…greatly.

“Luna! Give it your all!” She heard a familiar voice call out to her from behind.

Her eyes shot open and she slowly turned her head back, looking over her shoulder, her eyes jumping as she saw the figure hovering in the air behind her.

Luna and his surroundings all started to change from blue skies and white clouds to a vast chamber that had many columns along the walls of this circle-shaped chamber, each of the walls having giant rips and cracks in them, a part of the dome ceiling had collapsed onto the ground, the marble floors had lost their former shimmer as they were now covered by sand and dust.

The darkly silhouetted figure changed from hovering in the air to laying on his back on the cracked and ruined floor, a torn cape being blown through the wind that entered into the chamber, blood was running from his cut torso and from his left shoulder where he was missing an arm – his arm laying on the floor in front of him while the lower half of his body was nowhere to be seen.

“Mairon,” Luna whispered as she looked back at his badly injured upper body as it lay motionless on the marble floors.

Standing in the center of the chamber in front of his unconscious body she was now standing clad in battle-torn armor still in the process of doing the same attack that she was currently doing her head slowly turned back to look out in front of her.

Like currently she was also fighting off another powerful energy beam that clashed with her own attack, but because she was inside the chamber and the opposing beam was being fired from the outside she could not see the identity of who was firing back at her.

Like currently she began to focus, pouring everything she had into staying off this other attacker…, -

“L-luna…” but it was not until a faint and weak voice spoke up to her that she was distracted from the battle.

Once more looking over her shoulder she saw the poorly conditioned body trying to stand itself back up with its right arm, but clearly struggling as it was too weak to move anymore.

“L-…luna,” it managed to utter one final time, its stumpy arm trying to extend its arm out towards her…, -

…before both the bleeding arm and the torso fell back, falling back to the ground.

Grasping tightly at the floor it managed to shatter a few pieces of the marble floor, but with a final breath it lost consciousness, laying lifeless on the floor.

Underneath it the blood had formed a quite large puddle underneath him that stained him red.

Behind her the bright light of the opposing beam was growing stronger, being just mere moments from engulfing her.

As time seemed to slow down for her she was silent as her eyes could seemingly not look away from the body that she had just witnessed drawing his final breaths…and they had been spent calling her name.

A single tear ran down her cheek.

Through the opposing energy beam a dark silhouetted figure could be seen, being the cause of the energy beam that was weighing down hard on Luna.

Back outside the chamber a distorted laughter started to sound, echoing around the chamber, bouncing off the walls only to be meet with Luna’s ears.

Lowering her head, she soundlessly started uttering unseen noises that the being firing the opposing beam could not hear.

“Finally giving up are ya?” the dark and distorted voice inquired to her as it could see something happening with her. “Surrender is the only way out for you now, and even there I will not hesitate to enforce my will upon you.”

Watching her slowly raise her head the being clothed in darkness smirked as it could see that she was thinking about her options. She may be strong to endure quite a beating, but not even the mighty Luna could stand up to the might it wielded.

Sharply turning her head and looking back at the being she was battling, Luna breathed heavily through gritted teeth.

“Uhh!?” the dark entity was surprised by her enraged glare; its pride and sense of victory being greatly wounded by this sudden display of rage.

“I…I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!”

Screaming in terrible rage the structure suddenly vanished as an intense explosion erupted from behind its own walls, destroying the entire structure in little no more than a few seconds.

The shockwave generated from the explosion was so powerful that it would have destroyed an entire forest the size of the Everfree, leaving behind nothing but a single stone column atop which the foundation of the destroyed structure remained – as the only thing indicating its existence.

Calming itself, the wind eventually returned to where it was manageable, accompanied by the falling of destroyed stones, dust and – now cracked – stone bricks.

“Urgh…gurgh!” the dark entity stuttered as it took everything it could to not let up its attack as this would be its only chance to finish off the Princess Luna, herself.

“You miserable-…brat?”

…but as her eyes once looked in Luna’s direction they immediately shot wide open from fear.

Having re-ignited around her Luna was once more enveloped in the fiery aura from before, but instead of its usual blue it was now golden, but this time far more violent and intense than she had been battled before. Electricity sparked all around her in a matter of only one second, -

…and she was now looking up at Celestia with a rage filled glare that could not be simply ignored.

Gritting her teeth for just the loneliest of seconds Luna shared only the briefest of stares with her opponent before finally unleashing the loudest and most aggressive scream she had ever uttered before in her life.

A bright flash erupted from where Luna was standing.

It was so bright in fact that it blinded Celestia, making it impossible for her to see what was happening.

“GRAHH!” she exclaimed as she quickly turned her head, looking away from the bright light.

“DAMN YOU!” she shouted.

When the intensity finally dropped to a more manageable level she gently opened her eyes again, daring to see for herself if it truly had become more tolerable.

“You brat, I’ll tear you to-! “she growled, but a look of surprise suddenly overtook her face as soon as she looked down in Luna’s direction.

A loudly screaming voice tormented her ears to the point of almost making them bleed.

The fear of death consumed her heart, destroying any other thoughts that attempted to enter her mind.

“NO! NOO!! NOOOOOOO!!!”

Through her own eyes, she wanted to believe that what she was seeing was not true, that it was just an illusion, a trick of the mind that Luna was trying to pull in order to get the slip on her, but her mind as well as her body was paralyzed with overwhelming fear.

There was nothing she could do.

Luna’s beam was no five times bigger, crushing Celestia’s own beam, shattering the energy to pieces as it finally started to push back.

Celestia could not sustain her own attack, her hooves shaking too much to properly defend against such overwhelming power, as well as any of her remaining energy having already been spent on breaking Luna’s defenses.

“NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO…!” Celestia let out final screeching scream as Luna’s attack finally managed to cut right through her defenses, her own attack barely standing a chance of holding it back any longer.

Her attack was swatted aside like nothing, shattering it to pieces for a final time as she finally destroyed Celestia’s chance at delaying the inevitable, -

…giving her just a second before it all swallowed Celestia up too!

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Celestia screamed in a loudly agonized final scream as the blast finally consumed her whole body and blotting out anything else other than the intense golden light from Celestia’s vision.

The pain was unbearable, like hundreds of knives all penetrating her flesh at the same time, stabbing at her body.

Her entire vision was taken up with nothing but white as it finally came to a complete and utter stop!

*BOOOOOM*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXVhfKTpYrw

(It was a difficult toss-up between these two videos, so in the end i'll just leave it up to you to decide which one fits better)

As the beam hit Celestia with full force it forced forth an explosion the size of Luna and Celestia’s castle – being so big it was all Luna saw, sending forth a shockwave that this time uprooted many trees, scattering them randomly in separate directions, the ground was ripped wide open from the sheer force, and part of the castle was shaken to where it collapsed into a pile of broken stone bricks!

Grunting he held up his arm to shield himself from the explosion as it passed overhead.

Incredible!

While the outer reaches of the forest survived, the inner circles were all but uprooted, leaving nothing behind but a mere crater.

Up in the air with her one injured arm and the other still extended out Luna panted heavily as she finally started to the flames and the black smoke fade away.

I did it…

Suddenly, from out of the black smoke and scorching flames Luna noticed something fall down towards the ground.

Still panting she did not move as her eyes followed the plummeting flesh-and-blood creature as it fell out of the sky towards the castle.

Sister… she thought as she followed the white being fall through the sky, only stopping when she violently crashed into the ground, blowing up sand dust from where she landed.

Hm… she scoffed, her panting expression contorting into a panting frown.

Slowly, she began to descend down towards the ground.

Looking up from where Celestia’s body had crashed into a wall he craned his head back up, watching Luna slowly descend from the sky which made him grin in delight.

Excellent. I could not have asked for that battle to go in any other direction.

Turning around he walked back the way he had come, disappearing off into the castle.

[Down at the castle]

With the uttermost of strength was left in her body Celestia very weakly pushed the large stone up off her.

With a very frail and badly injured hoof Celestia gently pulled her body out of the pile of rocks, her entire body shivering from the pain that she had just gone through and was still experiencing way after the explosion had ended.

Laying on the ground her body spasmed, still feeling some smidge of leftover pain from her sister’s attack that she was no longer capable of just shrugging off as nothing anymore, but instead forced to endure.

“G-g-got to g-get to- “

*Tap Tap*

As fast as she could – in her current state – she turned her head, looking to her left side.

Her eyes widened as she laid eyes on the still figure as its glowing eyes meet her own.

She tried to crawl away from this being as fast as she could, but in her current state a fast escape was an impossibility. She didn’t even possess the strength possible to heal herself fast enough to even pull off something even resembling an escape.

“I-rgh-I won’t die!” Celestia said as she tried using what little functionality remained in her hoof to get away from the tall figure that she had spotted.

“There is no need to escape, sister, your fate was already decided long before this battle even started.”

Coming to a sudden stop Celestia hesitated for a few seconds before slowly looking back up above her.

Her eyes shot open, and chocked noises sounded from her mouth as she couldn’t find anything to say as she saw her sister descend from the sky towards her.

She too seemed badly beaten up, but like Celestia her condition was hardly a scratch.

Planting her hooves on the stone floor she looked down glaring at her sister.

Raising her right hoof, she pointed it at her sister’s face, her frown slowly contorting into a pure look of evil delight.

A few feet away from her the hooded figure watched the two sisters in anticipation.

He smiled at seeing the ball of energy forming at Luna’s hoof.

Just a little more now, you’re almost there.

As the ball grew to almost reach the size of Celestia’s head Luna’s eyes narrowed as they looked into the fearful ones her sister possessed.

“Don’t worry, Celestia, I will make sure your sacrifice was not in vain. Equestria will become a better place when I claim the throne for myself.”

The brightness from the growing sphere of energy now all but obstructed Celestia’s face, meaning she could not be seen at all.

“Yesss, do it!” a sudden voice spoke up from Luna’s left side.

“Huh?” Luna reacted.

Turning their heads both Princesses looked to their sides at the source of the voice, both staring wide-eyed in shock at the tall, hooded figure that stood before them. Its face obstructed by a hood that covered its head.

Luna found herself confused by this new presence.

If this was a new enemy she’d have to battle she’d surely fall since so much of her energy had already been spent battling Celestia.

“W-…who are you?” Luna inquired, still holding her ball of energy ready to kill Celestia.

“Who I am does not matter, but who is about to die, is.”

Extending a hand out from its dark robes it pointed a finger down at the weak and frail form of Celestia.

“You were about to kill her…you will not have to worry about me interrupting, as a matter of fact I want you to kill her and rid yourselves of someone so weak and pathetic compared to the overwhelming might you wield.”

Luna looked back down at her sister, staring back in shock.

“If we are to work together we should come clean so you know my reasons for wanting her dead.”

Suddenly turning back Luna’s original confusion turned into shock at what she had just heard.

“‘’work together’’? What!?” she exclaimed.

The hooded being smiled in approval behind the shadow cast by its hood.

“Correct, I have been searching for someone worthy of the knowledge I can provide…and from the list of powerful beings in the universe I have chosen you as my apprentice.”

“M-me?”

“Yes. You are the ideal vessel to wield the knowledge I possess, and with your wisdom I have no doubt that you will use this knowledge for the well-fare of your subjects.”

*Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap*

As he walked closer Luna couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“Kill your sister and complete the final test, and I will know that you are more worthy of responsibility than she ever was, more worthy to sit upon the throne and determine others’ lives. The choice is yours, your Highness.”

Returning his arms back inside his robes he turned silently towards Celestia, staring at her broken and beyond battered body, seeing every bruise and every wound that littered her body from not just the damage already sustained by Luna but from the intensity of her final attack.

Luna turned back, staring down at Celestia with a blank face.

“Hm. You hear that, sister, seems I’m not the only one who believes I’m more deserving of leading others than you ever were…would be a shame to disappoint him.”

A soft chuckle was uttered by him as his eyes narrowed, staring down at Celestia with a wicked grin.

Her charged energy ball had already grown big enough to where it would finally kill Celestia, so Luna finally saw no point in holding back her whole purpose for betraying Celestia in the first place.

“Goodbye, sister, you were useful for a time…but even you have now become obsolete.”

*Baaaaam*

*Whoosh*

*Crash*

Before Luna could fire her attack and finally end this something suddenly hit her, sending her crashing into a nearby wall.

“Huh!? What!?” he reacted as soon as he saw Luna get hit.

From a nearby wall he could see dust rising upwards, and a giant crack in the wall she had been sent to.

Sharply turning back around he laid eyes on the being that had sent her flying, his eye jumping at the sight of another tall figure clad in robes like it – except these robes were white.

“UH!” he reacted as he saw the newcomer’s extended fist. “Hm,” which was shortly followed by a scoff as he retracted his arms back inside his robe.

“Well well well, look what the tide hauled in, a nuisance,” he remarked as his eyes narrowed, and a bitter frown appeared.

“Still looking for an apprentice, I see?” the newcomer asked as he lowered his fist down beside his robes.

“Hardly, the apprentices find me.”

“Hm ~ Not impressed,” the figure’s whose hood was white replied.

“You don’t have to be, facts are facts no matter who says them…and the fact is that this young mare has the potential to be something great, and I plan on giving it to her,” he said with a sharp turn of his body, pointing a finger back at where Luna had crashed into.

“Is that the universe’ fact or your own? Cause sometimes it’s difficult to tell with you.”

“Rrrghh,” he growled in anger at being insulted like that.

“Hm…, - “he chuckled, his rage changing into a subtle smile. “Whatever, I’ve got more important matters to attend than the likes of you.”

Turning around he started to walk back towards the cracked hole in the wall that Luna had still not yet emerged from.

Stopping in front of the wall he reached his arm inside the hole, momentarily pulling the unconscious body of Luna out.

Hanging her over his shoulder he turned back towards the other hooded figure, staring back with a glare.

“Anyway, everything I need to see has been seen...and I think it is about time for us to depart from this tiny planet,” he said as he raised two fingers up to his forehead behind the hood.

Chuckling behind his own hood the newcomer smiled a delightful smile.

“See we shall.”

Watching the figure suddenly disappear Celestia’s eyes finally closed shut, too exhausted to keep looking anymore.

*Bzzt*

Before he and Luna both teleported away he was able to utter a soft growl.

For a brief moment after they had vanished from sight the newcomer held his position, staring towards where they had previously been standing.

A soft wind blowing through the devastated castle grounds, blowing through his hair.

“Hm,” he uttered with a grimace on his face, before turning around and hurrying over towards Celestia’s beaten and battered body.

Holding her in his arms he reached inside his pocket, searching for something.

“Princess Celestia, speak to me, how are you feeling?” he asked with genuine concern as he looked down at her.

She coughed several times, many of which indicated that she was still alive – for now – but included along with her rough coughs was also a lot of blood.

“Oh my, this is worse than I thought.”

Pulling out a small bag he quickly opened it and reached inside, pulling out a small green bean.

“Here, eat this, Princess.”

To his great surprise, he expected Celestia to not respond at all, but she actually opened her mouth as she was instructed to.

“There…now chew,” he said after inserting the green bean into her mouth – and obviously removing his fingers.

Her body was already so badly damaged that even the simplest of movements was causing her nearly unending agony just trying to move a muscle, but still she managed to push through it and at the least chew the strange bean that her savior had given her.

“Hey! You!” a voice suddenly shouted to them.

Looking up from the broken and crippled Princess his eyes shifted to where the voice was coming from.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see a large group of golden armored Royal Guards rushing in their direction.

When they had him and Celestia surrounded they quickly pointed the tips of their spears at him.

“Release the Princess at once.”

“B-but she hasn’t- “

“Release her or we will use force!” the Captain interrupted before he could finish.

“Rrgghh,” he uttered as a low growl at this stallion’s lack of respect.

*Swallow*

“Fine then,” he said releasing his grip and letting her drop to the ground with a thud.

Following her body collapse – and watching as it hit the ground – the Captain suddenly looked up at the tall hooded figure that he had seen looming over their beloved Princess.

“Rrggh – You are going to wish you hadn’t done that, bud,” he growled through gritted teeth as he entered into a battle-ready stance.

“Hmpf,” the newcomer scoffed as he stood back up, towering over the six armor-clad equines.

Narrowing his eyes he looked directly at the Captain, his arms folding across his chest as he waited for the first one to try and attack him.

“Hyaahhh!” a mare shouted as she leaped at him from behind with her hoof raised to strike, -

*Bzzt*

…only to fail in hitting her target, having her hoof pass down through air.

“Wha-… How!?” exclaimed the mare surprised as she failed to hit the hooded figure with her hoof, only to have it pass through the dead air his body used to occupy.

“Wha-!” the Captain – as well as everyone gathered – reacted at seeing this incredible mastery of what they believed to be teleportation, startling everyone present at the scene.

“W-where did he go, Captain?” a fellow guard asked with concern at such speedy teleportation.

“Right here,” a voice replied from behind.

Every single one of the guards suddenly tensed as they heard that familiar voice again, and so soon too.

Speedily turning around their eyes looked up towards the top of one of the less-badly damaged pillars that still remained after the intense battle that had taken place between both sisters.

Seeing the figure standing at the top they all gasped in surprised shock, not enjoying the sight that greeted them.

Still laying on the ground Celestia gently stirred where she lay, softly uttering sounds.

“My, my, my, you really are to learn some manners when addressing others, you know that?” he said down to them as it stood with his boots planted firmly against the top of the pillar with his arms folded as he looked down at the guards that had just attempted to attack him right after trying to arrest him.

Neither of the guards opted to say anything, all they could do was stare up in shocked awe.

“So, I see we’re finally done wasting time? Good,” he said while his body was slowly lifted up into the air off the pillar.

Hovering through the air he kept his arms folded as he slowly descended back down towards the surface that the guards stood on.

However, as the guards watched him descend back down to them it became evident that unless he was really good at hiding his fear that there was nothing they could to harm him.

Frightened by him they backed away as he descended.

*Tap Tap*

Planting his boots firmly back down on the ground this made all of the guards present utter chocked sounds as they did not know what his next move was.

Raising his head, he looked back up, eyes staring directly at them where they all stood surrounding the Princess.

“You are all right to be scared…but in the end, it will not be enough to save you...”

However, after what he had just said had been uttered it only made them cower from him even more.

Slowly extending his arm he pointed his index finger back at the group of guards.

All of them expected for him to fire a blast or something at them.

In a last-ditch effort to protect their sole hope they all huddled around Celestia’s downed body in order to protect her.

“T-then why don’t you just finish what you came here for?” the Captain shuddered as he held the Princess tight.

“Because even as we speak the great danger of which I speak is leaving the planet with its prize.”

[Equestria’s orbit]

Flying up into space a small spacecraft flies out into the vastness that is the universe.

Aboard the spaceship, a dark hooded figure is standing beside its two pilots that is wearing identical armor, looking out through the observation screen into space as the two of them pilot the ship.

Silently turning around the being walks towards a nearby door, which automatically opens for him to exit through.

Another door opens and he proceeds into a darkly lit room which only source of light is a bright blue that is emanating from the center of the room.

Raising his head his eyes fall upon a transparent rectangular pod that is connected to both the ceiling and the floor by a base.

Inside, the pod is filled with healing fluid, -

…surrounding a solitary being whose body is badly battered and bruised after its first real intense battle in years.

Its mouth covered by a half-mask – meaning it only covers the mouth but not the whole face – as a tube connected to the mask is providing a continued amount of oxygen to the being inside the pod.

Its eyes twitching slightly as if plagued.

“Yess, Princess, let the hate flow through you, let yourself be imbued with the strengths that would have been all but alien to while you were still Celestia’s slave,” he said with a delightful grin.

“Soon a new order will throughout the universe, and all who chose to dispute it will fall under its might.”

A soft chuckle escaped his lips as thoughts of the future started to come to him, visions of a galaxy united under a single name;

Frost

Outside in space the Starship flew towards the Moon, rounding the corner and flying to the back.

For a time, nothing was seen or heard until a large shadow started traversing across the surface of the large celestial body, its engines humming as they started to power up.

Once it was out in the clear, far enough from the Moon, a large Starship in the shape of a massive circle with many smaller circles aligned along its side, and with one large circle at the front rotated itself around until its Bridge was pointed in the direction it wanted.

With incredible speed the massive ship shot forward, disappearing from sight as it vanished to other parts of creation, where its true destination was but a mystery.

[Back down on the surface]

Sensing something in the skies above he craned his head up, eyes gazing up into space.

His blank stare contorted into a stern frown as he felt the presence vanish.

“It has begun…, -”

Finally realizing that he was not going to attack them the guards turned back as they looked at him, not understanding why he was looking up in the air.

“…and my advice to you for the days to come; watch the skies,” he said as he slowly lowered his head.

“Never take your eyes off the skies.”

His eyes staring directly at them.

Hovering high in the air, nothing but three outlines as golden light shone down upon the world below.

An eye with a slit pupil returned his stare, narrowing its brow.

Soon the outlines started to melt away into the golden sphere until nothing could be seen remaining of either the three lines or the eye with the slit pupil.

Author's Note

Sibling rivalry, mysterious newcomers who have observed them from the shadows, and a deviation from what you were expecting -

...this can only mean one thing; a new chapter is starting.

I like to be cinematic, was it too subtle?

Link1 - Dragon Ball Z Original Soundtrack - Solid State Scouter
Link2 - Dragon Ball Super OST 46 - Frieza is Resurrected

Chapter 21

A Warrior Reborn Part 1

Far across the galaxy on a distant green planet there exists a planet that is covered – for the most part – in greenery. The majority of its surface being vast open mountain ranges, stone formations and great canyons. A few consisting of small green plains and forests.

Flying to and from a massive multi-towered tall structure are many sphere-shaped spacecraft that enter/leave through opened hatches that are either on the surface or built into the sides of the open canyons and mountain ranges.

The surface may show a small base, but the inside is an entire fortress that is connected to fifty other bases like this one through a cave system that goes from one end of the planet to another.

Having been removed from the healing chamber the blue Alicorn is now laying on an operating table.

Aside from a pillow cushioning her head her whole body can be seen displayed on the operating table.

Down a hallway, a gentle tapping echoes down the hall as a silhouetted figure proceeds to walk down the hall, its dark silhouetted body being seen by everyone it passes.

Some grow nervous in its presence and others just remain still as it passes by them, beads of sweat running down their temples as its shadow moves away from them.

*Tap Tap*

In her operating table, Luna’s eyes began to twitch slightly while closed, a worried scrunch appearing on her face as she can see a dark being standing in front of her. A rip in the fabric of reality just over his shoulder.

“N-no! I refus-!” she gasps as her fear starts to skyrocket, rising higher than anything she has ever known.

*Tap Tap*

“N-rgh-no! -“

Turning back to her the silhouette’s eyes suddenly flash golden as their bright shine on her face.

*Tap Tap*

Panting unevenly her fear reaches its highest point as the dark silhouette stands in front of her operating table, staring directly at her with its arms behind its back.

Standing tall the dark figure slowly raises its hand, a ball of blue energy appearing as he holds his palm flat as the ball is aimed right at her face.

Her mouth twitches as her eyes intensifies – looking more like she was in legitimate real pain.

“No!” she protests as she disputes the being’s claims.

Turning its head the silhouette’s glowing eyes once again look back down at her.

Extending its arm out to the side a ball of energy begins to appear in the palm of its hand.

“Heed my warning, Princess of the Night, perish your evil will…and prevail once more good will.”

Without warning the silhouetted spiky-haired shadow suddenly threw the ball of energy at her.

“NO!” Luna screamed as her eyes shot wide open.

Immediately she sat up-right in her operating table from the shock of some dark silhouetted figure about to kill her with an energy blast that was similar to the one she had used against her sister back on Equestria.

Breaking the restraints of her right arm she suddenly extends her hoof out in front of her, a ball of immediate energy being fired as her rage suddenly explodes!

*Boom*

After the blast is fired it hits the ceiling, destroying a good chunk of it, and leaving behind only a giant cracked hole in the ceiling.

Only ten seconds after the explosion is heard a *Whoosh* is heard as two large steel doors open inwards…, -

*Tap Tap*

…and several footsteps is heard as something hurriedly runs into the room before coming to a sudden halt as it freezes in place.

Snapping her head to where the sound of footsteps came from her wide-open eyes look down at the shocked and petrified being staring right back at her.

Narrowing her brows, she looks down at the small creature with confused eyes, just as it is meeting those confused eyes with his own nervous ones.

“Yep. She’s definitely recovered,” the small reptile-looking Humanoid says as some of its fear began to fade as it saw her tensing eyes staring at it, her chest heaving as her nostrils flared with every breath.

Turning around so she couldn’t see he held up a small wrist-mounted device, atop which a blue glow started to appear.

Hunching slightly, she could make out indiscernible sounds as he was saying something to someone.

“Inform father that she has regained conscious and is now awake, and will soon be meeting with him,” he whispered to a holographic image of an alien that wore identical armor to what he wore, with a few minor differences like the color.

“Yes, my Lord,” replied the holographic image.

Deactivating the hologram on his wrist-device he turned back around, his eyes staring directly at the mare with nervous eyes.

Lowering her hoof Luna’s non-blinking stare was finally interrupted as she started to turn her head, looking around the room she was in various directions.

From what she could see the room itself was just a spherical chamber, with her operating table standing atop a slightly raised base that had a single walkway that led up to the front entrance, lights aligned around the table on the floor, illuminating the room.

After seeing the whole room for herself and what it contained, her eyes returned to looking back upon the alien – she assumed it was an alien – that was now standing across from her with its arms folded, still wearing a nervous expression upon his face as he was worried about her for some reason.

“Ohhh ~ my head,” Luna groaned as a sudden wooziness started coming over her.

Bringing a hoof up to her forehead she gently rubbed it as very slowly her body started joining in on feeling…off.

“Hey, kid,” he heard her calling to him.

Looking up from the floor his eyes were staring straight back at her from across the chamber.

“Hm?” he softly uttered as his eyes meet her own.

“W-where are we, a-and what is going on here? I-I don’t feel t-too- “

Suddenly, as the lower half of her body moved off the table in an attempt to stand up she was immediately hit by an intense increase in gravity that almost pulled her down to the ground, -

*Bzzt*

…however, before she could be pulled to the ground she opened her eyes to find that she had not violently collapsed to the floor, instead he was holding her up in his arms.

“Don’t worry, I got you,” said he as he stood up still holding her in his arms.

Looking up she could only stare back, mouth agape as she was surprised by his incredible speed, and all of it within a single heartbeat!

Lifting her back up he held her so that she understood she was supposed to get back onto the table.

“Oh, right, thanks,” she said before taking simple steps back onto the table.

Hm? Strange…now it feels like the gravity is back to normal, but then why earlier did I…fall like that? She thought as she turned back around, staring into his eyes.

Judging by his light scoff he could almost tell what she was thinking from how she was looking at him.

“Yeah, you should have waited for me to explain that the gravity of father’s planet is different from the one that you are used to,” Frieza said as he folded his arms with a friendly smile.

Taking several steps back away from her he forced her to stay as close to the tables’ center as she possibly could.

“Yeah, well, you could have warned me a little sooner.”

“I would have, but you were already so pre-occupied with whatever you had on your mind that you did not seem like you wanted me to explain it.”

“Hmpf!” Luna grumbled as her pupils looked away, off to the side.

She folded her arms across her chest, crossing her legs as she assumed a very odd sitting position as she tried her best not to be affected by the intense gravity of the planet.

Hearing him chuckle her eyes looked back down at him, still wearing a frown as she was immediately meet with his contrasting expression.

“Heh ~ I’ve don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. The names Frieza,” Frieza said extending his hand in a friendly gesture.

Lowering her eyes, she looked down at his extended hand with a blank stare, hesitating somewhat.

She looked up at his face again for a moment, before looking back down at his hand.

“Luna, Princess Luna of Equestria, Princess of the Night, sister to the Princess Celestia,” said Luna with a newfound smile as he extended her hoof for him to shake.

“Hmm ~ A Princess you say..., -?” Smug said as his own hand grabbed Luna’s hoof, gently shaking it. “… Well, in that case you might say-… “

Suddenly pulling his arm back he immediately hunched forward, before quickly jumping back up into the air.

Spinning in mid-air before he landed back down on one foot with the other touching the ground.

Standing up on one leg his torso was hunched slightly forward, his arms were raised but the wrists were bent, pointing his flattened hands down.

“I am…, - “he shouted as a fiery aura ignited around his body, enveloping him in a fiery orange glow.

Raising his arms up he held his straightened hands’ fingertips to his forehead as he struck a pose.

His aura igniting as it erupted into a bright flash of light that blinded her.

When the light diminished and she could once more see without the light blinding her she saw that he still stood where she had last seen him, except this time he had struck a far different pose than before.

He still stood on one leg, his torso hunched, but both his arms were now extended outwards down to the ground with his hands held flat.

“…Frieza, Son of the Galactic Emperor, Frost!”

After his…moment was passed she only blinked repeatedly as she was still processing what had just transpired before her very eyes.

Outside the base’s walls the wind blew across the surface of the planet, emphasizing the silent ambience.

“M-my, that was quite…some dance,” she nervously uttered, quite unsure on what to call what Frieza just did. It definitely involved doing poses of some sort.

Exclaiming he stood back up on his feet, frowning as he folded his arms across his chest.

“Hmpf ~ Its not a dance, it’s a stance that is meant to intimidate my enemies and make them fear me.”

Luna could not hold back a snicker at such a ridiculous response, but still she brought her hoof up to her mouth to hide her light snicker.

“Well, whatever it was you did, it looked like you’ve been practicing. Did someone teach you it?” she asked, trying to save this interaction they had going before it got awkward.

“No, it is something I’ve come up with in my free time…when I’m not busy leading father’s squads, said Frieza as his eyes looked off to the side.

His angered frown deteriorated slightly, returning to a more casual blank stare as he continued to meet her gaze as she did his.

“Well, I’d say that your practice has paid off. It looked impressive for what it is.”

His eyes suddenly widened as he was surprised by her compliment. He assumed she would be calling it ‘’weird’’ or ‘’bizarre’’ or something along those lines. He did not expect her to find his stance to actually be…impressive – to an extent.

Without realizing it, he had started blushing from her remark.

“R-really?”

“Of course, I may not have encountered your kind before, but I am certain in rewarding talent when I spot it... At least you’re better at anything I could muster up,” she thought as she replied.

“Hm.”

An aura of pride started to come over the kid as he kept his arms folded across his chest, staring back at her with pride as clear as crystal on his face.

“Hah! It would seem father was right to put me in charge of the Frost Force then ~ He he he,” he chuckled to himself as he raised his head up into the air.

With the raise of an eyebrow Luna could not avoid asking the most obvious question that was coming to mind at this moment.

“Frost…Force?”

“Hm?”

Lowering his head his eyes looked back at her from across the chamber in confusion.

Before saying anything, his eyes blinked a series of times.

“Wait. You…don’t know what the Frost Force is?”

Oh, who am I kidding? You’ve been living on Equestria for most of your life, the most backwater planet in all the universe. Why anyone would want to live there is beyond me, he thought.

Shaking her head his shock contorted into an unimpressed frown.

Of course, not, he thought while clearing his throat with a cough before he spoke.

“Well, I think if we have time before father arrives then I should be able to- “

Suddenly a light on his wrist-device started to beep loudly. Doing its best to draw his attention.

Extending his arm out and looking down at the device he could see the light flashing on and off as there was an incoming message for him.

“Hang on for a minute, just let me take this,” he excused himself as he turned his back on her.

Pressing the button on his wrist device another hologram appeared shortly of a being clad in similar armor to him appeared.

“M-master Frieza, you said that you wanted to be informed when your father arrived...well, he is awaiting you in the throne room as we speak,” the holographic image stuttered.

Frieza’s eyes shot open in surprise at hearing that his father had arrived that soon.

“T-that soon?!”

“Y-yes, Master Frieza…as a matter of fact he awaits the two of you at this very moment.”

“Grghh,” he grunted from a sudden nervous feeling overcoming him.

“Frieza?”

His head immediately shot up from merely hearing Luna’s voice speaking to him.

Down the side of his head a nervous drop of sweat ran.

“Master Frieza- “

*Beep*

As the hologram tried to speak to him he suddenly silenced the conversation by cutting the connection.

[Somewhere else at this exact same point in time]

“Master Frieza- “the alien clad in similar armor inquired after the son of his master had failed to respond when the connection was suddenly lost.

“Master Frieza?” the alien inquired as soon as the holographic display of Frieza vanished from his wrist device.

“Master Frieza?” he tried calling up the successor to his master’s throne once again, but was still meet with no response from him.

“You’re wasting your breath, there is no reason to keep calling him up,” a voice sounded from a nearby pod that hovered above the floor.

Turning around the alien looked at the hover pod, feeling fear welling within him as he did not know what his master would do to him due to the lack of response from the young master.

Sticking out on the sides he could see his master’s horns, as well a tail that hung off the left side of the pod.

“M-my Lord?” he replied with a nervous tone.

“Unless you intend to waste more of my son’s time with your pointless reputation of what is obvious to him I suggest you shut up and let him be on his way here to meet with me. Listening to your obnoxious voice must be what is keeping him.”

*Gulp*

“Y-yes, my Lord,” he swallowed down after giving his master’s words some thought that maybe it had been him keeping the young master.

If only he had known that was far from the case.

“But what about your meeting with your son, Sire?” asked the alien.

Gently looking over his shoulder the figure in the hover pod grinned subtly.

Narrowing his eyes, he completely ignored the alien and instead looked directly at the door at the other end of the room.

[Back in the chamber with Luna with Frieza]

Staring at his motionless form Luna could only begin to wonder nervously about whether that brief…conversation he had taken part in somehow contained bad news.

“So…was that bad news that you just received?” she asked, still being uncertain so just resulted to simply asking him instead of wondering pointlessly.

Slowly he turned around to stare back at her with a pale look on his face.

“It would seem…father has arrived a little earlier than I expected he would. I have just been informed by his personal assistant that he is awaiting us in the throne room.”

However, Luna’s response to this news being given was to close her eyes and lightly scoff, a calm smile appearing alongside the non-stare she was giving off towards him.

Seeing this kind of obliviousness when faced with such news just served to confuse the future heir.

Confused and surprised by her oblivious nature she knew

“W-what are you doing?! Don’t you know what father will do if we are late to our meeting with him?!” the young reptilian alien creature shouted Luna’s way.

Blowing through her fur and causing the room to shake, his voice proved useless in this attempt to make her understand the seriousness of their situation.

Finally, after keeping her eyes closed for some time she opened her eyes again.

Even closing his mouth where he now stood hunched forward with a fearful grimace she did not flinch or move an inch.

She was just still and quiet.

Out from the table that she sat atop she saw his shocked and horrified face. His gritted teeth, the tightened fists, the wide, pale eyes and his whole stance just giving off a fearful aura.

“What are you doing?! We need to go before father comes to us!”

Grabbing the side of his head his fingers tensed.

Slowly standing back up on all fours she could already feel some of the gravitational pull as her mane and tail were quickly pulled down.

Craning her head down she could see that it was not so far down to the metal floor.

Her smile increased following this.

Down along the side of his head ran a bead of sweat.

“P-princess? What are you doi- “

…however, before he could continue she suddenly leaped forward off the edge of the table…, -

*Thump*

…only to be immediately pulled down to the floor by the gravity of the planet, which she still was not used to.

From where he stood not far from the table, he could only watch with wide eyes as the violent force of gravity pulled her down to the floor with tremendous force.

Hitting the metal floors hard she could not help but exclaim a pained grunt as the impact was still quite painful despite what she had originally expected.

“Argh!” she groaned as she lay splayed against the floor with what felt like the weight of all Equestria weighing her body down.

“Princess Luna!” Frieza called to her as he could she struggle with adapting her body to the intense pressure.

He was about to run over to her side and help her, when a sudden voice replied to his actions.

“Don’t you dare help me!” she shouted angrily, causing him to stop in his tracks before he could take another step.

“This is something I will do on my own…, -!” she groaned through gritted teeth as she tried to stand up.

Her whole body shook intensely, raging through her entire form painfully.

Being sandwiched between the force of this planet’s gravity and the agony of trying to force her own body to stand up when it would have wanted to lay back down and not even bother.

Her flesh burned, which at this point would be tame…, -

… The bones felt like they were being shaken loose from their joints…and blood was starting to come pouring from her left arm.

“RrrrrRRRRGGGGHHH…” she more or less growled through closed teeth.

It was remarkably slow, like thirty seconds between every movement, but she was standing up.

However, the thing is that as the more she stands up she has to use even more energy to move the rest of her body, and what had once been the simple act of standing up was now draining all the energy she had.

“Come on, Luna! You can do it!”

Frieza started cheering her own as he was amazed to see that she was faring this well against what was essentially the weight of an entire planet on her shoulders!

Gritting her teeth so tense that cracks had started to appear in them, her closed eyes twitched violently.

In her mind a dark silhouetted figure started to appear in front of her…, -

…but as the blackness vanished and she could see clearly she could see that it was none other than-

“Sister!?” she physically uttered.

“What?” he reacted.

The sudden momentary distracted increased the intense weight pounding down on her, quickly forcing her down closer to the floor again.

She would have to start all over again from the literal bottom had she not started to physically push her body far past what it should be capable of handling.

Her horn activated and inside her legs she started to magically enhance her bones, thickening them so that they would endure for a lot longer.

“Hmpf ~ You cannot possibly imagine how disappointed I am at you,” said Celestia as she stared directly at her with crossed eyes.

“You have the power of ending my life back on Equestria, but it’s a planet putting all its weight on you that is finally doing you in?”

With a scoff Celestia’s head turned, looking off to the side, ignoring Luna.

“RRrr-rrrggggggGGGGGGGGHH!”

In her mouth blood started to build up from shattered teeth.

She spat the blood from her mouth, causing it all to splatter on the floor.

Turning back Celestia’s disappointed stare contorted into a condescending smile.

“Once a tool, always a tool…I will make sure to inform our subjects about your little revolt, that way they will finally know how you never cared for their wellbeing in the first place and only your selfish desires to rule over them…, -“Celestia taunted.

On her face a cruel grin appeared.

“Luna?” Frieza asked concerned.

Around her body electricity was a whole lot of random electrical discharges, her rage growing more and more angry, now echoing around the room so loud that it was almost putting a strain on him.

Taking several steps back away he was unsure what to make of the situation that he was witnessing, nervously covering his ears from the loud volume.

Simultaneously with her eye, her aura suddenly activated when her eye immediately shot open, increasing the output of energy that she was already using to an almost violent manner!

At a normal pace she stood up, breaking through the gravity’s wave after wave of forced attempts to keep her down, but failing every time as it could only manage one inch for every two that she was gaining the more her body raised itself up.

Now the air in the room started to spiral around her form or be pushed away alongside the floor.

“Luna! What are you doing?!”

Frieza shouted covering his face with his arms as it blew against him.

However, no response came from the blue Alicorn, just the sound of the intense energy as it crackled around her.

Her wide-open eyes soon started to cross, narrowing as her rage started to build again, but going even further than anything she had used on this planet so far.

In her mind, she was seeing a headshot of a laughing Celestia that cruelly mocked.

In front of her eyes random begins started to appear, each of them laughing at her with that same mock face that her sister had used.

“See? Only I can protect them…what do you have to offer?” her sister’s disembodied voice said.

That was the final straw!

Exploding to the surface once again Luna craned her head up as she prepared to make her rage auditable.

Outside one would see the side of the wall form a sudden dent as the loud volume in her voice was strong enough to damage the wall to such an extent.

Her jaw dropping as a loud scream left her mouth, her eyes glowing violently blue, her aura flaring frantically as this new rage was nothing it had expected to experience yet.

“LUNA?! YOU NEED TO-“

*BOOOOOOOM*

An explosion of bright light erupted from Luna that engulfed the entire room, blinding anything inside the sphere-shaped chamber.

“YyyAAAHHHHHHH!” he screamed seconds before the light engulfed him too, seeing nothing but white.

Through cracks in the walls the light managed to escape, shining out.

Anyone passing by were immediately drawn by its beams, unable to pinpoint their origin anywhere on the base, but certainly wondering what had happened over there.

*****

In the throne room the screen that Frost had been watching shut off.

With a newfound smile on his face Frost’s hover pod turned around and floated towards the control room’s main entrance.

Narrowing his eyes, he chuckled to himself as his pod approached the door.

Perfect, everything I expected of her is coming to fruition.

“Hm?” the assistant reacted as he finally now noticed that his master was not there anymore.

Turning his head to look behind him, he watched in silence as his Master was heading for the door.

Panic suddenly overcame as he realized that he might force the Emperor of the Universe to wait for him.

As fast as possible he ran up towards the Master.

Beside the pod, he slowed his pace to a more casual trot rather than a run, joining his Master just as they left the control room and stepped out into the hallway.

Out in the hall an alarm was loudly blaring as soldiers were all running in the same direction they were headed to investigate the sudden appearance smoke coming from one of the base’s towers.

Outside on the surface soldiers were all scramming to the tower, their curiosity and duties to look into this matter so they could report back to their superiors who would inevitably be forced to report it to Lord Frost, himself.

[At the destroyed tower]

Watching his cowardly forces standing in his way, blocking his way and preventing entry into the chamber Feeza frowned annoyed.

Slowly he extended a hand, holding the palm flat as it faced the door.

The few guards that noticed what he was doing began to clear away to make space for him or just to flee so they wouldn’t share in the fate of those still standing at the door.

“Hm,” he uttered before a grin appeared on his face.

All of air started to appear at his hand, pulling in towards the sphere’s center…, -

…then, there was but a flash of light and Frost thrust his arm forward.

Inside the chamber the door was suddenly flung inwards by a powerful invisible force.

Slamming against the wall the destroyed door caused a dent in the wall.

The bodies of the two guards falling to the floor.

Hovering into the room Frost’s pod turned right as it entered the chamber, heading for the section of the chamber where his son and Princess Luna was last seen.

As groups of soldiers ran into the room they were all shocked like Frost’s assistant to see that the entire place had been blackened by a powerful heat. Smoke arose from randomly placed spots all throughout the chamber, and everywhere one would touch they would be burnt by the intense heat that remained on the walls and damaged controls.

Coming to a stop Frost’s eyes jumped as he spotted a silhouetted figure moving towards them through a thick layer of smoke.

His mouth hung open, but no sound was uttered as he watched a figure step towards him with intrigue.

His eyes widened even further as he saw through the smoke.

Suddenly the silhouette turned and started to come running towards him, moving slowly as the silhouette seemed to be struggling with something that it was trying to carry.

“Father! Over here!” the recognizable voice of Frieza reached his ears.

“Frieza! Frieza!!” he called back.

With urgent pace, due to his son’s concerned tone he jumped down to the floor and started to run into the wall of smoke.

“My Lord!” his assistant called after him, reaching out with an outstretched hoof after his master.

But before his master could reach the smoke the silhouetted figure shortly emerged from the wall of smoke, now shown as to why it was moving so slow.

“Princess Luna!!” Frost said as his eyes widened at the state Luna’s body was in.

His mouth hung agape in shock and awe at what he was witnessing with his own two eyes.

Even the soldiers present gasped as their eyes too fell upon the motionless creature Frieza was carrying in his arms.

From her hanging head, blood continually dripped from the great injuries on Luna’s head and throughout her body.

“No! We cannot lose her, - “he said looking up into his son’s face. “…we’ve already lost too much too lose her now!”

Frieza nodded in agreement to what his father said.

“Quickly! Prepare a healing pod! We need to get her stabilized, NOW!” he shouted to the nearest guards.

Frost’s assistant flinched slightly from his master’s sudden raised voice.

“Y-yes, my Lord! Right away!” he said as he stood at attention.

“Well!? You heard what he said! Prepare the nearest healing pod for a Princess Luna!”

Just as scared as their master’s assistant was the soldiers saluted and then without another second wasted ran out to not only find the closest healing pod to bring her to, but also a stretched so that her already damaged could be brought there without causing further damage to her…sufficiently damaged body.

Picking her up with his hands Frieza started to hover through the air as he was too impatient to wait for his father’s soldiers to find anything that could be used to save her life.

His red aura ignited, raising his power so that his speed would be fast enough to complete the search before the soldiers could.

*Bzzt*

Speeding down the hallways of the base his aura disengaged anyone that was foolish enough to be standing in his way at the time while he speeds down the hallways.

“Hold on, Luna, I won’t let you die…not now, not by your own hand.”

“Frieza, wait!” Frost’s voice could be heard calling for his son…, -

…but yet he did not stop for anything…not even his own father.

Author's Note

Well...this chapter is not called ''part 1'' for no reason.

This chapter marks a complete change from what this story will be focusing on...but i don't intend to just change the chapters. There is another change coming that i am sure many of you smart readers out there might have already figured out.

When thirty minutes are up, after this chapter being released i will then decide to do it, -

...and despite me not always saiyan it, feedback are always appreciated to let me know about the state of the story and how to improve it.

Chapter 22

Author's Note

The intro in the beginning is the indicator that now the Sibling Rivalry Saga is officially beginning. The previous chapter was just the few first minutes of an episode before the intro starts.

NOTE: An alternate title that i've thought that can be used is the Luna Vs Celestia Saga.

Link - TFS Dragon Ball Z Abridged - Opening 2

Chapter 22

A Warrior Reborn Part 2

Goku in the intro is representative as Celestia, and Frieza is representative of Luna.

Back on Equestria the mysterious hooded individual that had saved her from her sister and the other much darker robed being stood silent as he was still looking up at the sun.

Hearing their Princesses coughing the guards that were still gathered around turned back to look down at her injured and battered body, -

…but they were shockingly surprised to find that not only was there hardly a scratch or mark on her body, but that she was actually standing back up without as much as a hitch.

Like her body had been miraculously healed by someone else’s magic and not her own.

“Y-you’re healed, your Highness?” a confused guard said aloud as he could not believe what his eyes were telling him.

The guards not seeing the Princess’ body standing back up all gasped and got shocked expressions.

Taking an incredible risk by looking away from the prisoner.

After hearing this the other guards all took the chance of looking away from the robed stranger to check if what they had picked up was in fact correct.

What they saw shocked them to no end.

It was just like when this battle between both Princesses took place it was almost insane how this all went down.

“P-princess Celestia? Ha-how did you recover from all that damage so insanely fast?!” a mare asked.

All the other guard’s mouths hung agape, stuttering as they released chocked noises.

None able to come to any sort of rational explanation as to why she was suddenly healed when just moments prior she had been laying down beaten and battered.

To the mare an idea popped into her head, an explanation she did not know how to verify in a manner that made sense.

With a slow turn of her head her eyes shifted back to the robed stranger.

Staring at him in awestruck intrigue at whatever form of magic he must have used to heal the Princess.

“It was because of the Senzu bean I gave her that healed all the damage that had been inflicted upon her.”

All the guards blinked at him, semi understanding what he was talking about.

They only managed to comprehend the basic concept of what he was talking about.

With a turn of his head he looked down at them.

“If not for me making it to this planet in time your sister would no longer be drawing breath, and we would not be having this conversation.”

Gently his pupils shifted upwards, staring directly at Celestia.

“Death is not a luxury you can be afforded at this time; your people need you now more than ever…especially with thought to what will soon come.”

Crossing her brows angrily she took several steps forward as she pressed pass the crowd of soldiers.

“Are you threatening me…or worse, my subjects?”

Soundlessly he shook his head from side to side.

“Not at all, your Majesty, but I am inclined to tell you when danger is afoot…and you are sure to lose the battles to come.”

Behind her, Celestia’s guards started to grow angrier.

Insulted by this…foreigner daring to tell their own Princess that she was even close to weak and that there even existed someone stronger than her.

“How dare you?!”

“You take that back!”

“The Princess could whoop your butt and you wouldn’t even know she was doing!”

“She could totally take you down! She is more powerful than anything in Equestria – with the exception of Tirek and Discord. If it was possible she could crush you with the power of the Sun, itself!”

A small uproar from the guards swiftly attracted Celestia and the new arrival’s attention back to them.

“While you are correct that she is indeed quite powerful a lot more than brute strength to defeat Princess Luna and whoever it was that abducted her.”

“Wait, Princess Luna’s been kidnapped?!”

“How is that even possible?! I thought she was supposed to be nearly as powerful as the Princess!”

With a gentle nod of his head he answered the soldiers.

Unsurprisingly this did little to help calm them after being this news as chatter started amongst them.

“Which is why…, - “

Celestia’s ear twitched as she heard him speaking to her directly again.

Turning back to face him she looked up to meet his eyes.

“…I have come here to help prepare you for the threat that lies ahead,” he said.

Like with her soldiers a horrified face appeared on Celestia’s face, but unlike her soldiers it was more restrained, not uttering a single word or sound.

Leaning down he stood on one leg with the other touching the ground.

Now he stood eye-to-eye with Celestia.

Staring into her eyes as she did with his.

“Understand this, Princess; on your own you might stand a chance…for a while, but trust me, whoever has your sister is not going to let her go a day without preparing for when they will return to Equestria and exact their revenge on you unless she gets stronger than you…, - “

His eyes grew sterner, his facial expression letting her know that he was not joking about their situation in any way.

“I swear on my life, Princess Celestia, allow me to train you so that upon your sister’s return you will be strong enough to stand a chance of beating her.”

Her mouth hung agape, but now with all that she was hearing was beginning to utter chocked noises much like her soldiers.

“If not for your own sake…, - “taking her hoof in his hand he held it as he looked straight into her face. “…then do it for those whom you have been fighting all this time to protect.”

For a time, she only looked at him blankly, not knowing what to choose as she did believe that what he was telling her was the truth, but was her allowing him to train her to become strong where she might defeat her sister truly the wisest course of action?

She had trusted Luna and look where that had gotten her.

“Come on, Princess, what are you waiting for?”

Gasping as she heard the voice speak to her.

Turning back around she looked into the eyes of her soldiers, all of which stood with their hooves pumped.

“Yeah! If this weird alien thing saved your life – twice – then what he is telling you has to be true if he is offering you the chance to become even stronger than you are now.”

Uh, excuse me?! ‘’Weird alien thing’’?

Turning back to the robed figure, seeing as it had remained quite silent for a while, she shot it a suspicious stare.

Raising one of her brows.

“Are my subjects in correct in saying that you are here to help us in this hour of need?”

“Your Highness, if my intentions were not well-intending then I would have not interfered in this world’s affairs, and just allowed Luna to destroy you.”

The guards were about to once again protest, bringing up how the Princess was strong enough to handle Luna, -

…but Celestia raised a hoof, silencing them.

“Then what do you suggest as our first course of action?” Celestia asked him.

“While your subjects repair your castle, you and I will go somewhere secluded where we can train.”

“Nah uh! No way the Princess is going anywhere with anyone as things are now.”

“Yeah! Never mind her own safety, but there are going to be asked questions about what happened here.”

“Then you are inform the populace that Princess Celestia is dealing with diplomatic affairs outside Equestria’s borders and will not be returning until the week is up.”

“Hang on, a week?!” exclaimed Celestia.

“My sister will be returning within a week?!”

“Let me put as simply as I can; once your sister finishes recovering from the damage that she has sustained here today, she and her allies are not going to rest until they know that she is strong enough to destroy you with a single blast…which is why I need to take you somewhere I can not risk destroying the entire planet.”

“What?! Destroy the entire planet?!”

Aside from her slight eye twitch, Celestia only stared back with her mouth slightly agape from hearing this quite…big news.

I don’t believe it. This guy, he’s-…he’s actually so powerful that he can destroy the entire planet?! Who is this guy?

Celestia was caught in a flurry of questions pertaining to this savior that had not only saved her life, but also told her that an even more powerful threat was soon to consume them…and he was willfully offering her his help in preparing her so she may combat this great danger.

“Yes…that is the extent of my power, and the reason for why we must leave Equestria to ensure no harm befalls your kin while preparations for the day upon all your fates will depend are underway.”

With a turn, his eyes shifted back towards Celestia, staring directly at her.

“I fear that in the days of peace since your last great battle with a powerful opponent, which I presume to have been Tirek or Discord, you have grown sloppy which was the reason why you were so easily defeated by your sister…which if we are to restore your strength back to what it once was, I will have to use fifty perfect of my power, otherwise you will surely be vaporized, and we don’t want that, do we?”

*Gulp*

“No,” a nervous Celestia peeped up.

“Then unless you have any necessities you require to bring with you, I must insist that we depart as soon as possible to our new training grounds for the next 168 hours.”

Putting his long sleeved arms behind his back he stood motionless as he continued to maintain a constant eye contact with her.

“You will be allowed five minutes to appoint who shall temporarily replace you as leader of Equestria, but after that you and I must depart…, - “

With the raise of two fingers he brought them up to his forehead behind the hood.

“…see ya in five, your Highness.”

*Bzzt*

In little as a second’s notice he suddenly vanished from sight, seemingly masterfully teleporting away.

As soon as he was gone all of the guards gasped, exclaiming as they jumped in surprise at the great speed in which he teleported.

“Wha-…where did he go?!” one of the guards exclaimed.

She, like the rest of everyone presently there, stood with shocked looks on their faces from his sudden disappearance.

Shaking the surprise from her, Celestia turned herself around, facing the guards as she began relaying her current plans to them.

“Okay, now everyone, he has only given us five minutes to select who will represent me during this absence. Does anyone have suitable candidates for who could be our most likely choice?” she asked all of the guards.

Shifting their attention from the disappearance of the bipedal creature they all looked to their Princess instead, listening to what she had to say.

“Well…the only ones I can think of as a possible candidate is your assistant who manages all your paperwork. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind a small increase.” a stallion suggested.

“Hm…, -“ Celestia thought.

Touching her hoof to her chin, entering into deep thought about her options.

“What about the mayor of Manehattan? Wouldn’t she be available?”

“A message can be sent, but it is uncertain whether it will arrive before- “

*Bzzt*

“Huh?” Celestia and the other guards reacted when they suddenly heard a sudden noise behind them.

Turning around they saw that the robed figure had suddenly vanished.

“Whah-…were did he go?”

For several seconds Celestia and the others only blinked in confusion as neither knew where he had teleported off to.

*Bzzt*

Sometime later, though, did actually see him finally return, -

…but he was not alone.

Beside his body, the flat palms of his hand touched the heads of two mares, who judging by the mare on the left and the one on the right both had differently contrasting reactions to suddenly being teleported by a mysterious creature.

Clad in a suit and more proper attire the mare on the left released chocked stutter as she was incapable of comprehending what had just transpired.

The other was clad in standard gold armor of an Equestrian Armed Forces General, with hers standing out with minor purple outlines and shoulder pads that were completely purple.

“What the-… Where have you brought us?!” the General shouted up at the hooded figure.

“What’s happened?! Why am I suddenly out here when I should be in my office signing the newest-? “

While the mayor was having her little freak out her eyes soon feel upon a white being clad in gold that attracted her attention towards itself rather than just shouting in alarmed panic.

“P-princess Celestia?! What is going on?! Please explain what is happening here.”

Requested the mayor who was more than weirded out by everything that was taking place right now.

Taking several steps forward she looked up at the hooded face, watching him give a gentle nod.

Raising a brow, the General craned her head up, staring at the robed figure suspiciously when she saw this happen, then back at the Princess directly.

“Yes, right…, - “

With her hoof, she brought it up to her mouth and gave a gentle cough.

“…as it would seem, General, mayor…my sister, Princess Luna, has turned on me. What you see around you are the results of our battle, which would have had an unfortunate outcome had he not come to my aid and rescued me from my sister’s wrath.”

Pointing directly at him with her right hoof the General and mayor looked up at him, staring at this mysterious, tall, bipedal figure.

Only shifting their attention back to her when she began speaking again.

“Not only is the betrayal of my sister a huge blow, but also when I was saved from certain death by him, Luna was being goaded into killing me by some or other dark figure that I suspect was observing our battle. Waiting for the opportune moment to intervene,” she explained.

“It goaded her until she started to charge up the final blast that would have killed me, while giving me this cruel smiling…almost like she was…enjoying what she was about to do.”

Hanging her head low she sobbed softly.

Upon opening her eyes again there was a small trace of fluid about to run down her cheeks.

Sniffling she raised her head, once again looking at the two mares most suited for taking her place while she prepared for next week.

“Now, the reason I have summoned you here is due to my sister and her allies’ eventual return by the end of the week. Now, he…, - “she said pointing her hoof at him. “…has said that I need to come with him so I can train my body to become stronger for when I face my sister….as she too will be preparing for the day she returns and exact her vengeance upon me.”

The mayor’s eyes were wide open, gently blinking her eyes, though, they did not deter the horrified, frightened grimace that was on her face.

“So…why exactly have you summoned us, your Highness?” asked the mayor, trying to smile friendly despite her disbelief at their entire situation.

“Because I must leave Equestria as he needs to be at his full power when training me…and when at full power he could...potentially destroy the entire planet.”

She slowly tried to avert her gaze from them, not wanting to see their shocked faces when they realized how strong the being they stood beside was.

However, the gasps that she had been expecting to hear being uttered by them did not come.

This surprised the Princess more than anything she had seen today.

“Huh? Wha-…, - “she responded confused.

Turning around her eyes jumped, surprise overwhelming her as neither of them were shocked or surprised by this news when it should have left speechless or even gawking at him.

Both of their faces were blank, just staring at her with raised brows that were more or less caused by them being surprised at her sudden reaction.

“What is it, your Highness? Is something else the matter?”

Questioned the General while taking several steps forward.

“You…you’re not surprised by the fact that the one I am going to train with for this week could wipe out Equestria if he wanted too?” Celestia stuttered.

With a hoof to her mouth the mayor let out a gentle cough before shifting her attention back to Celestia.

“We are surprised, your Highness, but we, like everyone else have seen you go up against foes that always claim that they actually possess the battle power that would make destroying a planet possible. It’s no biggie anymore.”

“I would have to say myself agreeing with the bureaucrat…, - “

…while talking, the mayor turned to him, glaring at him.

“…there is no more any surprise to any of the villains you’ve fought so far. Even Discord was turned to stone by your hoof.”

Exhaling a heavy sigh, she looked at her with blank eyes.

“You forget that was with my sister, I never actually defeated Discord in single-combat. Most likely, he might have removed my teeth or replaced my eyeballs with baby heads if we were to try and fight each other.”

She shuddered at the thought of Discord ever meeting that triangular menace; Bill Cipher.

Crossing her eyes, she glared out in front of her at the thought that her suspicions about him was correct.

Ever since awakening in that accursed casket they had found at the hill she should have known that no matter his little ‘’theatrics’’ that he was bad trouble, -

…just like Discord.

“Uh…Princess?”

Repeatedly blinking her eyes a series of times she snapped out of the trance that it seemed like she had been under.

Quickly shaking her head, she looked down at the General.

“Huh? What?”

Questioned a confused Celestia as she did not understand what had happened.

“You were not responding for a few seconds there, your Highness. Almost like you were entered deep into thought about something.”

Raising a hoof to touch her forehead she lowered her head slightly, looking down at the at the ground.

“N-no, it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure? With all this talk about the end of the world I would not take you being engaged in deep thought to be something that should just be brushed aside.”

“I completely agree with your subordinate, Princess…, - “he said taking several steps towards her. “Whatever you have to say, if it pertains to our cause then you should speak up instead of remaining silent,” he said extending a hand out from his robes.

“Well-… You see, it-…” she stuttered trying to get the words she wanted to speak come out.

Seeing that she was struggling with what she was trying to say he closed his eyes, retiring his hand back inside his robe and beginning to concentrate.

Hanging her head, she looks down at the ground.

“I am thinking about this one being, Bill Cipher,” she finally said.

“Who?”

One of her guards spoke up, while the others turned to stare at each other with confused glances.

Exhaling a heavy sigh she raised her head.

“Bill Cipher is what he prefers to call a self-proclaimed Dream Demon, who has the power to enter one’s dreams and even manipulate them,” explained Celestia to the group.

The guard’s eyes jumped, staring back at their ruler with shocked and awestruck faces.

“B-but I thought only the Princess of the Night had the power to enter one’s dreams!” a very worried soldier guard suddenly spoke up.

“It would appear that she isn’t anymore.”

With a turn of her head, Celestia looked at the guard with a sad frown.

“Then what are we to do about this…Bill Cipher?” asked the General.

Taking a few steps closer she approached the Princess.

“Surely there must be something we can do about him before dealing with the crisis of Princess Luna’s revolt.”

Gently, she shook her head.

“No, whether I like to admit it, despite appearing in the back of a book in my sister’s possession I do not feel comfortable antagonizing him unless I have absolute reason to. He may exist within what my sister refers to as the Mindscape, but there is no telling what chaos we risk unleashing upon Equestria when we have not even dealt with the first one.”

“I could not agree more, your Highness,” said mayor taking a bow of respect.

“Exactly what we should be doin’, yer Majesty,” said the General.

The mayor could not help but spare the General a nasty glare at the disrespect thrown their race’s leader’s way.

“So then why have you summoned both of us here, Princess?” the mayor asked with a confused raised brow. “Surely the General would be more than well-equipped to maintain stability of the Empire while you’re off training.”

Raising a hoof up to behind her head Celestia gently scratched the back of her head, blushing embarrassed.

“Well, to be perfectly honest, mayor, I and the guards were already throwing up possible candidates, and while we mentioned both of your names…he, - “extending a hoof she pointed back up at him. “…just randomly brought you here before I had the chance to suggest anyone else.”

Turning around the two high-positioned mares looked back at the robed figure in-between them.

Shrugging his shoulders, he just returned his attention back to Celestia where he was meet with a slightly angry expression on her face.

“While it is unfortunate that in his impatience he was so brash to just bring you here without waiting for a confirmation whether it was you I wanted brought here…but I must admit with you both here it should be easy enough to find which one of you will govern in my place until I return from my training with him.”

Putting both his arms behind his back he took several steps back so they wouldn’t be distracted by him.

“However, my decision is that both of you will govern in my place until the week is up and I return to you.”

Both mares snapped their heads up at her upon hearing this, gaining confused expressions as they were taken aback by her decision.

“Uh, excuse me, your Highness, but unless my ears are mistaken I believe you said ‘’both of us’’.”

The mayor asked as she took several steps closer to Celestia.

“No, there is nothing wrong with your hearing, mayor. I want both of you to govern in my place.”

“B-but, your Highness, military and government bureaucrats don’t mix well.”

“Be that as it may, that is something the two of you will have to find out while I am gone. Time is important in this race to see which one of us will become stronger than the other before the end of the week…and honestly, we’ve spent quite a lot more than the five minute time limit I was supposed to hold myself to when selecting who will govern in my place, and my answer to that is just to choose whoever I have available right in front of me for that task…and right now you are the only options I’ve got physically standing before me to just brush it aside and be picky about my choice.”

Taking several steps forward she trotted forward as she stepped out towards the robed figure that had been patiently waiting for this conversation to end.

Craning her head up she looked up at his hooded face.

“Will it take long to reach this planet where we will be training?”

“No, it will even take hardly a second.”

“Good, because I fear that with these additional minutes spent debating and discussing my choices we have done nothing but waste time when we could have been already started sparring with eachother.”

“Then we shall be underway immediately, your Highness...if you just come over here and stand next to me.”

Raising two fingers to his forehead he lowered his left arm and touched Celestia’s back.

Staring out at the small crowd of equines she offered them the final smile they would see on her face for quite some time until their next meeting.

“Govern Equestria well…” were her final words before both her and the robed figure simply teleported away, -

*Bzzt*

…leaving the guards with dropped jaws at such speedy teleportation.

After she had gone and a silence started to fall over them, they all looked at each other with blank stares.

“So…when do we think we should begin fixing the castle? Does tomorrow sound nice?”

All of the ponies except the stallion that had asked the question looked first at him, then out at the ruined section of the castle they were standing in, before staring back at him again with frowning glares.

“What do you think?” asked the guard’s Captain in unimpressed tone while glaring at the stallion that had asked that.
A Warrior Reborn Part 2

Back on Equestria the mysterious hooded individual that had saved her from her sister and the other much darker robed being stood silent as he was still looking up at the sun.

Hearing their Princesses coughing the guards that were still gathered around turned back to look down at her injured and battered body, -

…but they were shockingly surprised to find that not only was there hardly a scratch or mark on her body, but that she was actually standing back up without as much as a hitch.

Like her body had been miraculously healed by someone else’s magic and not her own.

“Y-you’re healed, your Highness?” a confused guard said aloud as he could not believe what his eyes were telling him.

The guards not seeing the Princess’ body standing back up all gasped and got shocked expressions.

Taking an incredible risk by looking away from the prisoner.

After hearing this the other guards all took the chance of looking away from the robed stranger to check if what they had picked up was in fact correct.

What they saw shocked them to no end.

It was just like when this battle between both Princesses took place it was almost insane how this all went down.

“P-princess Celestia? Ha-how did you recover from all that damage so insanely fast?!” a mare asked.

All the other guard’s mouths hung agape, stuttering as they released chocked noises.

None able to come to any sort of rational explanation as to why she was suddenly healed when just moments prior she had been laying down beaten and battered.

To the mare an idea popped into her head, an explanation she did not know how to verify in a manner that made sense.

With a slow turn of her head her eyes shifted back to the robed stranger.

Staring at him in awestruck intrigue at whatever form of magic he must have used to heal the Princess.

“It was because of the Senzu bean I gave her that healed all the damage that had been inflicted upon her.”

All the guards blinked at him, semi understanding what he was talking about.

They only managed to comprehend the basic concept of what he was talking about.

With a turn of his head he looked down at them.

“If not for me making it to this planet in time your sister would no longer be drawing breath, and we would not be having this conversation.”

Gently his pupils shifted upwards, staring directly at Celestia.

“Death is not a luxury you can be afforded at this time; your people need you now more than ever…especially with thought to what will soon come.”

Crossing her brows angrily she took several steps forward as she pressed pass the crowd of soldiers.

“Are you threatening me…or worse, my subjects?”

Soundlessly he shook his head from side to side.

“Not at all, your Majesty, but I am inclined to tell you when danger is afoot…and you are sure to lose the battles to come.”

Behind her, Celestia’s guards started to grow angrier.

Insulted by this…foreigner daring to tell their own Princess that she was even close to weak and that there even existed someone stronger than her.

“How dare you?!”

“You take that back!”

“The Princess could whoop your butt and you wouldn’t even know she was doing!”

“She could totally take you down! She is more powerful than anything in Equestria – with the exception of Tirek and Discord. If it was possible she could crush you with the power of the Sun, itself!”

A small uproar from the guards swiftly attracted Celestia and the new arrival’s attention back to them.

“While you are correct that she is indeed quite powerful a lot more than brute strength to defeat Princess Luna and whoever it was that abducted her.”

“Wait, Princess Luna’s been kidnapped?!”

“How is that even possible?! I thought she was supposed to be nearly as powerful as the Princess!”

With a gentle nod of his head he answered the soldiers.

Unsurprisingly this did little to help calm them after being this news as chatter started amongst them.

“Which is why…, - “

Celestia’s ear twitched as she heard him speaking to her directly again.

Turning back to face him she looked up to meet his eyes.

“…I have come here to help prepare you for the threat that lies ahead,” he said.

Like with her soldiers a horrified face appeared on Celestia’s face, but unlike her soldiers it was more restrained, not uttering a single word or sound.

Leaning down he stood on one leg with the other touching the ground.

Now he stood eye-to-eye with Celestia.

Staring into her eyes as she did with his.

“Understand this, Princess; on your own you might stand a chance…for a while, but trust me, whoever has your sister is not going to let her go a day without preparing for when they will return to Equestria and exact their revenge on you unless she gets stronger than you…, - “

His eyes grew sterner, his facial expression letting her know that he was not joking about their situation in any way.

“I swear on my life, Princess Celestia, allow me to train you so that upon your sister’s return you will be strong enough to stand a chance of beating her.”

Her mouth hung agape, but now with all that she was hearing was beginning to utter chocked noises much like her soldiers.

“If not for your own sake…, - “taking her hoof in his hand he held it as he looked straight into her face. “…then do it for those whom you have been fighting all this time to protect.”

For a time, she only looked at him blankly, not knowing what to choose as she did believe that what he was telling her was the truth, but was her allowing him to train her to become strong where she might defeat her sister truly the wisest course of action?

She had trusted Luna and look where that had gotten her.

“Come on, Princess, what are you waiting for?”

Gasping as she heard the voice speak to her.

Turning back around she looked into the eyes of her soldiers, all of which stood with their hooves pumped.

“Yeah! If this weird alien thing saved your life – twice – then what he is telling you has to be true if he is offering you the chance to become even stronger than you are now.”

Uh, excuse me?! ‘’Weird alien thing’’?

Turning back to the robed figure, seeing as it had remained quite silent for a while, she shot it a suspicious stare.

Raising one of her brows.

“Are my subjects in correct in saying that you are here to help us in this hour of need?”

“Your Highness, if my intentions were not well-intending then I would have not interfered in this world’s affairs, and just allowed Luna to destroy you.”

The guards were about to once again protest, bringing up how the Princess was strong enough to handle Luna, -

…but Celestia raised a hoof, silencing them.

“Then what do you suggest as our first course of action?” Celestia asked him.

“While your subjects repair your castle, you and I will go somewhere secluded where we can train.”

“Nah uh! No way the Princess is going anywhere with anyone as things are now.”

“Yeah! Never mind her own safety, but there are going to be asked questions about what happened here.”

“Then you are inform the populace that Princess Celestia is dealing with diplomatic affairs outside Equestria’s borders and will not be returning until the week is up.”

“Hang on, a week?!” exclaimed Celestia.

“My sister will be returning within a week?!”

“Let me put as simply as I can; once your sister finishes recovering from the damage that she has sustained here today, she and her allies are not going to rest until they know that she is strong enough to destroy you with a single blast…which is why I need to take you somewhere I can not risk destroying the entire planet.”

“What?! Destroy the entire planet?!”

Aside from her slight eye twitch, Celestia only stared back with her mouth slightly agape from hearing this quite…big news.

I don’t believe it. This guy, he’s-…he’s actually so powerful that he can destroy the entire planet?! Who is this guy?

Celestia was caught in a flurry of questions pertaining to this savior that had not only saved her life, but also told her that an even more powerful threat was soon to consume them…and he was willfully offering her his help in preparing her so she may combat this great danger.

“Yes…that is the extent of my power, and the reason for why we must leave Equestria to ensure no harm befalls your kin while preparations for the day upon all your fates will depend are underway.”

With a turn, his eyes shifted back towards Celestia, staring directly at her.

“I fear that in the days of peace since your last great battle with a powerful opponent, which I presume to have been Tirek or Discord, you have grown sloppy which was the reason why you were so easily defeated by your sister…which if we are to restore your strength back to what it once was, I will have to use fifty perfect of my power, otherwise you will surely be vaporized, and we don’t want that, do we?”

*Gulp*

“No,” a nervous Celestia peeped up.

“Then unless you have any necessities you require to bring with you, I must insist that we depart as soon as possible to our new training grounds for the next 168 hours.”

Putting his long sleeved arms behind his back he stood motionless as he continued to maintain a constant eye contact with her.

“You will be allowed five minutes to appoint who shall temporarily replace you as leader of Equestria, but after that you and I must depart…, - “

With the raise of two fingers he brought them up to his forehead behind the hood.

“…see ya in five, your Highness.”

*Bzzt*

In little as a second’s notice he suddenly vanished from sight, seemingly masterfully teleporting away.

As soon as he was gone all of the guards gasped, exclaiming as they jumped in surprise at the great speed in which he teleported.

“Wha-…where did he go?!” one of the guards exclaimed.

She, like the rest of everyone presently there, stood with shocked looks on their faces from his sudden disappearance.

Shaking the surprise from her, Celestia turned herself around, facing the guards as she began relaying her current plans to them.

“Okay, now everyone, he has only given us five minutes to select who will represent me during this absence. Does anyone have suitable candidates for who could be our most likely choice?” she asked all of the guards.

Shifting their attention from the disappearance of the bipedal creature they all looked to their Princess instead, listening to what she had to say.

“Well…the only ones I can think of as a possible candidate is your assistant who manages all your paperwork. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind a small increase.” a stallion suggested.

“Hm…, -“ Celestia thought.

Touching her hoof to her chin, entering into deep thought about her options.

“What about the mayor of Manehattan? Wouldn’t she be available?”

“A message can be sent, but it is uncertain whether it will arrive before- “

*Bzzt*

“Huh?” Celestia and the other guards reacted when they suddenly heard a sudden noise behind them.

Turning around they saw that the robed figure had suddenly vanished.

“Whah-…were did he go?”

For several seconds Celestia and the others only blinked in confusion as neither knew where he had teleported off to.

*Bzzt*

Sometime later, though, did actually see him finally return, -

…but he was not alone.

Beside his body, the flat palms of his hand touched the heads of two mares, who judging by the mare on the left and the one on the right both had differently contrasting reactions to suddenly being teleported by a mysterious creature.

Clad in a suit and more proper attire the mare on the left released chocked stutter as she was incapable of comprehending what had just transpired.

The other was clad in standard gold armor of an Equestrian Armed Forces General, with hers standing out with minor purple outlines and shoulder pads that were completely purple.

“What the-… Where have you brought us?!” the General shouted up at the hooded figure.

“What’s happened?! Why am I suddenly out here when I should be in my office signing the newest-? “

While the mayor was having her little freak out her eyes soon feel upon a white being clad in gold that attracted her attention towards itself rather than just shouting in alarmed panic.

“P-princess Celestia?! What is going on?! Please explain what is happening here.”

Requested the mayor who was more than weirded out by everything that was taking place right now.

Taking several steps forward she looked up at the hooded face, watching him give a gentle nod.

Raising a brow, the General craned her head up, staring at the robed figure suspiciously when she saw this happen, then back at the Princess directly.

“Yes, right…, - “

With her hoof, she brought it up to her mouth and gave a gentle cough.

“…as it would seem, General, mayor…my sister, Princess Luna, has turned on me. What you see around you are the results of our battle, which would have had an unfortunate outcome had he not come to my aid and rescued me from my sister’s wrath.”

Pointing directly at him with her right hoof the General and mayor looked up at him, staring at this mysterious, tall, bipedal figure.

Only shifting their attention back to her when she began speaking again.

“Not only is the betrayal of my sister a huge blow, but also when I was saved from certain death by him, Luna was being goaded into killing me by some or other dark figure that I suspect was observing our battle. Waiting for the opportune moment to intervene,” she explained.

“It goaded her until she started to charge up the final blast that would have killed me, while giving me this cruel smiling…almost like she was…enjoying what she was about to do.”

Hanging her head low she sobbed softly.

Upon opening her eyes again there was a small trace of fluid about to run down her cheeks.

Sniffling she raised her head, once again looking at the two mares most suited for taking her place while she prepared for next week.

“Now, the reason I have summoned you here is due to my sister and her allies’ eventual return by the end of the week. Now, he…, - “she said pointing her hoof at him. “…has said that I need to come with him so I can train my body to become stronger for when I face my sister….as she too will be preparing for the day she returns and exact her vengeance upon me.”

The mayor’s eyes were wide open, gently blinking her eyes, though, they did not deter the horrified, frightened grimace that was on her face.

“So…why exactly have you summoned us, your Highness?” asked the mayor, trying to smile friendly despite her disbelief at their entire situation.

“Because I must leave Equestria as he needs to be at his full power when training me…and when at full power he could...potentially destroy the entire planet.”

She slowly tried to avert her gaze from them, not wanting to see their shocked faces when they realized how strong the being they stood beside was.

However, the gasps that she had been expecting to hear being uttered by them did not come.

This surprised the Princess more than anything she had seen today.

“Huh? Wha-…, - “she responded confused.

Turning around her eyes jumped, surprise overwhelming her as neither of them were shocked or surprised by this news when it should have left speechless or even gawking at him.

Both of their faces were blank, just staring at her with raised brows that were more or less caused by them being surprised at her sudden reaction.

“What is it, your Highness? Is something else the matter?”

Questioned the General while taking several steps forward.

“You…you’re not surprised by the fact that the one I am going to train with for this week could wipe out Equestria if he wanted too?” Celestia stuttered.

With a hoof to her mouth the mayor let out a gentle cough before shifting her attention back to Celestia.

“We are surprised, your Highness, but we, like everyone else have seen you go up against foes that always claim that they actually possess the battle power that would make destroying a planet possible. It’s no biggie anymore.”

“I would have to say myself agreeing with the bureaucrat…, - “

…while talking, the mayor turned to him, glaring at him.

“…there is no more any surprise to any of the villains you’ve fought so far. Even Discord was turned to stone by your hoof.”

Exhaling a heavy sigh, she looked at her with blank eyes.

“You forget that was with my sister, I never actually defeated Discord in single-combat. Most likely, he might have removed my teeth or replaced my eyeballs with baby heads if we were to try and fight each other.”

She shuddered at the thought of Discord ever meeting that triangular menace; Bill Cipher.

Crossing her eyes, she glared out in front of her at the thought that her suspicions about him was correct.

Ever since awakening in that accursed casket they had found at the hill she should have known that no matter his little ‘’theatrics’’ that he was bad trouble, -

…just like Discord.

“Uh…Princess?”

Repeatedly blinking her eyes a series of times she snapped out of the trance that it seemed like she had been under.

Quickly shaking her head, she looked down at the General.

“Huh? What?”

Questioned a confused Celestia as she did not understand what had happened.

“You were not responding for a few seconds there, your Highness. Almost like you were entered deep into thought about something.”

Raising a hoof to touch her forehead she lowered her head slightly, looking down at the at the ground.

“N-no, it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure? With all this talk about the end of the world I would not take you being engaged in deep thought to be something that should just be brushed aside.”

“I completely agree with your subordinate, Princess…, - “he said taking several steps towards her. “Whatever you have to say, if it pertains to our cause then you should speak up instead of remaining silent,” he said extending a hand out from his robes.

“Well-… You see, it-…” she stuttered trying to get the words she wanted to speak come out.

Seeing that she was struggling with what she was trying to say he closed his eyes, retiring his hand back inside his robe and beginning to concentrate.

Hanging her head, she looks down at the ground.

“I am thinking about this one being, Bill Cipher,” she finally said.

“Who?”

One of her guards spoke up, while the others turned to stare at each other with confused glances.

Exhaling a heavy sigh she raised her head.

“Bill Cipher is what he prefers to call a self-proclaimed Dream Demon, who has the power to enter one’s dreams and even manipulate them,” explained Celestia to the group.

The guard’s eyes jumped, staring back at their ruler with shocked and awestruck faces.

“B-but I thought only the Princess of the Night had the power to enter one’s dreams!” a very worried soldier guard suddenly spoke up.

“It would appear that she isn’t anymore.”

With a turn of her head, Celestia looked at the guard with a sad frown.

“Then what are we to do about this…Bill Cipher?” asked the General.

Taking a few steps closer she approached the Princess.

“Surely there must be something we can do about him before dealing with the crisis of Princess Luna’s revolt.”

Gently, she shook her head.

“No, whether I like to admit it, despite appearing in the back of a book in my sister’s possession I do not feel comfortable antagonizing him unless I have absolute reason to. He may exist within what my sister refers to as the Mindscape, but there is no telling what chaos we risk unleashing upon Equestria when we have not even dealt with the first one.”

“I could not agree more, your Highness,” said mayor taking a bow of respect.

“Exactly what we should be doin’, yer Majesty,” said the General.

The mayor could not help but spare the General a nasty glare at the disrespect thrown their race’s leader’s way.

“So then why have you summoned both of us here, Princess?” the mayor asked with a confused raised brow. “Surely the General would be more than well-equipped to maintain stability of the Empire while you’re off training.”

Raising a hoof up to behind her head Celestia gently scratched the back of her head, blushing embarrassed.

“Well, to be perfectly honest, mayor, I and the guards were already throwing up possible candidates, and while we mentioned both of your names…he, - “extending a hoof she pointed back up at him. “…just randomly brought you here before I had the chance to suggest anyone else.”

Turning around the two high-positioned mares looked back at the robed figure in-between them.

Shrugging his shoulders, he just returned his attention back to Celestia where he was meet with a slightly angry expression on her face.

“While it is unfortunate that in his impatience he was so brash to just bring you here without waiting for a confirmation whether it was you I wanted brought here…but I must admit with you both here it should be easy enough to find which one of you will govern in my place until I return from my training with him.”

Putting both his arms behind his back he took several steps back so they wouldn’t be distracted by him.

“However, my decision is that both of you will govern in my place until the week is up and I return to you.”

Both mares snapped their heads up at her upon hearing this, gaining confused expressions as they were taken aback by her decision.

“Uh, excuse me, your Highness, but unless my ears are mistaken I believe you said ‘’both of us’’.”

The mayor asked as she took several steps closer to Celestia.

“No, there is nothing wrong with your hearing, mayor. I want both of you to govern in my place.”

“B-but, your Highness, military and government bureaucrats don’t mix well.”

“Be that as it may, that is something the two of you will have to find out while I am gone. Time is important in this race to see which one of us will become stronger than the other before the end of the week…and honestly, we’ve spent quite a lot more than the five minute time limit I was supposed to hold myself to when selecting who will govern in my place, and my answer to that is just to choose whoever I have available right in front of me for that task…and right now you are the only options I’ve got physically standing before me to just brush it aside and be picky about my choice.”

Taking several steps forward she trotted forward as she stepped out towards the robed figure that had been patiently waiting for this conversation to end.

Craning her head up she looked up at his hooded face.

“Will it take long to reach this planet where we will be training?”

“No, it will even take hardly a second.”

“Good, because I fear that with these additional minutes spent debating and discussing my choices we have done nothing but waste time when we could have been already started sparring with eachother.”

“Then we shall be underway immediately, your Highness...if you just come over here and stand next to me.”

Raising two fingers to his forehead he lowered his left arm and touched Celestia’s back.

Staring out at the small crowd of equines she offered them the final smile they would see on her face for quite some time until their next meeting.

“Govern Equestria well…” were her final words before both her and the robed figure simply teleported away, -

*Bzzt*

…leaving the guards with dropped jaws at such speedy teleportation.

After she had gone and a silence started to fall over them, they all looked at each other with blank stares.

“So…when do we think we should begin fixing the castle? Does tomorrow sound nice?”

All of the ponies except the stallion that had asked the question looked first at him, then out at the ruined section of the castle they were standing in, before staring back at him again with frowning glares.

“What do you think?” asked the guard’s Captain in unimpressed tone while glaring at the stallion that had asked that.

Chapter 23 (Partially edited)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 24

Author's Note

Finally it's here!, chapter 24!

Aside from the nice feeling of uploading something again, I must commend all my readers whose patiently waited for this next update.

Enjoy:raritywink:

Edit: I know that this is a rough edit, but it's the best that I can at the present time.

Link - Ramin Djawadi - Winterfell

Chapter 24

Training of the Gods Part 2

Sometime later…

Having been released from the healing pod, Luna crawled herself along the floor, coughing after her recovery - which is what, the third time!

Standing before was Frost, his arms was behind his back as he stared at her sternly.

"You really surprised me with that final blow of yours,-" he raised a hand to his chin, stroking it, "that actually hurt…a little," he said.

Rubbing her temples, Lun stood back up, still feeling a little queasy, not being used to making such a speedy recovery in such short time. Looking up at him, she shot him a frown.

"However, despite how impressive your punch may have been, I still need you at your strongest...otherwise you will not last long when we return to Equestria. I will not return to that planet with a weakling." His humored expression changing into a frown.

While he kept talking, her face contorted, getting angrier and angrier...though, not with him, but herself!

She knew that she wasn't strong, so for now she'd have to suffer criticism so she could get stronger. She'd have to tolerate being berated for a little while, until she was strong enough to defeat her sister and liberate Equestria from the devious lies

"Hmmm," Frost grumbled at seeing a lack of anger in his student. In fact, she seemed more calm than angry.

"Let's begin," he said, assuming a battle-ready stance in front of her. A stern frown on his face as he faced her.

"Unless you intend to use all your strength, then don't even bother. I will not be fighting you at your weakest," he said.

Immediatly, her rage ignited, enraged at being thought of as weak! Kicking off, she lunged herself at him!

“RrrAAAHHHHHHH!!”

In mid-air, seconds before making physical contact, she reeled her right hoof back, holding it back just long enough, before, then, swinging it towards him.

*Bzzt!*

WHOSH

However, as she attempted to punch him, he abruptly dissapeared! Vanishing from sight, causing her to punch the dead ai his body used to occupy!

*Bzzt*

Her ear, though, twitched as she heard him re-emerge somewhere else, and with quick enough reflexes turned herself around just in time to see his incoming fist. Time slowing down for her.

Narrowing her eyes, she knew that she needed to be quick in order to avoid another humiliating defeat like before.

Oh, no you don’t- she thought

WHOSH

As time seemed to resume going at regular speeds again, she watched the incoming fist get faster and faster, however, as everything began moving in normal speed, she surprised him by jumping out of the way, dodging the fist, leaving him to punch the empty space she occupied.

Frost's eyes shooting wide open at seeing her so easily elude him.

Turning his head, the Emperor followed as her body to almost glide through the air as she he passed her, both staring back at each other.

His eyes, filled with shock and surprise, and her's, stern and determined.

While their eyes were locked, she reeled her hoof back, in preparation for another attack, then, swung it towards him! Screaming loudly, -

POW

...and punched him right in the chest, causing him to utter a pained groan!

Raising his hand to his chest, he stopped in mid-air, but this breifest of recoveries only presented her with the oppertunity to teleport in front of him, delivering an even more painful kick to his stomach!

His eyes widened as he stumbled back away from her, but before she got another chance to attack him, he shot his tail at her!

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, clearly noticing his change in tactics.

Holding her hooves up in front of her face, his tail only hit her hooves instead of her face.

Failed to hit her face, he took advantage of this oppertunity, and kicked off, jumping up into the air where he began hovering.

Putting as much distance between himself and her, he wasn't going to give her another chance to attack before he had a plan for how to handle her.

In mid-air, he held both his arms out to the side, stopping himself from going any further.

Looking back down, he began looking for her.

Now, where did she go?!

From this great a height it would be easy to locate her, but unfortunatly for him, in the time that it had taken him to jump up here, she'd managed to elude him.

RRRrrr! Damnit, i've lost her!

He cursed to himself, that despite his best efforts to find her, he was not succesful.

Down in the trees, a dark silhouetted figure speed from one tree to the next. Hiding behind them as she sought to go deeper and deeper into the forest that it would be a pain for him to locate her,

Meanwhile, up above, the space Emperor continued to search for her.

After a while, his head shot up, eyes widening as he realized something, something that he smacked his face for being enough of a fool to overlook.

Turning around, his frustrated frown shifted a sly smile at seeing the forest.

“N'awwwww, but it can take an eternity to look for her in there!" he whined upon seeing the size of the forest.

"However, I have an easy way to ''smoke her out''."

Folding his arms across his chest, he silently smirked at he continued looking down on the forest. Soon, he started rising higher into the air. Only stopping when he had a good enough view of the entire forest.

As the wind blew past him, he looked down on the forest with an evil glee.

His eyes began glowing, getting brighter and brighter, until, without warning, two blue beams shot from his eyes towards the forest!

The eye-beams sliced through the wood like it was paper, burning everything within his sight, and leaving a black, scorched trail behind!

Wherever he looked, nothing survived his onslaught.

Chuckling to himself, he continued to fire his eye-beams upon the forest, not leaving any incinerated, any rock disentigrated, or any field of grass scorched.

[Meanwhile, in the forest]

Whoa! What is happening?! What is he- she thought at the ground shaking and explosions going off in the distance.

BOOM CRACK RUMBLE

Before she could finish that thought (or any other) a nearby tree suddenly exploded, sending her crashing into another, then, collapsing to the ground.

Looking up, she saw the destroyed tree, scattered pieces of burning wood and faint flames onto the ground.

The only reason she had survived that was because of the after-shock from the explosion pushing her back against a tree that caught her before she fell back down on the ground again.

What the buck? Is he testing me, or honestly trying to kill me?!

Standing back up, she suddenly gasps, covering her mouth with her hoof in shock at the destruction left behind by his attack.

A single streak of flames showing where his eye-beams had left black scorch marks and cut and smoking tree stumps.

Better move quickly if I want to have a chance of outlasting him long enough, she thought before she leaped outwards.

Hiding in the shadows, as she leaped from the shadow of one tree to the next…and another one after that.

Gradually moving further and further towards the biggest clearing within the forest…which, after what she had just seen, was the safest place where she could hide from Frost, -

…all while the Emperor continually bombarded the surface with relentless eye-beams that wrought quite the destruction on this forested landscape.

*****

Sometime later, she peaks her head out from behind a rock.

Staring up into the sky to make sure that Frost has moved on before she makes her move, it being too risky to move from one location to another while he’s watching.

Okay, coasts’ clear, she re-assures herself, before making her move.

Having used a combination of both teleportation and speed, she was able to confuse Frost as to what her position was, and thus was able to get to the castle without much problem.

Now that she’s reached the actual castle, she is panting heavily from physically exhausting herself as she has.

Now…have to find a place where I can begin powering up without any difficulty, she told herself in her mind, before she started making her way through the castle.

Deep within the castle, in a large hollow chamber, she sits down as she begins to concentrate.

She begins to think, thinking only about one thing, and one thing only…but it is not the battle, nor even the threat of Frost looming in the air above her…

*****

Up in the air above the now decimated forest, Frost is continuing to hover while having his arms folded across his chest.

Now, a little annoyed that Luna isn’t dropping this extreme game of ‘’tag’’ they’re playing.

… However, before he raises his finger and creates an enormous ball of death, he suddenly senses something nearby.

“Hm?” Frost reacts as he senses a growing energy signature coming from the Castle of the Two Sisters.

“Hah, found you!” he says aloud as he points a finger up above him, making a ball of energy appear at his fingertip.

The ball continues to grow in size until it becomes as big as his head.

He then throws the ball of crackling energy down towards the castle…where upon impact, causes a large explosion that brings with it blinding light.

A large dome-shaped explosion appears and begins moving outwards, destroying anything it comes into contact with, and turning them into tiny particles of dust that are blown away by the wind.

By the time the light dies down, and visual contact can be established, there is nothing but a large crater left behind.

Folding his arms across his chest, he smirks proudly.

Gently, he shakes his head back and forth, glad to see that he still remains more powerful than her.

… However, his celebrating is cut short when he starts sensing something.

An energy signature…and its coming from the crater.

“B-but that’s impossible…” he immediately exclaims as soon as he picks it up, looking down inside the crater, “T-that blast was supposed to weaken her, h-how can she still be- “

His attention, though, is suddenly stolen away by the crater when he begins to detect an energy signature from inside it is getting stronger.

It continues building strength…but still, at the same time, he is sensing several other energy signatures spreading out, and going multiple if not random directions, all at once.

He follows each of the energy signatures wherever they go, but they are moving so fast that he is unable to keep track of them before he is distracted by another one going in a opposite direction.

He tries to hit several of them, but every time he misses one of them, his frustration continues to build and build, until he just can’t take it, anymore.

Holding two fingers together, he immediately shoots them out, firing several finger blasts down towards the surface.

However, instead of firing the blasts in a vain attempt to catch one of the many energy signatures, he has taken a deep breath before doing it, which in turn calms his down, clearing his head.

His blast manages to hit one of the energy signatures, making it immediately dissipate as he destroyed it.

Again, he fires another finger-blast, hitting and destroying another one of the moving energy signatures…and then another…and another…and another…

This continues until he can no longer sense anything but the one really high signature he had felt before.

Looking up, his attention is brought towards the crater’s center…only for his eyes to shoot wide open as he notices that the crater isn’t exactly looking like a regular crater.

Instead, upon closer inspection, it is looking very different from what he imagined it would.

“Hm, seems I missed a spot.”

Raising his hand, he is about to begin powering up another blast...

However, before he can throw it, bright dark-blue beams of light bursts through the ground.

Followed thereafter by a large dome-shaped explosion, that starts out as small, but just continues growing in size.

Swallowing up more of the forest as it continues to spread outwards…

KA-BOOOM!

…until, of course, it explodes!

Raising his arms up, he covers his face as the explosion’s shockwave hits him.

Resisting its powerful attempts to blow him away…despite his body being slowly forced further and further back through the air.

When the explosion dies down, and the wind that was pushing him backwards comes to a complete halt, it takes a few seconds before he lowers his arm, and he actually sees the damage that the landscape has suffered.

Rocks, both large and small, have been strewn about the landscape, a large part of the Everfree forest has been up-rooted, and an actual large crater has now left been behind, leaving a giant hole in the middle of the forest.

However, as he hovers there, gawking at the destruction that has been wrought, he is left completely open to attack, as before he can react, he is punched in the face by something very fast.

*Bzzt*

…but before he can respond with his own attack, it disappears, leaving him to just punch air.

Growling upon missing the attacker, he tightens his knuckles, forming fists…but that doesn’t do much to stop his attacker from punching him again.

However, instead of just stopping at punching him once every time, she begins bombarding him with rapid punches to his chest and stomach.

Unlike before, Luna’s aura is literally flaring like real flames.

Every punch to his body, leaving him with one more bruise than he had before.

Reeling her hoof back, her horn starts to glow, surrounding her hoof in her blue aura.

However, as her hoof is thrusted towards his face, it is moving just slow enough that it is allowed to pick up a lot of extra speed, and with her magic empowering it even further, it truly manages to pack a punch upon hitting him.

As she delivered an uppercut punch to his jaw, it was powerful enough to send him flying, as well as procuring a giant shockwave.

In the distance, she watched as the top of a mountain exploded.

Over by the mountain, Frost hauled his beaten and battered form out of the hole in the mountain.

From a large wound in his jaw, blood dripped onto the ground.

Panting heavily, his hand shook as it held the edge of the crack in the mountainside.

Flying in place, Luna’s hooves were folded across her chest as she watched Frost recover from her attack.

A stern expression was on her face as she watched him, waiting for him to make his next move.

Meanwhile, her flaming aura dimmed a little, losing some of its heat. Something that caught the Princess by surprise.

“Wha-...what happened? Why do I suddenly feel weaker?” she asked as she held up her hooves, looking at them as the fire that she had felt moments ago faded.

Gasping as she remembered Frost, she looked back towards the mountain…only to see that he was no longer at the mountain, nor did he need a moment to catch his breath.

Frantic to find him, she hastily turned her head, looking in random directions as she attempted to locate him.

However, she couldn’t even sense him anymore.

Up above, a dark silhouette looked down upon her. Its eyes narrowing, before it then disappeared with a *Bzzt* in the blink of an eye.

As she hovered there in mid-air, her jaw suddenly dropped. It, hanging slack as her whole face intense. Being able to utter nothing other than chocked noises.

A terrible cracking noise echoing in her ears, and an extreme pain that only lasted a second, but was still bad enough to make her freeze in place.

With a very slow turn, she managed to look behind her. Seeing Frost holding out a fist in front of him, that was punching her where her spine.

Holding a hand behind his back, and staring at her with a serious frown…on a face that had been half exploded, leaving a bloody and gory mess.

“N-ever forget…” he said, experiencing some speaking issues with his jaw, “y-our power may be great, but give your enemy a chance to recover, and you will lose the m-omentum long enough for him to properly deal with you,” Frost said. Looking rather unimpressed as he said it, almost as if he had expected her to make this mistake.

As he retracted his fist, she winched, her jaw shaking as she found it a little difficult to remain still as the pain coursed through her a second time.

Her body then became still, and started to fall down.

Frost’s hands hanging down beside him as he watched her with his eyes. Following her as she fell down through the sky.

*Meanwhile, elsewhere in Frost’s castle*

Silence fills a darkened chamber as a lone figure looks up at a big screen. The light from the screen illuminating the darkness around the figure.

Sitting on a chair, the figure observes the battle between Princess Luna and Lord Frost. Watching as blows are exchanged, and the other’s punches are deflected, though, a few managed to slip through, landing a few good hits on the other opponent’s body.

The only sound being the grunts and groans made by Luna and Frost as they battle, and of course whenever an energy based attack is utilized.

From the shadows, a figure emerges. Approaching the observer.

From her robe, she extends a hand, which she gently puts on the figure’s shoulder.

Upon feeling her hand on its shoulder, the figure looks over its shoulder back at her. Seeing her standing behind it.

Raising a hand, her hand is covered by its hand. Upon lowering its head, the soft skin of her hand is felt on its face.

“Come, they are expecting us…” she said, to which the figure nods, and stands up.

Smiling, she turns around. Accompanying the figure as they walk out of the room together.

*Meanwhile, elsewhere…*

In the cold dead of space, a giant ball of steel and iron orbits around a planet. Its construction being slow, as the ships bringing the materials are not the fastest, but when they do arrive, big leaps are made in the construction process.

Inside this giant space station, several figures are watching a giant holographic screen that shows Luna and Frost battling each other.

Several chairs around the table are empty, as several of the members are away on missions, but the ones that are present, stare at the battle between Luna and Frost. Treating their battle very seriously.

“She is showing improvement, yes?” says one of the councilmembers.

“Yes, she is coming along nicely…” replied one of the councilmembers.

The leader’s attention shifted towards the woman that spoke. Staring towards a slender woman clad in crimson armor.

“Celestia may be a simple-minded creature, but judging someone like her, especially on her appearance is dangerous,” she said.

“Bah ~ Soon, she will no longer be a concern of ours,” a councilmember with a horned helmet and dark robes, waved off, “She will be facing off against her sister, and we have given her the perfect teacher. Someone who is going to turn to mold her into a warrior strong enough to crush her selfish sister, and free us from this hell,” he said tightening his fist.

Around the table, other councilmembers murmured and nodded in agreement.

However, as he looked around the table, seeing all the faces that were agreeing with him, he one of the women that hung her head low, frowning.

Behind the helmet, his eyes narrowed. Watching her, as she excused herself from the council chambers. None of the other councilmembers seemed to notice much of a difference after she left.

What are you up to? He wondered, as he watched her leave the chamber.

*Elsewhere on the station*

Walking through the hallways away from the Council Chamber, she continues to walk through the station. Holding her hands together, and her head hanging low. An aura of sadness being detected by anyone she passes.

She continues walking until she eventually steps into a special chamber. A special part of the station…at least for her.

Raising her head, and looking up from the floor, she is meet with towering pillars that have places where fires could be lit along their base, a destroyed ceiling, whose holes allow ash to rain down from the sky, and damaged walls.

However, at the very end of the room can be seen a small raised platform, with a small flight of stairs that go up towards a spiked throne.

Turning and looking up towards the throne, she comes to stare at it for some time. Her eyes becoming transfixed on it. Being unable to look away from it.

Looking upon the many swords imbedded into the throne, she notices that one is missing.

Remembering whose sword, it was, her eyes begin to water.

She lowers her head as she starts to sob.

“No, I don’t want to…not now-!” she whimpers. Trying to avert her gaze, only to have an eye flash in her head, before being flooded with visions.

“No…” she says shaking her head, after she is shown a flash of a castle being attacked. Parts of the castle beginning to burn as the attackers make their move.

“No…!” This time, it’s a group of dark beings with red glowing eyes entering this very throne room, and approaching a figure standing up from the throne. A shocked look on its face as the group moves across the room towards the throne.

“NO!” she screamed, clutching her head as she saw a wounded and greatly injured figure fighting off several shadow forms. All around him, everything was collapsing. Burning from their battle.

Holding a wound on his chest, he looked up, staring straight at her, and asked ‘’Why?”

Unable to take it anymore, she collapsed to her knees.

The visions ending with an eye flashing in her mind, and the word “Why?” being repeated by countless formless voices.

Sobbing softly to herself, she sat up on her knees. Covering her mouth as she sobbed into it.

She was so caught up in her sadness that she was practically blind to a hooded figure walking up behind her.

Its dark robe blowing gently in the wind that was moving through the ruined throne room.

Realizing that someone was there with her, she uttered a surprised gasp. Quickly standing up on her feet, and turning around to face whoever was standing behind her.

Her eyes immediately went wide at seeing that it was him.

As soon as she laid eyes on him, and she gasped, she quickly backed away from him. Startled by his sudden appearance.

As a gap was made between them, the two of them just stared blankly at each other. Her, with a sad frown, and him with a blank expression.

Her eyes narrowed, looking back angrily.

“I don’t want to talk to you right now,” she said turning away from him. About to walk away, when he suddenly grabbed her by the wrist.

She then stopped in her tracks. Turning back to be meet with glowing eyes staring at her, angrily.

“Unhand me,” she demanded. Averting making eye contact with him by looking down at her hand.

“I want to be alone,” she as she tried to away, only to still be held by him.

His eyes narrowed. Staring at her with a serious stare.

“I thought I told you this section was off-limits to anyone but the Emperor,” he said angrily, gripping her tighter.

However, the only thing he was meet with from her was silence. Averting her gaze from him, she only tried to free her wrist.

“Hey, are you listening to me?” he asked frustrated. Grabbing both of her shoulders, and turning her towards him.

However, she still opted to not looking at him.

Even as he started shaking her, he was meet with nothing but her frown increasing.

He began to growl angrily, until he noticed her eye was running. A single tear was running down her cheek.

Seeing the tear, it momentarily glowed.

“Just…leave me alone,” she said as she pushed against him.

His grip slipped, and he was pushed away from her.

Turning her back to him, she immediately started to walk away. Trying to be alone by herself.

However, she was unable to get further than a couple steps before her sadness returned. Her steps becoming slower, and she broke down into sobbing.

Approaching her from behind, his hand shortly fell upon her shoulder.

She attempted to pull away, and walk away, but he then grabbed her again, being a little more forceful when turning her around to face him.

Again, she attempted to struggle, but he just held her close. Her struggling eventually dying down, and she just sobbed in his embrace.

“Shshhh…” he coed calmly, holding her comfortingly. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Sniffling, she continued to sob into his chest.

Looking up from her, he turned and looked back towards the iron throne. Narrowing his eyes.

Then, a figure appeared in front of the throne. Its blue robes reached all the way down to the floor, with a golden armor on the chest and arms, and gauntlets. There was no sign of a face, outside of a colossal triangular headdress, and a golden staff that had had strange shapes at the top, and a placement for a crystal at the very top.

Through the mask’s eyeholes, a pair of blue eyes narrowed as they stared at him.

“Well…?” the figure asked. Its voice lacking any sympathy towards him, “is this what you wanted? Are you happy now?”

Then, as the ghostly apparition faded, disappearing as it returned to showing the empty throne, his eyes narrowed. Staring angrily towards the throne.

Though, as he looked back down at her, his expression softened, and he gently patted her back. This, however, did not stop her sobbing.

As she continued to cry into his chest, his expression became sad, and he held her even closer because of it.

No. I’m not happy.

A hollow wind then blew through the ruined throne room. Both of their robes/capes blowing in the wind.

*****

“Come on now, you can do a lot faster than that!” Kami said as he repeatedly dodged each of Celestia’s blows.

Now clad in the same training gear, he and Celestia had been training, seemingly without end, ever since entering the chamber.

Occasionally, they’d take a break by getting something to eat. Recovering their strength before resuming, which was usually as soon as she finished her meal.

Kami was so hard on her cause he knew all too well, that Luna and Frost wouldn’t give her breaks, chances to recover her strength, or even play fear. Both were driven by their hatred of Celestia, and will not rest until they’ve obliterated her.

Being prepared is good, but being battle-hardened is better.

The future of not only Equestria, but also the entire universe hinges on either Celestia or Luna coming out victorious…and in the end, the one standing triumphant over the other must be Celestia!

Chapter 25

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Chapter 26

A Game of Thrones Part 2

“What do you mean that they were able to steal the Kaiburr crystal!?” the Brotherhood’s leader screamed at the hologram of an officer informing him of what had happened.

“My apologies, my Lord, but it is undisputable: the Resistance has gotten control of the Kaiburr crystal shipment, and have taken them away into unknown space,” the officer said.

“Fret not, my Lord, our forces are currently in pursuit, and we already have a trace on the Ravager and the traitors that aided the Resistance, knowing for a fact that they are headed into the Unknown Regions with the shipment,” the officer immediately followed up, hoping to secure his master’s faith in him, and save his position as Admiral.

“Then don’t waste time telling me about this pursuit, and retrieve those crystals AT ONCE!”

“Y-yes sir, right away sir!” the officer said, bowing. His holographic image vanishing, leaving the chamber to fall silent.

“FUCK!” screamed the leader of the Brotherhood, as he slammed his fist into the table, destroying his side of the table.

Nervous about angering their leader, the other members, silently, exchanged worried glances with each other.

Nervous beads of sweat running down alongside their temples. Not just from fearing how he’ll react to what they might say, but because they knew that their standing in the universe was now (GREATLY) threatened with the theft of the Kaiburr crystals.

With a frustrated sigh, he waved his hand over the destroyed console, restoring it back to the way it had looked before he damaged it, and returned to his throne. Slumping back down into it, and grasping the front ends of the armrests with his hands.

Repeatedly, tapping the finger against it, and glaring out in front of him.

“P-perhaps, instead of looking at this as a loss, we should be taking advantage of the opportunity presented to us,” said a councilmember, whose head was enveloped in fire, with fiery eyes, and a crown suspended in mid-air.

Looking up towards the councilmember, the leader shot him a nerve-wracking glare.

“W-with the theft of the Kaiburr, our forces will be in hot-pursuit of the Resistance. Wherever they’ve taken it, it will be a secure location so they can exploit the power contained within them…and no matter where that it is, our forces will overwhelm them, and recover what was stolen.” He went into greater detail in the hopes that the leader wouldn’t blast him.

A single bead of sweat running down his face, the sight of which was enough to make the leader’s eyes narrow, and glare at him, now even angrier than he already was.

ZAAP

Eye-beams were fired at him, which destroyed his chair, and sent him crashing into the floor.

“Uncertainty is something I do not require at a time like this…but assurance that the crystals WILL be returned to us,” he said, before his throne spun away from the others.

He uttered a frustrated groan, before raising his fingers up to his eyes, and grinded his brows.

Everyone at the table looking at each other with nervous expressions, and sweat beginning to run along their temples.

Outside the station, in space, the three remaining Star Destroyers and a Super Star Destroyer was guarding the half-completed station.

Emerging from jumps to Lightspeed, five newly arrived Star Destroyers headed straight for the station.

Their crews informing the station, and the defense fleet of their sudden arrival. Saying that the Grand Moff of the nearest sector had diverted the majority of his fleet to protecting the Brotherhood, itself, from any incoming attack.

With their strongest navy forces dedicated to retrieving the Kaiburr crystals, this left the Brotherhood virtually unprotected. Something he was not ready to accept, even as the station was protected by a powerful shield, that was generated from drawing upon the energy of a Kaiburr crystal, he was not taking any chances by directing the majority of his fleet to a chase that was important as this one.

It didn’t matter if the Resistance got the crystal, if the Brotherhood council fell, it was all over. Not just for him, but everyone within the empire.

Taking their positions alongside the rest of the fleet, they stared out through the viewports at the vast, endless blackness, whose only luminescence was the stars.

However, for as much as they wished that this peaceful calm could continue, it was brought to an abrupt end, as they detected a large vessel incoming.

The officers getting a little nervous at seeing that it was larger than the Brotherhood’s station, being the size of a planet!

Then, like a dagger in the dark, the large station emerged from Lightspeed, surprising the Brotherhood fleet.

It’s large shape, slowly, moving across the vast gap between them.

From the ship’s ‘’eye’’ a beam was fired, though, as the crews soon came to see, it didn’t damage their ships, or the station in any way.

However, like a real eye, it shifted to different parts of the station. The beam, slowly, looking all over the station, as if it was searching for something…or specifically, someone.

[Meanwhile, on the planetoid spaceship’s Bridge]

Watching the monitors before it, a cloaked and hooded figure sat with its glowed fingers touching tips. Watching the technical readout of the battle station, as their bio-scans had failed to pinpoint his location within that insignificant sphere of steel and iron.

However, it had not been ten minutes, before an alarm started blaring, loudly.

One of the officers turned towards it’s raised platform, looking up at it, as it relayed the only three words that were acceptable at this point: We’ve. Found. Him!

‘’He’s situated in the Council Chambers, along with five others of who I presume to be the other councilmembers.”

Pressing buttons on the control board, changed the large circular monitor to show a specific technical readout of one part of the station, with several dots that showed six energy readings.

The seated figure narrowed its eyes, and rose from its throne. Glaring at one particular dot on the screen.

“Orders, my Lord?” asked the Commander, who stood beside the throne.

Turning to face the Commander, the figure just replied with, “Distract them, do anything you can to keep their forces distracted long enough for me to find him and finally end this once and for all…though, do not engage the station,” before turning away, and hastily walking across a catwalk towards a large door, that opened for it, and saw it leaving command of the Bridge to the Commander.

All eyes turned towards the Commander, awaiting his orders.

“Well? Prepare to fire missiles,” he ordered.

Returning to their duties, the crew began carrying out their orders, and primed the missiles for firing.

The Commander folding his arms across his chest, as he stared at the screen, which had now shifted back to display the Brotherhood’s station and fleet.

His eyes narrowed as he glared at them, but he was also a little nervous about this.

Surprisingly, remembering their plan of attack was not exactly calming him.

Shortly, a small, titular Starfighter left the planetoid ship’s hanger. It altered its course, aiming its nose towards the enemy station. Ignoring both the regular, and Super Star Destroyers, as it shot towards the station.

The Star Destroyer’s crews were alerted to a ship approaching them. It’s estimated trajectory being the Brotherhood’s station.

However, anything could be done in the hopes to make the pilot turn around, several bright lights, suddenly, shone upon them, blinding the crews.

The lights shortly dissipated, but that’d probably preferred to what followed, as missiles were then fired at each of the Destroyers. Exploding upon hitting the hull, like standard missiles do, but these were ones were not one’s standard weapons.

See, they’d managed to penetrate the hull of the Destroyers, and the crew in those hallways saw that they were large crystals, that had penetrated their armor

However, the previous confused murmurs amongst the crews, were shortly turned to shocked gasps, and horrified screams, as the crystals then started turning everything into green crystal.

The horror truly starting when sharp spikes launched shot out of the floor, walls, and ceiling, and impaled the crew…and turned them into crystalized versions of themselves, that turned on the others, and began to either kill or infect the others. Though, even the dead were converted, and turned into crystalized versions of themselves, whose glowing, dead eyes struck fear into anyone that they encountered.

Watching from the Bridge, the Captains and Admirals watched as the ships in their fleet was converted into large, green, crystal versions of themselves – though, they lacked the elevated platform, and were now just large triangular, titular, with sharp points and ends on a completely unrecognizable ship.

The Super Star Destroyer taking longer to convert due to its large size, but soon, even it fell. Becoming the flagship in the new Resistance fleet, that surrounded the Brotherhood’ station.

These new Resistance forces were shortly contacted by the planetoid Starship, and told to not engage the Brotherhood’ station. Instead, they were given orders to form a blockade to engage the Brotherhood forces, as they’d soon realize that they’d been fooled, and return to defend the station as fast as possible.

The rest of the Resistance’s fleet, that had attacked and reclaimed the Kairburr crystal, had already been sacrificed to ensuring the Brotherhood’ forces did not return to interrupt their attack, and would return beaten and bloodied for them to mop up.

[Meanwhile, onboard the Brotherhood’ station]

“What the hell is going on down there, Commander!?” screamed the council’ leader, who’d witnessed everything that had happened up until now.

Every time he didn’t think he could be any more shocked, he was unfortunately proven wrong each and every time. His eyes widening ever more with everything that came to pass.

The planetoid ship’s arrival…

The surprise conversion of their ships into titular, crystalized versions of themselves…

And the shock of them then refusing to respond, and breaking formation, just so they could assume new ones far away from the station…

Everything that had transpired in the last fifteen minutes frightened every one of the councilmembers, and especially their leader, who could only stare at the planetoid’s expressionless ‘’eye’’ as it stared back at him through the monitor.

However, his eyes soon narrowed, as he spotted something getting bigger and closer to the monitor.

He originally thought it a glitch, but as it came into more of a focus, he saw it as ship with a similar (aesthetic) appearance as the converted Destroyers.

“Is that…a ship?” asked one of the councilmembers, who’d also noticed the titular Starfighter on its screen.

Flying into the monitor, the entire room violently shook, as an intense earthquake came over it!

Those councilmembers that stood up fell to the floor, and the ones that were sitting down, their chairs were shaken lose, breaking apart into tiny pieces.

Their leader’s golden throne saw several cracks spreading through it, and despite lasting longer than the others, it too crumbled to pieces, leaving the leader without a throne to sit in.

“Warning! Warning! Shields have been compromised! Shield capacity down to 20%!” a voice shouted, as their screens started to flash red.

“Report situation!” demanded a councilmember.

However, silence was the only thing that greeted the councilmember, as well as loud static, that indicated someone was jamming them.

“Report, god damnit!” he screamed, slamming his fists against the table.

His fear overtaking him, and a dread that had not been felt in a long time began returning to him.

Then, that fear only exploded to the surface, as a voice began speaking…

“Don’t worry, God can hear you just fine, -“ an all-too familiar voice, suddenly, spoke through the intercom.

The screens changing into the image of a hooded figure with golden eyes.

“…though, the lack of praying for your immortal souls does concern him.’’

Immediately, everyone standing beside the table quickly jumped back away from it, startled by the sight of him.

“Fuck!” exclaimed the ones that were particular startled.

The leader shooting up from his throne, just before crumbling to further pieces, and disintegrating into dust.

His eyes shooting wide open, and his fear sinking deeper and deeper into that pit of despair.

“Yes, I’d imagine you’re somewhere around there,” replied the figure on the screen.

Everyone tried to collect themselves, but their expressions gave their fear away, which pleased the figure on the screen.

“Now, as I’m sure you’re all aware, I’m back…and very happy to see all of you in such good health. How have each of you been?” he asked them.

The eyes on the screen, seemingly, stared back at them, as if it could see them, terrified everyone that meet its enraged stare.

“I asked, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN!?” it then screamed, its eyes turning red, though, as much they wished it, that was not the only thing that happened!

From the center of the table, large, and sharp, green crystals, shot out! Terrifying everyone that saw this, and making them back away from the changing table, only able to watch as the central pillar in their table was overtaken by a blanket of sharp crystals.

Even their leader backed away, as their table was covered in sharp-tipped crystals.

The darkness within the council chambers began to crack, breaking apart, as light from the outside shined in. Getting brighter with every crack in the wall, and making the whole room shake more intensely with every ray of light that shone into that dark void.

“I suggest you all run,” the screens said, as the crystals started to spread along the ceiling, moving down along the walls.

As the table was consumed in crystals, it seeped down into the floor, and started to move towards the councilmembers, who were slowly backing away from it in a state of fear.

“Everyone, get out, now!” screamed the leader, who jumped to the side.

Making a dash for the door, while avoiding the crystals, that were infecting everything in the chamber.

Following his example, the rest of the council followed behind after him. All of them running out of the council chamber with all haste.

And just in time too, for as they fled the chamber, the crystal was starting to affect the walls.

However, before one of the councilmembers could escape, his foot was impaled by a crystal that shot out of the wall!

He exclaimed in pain, but as he fell forward an arm reached out, and grabbed him. Holding him up.

His head snapped up, but his eyes, then, widened in horror, as they looked back upon horribly deformed entity, whose entire body was coated in green crystals, and their eyes glowed bright blue.

Its jaw hung open (as if dis-located), and a terrible clicking sound was coming from its drooped jaw.

“No! NO! NNOOOOOOO!” his screams could be heard from down the corridor, as the other council members ran for their lives.

Like their steps to him, his screams fading into the distance, as no one came back for him.

The last thing he saw being the crystals transforming the corridor, before everything faded into darkness, and he saw nothing more.

*****

Meanwhile, in the throne room, Khamul and Morwen were interrupted from their hug when the room began violently shaking!

Pieces of the ceiling collapsed to, and broke apart as they hit the floor, and dust continually fell down, covering the floor in an ever-growing carpet of sand and dust.

“What’s happening?!” she asked, holding Khamul tight against her.

“I have no idea! Everything is collapsing!” he replied, holding her tight against him.

Their attention snapped towards the throne room’s entrances as they heard growling and snarling from down the corridors.

Eyes widening in shock, as they watched hundreds of humanoids, crystal creatures with glowing eyes, slowly, enter the throne room in the form of a large horde.

Their jaws hung wide open, and their emotionless eyes glared at the councilmember couple. Their creepy, unnatural appearances forcing the pair of them to back away to the throne.

However, retreating to the throne seemed to prove effective, as the crystal monstrosities seemed to stop at the steps of the throne. Not daring to take another step, as if instructed to by their master.

Khamul and Morwen seemed to acknowledge this, as their fear died down a little after reaching the throne. Finding it interesting that these creatures didn’t dare to take another step beyond the boundary of the stairs, and just opted to stand there glaring at them, and snarling like feral creatures at them.

“Why did they stop fighting?” she asked, looking out towards the crowd in confusion as they just stood there, staring up at her and Khamul with dead stares.

“Because you are not to be harmed…not yet,” a voice said from in front of them.

Both of them looked up, staring across the throne room towards the doorway at the other end, seeing a light shining in it, and the silhouette of a figure, if its attire was anything to go by, was wearing robes that blew in the wind.

Stepping aside for him, the robed figure made its way through the crowd of crystal humanoids, stopping only as he reached the steps of the throne. Looking down at them for a few moments, before looking up, and staring at the two beings, whom just stared at him with confused glances. Both of them wondering about his identity.

Then, he slowly looked up towards the throne, staring at it for a time, before suddenly staring towards them, directly!

A bright blue beam of light blinding them!

Holding up their hands proved ineffective, as their arms seemed transparent, and hardly impaired the blindness forced upon them.

Both backed away from him, but her husband tried to shield her from the light by stepping in front of her.

Him stepping forward did create an obstruction to the light, and did allow her to see again.

However, a golden tendril just wrapped itself around him, and lifted him up into the air, allowing the light to shine on her in full force.

“No!” he shouted, struggling to free himself from the tendrils, though, the tendrils just tightened their grasp at this.

Their tight grip burning him, leaving painful scorch marks on his skin.

‘’Let me go, this instant!” he screamed in both anger and pain.

His anger boiling over at seeing the hooded figure tormenting his Morwen.

“As you wish!” a disembodied voice was heard speaking inside his head. A familiar voice!

His eyes shot open, looking down at the hooded figure as it dawned on him!

“No!” he softly uttered, as he stared at the figure with pale eyes.

However, as soon as everything started sinking in, he was then thrown towards the destroyed window behind the throne, where, outside, he fell downwards. Plummeting to the surface, below.

“NOOO!” he screamed, turning himself around in mid-air, reaching out with his hand towards the window.

The love of his love was in that room with the only person she would preferred to have been with, and he couldn’t let it end like this. He had to do something, and fast!

Again, he turned himself around in mid-air, looking down in front of him to see if there was anything he could grab onto.

His scrunched eyes immediately shot open, as he spotted a nearby battlement.

He scrunched his eyes, as he held his legs together, and his arms against the side of his body, as he shot towards the battlement.

He then did a flip in mid-air, straighten himself up just before his feet landed on the stones.

Craning his head upwards, he looked back up towards the top of the tower.

“Damn!” he cursed aloud to himself, as he saw how far up it was.

“I’ll have to- “

However, just before he could think of a plan, his attention was shortly distracted by hundreds of panicked, and agonized screams below him.

He looked down, only for his eyes to widen in horror, and for him to flinch as he saw a giant mass of green crystals flooding the fortress’ lower battlements. Impaling Stormtroopers, paralyzing them long enough for the mass of green crystals to envelop them, leaving them as crystalized versions of themselves.

Raising his head, he gasped, as the entire landscape was covered in crystals, with large titular structures emerging throughout.

Looking back up towards the tower, he noticed dark clouds swirling at the top, and unleashing torrents of lightning upon the tower, where the lightning was absorbed by the tower.

Being desperate at this point, he ran into an open doorway, hurrying back inside the tower, and running with all speed back towards the throne room, hoping that he wasn’t too late!

Ahead of him, he spotted several of more of those crystal creatures, and after hearing him running towards them, they noticed him. Turning to face him.

However, he jumped into the air, and magically summoned his daggers out of nowhere, holding them horizontally, using them to cut the creatures’ throats, killing them!

Howling in pain, their bodies shattered, turning into a pile of rubble, before automatically putting themselves back together, and returning back to humanoid form.

Roaring at him, they gave chase after him. Snarling like simple-minded beasts.

*****

Back in the throne room, the hooded figure was still staring at her, his eye-beams continuing to blind her, until they then dissipated.

The eye-beams faded, allowing her to finally see again. However, as her sight returned, she immediately collapsed to her knees before the hooded figure, falling forward, but supporting herself with her arms.

Its arms behind it’s back, it stood towering over her, casting a long shadow over her.

She continued panting, until she suddenly leaped up, summoning crude blades out of thin air, that she tried to strike at him with, screaming in rage!

However, he effortlessly dodged her attack, gliding out of the way faster than anything she’d seen before!

She gasped at this, but was only allowed to see his eyes, before he punched her hard in the face!

She fell to the floor, along with a small pool of blood that had been caused by his punch. The blades clattering beside her.

Backing away from her, the hooded figure’s eyes were still on her, as the floor began to glow around her, and flaming chains began coming up off the floor, and slithering up along her arms and legs like serpents.

Once the chains began scorching her chains, she began screaming in agony!

The chains then hoisted her up into the air, letting go of her legs, but leaving painful scorch marks on her legs, while letting her hang suspended in the air.

Holding his angry enraged frown, he continued staring at her as she hung there suspended, before hearing something over his shoulder, and turned around to face several crystal zombies that’d just arrived.

Without uttering a word, he watched them push a large rectangular shaped capsule into the chamber, coming to a final stop in front of him, and the crystal creatures pushing it backing away from it to join the rest of the horde.

Walking up to the capsule, he looks through a small, round glass window, staring at a figure frozen inside it.

He scoffs, chuckling softly to himself as he thinks back to the old days.

“Welcome back, old friend,” he says, extending a finger and pressing a button on the capsule.

A loud hiss of steam sounds from it as well as some steam shooting out as it unlocks, startling the crystal zombies, many backing away from it frightened!

The doors slowly slide out to the side, opening to allow white fog to pour from it, spilling onto the floor where it begins to spread across the floor.

Smiling, he backs away from it, moving up the steps towards the throne.

Raising her head and watching the scene unfold, her eyes widen as she sees this particular capsule being opened. Her strength returning to her as she begins to struggle against the chains, only to feel their burning touch on her skin again!

She gives up, freezing in wide-eyed horror as a hand reaches out from the fog, grabbing the side of the capsule, followed by another hand grabbing the other side. Both hands are completely black, with sharp, pointed elbows, soon seeing curved and sharp shoulders as a figure emerges from the capsule.

“No!” She weakly utter, despair and terror consuming her as she watches a dark shape step out of the fog, it’s form clear as day.

Raising its head, the figure faces the hooded figure, whose smiling at seeing the face.

A half-open mouth with fangs, a red beard, a green face, and four antler-like horns, with two small horns on the side.

As soon as its eyes shot open, it’s eyebrows ignite, turning into flames, and a loud droning begins to fill the whole chamber.

“Ohhhhh ~ Who? What? Where?” groans the newcomer as he raises a hand to his forehead.

After getting over the headache

“You have been unleashed, brother,” he said, putting a hand atop the figure’s shoulder, making him look up at him.

“Brother?” asked the newcomer, raising a confused brow.

“Yesss, we are brothers, kin…family.”

“But we don’t look anything alike,” he replied, pointing a sharp finger at the hooded figure, to which he merely scoffed.

“Blood is blood, no matter the form given to us…and my blood flows through your veins, just as yours flow through mine,” he says in a soft voice, his smile becoming much friendlier, warmer.

“Brother?” the newcomer asks, some of his confusion about his situation fading.

A connection being felt between himself and this hooded figure, a bond he knows to not be deceitful.

The hooded figure calmly nods, smiling back with pride.

“And like any brother, will you help me now in my hour of need?” he asks, raising his fingers to the side of the newcomer’s head, closing his eyes.

“W-wait, what are you- “

However, the newcomer gasps as he suddenly feels an overwhelming rush of information flood into his mind, showing him memories, feeling experiences, and showing faces, both good and evil!

Once his fingers are removed, the newcomer collapses to his knees, supporting himself by his arms touching the floor, quickly panting from such an experience! Processing the information, he’s just received.

Once his breathing becomes more controlled, no longer panting, he stands back up, though, hanging his head.

“You really care for her, don’t you?” he asks, turning his head and looking towards the hooded figure.

His head snaps up, staring into his brother’s eyes with a sudden sternness.

“I love her, and yes, there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for her!”

A smile settles on his face after hearing this answer.

“No…not a thing we wouldn’t do,” he slapped the hooded figure’s arm. “If it is indeed your will, then I will see it done.”

“Then I have one final thing to ask of you, brother…” he said, but then turned his head and looked towards Morwen as she hung suspended by the chains, smiling, “but all that in good time, as I wish to have words with…this one!” He gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes into an angry glare towards her.

Looking back at her and then his brother, his confused look changed into an evil smirk.

“Of course, my brother, you would have words with this foul wench who betrayed you.” The brother snarled, glaring at her and forming a fist of his own.

“Much appreciated, brother,” he replied, before turning around to face her, putting his hands arms behind his back.

Snapping his fingers, the chains lowered her down, allowing her to plant her feet on the floor again, but was still bound by the chains.

“What do you want?” Morwen whimpered, giving him a sad look, however, her sad frown was meet with his enraged glare.

“I want to talk,” he replied, his frown suddenly giving way to an unexpectedly warm smile.

“Talk about what?” She raised a suspicious brow at him.

She was shortly meet with a soft chuckle from him.

“You misunderstand, traitor,” he replied, holding out a hand while leaning forward, “I don’t want to talk to you about anything, you’re already dead to me…just listen to your voice for the final time I will ever hear it.” His friendly smile then contorted back into an enraged grimace, red smoke coming from his eyes.

He raised a hand, extending it out to her cheek.

“I have a special proposal for you…one that you might be interested in.”

-

(Meanwhile, in another part of the station)

Despite their escape (mostly) unscathed from the Council Chambers, they’d been intercepted by a horde of those crystal zombies and forced to take up arms, plunging into battle against the beasts.

Long and hard they found, but as they soon came to discover when they clove one of the crystal zombies in half, they possessed the ability to regenerate themselves back to full.

It didn’t matter no matter how tiny each fragment was, they’d just keep respawning and keep coming again and again, thus forcing them to flee.

Continually, they were ambushed again and again by their pursuers, losing more and more ground. They could never stay in a single place for too long as the corridors and hallways were steadily overtaken by the crystal epidemic.

The hangers had already been destroyed and any starfighters that might’ve been of use to them destroyed, so any hopes of escape were already dead…however, they just kept fighting, continuing to draw breath while they could.

As they retreated, one councilmember was frozen wear as he witnessed one of the crystal demons attacking one of their officers, roaring loudly like a feral beast as it bit his neck, the officer screaming in agonizing pain!

Unable to do anything, the councilmember could only watch as green roots spread through his skin, with crystals puncturing his skin as he was soon consumed by crystals!

However, just as the now-transformed officer and crystal zombie that infected him noticed him, and started charging him, he was snapped from his paralyzing terror by the other councilmembers, and began running again!

*****

Soon after, during their little chase through the station, the councilmembers joined back up with her Khamul and were informed on the current situation outside.

After fighting off a group of attacking crystal zombies, they decided their next move was to rescue her and then escape the station before they could be taken hostage.

Soon, they noticed the corridor becoming a lot greener, glowing a lot more than it used to, and realizing that their time was up, they again resumed running.

However, one thing they’d failed to notice as they ran was that the crystal changed color, becoming black.

All across the station, every single one of the crystal zombies started to transform, their physical changing into sleek, sharp-tipped humanoid forms with horns, flaming eyebrows, and green faces with half-open mouths with four fangs. Spears being spawned in their hands.

The councilmembers were unaware of the transformation until they encountered another group of zombies, however, they were quick to take notice of their change in appearance.

Despite their new aesthetics, this surprise did not weaken and they continued to fight their way through the hordes, cutting down thousands with ease, but never killing them as they still respawned…

*****

Cutting down several that were guarding the throne room door, they kicked them through the door, shattering the door to pieces!

Attracting the attention of all the other figures in the chamber, every single warrior within the chamber turning around to face the intruders, aiming their weapons at them, but not rushing them.

Standing by the throne, the hooded figure smiled at seeing his enemies had finally come to him.

“Morwen!” he called out at seeing her suspended in the air by fiery chains.

“Khamul!” she called out to him, only to feel the scorching pain of the chains on her arms.

His eyes trailed down, glaring towards the hooded figure.

“Let her go!” he called out, demanding from the hooded figure

Rolling his eyes, he put his arms behind his back, shooting him a serious frown.

“I’ll make it easy for you, bow down to me now…” he instructed, smiling with fiery smoke coming from his eyes, “or forever live with the choices you’re about to make, reflecting upon them as the millennia pass you by.”

All of the warriors, suddenly, standing at attention.

Taken aback by their enemy’s surprising actions, Khamul, as well as the rest of the council turned around, looking behind him towards the rest of the council, especially the council leader, staring at him for a few minutes, before turning back towards the hooded figure.

“Not a chance!” he shouted, before charging straight for the horde of warriors, slicing several warriors with his sword, decapitating them.

“Get’ em!” he calmly instructed to the horde.

The warriors immediately sprung to life as they charged towards the intruders, letting out a loud war cry!

“Defensive positions!” shouted the leader.

Following his command, the councilmembers raised their shields, holding them up in front of them.

However, the Khamul ignored his command and just charged straight for the horde, his sword raised, ready to slash the nearest warrior.

“Fool, get back here!” The leader called out to him, after seeing him break rank like that, but before he could hear him, he’d already raised his sword, using it to block one of the warrior’s spears from impaling him!

Pushing the warrior back off him, he took advantage of the opportunity this presented to him and slashed the throat of several warriors that were closing in on him, their dead corpses falling to the floor!

While he was busy with his own group of warriors, the rest of the council was soon set upon them as they charged straight into the shield wall, but was stopped!

Their strength was enough to push them back, giving the council the moment they needed, suddenly, breaking formation as they charged straight at the warriors, and the warriors towards them…

Using his shield, he caught their spears with it, but this left him at a great disadvantage as there was now so many coming at him that he wasn’t able to fight back against them…however, one of the female councilmembers sliced the spears with her sword, kicking one of the warriors while she was at it, before hitting another one with her shield, and slicing the throat of three of them!

One was impaled by the spears, but fortunately her armor was durable enough to survive it, taking advantage of the opportunity, impaled one of the warriors through the chest with her blade, quickly swinging it out towards the others, cleaving through their torso’s!

Another dodged several warrior’s attempts to stab him with their spears, ripping the tridents from their grasp, and using it for himself, impaling four warriors at the same time, stabbing the one in the front, which in turn caught the one standing behind him at the time!

At one point, he threw one of his tridents through the air towards the hooded figure, whom just smirked at this pitiful attack.

Holding out his hand, the trident stopped in mid-air, floating in front of him.

Looking back towards the councilmember that’d tried to attack him, he narrowed his eyes, his smile widening at seeing the fear on his face, before he pushed hard, sending the trident flying back through the air towards him!

Turning around in mid-air, he felt an overwhelming rush of pain as it impaled his hand, sending him flying back towards the door, but hitting the wall above the door, forcing him to hang from the spear that had now pierced his hand!

He tried to loosen the trident, but every second he moved an agonizing pain shot down along his right arm, dripping fresh blood onto the floor.

Despite one of their own being incapacitated, the battle still continued! Everyone fighting harder, better, as they knew that they couldn’t let the hooded figure win, cutting down warrior after warrior, staining their blades, armor and shield with their blood!

Soon, there was not a warrior left standing, aside from perhaps the captain, who charged at the council’s leader, though, he was quickly taken up by being pierced through the stomach by his blade and then slashing it upwards, cutting him in half, spilling a lot of black blood onto the floor, which splashed on their feet.

The hooded figure’s smile faded into an angry frown once the final warrior fell, but it was nothing compared to the enraged, vengeful glares that meet his’s.

Raising his trident, he pointed the tips towards them, taking slow, fearful steps as he backed away from them, a terrified expression soon settling!

“G-get back!” He commanded, his trident’s tips sparking, which scattered to the floor, landing atop several of the many corpses that littered the chamber.

His demand, however, was greeted by cold stares from the entire council, especially the leader and Khamul.

“Get back I said!” Again, his trident shot off several sparks, which bounced off the leader’s chest.

The Khamul then increased his pace and walked up to the hooded figure, grabbing him by the collar.

He glared towards his Morwen’s captor, looking towards the wall behind the throne, giving an evil smirk as an idea popped into his head.

“Now that’s an idea,” he said, slowly turning his head back towards the hooded figure, watching that fear on his face.

Chocking the hooded figure as he walked back towards the center of the chamber, the rest of the council stepped aside for him to pass.

“See, I’m feeling a little nostalgic…” he said, lifting the hooded figure up above him, looking straight at the throne in front of him, “so how about it’s my turn to say goodbye?”

The hooded figure’s eyes widened, looking out in front of him at the wall!

“No wait-!”

However, before he was allowed to finish, the Khamul threw him through the air!

Watching the incoming wall, a pale look of terror was plastered on his face.

“Oh no!” he said, before crashing through the wall!

Both he and the debris falling towards the dark abyss awaiting him below!

Looking below him, he saw an ocean of shadows, swirling at the base of the tower, which was now an island amidst an ocean of darkness.

Back atop the tower, the entire council erupted into a loud cheer after watching their fellow councilmember throw the hooded figure out the window.

Inhaling a deep breath, he softly exhaled it back out, experiencing relief now that it was all over and dealt with.

His head snapped towards his Morwen, who was still hanging suspended in the air by the flaming chains, her head hanging low. Narrowing his eyes, he stared towards her chains, glaring at them.

Calling his blade back to his hand, he threw it towards the chains, cutting them, a wave going up along the chains, which disintegrated them into tiny particles, dropping her to the ground. However, he caught her with his telekinesis, suspending her body a few feet from the ground, gesturing with his finger and pulling her towards him. Once close enough, he grabbed her out of thin air, suddenly hugging her.

Her eyes shot wide open at the hug, raising her head and looking back into his eyes, as he looked into hers’

Raising her hands, she touched his helmet, feeling if it was real, eliciting a soft gasp as she realized that it was real.

“Khamul, I’ve missed you!” She greatly surprised him by quickly throwing her arms around him, hugging him.

“I’ve missed you too, Morwen!” he said, hugging her back. “I’m never gonna let us be parted like that again!”

She sobbed into his chest, feeling more joy than she’d ever felt before.

“Good to see that you’re back with us,” said the leader of the council.

At hearing his voice, her eyes shot open and her head snapped towards him, her lip trembling, trembling at the mere sight of him. Her speechless expression facing his warm smile.

“No!” she said as she gently pushed Khamul away from her, which came as a surprise to him.

More surprises were in store, though, such as her refusing to make eye-contact with him, her mouth hanging open as she took heavy breaths, her head snapping towards her arms, seeing the chain’s scorch marks on her arms, looking first up at Khamul and then back down at her arms, before she begins to sob.

“Hey, it’s alright, Morwen. He’s gone! You’ll never be troubled by him ever again.” Her head snapped towards him, wide-eyed, with the most surprised look he’d ever seen on her face.

Hastily, she walked towards him, her expression changing into an angry frown.

“What did you do with his body?!” she asked, pushing him.

“Hey, take it easy!” He backed away from her. “I just fought a battle for you, here, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not a little beat-up after it.”

Shaking her head, she growled and rolled her eyes.

“I don’t care about the ‘’battle you fought’’, what I want to know is what did you do with his body!” she snarled angrily.

“If you’re looking to pay him back for what he did to your wrists, then you’re a little late,” the council’ leader spoke up, her head snapping towards him as he pointed towards the hole in the wall, ‘’for I suspect his body lies impaled on one of his own crystals.” He scoffed.

“Then there’s perhaps a chance,” she thought aloud to herself, looking straight at the hole.

“A chance to do wh-AAAAT?!” He asked, before suddenly exclaiming in surprising as she began running towards the hole.

“What are you doing?!” One of the other councilmembers called out to her, giving chase to stop before she jumps out of the wall.

However, before she can even leap out of the hole, a form of shadow quickly flew in through the cracked wall, and quickly assumed the form of a hooded figure clad in an iron mask, that pointed a well-crafted, black stick towards them.

“Get back, Morwen!” She called out to her, reaching with her arm, but Morwen wasn’t moving a muscle.

“No, he didn’t know! He didn’t know!” She screamed at the hooded figure, whom just grunted as his head snapped towards her, staring at her, watching her face become pale, shaking her head in defense of her Khamul.

Behind them, movement was heard coming up from down the hallway outside the door!

Something was approaching…and fast!

Looking back over her shoulder at him, Khamul meet her sad/depressed frown with his confused expression.

He watched her lower her head, staring down at the floor.

Looking up at him one more time, before she turned back towards the hooded figure, hung her head in shame…and then bowed before it.

Watching her bow before the hooded figure, his eyes wide, awe-stricken with disbelief at seeing her bow before the spider.

Catching a glimpse of what she was doing, the leader did a double-take, staring at her wide-eyed, along with everyone else of the council, as soon as he saw what she was doing, coming to only one conclusion

Traitor!

“What is she doing?!” Asked one of the councilmembers.

“Has she gone mad?!” Asked another.

“Traitor!” Snarled another, glaring at her with gritted teeth.

“Morwen, what are you doing?!” Khamul asked, approaching her.

Hanging her head, she closed her eyes, letting a single tear fall from her eye.

Turning back, he froze upon seeing her face, eyes widening again as he saw tears running down her face. Staring at her as she extended a hand to him…

“Khamul, please…” she pleaded, sobbing, “don’t fight, don’t protest, just bow.” She sniffled.

Narrowing his eyes, he looked back up towards the spider, watching it snarl softly at him, before returning his attention to her again.

“You...” he stuttered, chocking in disbelief on his words, “you betrayed us!” he said softly.

“Please, Khamul…just bow, I’m begging you.”

However, he just backed away from her, narrowing his brows more and more, soon giving her angry looks.

“I came here for you, put my life and everyone’s life on the line for you…just so you could join with him?!”

Watching his get angrier and angrier, she bit her lip, her head snapping back towards the spider, and then back to Khamul again.

“Khamul, please stop-“ She pleaded, but was interrupted by him.

“I loved you, Morwen,” clenching his eyes shut as he gently shook his head. “Was willing to sacrificing my own life to protect yours, but I can see now that I should’ve abandoned you, as you abandoned your love me!”

“Khamul, please-“

“NO!”

His loud scream startling everyone within the chamber, scaring Morwen into becoming silent, forcing her to back away from him out of fear from what he’d do to her. Rising to her feet, she hurried towards the entrance on the left…not noticing the figure that’d emerged in the doorway behind her.

The hooded figure then fired a warning shot towards them, causing an explosion in-between Khamul and Morwen, drawing everyone’s attention back towards it.

Already angered by (what he believed to be) his Morwen’s betrayal, Khamul was about to begin running towards the hooded figure.

However, another fired blast to the floor, soon halted his and the rest of the council’s aggressive advances against it.

While everyone’s focus was on the hooded figure, one councilmember shifted his attention towards Morwen, whom he could see was backing away towards the left entrance, though, soon shifting his angry stare to a confused one as he took notice of a figure standing in the doorway. The same doorway that Morwen was backing away towards.

Soon backing up into the doorway, her retreat was abruptly interrupted when she suddenly bumped against something (or someone) in the doorway. Her body tensing up as she reached behind her, feeling flesh and blood, though, despite the cold touch of death upon first contact, there was also a warmth. Life and death being very prominent in this being behind her.

Quickly, she jumped away from it, rapidly turning around! Looking behind her towards the figure, holding a frightened expression as she looked towards the doorway, seeing a dark silhouette standing there.

It’s dark robes blowing in the wind, showing a bald head.

Suddenly, though, two eyes shot open amidst the blackness!

The eyes are blood-red, slit, with the same pupils as a snake, and they quickly snap towards Morwen, before looking straight at him! The eyes narrowing as they stare at him, distracting him from another figure that is emerging from behind the Dark Lord’s robes, slithering along the floor.

Hearing a soft hiss from the floor, the councilmember suddenly screams aloud, quickly flinching as he jumps back! Everyone’s attention snaps towards him, staring to where he is pointing as he screams, “AHH, the floor is hissing!” noticing the dark figure, and immediately get ready to defend themselves!

Morwen’s gaze, though, is drawn towards the floor, where she sees the Burmese python beside the Dark Lord’s feet.

The snake hisses aggressively at Morwen, making her more frightened of it, but despite this fear, she tries to compose herself in his presence.

“Move aside, woman!” Orders the Dark Lord, waving her off with a white bone it’s holding in its hand.

Bowing her head, she complies. Hanging her head as she backs away, moving out of his way.

Ignoring her, both he and the snake shift their attention towards the council, narrowing his eyes as he steps forward, accompanied by the snake slithering across the floor beside him.

“My Lord,” says the hooded figure, bowing his head before the Dark Lord.

“Lord?” questions one of the councilmembers, shooting the Dark Lord a puzzled stare.

Watching him, they cannot see anything beyond his blood-red (snake) eyes. That is, until he emerges from the darkness, stepping out into the light, making everyone gasp and stare at him with pale expressions. Terrified by his face.

While the baldness was not a shock, his face resembled a skull, with two slits for a nose (as he lacked a nose) and pale skin. His robes, themselves, covered his entire body, sprouting long sleeves. And just like the hooded figure, he held a stick, but his was a bone, pale, holding it elegantly between his fingers.

His disappointed frown shifted into a cruel smile at seeing their frightened faces staring at him.

He then shifted his attention towards Morwen, staring at her, whilst his smile grew wider.

“You have served the master well, everyone of them appears to be here,” he said, shifting his attention back to Khamul and the council.

Looking at her, Khamul and the council shot her angry frowns, while she hung her head.

“I…I live to serve him, my Lord,” she replied, clearly hesitant to reply.

“My Lord”?” Khamul asked as he stepped forward.

“Crucio!” exclaimed the dark lord, pointing his wand at Khamul.

Suddenly, agonizing pain began ravaging Khamul’s body, causing him to spasm, before falling to the floor, convulsing on the floor from the pain!

“Khamul!”

Morwen shouted as she attempted to run towards her Khamul to help, only for the hooded figure to hold out an arm in front of her, stopping her!

“No!” he commanded. “If he is meant to suffer for betraying the master, then he shall suffer,” he said, looking down at her, “your feels be damned.” He sneered.

“No, Khamul,” she sobbed softly.

Her face twitching as she beheld the unspeakable agony he suffered. Listening to his painful screams as they echoed throughout the throne room.

She wanted to look away, close her eyes, silence her hearing. Do anything than witness his suffering, but she couldn’t, for she knew that the master was watching her, judging her.

Even as the hooded figure lowered his arm, she continued to watch, fearful of the consequences of disobeying him.

She even held back the tears at seeing his body reacting violently to the pain of the Cruciatus curse.

From the floor, the snake looked up at her, watching her as she started to sob for real. Unable to hold back the tears anymore, as they started running down her cheeks. Dripping to the floor.

Looking down at the floor, she started to think. Thinking about the situation, these people, the circumstances that brought them here, particularly what they’d been fighting for.

Continually, a single question kept popping up time and again-

Was it worth it? she asked.

The question was unshakeable, impossible to not think about, that it kept tormenting her…until two figures stepped into the doorway. Standing behind the Dark Lord as they watched him torment Khamul.

Sensing their presence, the Dark Lord lowered his wand, ending Khamul’s torment as he looked back over his shoulder. Everyone else in the room following his example and staring at the dark silhouettes standing behind him.

“Ah!” replied the Dark Lord as he recognized the figures, “finally, you join usss.” He greeted them.

“You took your time getting here, I was beginning to worry you had lost your way.”

Stepping forth, the first silhouette was revealed to be a slender woman, her body was clothed with a dress that was easy to move about in, with a leather corset at the waist, sleeves, and a large crow’s nest of hair.

“Forgive me, my Lord,” she said, bowing her head, “but we were just dealing with several of these filthy traitor’s servants.” Her want pointing towards the council.

“we”?” asked the leader, taking several steps forward.

However, before he could even get close, she quickly grabbed her wand from her pouch, pointing it directly at him!

Her eyes became buggy, staring at him intensely as she pointed her wand at him.

While her pointing her wand at him was enough cause to make him freeze in his tracks, it was those buggy eyes and the terrifying expression that convinced him, that she wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.

The leader didn’t take another step, fearing the consequences of upsetting her.

“Move again, scum, and I won’t to hesitate to kill you, - “ she said, giving off a wicked smile, “unfortunately, as fun as that would be, the master has need of you. Personally, I wouldn’t waste the effort even bringing your corpse to him, you filth!” She spat in his face.

“Why you little-!” Growled the leader as he wiped the spit from his face, looking up at the woman as she turned and walked back towards the doorway.

His rage bubbled to the surface, but before he could lunge at her, she was too fast for him, and turned around, aiming her wand at his chest.

“Petrificus Totalus!” she said.

His eyes widened, his body becoming petrified, before shortly falling backwards and slamming onto the floor!

Every single member of the council gasped at seeing this. Their leader, the one person more powerful than either of them, the embodiment of their beliefs…had been defeated by a mere witch, and with such ease!

While Morwen, Khamul and the council was looking at their leader’s collapsed body, Bellatrix just stared at him as he lay there.

“Pathetic,” she sneered, lowering her wand as she didn’t consider him worth the effort.

Shaking her head, and covering her face in shame, she turned to walk away, back towards the doorway.

Glaring down at the petrified leader, the Dark Lord snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, from out of the hallway, shadows flew into the throne room. Landing on the floor, the shadows soon vanished, leaving dark robed, hooded figures that pointed their wands at what remained of the council.

Soon the Dark Lord’s chilly breath could be seen, as he, himself, was seen turning his head and looking up at the cracked wall. Staring at the hole as a hooded figure gently entered through the wall.

Its limbs were skeletal, with no visible body below the waist, but then again, the rest of its body was hidden behind dark, torn robes, with its face being hidden behind a hood and a single hole in the front.

“No!” one of the councilmembers gasped softly, eyes widening.

She turned towards the Dark Lord, staring at him as a single tear ran down her cheek.

“Not the Dementors…please, not them!” She sobbed.

However, the Dark Lord just looked at her, giving her a nasty glare, though, that glare soon turned into an evil smile.

“Take them!” he ordered to the Dementors.

The Dementors, that had been converging above the council, suddenly, descended upon them!

“No! NO!” she screamed as she was beset by a Dementor!

Watching as the terror unfolded, Morwen cupped her mouth as she backed away towards the Dark Lord. Watching in horror as the council and Khamul were ruthlessly attacked by the foul creatures.

Bellatrix smiled, folding her arms across her chest at the sight of Morwen being forced to watch the Dementors hurt her Khamul and the council, hearing their screams, watch their happiness be feed upon by the wraith-like creatures.

She wanted to beg the Dark Lord to throw her to the Dementors, suffer alongside her Khamul, to prove to him that she was still loyal enough to go through suffering of this magnitude with him…but she didn’t. She stood there, the tears running down her cheeks. She hated the master for his cruel punishment…but she feared the Dementors more, not wanting her happiness devoured by creatures that are empty, soulless and evil.

She tried looking away, but Bellatrix wanted her to see this, to have it burned into her memory forever.

She used her magic to force Morwen to watch, unable to close her eyes or avert her gaze.

Meanwhile, outside the tower, a dark figure rose from the ocean of shadows. A cruel, twisted smile widening on his face at hearing the council’s agonized screams. He knew that all of them were being tortured, even if it was in different ways.

Hearing a loud crash behind him, his head snapped towards the source of the crash. Looking up into the sky to see a giant spire had forced its way through the skies, like a tooth through flesh!

His look of shock gave way to a wide grin.

First looking up with his eyes, before then raising his entire head. Staring up at the sky.

Turning back around, he began approaching the cracked wall.

He, turning into dark smoke, while the other turned into golden smoke as they flew towards the cracked wall.

Entering the cracked wall, the black smoke faded, being instead replaced by two humanoid figures standing inside the throne room.

His brother standing beside him with his arms behind his back, smiling at the sight of Khamul and the rest of the council lying splayed out on the floor. All of them panting heavily from their terrible experience with the Dementors.

Scoffing at seeing the leader’s petrified body on the floor.

Turning his head, he looked at Morwen. His smile growing wider at seeing her sad frown, even scoffing at the fresh tears running down her cheeks.

The Dark Lord figure sheathed his wand, before bowing before the golden figure. Everyone else immediately the Dark Lord’s example.

The only ones that didn’t bow were the Dementors, who just floated there in the air.

“Should we kill them now, brother? They are at our mercy!” he hissed, balling his fist, Morwen gasping as the suggestion.

“No…” his response immediately making her exhale in relief, “despite their treachery, they possess valuable information that will go lost with their deaths,” he said.

His eyes snapped towards the petrified leader, narrowing his eyes whilst glaring at him.

“This knowledge is new to me, precious beyond even my own life, and I will not see it lost now.”

“As you wish, my Lord,” the Dark Lord said, bowing his head.

His attention shifted to Khamul, whom he stared at for a couple minutes. His glare changing into a mocking smirk, as he stepped down from the throne. His brother following behind him.

“Bring them to my ship, and salvage what you can.” He instructed to the Dark Lord, before continuing down the hall, accompanied by his brother and a pair of the hooded figures.

The Dark Lord’s eyes widen, gently raising his head as he looks up at the ceiling. Lastly, staring at the iron throne as a beam of light shone in through the cracked wall.

However, his stare didn’t last long as a giant, black, titular hand crashed through the wall, and grabbed the throne. Lifting it up, and out of the room.

Dementors and Death Eaters, alike, all flew out of the throne room, carrying out the master’s orders. Wanting to see them through as fast as possible.

Soon, after everyone had left, the Dark Lord, himself, flew away. Turning into dark smoke, as he flew out through the cracked wall.

*****

[

Sometime later, the golden figure, flanked by his Death Eater guards, Bellatrix and a young man, who was clad in identical robes to the (pale) Dark Lord walked down a corridor towards the hanger.

Encountering both the motionless corpses of the Brotherhood’s forces and the crystal zombies, who upon seeing him leading at the head, stepped aside for him and the ones with him.

Soon arriving at the hanger, they made their way towards a nearby Imperial Shuttle that had been prepared for their departure.

After proceeding up the ramp, the ramp lifted back up, sealing shut behind them.

Lifting up off the floor, it turned around in mid-air, before flying out of the hanger. Its wings folding down as it flew into space. Returning to the planetoid station.

The shuttle, however, was not the only ship to be seen departing from the Brotherhood’ station. The crystalized Star Destroyers all flew away from the doomed station. Everything with value having been salvaged, and everyone now safely leaving onboard the behemoth crystals.

As distance is put between the ships and the station, the planetoid station’s crew receives the order to demolish the station and put it to proper use.

The massive pincher-like spires begin going deeper into the station, penetrating deeper as the planetoid pulls the station closer! Projecting a beam from its ‘’eye’’, which begins sucking up the station’s steel plates, pieces of machines, software, defense turrets, and even whole armada’s worth of Starfighters.

Whatever survivors of the Brotherhood’s forces remained on the doomed station, were soon sucked up by the bright light. The light blinding them for the last few minutes that they lived, before then feeding them to the planetoid station’s machines, where they finally meet their fate.

Like a vulture feasting on a lifeless corpse, the near-completed station was eaten out. Entire sections, large chambers and rooms. Everything within the station was reduced to…nothing.

Soon, all that remained of the vicious assault was the planetoid station and its crystalized Star Destroyers.

Folding back its wings as it landed in the hanger, the shuttle’s ramp slowly moved down. Clanking as it hit the steel floor, soon followed by the hooded figure and his guards emerging down the ramp.

Voices were speaking over the intercoms, crew and personnel were attending their duties, but upon seeing the hooded figure approaching them, they immediately bowed before him.

Before reaching the door, his wrist-device began beeping. Raising it, he pressed a button, which caused a tiny, holographic image of a scientist to appear.

“My Lord, as per your instructions, we have begun experimenting on the first crystal zombies as you instructed,” said the scientist.

“And?” replied the hooded figure.

“We’re about to awaken the first batch, and would like for you to be present when they waken.”

“I’ll be there shortly,” he smiled, pressing a button on his wrist-device, that caused the hologram to fade.

Looking back at his guards, he nudged with his head for them to follow. To which both nodded their heads in reply.

Looking back in front of him, he stood motionless for a few seconds, before his entire body turned into golden smoke. Both he and his guards flew straight towards the door, which sharply opened for them. They made a sharp turn left, before flying down through the corridor towards the labs.

*****

Waiting patiently in the control room, the Chief Scientist and his crew were patiently waiting for their master to arrive. By the look of things, they wouldn’t be waiting long as the door soon whooshed open. Followed by three forms flying into the room control room. Two black, and one golden.

The golden one landed in front of the Chief Scientist. Startling him at first, but then, upon seeing the hooded figure emerge from the smoke, he was now terrified.

The hooded figure’s serious frown was soon replaced by a smile, as he put his arms behind his back.

Turning away, he faced the glass, seeing a dark room in front of him. Waiting for the demonstration to begin.

Snapping from his nervous stupor, the Chief Scientist started pressing buttons on the control console, causing the dark room outside the glass to be illuminated with light. Revealing five coffin-shaped capsules.

Steam hissed as the coffins opened. Pulling away the lids to reveal a humanoid figure within each coffin.

“We experienced some difficulties from the…subjects that you provided, my Lord, -“ he said, pressing a button on the console, illuminating blue lights on the humanoids’ chests.

Grabbing the edges, the five figures soon emerged from the coffins.

“…however, once interfaced properly with the suit, they all became silent,” he chuckled.

After pressing a button, they all stopped. Standing beside the other in a straight line. The mechanical sounds they made when moving, coming to an abrupt stop.

Their black, expressionless eyes staring back through the glass at the figures on the other side.

“My Lord, Omega, may I present to you, -“ he said, turning to face his master. Bowing his head as he held out his arm, pointing towards the silver humanoids.

“The Cybermen, the Silver Nemesis of your enemies!” he proclaimed.

In response to what he said, the Cybermen all tapped their chests. Standing at attention.

His smile having turned into a blank frown, he slowly looked from left to right. Seeing each Cybermen with his own eyes.

“Impressive,” he commented, gently nodding his head.

“When can they be put into mass-production?” he asked. Focusing on a single Cybermen.

“Mass-production may commence as soon as they’ve meet with your approval-“

“Then you have it!”

Looking back up towards the hooded figure with a shocked look, the Chief Scientist gave him a shocked look at his sudden reply.

“Beg your pardon, my Lord?” he asked, giving him a quizzical look.

“The Cybermen…they meet with my approval,” the hooded figure said. Turning his head and looking towards the man beside him.

“My Lord?” he stuttered. Shocked at the news their master was personally delivering to him.

“I suggest you prepare for the Army of the Dead, instead of being puzzled by my words.”

He tried to speak, to make sense of his master’s decision, but before he could, the hooded figure (and his guards) turned into smoke. Flying back out the way they had entered. Leaving the Chief Scientist and his staff alone in the control room.

*****

Meanwhile, elsewhere within the planetoid station, the Death Eaters, Bellatrix, the pale figure, and the teenager clad in dark-green robes were using their magic to create a new throne room.

The snake simply watched large black pillars grow out of the floor, with white bases and tops connected to the arching ceiling.

In-between each pillar a statue was carved. Each statue showing one of the great leaders of old. Two statues being carved from pure gold. Being furthest inwards in the room.

The first depicted a young man, who was clad in long robes. His hair was to one side, and had a young face. He was cradling in-between his fingers. A special wand with bumps going all the way up to the top, and a white mark near the bottom.

The second depicted another figure clad in robes, but on top wearing big robes, it also wore armor. With the final piece, being a large helmet that completely covered the head. It grasped a spear tightly in its hand.

Not too far back from either of these statues, stood a small flight of stairs that lead up to a white marble throne. A black marble, and less impressive throne sitting beside the throne. Suspended above the throne, was a large, golden crown.

Rising from the earth, the walls reached high into the air. Curving inwards at the back. Forming a giant dome above the throne in the back…

(Insert pic https://middleeartharchitectures.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/rotkd1-004266.jpg)

*****

After completing it, everyone gathered at the bottom of the stairs. Every single one of them looking up towards the throne. Focusing their attention on the throne, before looking up towards the crown suspended in the air above the throne.

Hearing footsteps approach, and sensing a presence about to arrive, they all turned around. Looking back towards the front entrance, where they saw Aku carry the iron throne towards them.

Without hesitation, the crowd moved out of the way, allowing Aku to pass. Continuing towards the steps, Aku proceeded to walk up the steps towards the top. All eyes being on him as he placed the throne back down at the top.

Suddenly, though, as the throne connected to the floor, a powerful burst of lightning shot down from the ceiling! Striking the throne, Aku was knocked back down to the floor from the explosion that erupted from the throne!

(Insert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVgn5KU438k)

Before anyone could rush over to Aku, their attention was soon stolen away by the throne beginning to emit a bright light. A light, that just continued to get brighter and brighter.

Everyone, present, hearing sparks coming off the throne as they held up their hands. Shielding their eyes from the light…!

However, everyone was suddenly taken by surprise when another explosion erupted! The whole room being enveloped in white light.

On the surface or deep underground, the entire planet was shaking! The largest quake shaking the planet to its core! Fundamentally changing it, as blue energy that accompanied quakes seeped into every hole, crevice or gap all across the planet! A bright blue glow shining upwards into the sky!

From space, the blue streaks were spreading across the planet like veins!

Upon reaching the base of the pincher-like spires, symbols on the side started to appear! Glowing the same blue, until reaching the very tip! A single, blue spark of energy shooting out towards the other end...

While the planet was changing, onboard the crystalized Star Destroyers, the council had been imprisoned in holding cells, that bound their arms and hands. Any attempt to escape would be replied to by being injected with a fatal poison, which would kill them…but not before having every memory, every thought, everything, drained from their mind.

If they wanted to die, then that was their choice, but the information they carried was too valuable not to be saved.

Within each ship, a floating screen had appeared in mid-air for them to see what was occurring on the planet.

“Wait a minute, hang on,” she said. Seeing on the screen, that something was happening on the surface of the planetoid.

“Something’s happening. What’s happening?!”

Within every ship, each of the captured councilmembers’ eyes were unable to avert their gaze. Each and every staring at the screen as they watched the blue veins continue to spread.

Appearing at the spires’ tips, sphere containing raw energy began rapidly gathering energy. Getting stronger and stronger with each bypassing second!

Out of the corner of her eye, Morwen noticed the spheres on the screen. A pale look of terror settling on her face at the appearance of such raw power! Crackling energy emerging from either sphere.

She would have begun to struggle, but the spheres suddenly fired several beams towards each of the Star Destroyers.

Every ship shaking violently, as every crystal began glowing fiercely! Everyone being blinded by the light as the end drew closer…!

Continuing to remain at the heart of the ship, everything around the holding chamber, though, began to reorganize itself! Changing into something new, something more powerful, something…secure!

Its triangular form remolding into a new form!

It’s mass expanding to become larger. Developing sharp edges at both the top and bottom. Getting flat sides, top and bottom.

Before returning to the energy spheres, the beams empowered the cubes. All of them glowing a bright green!

(Insert pic Brotherhood Prison Cubes)

The new crystal cubes continued to remain in orbit around the planetoid station for as long they could, but once the beams dissipated, they began to drift away. Drifting into great unknown. Each one separating from the others.

This was the Brotherhood’s punishment for their betrayal against the Great One: they’d forever lost to the void, but they’d never see each other again. They were at their strongest when working together as one, but at their most vulnerable when alone. It was their united strength that bested the Great One, but now, they were nothing but the dust beneath his fingernails.

As her cube floated away from the rest, Morwen looked back up towards the screen. Looking at it one final time as she watched the other cubes slowly drift away, though, all her attention was only focused on one specific cube. One that she saw as clear as day. It being as visible as it was, probably to torment her.

One final reminder of her failures, the decisions that lead her to now be imprisoned…causing a single tear to run down her face.

Now, forever hating herself for the decisions that lead her to this moment, to be forever separated from Khamul…and now, she’d lost him forever.

Meanwhile, as the cubes disappeared into the endless distance, the blue veins and violent shaking coursing throughout the planetoid station finally came to a stop.

Back in the throne room, as the lights died down, everyone present could finally lower their arms. Staring across the room towards the iron throne, which had now welded itself to the floor.

However, instead of the whole throne being dark-grey, everything beneath the armrests (including the armrests themselves) were now white marble.

Immediately, everyone began staring in awe of the throne’s transformation.

It was now, clearer than ever, that the throne had found a new home in the planetoid station. The entire station been empowered so that it may serve the throne and its master properly.

Instantly, the station’s technology had been improved and every crack, tear, rip and hole had been filled. In other words, it had been perfected with the throne’s restoration.

Standing up, Aku brushed himself off. Shocked at the power contained within the throne.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” They all heard a voice ask from behind.

Quickly, every one of the group turned around. Their frightened faces looking back at the Great One as he stood behind them with his behind his back.

“The power the throne possess is remarkable,” he said, stepping forward. Approaching them as they looked into his glowing eyes.

“Yesss, it served the traitors well…but its true power can only be unlocked by the heir. The one to inherit the power, and use it as they please.” He stopped walking at the steps. Standing frozen in place as he stared at the throne.

Turning around, he looked back at all of them.

“Yes, what you’re thinking is completely right. I am the heir. Once I take possession of the throne and its power, everything will return to the way it was before the betrayal…”

“You, brother, may return to your slumber, to sleep peacefully until called upon once more,” he said, holding out a hand towards Aku.

Aku silently nodded his head. Calmly accepting what his brother was telling him.

“In fact, every single one of you will sleep until your time has come again.” His hand pointing out towards the whole group.

Holding her hands behind her back, Bellatrix just smiled. Nodding her head.

“Yes, my Lord,” they all said in unison, bowing their heads in respect.

“You have all done your part in restoring order to chaos,” he said, turning his head and looking back towards the throne, “but now, it’s time for me to play my part.” His eyes narrowing towards the throne.

Turning around to face the throne, he inhaled a deep breath. Calmly exhaling it.

His first step was soon followed by another, and another, and another. Slowly drawing closer to the throne, one step at a time…

Reaching it, he turned around. Looking back down towards them. Smiling behind his mask, before sitting down in the throne.

Seeing everyone in the group for the final time in a long while.

Blue markings began illuminating themselves on the sword. The glow from the throne, getting brighter and brighter. Showing the Great One as nothing but a black silhouette.

For a second time, everyone in the room raised their arms to once again shield themselves from the bright light.

For a time, there was nothing but the bright, golden light…that is, until it reached its apex, and exploded! Shooting an intense wave of golden light outwards from the throne, that pushed everyone! Knocking them off their feet!

However, the wave didn’t just stay confined to the throne room, or even the station…

No, it continued to pass through steel, crystal and flesh, until it reached the end…but still, it didn’t stop here…

Continuing into space, the golden wave shot outwards from the station across the entire universe! Sweeping across planets, moons, galaxies and nebulas!

A Brotherhood fleet that was hit by the wave, were disintegrated into dust, before becoming nothing.

Brotherhood constructed cities, recruitment posts, space stations, shipyards, and what remained of their Space and Ground forces were all destroyed in an instant. No trace of their presence remaining as the wave passed.

The Brotherhood’s banners burned. Disappearing from the universe forever!

*****

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPisDzhYrCg

Meanwhile, in a far-away castle, a man was sitting alone in a dark room. Sitting against the wall with an evident look of fear on his face as he panted.

Sweating ran down his head as he panted heavily, eyes wide in fear as he looked out in front of him!

He could feel it as clear as sunlight: both his hearts had stopped, and he was just barely holding on by a thread!

Soon, the door opened and a figure stepped inside.

Despite hearing its footsteps as it got closer, he didn’t look up…not yet.

Soon, though, as the footsteps came to a stop in front of him, allowing him to see nothing but the figure’s boots, did he finally raise his head. Looking up towards the figure in front of him.

Its frowning face staring at him, while he began to sob.

“I-I don’t want to go!” he sobbed.

“Neither did he, but you still robbed him of his life, stole his chance at a normal life, and he will never get it back because of what you did to him,” he said.

“You were meant to die that day,” a wide grin appearing on his face, “but I can promise you, after all I went through to finally bring you to justice, that this time you will stay dead. Both your hearts are dead, so you won’t even regenerate…but just die!” he said softly, letting the terror of the thought sink in with him.

As both his hands and head started to glow, he tried to gasp, but found that there was no more breath in his lungs.

“You don’t even deserve this, but I still bid you-” he said, holding his hands at the front. Looking down at the Time Lord’s hands as the glow started to intensify.

Putting his hands behind his back, he backed away from the dying Time Lord as he looked down at his hands. His fear growing at seeing regeneration’s light growing stronger…meaning that his doom was drawing closer.

“Please, don’t do this!” he pleaded with the figure before him, only to be meet with silence. Tears running down his face at his imminent departure from this world.

“-farewell.”

With that final word spoken, he then faded away. Upon no longer standing in front of him, the Time Lord saw the door had been closed.

However, neither of these things calmed him. Instead, he just began trying to pant. Not drawing any breath as he slowly stood back up on his feet, grunting as he felt it getting closer…

He attempted to walk, but this only speed the process up, causing it to happen faster. He managed to get three steps, before freezing in place. His eyes widening as it hit him in both hearts!

A golden inferno erupting from both his hands and feet! His arms shooting out beside him.

His face tensing as he felt the energy rushing throughout his body! Killing every cell in his body dead.

Clenching his eyes, he let out a final scream from the agony he was experiencing! Letting himself be heard one final time before the end.

Soon, everything calmed, as the energy stopped flowing. His arms falling down beside him. Standing motionless as his open eyes looking out in front of them.

Standing there for a few seconds, before falling backwards. Hitting the floor with a mighty thud, which caused a crack to appear at the back of his head.

The crack continued to spread throughout his body, destroying his body piece by piece, before a fiery glow was seen between the cracks. The cracked pieces beginning to float up into the air as the now-lifeless shell was unable to keep them intact anymore. Nothing being left of him, once every piece was finished disintegrating.

Soon, the hallways and corridors of the castles fell silent. Not a single sound being heard throughout the almost-abandoned fortress. !Is͞�gAF}�Y}

Author's Note

Link - The Long Song (with lyrics) - Doctor Who

Chapter 27

It has Begun

Today, it’s been a year to the day since both Frost and Kami took Luna and Celestia under their wing to prepare them for the impending clash. A clash that will shape the future for years to come.

Ever since taking her into the chamber to train, Frost’s palace has been quiet. All of Frost’s subordinates have been denied entry to the training grounds for as long as he and Luna are in there…but no more!

Watching the screen from a catwalk, several hooded individuals watch the doors to the training grounds open, and Luna and Frost to walk out.

Frost walked, until he arrived at his hover pod, which has been prepared for him to use. After getting into it, he and Luna began making their way towards the throne room.

Everyone they encounter in the hallways and corridors en-route to the throne room bowing in respect. Presumably, though, it is because Luna, ever since returning to the palace has only worn an enraged frown on her face.

No emotion was present on her face but one…hatred!

Proceeding down the hall, Frost presses several buttons on the hover pod’s control panel. Flicking a switch…

*****

Meanwhile, on another planet, a darkened chamber was soon illuminated as the lights switched on.

A light above a sealed door beeping for a couple seconds, until it soon stopped beeping.

The message having been received, and heard, due to the automated systems.

Shortly, the walls started glowing as the room’s systems started back up again.

Through the window in the door, a figure gently raised its head. Looking back out the window.

There was a soft hiss of air, followed by steam as the door opened, moving into the wall. Through a soft wall of steam, a dark silhouette was seen standing inside the capsule-like chamber.

Having been awoken from its slumber, metallic sounds were heard coming from the humanoid figure as it stepped out of the capsule and into the room. Coming to a complete halt at the center of the room.

“Cyber Controller active!” it said, before slamming its chest.

“Raise communications channel between Cyber Controller and Cyber Leader,” the Cyber Controller ordered, establishing a wire-less communication between itself and the Cyber Leader on the base.

Currently, in another section of the base, a Cyber Leader looked up as it received a transmission.

“Prepare a Cyber ship for immediate departure. I have been summoned,” instructed the Controller.

“Affirmative,” replied the Cyber Leader, slamming a hoof against its chest.

Letting its hand hang down beside its body, the Controller stepped forward. Another door opened, and it walked out of the room. Walking out into a corridor, which it followed.

*****

Following the corridor, it soon leads them to a large steel door. Upon getting close to the door, it opened for them, allowing them entry into the throne room, which they proceeded to enter.

Frost sitting in his hover pod throne, while Luna trotted beside him as they entered the throne room together. Moving across a long, red runway, that lead to the opposite end of the room, where something of an odd structure stood, as well as a single humanoid silhouette that stood in front of it.

As Luna and Frost approached it, the humanoid turned around. It, facing them.

Coming to a complete halt, Frost smiled at seeing the humanoid. Staring into its glowing eyes.

“Princess Luna, may I introduce the Cyber Controller,” he said, holding out his hand towards the humanoid.

“One of five Bio-Warriors, whom serve me.” Frost touching his hand to his chest.

Noticing her lack of a response, he started getting a little nervous that she wasn’t impressed by him.

“Warriors, whose bodies had been, to paraphrase the Controller, upgraded so that they are fit to serve me.” Luna’s response was just to turn her head, looking directly at him with an angry frown, which confused the galactic Emperor.

“Upgraded or not, he will not me of the glorious moment when my sister has been defeated, and is at my mercy. I will be the one to stand over her crushed and broken corpse.” Her tone was soft, but filled with malevolence.

Frost’s brows jumped in surprise. The Controller, merely gave her a blank look.

Soon enough, though, his surprised expression turned into a sly smile.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Princess. The Controller and his forces, the Iron Legion, will only be accompanying us to Equestria,” he replied, jumping his brows.

For a moment, Luna’s face twitched as she smiled, before her enraged frown shortly returned. Her eyes narrowing, angrily. “Good.”

“What is our stratagem for the assault?” the Controller asked.

Turning his head, Frost looked directly at Luna, followed thereafter by the Controller doing the same. His sly smile growing a little wider.

“Well, Princess, what strategy did you have in mind?” he asked.

Turning her head, Luna just stared at him with a blank frown. Looking thereafter up towards the Controller.

“Whatever it takes to lure my sister out from wherever she’s hiding. The time of hiding is at an end…nor will I permit her to run.” Again, her tone was soft, but while there was a malevolence in her tone, previously, now, it was in a dark monotone. Her eyes angrily narrowing.

Widening his smile, Frost looked back up towards the Controller.

“You heard her. Let’s go wreck a planet…and its monarch,” Frost instructed, nudging his head towards the door.

“I oeby, Emperor!” replied the Controller. Slamming his chest.

Hanging his arm beside his body, the Controller then stepped forward. Walking across the room towards the front door.

Without waiting for Frost to ask, Luna had already turned around and trotted back towards the door.

Noticing this, Frost’s brows jumped. Surprised at being defied so openly like this, though, giving a sly smile at her persistence.

*****

Meanwhile, elsewhere, at the same time, a door opened, followed by a white equine with wings and a horn, and a humanoid, walked out of the room. A bright light shining behind them as they exited the room, turned left and proceeded down the corridor.

The equine and humanoid, both, holding a serious frown on their face as they strode down the hallway.

Arriving at the main entrance to the whole building, they turned right and walked out into the sun light. Feeling the sun light on their face for the first time in seven years, as well as the soothing breeze blowing in their face.

Both of them walking/trotting until they both stopped in place. They both turned around, facing each other. Him staring down at her, while she looked up at him.

“You ready?” She just nodded in reply.

Extending his hand, he gently placed it atop her head, whilst touching two fingers to his forehead.

BZZT

Author's Note

I appolagize for all these rough drafts of my most recent uploads, but things are much too hectic over here for me to take my time and edit them like I used to.

Chapter 28

The Cybermares!

*Sometime later…*

BZZT

Immediately, a humanoid and equine figure appeared on a hilltop. The humanoid, upon opening his eyes again, looked down towards the equine in front of him, and removed his hand from her head, as well as lowering his two fingers down beside his body.

Staring back at him, she smiled, which was followed-up by him smiling back at her.

However, while they were smiling at each other, their head soon snapped towards the side. Their attention, abruptly stolen away by a loud stomping sound in the distance, and raised voices.

Narrowing her eyes, she trotted over towards the trees in their way. Kami, standing motionless as he watched her approach the trees.

As soon as she pulled the branches out of the way and saw what lay beyond the trees, her eyes widened in horror, and she froze in place. Shocked by what she saw.

“Hey, what are you see-…Oh!” he softly uttered as he walked up towards her and pulled the branch aside. His eyes widening in shock at the sight greeting him.

Down on the fields, where a new village was in the process of being constructed, an army of equines in armor was marching into the village.

Their heads snapped up as they heard something moving across the sky.

“Oh, come on!” she groaned. Staring up into the sky, as she saw more of those armored equines flying through the air.

Flames coming out the bottom of their hooves, which must’ve been how they were flying in the air.

However, unlike all the others that were flying beside it, one of the silver equines’ handle bars were black. Signifying it had some sort of rank above the others.

Looking up into the sky, she just continued to glare at them…however, Kami was shocked, downright horrified at seeing them. His eyes wide with fear as he shook his head. “No, it cannot be…”

Slowly backing away into the darkness, he turned around and slowly started to walk away. His head hung low and jaw quivering.

“They were destroyed! H-how can they have survived?!” he said softly. Fear starting to settle in with him!

Hearing more of them flying overhead, his head snapped up, gasping loudly!

Continuing to look back out through the opening, she watched hundreds more silver equines pass over them. All fifty of them flying towards a huge mountain in the distance.

“It seems that they’re heading for that mountain, there. Should we follow them?” she asked, only to receive no reply from him.

“Kami?”

Turning her head, she looked directly at him. However, at seeing his face, she saw that he was scared, very scared.

“Kami…do you know who they are?” All she received was a nod from him.

Looking up from the ground, he stared back at her with a frightened expression.

“They are Cybermares,”

Terror prevalent in his voice as he said the name.

“…equines from another world. Equines whose scientists had concluded that the only way for them to survive was to upgrade their bodies with spare parts…at least, that’s what we were told while we fought them,” he chuckled softly. Hanging his head as he looked down at the ground for a moment.

Looking back up as his humored expression changed into a frown. “And now, they’ve returned. Fighting for the galactic Emperor, himself,” he then turned his head, looking back at her with a sad frown, “…and your sister.”

Nervous, Celestia gulped. Dread coming over her.

“And what are they going to do with my ponies? Enslave them?” she asked.

“No, they’re going to convert them into more Cybermares. Take away everything that makes one unique, and put them into a cyber-suit and force them to convert others into more and more Cybermares. An endless circle.” His eyes wide with fear at every word he said. His face’ expression conveying the fear he felt at finding out that the Cybermares had (apparently) survived...

As they were talking, a figure hovering in mid-air, close to the forest, stopped and turned its head. Its black eyes staring directly towards a particular spot. Its vision being enhanced…

Giving him a suspicious look, she raised a brow at him. “So, you were there then? When these…Cybermares were defeated, I take it?” He just nodded in response.

“I was,” he replied. Hanging his head as he exhaled a heavy sigh before shortly looking back up towards the hole she was looking out through.

“I was one of eight commanders who’d taken up arms the Cybermare threat. They were relentless on every sector that opposed them, but they were especially ruthless towards me and those who followed me. Since none of us were equines, whom were the only lifeforms they could convert, they didn’t hesitate to wipe out everyone within my unit.” Holding back the tears, he hung his head. Looking down at the ground as he suppressed his anger. Grabbing his hand hard.

“I only survived cause everyone else died…left aimlessly drifting through space as my ship finally malfunctioned from the damage it had sustained, unsure of how the war ended, whether everyone I’ve ever known was just another blank face in their ranks…” raising his head, he looked back up at her, “but I guess we won, because I never saw another Cybermare for the rest of my life,” he said.

“We won the war, but I lost the battle.” Looking back out the window, he stared at the legions of Cybermares flying across the sky.

Turning her head, she looked out the hole too. A sad frown on her face as she saw all those Cybermares fly towards the mountain in the distance.

Narrowing her eyes, angrily, she stomped her hoof in the ground. His head, immediately, snapping up towards her.

“Tell me, Kami,” slowly turning her head, she looked back at him with a sly smile, “how do we stop them?” Her courage surprising him.

“But there’s no way that we can-“

“Yes, yes, yes! ‘’-that we can stop them’’,” she interrupted. Soon, looking him straight in the eyes. “I don’t care about whether it’s possible or not. If my ponies are threatened, then I will gladly sacrifice my own life to save theirs…and not even you can stop me!” she said, flying up to him and tapping his chest.

“If you’re afraid of fighting them, then leave, but I’m going to put my life on the line for the ones that have placed their faith in me.” Her eyes staring directly into his for a couple minutes, before she turned away from him and flew back down to the ground. Planting her hooves on the grass as she trotted towards the clearing.

Hanging his head, he looked down at the ground in contemplation. Shocked by her resolve, lack of selfishness, and the determination to go out there and try her best, even after being just told that she would be sacrificing her own life to keep everyone else safe. It reminded him of someone that he thought he had long-since buried in his memories. A single name.

Raising his head, he looked back up towards her, staring at her with a shocked look on his face.

“You really do remind me of him, don’t you?”

Immediately, she froze in her tracks. Looking out in front of her for a couple seconds, before turning around and looking back at him.

“Who, who do I remind you of?”

The shocked look on his face soon giving way to a happy smile. Staring back at her with an uplifted smile.

“The Medic, one of my oldest friends during the Cyber-War, and survivor from the Last Great Time War,” he said. “His reputation being so well-known amongst the Cybermares, that he was once able to foil an entire invasion by claiming that he had devised a virus that would attack the Cyber-suits, and that he was threatening to unleash it on anyone that attempted to set foot on the planet…” he explained.

“and yet, for all that he accomplished during the war, all his suffering, the only times I ever saw him smile was not when a Cyber-ship was destroyed, nor a legion of Cybermares obliterated…but when he looked into a child’s eyes and saw hope, hope during such dark times for the future…that one day the war would finally end…” he said, gently raising his hand and tapping his chest, “and that inspired him more than any speech, any flag, or even the bodies of his fallen friends and enemies ever could, for he knew that his purpose was not to destroy…but preserve life. No matter how hard it was to see his friends die on another battlefield, he always kept going, cause he knew that thousands would join them if he ever gave in, even for one second…”

Extending his finger, he pointed right at her. “That, is why I see so much of him in you. You don’t care about whether your own life survives…as long as there’s do.” Raising his hand, he pointed out towards the village, which a legion of Cybermares were currently marching into.

“You remind me of the Medic, not because of how powerful you are, but because you’re willing to sacrifice yourself to save them all…and what is a national ruler but a protector of ones’ people?”

As soon as he finished talking, a silence fell over them. Him, smiling as he looked into her eyes.

Gently stepping forward, he silently approached her.

“I never quite understood why I survived either war…but after hearing about your determination, I think I finally understand why. You may not be the same warrior I fought alongside, all those years ago, but I swear, if you will die fighting by my side, then I will fall by yours.”

An encouraging smile spread across his face as he extended his hand. Holding it out for her to shake.

Standing motionless for a couple minutes, she just stared back at his hand.

Directing her gaze back up at him, she smiled and extended her hoof, taking his hand.

“Was it even necessary of you to ask?” Chuckling back, he shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, what do you say? You want to go and save the world?”

“Me? Are you going to get all scared and nervous on me again?” she asked back, raising a brow at him.

Chuckling back, he let his arm hang beside his body as he walked past her towards the clearing.

“Just watch me, Princess!” he said with a wide smile, before stepping out into the sunlight.

As he stepped out from behind the trees, his smile immediately disappeared, replaced by a shocked frown!

“So, what’s the plan?” she asked, trotting up beside him.

However, facing her, causing her to freeze in place upon seeing them was a legion of Cybermares that surrounded the hilltop. All of them staring back at her and Kami with blank stares.

Standing in front of them was not just Cybermares on the ground, but also in the skies, many of which aimed their hoof mounted arm-cannons down towards herself and him.

Ascending from the sky, planting its hooves on the ground, the Cybermare with the black handlebars approached the her and Kami.

“You are Princess Celestia,” the Cyber-Leader proclaimed.

Its voice was highly cybernetic, with barely any hint to whether the pony within the suit was male or female, which just served to make Celestia glare angrily at it. Nodding her head in reply.

“I am.”

“Then you are our prisoner. You will be brought before the Controller.”

Raising its head, the Cyber-Leader looked up at Kami, staring blankly at him while scanning him, but was unable to identify what species he belonged to.

“You are an unknown element”

“Precisely, which means I’m just as important as she is,” he said, staring directly into the Cyber-Leader’s eyes.

“Take both of us to your leader,” he said putting his arms behind his back. Celestia’s head snapping towards him with a shocked expression.

“What!?” she exclaimed.

“Bring them to the Controller.” Waving several Cybermares towards them, they were soon surrounded by four Cybermares.

Before they embarked for where this ‘’Controller’’ was, one of the Cybermares attached a silver ring to Celestia’s horn.

“Forward,” the Cyber-Leader then instructed.

In response to his command, the Cybermares, Kami and Celestia, all started trotting forward…all while hundreds of eyes were watching their every move.

Author's Note

Link - Doctor Who Unreleased Music - Dark Water - Cybermen Invasion

Chapter 29

Sibling Rivalry

Aside from the constant stomping as they marched, the only sound heard coming from the Cybermares was the sounds their hooves made as they hovered in the air above Celestia and Kami as they led them to where this ‘’Controller’’ was.

Celestia, finding it almost impossible to divert her gaze, looked out towards the thousands of thousands of Cybermares that was escorting them to the ‘’Controller’’ (and hopefully her sister)

In the center of the legion, the Cyber-Leader hovered in the air directly above Celestia and Kami. His dead, emotionless eyes staring out in front of him as he led the prisoners to his masters.

Refusing to look up from the ground, Kami hung his head in shame.

Up in front of them, they approached the path one would take to navigate the Everfree Forest…but close to it a large silver shape with yellow and blue windows aligning the side, and a single purple dome on the front.

Faintly raising his head, he glimpsed the spaceship.

Raising his head more, he looked up to see the large spaceship in front of him.

Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the softly humming structure, whose soft humming was heard getting progressively louder the closer they got to the docked vessel.

The only other sound that was as prominent as the ships’ engines were the Cybermares’ continuous stomping as they led him and Celestia towards their masters within.

Holding her enraged frown, Celestia looked up towards the large saucer. Her eyes widening as she marveled at the sheer size of such a craft. Unable to look away as they passed by underneath it towards a ramp that led inside the ship.

Proceeding up the ramp, the metallic figures and two organic beings entered the saucer.

While they led him up the ramp, Kami’s attention seemed to immediately shift away from the large saucer to something else.

An Equestrian trotted away from the saucer…unaccompanied by any Cybermares.

He soon stops in his tracks, and raises a hoof to touch a beeping earpiece in his hear, pressing and holding in a button.

“Infiltration successful,” he says into the earpiece…

*****

Meanwhile in space, a spaceship was in high orbit around Equestria.

Other than the soft humming of the ships’ internal systems, it was completely silent.

Onboard, in a specific room, a figure was standing by a control panel. Silently staring down at its controls.

The only sound to be heard throughout the whole room being the constant beeps and bleeps of the machinery surrounding the figure.

After listening and observing its surroundings down on Equestria, it looks up from the controls.

Turning around, it trots across the room towards a door, which sharply opens for it. Stepping out of the room, it proceeds down a corridor where another door at the end of the corridor opens. Allowing it entry to the room.

Entering the room, several figures stood gathered around a circular table. All of them viewing incoming statistics and information pertaining to the planet they were orbiting.

At the other end of the room, behind the table stood a large, round base. Standing atop the base (which was aligned with several lights on the side) stood a cylinder, which had several cables connected to it, and an armored chest plate on the front. Around the figure’s round head was what could only be described a ‘’metal necklace’’, which had several blinking lights pointed inwards at the spherical head.

Detecting a new presence in the room, the figures all looked up from the table and turned around. Staring at the newcomer.

Once seen by the others, the figure froze in place. Silently facing the group before it.

“Report?” one of the group demanded.

“Infiltration successful,” the newcomer replied. “Our spy goes undetected.”

“Excellent,” the other figure replied.

“However, a complication has arisen,” the newcomer shortly interjected.

“What kind of complication?” asked the other figure.

“Identical yet unknown DNA signatures have been detected on the surface,” the newcomer replied.

“It matters little,” the other figure said as it turned around. Looking back across the room towards the machine, “we will follow the stratagem as it says, even facing these unforeseen complications.”

The sphere began glowing, glowing a bright green that illuminated the room.

“Commence the Invasion of Equestria!” the sphere’s electronic voice ordered.

“We obey!” said all the figures in the room. Slamming their fists against their chests as they saluted the Planner.

Soon, the spaceship’s engines re-ignited again, and it started flying towards the planet.

However, while flying towards Equestria, it was far from the only spaceship that descended upon Equestria.

It was the flagship at the head of a fleet of ten other identical ships!

*****

Meanwhile, back on the surface, Kami and Celestia led down a corridor by the Cyber-Leader and several Drones.

While they proceeded down the corridor, more and more Cybermares were frequently encountered on their way. All of whom stared blankly at Kami and Celestia. Primarily Kami.

They continually saw nothing but identical corridors and Cybermares before arriving at a steel door that opened upwards for them. The Cyber-Leader entered before them.

Upon stepping into this room, they noticed that the entire room was surrounded in darkness, other than the bleeping and beeping lights on the wall. And a particular blue light, that above it was a faint red light.

Immediately, Kami narrowed his eyes at first sight of the blue light. Glaring directly at it.

“Halt!” the Cyber-Leader instructed.

Both Kami and Celestia stopped moving. Silently watching as the Leader turned around and looked behind it towards the blue light.

Raising its hoof, it slammed its chest in salute of the blue light.

“The prisoners have been brought as requested,” the Leader said.

Then, a loud, mechanical noise sounded as a tall, humanoid figure stepped out from behind the shadows.

At first glimpse of seeing the very recognizable being, Kami’s eyes widen. Shocked to see a Controller here, let alone in humanoid form!

“I-impossible,” he stuttered. Shaking his head in denial.

Celestia and the Controller’s heads turn towards him. The Controller blankly staring at him.

“Commence scan,” the Controller proclaims.

The Controller’s visual display changes, and a grid forms around the unknown humanoids’ body is scanned.

After finishing its scan, the Controller held it gaze concentrated on him.

“Scan complete. Trace of DNA 000X detected,” the Controller proclaimed.

Celestia raised a confused brow after hearing this.

“Curious…” the Controller said as it stared right into his face. Gently tilting his head as if recognizing something about him.

“The fact that you’re violating my personal space? Yeah, I do find that curious!” he grimaced.

“You are the second entity that the DNA 00X has been detected,” replied the Controller.

Through its visual display, the Controller watched Kami’s expression immediately contort into a look of fear.

“Why is that important? Kami fought against you Cybermares long ago, so why wouldn’t you recognize him?” Celestia asked.

Turning its head, the Controller looked down towards her, then, back up at Kami again. Silently staring at him.

“Because neither I or my cyber-brethren was present during whatever Cyber Wars he played part in,” replied the Controller before it turned and walked away from them.

Holding its hands behind its back, the Controller stopped in front of the darkness. Silently averting its gaze with either of them.

Both Celestia and Kami’s brows jumped at hearing this.

“What?!” Kami softly uttered.

“But that’s impossible! You were all destroyed in your final assault!”

Despite being bound, the Drones raised their hooves. Aiming their weapons towards him. The Controller, however, raised its hand. Gesturing for the Drones to stand down.

Now, Controller and Kami faced stood face-to-face. His organic eyes staring right into its blank ones.

“Be that as it may, we are the beginning of a new Cybermare species. One that shall rise from the ashes of the old Cybermares that the Doctor destroyed!” Unknown to Kami, the Controller tightened its fist.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Celestia interjected. Holding up her hooves in a time-out gesture.

Both Kami and the Controllers’ attention was drawn towards her. Both humanoids turning their heads and staring back at her.

“Instead of getting side-tracked, why don’t you elaborate on what you were going to say before Kami interrupted?” she asked with an innocent, yet frustrated, smile.

“Hey, I-“

“Shut up!” she snapped at him. “I came here to save my world, not to have a history lecture on the Cybermares.”

Seeing her point, Kami grimaced as he nodded his head.

Turning himself around, he stepped back towards her. Standing beside her as he starred back at the Controller, though, albeit with a glare.

“Now, Controller, what did you mean by ‘’second entity to possess this DNA 00X’’ ?” she asked with a serious expression. Raising a brow at the Controller.

“You’re more or less straight-up telling us that there is another with this DNA.”

Slowly, the Controller turned to face her. Staring down at the Alicorn princess.

“Affirmative. However, while Kami is currently our prisoner, the other is impossible to locate despite already being located,” replied the Controller.

“And why is that? Is it hiding from you?” she asked. Taking several steps forward.

“Negative. Our scans have traced the other…however, we are still unable to pinpoint its location cause its movements are sporadic, thus, making it difficult to locate.”

“Well, which planet is it hiding on?”

“Frost Planet Prime!”

Immediately, Kami’s brows jumped at hearing this, while Celestia just gave a confused look in response.

“Frost Planet Prime?” she asked confused. “What is that?”

Kami slowly turned towards her. Looking down with nervous eyes.

“Frost may have many bases of operations across the galaxy, but Frost Planet Prime is his main. His lair,” Kami explained.

Hanging her head, she shook her head as she looked down at the floor.

“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would someone that has a special DNA strain want to hide out someplace where someone like Frost is?”

“Reasons are irrelevant…now, for now we have a live specimen,” the Controller interrupted.

Narrowing her brows, she looked up towards the metal humanoid in front of her.

Suddenly, the Controller extended its arm out towards Kami. Touching his shoulder, and started electrocuting him!

His body violently shaking as he was tortured by the fell bolts. His screaming slowing as he fell to his knees, and then to the floor.

“Kami!” she shouted as she ran over to him.

However, the Controller aimed his wrist-canon at her. Halting her in place.

“Do not move or you will be deleted!”

Angrily glaring at the humanoid, she growled through gritted teeth up at the Controller as several Drones restrained her by grabbing her shoulders.

“Take him,” the Controller ordered as it pointed its finger at the motionless Kami.

“What are you doing with him?! Leave him!” she demanded, but the Cybermares just ignored her as they loaded Kami’s body onto a hovering casket. A holographic display was then raised over the open casket.

Without giving her as much as a chance to say anything, they trotted out of the room with the casket. The door closing behind her.

“What are you going to do with him?!” she nearly screamed at the Controller.

“Beings with the DNA 00X are rare, but now we have obtained a live specimen. It will be experimented on, dissected, and examined until we have learned all that can be from it,” the Controller said as it starred towards the door.

D-dissected? Experimented on?

Her lip begins trembling as images of what they’re going to subject Kami begins appearing in her head;

Showing her such horrific images as Kami’s torso being brutally sliced open to allow them to examine his internal organs!

Despite how much he struggles, he cannot get free, and all the while is continually interrupted by another one of the surgical blades cutting into his insides to extract the only things that matter to the surgeons!

As his scream rings out a final time, her eye shoots open, and she feels her power igniting!

Meanwhile, Luna’s eye shots open. Interrupting her meditation.

Her jaw hangs open as she can sense the power that has just awakened!

Slowly standing back up, Celestia gritting her teeth as she looks back up towards the Controller.

Her sparks beginning to glow a vibrant gold hue.

Releasing its hands, the Controller slowly begins to back away from her. If not for being a machine, she would be able to see the mounting fear on its face.

“RrrrAAAAHHH!” she screams as she lunges herself at the Controller!

“Where are you-“

However, she was soon slapped away by the Controller towards the darkest part of the room.

The Controller towering her as it stares down at her, folding its arms behind its back again.

“You owe him nothing. Why sacrifice so much for him?”

Slowly rising up to her hooves, she sobbed softly at being reminded of Kami again.

“Because he is the only one that I can rely to help defend my home from you!” she spat at him as she slowly stood back up.

For several minutes, the Controller remained silent.

“It matters not. Once you have been upgraded, your memory of him will fade-…”

“…for soon you will only be loyal to one,” a voice from the shadows interrupted the Controller.

Celestia head snapping towards the darkness behind her as she saw a chair rotate around, revealing the last thing she wanted to see

“Me!” said the figure as a grin spread across her face, while Celestia’s eyes widens and jaw hangs open in shock.

“Luna!?” she utters softly in horror at seeing her sister again.

Luna just smiles back in an evil manner at her sister’s fear.

“You are afraid…good!” she spat back at her sister as she leaned forward in the chair, before she started gently hovering in the air for a brief moment. Softly planting her hooves down on the floor.

“You should be frightened, for when the sun sets on this day…one of us will be lying in the dirt, and the other will stand victorious over the other,” she said, glaring at her sister while blue sparks had begun appearing all around her.

“The world will finally know you for what you have always been!” she said, taking several steps close to her sister.

However, as Luna got close enough to her sister, Celestia, suddenly, kicked off against the floor. Lunging herself at her sister!

“NEVERRR!”

Before either the Controller, Cybermares or even Luna, herself, could react, Celestia reared her right arm back before delivering a punch to Luna’s face!

The impact sent Luna flying backwards. Crashing through several walls before coming out the back of the ship, and flying back up into the air!

Many of the surrounding Cybermares’ attention was stolen away by Luna crashing through the hull of the ship.

As Lunas’ body shot through the air, the wind blowing across her fur…her eyes shot open as she sensed something coming after her from the ship!

Just before she was hit, she stopped in mid-air, and with a quick swipe of her arm deflected the incoming punch harmlessly away from her.

Hearing a soft grunt beside her, she smiled and turned her head. Looking towards Celestia with a cruel smile as she moved away from her.

Looking into her sisters’ eyes, she recognized the rage in her eyes. The fires burned brightly…but needed to be extinguished!

Reigning her power, a blue, fiery aura exploded around Luna.

Celestia was startled by it, but as she flinched she felt a painful punch to the stomach.

Twisting her hoof against her stomach, Luna’s evil smile widens at hearing her sisters’ painful grunts.

Her sister raises her hoof to try and punch Luna away, but Luna looks up just in time to notice, and then super-speeds out of the way. Dodging the attack, leaving it to pass through air.

“Huh? Where did she-?” Celestia asks confused. Turning her head to try and find her, only to be bombarded with multiple punches to the face.

“And…” Luna says as she appears in front of Celestia. Reeling her hooves back, before quickly swinging them towards her sister, hitting Celestia hard in the head, “strike!”

Shooting towards the ground, an explosion of dust and chunks of the earth scatter as she hits the ground.

Folding her hooves across her chest, Luna gently hovers down as the dust cloud settles, revealing a large crater. Celestia’s motionless body lying in the center.

Seeing her so crushed and defeated, she scowls angrily as the wind blows through her mane.

“Pathetic, I had hoped for a challenge,” she says holding up her hoof, causing a ball of energy to form.

The larger the ball grows, it becomes redder, seeing more intense sparks being discharged from it.

“Farewell, sister, it has not been pleasant!” she says in contempt before throwing the ball of energy down towards Celestia.

Shooting down towards the surface, the ground shakes fiercely as the large, energy-filled sphere draws closer towards its target.

Sensing her impending doom drawing closer, Celestia’s eye shoots open. Looking up, she is meet with a wall of blue, crackling energy. However, before it hits her, her arms shoot out in front of her and grabs the large, crackling ball of death. Halting it in place.

The ball begins crackling intensely as it feels her resisting it. Trying to push back against her.

Back in the air, Luna impatiently taps her hoof as this is taking a great longer than she expected.

Come on, blow up already! I want there to be no trace of her!

However, her brows soon narrow confused as she notices the sphere beginning to lift back up…

Huh? What the-?

Before her train of thought can be completed, a loud scream is heard from underneath the violently crackling ball of energy. It’s discharged energy causing several places to darken.

With a strong push, the ball is launched back up into the air directly towards Luna!

“What-NOOOO!” she screams, taken by surprise at seeing her own attack being launched back at her.

*Bzzt*

In a second’s notice she’s vanished, allowing the ball of energy to shoot up into the air. Disappearing out into space.

Back down in the crater, Celestia keeps outputting enough energy to ensure the ball of energy leaves the planet.

However, she is suddenly tackled to the ground by Luna, who saw her after dodging her older sister’s counter-attack.

Repeatedly, Luna begins trying to punch her face, but is unable to land a single punch due to Celestia covering her face.

“Filthy cheater, you faked me out-GAH!”

While shouting enraged, Celestia kicks Luna’s back, sending her crashing into the ground.

Standing back up, both sisters glare back at each other as they jump up into the air. Once again hovering in the air.

Celestia panting softly, while Luna glares hatefully at her sister.

Both of them silently hovering in the air as they silently stare back at each other. Celestia’s stern look meeting Luna’s malevolent glare.

As they begin spiraling around each other, both then fire an energy blast towards the other…

Holding out their hooves, both of them catch the energy ball, with Celestia throwing hers’ up into space, and Luna throwing hers’ away at a random location.

Then, both of them stop moving. Silently, hovering in the air as they both exchange stern/enraged stares. ��_�^�3�0

Chapter 30

Rise of the Age of Steel

Meanwhile, back onboard the saucer, the Controller and it’s Cybermares had recovered after Celestia attacked Luna.

The Controller looked up as the dust cloud settled, revealing a damaged hole in the saucer’s hull.

“What of the Princess? Should we intervene?” asked the Leader.

The Controller turned around to face the drone. “Negative, the Princess is no longer a concern for the Cybermares. She has already played her part, and provided us with an equine-filled world that will be able to supply us with greater numbers.”

“Affirmative!” The drone slammed its chest in salute.

“Inform our forces that they are to prepare for mass-processing.”

“I obey!” all the Cybermares slammed their chests in salute.

“Order a shuttle to be dispatched for retrieval of the humanoid. He will be returned to the Crucible for experimentation. He could be a great asset to the Cyberiad,” the Controller instructed, holding up its fist.

“I obey,” the Leader responded before slamming its arm against its chest. This time not in salute but establishing close-range communication with another Cybermare.

Elsewhere, a Cybermare standing in front of a control console received the incoming transmission.

“This is Cyber-Leader speaking. Cyber-Controller orders a shuttle craft be dispatched to its position for the retrieval of one humanoid specimen.”

“I obey. A shuttle will be estimated to arrive in ten minutes.”

“Excellent, continue with approach.”

“Affirmative.”

Lowering its hoof back to the floor, the Leader ended the transmission. Looking back up to face the Controller.

“Shuttle estimated arriving within ten minutes.”

“Satisfactory,” the Controller nodded back.

Raising its head, the Controller stepped forward towards the door. “While the Princesses keep each other occupied, there is one final hindrance to our conquest of this world…” said the Controller as the door opened up for it.

Walking out of the room, it turned and followed a corridor down towards a particular room…

*****

In his private quarters, Frost stood with his arms folded across his chest as he hovered in front of the giant observation viewport. Outside his saucer, he silently the observed the legions of Cybermares that hovered in the air, and the long rows of grounded Cybermares that…have begun to surround the saucer, what?

Narrowing his brows, he not only watches the Cybermares on the ground turn to face the saucer as they surround it, but also the ones hovering in the air are doing the same. Every one of those black, emotionless eyes staring back at him.

Raising his wristband, he presses a button with his finger, “Come in, Controller! Come in, Controll-!” he nervously speaks into microphone before hearing the Controller immediately respond.

“How may I serve you, Lord Frost?” replies the Controller.

“Controller, your drones, something seems to be wrong with them. They’re surrounding saucer!” Frost replies, nervously looking out at all the silver faces staring back at him.

“Do not concern yourself with such trivial matters, ‘’my Lord’’. They are merely securing the landing site.” Confused by his response, Frost raises a brow.

“‘’Securing the landing site”? The landing site is already secured.”

“True, but they are not surrounding the landing site of your saucer…” he said as the door to Frost’s quarters opened, and a dark figure with glowing eyes cast a long shadow on the floor, “but my fleet!”

Turning around and looking down, Frost’s eyes widens at seeing the Controller stepping into the room with its arms behind its back, and a horde of Cybermare drones accompanying it. All of whom have their wrist-canons aimed directly at his chest.

Tightening his fists, he scowls looking back at the Controller.

“Why?! Why betrayal?” he asked.

“Betraying you was my original intent. After your liberation, you promised such power and control to those that choose to follow you…and to bestow upon your enemies. I originally served you out of fear of death, but as the years progressed and you awarded me with more power and control within your empire, I came to realize that you would turn a blind eye to my personal affairs as long as I claimed that it was to serve and expand your empire; the Iron Legion, the Cyber-Planet, all devices that you were lead to believe served you when the reality is that they served only one master, one controller; me!”

“You used me to serve your own ends!?” He abruptly stopped shouting, regaining his composure as he put a hand to his chin in thought. “Now that is clever, mind if I use that when I replace you?” he asked striking another battle-ready pose.

“For all your power, “Emperor” …I have been upgraded to where you no longer pose a threat to me or my Cybermares,” he said, holding up a partially clenched fist.

“Your empire has been most beneficial to the Cybermares, Frost, but now…you, your conquests, and all your resources belongs to the Cyberiad!” Tightening his hand into a fist.

Turning away from the Controller, he shifts his focus towards the drones that have all their weapons fixed on him.

While he may be bluffing I don’t dare chance it in case he really is telling the truth about getting stronger. That damn cyborg is not stupid, and wouldn’t dare challenge me unless he knew he could take me down…, he grumbled in thought, however, while he might have gotten stronger, I can still try to escape. His drones are still regular drones.

Releasing his grip slightly, he started charging a ball of energy…

The Controller tilted its head slightly…

“And what if I refuse to bow down?” he asked looking back at the Controller.

“Your mind will be deleted, and your body will be upgraded with a Cyber-suit. Your new purpose will be to serve the Cybermare’ cause.”

Angrily narrowing his brows, Frost glares back at the Controller. Nearly tightening his fist and igniting the ball of energy.

“Unfortunately, Controller, there seems to be something preventing me from surrendering to you…”

“What is that?”

“Me…escaping!” Frost shouts as he reels back his arm, showing the charged ball of energy in his hand, before he sharply throws it down towards the drones.

The thrown ball of energy exploded upon impact with the drones, seeing smoke and fire erupting throughout the room.

A smile curved on his face as the smoke and flames enveloped the drones. Breathing softly as he held his hand outstretched.

Ha, take that, Controller! He cheered in his head.

I guess your drones weren’t good for shi-AGH!

BAM

He thought as he looked back at the Controller, when he suddenly received blaster bolts to the face!

Huh!? What the-!?

Despite the majority of the blaster bolts hitting him, he raised his arms, protecting his face from further attacks…however, he was so focused on the blaster bolts that it left him to attack from another enemy…

Jumping up into the air, the Controller reeled back its fist before delivering a powerful uppercut punch to Frost’s face!

The overwhelmed him. Sending Frost flying back towards the glass, which shattered as he crashed through it.

Flying through the air, he plummeted towards the legion of stone-faced figures. However, before hitting them, the drones moved out of the way, allowing him to merely crash into the ground, blowing up a huge dust cloud.

The surrounding Cybermares all turn to look inwards to the impact zone.

Through the cracked hole in viewport, the Controller hovers down towards the impact zone. Planting its feet on the ground in front Frost as the cloud settles, revealing the collapsed Emperor.

“Your hearing must be impaired since you failed to comprehend when I informed you that you do not pose a threat to neither me or my Cybermares!”

Raising his head, Frost growled back up at the Controller.

“Just you-…wait! Y-you won’t-…succeed!” he spat back.

Gesturing with its hand, two drones trotted up towards the fallen Emperor and grabbed him by the shoulders. Lifting him up, despite his head hanging down.

“Take him to be upgraded,” the Controller ordered.

“I obey,” the drones replied, slamming their arms against their chests in salute.

The bottom of their hooves then ignited, and they started hovering in the air as they carried his body back towards the saucer.

Turning back around, the Cybermare legion immediately stood at attention as their Controller looked back towards the world before it.

“Iron Legion will advance, gather all Equestrians for processing!” the Controller ordered thrusting out its arm in front of it, holding its fingers outstretched.

“We obey!” a loud, singular voice said as every one of the Cybermares slammed their chests in salute.

The Cyber-conversion of Equestria begins!

At the exact same time, all the Cybermares looked up as they all took flight. Their hooves igniting as they all flew off to complete the harvest of Equestria.

Meanwhile up in space, a shuttle flew out of the spaceship heading the fleet. Igniting its engines, it flew down towards the surface of the planet below, speeding towards the planet faster than any of the larger capital ships.

However, it was not the only ship to begin descending upon Equestria, as swarms of Attack and Transport craft soon flew out of their docking bays.

A mass descended upon Equestria, with the blue light from the shuttle at its head!

Back on the surface, the skies darkened as the Iron Legion flew across their previous conquests. Looking up, one was greeted to a Cybermare’s wrist canon.

“You will be taken to Cyber-conversion!” echoed across Equestria. Always in the electronic, emotionless voice of the Cybermares, as they began herding Equestrians to await Cyber-conversion.

The primary conversion facilities available are onboard Frost’s saucer. Until the fleet arrives they will wait!

While the Legion spreads to the lands beyond Equestria’s borders, a separate unit flew straight towards a large mountain that was not far from Ponyville…

The Controller stood atop a hilltop overlooking Equestria with its hands behinds its back, silently watching as its Attack and Transport craft penetrated the clouds.

The large mass of ships separating as they flew down towards the ground, landing close to a group of Equestrians and Cybermares.

If still capable, the Controller would’ve grinned at the whole situation. This was its final victory!

******

Back onboard the saucer, the drones continued carrying Frost’s body down the hallway towards the special conversion chamber that the Controller had installed onboard his ship long ago. Even back then the seeds of betrayal were prominent, but not as potent as now.

At the same time, Kami is held within a hovering coffin as several Cybermare drones escort him through the ship. His eyes widen as he sees Frost be carried by the drones.

“Frost…! Frost!!” he calls out as he begins banging against the translucent hologram in front of him.

Weakly raising his head, Frost looks back at him as they pass each other. His eyes begin glowing, but soon return to normal as he hangs his head while the drones carry him off.

“Frost…! Frost!!” Kami calls out again, banging loudly on the hologram…

******

Back outside, the ground started rumbling and shaking. Dark silhouettes growing larger as they drew closer. A loud noise coming from the skies as Cybermare and Equestrian looked up to see massive shapes descend upon them…

The Controller silently stared at its fleet as the large vessels pierced the clouds. Their large, glistening forms hovering loudly in the air above the various cities that large numbers of Equestrians have been herded.

Some of the ponies started to panic at first glance of these vast, terrifying shapes that hovered overhead, others were taken aback, either from shock or fear that these massive things blotted out the sunlight with their immense size’!

One ship in particular hovers over a large, titular mountain in the distance. Several Transports are flying back and forth between the mountain and the ship.

“Move!” a Cybermare drone orders as the Transports land in front of the herded Equestrians.

Frightened by the ships’ arrival, the Equestrians begin forming lines as they begin boarding the Transports.

“Now…begins the Age of Steel! With the resources from Frost’s empire, the Cybermares will rise(‘’anew’’) and the entire universe will be upgraded!”

******

*Meanwhile, in the Changeling Kingdom*

Across a vast, desolate plain a large, black pyramid hovers high in the air. Around it, black bricks hover randomly.

Inside the Fearamid, its halls are empty, silent. Devoid of any life.

However, inside a central chamber, a hooded figure sits in its throne. Its fingers folded as it stares out a stained-glass window depicting Bill Cipher and watching Celestia and Luna fight each other.

“My victory is already secured. I need just wait it out till one stands victorious over the other,” he said.

Suddenly, though, a wrist device on his right arm started beeping. Pressing the button, he spoke into a large dome that had an ethereal glow inside it.

“Yes, what now?”

“F-forgive us for interrupting you, but there is something that you should be aware of…” a nervous voice replied echoed.

“B-Bill Cipher is coming for us!”

“WHAT!?” he shouted, almost releasing his finger from the button on the wrist device.

The victorious grin he had earlier slipping away, contorting into a concerned frown.

“H-he is here now! W-we need you to return immediately!” demands the voice.

However, the voice is then cut-off by the connection suddenly going dead!

“Hello, come-in! Come-in!” he screams into the orb as he stands up from the throne. His shadow falling upon the wall behind him, though, he doesn’t notice due to being distracted from the light in the orb glowing dimmer.

Nervously gulping, he quickly rises from his throne.

“I have to help them-“

However, turning around, he freezes in place at seeing Bill Cipher’s shadow on the wall behind him.

“I warned youuu…!” Cipher’s voice echoes around the chamber.

“Retribution is innevitableee…!” The voice echoed all around the chamber, making it difficult to pin-point. It also seemed to almost through the walls, themselves.

Breathing heavily through his nose, the hooded figure stands alone in the room. His wide eyes sharply darting back and forth.

“AHA HA HA HA HA HAAA…!” Bill’s voice echoes throughout the room.

Stretching its arm, the shadow reaches out to grab him.

“No!” he screams jumping out of the way of Bill’s hand.

Catching himself in mid-air, he turns around. Facing Bill as he quickly floats away from the dark shadow on the wall.

From amidst darkness, a flaming eye stares back at him as another arm reaches out, but instead of grabbing him plants it on the floor.

“I wasn’t asking for permission!” Bill says before beginning to pull himself out of the wall.

Terrified, he turns around and hastily flies down the hallway behind him. His robes fluttering in the air as he tries putting as much distance between himself and the throne room.

He nervously looks behind him as he zooms down the hallway. His robes fluttering in the air, obstructing his view of Bill as he pulls himself free off the wall. Finally forming legs as he begins standing up.

His lone eye snapping towards the fleeing figure, only managing to catch a short glimpse before his robed figure rounds the corner.

“Ohhh…so you wanna turn this into a chase, do you?” he asks holding out his open hand.

His brow turns into flame, his edges extend outwards until they form curved spires, and four horns grow out.

“BWA HA HA HA HA HA!” he laughs as the bricks on other things on his body become nothing but white lines.

His transformed form then turns into a black mass that falls to the floor and melts into the floor, sending a shockwave of rainbow-ish colors through the entire Fearamid…!

*****

Flying down the corridors as fast as he could, he breathed a sigh of relief that he’s managed to escape from the enraged triangle.

“Now to get out of here and regroup with the others before-“

However, upon holding his fingers to his forehead, he attempts teleporting out of the Fearamid…only to find himself still in the same hallway!

“Huh!? W-what’s going on!? W-why didn’t-“

“Why didn’t your Instant Transmission take your as far away from here…!?” Bill’s disembodied voice interrupted.

Hearing his voice again, he frantically looked around the hallway. Eyes wide with terror whether the Dream demon would try to attack him.

“Well put simply; I’ve sealed off the entire Fearamid, he he!” he chuckled. “Enough time has already been wasted on quelling the Brotherhood, which by the way, if you’re gonna call yourself something, have some class…and now the last thing in my way is you!”

He nervously swallowed. Still remaining observant of his surroundings at all times…

“S-sounds like you’re quite confident in your abilities t-to find me, Cipher!” he stutters. Fear dripping off his voice.

“Oh, I don’t need to find you, Omega…but I require you to remain still!”

Immediately, the floor and ceiling all darken, and several shadow-hands suddenly shot out of the walls!

All reaching with outstretched hands as they try to grab him, but Omega quickly floats out of the way.

Staring at the black mass of the arms in front of him, large slit eyes open up. Blinking as they stare right at him.

“AHHH!” he screams, before quickly begins flying around the arms and down the hall.

Phasing through the floor as they’re lifted back up, the hands now have large eyes in the palms of them.

Each of the eyes batting themselves as they watch him flee down the hallway.

“YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE HERE ALIVE, OMEGA!”

As the Dream demon shrieks, outside the Fearamid, lighting and thunder erupt from the skies!

Fell bolts striking the side of the Fearamid, creating a large in the walls, which is immediately regenerated!

Dark waves spreading across the bricks, turning them from gold-bronze to completely black with white outlines!

Back inside the Fearamid, Omega zooms down the hallway even faster than before.

“YOU’VE ALREADY LOST, OMEGA! THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE YOURSELF FROM MY VENGENCE!” Bill continues shrieking.

Tormenting Omega with the unavoidable that he was doomed. Going even further to conjure massive eyes that seem to slow down time, thus forcing Omega to watch the nightmare-ish eyes as they stare at him. Shooting out tendrils that try to wrap themselves around him, tendrils that have mouths at the ends that try biting him, though, he manages to dodge them.

Further down the hallway, several tentacles shot out from opposite walls and begin merging together into a single black mass. Severing their connection to the walls as they as start flying down the hall towards him, taking on the form of a skull with sharp fangs with black smoke trailing underneath the cranium.

Chomping mad as it approaches him, his brows jump, though, not from fear…but confusion.

Holding out his hand, he begins a ball of energy, which is then thrown towards the chomping skull.

On impact with the skull, the skull dissipates into nothing.

Passing through the smoky remains of the skull, he continues flying down through the hall while the darkness continues overtaking the entire hallway.

Large claws with sharp knives for fingers reach out to try and grab him, but even despite this attempt to grab him, he flies out of the way of the claws.

The eyes in the palms blinking as they watch the humanoid figure elude them.

Suddenly, however, while maintaining a good pace, he looks back, a large, purple energy blast violently hits him hard in the face!

As it hits him, the blast explodes, intensifying the impact and sending him flying backwards.

The impact and explosion sending him. Flying back through several walls (which regenerate themselves after he’s crashed through them…)

*Later, in a room inside the Fearamid*

“Urgh…what happened? Where-?” he groans, raising his head as he looks around his surroundings.

He attempts to stand up, but feels a piercing pain in his chest.

Looking down, his eyes widen at a large fragment that pierced his chest, causing blood to leak from his wound.

“O-oh no!” he gasps, groaning that every movement caused another wave of pain to come over him.

“N-hrnng-no!”

Attempting to claw himself away from the wall along the floor, he groaned as the shard only moved around within his chest.

He needed the wall to support his back or the pain grew unbearable.

Reluctantly, he laid there against the wall while the leaking blood became an ever-swelling puddle on the floor.

“Do you finally realize the futility of your efforts!” Bill’s voice echoed around the room.

Omega could only manage a gasp as he raised his head, frantically looking around the room after hearing the Dream demon’s dismembered voice.

“You still choose to resist me, even as I have you trapped in a room injured?! Ugh, your persistence is starting to annoy me!”

At the opposite wall, a white outline with the image of a vertical line inside a circle and the circle inside a triangle was on the door greeted him.

Turning the knob and pushing the door open, Omega attempted to crawl away at the hovering figure that greeted him in the open doorway.

“Ah ha ha, did I do well, master?” the jester-clad figure asked as it hovered inside the room, closing the door behind him.

“Extraordinarily, Dimentio! Such a good boy you are!” Bill’s voice proclaimed proudly.

“Ah ha ha ha ha. Would you like me to dispense of this trash, master?”

Dimentio holds up his disembodied, gloved hand, conjuring another purple blast about to attack…

“No! While he deserves no less, and it would please me to see him a fall second time…I have something else in mind for this vile traitor!”

Before the jester can inquire what, his master means a wristband hovers into the room with an orb in it that contains a swirling, ethereal mass.

Omega’s eyes widen at seeing the wristband, and tries to crawl away despite the excruciating pain of the shard in his chest tries to get away from the floating wristband.

“I once admired you, Omega, for all the good you did…but now I will see to it that you never rise again to trouble the ones I care about!”

A version of Bill Cipher with the curved edges, horns and flaming eyebrow was seen inside the orb.

“N-no!”

“Time to pay the check, Omega!”

“NO!” Omega screamed.

Letting out a loud ear-piercing shriek as the wristband floated towards him. It’s sides opening as it clamped down on his arm.

Raising his arm, he attempted in a last-ditch effort to smash the device, however, Dimentio suddenly appeared and grabbed his hand.

Attempting a struggle with the jester, Dimentio merely grinned as he forced his hand down and started pressing buttons on the device.

Sweat running down his forehead as he was forced to bring about his own doom.

After the buttons were pressed, Dimentio gently patted his cheek. Staring back with an evil smirk.

“Don’t worry. For all that you have done, master is not so cruel that he won’t allow your passing to feel like falling asleep!”

He was in no way calmed by the jester’s words.

Being patted on his cheek, Omega shook his head as he stared back out at Dimentio.

Watching as the jester’s eyes trailed down. His smile, before returning his gaze to Omega.

“Ciao, Omega!” was the last thing Dimentio said to him, before floating back away from him.

A wave of energy shooting outwards as he teleported out of the room.

Looking down, a pale look of terror moved across his face as he saw the reason for why Dimentio had left.

Staring at the wristband’s orb, a golden light had begun growing in intensity!

A core of crackling energy was at the very heart of the light.

Sparks appearing him where he sat, as well as the golden glow growing brighter as the light engulfed him.

No!

Clenching his eyes shut as he felt it coming, he averted his eyes!

*Meanwhile, outside the Fearamid*

While a crowd of onlookers had assembled. Their curiosity drawn towards the wild activity that was occurring over by the Fearamid, violent bolts of lightning struck the Fearamid.

The floating structure shaking fiercely as random sections exploded as a result of the rampant lightning!

Then, a large tower of fiery, golden energy suddenly bursts from one corner of the Fearamid!

Igniting like a raging inferno, the skies catch fire!

Moving like a wave of destruction above Equestria, drawing everyone’s attention as it passes over them!

Their eyes widening and jaw hanging agape in shock of what just happened.

Back at the Fearamid, the tower of gold energy sinks back inside the devastated structure where it originated from. A second wave shooting outwards that caused the flames to dissipate.

However, having suffered the extensive damage that it has, the Fearamid shook back and forth as it lost orbit. The onlookers on the ground looking up in fear as they either galloped away or flew to get away from the falling Fearamid.

A large explosion erupting as the colossal structure crashed into the earth. Blowing up dirt and dust upon impact.

Once the dust settles, a large pyramid-esque structure remains.

It’s walls sporting large cracks and holes in them as a result of the continuous lightning strikes, which it had been unable to properly regenerate.

Now, an eerie silence hung over the lifeless, creaking structure.

Chapter 31

Legendary Sibling Rivalry Part 1

While the Controller’s fleet descends upon their latest conquest, Celestia and Luna remains oblivious to the secret invasion that is taking place behind their backs.

Luna is blinded by hatred towards her elder sibling, and Celestia is trying to keep a clear head by only focusing on her sister and little else.

Either sibling hovering silently in the air. Their eyes staring back at the other as they look eyes.

Suddenly, several bolts of lightning shot across the sky, illuminating the other as nothing but a black silhouette showing their eyes is visible.

Then, with a final crack of lightning, they both suddenly vanish in a flash as sudden as the lightning, itself!

Seemingly without explanation countless explosions erupt all across the skies whose shockwaves devastate the landscape, blowing away trees and reducing hilltops to mere piles of rock.

Moving faster than anyone can physically see, the sisters rapidly exchange blows. Eluding the other’s punches and attempting a counter-attack, only to be shocked when the other attempts taking advantage of the situation by shooting a concentrated energy blast at the other!

Appearing in the air above her sister, Celestia looks down towards Luna, who appears underneath her.

Turning her head and looking up above her, she stares directly at the sun.

Good! she thinks before looking back down towards Luna, whose gritting her teeth as she glares up at her.

“Solar flare!” she screams holding up her hooves to her forehead, which conjures a powerful flash of light that blinds the blue Alicorn.

“ARRGHHH!” Luna screams as she raises an arm to cover her eyes.

Perfect! I’ve blinded her!

Frowning sternly, she holds out her hooves in front of her as she begins flying down towards Luna.

“Rrrgh!” Luna groans as she rubs her eyes with her hooves, though, she won’t regain her sight before Celestia is able to attack. Hanging her head as she hovers in place.

However, as she tries punching her, Luna sharply turns around to face her. Raising her hoof and intercepting Celestia’s punch!

“Huh!?” She exclaims. Taken by surprise.

“Did you really think that after all the time spent training with Frost that I didn’t pick up some new tricks?!”

Reeling her hoof back before thrusting it forwards, Luna violently punched her sister hard in the face.

The punch disorienting Celestia, that she only manages to ‘’recover’’ when she felt a flurry of punches be dealt to her stomach and chest by Luna. The final punch knocking the air out of her.

Raising her hooves and grabbing her sister’s head, Luna thrust it down towards her leg. Kneeing Celestia in the face. Then kicked her in the stomach a final time, sending her flying through the air.

Hovering silently in the air with her hooves folded across her chest, an evil smile appears on Luna’s face.

Bah, you truly fail to convince me that you have gotten stronger, sister. If anything, you’ve become softer, weaker. If you cannot protect yourself…then how do you expect to defend them? Her smile contorting into a frown.

*Bzzt*

Vanishing from sight, she soon re-emerges a distance ahead of Celestia. An unimpressed, blank stare as she holds her hooves behind her back.

Gently, she extends a hoof out in front of her. A ball of crackling energy appears and begins growing in intensity.

An unimpressed frown on her face as she watches her sister’s body draw ever-closer.

As her body shoots through the air towards Luna, the wind blows across her fur. Reminding her that she isn’t dead, nor beaten…yet.

At the last second, before Luna can fire her attack, Celestia’s eye shots open, and she immediately re-arranges herself. Holding out her hooves in front of her as she shots directly towards her sister like a speeding bullet.

Luna’s brows jump in surprise at seeing this, but then narrows them again as she discharges the ball of energy at her sister.

Looking out ahead of her, Celestia narrows her brows at the incoming ball of crackling energy. However, she is undeterred by its size and continues flying directly towards it.

At the tip of her horn she starts charging up her own ball of energy.

The orb grows no larger than her body before firing it directly at Luna.

Pfft! Doesn’t the fool know that she cannot beat mi-

Luna rolls her eyes before an explosion of bright light erupts from below her. Forcing her to raise her hooves to protect her eyes from the bright light!

Lowering her hooves again, her eyes immediately widen as she sees something shot straight for her.

“Whoa!” exclaims the night princess as she hastily dodges the incoming attack.

Craning her neck and looking up as the ball vanishes into the skies.

*****

Meanwhile, in the atmosphere, one of the Controller’s ships is hit by the blast.

An explosion erupting from the center of the ship, causing it to break apart. The pieces of the ship collapsing in on itself, resulting in a final explosion.

*****

Watching that giant ball of fire erupts in the sky, Luna turns back towards her sister with a stern glare.

Celestia frowning back as she watches her sister extend her arms. Conjuring a pair of energy spheres, that she narrows her brows at seeing.

Pulling herself back for a second, Celestia then shots herself up into the sky at her sister.

Scoffing, Luna rhythmically thrusts her hooves forward. Quickly firing the first energy spheres before conjuring another pair and then firing them, etc.

However, despite unleashing a barrage upon her, Celestia dodged each of incoming attacks with ease.

Luna was just slow enough for Celestia to dodge her attacks.

Though, one of her attacks managed to hit Celestia right in the chest. Knocking her back.

Luna’s frown curved upwards into a smile, though, was short-lived as when the smoke cleared Celestia looked to be relatively undamaged. Her chest merely was just bruised.

No! What’s going on!?!?

Narrowing her brows, Celestia held out her arms as she shot up into the air. Flying directly towards Luna.

Resuming her flight knocked Luna out of her confused stupor. Enraging her as she gritted her teeth together enraged at her sister’s reluctance to die.

ARRRGH! NOOOOO, CURSE YOU! The blue alicorn screamed inside her head as she resumed firing upon her steadily approaching sister. Unleashing a barrage of even more attacks this time.

The night princess’ eyes widening as something struck her as odd. None of her attacks were having any effect. Not that it mattered much since her sister was able to dodge them. And even if they did manage to hit their mark, the damage was minimal at best.

As her sister drew closer, Luna gritted teeth her more as the situation was getting dire. Sweat was running down her temple. And her eyes were wide with horror.

NO! NOOO!NOOO!NOOO!NOOOOOO!!! screamed the night princess in her head as her eye’ pupil reflected the image of her sister getting closer.

*Bzzt*

Before she could fire again, Celestia suddenly vanished.

Re-appearing in front of her. Time slowing for the blue Alicorn princess as she watched her sister pull her hoof back...only for time to resume like normal as she was punched in the face.

Blood squirting from Luna’s jaw!

Unfortunately for Luna, Celestia was no longer back. She was now fighting with all her resolve. All in the hopes of either beating Luna into submission…or death!

“ARghhhhh!” Luna groaned as she was knocked back by the punch.

A jolting shockwave shooting up her nerves. Re-attaching them back together!

Hovering in the air, staring back at her sister, whose body hung backwards. Same with her head.

“AGhhhhh!” Luna groaned as she lifted a hoof to her chin. Hissing sharply at the pain she felt from her sister’s punch.

Slowly lifting herself back up, Luna looks back towards her sister. Panting softly as she holds her aching jaw. Softly panting as she’s meet with Celestia’s stern scowl.

For a few moments, the winds blow through both their manes as they hover there in the air.

Other than the wind blowing across their bodies, everything is silent.

“You know, sis, you really haven’t changed,” Luna softly chuckled.

Managing a smile as blood continued dripping from her jaw.

“Even now, you have to upstage me… a-and somehow be more powerful than me. You don’t want to save Equestria, but to keep ruling it until somepony overthrows you, he he!” Her laughing starts getting a little louder.

“Even ignoring all that you’ve done, I no longer suffer pain of the flesh!” Luna spat back at her sister.

“You may now be physically stronger than me…but your power is useless if I do not fear you!” Luna smiled.

“The only way to stop me is to kill me…he he he he!” she chuckles loudly while hovering closer to Celestia.

“And we all know that you’ll-“

WOOK!

However, before she can finish, Celestia delivers a brutal upper-cut punch to her jaw. Sending her flying upwards into the air.

Silently craning her head, and watching as her sister’s body shots higher into the sky.

*Bzzt*

POW

Using her superspeed, Celestia quickly appears above the incoming Luna. Though, allowing herself to fall down towards her approaching sister.

Pulling her hoof back as she starts building speed. Then, punching Luna hard in the stomach.

Luna’s eyes nearly popping out of her skull at the pain registered at the attack.

Though, Celestia is only getting started. Soon unleashing a ferocious onslaught of repeated punches to her sister’s chest and stomach.

After the 60th punch to her chest, Luna wheezes as her breath is knocked out of her…!

On the 110th punch to her stomach, she coughs up blood!

The sight of which causes a look of visible disgust to appear on her sister’s face. Resulting in Celetia ceasing her assault, and instead pulling her hoof back. Horn aglow as she empowers her hoof with energy.

With a single swift punch to the abdomen, Luna shots down towards the ground like a bullet. A devastating cloud of dust and sand being blown up as she impacts the ground.

A massive mushroom cloud climbing higher into the sky, accompanied by an intense wind that blows outwards from where she hit the ground!

Blowing up trees, ripping chunks of the earth and scattering them throughout the surrounding landscape!

Watching from high in the air, Celestia sees the dust cloud (and the mushroom cloud) shortly dissipate. Giving way to a large crater lying directly underneath her.

Floating down from the sky, her brows narrow upon spotting her sister’s motionless body at the center of the crater; her fur is ruffled and there are countless bruises scattered around.

Finally planting her hooves back on the ground, she looks down inside the crater towards her sister’s beaten and broken body.

Secretly watching from the shadows, a pair of alternating black and yellow eyes observes hidden from the trees. Watching as Celestia’s horn begins glowing, soon seeing Luna’s body being lifted out of the crater and placed down on the ground. The white Alicorn silently scowling as she stares at her sister.

With a loud gasp, Luna coughs as she lays on her back in front of her sister. Her eyes immediately gravitating up towards the stern gaze. She counters Celestia’s scowl with a frown of her own.

“BWA ha ha ha ha ha ha!” she suddenly begins laughing as she lays there.

Luna’s insane laughter does nothing to impede her sister’s scowl, as it only intensifies.

“Ohhhh… What do you know, sister – he he?” Luna asks. Several coughs interrupting her chuckling.

“You really surprised me back there – he he he. You actually – ha ha – spared my life and – ha ha – at the same time wreaked me like no other – ha ha ha!”

“It didn’t take much to beat you, Luna. I already knew from the start that you weren’t going to be much of a challenge, though I won’t lie that you did catch me off-guard with how little you seem to be affected by my attacks for a while,” replied Celestia.

Softly cackling with her eyes closed, Luna was soon interrupted as she coughs again. That twisted smile appearing again.

“Oh sister, during our time together Frost taught me a trick or two…like how to ignore physical pain,” Luna lied.

While it was true that her training had frost had made her stronger, the truth behind her lack of pain was more or less a side-effect of the brutal training she’s endured under Frost.

Due to pushing herself so far physically, and enduring such harsh challenges, she has ironically only gotten stronger in a defensive sense; that pain no longer bothers her.

Celestia on the other hoof has both grown stronger in an offensive and defensive sense. While her sister is close to matching her offensively, Celestia is still the stronger opponent, due to the variety of training she underwent. Kami’s teachings were far more effective than Frost’s.

Watching the smile on her sister’s face grow wider at the confusion settling in, Celestia resumed her scowl once Luna resumed laughing again. Occasionally coughing.

“Well? Now what?” Luna asked as she lay lying in front of her sister. A hoof atop her stomach with blood running from wounds all over her body. A taunting smile on her face.

“You gonna leave me here to bleed out – ha ha –…or take me in?” Luna asked, both chuckling and coughing.

Blinking, Celestia merely scowled as she stared stone-faced at her sister. Narrowing her brows.

“Even if you sought to usurp me, I still have a duty to bring you to justice for your crimes.”

“Of course – he he – Cough cough! Always the ‘’little mrs. princess’’, right?” Luna replied.

“Exactly!” Celestia said as her horn became aglow. Her magical aura enveloping Luna’s body as she lifted her up off the ground.

Levitating Luna’s body in front of her.

However, on the back of her neck a red dot appeared.

“Ah ha ha!” a voice chuckles softly to itself.

Adjusting its aim so that its target was in sight.

“Perfect! Time to finally bring an end to this pointless conflict!”

Pressing its finger down on the trigger, it fired the shot.

“Argh!”

As soon as the blast hit, Celestia dropped Luna’s body to the ground and immediately turned around. Looking behind her to where the shot had come from.

Narrowing its eyes, the figure concealed amidst the trees snaps its fingers, causing the rifle to vanish with a wave shooting outwards.

“Ciao!” he says before snapping his fingers a second time. Teleporting outwards as a wave moves out through the air.

Turning her head and looking in random directions, Celestia searches for the assailant that took the shot. However, for all her efforts she cannot sense anything.

Everywhere she looks, she cannot detect any lifeform’ energy. Either it was just her imagination, or whoever was here has already fled the scene.

“We’re too exposed out here in the open, sister!” Celestia say, turning her head as she’s still on the look-out for any other surprise attacks.

However, Luna fails to respond as she lays there on the ground. Her eyes wide and jaw hanging open as she begins hyperventilating!

Her eyes turning green!

“Luna? Luna!?” Celestia exclaims as she looks over her shoulder. Taken by surprise at the state of her sister!

“Luna, are you alright-!?” she calls out as Luna’s body begins violently shaking.

Her eyes widening as Luna’s body begins violently transforming right in front of her! Green glowing veins becoming visible through the skin as her body-mass drastically starts to increase!

Jumping up and landing on her hooves, loudly screaming as her whole body is ravaged by intense pain. Bones breaking as her muscle mass starts bulking up to newer heights!

“Luna-!?”

Luna’s agonized screams suddenly interrupts Celestia, their intensity exploding to greater heights.

The side of her jaw rips open, exposing the plenty of new canines within her jaw. Blood beginning to run from her maw as a result.

Raising her muscular hooves into the air, she slams them against the ground. An intense shockwave shooting out from her position!

Celestia attempts holding out against the devastating force, but is ultimately unable to stand for long and is blown away by the ferocious winds!

Another mushroom cloud appearing in the skies, but one that is this time much stronger!

*****

Meanwhile far away, the Controller’s visual display begins beeping loudly.

An arrow appearing on-screen, that points to his left. With a turn of his head he looks left towards several hills in the distance.

“Perhaps that Princess Celestia is something to be concerned with,” the mechanical humanoid thinks aloud.

*****

Meanwhile, back with the two sisters the dust storm finally settles.

Celestia softly grunting as she lowers her hoof from her face. Her eyes threatening to pop out of her sockets and her jaw dropping in shock. Eliciting a loud gasp at the sight before her.

Standing at the center of a new even larger crater was her sister Luna, but her body seeming to have finished its monstrous transformation by the looks of it; her body looking to have transformed to twice Celestia’s size, her horn having curved with ridges along the front, hooves now sprouted sharp claw-like digits, her eyes were bright green, and her mane and tail now encompassed a vast galaxy instead of merely just the knight and were now contained by bright green flames.

However, most frightening of her entire transformation were her large muscles, increased in size, and grotesquely deformed face. The sides in her jaw having ripped open to reveal sharp canines that gave the illusion of a gruesome smile.

Sensing her power, Celestia starts trembling. Beads of sweat running down her temple. A look of true terror settling in on her face.

Gently inhaling and then exhaling, Luna’s chest rose and fell. Her eyes wide after her brutal transformation.

Her sister watching at a distance with a look of horror plastered on her face as those sharp canines move up and down with every breath.

T-this can’t be-…! S-s-she’s more powerful than she was just mere seconds ago! The sun goddess stutters.

I-I-I’ve got to alert Kami about this-!

However, merely taking a single step back Luna’s head snaps towards her!

Staring all across the wide distance between towards her sister.

A constant fear in Celestia’s eyes, while Luna’s showed a fearless ferocity in hers’.

Slowly turning herself around to face her sister, Luna stares back in eerie silence. Her nostrils flaring softly, and a green glow passing through her veins in waves.

Narrowing her brows, the blue Alicorn then begins crawling forward. Her new claw appendages digging into the ground every time she takes another step closer. Leaving behind her a visible trail of scratch marks.

Although she manages to stop shaking, Celestia’s eyes are still wide with fear as Luna trots closer. Her enraged eyes glaring right back at her.

Slowly backing away only causes Luna to increase her pace…

And as her horn begins glowing ready to teleport away, Luna’s horn glows as well!

Unable to form anything but chocked noises, she finally resorts to mustering a quick retreat. Only for Luna’s brows to narrow.

Eliciting a furious growl from the transformed Alicorn as her horn begins glowing, before firing several energy blasts in direction of her sister.

Celestia being stopped in her tracks at each attack, and looking back at the hulking beast as it draws ever-closer.

With no more options, she hangs her head and sighs softly. Closing her eyes.

Opening her eyes again, she raises her head. Adopting a stern expression as she gently trots forward to confront Luna.

Any traces of fear eradicated from her eyes. Luna growling softly at her sister’s surprising change.

So…even with my significant power-up you are going to try and fight me? Commendable, but foolish, you fool!

Stepping up towards each other, they finally come to a halt. Both having finally gotten close enough.

Raising/lowering her head, either sister meet the other’s gaze.

Both holding their stern frowns as their eyes locked upon making eye-contact.

Uttering a soft growl, and twisting her deformed jaw into an eerie smile, Luna then delivers the first blow by punching her sister hard in the face!

The white Alicorn’s body flying back through the air with a large bruise on her forehead.

Narrowing her eyes gleefully, Luna pulls herself back, momentary, before kicking-off against the ground.

The ground exploding beneath her as she jumps into the air after Celestia’s body.

Despite hurtling through the air from that incredibly painful punch, Celestia manages to recover. However, nowhere near as fast enough, since Luna immediately appears.

Holding her hoof-claw outstretched, she grabs Celestia’s head.

The sharp claws digging into her flesh, causing blood to run from holes on her head. Celestia winching at the pain.

“And now…kidney punch!”

Pulling back her fisted hoof-claw, and holding up Celestia’s body, she delivers an insufferable punch to Celestia’s back.

“Ah ha ha ha ha! Kidney punch! Kidney punch! Kidney punch! Kidney punch!” Luna laughs as she repeatedly punches Celestia in the back again and again, etc.

The white Alicorn repeatedly coughing up more and more blood with each punch.

“Aaaaand pause…kidney punch!”

Luna waited just long enough between the last punch and the next, before delivering one to her sister’s back.

Again, Celestia coughed up more blood.

Seeing that her new strength was truly something to be feared, Luna decides to stop flying.

Gently tossing her sister’s body up into the air. Pulling her fisted hoof-claw back.

Keeping a close watch on the skies while her mane and tail erupts into a furious inferno.

As Celestia’s hurtles down towards the surface, Luna unleashes a rage-filled roar mere seconds before delivering a violent punch to her sister’s stomach.

The punch sending her sister flying through the air.

A shine appearing on the horizon as Celestia vanishes into the distance.

“Hmm!”

*Bzzt*

Luna grumbles frustrated before chasing after her sister using superspeed.

*****

Back at Frost’s ship, the Cybermares in charge of bringing Kami to the landing ramp have finally done so.

Making their way down the ramp onto the plains outside the saucer.

From inside his casket, Kami watched the drones transport him down the ramp.

Raising his head and looking behind him, he took note that it was just the two drones guarding him.

Extending his arm, he put his outstretched hand against the glass…

Trudging forwards at the same pace, the two drones focused their gazes focused on the road ahead. Silently approaching the landing site where the shuttle would be landing.

Both were so focused on what lay ahead that neither noticed a bright light from within the casket.

In a flash the casket exploded, and a ball of bright light and force shot towards one of the drones.

The drone’s head exploding upon contact, and scattering a mix of gore and steel onto the ground.

“What-!?”

The other drone exclaimed. Sharply turning around to face whatever’s attacked its companion, only to be blasted in the chest.

It’s armor unable to protect it from the devastating attack.

The drone standing motionless in place as electrical surges appeared in its gaping chest wound.

It then collapsed to the ground dead.

Pushing the shattered glass away, he climbs out of the casket. Beginning to stretch once he’s out of the casket.

After stretching, he turns back towards Frost’s saucer.

Alright, now to save Frost

The Saiyan thinks as he runs back towards the ramp. Rushing onboard, and hastily running back down the corridor.

Even if the old bastard might be unwilling to team-up to defeat the Cybermares, he could still cause enough trouble to significantly upset whatever plans they’ve for the Equestrians. Perhaps destroy the nearest Cyber-factory undergoing construction so they’ll have to await transports to bring the populace into space.

Even so, I should take his saucer to prevent its use as a temporary shuttle.

Do I even dare to let him use my ship? I’d be stranded here without any hope of locating him…at least, until I’m able to sense him again! Is it worth the risk?

For a time as he ran down the corridor, his thoughts were silent.

Closing his eyes and groaning in frustration, he resolved to the only option at his disposal.

I mean, it’s not like I can be picky at a time like this!

*Soon, in another part of the ship*

Meanwhile, in another room onboard the ship, the Cybermares are supervising phase one in Cyber-converting another lifeform.

Within a conversion machine, an armored headpiece is lowered onto a figure’s head as armor is being added.

The drones continuing with their work when a door suddenly, explodes.

Having been blasted from the outside. Catching the Cybermares inside by surprise.

Hastily turning around to confront the intruder, they quickly raise their hooves. Aiming their wrist-cannons towards the smoke coming from the door.

Their visual display beeping as crosshairs attempt to locate the intruder in the smoke.

However, while searching two blasts shoot into the room. Hitting both in the throat, beheading both.

Their heads falling to the ground, shortly followed by their bodies. The dis-connected electrical currents sparking.

As a dark silhouette enters the room, passing through the room, Kami holds a stern expression.

Holding a furious expression as she slowly steps inside the room.

Turning his head and looking throughout the room, he soon spots Frost strapped down in a chair.

“No!” he says softly upon recognizing the machine.

A Cyber-conversion chamber!

Hardly hesitating, he stretches out his hand and fires a blast at the machine, causing it to explode upon impact.

The entire machine is engulfed in sparks, as explosions erupt from various.

Smoke pours out through destroyed holes in the machine.

Running up towards the machine, he punches the glass.

Hurrying inside the damaged machine towards Frost’s body, he hastily blasts the restraints around his arms and feet.

Then grabs Frost’s motionless and carries him out of the machine.

Out of the machine, he collapses to his knees.

Holding a hand at the back of his head, Kami shakes him.

Attempting to wake him.

“Frost! Come on, Frost!”

He calls out to the partially upgraded Icejin, continuing to shake him.

However, despite how he shakes him Frost doesn’t move.

Merely lying motionless in Kami’s arms.

“Frost?”

He asks a final time, though, he knows that the Icejin’s silence can only mean one thing.

Hanging his head, a single tear begins running down his cheek.

Dropping from his cheek onto the floor. Followed by a couple more tears.

Continuing to hang his head, his face begins twitching.

His head shooting up and staring enraged at the wall outside the door.

His eyes glowing shortly causing the wall to immediately explode.

Looking back down, he gently places Frost’s body on the floor.

“I’m sorry for being unable to save you…but I swear that your death will not be in vain!”

His fist tightening as golden sparks appear all around him.

The machinery within the room short-circuiting and malfunctioning as a result of his subtle rage.

Looking down sad upon his friend’s body for a final time, he wipes the last tear with his sleeve.

Turning back towards the destroyed wall, and gently flies out through the hole.

Planting his feet on the ground, he turns around and looks back towards the ship.

Hanging his head again as he turns around, he shortly raises it while looking up towards the sun.

Back inside the ship after Kami’s departure, Frost’s body lays motionless on the floor.

Soon, the whole begins to violently shake.

Loose objects falling down to one side of the ship as one side of the ship lifts up.

Soon, the wreaked ship begins to spin round at an increasing pace. Getting progressively faster and faster.

Eventually ceasing to spin as it shots up into the sky.

Crossing the border between Equestria’s atmosphere and space, Frost’s body is lying on the floor when a light begins glowing on his armored headpiece.

Frost’s eyes shooting open as he receives the ‘’activation’’ signal from the Controller back on Equestria.

However, his saucer is plummeting on a direct course for the sun, itself!

Once caught in its gravitational pull, there is nothing preventing the crippled spaceship from falling towards the raging inferno of fire and death!

Falling into its warm embrace the ship all but disappears.

“ARRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

A scream of pain as the ship sinks into the immense gas giant.

A hand slowly drifting on the surface for a few minutes, able to withstand the excruciating temperature for a little while before finally succumbing.

The sun’s heat disintegrating the flesh into nothing!

Back at Equestria, Kami stands alone as he looks up towards the sun.

Hanging his head as he turns and begins to walk away.

Holding his hands in tight fists, more sparks begin appearing all around him as he walks away intent on killing the Cyber Controller! 707Z0!\e}�#VqG��y{

Chapter 32

The Legendary Sibling Rivalry Part 2

While her body shoots through the air after Luna’s painful punch, Celestia’s eyes immediately open!

Her body stopping in mid-air as her aura is ignited.

The golden flame enveloping her body as she rights herself up in mid-air.

*Bzzt*

“RRRRRRYAGH!”

Luna screams upon emerging from her superspeed.

Both sister’s pulling their hooves back, before thrusting them at each other.

A destructive shockwave shooting outwards on impact that sweeps across a good deal of the earth below them.

Trees are uprooted, large chunks of the earth are broken apart and scattered.

A wasteland remaining within the radius that their once-punch shockwave caused.

A single heartbeat later and they suddenly fly away from the other. Only to come around and shoot directly for the other.

However, upon hitting each other a second time, they once more bounce away from each other. Only to attempt another strike.

Again, again, again, again, again, and again their clashes end the same.

The skies soon being ravaged by a series of explosions appearing out of nowhere.

The random appearance of the explosions causing the desolated plains to grow larger with every passing second.

*Bzzt*

Appearing in front of the other sister, they both lunge at the other.

The other’s screams drowning out the other.

In another heartbeat, they ignite an intense exchange blows.

Luna’s enraged, teeth-gritting expression being countered only by Celestia’s serious yet strained expression.

One fighting with all their resolve, and the other with all she’s got.

The sky, once again being consumed by sudden explosions, naked to the pony eye.

Celestia blocking Luna’s blows, while Luna blocks Celestia’s blows.

*Bzzt*

Disappearing and re-appearing behind Luna, Celestia begins charging a blast at her horn.

Turning around, Luna sees her sister charging an imminent blast, but before she can dodge it, Celestia fires it at Luna.

Growling, Luna holds up her hooves in front of her as the blast explodes.

As the smoke clears, she is only left with a couple bruises on her hooves.

Before Celestia can react, Luna’s horn begins charging a blast of her own.

However, like Celestia, it’s fired too fast for her to dodge it, but unlike Celestia, Luna’s blast causes excruciating pain upon contact.

*Bzzt*

Celestia screaming in pain provides Luna a perfect opportunity to appear behind her.

A malicious grin on Luna’s face as she holds out her hoof and begins charging another energy blast, which she shortly fires upon Celestia.

The white Alicorn screaming even louder as the pain of Luna’s first attack is still fresh on her mind when the other one hits.

Luna smiling at hearing her sister scream endure all the way down towards the ground.

Only stopping when an explosion interrupts her.

As the smoke from the blast’ explosion clears, Celestia crawls out of the hole.

Panting as she stands back up, much to Luna’s disappointment.

Looking up in the air, Celestia is faced with her sister’s furious glare staring back.

Their stare going uninterrupted for a while, before Celestia’s aura is triggered and she kicks-off into the air.

Pulling back her hoof as she speeds straight for Luna.

*Bzzt*

However, upon punching her Luna merely uses her speed to dodge the attack.

Appearing behind Celestia, perform a quick spin and kicking her hard in the side.

Her ribs crack, causing an excruciating amount of pain.

Though, persevering through the pain, she hits Luna hard in the face with her skull.

“Argh!”

*Bzzt*

With Luna distracted by her surprise counter-attack, Celestia uses her superspeed to get around Luna.

Holding her hooves together, she begins charging a bright ball of energy.

“Ka…me…ha…me…HAAA!”

Thrusting her hooves out, both siblings scream loudly as she unleashes her Kahameha against her.

A blinding flash of light blocking Luna from Celestia’s vision.

However, the blue Alicorn’s ear-piercing scream lets her know that her attack is working.

Echoing all around the surrounding landscape. Continuing even as the blast shoots up into space.

Vanishing into the distance before triggering a far-away explosion.

Back on Equestria, the smoke and bright lights from Celestia’s attack finally dies down and clears away.

The fading smoke reveals Celestia, whom is heavily panting from exhaustion.

Her body exhausted from pouring so much of her energy into that final attack.

Before the smoke can clear for her, Luna’s body falls out of the sky.

Plummeting towards ground as a result of her sister’s devastating attack.

Celestia’s eyes following Luna as her body falls to the surface.

Soon followed by a powerful shockwave shooting out across the landscape, while a giant mushroom cloud towers high into the air.

The ground cracking to where it breaks apart and collapses in on itself.

An ENORMOUS crater remaining as the wind force dies down and earthquakes stop.

Celestia, seemingly unfazed by the devastating damage done to the landscape, merely stares down at the crater as she hovers down in silence.

Planting her hooves on the ground, she gently trots up towards her sister’s corpse.

Stopping at finding Luna’s lifeless body at the center of the crater.

Luna’s jaw agape, with a dead, motionless expression on her face.

Lowering her head at staring towards the massive hole in Luna’s chest.

Smoke coming out of the gaping hole in her chest. Exposing flesh within.

Luna’s motionless eyes staring up towards the sky, and her jaw hung perpetually open. A dead expression on her face.

Exhaling a heavy sigh, Celestia hangs her head.

Her eyes closing shut in sadness.

Not only from the fact that her sister forced her to use such power against her, but also that she was the one who’d dealt the killing blow.

Immediately, before she can contemplate the death of her sister, Celestia’s eyes widens as Luna’s wound suddenly regenerates itself!

The flesh resealing the hole back up. Though, leaving her with a large hole in her armor.

“Huh!? What the-“

She exclaims, as she jumps back away.

Blinking her eyes, Luna grins revealing her sharp canines.

Pulling her legs back, she jumps back onto her hooves.

A wide, eerie grin on the blue Alicorn’s face as she holds still for a few seconds, before standing back up to full height again.

Trailing downwards until spotting her sister, Luna narrows her brows.

Shooting Celestia a blank stare.

Shooting her sister an eerie stare, which just causes Celestia to swallow nervously.

I-I have a bad feeling about this!

She thinks to herself, growing increasingly nervous.

Luna’s flaming mane igniting like fire!

Flaring intensely like wild-fire in the air, as sparks appear around her body.

The air around her pushing outwards in ever-intensifying waves, forcing Celestia to raise a hoof to prevent the dust from getting blown in her face.

The wind force around Luna and the appearing growing in intensity.

Reaching the point, that they began rapidly discharging. Randomly discharging throughout the landscape, triggering large explosions upon contact.

The siblings maintaining a stone-faced stare with each other, -

*Bzzt*

That is, until Luna’s eyes shots open, and she immediately leaps at her sister!

Extending her hoof out beside her in mid-air, and catching Celestia by the throat, causing her to gag, as she speeds through the air.

Pushing her against a mountain.

Leaving an imprint of Celestia, as she’s pushed into the rocks.

Coughing heavily, Celestia looks up. Seeing Luna pulling her hoof back to punch her.

However, before she can be punched she manages to shake her hoof free, and punch Luna’s hoof away.

“Huh!?” Luna utters in confusion, as her attack fails to make impact with her sister.

Despite experiencing excruciating pain in her hoof as she deflects her sister’s attack, and audibly groaning at its impact, Celestia does not allow the pain to consume her!

Gritting her teeth as she glares at Luna, Celestia’s aura ignites around her!

Blasting away the rocks around her, and freeing herself from the mountainside.

Holding up her hooves in front of her forehead, she screams aloud, “Solar flare!”

“GRAAGH!”

Luna shouts as she’s blinded by the attack. Holding up her hooves to shield her eyes.

With Luna’s momentary blindness, providing a strategic advantage, and utilizing her superspeed Celestia charges straight for the blinded Alicorn.

Celestia’s loud cry echoing around the surrounding landscape as she pummels Luna with punch after punch, -

…only to see that Luna, despite clenching her eyes shut, is able to keep pace.

Intercepting every one of her attacks!

Celestia’s charge losing its momentum, as seen when Luna begins closing her muzzle instead of gritting her teeth.

An unamused look on her face.

Thrusting out both hooves, Luna conjures a shockwave that pushes Celestia away from her.

However, instead of pushing her advantage she holds out her hooves.

A ball of energy appearing at her hooves, with a third at her horn.

Ohhh…no!

*Bzzt*

Quickly utilizing her superspeed, Celestia immediately put a lot of distance between herself and Luna by flying high into the air!

An action that causes Luna to smirk.

She opens her eyes, looking up into the sky and spotting her sister high above.

In rapid succession, she fires hundreds of energy spheres into the air.

Not taking any chances, Celestia dodges every single one that looks to get too close.

Ignoring the ones that…miss?

Stopping in mid-air, she merely watches with a confused frown as hundreds of enery spheres shot pass her. Clearly missing.

Noticing the confusion on her sister’s face, Luna narrows her. Grinning wide as she stops firing.

Instead, holding out her hooves towards the sky.

“Tri Grenade!”

What Celestia had failed to realize was that all the energy spheres Luna fired had assumed a position in the sky around her.

Now, pulling her hooves together, all of them shot towards Celestia.

A large explosion of bright light erupting in the sky!

Causing a wind to blow across Luna’s face, whom doesn’t seem to care.

Instead, merely staring up at the sky with a malevolent smile.

Silently watching the light die down, and eventually the smoke too.

Eventually revealing, to Luna’s shock and anger, that Celestia remains (relatively) unharmed.

However, her body is now littered with plenty of bruises, and some blood from a couple wounds.

Hovering there in mid-air, Celestia heavily pants.

A strain finally being felt on her body. Especially after that latest attack.

I-I’m not gonna last for much longer if this keeps up, Celestia thinks to herself.

L-Luna’s so s-hrng-so strong that if I don’t finish this soon-…she-hng-may just defeat me!

“N-no!” Celestia utters aloud. “I-I can’t lose! I-nngh-have to save them from her!”

I-hng-still have one final technique!

Back down on the ground, Luna narrow her brows confused.

Her former smile contorting into a look of confusion.

What is she planning now? Surely, the fool realizes that I’ve got her beaten?

Luna thinks to herself.

As much as killing her would please me, I wanted to display her failure to the public. To let them know that their current ruler has now been replaced with somepony more capable, -

If this keeps up, she WILL die!

Without hesitation, Celestia holds out her hooves.

Shouting louder than anything she’s till now.

A flash of golden flames appearing around her.

The wind force growing strong again, but flaring wilder than anything seen so far!

The winds growing stronger as it blows across Luna.

Staring back up in anticipation of what she intends to do.

The clouds moving above both Alicorns. Forming into a swirling mass right above Celestia!

Holding her hooves together as she extends them out in front of her.

A ball of crackling energy appearing.

Sparks appearing around both Celestia and the ball of energy!

Suddenly, large bolts of lightning begin dispersing from the crackling orb of energy!

Random bolts shooting down into the ground, ripping up large chunks of the earth in the process!

One particular shooting down into the ground and tearing up the earth. Ripping up huge chunks of the earth as it speeds towards the blue Alicorn!

Huh? Wait a minute-

However, as she manages to get a proper read on the incoming light bolt, it’s far too late for her to dodge it!

In her attempt to dodge it, Luna groans as the bolt hits her in the face!

The ground upon which she stands begins to shake as if ravaged by the worst earthquake!

Golden bolts piercing the clouds, hitting Celestia’s blast. Empowering it!

“RRRYAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Celestia screams as she can feel her body weakening every second.

As her blast grows stronger, she, herself, grows weaker!

Back on the ground, Luna turns back around.

Raising her head and staring back up towards her sister, she’s revealed to have suffered a grievous cut across her face!

A cut…that is not healing!

Staring back with an enraged stare, Luna grits her teeth. Seeing nothing but a golden flame in mid-air!

“FINAL-“

“Oh no you don’t-!”

Luna screams, extending her hoof and conjuring a blue ball of energy!

“I WON’T LOSE TO YOU AGAIN!”

Luna screams as she throws the blue energy blast up into the air!

“FL-ASHH!”

Celestia screams as she’s hit in the shoulder by Luna’s attack!

Her left arm hanging limp beside her!

“F-FLAAAASSSSSHHHHHH!”

She manages to scream!

An explosion of light and energy erupting as a golden beam shoots down towards Luna!

Luna’s eyes widening at the large beam that is shooting towards her!

Her jaw hanging wide open as the incoming blast petrifies her in place!

Unable to move before the beam impacts the ground!

Luna disappearing as the blast envelops her!

A bright light shooting outwards from Celestia’s blast as it impacts the ground that nearly blinds her, -

Yet, as the light starts blinding her, an agonized scream being heard from within Celestia’s blast!

Luna’s screams of agony echoing all around the landscape.

Her armor breaking apart into hundreds of pieces, allowing her flesh to be disintegrated into thousands of pieces!

Her body shaking at the pain of her flesh and bones melting away into ash!

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A blinding explosion of light and energy erupting!

An intense shockwave shooting outwards across the landscape, as well as a blinding light!

The shockwave disappearing far into the distance!

When the explosion and bright lights die down, Celestia lowers her hooves from her face.

The exhausted Alicorn panting heavily at the energy used in that attack.

The clouds parting to allow beams of light to shine down upon the devastation that was left after Celestia’s Final Flash attack.

Celestia seeing the aftermath of her battle with Luna, as well as her final attack.

Already their battle had left a large crater, but now with her final attack the entire landscape was one giant crater!

Only far into the distance could one spot trees and mountains, but right there every tree, hilltop and mountain had been turned to rubble.

Nothing but a massive, desolate plateau stretching out into the horizon.

Some stone structures remained, but were nothing compared to what they’d once been.

Looking down towards where she’d last seen Luna, Celestia was meet with a far smaller crater.

In fact, it was nothing but a black hole.

“Luna…” she softly utters aloud to herself as she stares towards the hole.

Utilizing her telekinesis, she opens a small pouch on her belt and levitates a small bean up into her muzzle.

Chewing it and swallowing shortly after.

Immediately, she can feel her stamina being restored in full, as well as her injuries healing.

Looking down as she extends her hoof, she tightens her grip.

Inhaling a deep breath, while looking down towards the hole where Luna previously stood.

Rivers of waters streaming down into the hole. Slowly filling it.

Closing her eyes in mourning of her fallen sister as she hovers there in mid-air.

A sad wind blowing across the landscape.

Her mane gently swaying.

Luna… Why, Luna?

Opening her eyes again and seeing the hole again, she immediately wishes to avert her gaze.

Igniting her fiery aura, she turns around and begins flying away.

Returning back towards Equestria, though, not victorious.

What has happened this day is not a victory…but a failure!

Author's Note

Link - Epic Fantasy | Must Save Jane - Undiscovered Realms - Epic Music VN

Chapter 33

Wrath of a Super Saiyan!

“Move! Move!”

The Equestrians are instructed by their Cybermare captors, as they’re forced to march in lines towards open fields large enough for the Transports to land.

The large crowds intending to be brought onboard the spaceships to be Cyber-converted.

The Equestrians covering their ears at the loud hum of the Transports’ engines, while the Cybermares don’t respond.

The Equestrians gripping the ground as the Transports’ engines produces wind strong enough to pull them away, while the Cybermares don’t respond.

A loud clanking thud sounding as the large silver structure lands in front of the confused, horrified, and yet intrigued Equestrians.

A door opening, before extending a ramp out to the ground.

“Move!” the Leader instructs.

Pointing its hoof towards the ramp.

Exchanging concerned stares with each other the Equestrians gently trot towards the ship.

However, while approaching the strange, metallic vessel, the Transport suddenly explodes!

The force of the explosion knocking the Equestrians to the ground.

Turning around, the nearby Cybermares are greeted to a burning wreckage that used to be their ship.

Their inbuilt scanners detecting something from amidst the wreckage.

Raising their arms, they aim their wrist-cannons towards the wreckage.

“Cyber-Leader 6 reporting we are under attack! Request reinforcement-ARGH!”

BOOOM!

Though, before the Leader can finish its request a blast shoots out from the wreckage!

The Leader explodes, sending its head flying through the air. Gently clanking on the ground.

“Warning! A Cyber-Leader has been destroyed! Commence defensive-!”

Again, however, several more blasts shoot out from the wreckage, hitting every Cybermare in the chest.

Beams of light shooting out from their bodies before they all explode!

Bits and pieces of their armor, guts and gore all scattering around.

While nervously covering their heads the Equestrians slowly look back up.

Though, at seeing the destroyed Cybermares steel and organic scattered components their eyes widen.

Overtaken with shock at the cruel invader’s fate!

A silver coated and purple and white maned Unicorn filly gently putting her hooves on the grass in front of her.

“Huh?”

Gently turning her head and looking towards the burning wreckage.

A bewildered expression on her face at feeling something emanating from inside it.

Standing back up she turns her whole body to face the wreckage.

The fiery glow shining on her body.

Her eyes widening as a dark silhouette appears in the fire, and jaw hanging open at seeing the equine’s mane blow in the air.

Mimicking the flames that littered the wreckage.

A pair of golden eyes opening, staring back at the filly.

Fear taking hold with her, but one of comfort.

Instilling within her that this unknown mare has not come to hurt anyone.

Anyone that isn’t a one of the metal equines.

The Unicorn filly and unknown mare’s eyes looking as they stare back at the other.

Narrowing her eyes, something about the unknown mare triggers the flames surrounding her to react violently.

Her mane flaring like the flames.

Flaring outwards as a sudden force begins emanating from her.

The intensified wind blowing across the filly’s face.

Narrowing her eyes as she continues to meet the mare’s gaze.

Then, the burning wreckage explodes as the mare flies up into the sky.

A fading golden streak trailing behind her as she flies away.

The filly and every other Equestrian looking up into the sky after her as she flies away.

None of them having ever felt power like that since…the Nightmare Wars!

The elders present shivering at remembering the horrors that nearly consumed them.

A tall, dark figure with glowing red eyes flashing in their mind.

Its clawed hand stretching out to grab them!

Looking back up towards the filly, many reminisce on how fortunate she is to have been born after the war’s end.

Never to grow up with the knowledge that every elder will forever carry with them.

Flying through the air, Celestia uses her enhanced vision.

Spotting a large concentration of Cybermare ships and flying Cybermares in the distance.

Her eyes angrily narrowing, and her flaming aura flaring up even more…!

-

Standing atop a hilltop, the Controller surveys the progress of his invasion.

Carelessly holding his arms behind his back.

However, his internal display starts going haywire all of a sudden!

His scanner acting up in a way he’s never experienced before!

Numbers flashing on-screen in rapid display.

“What!?”

Immediately, his left eye all of a sudden shatters!

His face momentarily overtaken with electric sparks that soon dissipate.

“Augh!”

He exclaims, covering his exposed eye with his left hand.

Fisting his other hand at turning in the direction of the sudden energy spike.

Staring into the distance with both eyes, however, with his exposed eye twitching.

“Leader, situation status!”

He commands at slamming his arm against his chest, demanding a report from the nearest Cyber-Leader he’s contacted.

Momentary static shortly gives way to hearing a Cyber-Leader’s voice.

“C-controller-…w-we are reading a-…he W-west!”

The tremendous power source, whatever it was, was interfering with their communique.

“Copy that!?” the confused, and somewhat concerned Controller replies.

“Leader!? Report status-!?”

However, a sudden explosion occurs in the distance.

A violent shockwave shooting out from the horizon towards the Controller and his army.

His eye widening at hearing a voice loudly scream as the shockwave approaches.

Holding out his free hand, he braces himself for impact!

The shockwave procuring a loud roar as it hits both the Controller and his army!

Most of the army being airborne as they’re hit, so they’re blown away along with the shockwave as it continues into the distance!

The Controller, though, attempts to push back against the strong winds.

VERY slowly taking step after step forward…, -

However, the ground beneath him begins to crack and split open!

The sturdiest mountains and hills cracking to the point of exploding into giant boulders that were scattered when the shockwave hit them!

Entire forests were uprooted and scattered about!

Vast crevices tearing open, swallowing up anything that falls into them!

Even several of the Cyber-Ships were caught by the intense wind and pushed against one another. Exploding upon contact!

And the Controller, himself, finally started feeling his grip slip ever-more away!

His steel feet slowly pushing further back due to the winds, that now have a tight grip on him!

Additionally, with only the use of one arm, his power was not as strong as it would’ve been if he used both arms.

“N-hrng-NOO! I. Will. Not. LOSE!”

He screams defiantly against the shockwave!

“N-NOOOOOOOO! ARRGGGHHHHHHHHHH!”

However, even he cannot stand against the incredible power facing him, and he’s finally blown off his feet!

His screams echoing around him as the shockwave pushes him against a large boulder!

“AUGH!”

He screams as the boulder explodes upon hitting him!

Sparks appearing around his left arm.

Soon, the shockwave does pass over them.

Disappearing far into the distance, though, not slowing or reducing in intensity!

Leaving a devastated Equestria in its wake as the large wave of power disappears into the distance.

As the dust settles and the clouds part to allow beams of sunlight to shine down on the devastated wasteland a spike-haired silhouette appears through a settling cloud of dust…

*Return to the Present*

While sustain heavy damage, a direct result of the shockwave’s overwhelming power, the Controller’s visual display finally switches back on.

Though, somewhat glitchy, as a direct result of the damage sustained.

Groaning, the Controller gently sits back up.

His back to the remains of the, originally, large boulder.

“U-urgh!”

Groans the Controller while raising his head.

Slowly looking out towards the devastated wasteland before him.

While the forests and hills had been turned to large-open plains, the mountain formations were different from what they had been moments ago.

After sitting there for a short while, he slowly reaches out and grabs the boulder behind him.

Using the boulder for support as he slowly rises back up to his feet.

Not far away, a dark silhouette appears through the settling dust.

The silhouetted figure narrowing its brows as it slowly approaches the Controller.

“CONTROLLER!”

Standing back up again, the Controller sharply turns around at hearing the enraged voice call out to it.

A familiar figure slowly approaching it.

The wind blowing through his hair as he steps towards the cyborg.

Momentarily causing it to flare up in the form of fire.

However, upon detecting another sound, he looks back over his shoulder.

Seeing something that his worries at ease.

Causing him to turn and look back towards the humanoid with a renewed confidence.

If he was still capable of smirking, he would’ve now.

Folding his arms across his shoulders and narrowing his exposed eye.

“So, you refused to be upgraded?” he asks in an arrogant tone.

The approaching Kami stopping in his tracks.

Silently glaring back at the Controller.

“Well, no matter!” he exclaimed.

Swatting his arm through the air.

“Even if you refused to become a weapon for my army, you shall still die at my hand!”

“No.”

“What!?”

The Controller taken off-guard by his response.

“You may be powerful, but don’t confuse my earlier failure for my real power.”

“W-what!?” exclaimed the Controller.

His frown curving up into a smile.

“That’s right. I only allowed you to believe you were stronger than me, so you wouldn’t think to interfere in Celestia and Luna’s battle,” Kami replies, folding his arms across his chest.

“Aftercall, if Celestia had been trained by someone as weak as me, then what would you gain from interfering?”

Enraged, the Controller tightens his fists.

His left arm beginning to spark.

Blood beginning to run down along the steel.

“Y-you…tricked me!?”

“Mhm,” Kami nods back.

“And judging by that blast, I’d say that not only has one of them won the battle…but the whole planet knows about it!”

“B-but then you will have to d-defeat whoever won their battle!”

The Controller’s voice breaking as it was giving in to the one thing it has never known for a long while; fear!

“I had hoped that my training would give Celestia the necessary power to defeat her sister…but I’m also more than happy to step up and deal with the situation myself!”

Kami’s smile widening as he held his knuckles together. His bones popping.

“And now that I know how strong you are, eliminating you will not take five minutes!”

While Kami confidently steps forward, the Controller nervous begins to back away.

His exposed eye staring out towards the enraged humanoid.

Twitching at the fear welling up inside him.

“N-NO!”

A fiery aura suddenly ignites around the Controller.

Momentarily pulling himself back, he immediately jumps back into the air.

Stretching out both arms and holding them together while aiming directly at Kami.

“DAMNIT, I’M INVINCIBLE! I REFUSE TO FALL TO THE LIKES OF YOU!”

Pulling his hands away, he conjures a red ball of energy, which he fires at Kami.

Holding his expression, Kami silently watches the blast get closer.

Narrowing his brows seconds before pulling his foot back, and shortly kicking the blast!

The red blast heading in the same direction as the Controller…only to miss him!

The Controller turning his head and looking behind.

His exposed eye widening at seeing the blast head straight for one of his Cyber-ships!

Oh…crap-baskets!

An incredible explosion erupting from the massive spaceship!

Explosions erupting from inside the ship. Tearing it to pieces, before finally disappearing in one final, large inferno!

The burning wreckage falling out of orbit as it crashes into the ground.

Slowly turning back around, the Controller’s organic body (inside his armor) becomes pale. Shaking with fear!

Consumed with fear upon realizing that he was telling the truth!

Him being weaker was nothing but a façade!

“T-that doesn’t prove anything!”

The Controller shouts at Kami.

“M-my drones will still distract you long enough for me to flee this planet!”

Holding out his arms beside him, the army of recovered Cybermares fly up into the air behind him.

The fleet of Cyber-ships altering their course and beginning to fly towards the Controller and Kami’s position.

While staring up at the ships and airborne army, Kami’s eyes widen as he senses something incoming.

A specific Ki that is rapidly approaching him.

Causing him to raise a brow while shooting the Controller a confident stare.

“While I’d be inclined to believe you under normal circumstances, I’m unfortunately going to have to be the bearer of bad news for you once again, Controller, -“ Kami said, “but it would seem that one of the royal sisters is returning from her battle!”

The Controller’s organic eye widens at being given this information.

“And if I’m not mistaken she should be arriving anytime, -” he said raising his arm, and looking at his wrist as if checking a watch, “now!”

Before Controller can prove his enemy wrong, an incredible explosion erupts behind him!

An orange light being cast upon him, Kami, and their surroundings.

Sharply turning around, he looks behind him, only to find one of his ships has its front-half missing and is slowly falling out of orbit!

The badly damaged ship violently exploding a second time as it slams into the surface!

The bright light from the explosion blinding the Controller to where he averts his gaze.

Kami smiling as he looks towards the nearest Cyber-ship.

Watching a speedy figure zoom from one ship to the next too fast for the naked eye!

Explosions begin to erupt all across the ship’s hull! Starting at the very front of the ship, and continuing until reaching the other end!

Raising his head at watching a figure burst through the hull and fly up into the air above the ship.

Hovering in the air as it fires a golden beam towards the ship, causing the already badly damaged ship to split in half down the middle!

The two halves exploding in mid-air.

“N-NO!”

The Controller exclaims at witnessing his ships be destroyed one right after the other!

“Is it finally sinking in yet?”

*Bzzt*

BAM!

He hears Kami ask, before being immediately punched in the face.

Sending him flying until colliding with the hard rocks!

Gently sitting up, he looks up to see Kami hovering in the air.

A stern glare on his face while folding his arms across his chest.

The wind blowing through his hair.

Several moments of silence passing between Kami and the Controller.

Kami’s enraged stare terrifying the Controller every second of their stare.

“You may have an army…but I am an army!”

Kami says, extending his hand. Conjuring a ball of energy in his hand that begins charging.

“I am ending the Cyber Wars. Finally ridding the universe of your filth once and for all!”

“N-NO! WAIT, KAMI-!”

Exclaims the Controller, holding out his hands in front of him!

No! Not this time!

“Exterminate!”

Kami softly utters, before firing his blast right at the Controller!

“NYAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

The Controller screams.

*Bzzt*

KWA-BOOOM!

Mere seconds after impacting the surface, Kami’s blast violently explodes.

Projecting a bright light on Kami and the few surrounding Cybermares in the sky.

Blinding the Cybermares, while Kami continues staring at the explosion un-effected by the explosion.

The smoke blowing away to reveal an empty crater with no trace of the Controller’s body.

His arm hanging beside him as he smiles.

Slowly turning his head and looking towards the hovering drones, whose heads all snap towards him.

Turning around, his smile widens into an evil smile.

Relishing the fear, the emotionless cyborgs must be feeling at seeing him obliterate their leader. Knowing that soon it’s their turn!

A cold wind blowing through the air.

“Bang!” he says softly.

*Bzzt*

Immediately, before either of the drones can react he uses her superspeed to suddenly appear in front of them.

Punching one so hard in the chest that its entire explodes from within!

*Bzzt*

Drop-kicking another drones’ head off, and grabbing its body.

Spinning fast around before throwing it at two drones at once and cleaving them in half!

Holding out both arms and fires two blasts at two more drones, whose bodies explode!

Three quickly fly away for their lives! Leaving two remaining to try and fight him.

The two remaining drones aiming their wrist-cannons at him. Unleashing a barrage of blaster bolts upon him!

However, he merely pulls his arm. Delivering a powerful swat that deflects the barrage back towards their original source.

Either drone barely able to back away before they’re hit by their own barrage, causing both to explode at the same time!

Turning his attention towards the trio of retreating drones, he glares angrily after them.

Holding both hands behind his back, before holding out his right arm. Conjuring an energy blast at his finger.

The charging blast begins crackling and growing in intensity.

Narrowing his brows and smiling, he points his finger towards them!

The blast shooting after them like a colossal missile!

Looking behind them, one of the drones is meet with a crackling mass of swirling energy!

The final thing it sees, before it and its fleeing companions are swallowed up by it.

The energy disintegrating their armor into tiny pieces that flies off, exposing their organic bodies!

An explosion finally occurring, sending a shockwave across the landscape.

As the ashes blows away on the air, Kami’s attention shifts towards the slaughter the slaughter of the Cybermares.

His aura igniting as he begins flying towards it.

Determined to finally end this conflict!

However, while flying to put the Cybermares on the endangered species list, he fails to notice a spaceship fly down from the sky.

Landing at the former landing site of Frost’s saucer…

*****

Meanwhile, back with the Iron Legion and their mysterious attacker, another Cyber-ship violently explodes.

The Equestrians on the surface below running for cover from the falling debris of the massive spaceships.

Choosing to flee than stand their ground, unlike the Cybermares.

Cyber-Leader slams its chest.

Opening a communications channel between it and the remaining ships.

Ordering the remaining ships to flee before they too are destroyed.

“The Iron Legion will delay your attacker-!”

*Bzzt*

“Oh, are you now?!”

Celestia says, immediately appearing in front of the Leader.

Her hooves folded across her chest, and mane blowing in the wind while smirking at the Leader.

“Because I have a feeling that none of you are leaving here alive.”

Lowering its hoof from its chest, the Leader stares blankly at her.

Its visual display flickering as it begins scanning her.

The rest of the Iron Legion staring directly at her.

A cloud of Cybermares boxing her in as they surround her, while maintaining an even distance from her.

“Scan identifies you as Princess Celestia, co-ruler of the planet Equestria,” the Leader says.

Momentarily frowning, Celestia replies, “Actually, it’s solo-ruler now!”

Letting her hooves hang, she narrows her gaze angrily.

“Just for that, all of you are dead!”

She says through gritted teeth.

“I mean, I was gonna be nice and offer you the chance to kneel before me, but after that it’s clear to me that none of you deserve-“

“Delete her!”

“DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!”

As fast as they can, every single Cybermare aims their wrist-cannon towards her.

Thousands of energy bolts shooting through the air towards her at once!

Time slowing down for her as she closes her eyes.

The crackling sound of blaster bolts echoing in her ear.

Getting ever closer...and closer…and closer, -

…until her eyes slowly open again!

Her brows narrowing as she holds out her hooves beside her.

“NOT THIS TIME!”

She screams while igniting her flaming aura around her!

Conjuring a golden bubble around her.

Time resuming at its normal pace as the energy blasts merely bounce off her shield!

Shooting back through the sky towards the Cybermares that fired them.

Piercing their bodies, and triggering a wave of explosions to erupt around her!

A majority of the Cybermare army diminishing as thousands of lifeless bodies trail smoke while falling to the ground!

“Delete! Delete-!”

*Bzzt*

Utilizing her superspeed, Celestia immediately appears beside the Leader.

Spinning around in mid-air, and punching the Leader’s head hard enough to make it explode!

A disembodied body, gore and steel all falling out of the air towards the ground.

Every Cybermare’s head snapping towards Celestia.

“Switch to melee-combat! Blasters have proven ineffective!”

A random Cybermare shouts.

Causing the other Cybermares to deactivate their wrist-cannons.

Then, all at once, the whole army charges straight for her.

Every Cybermare holding their hooves out ready to punch her, -

*Bzzt*

…however, before a single one could land a single blow she dodged their attacks!

Easily dodging their attacks with ease.

One of the Cybermares craned his upwards, only for Celestia to kick his eyes in with her hind-legs.

Sending a shockwave through his body, before exploding.

Two Cybermares charged straight at her from both sides, but instead of dodgeing, Celestia held out both hooves.

Catching them!

A shockwave rippling out across the landscape below, slicing large chunks of the ground.

Twenty other Cybermares charged straight for her, but she immediately beginning around.

Her telekinesis gripping the two other Cybermares hard.

Slamming them into the other charging Cybermares.

Every hit against another Cybermare leaves the other two Cybermares more and more damaged.

Soon the body of twenty Cybermares, and the destroyed pieces of the two others, plummet towards the surface.

Holding their hooves out in front of them, several Cybermares charge their blasts before firing them at Celestia.

*Bzzt*

Celestia, though, easily dodges each of their blasts.

Appearing in front of one of them.

Reaching out her hooves and ripping its head off. Exposing the Cybermare’s organic body, specifically the spine.

The dismembered head falling towards the ground, while she holds up the head in front of her.

Smiling as she turns back towards the army of Cybermares. Narrowing her brows deviously.

Tossing the head up into the air, she momentarily pulls back her hoof before punching the head.

The head hitting another Cybermare and bouncing off it, though, not before causing sparks to envelop the Cybermare.

Its lifeless body falling out of the sky towards the ground.

However, the head continues hitting Cybermare after Cybermare, causing more of them to fall from the sky dead.

The head ricocheting off more Cybermares.

A steady rain of lifeless Cybermares falling out of the sky!

The head finally being grabbed by a hand, drawing everyone’s attention.

Celestia’s head snapping up towards this mysterious figure.

Eyes widening at sensing the mysterious figure’s power.

With one hand behind its back, the mysterious figure holds up the disembodied head in front of himself.

Holding a stern gaze, before changing into a smile.

Hanging his head, he looks down towards Celestia.

“Mind if I have a go at them now?”

Recognizing the voice, Celestia’s brows jump, then narrow.

A devious smile forming on her face.

“Sure! Have at it!”

She calls back up in a malicious tone.

Folding her hooves across her chest.

“I’ve already had my fun.”

*Bzzt*

Faster than the Cybermares can react, she uses her superspeed to quickly re-appear outside their encirclement.

Flying down towards the surface to assist her subjects while Kami deals with the Cybermares.

“Now,” Kami says turning back towards the army. Breaking his knuckles, “where were we?”

He casually asks the army calmly.

“Delete! Delete! Delete!”

Every Cybermare shouts as they all charge straight for him.

“Oh right, I was ridding the universe of your filth! RRRRYAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Balling his fists and screaming loudly reignites his flaming aura around him.

Sparks appearing around him shooting out and striking nearby Cybermares.

Sending several lifeless corpses plummeting down towards the surface, below.

*Bzzt*

Before a single Cybermare can hit him, he quickly dodges out of the way.

Shortly re-appearing, and immediately extending his arm up above him.

“Destructo Disk!”

He shouts, throwing the energy disk towards several drones.

Slicing many in half, whilst beheading others, and dismembering others in ways that their remaining offensive capabilities was to charge straight for him.

However, Kami grabbed these particular drones and threw them towards another drone.

Shooting a blast that explodes upon contact, destroying both drones.

Cybermares close to him, aiming their wrist-cannons directly at Kami, -

*Bzzt*

…but only end up hitting their own when he super-speeds out of the way.

Grabbing two drones’ heads and slamming them against each other, making their heads explode.

Their headless bodies trailing smoke as they fall out of the sky.

Silently hovering in the air, he silently glares out towards all the drones.

All of them waiting for what his next move will be.

Gently, he extends both arms. Conjuring a triangle of golden energy at his hands.

Slowly pulling both arms back, causing the Cybermares to stand ready, -

*Bzzt*

…before suddenly disappearing, and re-appearing in the sky above them.

“Piercing Arrow!”

He screams, rapidly firing hundreds of arrow-shaped energy blasts down upon the drones.

The arrows impaling hundreds of drones, rendering them motionless.

A loud hum sounding from each arrow before suddenly exploding!

Hundreds of dismembered limbs and destroyed pieces of armor falling out of the sky towards the ground.

In the commotion, none of the drones notice a humanoid figure appearing behind their army.

Him glaring up at them with an unamused expression while extending his hand pointing his finger towards random drones.

Holding the other arm behind his back.

Neither drone can get organized before several drones are pierced by a red beam through the chest!

Each of the drones that got shot, exploding shortly after.

Once more, scattered pieces of what was once a whole being fall down towards the surface.

However, when the smoke clears, the remaining five hundred (of the original thousand) drones’ attention is suddenly drawn up at hearing someone call down to them.

“Alright, you disgraceful trash is really starting to bore me, so I’ll put an end to you once and for all!” Kami says.

Holding his arms together, his glare intensifies.

“Ka…me…ha..., -!”

Without hesitation, every drone gets a proper target lock on Kami.

Flying up towards him as fast to stop his attack.

Banding together to form an inescapable net of Cybermares when they reach him.

His blast growing steadily larger. Crackling intensely

His aura igniting, intensifying the blast’s already-powerful energy!

*Bzzt*

The remaining Cybermares stopping in mid-air at his immediate disappearance.

“Locate him! Find him!”

A panicked drone barks orders to the others as he vanishes.

Down on the surface, Celestia is helping her subjects to get away when she senses something appear behind her.

Turning her head and looking back, her brows jump at seeing Kami standing there holding his arms close together charging a large blast.

“Oh no!”

“EVERYONE, GET DOWN!”

Hearing Celestia’s loud call to her subjects the Cybermares immediately shifted their attention down towards the surface.

Kami’s brows narrowing while at glaring back at the Cybermares.

“Target located! Delete him!”

“Delete! Delete! Delete!”

The Cybermares shout in unison as they charge straight for him.

“…me…HAAA!”

With a final scream of rage Kami thrusts his arms out in front of him, unleashing an intense beam of energy into the air!

A shockwave exploding outwards across the landscape, causing the ground to crack and drift up into the air!

Every Cybermare attempting to halt their advance was only swallowed up by the blast!

The ones further back delaying their fate by one second, before they too were engulfed by the incredible blast!

Every Cybermare screaming as their bodies were wreaked by the painful energy coursing through their bodies.

Their armor disintegrating into thousands of pieces, their organic bodies inside being set aflame and turned to dust.

His blast shooting up into space, and vanishing into the distance to unknown corners…!

Back on Equestria the dust finally settles, allowing Celestia to gently open her eyes.

Slowly turning her head as she looks around. Surveying the situation.

Well, at least we’ve not been attacked by any Cybermares yet, so that’s a good sigh, she sighs.

“P-princess Celestia!”

A voice calls out to the Alicorn, causing her head to snap in direction of the speaker.

A smile widening on her face as she beholds a group of ponies trotting out from behind the ravaged trees towards her.

Thank Faust they made it!

She smiles softly.

However, as a filly gallops towards her, her attention is suddenly snapped away from her subjects.

Instead, she looks behind her towards a wall of dust that is yet to settle.

Silently staring at it as she can feel someone approach her.

Making out a silhouette through the dust facing her.

Even the approaching ponies freeze in their tracks upon seeing the silhouette.

Shaking in fear as it slowly turns towards them.

Staring at them for a bit before turning back towards Celestia.

However, as the dust finally settles, Celestia concerned changes into a calm smile.

The wind blowing away the dust revealing a humanoid with spiked hair.

Wearing all blue, a white cloak and armor.

His stern expression changing into a friendly smile while slowly walking down towards her.

Celestia being engulfed by his shadow as he towers over her.

Both meeting the other’s gaze.

Gently extending his hand, she smiles at raising her hoof.

Kami helping her back up to her hooves.

“So, is it done?”

Kami gently nods.

“The Controller has been destroyed, though, -“ Kami’s smile contorting into a frown.

Closing his eyes and hanging his head in shame, “I couldn’t save Frost.”

Confused, she could only raise a brow.

Before she could open her mouth, though, and inquire why he was sad about Frost’s death, her attention was suddenly taken up by the survivors calling out to her.

Cheering about the incredible battle they’d just witnessed. The end of the Cybermare’ invasion.

While galloping over to greet them, she didn’t notice Kami turning around and looking up towards the sky.

She probably won’t understand, but today was only a partial victory.

Equestria may have been saved, but the Cybermares survived! Escpaing onboard those starships. Possibly, retreating to whatever strongholds the Controller build while serving under you…but I promise you this, my fallen friend, I will not rest until I see the day that the Cybermares are extinct!

Your death will not be for nothing, brother! f}Ѳ�x�8 �6]�

Author's Note

Link1 - Super Saiyan 3 (Orchestral Cover) (Alec Rozsa)
Link2 - Dragon Ball Z Original Soundtrack - Solid State Scouter (DBSoundtracks)

The links are for me, in case the videos get taken down, so I can maybe renew the links in the future.

Chapter 34

Past Sins

While Celestia tends to her kind.

Helping them recover after the Cybermare invasion, Kami stands by himself on a cliffside.

His arms folded across his chest, while staring out across the landscape.

Frowning at the destruction that their battle has wrought.

It will take time, but Equestria, with the right aid, should be able to recover from this…as it has so many times before.

As much as I wish it wasn’t so, every world has seen war…but Equestria, I think, has seen the worst of it. Demons, gods, even aliens have contested this world for millennia…but every time the Equestrians endure and overcome the threat.

Chuckling softly, he lowers his gaze towards the crowd of Equestrians moving away from here. Heading towards safer places to recover from this incident.

I almost admire them. Their ability to adapt to whatever threat comes their way is remarkable.

His slight smile quickly deteriorating into an enraged frown.

Meanwhile, Celestia is flying in the air above.

Leading the relief effort when she looks up towards the mountain. Spotting Kami standing on the cliff along the mountainside.

His cape blowing in the wind while surveying the destruction.

She turns towards a passing Pegasus.

Extending her hoof out towards him. Stopping him in mid-air.

“Excuse me, but there’s something I must see too.”

“Of course, your Majesty.”

The guard replies with a bow.

Smiling friendly to the guard, her smile shortly drops when she looks back at Kami.

Turning into a frown as she hovers in mid-air.

Her golden aura re-igniting, as she flies towards the mountain…

Opening his eyes again, Kami finds himself standing atop a mountain, -

… Though, the landscape before him isn’t Equestria!

Behind him, there is now a large hole in the ground that’s he just crawled out of.

His ripped and torn clothes hanging off him.

Bloody bruises and injuries cover his entire body.

Only to be meet with the sight of burning fields, towers of fire bursting forth from the ground and shooting up into the sky. Intense bursts of lightning are coming down from the sky and striking the ground, causing it to crack and rip apart.

A city engulfed in flames crumbles into a large ruin.

The ground underneath the city cracks open, which causes fire to erupt from the vast crevices!

“Kami!”

A voice calls out to him from the city.

Crying out in fear as everything around him is being destroyed by the intensifying inferno raging across the planet!

“D-don’t worry! I’m coming!”

However, as he holds two fingers against his forehead, a shockwave passes through this part of the planet.

The ground surrounding the city cracks apart and forms a large enough hole to swallow the whole city!

The city vanishes, as one side lifts up into the sky, before falling into the crevice!

“KAMI!”

A final agonizing cry for help calls out to him.

“NOOOOOOOOO!”

Gritting his teeth, Kami tries to use the Instant Transmission again, -

*Bzzt*

ZAP!

…only for him to suddenly stand motionless!

His hand shakes as it strains to keep touching his forehead.

He slowly lowers his head and then stares down towards his chest noticing a gaping hole there!

He attempts to look behind him, but only manages to catch a glimpse of a figure in a dark cloak whose outstretched hand is pointing two fingers towards him.

The figure grins as Kami’s arm finally hangs limp beside him and it gleefully watches Kami drop to his knees.

Kami catches himself with his other arm and supports himself.

The figure chuckles softly to itself as it hovers closer to him, gently planting its three-digit feet on the ground.

It walks up towards Kami while watching him struggle to stand back up as he clutches his chest injury.

Chuckling softly, the cloaked figure walks up in front of him.

It holds its arms behind its back while staring down at him.

Kami slowly raises his head and looks up at the cloaked figure’s face.

Its tail bangs against the ground several times, while the figure glares at him angrily.

Extending, and wrapping its tail around his throat causing it to smirk evilly again, it calmly raises two fingers to its forehead.

“N-no-!”

*Bzzt*

His plea, though, falls on deaf ears as he and the cloaked figure vanishes, re-appearing in a ruined room where several space pods have been prepared.

The cloaked figure releases its tail’s grip on Kami’s throat with a huff and smiles as it drops him to the floor. Kami grunts from the pain.

Kami manages to turn himself over onto his back, staring up towards the horned figure towering above him.

He growls angrily through gritted teeth as the figure chuckles softly to itself.

The figure looks up, then around the room.

“Sounds like she’s about to blow, 'my Lord',” he says in a mocking tone, “I’d say you have seconds before she blows, and in your condition your only hope is the pod behind you if you want to make it off this rock alive!” he says pointing towards the space pod.

It’s feet and tail gently hanging down as the figure lifts up into the air.

Kami watches it hover away from him, and it then raises its fingers to its forehead.

“Choose!”

*Bzzt*

As soon as the cloaked figure vanishes, Kami is left alone in the hanger.

He sits down on the floor panting, and the entire room around him begins shaking intensely.

Cracks in the floor rip open to expel horrific flames as the walls and ceiling are collapsing all around him.

While watching the raging inferno seep into the room, he stares back inside the space pod.

He clenches his eyes and quickly jumps into the space pod, hurriedly pressing buttons, which launches the pod up along a tunnel.

The pod traverses the tunnel until it erupts at the surface and shoots up into space!

Panting softly, Kami presses several buttons on the display.

The display screen shows the planet behind him, and the deteriorating state it is in!

Everywhere across the planet, towers of flame shoot up into the sky and intense lighting ravages the surface.

He notices something close to the planet on the screen and presses a button that makes the screen zoom in on a large spaceship in orbit above the planet.

Noticing something, he zooms in even more and homes in on something above the ship.

It’s a hoverpod, where a horned figure is watching the planet’s destruction.

There is a cold, evil smile on its face from seeing the brightly glowing cracks continue to spread across the planet, -

…just before it turns to the left and stares right into the screen!

“F-frost!”, Kami weakly utters upon seeing those malevolent eyes staring back into his.

He growls angrily through gritted teeth at Frost and gently turns back towards the violently collapsing planet.

Kami quickly presses a button, which shows the whole planet.

In a powerful explosion of bright light, the planet finally explodes!

The screen explodes as a flash of light bursts into the cockpit…!

“Kami!”

Upon hearing Celestia call out to him, his eyes gently open.

“Kami, are you okay?” Celestia asks from behind him.

She gently trots closer towards the silent and motionless humanoid.

Looking back over his shoulders, he shoots her a blank stare.

Completely turning around to face her, his arms are still behind his back.

“Yes?! What is it?!”

His eyes narrow slightly, which gives the impression that he’s now looking at her sternly.

His voice becomes a little darker and is far more menacing than it ever was before.

“I, uh-“ Celestia stutters.

She nervously backs away from him.

“I-I sensed that there was something…troubling…you-“

However, while speaking she interrupts herself and stares into his eyes.

A great deal of anger is built up within them.

“Uh-hum, so I came to check up on w-whether you n-need a-anything!”

As he silently stares back at her, the wind begins blowing through his hair as it starts to grow stronger. It swirls around him like a vortex while his stares back and is devoid of emotion!

A faint but growing rumbling sounds in the skies as clouds begin swirling above him!

The ground cracks apart as pieces begin drifting upwards in the air!

The entire mountain begins to shake fiercely, which sends tremors outwards across the landscape!

Lightning shoots down from the sky and strikes both Kami and the mountainside.

Upon striking him, a large shockwave explodes outwards and washes over the landscape like a tidal wave and vanishes into the horizon!

Lightning shoots across the sky and illuminates the darkness which is enveloping the devastated landscape.

Celestia is unable to utter anything but shocked noises at the figure facing her.

His golden eyes are all that is visible amidst the darkness.

T-those eyes!

A bolt of lightning shoots across the sky behind him, illuminating half his face while leaving the other half shrouded in shadow!

“K-kami!?”

Hearing her call echo in his head, he gently closes his eyes and begins concentrating.

“Huh?” she utters confused.

“W-what is he doing?!” she asks herself, just before the swirling vortex around him suddenly dissipates!

The dark clouds cease swirling, which allows beams of sunlight to pierce them and shine down upon the battle-ravaged world below.

The lightning bolts and ground-shaking stops.

Everything returns to being calm once more.

Feeling the warmth of the sun on her fur again, Celestia opens her eyes.

However, upon looking out in front of her, she is expecting to see him standing there on the edge. However, he is not there.

“W-what, h-he’s gone?!”

“W-where did he go?!”

Quickly turning her head, she looks in every direction.

She searches for Kami, yet finds no trace of him.

H-hold on! I-I’ll just locate his power and find him that way!

She closes her eyes and begins to scan the nearby landscape for his power.

However, to the Alicorn Princess’s surprise, she is unable to locate his power!

“I-impossible!” she says aloud while opening her eyes wide.

“H-he’s one of the most powerful beings to set hoof on our planet! H-how can he just vanish like that?!”

Gritting her teeth, and looking back across the landscape with a concerned expression, she kicks off into the air.

Her aura ignites as she quickly flies back towards her subjects to issue a search command for him!

While flying away from the mountain, her image is reflected in Kami’s eyes as he watches from the very top of the mountain.

He utters a sigh while watching her fly back towards her subjects.

His folded arms are hanging beside him as he turns and looks out across the landscape.

He gently raises two fingers to his forehead, and vanishes in an instant.

*****

Meanwhile, a pool of water in a far-off valley remains otherwise undisturbed with the only sign of motion being the cool breeze blowing across its glassy surface.

However, as time passes, a shadow appears in the water.

Growing ever-bigger as it draws closer to the surface.

An explosion of water breaks the tranquility of the water before a large, furry body collapses to the ground with a grunt.

The figure weakly groans as it raises its head and is breathing unevenly.

It spots something up ahead, and gently extends its arm out in front of it.

Grabbing hold of the dirt, it begins to pull itself forward.

Momentarily stopping due to the pain coursing through its body at even the slightest movement, it clenches its eyes in agony.

Holding back the painful tears from its one eye, it shivers from the cold water on its body.

However, determined to endure, it opens its eye and continues pulling itself forward.

Groaning and shaking from the pain, which its own body appears to be tormenting it with.

It utters nothing other than painful noises as it struggles to pull itself away from the water.

Blood runs down along its body from the many injuries.

Leaving a trail of blood as it crawls away from the pool, it reaches a cave and turns itself around. It leans back against the wall.

Raising an arm up in front of its face, the crippled and badly-injured figure stares at its arm.

Gently lowering its arm back to the ground as tears beginning running down across its mutilated face.

Teardrops fall upon its grossly mutilated body.

Causing excruciating pain as they leak into its wounds.

Author's Note

Link1 - Frieza's Final Form Theme (THECRAZEBLING)
Link2 - Mass Effect 3 - An End, Once And For All - Extended Cut Soundtrack (N7Infiltrait0r)

Chapter 35

Meeting with The Daishinkan

*Bzzt*

Re-appearing from his Instantaneous Movement to the edge of the Everfree Forest, Kami lowers the fingers from his forehead.

His arm hanging beside his body as he steps forward.

Gently walking along the edge of the forest until reaching a passage. Then turning right and following it into the forest.

Many red eyes watching him from amidst the trees. Glowing brightly in the forest’s darkness.

Though, even the wildest beast dares not to attack Kami.

Feeling something…off, about him.

Thus, merely observing the humanoid.

The eyes following him as he passes by tree after tree.

However, despite many only watching him, a pair of bloodshot eyes watches him intently.

Silently following him as he continues putting as much distance between himself and the equines as possible.

Snarling and growling as it trails after him.

*****

After walking through the forest for a while, he soon comes upon a cave entrance leading into the earth.

Approaching the entrance, he shows hesitation about entering it.

His pursuers stopping at the trees.

Merely watching him from the trees as the darkness envelops him.

Stepping out from the trees, one of the carnivorous creatures tries to enter the cave.

However, upon getting within three steps of the cave a symbol above the cave entrance begins emitting a fiery glow.

A triangle with a circle and line inside it appears!

The carnivorous creature staring at the symbol in terror.

Whimpering as it turns and runs back towards the forest.

Leaping back into the trees where it, much like the other carnivores, watch the symbol die down.

Becoming just an indent above the cave entrance.

Within the cave, Kami silently follows a dark and long-since forgotten corridor.

The corridor leading into a vast, dark chamber where only a single walkway extends out into the darkness.

Without hesitating, he walks out onto the walkway.

Following it as it stretches onwards.

Eventually walking past several large stained windows.

Windows depicting various points in history.

Some, more important than others.

One such window depicting three figures outstretching their hands with several symbols suspended above one them.

Two figures (left and center) being male, but the remaining being a female.

Together, they’re using each of their symbols to banish a dark figure.

The dark figure cracking into thousands of pieces at their power.

At continuing onwards, the window is once again enveloped by the all-encompassing void around him.

Suddenly stopping in place at sensing something.

Gently lowering his head, he looks down inside the void.

Staring into the void, only for a pair of glowing eyes to open.

A frown on his face at staring down into the red eyes.

Staring sternly back at the glowing eyes, he extends his arm out.

“Sleep! Hear my command!” he calls out to the unseen creature.

Snarling at him, the unseen creature closes its eyes.

Silence soon overtaking the void.

Staring back into the void for a few seconds, before continuing along the walkway.

Crossing the walkway for what feels like an infinity, he eventually reaches the other side.

Stepping off the walkway, and entering another corridor.

Following the corridor until finally glimpsing a light at the other end.

Gently raising his head and looking up as the light envelops him.

A sudden flash of light happening in front of him.

A smile spreading across his face at the figure greeting him in the room.

Bowing respectfully before the hooded figure.

“Hello, Kami.”

The figure greets in a warm, friendly tone.

“I can see you’ve not changed in the slightest,” the figure giggles.

“We all change, mam, but not in the ways one would expect.”

“Rise, Mr. Poet.”

Waving her hand with a humored tone, Kami stands back up again.

“It has been a while since your last visit, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, well, a certain – ahem – distraction kept me from seeing you sooner.”

He says, hanging his head.

Her raising a confused brow at him hanging his head.

“Oh?”

“Yes…for you see, -“ he nervously stutters.

“I e-encountered Frost again!”

Her brows jumping surprised.

“Oh dear,” she softly utters.

Gently holding a hand to her mouth.

A silence falling on the room.

“W-well?!” she nervously inquires.

“W-was it rough?!”

Saying nothing, he lowers his head.

“Oh dear.”

Her expression changing into a frown.

“Judging by your silence, it’s safe to say that your encounter wasn’t pleasant.”

Closing his eyes, his hangs his even further.

“I…” he momentarily hesitates,” I threw him into a sun.”

Her brows jumping at this surprising news.

A shocked look on her face at hearing this from him of all beings.

Exhaling a heavy sigh, she closes her eyes.

Shortly opening it, and looking across the room towards him.

“So, all this time has been for not?”

His head shooting up and eyes widening.

Turning her head left, she closes her eyes. Averting eye-contact.

“N-no, you misunderstand!”

He exclaims at quickly turning back towards her.

Extending his arm towards her as she sighs heavily.

“And here I was thinking that your visit was a reflection of my instructions having paid off...obviously not!”

“N-no, you don’t understand!”

He exclaims, stretching out his arm towards her. “It was the Cybermares!”

Shocked, her eyes shoot open.

Her head snapping back towards him with a nervous expression.

“They upgraded him before I could save him...forcing me to destroy him before he could be activated.”

Her look of shock getting worse.

Slowly averting her gaze as beads of sweat begin trailing down along her temple.

Her eyes twitching fearfully at raising a hand to her chin.

“This is bad! Really, really, really bad!”

This time it was his turn to give a fearful look.

“I-if someone as powerful as Frost could fall to mere Cybermares-“

“They were also lead by a new Cyber Controller…with a humanoid form!”

Freezing in place, her head slowly rotates back towards him.

Her face finally visible from the displayed fear on her face!

“A C-cyber C-controller…i-in humanoid form?!”

“Indeed!” he nods.

“I have no idea where he came from, or even how the Cybermares were able to obtain such a powerful leader, but I’ve disposed of him. Reducing him to ashes!”

“Even so, that is hardly enough to put my worries to ease!”

“Huh? What do you mean? I’ve already destroyed him.”

“Even so, just imagine what alterations to the Cybermares’ species that’s been caused under his leadership!”

“They could even possibly be moving to destroy Equestria as it’s now proven itself unconquerable!”

Kami’s eyes widening with a shocked expression on his face.

“We cannot assume that these new Cybermares are as overconfident as their predecessors! They will most likely gather with other forces and begin preparing for Equestria’s destruction!”

“B-but then I’ve got to do something!”

Turning around, she stares sternly at him.

“Yes, you do!”

Extending her hand, she points her index finger directly at him.

“Hunt down and eliminate the Controller’s remaining forces! We must extinguish the Cybermare threat before the entire universe is enflamed by the Cybermares’ return!”

“Y-yes, mam!”

Raising his arm to his chest, he bows before her.

“Do not return until every single Cybermare is destroyed! Am I clear!?”

“Y-yes, mam!”

His body shivering at the thought of the Cybermares returning and another Cyber-war breaking out.

“We’ll see!”

Putting her arms behind her back, she begins hovering into the air.

“Remember, Kami: to close the triangle the pieces must come together!”

“Hm?”

Before he can ask her what she meant by that, a multi-colored portal opens behind her.

As her body vanishes within the, the vortex disappears shortly as well.

The light in the chamber dying down a bit.

“I swear I won’t fail this time!”

Balling his fists at staring the figure left behind in the room.

Quickly turning around and running down the corridor…leaving the Tree of Harmony to itself once more!

Without stopping, he ran all the way back through the corridor, across the walkway and past the stained-glass window of the trio combating the dark force, and through the corridor.

Running out of the corridor so fast that the creature hiding in trees were knocked off their feet!

Blood-shot eyes widening surprised at his speed!

A shockwave shooting through the nearby trees. Nearly blowing them away at him speed-running as fast as he can to an open field.

“Huh? What’s that?”

Celestia asks at hearing and seeing an explosion in the distance.

A trail of smoke stretching throughout the Everfree Forest.

“Hmm... I wonder if that’s where he went off too.”

Igniting her flaming aura, she begins flying after the trail of destroyed trees.

Finally stopping in a field where a cloud of dust is blown up at him stopping.

Quickly raising two fingers to his forehead to Instant Transmission away from Equestria before Celestia can find him.

Hoping to sneak away before she tries to convince him to stay.

Having no enjoyment for goodbyes like that.

Raising his head and looking to the heavens, he focuses on returning to his planet.

Not noticing a silhouette appearing through the settling dust.

Slowly approaching him as it extends its arm towards him.

“There!”

He exclaims, only to feel something on his shoulder.

Turning around, only for his eyes to widen at seeing the figure.

“No!” he softly utters.

His concerned eyes staring into the figure’s confident ones!

*Bzzt*

Before there’s a chance of stopping the instant transmission, both figures vanish.

Leaving the dust behind to settle. Revealing both to have vanished!

A short while later, another figure arrives at the field.

Silently, the form of Celestia hovers in the air above the field.

Looking down upon it to find obvious traces that something’s happened.

However, her inquiry about Kami’s whereabouts are immediately interrupted when her head immediately back.

Looking into the distance at sensing something.

Brows narrowing as an approaching shadow falls upon her.

Distorted black and blue lightning shoot back and forth across the sky.

Even her flying is affected as the ground begins shaking violently.

Loose objects and creatures float off the ground into the air.

Far away, the pyramid’s pieces are coming undone. Falling out of place and violently slamming into the ground.

Despite its otherworldly construction, the pyramid cannot handle the powers clashing within!

The balance that is achieved through their chaos is destabilizing the pyramid.

A brightly glowing light shoots up into the sky from the pyramid’s tip.

A purple explosion erupting in the skies above the shaking pyramid.

A shockwave of intense and destructive energy shooting outwards across the world like a destructive tidal wave!

Destroying everything it comes into contact with.

Nothing but scorched earth and dust remaining after the shockwave passes.

“Whoa! What was that?!”

Celestia exclaims at sensing an explosion of energy to the South.

However, at looking to the South her eyes widen at spotting a rapidly approaching wave composed of destructive energy.

“Oh…no!”

She softly utters terrified as the wave draws closer and closer.

Growing bigger…and bigger!

Author's Note

Link1 - Dragon Ball Super OST: The Earth's Fate (Dany7636)
Link2 - Dragon Ball Super OST - A Tyrant Revived! *Extended* (Raenarill)

Chapter 36

One Falls…and Another Rises!

Bzzt

Mere seconds after re-appearing on his planet, Kami kicks Frost off.

The cold-hearted tyrant jumping back to avoid the kick.

His metallic feet tapping against the soft grass underneath him.

Assuming a battle-ready stance, he prepares himself for Frost’s attack.

However, Frost merely smirks back.

Putting his mechanical arms behind his back while his mechanical tail swats through the air.

Raising a hand to his cracked helmet, he gently removes it from off his head.

Holding it with his hand while presenting it to Kami.

Silently dropping it to the ground.

The helmet breaking upon hitting the ground.

His smirk stretching wider across his face and eyes narrowing menacingly.

“Simple, my old friend; the Cyber conversion failed!”

Kami gasps shocked.

“When you interrupted the process, I had only been partially upgraded,” Frost explains.

“If you had not come, I would not be here. I’d be flying away from Equestria on the shuttle that was sent to retrieve you.”

“B-b-bph-but-“

“Ah, you’re curious about how I survived!” Frost exclaims cheerfully.

Folding his arms across his chest.

“Well, it’s quite simple; it’s all in here.”

With his finger, Frost points towards his head. Tapping it with his finger.

*Flashback*

As a light on Frost’s Cybermare helmet begins blinking, his eyes shot open.

Having finally been activated for the first time.

After standing up on his feet, he begins looking around the room.

Though, due to the rapidly deteriorating state of the ship the only conclusion is that it’s caught in the gravity of a star (or sun), and is on a direct course that will end in its termination.

Igniting his flaming aura, he speeds out of the room.

Shooting through the ships’ corridors as he flies in the opposite direction of the growing heat.

Noticing a glass wall in front of him he extends his hand and fires a ki-blast at the wall, destroying it.

Without hesitation, he flies out into space.

However, even after escaping from the doomed ship, he still feels the sun’s gravitational pull trying to overcome him.

Utilizing a last-resort, he turns himself around and holds out both hands in front of him.

Momentarily charging a pair of powerful ki-blasts, before shooting them out in front of him.

Launching himself backwards away from the sun.

Even as the ship is swallowed up by the sun and explodes, the shockwave from the explosion hits him.

Throwing him further away from the sun and closer to Equestria.

A large crack appearing down the helmet’s center, causing static throughout the helmet.

Shaking his head, Cyber-Frost ignites his aura and flies back towards Equestria…

*End Flashback*

“...and so, with the helmet critically damaged and my conversion having been interrupted it only took five minutes before I was back to myself again!”

“My mind freed, I focused my attention on the only thing that matters.”

Frost’s smile contorting into a stern, enraged frown.

“After coming to, I was unable to sense Luna’s energy anymore. Leading me to the only conclusion; your pupil has slain her!”

Frost balling his fist at the thought fueling his rage.

“Now, I will defeat you and return to that planet to end this once and for all!”

“Despite the Controller’s betrayal, there is a still chance that they are unaware of the existence of the Dragon Balls…”

Gasping, Kami realizes Frost’s plan.

N-no! If he resurrects Luna, then there’s nothing keeping him from blowing up the planet!

Sternly pointing a finger at Frost. Shouting, “No, I won’t let you!”

“I-I will defend them…even from you!”

Rolling his eyes, Frost folds his mechanical arms across his chest.

Closing his eyes, he chuckles softly.

“I wasn’t asking your permission.”

“And don’t speak as if you of all people understand my plans for that ball of dirt and water.”

Raising his hand, he holds up a finger.

“One person, and one person only…and I don’t think that person gives a damn about your opinion!”

Hearing this, Kami immediately assumes a battle-ready stance.

Preparing himself for however Frost intends to attack him.

Nervous beads of sweat running down along his temples.

Frost slowly opening his eyes again and smirking back.

Assuming a similar battle-ready stance as Kami.

Their auras igniting, enveloping them both in gold and blue flames.

The force swirling violently around the two figures.

Grabbing and blowing away anything around them.

De-facing and turning their surroundings into an ever-larger crater.

Despite the environments destruction, Frost’s silent smirk meets Kami’s silent stern frown.

Both charging their energies, -

*Bzzt*

…until suddenly, both vanish!

The sky ravaged by hundreds of intense explosions, one right after the other.

Shockwaves rippling across the surface, ripping up chunks of rock and randomly dispersing them throughout the landscape!

An ever-changing landscape, that never stays the same longer than a second!

Paying close attention, one might be able to make out a golden and blue aura lunge at each other.

Bouncing off each other before coming in for another hit!

Every hit sending another devastating shockwave across the landscape.

De-facing it again and again!

Continuous sonic-booms going off every other second!

Directly shooting towards each other, Frost and Kami pulls their fists back.

Both fighters’ hearts beating once as they throw the punch!

A bright flash erupting upon their fists’ impact.

Sending a blinding explosion of blue and gold across the landscape!

Carving out a separate yet immense crater in the first crater.

As the dust settles, Frost and Kami stares right into each other’s eyes.

Frost’s smirk growing more devious in contrast to Kami’s twitching frown.

Frost chuckling, and Kami uttering a strained groan.

“Not bad!” Frost remarks.

“Your banishment has not weakened you…which unfortunately means that I’ll be spending a little more time crushing you than I will be searching for the Dragon Balls!” he says at his smirk contorting into a frown.

Kami’s eyes widen, but his brows immediately narrow.

Sternly glaring at Frost.

“Don’t bet on it, Frost!”

He shouts at throwing another punch towards Frost.

Frost, however, intercepts it with his other hand.

Frost and Kami’s frowning faces staring intensely at each other until a smirk creeps back onto Frost’s face.

“Huh!?”

Kami nervously exclaims at noticing the smirk.

His eyes widening, before noticing something besides Frost.

“Hah!”

Thinking fast, he headbutts Frost.

Knocking Frost back through the air.

Disorienting him long enough for Kami to hold out his hands together.

Aiming them straight at Frost as he fires several ki-blasts that launch him backwards.

Dodging Frost’s mechanical tail and its sharp tip!

“Hruh!?”

Growling, Frost’s frown turns into a look of shock at the incoming ki-blast.

The blast exploding upon hitting him!

Kami’s head snapped back up towards Frost.

Assuming a defensive stance at the dissipating smoke.

Patiently waiting for the smoke to fade away.

Standing there, though, his brows jump as a red beam shoots out of the smoke.

Kami, though, easily dodges it.

Looking back towards the smoke.

Immediately, a barrage of countless beams shoots out from the smoke towards him.

*Bzzt*

Reacting fast, he super speeds out of the way.

Appearing elsewhere in the sky.

A second barrage commencing following his position change.

*Bzzt*

Like before, he quickly gets to dodging incoming beams.

Ducking, jumping up in the air, momentarily disabling his flight to avoid an incoming beam, and simply hovering out of the way.

The barrages finally stopping when Frost lunged himself at Kami from the smoke.

Kami turning towards Frost in time to intercept his incoming punches with his arms.

Frost and Kami growling as their gazes meet.

Frost uttering a strained growl at kicking Kami back away from him.

Kami groaning at the painful kick to his abdomen, -

Though, there was little time to focus on the pain as Frost immediately lunges right at him.

A shocked expression appearing on Kami’s face as he lunges directly at Frost.

Shockwaves erupting at their rapid exchanging blows.

The landscape blowing away by a large shockwave, leaving a large hole!

Frost finally punching Kami in the stomach, -

Leaving him open for Kami for Kami to punch his arm away, and re-adjust himself in mid-air.

Kicking Frost hard in the head.

Disorienting him long enough for Kami to deliver another hard kick that sent Frost hurtling through the air.

*Bzzt*

While holding the advantage, Kami used his super speed to get in front of Frost.

Elbowing him in the back!

Resulting in a painful scream from Frost before he fell down towards the surface.

Kami, though, wasn’t finished!

*Bzzt*

Even now, before Frost could recover he used his superspeed to reach Frost.

Grabbing ahold of Frost’s throat and began to choke him as they fell down through the air!

Frost’s eyes shooting open as he began gasping for air.

Growing as he attempts punching Kami to force him into releasing him.

However, despite receiving one punch right after the other, Kami continues holding on.

Grunting at every punch, but not daring to release his grip.

In fact, his grip intensifies, causing Frost excruciating pain!

Flames reflecting in his right eye.

A city sinking into the earth with fire towers shooting up in the sky reflecting in his left eye.

Seeing a final silhouetted humanoid explode in his mind, his rage explodes!

Screaming infuriated as his aura reignites!

Noticing the rage on Kami’s face, Frost begins screaming.

For the first time in a long while, he feels fear again!

Screaming at igniting his aura as well.

His eyes beginning to blow, before shooting a pair of blue beams into Kami’s face!

Kami screaming in excruciating pain as an explosion envelops them both.

Though, passing through the smoke, Kami is still grasping Frost’s throat.

However, his face twitching in pain and his grasp having weakened.

Half of his face covered in black soot.

Seeing his chance, Frost kicks Kami hard in the stomach.

Coughing up more saliva on Frost’s face, Frost ignores it.

Swatting Kami away with his tail.

Kami catching himself in mid-air and righting himself up.

Groaning in pain at holding his stomach.

Attempting to hold back one excruciating pain for another!

*Bzzt*

Frost, however, using his super speed to appear in front of Kami Screaming as he punches Kami violently in the stomach.

Knocking the air out of him!

Frost smirking before beginning to punch him violently in the stomach.

Focusing a majority of his strikes to Kami’s ribs.

His punches intensifying significantly at striking Kami’s ribs.

A final punch to the chest, which made Kami vomit up blood!

Frost planting his feet against Kami’s chest.

Pulling back before kicking off hard against Kami’s chest.

Sending both away from each other, before Frost began spinning in mid-air.

Conjuring a sonic boom at kicking off in mid-air.

Launching himself right at Kami with his hands together.

Kami, however, was able to detect Frost incoming.

Turning around in time to catch Frost by the arms.

“Huh!?”

Frost exclaims, before Kami begins spinning him around by the arms.

Picking up more and more speed until finally releasing his grip on Frost.

Sending him speeding towards the surface.

Kami panting softly in mid-air.

Two strands of blood running across his cheek.

Dripping onto the surface below.

Slowly raising his head and looking down towards Frost.

Watching him continue shooting towards the surface.

The roles having reversed!

Inhaling a deep breath, he mentally prepares himself.

I-I…I cannot do this anymore. It must end…now!

Sorry!

Frowning angrily towards Frost, he outstretches his arm.

Readying himself by holding his close together.

“Ka…me…ha..., -!”

A bright ki-blast begins charging his hands.

His voice exploding into a loud scream.

Triggering his aura around him.

The flames flaring intensely around him!

The ground breaks apart, and its fragments begin lifting into the air at the raw power he’s exhibiting!

Everything stretching all the way into horizon breaks apart!

The furthest parts merely crumbling apart and collapsing in on itself.

Kami’s hair turning golden! Standing up on his head.

“Huh?! What the-?!”

Frost exclaims at lifting his head. Looking back up into the sky.

His eyes widening at spotting Kami having reignited his aura.

A bright blue light in particular drawing his attention.

Again, his eyes widen. This time in fear.

“N-no! H-he cannot!”

Adopting a stern expression, Frost immediately reignites his aura as well.

Staring back up at Kami as he balls his fists.

Frost groaning hard as he tries to amplify his power before Kami can attack.

His aura flaring as electrical crackles around him.

Huh? What’s happening?

Kami wonders at spotting Frost’s reignited aura above the crumbling landscape.

He’s probably realized the seriousness of the situation! I doubt he’ll hold back now, so I guess everything I have left will have to be enough!

Faint electricity appearing around Kami as his Kamehameha continues gathering strength.

The clouds swirling around both Frost and Kami.

Randomly discharging lighting, due to the clashing powers.

Putting his left hand on top of the other and pulling both back, Frost’s aura suddenly begins randomly discharging purple electricity!

Whatever mountains and hilltops remain exploding at being struck by the purple electricity!

This is the end for you, Kami! Your lineage dies here, today!

*Bzzt*

Frost screams in his as he suddenly vanishes.

What!? W-where did he-?!

Kami screams panicked in his head, -

Only for him to turn around. Spotting Frost above him!

“Now learn what happens when you mess with the most powerful being IN THE UNIVERSE!”

“Galick Gun!”

Frost screams, shooting his arms out in front of him. Firing a purple beam directly at Kami!

AHHHHHHH!

“…me…HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Quickly turning and screaming at the top of his lungs, Kami fires his Kamehama back at Frost!

Intercepting his Galick Gun.

A bright explosion of purple and blue lights erupting in the sky!

A destructive shockwave shooting across the landscape!

Rounding the whole planet before meeting itself!

Large cracks spreading across the planet. Ripping open large chunks of continents, which break apart upon lifting into the air!

The powers clashing to such an extent that bolts of gold and blue lightning shot down into the ground.

Piercing the surface and going down into the core of the planet. Destabilizing it!

The entire planet shakes, causing the cracks to spread all across the entire planet!

The intensity of the tremors ravaging the planet only getting worse the longer Frost and Kami’s clash continues!

Similar destructive electrical discharges shooting outwards from their clash. Spreading across the planet!

Frost and Kami groaning strained at meeting the other’s powers.

Frost beginning to be pushed further and further up into the sky.

Kami’s Kamehameha beginning to push his Galick Gun back!

Frost’s rage finally exploding!

NOOO! I. WILL. NOT. DIEEEEEE!

His aura exploding to a larger size.

Frost’s power exploding as it begins overwhelming Kami!

Pushing Kami’s Kamehameha back towards him.

Frost’s will to survive empowering his rage.

Overpowering Kami’s Kamehameha with ease.

However, ignoring the one thing stronger than ones will to survive; sorrow!

For as Frost’s Galick Gun closes in on Kam, ready to obliterate him once and for all, a single voice rang through the broken Saiyan’s head.

The one who perished in the hellfire of their planet’s destruction!

“Please, father, help us! HELP US!”

Kami’s son’s final words to him echoing in his head once more.

No! Not this time, Frost!

“THIS. ENDS. NOOOOWWWWWWWW!”

Kami screams as bright white light shots out of his eyes.

“Urgn! What the-?!” Frost exclaims.

“What is that!?”

He screams at the light shining in his face. Blinding him!

“Now’s your chance, father!”

“YRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

With a final scream Kami’s power explodes outwards.

Unleashing everything he’s got left against Frost!

“WHAT!?”

Staring back down towards the clash, Frost’s eyes turn pale with fear at seeing his Galick Gun be pushed back!

“N-hrng-NO!”

“T-THIS CANNOT BE HOW IT-AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

However, he’s interrupted by his Galick Gun exploding into tiny particles.

Kami’s Kamehameha collides with Frost and begins pushing him fast into the sky!

Frost’s agonizing screams echoing, even as the beam shots up into space!

The vast blackness giving away to a rapidly bright light.

Managing to weakly look behind him, Frost’s eyes widen in fear at spotting a star.

Watching the star get closer and closer horrified!

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

He screams at being pushed into the star.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

His scream of terror turning into one of pain at the flames and heat of the star beginning to scorch his flesh!

Every inch of his body experiencing the most excruciating pain he’s ever felt before in his entire life!

His flesh melting away, revealing flesh and bone underneath.

Closing his eye before the end, -

F-forgive me, Luna! I-I was not strong enough!

…only to shoot open an excruciating pain enveloping his body!

“NOOOAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Flames enveloping him. Swallowing him before the star explodes!

The star’s explosion sending enormous shockwave through space.

Back on the planet with Kami, the feedback from the explosion from his final attack shots right down into the planet through one of the lightning bolts!

Unable to handle the raw power sent into it, the core explodes!

Releasing an intense explosion that is sent throughout the entire planet!

Kami smiling as his destroyed eyes close.

His body falling out of the sky towards the surface.

“I-I did it!” he says with his final breath.

His dying body slamming into the ground.

An explosion of golden light erupting from the ground.

Through the cracks in the planet, lava and hot magma pours out onto the planet’s surface!

Towers of fire piercing the surface and shooting high into the sky!

Intense lightning shot across the sky. Booming and crackling intensely!

A bright light erupting from the very core one final time before finally exploding!

A shockwave shooting out across the whole galaxy!

“Oh…no!”

Celestia utters terrified as the vicious shockwave of intense energy ripples across the landscape.

Discharging purple electricity through the air at her.

Missing her, but exploding into a large mushroom cloud behind her!

Exploding into a mushroom cloud behind her.

Her eyes widening. Snapping back towards the Everfree Forest.

“They won’t stand a chance against that kind of raw power! They’ll be obliterated!”

*POP*

Without hesitation, she teleports away.

Another discharged bolt of lightning just missing her.

Appearing in the sky above the forest.

Specifically, above the Everfree Castle.

“Huh?”

One of the frightened guards reacts.

Looking up into the sky to find Celestia hovering there in the air.

“Hey, it’s the Princess!” the guard cried.

Pointing up into the sky.

“Huh!?”

“What!?”

“It is! It is the Princess!”

Despite the rough winds blowing in their faces, the horrified and scared Equestrians cry out.

Knowing their leader is here and will set everything right!

Narrowing her eyes brows towards the incoming wave, she clenches her hooves tightly.

Releasing a small shockwave of her own as she screams.

Her aura igniting around her.

Amplifying her already rising strength!

Her aura steadily increasing in size as well.

Her power continuing to rise. Much like how the shockwave continues getting closer with every second!

A vast shadow falls over the castle as the shockwave towers over it!

Just before it hits, though, Celestia’s screams explodes into an intense shriek.

Her voice shooting out across the forest.

Causing trees to bend and sway violently at her intense volume.

“FINAL, -!”

She screams at holding her hooves together in front of her.

A crackling ki-blast materializing at her hooves.

The charging blast randomly dispersing golden lightning amongst the surface.

Explosions erupting from amidst the forest.

“FLAAAAAAASSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!”

Her scream, as well as the charging blast, exploding outwards!

A crackling beam of golden light shooting outwards to the shockwave.

An explosion of colors erupting at Celestia’s Final Flash and the shockwave’s impact.

The bright light blinding everyone but Celestia.

Distracting everyone but her from the intense clash taking place.

Her Final Flash beam pushing back against the raging shockwave!

The shockwave having been stopped here, at the Everfree Forest!

All over Equestria, terrified, and now confused, Equestrians look up in front of them.

Staring at the frozen shockwave that suddenly stopped in its tracks!

The destructive and violent energy inside it trying to push forward, but to no avail!

The confused villagers unable to do anything but look.

Look upon the wall of destruction that would’ve claimed their lives!

Celestia groaning at the intense struggle pushing back against her.

Slowly, the pressing shockwave begins pushing her back.

Her body slowly moving further and further back.

Losing ground to the shockwave, which begins moving in on the forest.

Absorbing countless trees into itself. Destroying them!

Her Final Flash beginning to crack and break like a twig.

Slowly bending in unnatural ways that weak it!

The shockwave slowly continuing onwards into the forest.

Disintegrating more and more trees!

Closing in on the Everfree Castle, itself!

Equestrians running in terror towards the castle.

Crossing the bridge.

“No, this can’t be happening!”

A guard utters terrified.

The entire castle as he looks out towards the purple wall of destruction before him.

Watching it inch its way though the forest. Approaching the castle faster and faster!

“T-this can’t be happening! I-I-“ he stutters.

“I refuse to believe that this is the end!”

Raising his head, he looks up into sky.

Eyes widening as he gasps.

“T-the Princess…s-she’s losing. Badly!”

“Her energy is dropping fast! At this rate, she’ll most likely drop dead from exhaustion!”

Unless-

A thought popped into his head.

His brows.

“It’s a long-shot, but it’s our last option!”

A magical spark emerged from his horn.

The spark floating down through the air into his throat. Amplifying his voice.

“Hey, listen everypony, this is the Captain of the Royal Guard speaking!” his voice echoes across the forest.

Every Equestrian within the forest stopping what they were doing.

Instead turning around and looking back towards the Everfree Castle.

“Listen, the Princess isn’t in such good shape! Her energy is dropping fast, and when it’s finally gone we’re all gonna die…but we can still make a difference!”

Everyone in the forest looking at each other concerned.

But nodding at each other. Ready to help the Princess if things were this dire that she alone couldn’t stop it.

“Unicorns, donate your energy to the Princess! Help yourselves by aiding her now!”

“Earth Ponies and Pegasus Ponies, merely raising your hooves in the air will donate your energy!”

Nodding their heads, every one of the Unicorns pointed their horns up towards the sky.

Their bodies enveloping in a blue glow. Same with their horns

Each and every Unicorn’s energy flowing out their horns upwards into the sky to Celestia.

Upon raising their hooves into the sky, the Earth and Pegasus Ponies donate their energy to Celestia as well.

A blue glow envelops them.

Small forms of energy flies upwards into the sky.

Floating up from many places within the forest.

Going directly into Celestia’s horn, and restoring her rapidly dropping strength!

Her eyes shoot open at this immediate explosion of energy.

Her aura reignites, enveloping her once more in flames.

Whoa! Where did all this energy come from!?

I-it’s like I’ve unlocked some hidden power deep inside me, this is so immense!

“Wait what-?”

Celestia lowers her head and looks down. Seeing the bright energy fly up towards and into her horn.

Her eyes widen and jaw hanging slack at looking around the forest.

Shock overcomes her at realizing what exactly is happening.

T-they’re donating their energy! Everpony is giving me their energy!

While she looks down upon the forest, she doesn’t notice her Final Flash pushes back against the shockwave.

Perhaps a little too well, as the shockwave begins to crack. Her Final Flash leaking softly into the shockwave!

Ever second her power continues climbing higher and higher, the more her Final Final penetrates deeper and deeper into the shockwave.

It’s no longer just pushing it back. It’s delving deeper and deeper towards the shockwave’s core, itself.

High in the skies above the crumbling pyramid, the very heart of the shockwave pulsates like an actual living heart.

Continuous waves shoot out towards the shockwave.

Intense waves shoot outwards. Ramping up its already destructive power, - …when a golden beam pieces it’s dark, violent mass. Shooting straight for the core, itself! However, before the core is reached another wave is discharged that halts the beam from getting any closer.

Rapidly waves shoot out from the core. It’s energy drastically intensifying with every second!

The core prepares itself for the end, and begins spinning around in mid-air.

Getting faster and faster until it’s nothing but a bright blur in the skies above the Changeling Kingdom.

The doors to Empress Pollus’s throne room open, and a guard gallops inside.

Running across the throne room, only for the floor to crack open.

The guard almost falls down into the crevice, only to fly out of the hole.

Finally reaching Empress Pollus’ throne and bows.

“Empress, something strange is occurring at the Dream Demon’s pyramid!”

“Speak!” Pollus replies at sitting atop a shaking throne.

The walls crack, and the debris plummets towards and crash through the floor!

“Empress, it’s, -“

*Transition*

“It’s falling apart!”

Standing up on her hind legs, the young Princess Chrysalis looks out through her room window.

Eyes wide with horror at the bright lights and explosions surrounding Bill Cipher’s pyramid.

The sky swirls violently around the tip of the triangular structure!

Through the cracks bright beams shots outwards and flashes in colors that are ever-changing!

A whirlwind vortex spinning underneath it, causing the destabilized structure to sway unevenly back and forth!

“Huh?” she reacts at spotting something through the clouds.

She looks up into the sky. Narrowing her gaze upon the bright light.

“W-what is that!?” she inquires.

The ball of light begins to intensify.

Projecting a bright light that blinds anyone and anything that looks upon it!

Meanwhile, Celestia slowly turns her head back to face the shockwave.

She narrows her brows whilst glaring at the raging wall of death.

Feeling every Equestrians (in Everfree) donate their energy to her. Ramping her worn power beyond anything she’s ever felt.

The only time she’s felt power like this was when she and Luna wielded the Elements of Harmony against Sombra and Discord!

Thank you, everypony! Wow!

Without warning, she screams loudly at the top of her lungs once more!

Suddenly raising her voice startles the Equestrians that were all giving her energy. Interrupting their donations!

The Captain looks back up into the sky towards her.

Smiling after he’s sensed her energy output.

His smile doesn’t falter in the slightest, even as the air around Celestia swirls around her!

Slowly pushing him further back with ever-growing force.

“Do it, Princess!” he screams into the air before he’s knocked against a wall.

“Do it!”

Every Equestrian cry out as loud as they possibly can.

Having heard the guard before he hit the wall.

“Do it!”

Their voices merge together into a single voice that reaches Celestia.

“YYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

A second Final Flash blast discharges from her hooves, and shoots down along towards the end!

The blast disappears as it vanishes into the shockwave. Travelling down through the wild and chaotic mass of the shockwave towards the other end.

A bright light grows brighter at reaching the end.

Despite being nowhere near the first Final Flash’ blast strength, this newest blast shoots directly into the other end.

A bright flash erupting from the Final Flash blast before it shots forward and pierces the core straight through the center!

The core begins to twitch and spas from having been interrupted.

Waves shot out from the core as it thrums loudly.

“Look!”

An Equestrian shout and points their hoof towards the shockwave.

Panicking Equestrians stop in their tracks and turn around. Looking back up towards the shockwave.

Watching in shock as light-blue waves shots through the shockwave.

The shockwave’s advance slowly grinds to a halt, before it begins slowly backing away from the Equestrians.

The shockwave’s slow retreat revealing large and desolate. Absolutely devoid of life.

As Celestia witnesses the shockwave’s retreat, ends her Final Flash blast.

Her flaming aura keeps her suspended in the air above her and Luna’s castle.

Smiling as she gently begins to fly down.

Gently descending through the air towards the nearest tower where she plants her hooves on the stone floor.

Her brows jump at hearing countless voices from behind the tower’s battlements.

She trots closer and peeks out from behind the battlements. Looking down.

“Behold, Princess Celestia, our savior!”

The guard that organized everyone into donating their energy to her shouts.

Pointing his hoof directly at her.

The ever-growing crowd around the castle erupting into a loud roar.

From high up in the tower, a gentle smile stretches across her face.

It being decades since the last time she’s heard cheering like this.

Not since the Dark Years when she was defeated, her kingdom reduced to ruins, and what little remained of her evil banished to the cold North.

Something clicks in her head and she becomes motionless.

The world around her darkens. Turning into a dark void that surrounds her, except for a small circle of light.

The cheers of her overjoyed subjects fade away into eerie silence.

A silence that is only interrupted by a pair of glowing eyes.

Meeting the disembodied eyes, her eyes widen with fear.

Her courage from moments ago fading away. Soon replaced with a dreadful fear.

Whimpering, the powerful Alicorn Princess cowers before the dreadful presence before her.

The glowing eyes tilting to the side.

Narrowing gleefully upon slowly approaching her.

Deriving great joy from watching her suffer, which only terrifies her more!

Closing shut, the glowing eyes vanishes!

Celestia gasps at their disappearance, and quickly turns her head in random directions to find them again!

However, she doesn’t have to search long, for a dark figure immediately appears in front of her!

A wall of fire explodes outwards from behind the shadowy figure.

The wall of fire pulls back to reveal a dark and terrible throne room.

Torches with dark flames aligning the wall. Illuminating the room, and the two figures inside it.

Staring up at the shadow that stands before her, Celestia can only look on in horror at the being before her.

Every breath she takes comes out cold.

Despite torches being lit, there is no warmth, nor joy, nor happiness, nor courage left in the room.

Only untampered malice and fear!

A tall and slender figure towering over her small and insignificant form.

Tilting its head to the side, the figure gently steps forward!

Terrified, she quickly rises to her hooves and backs away from it.

Each step taken by the shadow reveals more of it, -

The shadows on it’s chest gives way to dark and crimson armor. Revealing a chest plate, and armor on the legs...

Next, the swirling shadows around it forms a long cape that trails along the floor…

The dark nothing pulls back to reveal a youthful, even beautiful face, -

However, its eyes immediately open to reveal the glowing eyes!

A crimson crown sits atop her head with three jewels in it.

Red beams shot from her eyes towards Celesta!

Her beautiful face becoming stone-faced upon projecting the beams on Celestia.

Her cold stare paralyzing the frightened mare in her tracks!

Unable to move an inch from her spot.

The dark female extends clawed hands out beside her.

Her smirk opening to reveal sharp fangs.

Reaching out towards Celestia with her sharp claws, whilst black tendrils slither out from behind her back.

Cutting Celestia off from any possible escape routes she might’ve had.

“Dracarys!”

An eerie whisper echoes around her.

The female entity’s head snaps left!

Looking towards…something!

Celestia turns her head towards what’s attracted her attention.

However, she can make out two distorted figures in the doorway.

The female entity slowly turns back towards Celestia.

Shooting her a malicious grin as a wall of shadow erupts behind her.

With a screeching roar, she suddenly lunges straight at Celestia!

A dark castle flashes in her head!

A castle with three mountains atop it.

The sounds of a male and female echo in her head!

“NO!” she screams as her eyes shoot wide open.

The cheering Equestrians fall silent at her sudden outburst.

Everyone silently staring upwards at the tower in shock.

Then, gasp as Celestia suddenly collapses.

“Hurry, hurry! The Princess might be in critical condition after her battle!”

The guard shouts.

“Fly you fools!”

He commands to the Pegasus Ponies, who immediately take to the air.

Immediately flying up towards the tower.

However, a bright light suddenly draws his attention.

Turning his head, he looks straight at a bright light.

His eyes widen shocked…

Meanwhile, Celestia’s indeed collapsed atop the tower, but not from a physical affliction.

One that can cripple even the greatest; sorrow.

Behind the battlements, she sits with her back turned to the battlements.

Two tears running down across her face at the same time.

Leaving two wet streaks on her face.

One tear each for the two screaming voices that keeps echoing over in her head.

“Princess Celestia, is everything-…alright?”

“Hm?” she replies.

“Mhm! I-I’m fine!” she says wiping both tears with her hoof. “I-I just want to be left alone for a bit!”

However, despite the sparked sorrow at reliving horrible memories, she looks up from the floor at glimpsing a bright light on the wall in front of her.

“Huh!? What the-!?”

Upon rising to her hooves, though, she looks behind her.

Only for her eyes to widen in horror at what’s before her.

Despite hovering close to the tower, the Pegasus Ponies are petrified with fear at a bright light in front of them!

Everyone of the Earth Ponies and Unicorns are all staring in paralyzed terror!

Every single Equestrian’s unable to look away or feel anything but fear and shock!

While they’ve been relishing in their victory, the shockwave’s been steadily overtaken by a white, bright glow.

Everyone that’s looked upon this light have found themselves afraid!

The courage draining out of them until there’s nothing left but fear!

Now, gazing upon the light, Celestia’s experiencing the same fear.

Like all millennia ago, she’s consumed by a cold fear.

Back in the skies above the Changeling Kingdom, the destabilized core continues to spin, but in the opposite direction!

Spinning around so fast that no one’s able to follow it.

The whirlwind underneath the pyramid stretches up into the sky towards the core.

The ferocious force of the whirlwind tugs at the Changeling’ Castle.

Causing the enormous structure to creak.

Tilting softly to the side as it’s foundation gets more and more uprooted by the wind

The spinning core finally explodes!

Flashing a blinding light upon the whole Changeling Kingdom, while sending a final wave of intense energy the Equestrians’ way…!

Raging beams of light explodes outwards from inside the pyramid.

Crashing through the walls and ceiling and shoots into the sky!

The pyramid falls out of the sky and violently slams into the ground!

Blowing up a wall of dust.

Reaching the other end, the already glowing shockwave glows brighter and finally explodes!

A white light envelope the Equestrians and the castle.

Celestia’s attention snaps down, only for her eyes to widen in horror at the sight greeting her.

Both the castle and the Equestrians disintegrate into dust before her eyes!

She’s about to leap into action, when the tower, itself, explodes and is sent flying through the air from the aftershock!

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!” she cries out.

Reaching out with her hoof towards the trapped ponies, only to watch as flames engulf the whole of Everfree Forest!

From space, cracks as bright as fire spreads across the planet!

Oceans boil and rumble as the oceans part ways, and pour into the vast crevices!

The ground cracks and breaks apart, destroying whole continents at once!

Also, visible from space is the very core of the explosion shooting into the space!

A final burst of light erupts from the enormous explosion that envelops Equestria!

Author's Note

Link1 - Freeza's Final Form
Link2 - Two Steps from Hell - Victory
Link3 - Dragon Ball Super soundtrack; The Earth's End

This will be my final upload of 2017

From here-on out, I will be taking a break and enjoy this coming Christmas with my friends and family.

Happy Holidays (and/or Merry Christmas) and a happy new year!:pinkiehappy::twilightsmile::raritywink:

Also, I finally got the link thing working again! :yay:

Chapter 37

End of the World

“Uurgh, h-uh?”

Celestia groans at hearing the wind blow.

Weakly raising an eye to see she’s lying inside the destroyed tower.

She raises her head and looks around.

Immediately having her attention stolen away by beams of light that’s coming in through cracks in the wall.

Her frown curves upwards into a smile as she rises to her hooves.

Despite the bruises her body, she manages to trot towards the wall.

She extends her hoof.

Pointing directly at the wall and fires a blast.

The wall explodes, and a beam of bright light shoots inside.

However, the light is murky. It’s color muted.

As she trots outside, she looks up in front of her only to gasp at the horrible sight before her.

A hollow wind blows across the barren and lifeless landscape.

From far in the distance, dark clouds stretch out across the sky.

Their darkness blotting out every little ounce of light.

Making an already ravaged world even more bleak and depressing.

The crack of lightning echoes all around the landscape, despite occurring far into the distance.

Unable to keep herself standing, Celestia sits down.

She closes her watering eyes and hangs her head.

The weight of her failure hits her hard!

Harder even when she defeated her sister not an hour ago.

At opening her eyes again, she stares into the distance towards the approaching dark clouds.

“Please…” she softly utters in a breaking voice, “Please, spare one!”

“Let one live!” she sobs.

She extends her wings, and with a gentle beat of her wings flies into the sky towards the approaching clouds…

************

Meanwhile, far away, a Unicorn Filly’s eyes shot open at the crack of thunder.

“Huh!? What!? Wh-AHH!”

She asks, only to fall back down in agony when she tries to stand.

Looking down towards her left leg, she sees her right hind-leg’s broken.

She tries to perform a healing spell, but the pain intensifies at just the slightest movement. Disturbing her concentration.

“Oh no, if I cannot heal my leg how am I ever going to get outta here!?” she squeaks concerned.

She looks up at the surrounding landscape, but it leaves more to be desired.

She’s still in the forest, but everything looks…bleaker than usual.

Every tree she sees has been uprooted and now lay on their sides. Piling on top of each other.

A faint but growing thicket of fog continues to venture deeper and deeper throughout the forest.

Obstructing everything but the toppled trees, though, at the pace the fog’s thickening it won’t be long before even they become difficult to see.

Suddenly, her head snaps right at hearing a twig break!

Eyes widening shocked.

I-is somepony here!?!?

“W-whose there!?” she calls out.

Her body begins shaking terrified at the thought of someone or some-thing attacking her while she’s so vulnerable!

Leaves close to her begin rustling…followed shortly by a pair of eyes staring out at her!

Her eyes widen in terror, and she leaps back.

Only to scream in agony as her leg hurts

“Ahhh!” a Colt screams as he jumps out of the bushes.

Despite the fresh pain in her leg, she stops screaming.

Shooting the Colt a shocked look.

“Oh thank Celestia, another Pony!” she exclaims relieved.

Groaning a little from the pain in her leg.

However, an obvious question presents itself to her, and she shoots the Colt a confused look.

“Speaking of which, why were you watching me?” she asks.

Raising her brow, suspicious of his motives.

His cheeks immediately go red and eyes widen.

Nervously staring back at her, but not the face of one who had been caught in the act of watching her from afar, but rather from speaking to a girl for the first time in his life.

“I-I-um-uh-!” he stutters.

Trying to avoid eye-contact for as long as he could.

Though, occasionally glimpsing back. Noticing something one time.

“Hey, what’s wrong with your leg?” he asks.

“Why would you think there is something wrong with my leg?” she asks confused.

“Well, there’s the fact that you’re sitting down for one, and you’re laying on your side, which is rather awkward for meeting somepony you thought was “spying on you”,” he replies pointing his hoof at her.

This time she blushed.

She was right.

One doesn’t lay awkwardly after accusing someone of spying on them. That is just ludicrous.

“True,” she hangs head.

Staring at the thinning, grey grass.

He blankly stares at her as she begins moving her hoof through the grass.

He narrows his brows and shoots her a blank stare.

“You didn’t exactly answer my question. Is something wrong with your leg?” he asks again.

Her eyes shot open, and she looks back up towards him.

“Y-yeah,” she softly utters, “I-I broke my leg when that giant…thing exploded.”

“Fortunately, I was further back so it just sent me flying into a tree,” she says, but turns her head and looks down at her leg, “though, it wasn’t exactly risk-free. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

He quickly nods back in agreement.

“I bet!”

Staring at her injured leg for a few seconds.

“Yeah, me too. I was in the back, so it wasn’t as bad for me either…though, I guess I got luckier.”

A sad frown settles on his face at looking down towards her leg again. Feeling bad for her.

However, his brows suddenly narrow after a while, and he trots up towards her.

“Um, what do you think you’re doing?!” she asks.

Suddenly feeling very nervous about him approaching her.

He doesn’t reply back.

Only continuing to approach her until finally coming to a halt in front of her.

Staring directly at her injured leg.

Finally, he slowly turns his head towards her.

“Do you trust me?” he asks.

“What?”

“Do…you…trust me?” he asks again at a slower pace.

His tone, quite serious.

She bits her lip and looks down, but upon looking up into his eyes she freezes.

She cannot explain it, but looking into his eyes she feels…calmer around him.

More trusting towards him.

“Yes!” she softly squeaks.

Blushing at being all alone with a Colt she doesn’t even know.

To tell the truth, she’s finding this all a ‘’little’’ exciting that a Cold is talking to her like this.

If not for her broken leg and the destruction around them, she’d have smiled.

“Alright,” he finally replies.

Looking even more nervous than she does.

“I promise to be as gentle as possible.”

Her eyes widen shocked.

“O-okay!” she nervously replies.

“Shshh. It’ll be alright, sshsshhhh,” he lightly pats her as she lays down on the ground.

He looks down towards her leg.

Closing his eyes as a look of anger settles on his face.

Sorry, I’m so very sorry…!

************

Meanwhile, Celestia finally reaches the end of her long flight across the ruined wastelands that used to flourish and full of life, but is now nothing but a barren wasteland.

She flies down towards a mountaintop. Planting her hooves against the rock.

Before her was an enormous crater that stretches far into the horizon.

Meaning that it was possibly even bigger what she sees here.

She hangs her head. Closing her eyes as she sighs.

Merely seeing the crater is a painful reminder for her.

“I just hope this works,” she says uncertain.

“Even if anypony survived, I doubt they’ll last for much longer. I’ve got be quick about finding them!”

She closes her eyes as a golden aura envelope her horn.

In her mind, she sees all of Everfree. Only, everything beyond Everfree is shrouded in darkness and the forest itself is highlighted by a green border.

All across the (mental projection) she sees a couple of red dots flash before her.

Indicating (and pin-pointing) multiple energy readings throughout the forest.

However, at opening her eyes, she continues to frown.

It was a couple…but nowhere near enough to make up for the lives she was meant to protect.

Her horns glows, only for her to vanish with a *POP* as she sets off to find the survivors…

************

Meanwhile, in the devastated forest, five Fillies and five Colts have already begun gathering.

Being the first to recover from the shockwave.

Many of them having gathered together in a large open clearing where they can be seen by any bypassing Pegasi looking for survivors.

Of the Fillies are:

Another was a somewhat chubbier Unicorn with a pink coat and bushy purple mane.

Another was an Earth Pony, whose coat was light-orange and mane curly and orange.

The other Earth Pony, whose coat was icy blue and mane was teal.

There was also a Pegasus, who sprouted a pale amber coat and moderate cherry mane.

A Pegasus with a cyan coat and short orange mane and tail. Her mane hanging down the front like bangs.

And off the Colts are:

One was a Unicorn whose coat was light-grey, and mane was dark-brown.

One was an Earth Pony, whose coat was moderate amber and his mane has silver and grey streaks throughout it.

Another was an Earth Pony, whose coat was light yellow and red mane. He also wore a stretson hat.

A Pegasus with a light-blue coat and rainbow mane.

Another of the Pegasi has a light malachite green coat, a light amaranthish mane.

All having found each other after they became lost from their family and friends…

************

While not straying too far from where the other Fillies and Colts were, the chubby Unicorn Filly still ventured far enough that she’d be able to gather some firewood. Just in case they’d have to spend the night here in this forest until rescued.

Someone was bound to come looking for them eventually…right?

Her magical aura picked up sticks one after the other.

Gathering them together in a small bundle suspended above the ground with her magic.

Soon, though, she begins to venture a little too far away from the group.

Continually staring down at the ground in her quest to find more sticks.

Brushing aside leaves and bushes with her telekinesis.

So caught up in her self-assigned job that she fails to notice the warm light of the sun be replaced with a cold shadow as she unwittingly ventures into the forest.

Nearly vanishing from sight until one spotted by one particular figure that soon follows after…

“Ooo, there’s another really good one!” the Unicorn exclaims excited as she spots another stick.

Her telekinesis immediately lifts it off the ground. Inserting it into the bundle of other sticks.

However, as she looks up its immediately apparent that she’s no longer in the same clearing as the others, but instead deeper into the forest!

“Oh no, I’m lost!” she exclaims.

A faint but growing sense of fear takes hold in her.

“W-where am I supposed to go?! H-how do I somepony’s even looking for me?! I-I don’t even know where I am, so how is anypony else supposed to know where to look?!”

J-just imagine the kinds of monsters that live here! W-what am I even going to do if they find me!?

Her paranoid thoughts only make the situation worst.

Preventing the poor Filly from keeping calm and level-headed.

“Psst, hey!”

“AHHH!” she exclaims at the immediate sound.

Flinching and jumping back away from the bushes where she heard it!

Her eyes widen, and she immediately assumes a defensive stance.

Ready to defend herself from whatever was hiding in the bushes, -

“Whoa, whoa, please don’t attack!”

…until a voice cries out from the bushes!

Causing her to halt her attack.

Shooting the bushes, a confused glance, until a Colt suddenly pops out from behind them.

She’s startled once more, but merely flinches.

She closes her open mouths, but continues to shoot him a quizzical look.

The Colt quickly catches on that she’s taken aback by his presence, so he just gently trots forward.

Emerging form behind the bushes into the open.

“Uh, um, -“ he stutters.

Blushing while attempting to avert making eye-contact.

“I noticed you were wandering away from the others…s-so I came to tell you not to go stray too far.”

Despite his lack of stuttering, she could tell that he was nervous about talking to her.

Her quizzical look turning into a blank stare.

“Oh, well, thanks,” she softly replies.

Smiling back at the timid Colt.

He came after to stop me from going deeper into the forest, even though he could’ve gotten lost himself just searching for me?! How sweet!

He looks back up, and nervously smiles back.

“W-what is your name?” he asks.

“Hmm, I’m Cookie Crumbles,” she softly chuckles.

Putting her hoof to her chest, before pointing it right at him at asking, “And what about you?”

“M-me?”

She cannot help but giggle at his shy-ness. Finding his timid-ness cute.

“Oh, I-I think we should get on back to the others. T-they’re probably worried about us!”

“Oh,” she replies, “but you still can tell me your name before we go back.”

She lowers her hood back to the ground at watching him avert his gaze from her. Biting his lip.

“N-no! It would be best if we get back to the others before they even notice we’re gone and begin searching for us!” he softly exclaims.

“Oh.”

She hangs her a little disappointed by him not wanting to tell her his name.

She was immediately ripped away from her disappointment by the Colt speaking up again.

“W-would you like me to carry those sticks and twigs for you?!”

Her brows jumping at his request.

She looks towards her levitating bundle, and smiles.

Gently turning back towards him.

“How about this; you can carry these sticks for me…if you tell me your name?”

His brows jump at her proposal.

Blushing softly before hanging his head.

“Um…I’m Hondo Flanks,” he nervously replies.

As soon as his name’ spoken, he quickly averts his eyes.

Looking out into the forest.

Despite being taken aback at his quick aversion to meet her eyes after speaking his name, she softly chuckles at being told his name.

“Well, its nice to meet you, Hondo,” she says.

His brows jump in response.

He slowly looks back up at her.

A friendly smile slowly spreads across his face.

Her smile, as a result, grows bigger.

“Well, here you go!”

She holds up the bundle of stick in front of him.

Snapping his attention towards the sticks, even as she merrily trots past him.

Only stopping after a couple of steps to turn her head and smiles back at him.

“You did ask if you could carry the sticks for me…so, here you are!”

She says winking at him.

While turning around to join her, he momentarily smiles overjoyed at having spoken to a Filly!

Quickly hiding it before she can see him…unaware that she saw his excited smile.

She just didn’t let him know she’d seen it.

His magical aura activates. Levitating the bundle of sticks in mid-air.

As he trots up beside her, the two gently trot forward besides each other.

Making their way back out through the thicket.

Only, as Hondo reaches out and pulls away the last couple of branches to allow her to trot out, Cookie suddenly freezes in place at noticing something up ahead.

Her eyes widening at glimpsing the figure before her.

Hondo isn’t too far behind as he too notices the figure, and its appearance has the same effect on him as it did her!

************

*Earlier*

As Cookie and Hondo trot off into the forest, an Earth Pony Filly with an orange coat and light-orange mane trots up towards a part of the forest where a Colt is sitting looking up towards a part of the clearing where trees lay on their sides (up-rooted).

At trotting towards the trees, she passes by two Earth ponies (a Colt and a Filly) whose busy digging in the ground.

“Look, I found another one.”

“Good job.”

One remarks and the other responds as they find a rock while digging.

The Colt’s coat is light-yellow with a red mane, and a stretson hat perched comfortably atop his head.

His head is hung at looking towards the devastated forest.

She sits down beside him, which causes him to turn and look down towards her.

“Any luck?” she asks in a southern accent.

He just shakes his head.

“Ey’ nope, Pear,” he shakes his head.

“These trees are tougher than they look…even for bein’ uprooted!”

Her concerned frown turns into a sad frown.

“Oh,” she sighs disappointed.

Momentarily hanging her head before looking back up at him.

“Well, what about the trees? Any luck with’ em?”

He just closes his head and shakes his head from side to side.

“I’ve managed to uproot a few of the smaller ones, but the larger ones are taking a lot longer.”

Now she closes her eyes.

She sighs at hanging her head disappointed.

“Don’t worry, Bright Mac, -” she smiles at him.

Her smile fades fast at looking back towards the trees, “…but if we’re gonna have a chance of signalin’ anypony where we are, we need those trees to raise that tower,” she says.

“You should rest up. You’re of no use exhausted.”

She smiles warmly.

“Thanks, though, not too long.”

Cracking a smile, she responds with a chuckle.

“Just don’t over exhaust yerself too much.”

Pear and Brick Mac touch their noses together, and gently nuzzle against each other.

Meanwhile in the skies above, two Pegasi flies above the clearing.

Scouting the distance for any sign of rescue or survivors.

However, due to the damage the forest’s sustained from the explosion, searching for survivors is a lot more difficult.

The Pegasi Windy Whistles and Rainbow Blaze has little luck in searching for survivors, and despite being able to fly they don’t dare venture too far from where they won’t have visual contact with the clearing and everyone else.

The best they can hope is that they’ll soon be noticed by a search party looking for survivors.

Bright Mac did say someone is bound to come looking…once everything settles down!

However, that could take hours, -

And time isn’t something they have!

“Hey, Whistle, any luck!?”

She immediately stops in mid-air and looks down towards Pear.

“No! Me and Rainbow’s not had any luck in finding anypony else!”

Despite being high in the sky, Windy still notices Pear hang her head and sigh disappointed.

Eventually looking back up again.

“How about findin’ a way outta the forest!?”

Regardless of Pear being able to see her, Windy shakes her head.

“No! There’s nothing but trees for miles!” she calls down.

She outstretches her hoof and points into the distance.

Nothing but devastated and collapsed forest for miles.

“Well keep trying, we’ve gotta find a way’ outta here!” Pear calls up.

“Will do!”

Windy salutes before she flies off.

Pear watches her friend fly off.

Smiling up into the sky at her friend flying off to continue looking for survivors or a way out of the forest.

Her smile though contorts into a frown as she hangs her head.

She gently looks up and trots back towards the two other Earth Ponies who were tending to the rocks…

“Hey, Cloudy, Igneous,” she waves to the two Earth Ponies.

“Hi, Pear,” they reply in unison with a wave of their hooves.

Uhh! That’s still creepy!

Pear thinks to herself.

“Have ya found what yer lookin’ for?”

Cloudy and Igneous shook their heads.

“None of these rocks are the angle we need to chip them together and make the spark necessary for a fire.”

“Oh!” Pear sighs disappointed.

She stares at the ground as she sits down.

“I was hopin’ we’d at least have somethin’ to make a fire with by now.”

Igneous puts a hoof to his chin in thought.

His eyes shoot open at an idea popping into his head.

“Hey, maybe we can ask Cookie if she can use her magic to make the sides exactly like we need them?” Igneous interjects.

Pear touches a hoof to her chin at thinking his suggestion over.

“We could, but she appears to’ ave gone missin’.”

“But it should be possible, right?” Cloudy asks.

Pear frowns dumbfounded at Cloudy.

“Do I look like a Unicorn?”

“No,” Cloudy replies.

“Well in that case let’s wait until we find Cookie before we begin wondering about hypothetical “this and that’s”.”

“Okay-“

“Huh!?”

“What!?”

However, as Cloudy replies, a bright light suddenly appears not far away from them!

Bright Mac turns around and looks directly at the light!

Windy and Rainbow stop in mid-air and look down towards the light!

Pear, Igneous and Cloudy continue to watch the light grow so bright they have to cover their eyes!

The bright light flashes and then dies down…revealing Princess Celestia standing there!

Everyone of the Fillies and Colt’s eyes widen shocked at seeing her.

“P-Princess…Celestia?!”

Pear asks softly with an astonished tone as she gently approaches the Alicorn.

Celestia turns her head and looks down towards the approaching Earth Pony.

Windy and Rainbow gently flies down.

Planting their hooves on the ground.

Bright Mac gently trots up from where he was previously resting.

And from the nearby forest, Cookie and Hondo trots out…only to freeze in their tracks at spotting the Princess, herself!

Slowly making their way over towards her as well.

The small crowd of Fillies and Colts grows bigger and bigger with each of them.

Soon, the Princess is crowded by the many Colts and Fillies, but it soon becomes apparent to them that something’s wrong.

Watching Celestia silently look them all over, before she frowns and eventually sighs.

“Princess Celestia, is somethin’ wrong?” Pear asks.

Celestia turns back and looks towards the curious Filly.

Her frown changing into a smile.

“No, it’s nothing, child,” Celestia replies.

She raises her hoof and gently pets Pear’s mane.

“I’m just glad to find that all of you are unharmed.”

“Y-AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Immediately, everyone’s attention snaps towards the forest at hearing an agonized scream!

“I think you spoke too soon, Princess,” Igneous interjects.

“Oh no, it sounds like somepony’s in danger!” Windy exclaims covering her mouth.

“Then what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!”

Before there’s even a chance of reacting, Rainbow kicks-off against the ground and shoots into the air!

A shockwave shoots out across the clearing.

“Hey, wait up, Rainbow!” Windy calls after him.

Unfolding her wings, she immediately flies after him.

Celestia looks back down towards the other Fillies and Colts.

“Don’t worry. Just stay here, and we’ll come back for you,” she says.

Unfolding her wings, she leaps into the air and flies after Windy and Rainbow.

“Wait, Princess, how are ya gonna find us again!?” Pear calls out after her.

************

“Hey, Rainbow, wait up!”

“Huh?”

Turning his head, Rainbow looks back and spots Windy trying to keep pace with him.

“Oh, so-“

He excuses himself at slowing his pace, -

Only he does it too fast, she’s barely given any time to properly react before shooting straight into a tree.

His ears perk up and eyes widen as he sees her posterior stick out of a tree.

“Whoops!”

A golden aura envelops and pulls Windy out of the tree. Placing her down on her hooves.

Windy looks up, only to come face-to-face with Rainbow.

She scowls at him for her sudden stop.

“He he, sorry!” he softly replies with an innocent smile.

Spotting a figure behind him, her eyes shoot wide open.

Her scowl turns into a blank stare.

He turns around and looks behind him.

Staring up as Celestia plants her hooves on the ground in front of him.

Now, Celestia is scowling.

However, it doesn’t take a genius to understand her reasons.

He immediately hangs his head in shame.

Celestia’s scowl softens up a bit.

“I’m sorry for running off, Princess,” he stutters.

She sighs and opens her mouth to speak, only for her head to snap away at hearing an ear-piercing scream through the trees!

Windy and Rainbows’ heads snap towards the source of the screaming.

“W-what is that?!” Windy nervously asks.

Wide-eyed, Celestia stares out in front of her towards the trees.

She gasps as the screaming intensifies.

Her head snaps back towards Windy and Rainbow.

Shooting them concerned stares.

“You two, go back to the others now!”

“B-but Princess-“

*POP*

However, before Windy can speak up, Celestia quickly vanishes as she teleports off to investigate the screaming.

Leaving the filly and colt to exchange confused glances with each other…

************

Back with Twilight Velvet and Night Light, Twilight’s screams finally die down.

The intense pain coursing through her leg dissipates.

Her eyes shoot open, and she looks up only to see Night Light back away from her.

Soon stopping as he looks back at her with a smile.

Her hanging slack, she slowly turns and looks down at her leg.

Her brows jumping at seeing the injury having faded!

Now looking good as new, with only a line going down along the center of her leg.

“M-my leg, it’s healed!”

She extends her hoof and gently touches her leg.

Feeling up her leg, she feels only a strange lump, but aside from that her leg really is healed.

Still with a look of shock she looks back up at Night.

He looks down at her leg and softly scoffs.

“Eh, I did what I had to,” he shrugs.

“I couldn’t just leave you like that, now could I?”

Her brows jump.

Taken aback by his response, she just stares at him.

Unsure of how to proceed after hearing something like that from a colt of all ponies.

He chuckles softly at the shocked stares she’s giving him.

H-he…cares about me that much?!

She thinks to herself shocked.

“Here,” he chuckles at extending his hoof towards her.

After accepting it, he pulls her up onto her hooves.

Standing up once more, she looks down at her hind leg.

Her eyes widen, and mouth hangs agape at the lack of pain she experiences.

“It’s fully healed!”

She turns back towards Night Light, and stares into his eyes.

Her jaw hangs a little slacker due to the shock of him being able to use such advanced magic.

“Yeah, I noticed, -” he chuckles softly, before suddenly looking off into the forest, “but no worrying about that now. We should find a way out of here and try to see if we can find anypony else to help us reach civilization.”

Velvet doesn’t pay any attention to what he’s saying.

Instead just opting to stare to into his eyes dreamily.

“Right?”

She’s soon snapped out of her trance-like state at him speaking to her.

She immediately shakes her head, and quickly nods back.

“Good, then let's get going. Don't want to be trapped in here forever, do we?"

Shaking her head, Velvet smiles back.

"Right-ey ho then!" he proclaims in a comedic fashion. Raising his hoof in the air and trots off.

With a roll of her eyes she trots after him.

However, Night suddenly stops in his tracks. And extends his arm out besides him to stop her.

"Night, is something wrong?" she asks, only to be meet with silence from Night whose frozen in place with a look of wide-eyed shock on his face.

She looks out in front of her towards what's grabbed his attention, only for her brows to jump at the sight of a pair of glowing eyes staring out from the trees.

This time Velvet's brows jump, and she grabs Night's hoof out of fear.

The glowing eyes blink back, -

...just before a figure steps forward, and emerges from the trees and approaches them!

Both filly and colt's eyes widen in shock...

************

Meanwhile, back at the encampment, Rainbow and Windy flies back out of the forest towards their friends. Whom are still waiting for them in the spot they'd last seen Celestia.

The crowd of children rush over to greet the pair of Pegasi, but their excitement soon gives way to confusion as they notice Celestia is not returning with them.

''Um, where is the Princess?" Hondo asks.

Windy and Rainbow both look at each other. Exchanging blank stares, before they turn back towards Hondo and the others.

"We don't know," Windy replies with a shrug.

"She sensed something and flew off to investigate," Rainbow explains.

"Yes indeed, young filly, -" a familiar voice speaks behind them.

Drawing all their attention towards the trees as a recognizable figure emerges from behind them.

She stops in place, but then looks behind her towards the trees, "...and I did find something interesting in the forest."

Everyone looks towards the trees, only for their eyes widen at the sight of another filly and colt that trots out from the trees.

"They're Twilight Velvet and Night Light, -" Celestia says as she trots up beside the Unicorns, and places both hooves on their shoulders, "and they've told me that they, just like you, found each other in the forest."

Cookie narrows her eyes, and turns to give Pear an intrigued look.

"But enough of that. You can befriend each other once we're all out of this horrible forest," Celestia immediatly interjects.

To which everyone of the couples nod and voice their agreement for her suggestion.

"Well then, everypony gather around me," Celestia says with a smile.

Everyone of the children replies by gathering around the white Alicorn.

Celestia closes her eyes, and her horn begins to glow.

The golden light of her magic intensifies until it explodes. Enveloping Celestia and the children in a bright light.

When the light dissipates, Celestia and everyone else are gone.

Author's Note

A very delayed HAPPY 2018, and chapter upload considering i've been close to finishing this chapter but i've been instead working on a future story.

Either way, after leaving you on a stellar cliffhanger back in 2017, I present you all with chapter 37. The continuation of the Bill-inning.

Hope you enjoy and as always your feedback and comments are appreciated:pinkiehappy:

Link1 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers CR - 03. Lost In Emyn Muil
Link2 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring CR - 13. Gollum

Chapter 38

Behold, the incredible Power of Movie Night!

Silent.

That is all the Fearamid is as the dust settles across the Changeling Empire.

The entire empire is in dissaray. Structures demolished and/or cracked. Many of which were strong enough and thus only tilted slightly to the side.

At the very heart of the settling shockwave lies the collapsed remains of Bill Cipher's Fearamid.

Anyone who enters ruined structure will find cracked walls, destroyed ceilings, broken pillars, and collapsed stairs.

The entire Fearamid is silent, though faint are audiable in the distance. A piece of the Fearamid breaking off and falling down through the air, or a cold wind blowing throughout the destroyed halls and corridors...

Throughout the Fearamid entire rooms, doors, walls, floors and ceilings has collapsed.

Inside the deepest parts of the downed Fearamid an eerie silence hangs over a destroyed corridor that has been flipped onto its side.

A destroyed door lies down on the floor, and several footprints leads away towards a cracked wall...that leads outside to the Changeling Kingdom.

A high-pitched laughter echoes around the collapsed Fearamid as lightning strikes down around the Fearamid.

On the skies outside the Fearamid, a triangle with a circle and a line in the center appears as lightning strikes!

"No more!"

***

Meanwhile, Celestia has brought the fillies and colts she found in the forest to her castle.

Providing them a safe place for the time being.

However, as Celestia leaves the children in her throne room to trott outside onto the balcony her smile fades.

She looks into the distance towards the horizon.

Hanging her head she thinks about her decision.

Is she making the right choice to do this?

It is to find out what caused this, and perhaps put an end to it.

She hasn't seen Bill Cipher since their encounter in that aweful nightmare not too long ago.

Is it worth it, the risk?

Celestia raises her head and looks back inside the throne room at the fillies and colts talking and playing with each other...

"captain?"

The captain of the guards hears Celestia's voice.

He turns around and sees their ruler approach him.

Immediatly, he turns around to face her.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

Celestia hesitates, before she looks back inside the throne. Then back towards the captain.

"I...i'm going to investigate something. Whatever those children, -" she points back inside the throne room towards the fillies and colts, "...asks for, give it to them."

The captain looks back inside the throne room at the large group of children. He then looks back at Celestia with a smile.

"As you wish, your Majesty."

He replies bowing his head.

"Good."

She nods back, before she trotts down the hallway.

Celestia's horn glows as she trotts along the hallway, and she teleports out of the castle.

She re-appears on a hilltop where she turns around and looks back down towards the castle.

"They'll be safe there until I return, -"

Celestia re-assures herself before she turns away towards the South. The direction of the Changeling Kingdom, and narrows her eyes.

"...but I need to find who or what attacked us, and I know I sensed something in the Changeling Kingdom. Something...powerful."

Celestia extends and flaps her wings as she flies into the air.

Dissapearing into the night as she heads towards (what she believes) to be the source of the explosion that nearly destroyed all of Equestria.

***

All throughout the night she flies across many places that were once hospitable and nice, but were now grusomely defaced after the shockwave passed over them.

Forests were gone. Burned down till nothing but the stump remained.

Large-open fields were scorched black, and giant crevices had opened up.

Celestia stopped at one of these crevices and looked inside to find a strange bubbling substance at the bottom.

She was disgusted by what she saw, but immediatly took flight and flew away.

Resuming her journey towards the Changeling Kingdom.

As time passed everything green became black and burned.

Nothing but scorched fields as far as the eye can see.

Celestia tried to clench her eyes shut and ignore the countless dead land that lay ahead, but unfortunatly she needed to see where she was going.

Reluctantly, she forced herself to look upon the dead land in front of her as she flew.

Each dead tree and barren hillside angering her.

But soon, after much strife, she finally arrived at the mountains bordering the Changeling Kingdom.

However, as she landed atop the titular mountains her eyes widened at the sight of the destruction before her!

She'd assumed that the Changeling Empire would've survived unscathed, but it too had been affected by the terrible shockwave that devastated Equestria.

"W-what happened here?!"

Celestia asks in a horrified tone as she looks out across the landscape.

At asking that one of the tall spires in the distance collapsed and slams into the ground.

***

Meanwhile, at the Changeling Castle a green magic field envelops two damaged doors and pries them open. Ripping them off their hinges.

"Chrysalis! Chrysalis!"

Pollus calls out in a concerned tone as she runs into her daughter's room, which is in total shambles after the castle was hit by the shockwave.

Fortunatly, the castle is still standing after the shockwave.

Pollus coughs as dust blows in her face as she runs into the room.

She's greeted by a mess.

The bed has fallen onto its side, and other forms of furniture is either broken or lies on its side on the floor.

"Chrysalis! Where are you?! Chrysalis!"

Pollus's eyes widen as she hears a faint coughing from the window.

Her head snaps towards the window, and gasps at the figure greeting her.

A triangular shadow soon falls upon the wall behind Pollus.

Bill turns around to face Pollus...holding a battered and coughing Chrysalis in his hands.

"Oh my-...Chrysalis!"

Pollus runs towards Bill, and uses her telekinesis to lift Chrysalis out of his hands and into her hooves.

She looks down at her bruised daughter, and holds her tight against her body.

Bill silently watches as Pollus gently nuzzles her cheek against Chrysalis's hair.

His brow narrows, and he puts his arms behind his back as he begins to pace around the room in thought.

Pollus soon stops nuzzling Chrysalis's hair, and looks back up towards Bill.

Lightly narrowing her brows as she stares at the triangular dream demon.

"Where have you been, Cipher?"

She asks, to which Bill freezes in place.

Bill turns around and looks back at her.

He sighs and turns around all the way to face her.

"Forgive me, Empress, I have been otherwise...detained by a situation that required my attention" he explained.

"But now that I have returned the time has come to finish this!"

He says clenching his fists. Angrilly narrowing his brow.

"The time has come for us to fulfill Annatar's dream!"

Bill says as he pumps his fist in the air.

Pollus's brows jumped at hearing this, and she looks down at Chrysalis concerned.

"B-but its too soon! W-we cannot even launch an offensive against the Equestrians at our current state. Especially after this cataclysm!"

Bill lowers his arms and puts them behind his back.

Smirking as he looks back towards the concerned Empress.

"But I can."

He says at pointing his thumb at himself.

"My powers are beyond the Equestrians's understanding. They will not be able to defeat me!"

He turns around and walks towards the window.

Every step he takes he looks to walk up along an invisible staircase until he hovers in the air.

He continues to walk towards the window, but doesn't get any higher.

Before he walks out of the window he stops and turns around to face Pollus.

"I will only warn you once, Empress, things might get a little bumpy so I must implore that none of your Changelings venture beyond the Changeling Kingdom's borders," Bill warned.

The Empress opens her mouth to ask him what he means, but knowing the demon is powerful he certainly won't go easy on the Equestrians.

She silently nods back.

"I will ensure none stray into the Changeling Kingdom."

Wait, what?!

However, before she can inquire about that Bill suddenly extends his arms out besides him and dissapears in a flash of bright light.

Forcing the Empress to clench her eyes shut and avert her gaze.

Soon after the light dies down, Pollus opens her eyes.

She looks around the room, but Bill is gone.

Looking down at the injured filly in her grasp a single thought goes through her head.

I hope you know what you're doing, Cipher.

She turns and trotts out of her daughter's unraveled bedroom.

Several of her guards are waiting outside the room, and joins their Empress as she trotts down the corridor.

Her first priority is to ensure everyone of her subjects receives Bill's instructions.

"Send out word to every Changeling that they are to seek immediate shelter. A storm is coming!"

She orders one of her guards.

"Yes, your Majesty."

The guard replies with a bow of his head.

He extends his wings and flies off to deliver her message. Buzzing along the corridors.

Pollus looks down at Chrysalis sympathetically, and extends her own wings. Buzzing as she flies into the air.

Several of her guards also takes flight and escorts their Empress down the corridor.

While flying down the corridor they pass by several paintings.

Many of which depicts previous rulers of the Changeling race.

At the very end of the long line of paintings is a particular painting that illustrates a humanoid in front of an army of Changelings, and is clad in white, elegantly crafted robes and grasping a crimson iron staff in its hands.

The humanoid's expression is stern, with bright glowing eyes. On the humanoid's face is a long beard.

The name of the humanoid depicted reads as Annatar, the White Wizard.

***

At the same time, at Bill Cipher's downed Fearamid everything is quiet. Eeriely so.

A cold, lifeless wind blows through the dilapitdated ruins.

The wind blows through the many cracked holes in the walls, ceilings and floors.

Deep within the bowels of the Fearamid a large double-door has been ripped open (as a result of the Fearamid crashing into the ground)

Within the chamber a lone light shines on the dark walls.

Illuminating the room as a tall figure clad in robes walks throughout the room.

As the figure ventures deeper and deeper into the chamber the light travels along with it.

The hooded figure stops in front of a destroyed podium, and looks down at the floor to see a chest has fallen down.

Extending a long-sleeved arm, the hooded figure holds out a hand towards the chest.

The chest shakes, before it levitates off the floor.

The hooded figure levitates the chest in front of it. Suspending the chest in front of it in mid-air.

The hooded figure extends another hand and points it directly at the chest.

The chest glows, and the hooded figure looks inside.

A devious smirk soon settles on the hooded figure's face at seeing the chest's contents.

"Good, they're all here, -"

The figure thinks aloud to itself.

"...well, nearly all of them."

The hooded figure grumbles to itself.

"Hmm. They will have to do."

The hooded figure turns around and walks out of the chamber. Levitating the chest in front of itself.

The hooded figure makes its way out of the Fearamid. Levitating the chest with it.

After making its way onto an open clearing outside the Fearamid, the hooded figure soon turns into an amorphous shadow and flies into the sky.

Sometime later the amorphous shadow flies down towards several titular mountains.

Directly above the mountains were dark clouds.

Yet, when the amorphous shadow flew down past the mountains they didn't react. Allowing him to pass.

The shadow flies down past the mountains towards a scorched and burnt land.

The major difference between the Changeling Kingdom and this place was that both the clouds, mountains, and the very ground was blood-red.

Landing on the ground, the shadow assumes the hooded figure's humanoid form again.

The hooded figure looks up and spots a large castle sitting on the mountainside.

Leading up to the castle is a walkway made out of stone. A quite narrow walkway by the looks of it.

However, the hooded figure starts walking up towards the walkway.

Levitating the chest in front of it as it makes its way up the walkway towards the castle.

Within the castle the hooded figure proceeds down a corridor.

At the end of the corridor is a door.

The hooded figure extends an open hand towards the door.

The door clicks open, and the door swings open. Granting the hooded figure entry into the room.

Inside the room the hooded figure levitates the chest onto a desk, and opens the chest.

The hooded figure looks inside the chest and smiles, before reaching inside the chest.

One at a time the hooded figure pulls out a locket, a ring, a cup, a diadem, and lastly a book.

The hooded figure freezes at seeing the book.

He silently holds the book out in front of him, as he stares at it.

He soon narrows his brows and puts the book down on the desk.

"Foolish boy. Trusting an Equestrian with such importance!"

He grumbles to himself at putting his arms behind his back, as he walks across the room towards the balcony.

Stepping out onto the balcony and looks upon his domain.

As the dark clouds begin glowing (from lightning) a single bolt of lightning shoots across the skies.

Illuminating the hooded figure's shadow on the wall behind it.

"Soon, my soldiersss, -" the hooded figure said as it looked down upon the fields below, "...our time will come."

From his balcony the horned figure was meet with thousands of red eyes looking up at him.

"How I have longed to be a god!"

***

Meanwhile at the Castle of the Two Sisters, a triangular figure hovers in the as it approaches the castle.

The guards stationed by the doors looks towards each other as the triangular figure continues to approach.

"Halt!"

The guard orders as he holds out his hoof towards the triangle.

"Who are you, and what is your business with the princess?"

The triangle glares at the guard with its one eye, and gently puts one hand behind its back while extending the other arm.

Pointing its finger straight towards the door.

"Yes, we understand that you seek to enter the castle, but what-"

*BOOOOM!*

Before the guards can react the door suddenly explodes!

The doors are blown to pieces, and the surrounding walls crumbles.

Leaving behind a large hole in the wall.

Through the flames and smoke the Bill Cipher hovers inside the castle.

He looks out in front of him, and puts his arms behind his back.

"Finally, my patience will be rewarded!"

He thinks aloud to himself as he hovers forward.

Venturing deeper into the castle.

***

Meanwhile, at the Castle of the Sisters a dark shadow suddenly envelops the castle.

Drawing the entire castle staff outside where they look into the sky.

The castle staff hurries outside to investigate the cause of the darkness, but as they look into the sky, though, they froze in their tracks.

Their eyes widens, and jaws hangs slack.

"What the-?!"

The captain of the guards remarks at seeing a large square in the sky.

The square is so large that it completly blotts out the light of the sun.

"W-what is it?!"

A guard nervously asks.

"I...don't know," the captain replies.

"T-this is beyond anything i've ever encountered in all my years of service to the princesses."

Back inside the castle the large crowd of fillies and colts have been told to remain in the throne room.

However, they weren't told that they couldn't watch from the balcony.

So, outside on the balcony they've all gathered.

Looking up in the sky towards the large square above the castle.

"What is it?" Velvet asks.

"No idea. It's just...there," Nightlight replies.

"Well, someone must've put it there. I mean, it can't just have appeared of nowhere, right?" Cookie asks.

"Precisely, my little ponies, but it's not a question of ''how'' it's appeared...but ''why!"

A high-pitched voice says behind them.

The fillies and colts all turned back to face the speaker, and all gasped at seeing it was a golden triangle with arms and legs, one eye, a bowtie and a tophat!

Bill Cipher laughed as he put his arms behind his back, and hovered towards the children.

He snaps his fingers and conjures a strange crimson contraption out of thin air, which he grabs and carries on his shoulder.

Everyone of them backs away from him...aside from Twilight Velvet.

She had the strength to stand before him, while everyone else cowered in fear.

"Hey, who are-?"

Velvet asks him, however, Bill just ignores her and hovers over her towards the balcony.

The fillies and colts shake in fear as he puts down the contraption on its three legs.

He puts his hand against his sides, but soon narrows his eye annoyed.

"Meh, this angle is no good. I'll need a better angle for it to work."

Bill thinks aloud to himself.

He soon narrows his brow at looking towards the balcony.

Putting a hand underneath his eye, and pretends to scratch his cheek.

"Hmm... That could work, but the kids have to go."

He extends and aims his finger at the fillies and colts.

Velvet gasps, as do the fillies and colts. Whom begins to shiver in fear.

"No, stop!"

Velvet calls out to Bill, but a blue beam suddenly shoots out of his finger towards the fillies and colts.

The fillies and colts clench their eyes shut...and dissapear with a *POP!*

Bill turns away and looks around the room, while Velvet's eyes widen and jaw hangs slack.

Nothing but stuttered noises is uttered by the stunned and shocked Unicorn filly.

Her eyes stares towards the empty balcony where her friends used to be, but was no more!

Soon, though, she watches as Bill hovers over towards the balcony and places the red contraption down on the balcony.

"Perfect! This is an excellent position!"

He remarks, before noticing Velvet on the verge of tears.

"Oh brother, these Equestrians can be such drama queens!"

He sighs to himself.

Bill spins his arm around 360 degrees, and aims his finger up at the ceiling.

He fires an orange beam at the ceiling, which conjures an orange portal to appear.

From out of the orange portal Velvet's friends fell down towards the ground.

Landing with a loud *THUD* as they hit the floor.

"H-huh- W-wha-?!"

Velvet asks confused.

Looking back and forth between the balcony and her friends, whom she clearly saw vaporized.

Trying to wrap her mind around this.

Nightlight stands up, and shakes his head before noticing Velvet.

"Velvet!"

"Nightlight!"

They both exclaim, as they run towards each other. Embracing each other.

After embracing each other, they both pull back to stare at each other.

"I thought that guy destroyed you!"

"So did I! ...but it turns out he only teleported us out of the way," Nightlight replies.

*SNAP*

"What?!"

Velvet and Nightlight exclaims at hearing something snap.

Their, as well as the other fillies and colts's, attention snaps towards the anthromorphic triangle.

"There, now we can get started!"

The triangle grins to itself as it looks outside.

Rubbing its hands together excited.

He pressed a button on his contraption, and gently pointed it up into the sky.

The projector begins clicking, and a light starts flickering...!

"Wait, where'd the object go?!"

The captain of the guards exclaims as the large object in the sky *POOF*ed away.

"Uh, I don't know sir...b-but I think we should be more concerned about that!"

A guard exclaims as he points up at the sky.

Suddenly, the ground begins violently shaking!

Intense tremors ravages not only Equestria...but the whole world!

Large fields were pulled apart as vast crevices tore themselves open across the world!

Dark clouds begins swirling above the Castle of the Two Sisters. While red bolts of lightning shoots down and strikes the surrounding landscape...!

And at the center of the swirling clouds a large tear in the fabric of reality rips open across the skies!

However, while the tear in reality is large enough to encompass the entire castle, four tendril-like tears rips open.

Giving the newly appeared tear an X-shape.

Down on the world below, the Equestrians can only stare at the large X in the sky.

Within the tear is a constantly changing outpour of colors, as well as a vortex that is ever-morphing. Taking on a variety of shapes.

The ponies' jaws hangs slack at the massive tear above them.

Unable to look away or react.

Back on the balcony Bill Cipher narrows his eye, and smirks at seeing the rift in the sky.

He turns towards Velvet and her friends.

Smiling at them.

"What, you wanna see it too?"

Bill asks before he extends his hands and grabs the wall.

Pulling it apart like clay, and creates a hole for the ponies to look out through.

Velvet's friends flinched at first, but soon looks out the hole.

Gasping at seeing a large X-shaped rift in the sky.

Bill chuckles to himself and looks back out towards the rift.

"Here comes the drums," he whispers to himself.

Velvet turns her head and looks towards him.

Raising a confused brow at what he meant by that.

"Hey, look!"

Velvet and her friends hears a voice exclaim.

They turn and look back out the hole (in the wall) towards the rift.

"What's that?!"

Another voice exclaims as several silhouettes appears from within the rift.

The silhouettes penetrates the rift, and flies out across the landscape around the castle.

A black mass pours out of the rift and blotts out the sunlight as it envelops the skies.

"W-what's happening?!"

The captain of the guards exclaims as he, and the landscape, is enveloped in darkness.

But just as he, his guards and the castle staff feel themselves afraid, something flies down towards them from the black mass.

"W-what's, si-AHHHH!"

A guard asks, before the approaching thing shoots a beam at him.

The staff, guards and captain averts their eyes at the bright light, but soon looks back towards the guard as the light dies down.

The sight to greet them is a shocking one; the guard has been turned to stone!

His terrified expression frozen in stone!

"Oh my sweet Celestia! That thing turned him to stone!"

A soldier exclaims, seconds before more of those ''things'' flies down towards them!

"Look out, here they-AUGRRRGGGGH!"

The captain exclaims before he's zapped, and turned to stone!

The remaining guards and staff looks up into the sky.

Gasping at seeing more of those ''things'' fly towards them!

They quickly turn around and run back towards the castle to survive the onslaught...

However, more of those ''things'' swoops down towards them, and zap them into stone!

Petrifying the guards and millitary, before then going after the defenseless castle staff.

The ''things'' flap their wings as they hover in front of their petrified victims.

Through the hole in the wall, Velevet, Nightlight and all their friends gasps horrified at what's they've just seen!

Large eyeballs with wings just turned the entire castle staff and the guards into stone!

Their eyes widens at seeing what is now revealed to be a SWARM of those eye-bats.

Ducking as the eye-bat swarm passes over the castle.

The castle is nothing to the swarm as they spreads across the land...

Thousands of eye-bats fires their eye-beams on ponies as they reach settlements.

Be it a town, settlement or even a city, nothing stands in the swarm's way!

Like a black wave, the swarm overruns everything in their way!

If there is a wall in their way they just esily flies over it, and begin assaulting the ponies with their petrification beams.

Easily turning ponies into thousands of motionless statues.

The horror of the invasion frozen on their faces.

"Hmmm..."

Bill grumbles at witnessing the destruction.

The invasion shown in his eye like a monitor.

Stroking his chin at observing the chaos and mayhem his eye-bats are causing.

"Not bad boys, but save some panic and destruction for the cameos."

"Cipher."

At hearing the voice Bill blinks his eye, and looks towards the voice.

The image in his eye, reverted back to his normal eye.

Velvet and her friends looks to where Bill is looking, and gasps at seeing the others also look towards the source of the voice.

They gasp as a Changeling and two drones appears through green flames.

Bill floats over towards the Empress to face her.

"Your majesty? Is something amiss?" he asks.

"My drones have informed me that Princess Celestia is in the Changeling Kingdom. She is apperantly investigating what it was that caused that large explosion that nearly destroyed Equestria," Pollus replies.

Bill narrows his eyes and grins.

"Gooood!" he remarks.

"The time has come to rid ourselves of our greatest enemy."

He says with glee.

She nods back calmly.

"So shall you dispose of the princess, yourself?" she asks.

"No, but I know of someone better suited for that task, -"

Bill replies, as he and everyone else hears something in the distance.

"...and by the looks of things, he has arrived!"

From out of the rift an amorphous black mass shoots out, and crashes down in a field not far from the castle.

A tall figure with sharp, pointed shoulders, four large horns (with two smaller, curved points on the side) and flaming eyebrows gently stands up to its full height.

Dwarfing the castle.

***

Meanwhile in the Changeling Kingdom, Celestia silently trotts through the destroyed and derelict landscape of what is supposed to be the Changeling Kingdom.

One of the most feared kingdoms in all Equestria...and its more dead and barren than before.

Not that the Changeling Kingdom was much to look at before, but this...this is even worse!

The bizare and strange formations have been destroyed or broken into pieces. Along with many of its spires and formations.

Large, and very deep, crevices has opened in the ground.

Hlls and mountains have collapsed, or crumbled into large mounds of rubble.

Even the kingdom's core inhabitants, the Changelings are strangely abscent...almost like they're-

"No!"

Celestia exclaims at shaking her head.

"They can't be. I find it hard to believe that they would've perished in that explosion," she thinks aloud to herself.

However as Celestia keeps searching the eeriely silent wasteland, she doesn't find any Changelings.

"Come to mention, I haven't found any bodies either."

She thinks aloud as she skeptically narrows her brows.

"An explosion that powerful might've destroyed their bodies, but there aren't even any burnmarks where their bodies might've been."

She puts her hoof to her chin in thought.

Pondering over whether the Changelings have really been destroyed...or if-

Her eyes immediatly widens at that posability!

Fear instantly courses through her body at the notion that-"

"T-this was all planned!"

She utters in a softly terrified tone.

Narrowing her brows as another thought is added on top of the first.

"It all makes sense now!"

"Bill Cipher hasn't shown himself in days, and it cannot be a coincidence that right after the Cybermares are defeated a powerful explosion originates from the Changeling Kingdom, -"

She thinks aloud at staring out in front of her towards a barren plain.

"...and while I have a hard time believing that the Changelings could've found some powerful artifact that could've given them the power to destroy all of Equestria!"

A wind starts to blow across the landscape, but Celestia is so caught-up in her theories that she doesn't notice.

Even as the skies darken and she's enveloped by the approaching shadows, she doesn't react...

However, her head suddenly shots up.

Her eyes widens and ears twitched at hearing something.

A noise.

(Insert Aku's theme Extended)

"What the-?"

"What is this strange noise i'm hearing?"

She asks at turning her head to look around the landscape.

Trying to locate the source of the sound.

However, at looking around her, the cliffs and surrounding formations, she doesn't see anything.

She narrows her brows, and stares sternly at her surroundings.

The sound continues to drone on...while several shadows slither out of the cracked ground.

Amassing together, and forming a tall, humanoid figure.

Curved and sharp shoulders point inwards towards a head.

A head with hour horns and flaming eyebrows.

The newly emerged figure stares down at Celestia, while she continues searching...

Soon, though, she stops in place.

She gently turns around and stares towards him.

Her brows jump at seeing him, but immediatly narrows her brows.

Shooting him a stern glare, so as to not show fear.

Aku smiles at seeing her reaction.

Knowing full-well that these creatures (...um, Equestrians, wasn't it?) would more than certainly succumb to fear by his apperance alone.

"Greetings, Princess Celestia, I am Aku, the Shapeshifting Master of Darkness, -" he introduces himself.

"...and I come seeking you!"

He says thrusting out his hand and pointing an almost claw-like finger at her.

Celestia intensifies her glare.

"Why? What reason do you have for seeking me out?" she asks.

"Oh, I have none, -"

Aku replies as he shrugs his shoulders.

His whole body creaks as he moves.

A devious smirk settles on his face at opening his eyes and looks at her.

"...but a good friend of mine does, and that is reason enough!"

He exclaims, outstretching his arm and points a claw-like finger at her!

Aku's eyes glows brighter, before he suddenly shoots a pair of eye-beams towards Celestia!

Celestia's eyes widen, but she's able to leap out of the way in spite of the shock.

The eye-beams hit a mountain behind her and explodes.

She recovers, and assumes a defensive stance.

Seeing now that this Aku has come for her, specifically.

Aku grins, and thrusts a hand into the air.

She raises a confused brow at this, but soon looks down as the ground begins shaking...

"Whoa!"

Before she's able to react, the ground suddenly shoots up into the air.

Forming a tall tower, atop which Celestia stands.

Blinking her eyes confused.

"Um, okay-? Whoa!"

She exclaims at several black tendrills that shoots out towards her!

She leaps off to the side, but immediatly falls down towards the ground.

"Get over here!"

Celestia's head snaps towards Aku at hearing him call out to her.

Her eyes widens as she sees him thrust out his hand towards her.

His hand turns into black ooze that envelopes her whole body.

Celestia's head soon emerges from the ooze.

Gasping as she inhales a deep breath.

"WHA HAHAHAHAHA!"

Aku laughs, before he looks down at Celestia.

Whom glares back at up at him.

"Foolish Equestrian...you are nothing against the awesome power of Aku!"

Celestia narrows her brows angrily...but also smirks at the Shogun.

Much to Aku's confusion.

Her horn glows, and she fires a concentrated magical blast at Aku's arm.

"AGHHHHHH!"

Aku screams as his right arm is dismembered.

Both his arm and shoulder starts to burn...

However, the flames on his shoulder soon dissipated.

His severed arm disentigrated to nothing, which allows Celestia to extend her wings and fly in the air.

Aku looks towards his shoulder, and watches as he regenerates a new arm.

He tightens his regrown arm's hand. Balling it into a fist as he looks out at Celestia.

Growling at the Alicorn, as she flies towards him.

"Insolent wretch!"

Aku growls.

Roaring enraged at the Alicorn.

His eyes glows once again, and he fires another eye-beam towards Celestia.

Celestia just narrows her brows, and dodges the eye-beam.

Aku gritts his teeth and narrows his brows.

He repeatedly fires his eye-beams towards Celestia, in the hopes that one of them will fit.

However, she once again dodges them.

Despite her tall stature, she's quite a fast little thing.

She flies away from Aku into the air, where he repeatedly shoots eye-beams towards her.

Struggling to hit her, much to his frustration.

While dodgeing his barrage, Celestia looks down towards Aku.

Narrowing her brows, she suddenly around and flies back towards him.

Watching her start to charge towards him, Aku intensifies his eye-beam barrage.

Shooting an intense flurry of beams to try and hit her...but she just teleports out of the way of them, and flies straight towards Aku!

She charges an even stronger magical blast this time, and shoots it straight at Aku...

However, a hole opens in Aku's body. Causing her blast to pass straight through him, and explode upon impact with a mountain behind him.

"Princess fool, have you learned nothing? I am the Shogun of Sorrow, the Deliverer of Darkness! You are a mere insect to the Great Aku!"

He extends his hand, and shoots several things from his hand towards Celestia.

Celestia flares her wings outwards, which quickly slows her to a halt in mid-air.

She quickly flies down out of the way of the oval-shaped things, as they shoot past her.

She stops in mid-air, and smirks at looking down towards the Shogun.

Hmmm... Apperantly this guy isn't as much a push-over as originally thought. He underestimated me the first time, but he seems to be adapting his strategy. He may not be able to hit me...but then again, I won't be able to hit him either, she thinks to herself.

"Was that it? And after all that-UGH!"

Celestia is suddenly knocked back through the air, as she's struck by something.

She quickly recovers, and immediatly turns her head.

Looking across the sky to locate her attacker.

"What...was that?"

Down on the ground, Aku grins to himself at observing the princess' confusion.

*WHOSH*

Celestia quickly turns around as something flies past her.

Gritting her teeth in frustration.

She knows that there is something there, but she can't see it.

*WHOSH*

She quickly looks back in front of her as something flies past her again, -

...but a dark shape flies down and punches her.

Sending her crashing into a mountainside.

"BWA HAHAHAHAHA...!"

Celestia hears Aku laugh as she crawls out of the hole she made in the mountainside.

She glares at the Shogun...only for her eyes to widen at seeing dark, winged figures hover down in front of Aku.

Her jaw drops at seeing several smaller Akus with large bat-wings.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

She softly utters.

"No kids here, princess...only an Equestrian mare that is about to learn the true meaning of pain!"

Aku says holding up his outstretched, before balling it into a fist.

"Get her!"

He shouts extending his arm and points his index finger at her.

The Aku-Bats narrows their brows, and with a mighty bat of their wings speeds towards Celestia!

Celestia gasps, and on reflex leaps into the air.

Extending her wings, as she flies upwards into the sky.

The Aku-Bats sweep upwards, and flies after Celestia.

Holding her hooves in front of her, Celestia looks behind her and sees the Aku-Bats in hot-pursuit of her.

She flies straight, and orients herself in mid-air as she begins firing magic blasts down towards her pursuers.

However, firing on such agile and nimble adversaries has its drawbacks...such as missing!

Holding their wicked grins, the Aku-Bats dodges each of her attack.

Much to her frustration, since they keep getting closer.

Meanwhile down on the surface, Aku watches his smaller bat-selves pursue the princess.

Feeling no need to intervene, as evidenced by the content smirk on his face.

Following Celestia and his bat-selves as they fly across the skies.

Continuing this perpetual game of cat and mouse.

The Shogun of Sorrow is so pre-occupied with watching the chase between himself and Celestia that he doesn't notice a silhouette atop one of the surrounding mountains.

The figure scowls at Aku at hearing his laughter echo around the landscape...

Back in the air, Celestia gritts her teeth frustrated at not being able to hit any of the Aku-Bats.

RRRRGH! This isn't working! Its going to be impossible to deal with Aku if I have to constantly fend of his bat-clones.

She thinks to herself as she continues to fly on her back. Firing several more blasts to keep the Aku-Bats occupied.

Hmm. I guess I have no choice now. My power is no match for him...but maybe it has the power to defeat him!

Celestia's vision immediatly goes black as she closes her eyes, and begins to concentrate.

Her horn glows, and she teleports away.

*POP!*

Aku looks down and watches Celestia re-appear as she flies straight for him.

He grins, while she narrows her brows.

Her horn again glows, and she again teleports.

"What?!"

*POOF*

*SHIIIIIIINNNNNNG!*

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Aku exclaims as something slices a burning hole through his side.

His injury immediatly regenerates, but the damage has been done.

Aku gritts his teeth and turns around.

Eyes ablaze at his enraged state.

"YOU!"

Aku shouts pointing his finger at Celestia, whom is holding a kitanna.

The sword resembled any other kitanna but the blade, itself, was a blue crystal.

The handle was easy to grasp, while the hilt was gold with a round jewel in the center. Inside the jewel was seven triangular gems that pointed towards the center. The seven gems were colored yellow, cyan, white, lavender, orange, pink and red.

Curiously enough, the yellow, red and cyan gems glowed brighter than any of the other gems.

At seeing the sword, Aku's eyes widened and pupils shrunk. His flaming eyebrows suddenly vanished.

NO... It cannot be!

He thought to himself.

"Rrragh, how can this be?"

He snarls at her, but Celestia maintains her scowl.

"That's right, Aku. You cannot abolish the power of righteousness. Your evil grasp on my land and its ponies ends now!"

She swings the sword through the air.

Raising her hoof, she holds the sword up for him to see.

"This sword was forged from the strength and power of the Equestrian spirit! It represents all that is good. It's purpose now is to destroy you!"

Aku starts to growl through gritted teeth, until he abruptly roars at Celestia.

His eyes glow, and he fires several eye-beams at Celestia!

She extends her wings, and immediatly takes to the air.

Dodgeing several beams...

Though, she suddenly deflects one of the beams with her sword.

Sending the beam towards one of the Aku-Bats, who explodes.

Aku gasps at being taken advantage off by his enemy.

Glaring back at the airborne princess.

"BRAHHHHH!"

He thrusts out both hands in front of him, and shoots black spikes towards Celestia.

Celestia's brows jump, but she manages to fly out of the way before the spikes hit.

Flying through the air as Aku continually bombards her with spikes.

Suddenly, Celestia looks up as one of the Aku-Bats charges at her.

She gritts her teeth, and stops in mid-air.

Celestia dodges the Aku-Bat, and cleaves it in half with the sword.

The Aku-Bat screams, and its severed halves falls down towards the ground.

Before she can move, the other Aku-Bats also charged her.

She grips the blade tighter, and dodges both their attacks.

Slicing them both with the sword with little difficulty.

However, after she'd done dealing with the Aku-Bats she hovers in the air panting.

Having exhausted herself a little.

"Good, now to deal with-AUGH!"

Before Celestia can finish, she suddenly experiences a sharp pain in both wings.

She looks behind her and sees that both her wings has been pierced by black spikes.

She turns back towards Aku, and sees him smirking back at her.

Gravity finalls starts to pull her down towards the surface, but before she hits the ground she teleports herself down onto the surface.

Celestia raises her head and looks up at the tall figure towering over her.

Aku looks down at her and smiles overconfidently, which she scowls sternly back at him.

She opens her mouth to speak, but Aku suddenly shapeshifts into a large spider-like form.

Sporting eight, sharp jagged legs attached to a hairy, sphere-shaped body.

"Now you shall suffer for your insolence!"

He says, before charging towards her.

Moving incredibly fast, courtesy of his multiple legs.

Celestia gasps, and brows jump, at Aku's incredible speed!

She manages to leap out of the way just in time to avoid getting impaled by one of Aku's sharp legs.

At planting her hooves on the ground, she immediatly begins to run away from the Shogun.

Hurrying across the desolate plains of the Changeling Kingdom, while Aku pursued her.

Behind her, she hears Aku chase her.

A distinct *SHING* noise echoes all across the landscape as his legs hit the ground.

*SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING!*

In front of her, she sees Aku's shadow getting closer.

Nervously gritting her teeth as his shadow falls upon her.

In her peripheral vision, she sees Aku's legs...

Her brows jump at her jumping forward, just as Aku slams his body against the ground!

Missing her.

Celestia gets back up on her hooves, and frantically tries to slash Aku.

However, she misses as Aku stands back up.

Glaring down at her as he towers over her.

Aku, then, immediatly attacks Celestia with his many spider-legs.

Celestia manages to sufficiently against several strikes, but several impale her body.

The pain is excruciating...

However, she manages to endure and keep fighting. Even as blood begins to pour from her wounds.

Staining the ground beneath her.

"YAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Celestia screams enraged as she agressivly slashes at one of Aku's legs.

His severed leg shapeshifted into a shadow hand to try and attack her, but Celestia brutally cleaves through it with her blade until it disentigrates into nothing!

Aku continues to stry and strike her but she manages to fend off his attacks, until she's struck by one of his legs!

He slams her into the ground, but she manages to slash his leg with the sword and jump back onto her hooves.

She charges towards Aku in an attempt to slash him, but he just smiles as he jumps up into the air.

She freezes in her place and looks up at him.

Aku, though, stops in mid-air, and utters a scream as he suddenly explodes.

Celestia raises a confused brow, and watches as Aku splatters all around her into many black puddles.

Regardless, Celestia assumes a defensive stance.

Her brows, though, jumps at hearing something slither behind her.

She turns around, but gasps at seeing the shadows amass together. Forming a humanoid form.

The form is identical to Aku, but has sharp spike-like legs, -

...but to Celestia's greater horror, another Aku appears, and another, and another, and another, and another,etc...!

Soon, an entire army surrounds the Alicorn princess!

Everyone of the Akus wields three-tipped black scepters.

All of the Akus shoots Celestia a malevolant grin.

A silence hangs in the air as Celestia looks back at all the Akus.

"BWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, etc...!"

All of them start laughing at Celestia.

Their laughter echoes all across the landscape, and yet Celestia just narrows her brows and scowls back towards the army of Akus.

Her pupils shifting the many Akus in front of her.

"...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Immediatly, all of the Akus fall silent and glares towards Celestia.

Each of them shooting her a scowl identical to her' own.

Celestia narrows her brows and grips her sword tighter, though, she can her body shake.

Trembling at the exhaustion she's gone through.

Beads of sweat runs down along her temples...when a single bead runs down along a stray hair.

It drops from the very tip of the strand, and hits the ground.

Immediatly (as if a bell was rung) the Akus loudly shouts at suddenly charging towards her!

Celestia gritts her teeth, and immediatly slashes her sword downwards.

Severing the tip of one of the Akus' scepters, before she kicks that Aku. Knocking it back into its comrades.

Another Aku tries to stab her with its scepter, but she jumps up above it, and slashes that Aku in half. Causing it to fall down dead.

Celestia immediatly cleaves another Aku in half, but one of the Akus jumps over her.

That Aku wields dual-swords instead of a scepter.

Swinging its dual-swords down to try and hit her, but she dodges the attack and also cuts that Aku in half.

Another Aku jumps up into the air to attempt the same, but she impales it through the chest with her sword. Throwing that Akus dead body to the ground.

She cuts the tip off another Akus' scepter, and slashes that Aku across the chest.

She is, though, all of a sudden impaled in the chest by the scepters of several Akus, but then breaks off the tips with her sword.

Celestia is then stabbed in the back as well, but she just screams enraged!

For the moment, ignoring the intense pain coursing through her body!

Cleaving Akus in halves, and letting their upper and lower bodies fall to the ground, lifeless.

*SHING!*

...

*SHING!*

...

*SHING!*

The battle between the two opponents intensifies!

Many of the Akus opting to change their scepters into swords, yet, their change in weaponry does nothing to prevent Celestia from slicing them with her sword!

Whether it be dismembering their upper and lower bodies, or by cleaving her blade vertically down aross their chest!

Aku after Aku drops dead!

The princess's rage driving her forward towards the only goal in mind; eliminating Aku once and for all!

The battle rages on between them until there are only left standing.

Celestia...and Aku, themselves!

However, now that the Shogun of Sorrow was fighting Celestia alone, there was little he could do to contend with her superior swords-mare skills.

Their battle ending as Celestia plunged the blade in his chest!

Aku's body tensed, before he was sucked into the blade, itself.

A pair of eyes appears in the blade, and blinked.

Celestia raises the sword into the air...before she swiftly swings it down towards the ground.

The blade taps against the ground, which releases Aku from the blade.

An amorphous shadow appears, but soon re-forms into the familiar form of Aku.

"UGHhhh!"

Aku groans as he lies on the ground.

Celestia raises the sword, ready to destroy Aku...

Both opponents looks up at each other. Sharing a final glance with each other.

"You may have beaten me now, but I will destroy you in the future," Aku says.

"There is no future for you, Aku!" Celestia growls.

"I disagree."

Suddenly, before she can react, Aku shoots her in the chest with his eye-beams!

Celestia screams aloud in pain, and drops the sword.

Aku flinches as the sword impales the ground. Standing straight up.

He quickly stands up, and stares wide-eyed at the sword that nearly hit him.

Though, his concerned expression changes into a cruel smile at looking down towards Celestia.

Celestia slowly stumbles back away from the Shogun. Clutching her sizzling chest as the agonizing pain courses through her body.

She utters painful and constipated grunts as she clunches her eyes tight.

Gritting her teeth as she finally cannot handle it anymore.

She collapses to the ground, and clutches her chest. Having never imagined that this is how painful Aku's eye-beams are!

Aku looks down at the helpless and defenseless mare with a victious grin on his face.

Silently staring at Celestia as she raises her head and opens her eyes at looking up at him.

The pain being too much for her, that she feels herself slipping from conciousness.

"Do not worry, princess. You will see me again...but next time you won't be so fortunate."

And with those final words, Celestia passed out.

***

Meanwhile in a far-off cave, Luna rested.

Her mutilated body had finally stopped bleeding, so she wasn't losing anymore blood.

Outside, a dark figure approaches the cave entrance.

The dark figure is clad in a long, dark robe that trails behind it along the ground.

Its horned headress glimts in the last rays of sunlight.

Over the dark figure's face is a white mask.

A mask that only has diamond-shaped eye-holes and red lips.

Soon, the skies are overtaken by a dark cloud that blotts out the sun.

The dark figure enters the cave to find Luna's motionless body inside.

For a time, the dark figure silently stares at the unconcious Equestrian.

Eventually stepping towards Luna's unconcious body, and lifts her up.

The dark figure then leaves the cave with Luna's body.

It trotts outside the cave, but soon stops in place.

Looking up at the sky, the dark figure sees that the dark cloud had now consumed the sky.

The last shred of light shines down on her mask, but continues to shrink until finally nothing remains.

Nothing but darkness.

"It is done... Now, we wait."

The mare tells herself, as her sharp and angular horn glows.

With a *POOF* she and Luna vanishes.

Author's Note

Apolagies for a VERY delayed update, but it's finally here!

The next chapter in our story!:pinkiehappy:

I hope it was worth the wait:twilightsmile:

Link1 and 2 - Jack's Father vs Aku Parts 1 and 2
Link3 - Jack vs Aku (1st Fight)

Criticism and Feedback are appreciated.

Chapter 39

Beginning of the End

As a red cloud stretches out across the landscape, it shoots crimson bolts of lightning onto the suface that strikes trees, rocks and water.

The trees turn purple and their branches turns into tentacles, that immediatly grabs the nearest ponies and lifts them off the ground.

Rocks turns into large slitted eyes, that startles the nearest ponies they look upon.

And water becomes concious. Taking on a humanoid form as they begin to move about (However, this is only limited to lakes, not the ocean).

The humanoid water grabs several of the eye-rocks and plops them inside their bodies.

With their new eyes the humanoid water blinks and looks around the landscape, before they wander off.

A cone-shaped mountain starts shaking until it soon thrusts several large out of the ground and stands up.

Two holes open, out from which smoke raises into the sky.

A hole that resembles a maw opens up, and a fiery light becomes visible inside the mountain.

The mountain soon steps forward. Slowly moving forward across the landscape...

Soon, the skies and ground begins to shake.

Underneath the rift, the ground begins to tear open at the rift emanating a deep rumbling.

From the Castle of the Two Sisters, Bill Cipher grins at making out several silhouettes inside the rift.

Both small and large silhouettes...

"And here...we go!"

Bill gently extends his arm, and suddenly pumps his fist!

****

Over in the nearby Ponyville, ponies have begun to notice the strange occurences.

The dark clouds, the lack of any sun...and now the massive X-shaped rift in the sky!

"Wha-?"

A random pony remarks confused at the sight before them.

"What is that?"

Another pony asks at pointing their hoof towards the X-shaped rift.

"I've got no idea," another replies.

The crowd is so occupied by the events transpiring above the Everfree Forest...that they don't notice as a shadow envelops them!

A mare, though, notices the shadow and looks behind her...

However, her intrigued expression contorts into a look of fear at seeing a being tower over her!

"Hey! Everypony, look out!"

The mare shouts, attracting everyone's attention...

But as they turns towards the mare their shocked expressions turn into looks of terror at seeing the large behemoth behind them!

Silently looking down at them.

"Whoa! What is that?!"

A pony exclaims, as both he and the others backs away from the behemoth, afraid.

The three-legged behemoth looks down at the ponies.

Its square-shaped head displays constant static on it's screen.

Yet, the behemoths turns its square-shaped heads and looks down at the ponies in front of them.

Watching the small Equestrians back away from it...

Only to notice several more like it encircling Ponyville.

"T-these things...they're encircling us!"

A random pony says aloud.

The behemoths's screens then flashes a bright light on the ponies!

The ponies soon recovers from the blinding light, but they all petrify in place at the horrible sights in front of them!

All around them, everyone of the ponies freeze at seeing what can only be described as...the horrors of war!

They watch in stunned shock as pony soldiers fires rifles and weapons back at each other. Killing one after the other in the cross-fire...!

Large tanks rolls across fields and fires at the enemy soldiers. Crushing the lifeless corpses of their enemies in the process...!

And large planes bombards their enemies' cities and armies. Structures collapses and crushes both millitary and civilians!

However, the worst is to come as they're shown lifeless and mutilated corpses. Some missing body parts...or the entire body!

Some of Bill's eye-bats flies towards Ponyville, and zaps the petrified ponies with their eye-beams.

They then lift the ponies, and flies them towards the Everfree Ruins as the T-Walkers turned and began walking away from Ponyville towards their next target...!

Meanwhile in a nearby city on a mountainside, a seemingly concious tornado moves through the city.

The force of the wind is so strong it pulls buildings apart.

Randomly scattering the destroyed debris across the city.

Some of the debris slams into another buildings, or they're thrown off the mountainside.

Inside the tornado, an eye opens and looks down on the death and destruction its causing.

Sensing the death around it, the entity shoots out several black-slimed tendrils to grab onto the bodies. Pulling them inside the tornado.

Body after body after body is pulled inside the tornado, which only causes it to grow larger and intensify its wind force!

While the ponies flees in panic, a humanoid form comprised of black slime with a dark-green eye (with a black pupil) crowned by a golden mask whose front is open. Exposing the eye.

"Mrrrrrrmmmmmm!"

The entity murmurs to itself as it observes it's ever-growing collection.

Be it books or bodies!

The ponies that can flee, don't hesitate to flee their doomed city.

Running away in fear...but those cannot, are just another body added to Azetlor's collection!

Meanwhile in Manehattan, ponies fleed from the black and red robed, blue-skinned humanoid hovering in the air.

"I will pave over your fields to start anew! I will fill your seas with concrete and stone! I will pierce your world with girders of steel and panes of glass, -!"

The robed humanoid says in a deep voice that echoes all over the city.

Screaming ponies runs away from him in shock and horror as the robed figure glides through the air.

The humanoid soon extends an arm and points its slightly clenched hand towards one of the surrounding buildings.

He clenches his hand, and swiftly thrusts his arm upwards...!

The ground begins to shake, before the old Manehattan building crumbles as a new structure shoots up out of the ground!

This new building is comprised of a dull material, and appears in a gothic style...

However doors appears as large faces with their open maws being the doorway, and their eyes glows green.

"I will crush your world under the weight of my cities! I will smother your creation under my own!"

He continues at extending his other arm towards another building, and clenches his hand.

Another Manehattan building collapses as another goth structure explodes out the ground.

"I am the Destructor! I am the Architect!"

From afar one can witness green flashes throughout the city, as the city of Manehattan is replaced by a new city comprised of gothic buildings!

The surface underneath what was once Manehattan breaks up as a green, swirling vortex appears.

Despite the loss of ground, the city floats above the vortex.

The surrounding oceans doesn't spill inside the vortex. Instead, it swirls underneath the (now) floating city.

From out of the swirling vortex thousands of ghostly shapes flies into the sky.

Including a large tower, that while gothic has more of a crimson design to it.

This new building towers over every other building in the city.

The Architect plants his feet atop the tall tower, and looks out across his new city.

He puts his arm behind his back and watches as hundreds of ghosts flies across Equestria.

Watching as several massive creatures traverses the nearby landscape. Causing chaos and mayhem wherever they go.

****

Back at the Castle of the Two Sisters, Bill's eye displays the chaos and mayhem that's occuring all across Equestria.

The Changeling Empress's guards keeps a close watch on the fillies and colts. Ensuring they don't attempt anything.

Empress Pollus stands besides the red device (that's projecting the X-shaped rift) and looks out across the land as Bill Cipher's minions and strange creatures moves across Equestria.

She turns and looks at the red projector. Intrigued by how such a seemingly small device can unleash all this chaos and mayhem.

Her face tightens at giving an impressed nod, before she turns around and trotts back inside the throne room.

Velevet, meanwhile, silently stares towards the projector.

A stern expression on her face as she narrows her brows.

I don't know how, but this ''Bill Cipher'' is somehow using that thing to open a portal that are allowing these creatures to run havoc across Equestria. We've got to destroy it if we're to have any chance of stopping him, she thinks to herself.

We just need an oppertune moment to strike.

Pollus turns away from the projector and trotts back inside the throne room.

She approaches the motionless Bill, and looks into his eye.

Inside his eye, she sees the horrors and insanity that has been unleashed upon Equestria.

"Cipher?"

Bill's arm hangs down in front of him, and he blinks his eye. Returning to its normal self as he turns around to face her.

"Yes, your Majesty?" he asks.

"The Equestrian foals and fillies, what are we to do with them?" she asks.

Bill blinks his eye at looking towards Velvet and her friends.

"Hmm?"

He ponders at rubbing his chin.

Bill soon puts his arms behind his back, and turns back towards Pollus.

"Release them."

"What?!" Pollus exclaims.

"B-but they are Equestrians!"

Pollus says, pointing her hoof towards Velvet and her friends.

"They are of no consequence to our plans," Bill replies.

"Let them return to enjoy their old world's final days. I've got big plans for this place, -"

Bill narrows his eye and smirks, as he rubs his hands. "Big plans!"

Oh that doesn't sound good!

Velvet thinks to herself.

"For now, though, -" Bill says at turning and looks out the balcony, "what do you say we give this place a make-over?"

A devious smile spreads across Pollus's face, and she nods back at him.

"Most certainly!"

Without uttering another sound, Bill raises his arms into the air,

The walls and ceiling cracks, and their broken fragments floats into the air!

Velvet gasps at watching the broken wall and ceiling fragments float away.

Bill then extends his arms out in front of him, and gently raises them into the air.

The ground shakes and rumbles as a terrible quake rocks the landscape...before the ground rips open and large and black structure grows out of the ground!

Taller and larger the structure continues to grow and develop as the black substance takes shape!

Tall and vertical shapes are formed into hundreds of tall towers.

Long and broad masses defined themselves as battlements, and/or other parts castle.

From out of the castle, a central tower shoots upwards into the sky...

However, unlike the other towers this one's top was completly flat...and yet, it has a pointed top.

Hovering in the air above the flat tower is a black pyramid.

Even the hovering pyramid top is disconnected from the pyramid and hovers above it.

Each of the pyramid's corners has curved spires that points in towards the center. On the pyramid's hovering top are four more curved spires that point in towards the center.

The black substance solidifies, and changes from black into bricks with red roofs.

"Ahhh! Home sweet home."

Bill exhales content at finishing the construction of his new castle.

He turns and looks towards the open field next to his mountainous castle.

He lightly turns his eye towards Pollus and says, "And now, you and your Changelings will live in the good lands. Free to consume as much love as you see fit, your Majesty!"

Bill proudly proclaims, before he snaps his finger.

The ground shakes for a bit until a large Changeling hive grows out of the ground!

The hive, while larger than the Castle of the Two Sisters doesn't even compare to Bill's castle, or even his central tower.

Pollus' gritts her teeth as a crazed smile appears on her face. The two Changeling drones and the Equestrians can only stare in shocked awe.

Unable to believe what they've witnessed.

First Bill's castle...and now a new Changeling hive, that even outmatches the Princess's castle!

Bill droops his arms and turns towards Pollus.

"Shall we, your Majesty?"

Pollus closes her mouth and smirks in an evil manner.

"Aku should soon be back with the Princess, so we'd best be ready to greet him."

Velvet's brows jumps at the mention of the Princess.

No! Not the Princess!

Shock turns rage, and the little filly gritts her teeth.

Her head snaps towards the projector, and she glares at the crimson contraption.

Sternly narrowing her brows.

I've got to act fast! If they take the device to the castle we'll never have a chance of destroying it!

Velvet's horn glows, and she magically teleports over towards the projector.

"Velvet!"

Nightlight and their friends calls out to her, which attracts Bill and the Changeling's attention.

Bill and the Changelings swiftly turn around to see Velvet next to the projector.

Velvet stands up on her hind legs, and points her glowing horn towards the projector. Charging a spell to destroy it!

Bill's eye widens in frantic panic.

"I'm ending your apocalypse, Cipher! Bid your plans for world domination-...goodbye?!"

Velvet calls out towards Bill and the Changelings, until a red and scaled tendril suddenly coils itself around her!

It squeezes Velvet tight enough to make her lose control of her charging blast, but as she fires it, the tendril angles her out away from the projector.

The tendril continues to squeeze Velvet until she shoots her charged into the distance, where it vanishes from sight.

"Phew! That was a close one, wasn't it boss?"

Everyone's attention soon snaps towards a strange creature that pulls itself up onto the balcony.

Nightlight and the other fillies and colts gasps at seeing a creature with a humanoid body, and a long snake's tail from the waist-down that falls onto the balcony as the creature sits atop it.

The humanoid snake looks to be scantilly clad (but then again, its not like the ponies wear clothes at all) with only some sort of black fabric on her arms that stops at her shoulders, and strange cups that holds those large dome-shaped things on her chest, and some sort of fabric that covers just underneath where her long snake tail meets her humanoid body. Her whole attire is black with yellow outlines.

Her ears are long and pointed, and her long red hair reaches down behind her back. Parts of the scales could be seen on her face, and on both sides of her head she has two yellow hairclips.

Is it just me, or does the hairclips resemble eyes? Seriously, the hair already resembles fangs.

One of the fillies/colts thinks to themself.

Bill sighs relieved and looks towards the humanoid snake.

"Oh thank you, Miia."

Bill says at wipping some sweat of his forehead.

"Ohh Bill it was nothing, -" Miia touches her cheek as she blushes, "...I was just stopping this one from destroying the projector."

Miia holds up her tail, and Bill's and everyone else's attention shifts onto Velvet.

"Equestrian!" Pollus hisses.

Bill narrows his eye towards the filly.

"Good girl, Miia."

A voice speaks behind Miia...but when everyone looks to see who it is, their jaws drops at seeing another Bill Cipher fly towards Miia.

The Bill duplicate extends his hand and gently pats Miia's head.

Miia just closes her eyes and smiles happily.

Enjoying as Bill pats her head.

"Hehe,"

Bill chuckles at floating over towards Velvet.

Extending his hand, he touches her cheek.

"Twilight..."

Bill says in a soft tone, before Velvet pulls her head away from him.

"Its Velvet...Bill Cipher!"

Velvet growls back.

Bill's brow jumps, but his eye soon narrows.

"This one, she knows me...or at the very least she's smart enough to know i'm the boss in charge of this little operation," he says.

Velvet's scowl intensifies, and she huffs back at the demon.

"Don't underestimate me, Cipher. I may be a filly, but we Equestrians-"

"...are known for your stuborness. Yes, that you certainly are," he interrupts her.

Pollus's Changelings laughs in response, and Pollus, herself, just smirks towards Velvet.

Bill extends his arm and opens his hand, to which Miia loosens her tail's grip around Velvet.

However Velvet doesn't fall down.

Instead she hovers in the air in front of Bill.

Bill smirks and swings his arm down. Throwing Velvet onto the floor.

Nightlight and the rest of their friends gasps.

But only Nightlight dares to urgently make his way over towards Velvet.

The rest of their friends are too petrified with fear to move.

Nightlight is quick to help Velvet back up onto her hooves.

Bill, though, just turns his back on them and puts his arms behind his back.

"Come on girls. Its time to go."

He says at pointing his thumb behind him.

"Agreed," Pollus says.

...

"Miia, what say you?"

Bill asks again after not hearing back from the lamia.

"Miia-?"

He asks again (again) at turning around to face her, only for his brow to jump at seeing Miia.

Pollus, Velvet and everyone looks towards Miia, but all of them cannot escape having the same reaction as Bill...

"Whose a good girl? Whose a good girl?!"

"I am! I'm a good girl!"

Miia giggles at the Bill duplicate scratching her stomach.

Sitting with her back to the balcony railing, Miia holds her arms like a cat.

"Uhhh..."

Both the Bill duplicate and Miia stops what they were doing, and silently looks back towards Bill.

"Oh yeah."

The Bill duplicate replies at realizing he got a little carried away, and turns back towards Miia.

"Sorry my love, but our journey ends here," the Bill duplicate says.

"Oh boy."

Bill rolls his eye at his duplicate's dramatic exit.

Miia frowns sad at his departure, and extends her hand out towards him but the Bill duplicate vanishes with a *POOF*
as Bill snaps his finger.

Miia exhales heavily and hangs her head. Saddened by her loss.

"Come on, Miia. We're heading to the castle."

"Okay!"

Miia immediatly perks up. Smiling at replying in such a happy tone.

She slithers over towards Bill.

Pollus joins her, and trotts towards Bill. Accompanied by her Changelings.

"Alright, then let us go ladies."

Bill says at turning his back to Velvet and the others.

Velvet stares slack-jawed after the demon, as he and the Changelings and lamia slithers/trotts away. Feeling ignored.

"Hey, you're not going anywhere!" she exclaims at stomping her hoof on the ground. "We're not done here!"

"Oh, we most certainly are..." Bill replies.

The bricks (below his eye) seperates, and the top portion of his body floats and turns around. Setting back down on his body.

"Look around you...! Discord is consuming your world, and there is nothing you can do to stop it."

Bill says at extending his hand and points outside.

Velvet and her friends turn their heads and look out.

"Your hero is gone and your hopes of saving your world are gone."

Velvet slowly opens her mouth, and stares slack-jawed at the insanity and mayhem flooding Equestria.

Bill narrows his eye, and turns back around to face Pollus and Miia.

He snaps his finger, which draws Velvet's attention back towards him...

However, before Velvet can do anything golden flames envelops Bill, Pollus and Miia.

A golden bolt of lightning shoots out towards the projector, before the golden fire flashes a bright light at Velvet and the others.

The ceiling, above, cracksAn amorphous ball of golden light shoots upwards, and crashes through the ceiling.

The golden form arches as it shoots up towards the top of the Bill's castle's tallest tower.

When the golden light fades, Velvet looks back towards Bill...but the triangular demon and his followers are now gone. Along with the projector!

Above the castle, the rift thrums and continues to unleash horrid and mishapen creatures upon Equestria!

Author's Note

Link - Gravity Falls - Weirdmageddon Opening Theme Song - HD

Criticizm and Feedback are appreciated.

Chapter 40

Heroes and Villains

The ground shakes as a large humanoid figure walks past Bill Cipher's castle.

Its shadow falls upon the castle as it walks towards the Everfree Forest.

Wielding nothing but a pike comprised of golden energy, the humanoid softly growls to itself at looking down upon this tiny world.

The humanoid then stops in place, and turns its head to look out across the landscape.

Scouting out its next target, since a majority of Equestria's cities had already been destroyed or conquered by various villains and monsters.

It eventually walks off into the distance.

Missing a shadow that flies across the sky towards Bill's castle...

****

Meanwhile at Bill's castle, several villains and creatures are making their way inside the main entrance of Bill's castle.

Hovering in front of the doorway in mid-air are blue flames that spells out WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA! in large letters.

Outside, the new arrivals hears loud music being played from inside the castle.

The music only intensifies the further one goes into the castle.

Reaching its loudest in the throne room, where large eyeballs looks down from the ceiling and flashes bright light onto the floor.

Inside the throne room, various monsters and villains are greeted by hundreds of their peers partying inside the throne room.

Bill Cipher duplicates wearing butler outfits hovers back and forth between various guests, and either provides them with food or drinks...

"No way, it cannot be-!"

A creature exclaims at recognizing one of the creatures in the crowd.

"Thing! Thing, its me!"

She waves excited, to which Thing finally turns and notices her.

"Xena? Is that you?"

Thing exclaims, before making his way through the crowd towards her.

Xena starts making her way towards him as well, until they both meet up.

"Xena? Its been so long!"

Thing happily greets her.

"Yeah, me too!"

Xena greets Thing.

"How have you been doing?" Thing asks.

However, Xena gritts her teeth.

"Horribly," she hisses.

"That good-for-nothing bitch Ripley has been leading an effort to kill my darling children."

Thing frowns annoyed.

"Ugh, tell me about it!"

"That lousy human, Macready aided this soldier in defeating this guy...General Whitley I think his name, who thought he could he could control me."

"Me!"

Thing exclaims at touching his sharp scythe-like arms to his chest.

Xena sighs and nods annoyed.

"Yeah, well at least you weren't locked in a lousy glass cage, despite your children being right next to you!" Xena snarls.

"Seriously?!"

Xena nods back embarassed.

"Wow. That is bad."

Xena looks up at Thing and lightly hisses at him.

Thing slightly backs away from her.

"Whoa, easy there girl."

He raises his arms defensively.

****

*Sometime later*

Meanwhile atop the Fearamid tower, Bill Cipher hovers in his front of an open closet.

Touching his chin at staring inside the closet in thought at the various outfits for him to choose.

"Hmm..." he grumbles in thought.

He soon extends his arm and grabs one of the outfits.

Holding it out in front of him to see.

"Hmm... Perfect!"

He snaps his finger, and the outfit flies into his hand.

Bill turns away from the closet and hovers inside a large eye to get changed.

Closing the eyelid of course.

"Master, a new arrival has come to see you."

A disembodied voice speaks to him inside the eye.

Bill silently ignores the messanger and resumes putting on his choosen attire.

Soon, a bright golden light flashes outwards through the closed eyelid...

The eyelid soon opens, and smoke pours out of the eye as Bill steps out of it.

He walks up to a full-length mirror and inspects himself in the reflection.

"Hmm. Not bad," he remarks.

"Indeed. You couldn't have chosen a more exquisite form for this occasion."

Bill's reflection remarks, to which (the original) Bill nods back.

Smiling towards the green-skinned humanoid lizard creature with slicked-back dark-purple hair, whose middle finger has been cut off.

"Of course. We have to look our best for tonight." Bill replies.

"Hmm."

"What are our plans for the Empress Pollus?"

The reflection asks, to which Bill chuckles back.

"Well, once we have confirmation the fall of Celestia is all but assured, then we will commence with the second phase of my plan," Bill says. "The Empress will get what she deserves when we've dealt with the Equestrians."

The reflection smirks and rubs his hands together.

"Yess...uh, what is that again?"

The reflection inquires, and smiles embarassed at Bill.

Bill frowns annoyed at his reflection.

He rolls his eye and shakes his head.

Bill's frown soon turns into a devious smile.

"We'll get to that one when we get to that one."

Bill explains to his reflection.

"First; there is Celestia to deal with..."

The reflection grins malevolantly at the mention of the princess's name, and chuckles softly...

****

Soon in the Fearamid' tower, two figures makes their way up towards the Fearamid.

At reaching the top of Fearamid' tower, the two figures enters a large room with a titular throne at the other end.

The throne sits in front of a large window, and is flanked by banners on both sides.

From a distance the throne resembles any other throne, but as they draw closer it looks to have several swords imbued inside it.

Howeve, at narrowing her eyes she soon makes out that one particular sword looks to be missing.

The black outline of a sword is visible down the center of the throne's backrest.

After traversing the throne room, Aku and Celestia stops in front of the throne.

Aku stares blankly towards the throne, while Celestia turns her head to look around the room.

Soon, a disembodied voice starts chuckling.

Celestia narrows her brows at recognizing the voice as Bill's.

She narrows her eyes sternly, but her brows jumps at seeing a blue line of glowing energy appear in mid-air.

The line forms a triangle, then a straight line down the center, and finally a circle in the center.

A black tophat, bowtie and black arms and legs appears.

The triangle becomes solid and the circle becomes an eye, which Celestia gasps at seeing.

Realizing who it is.

"Bill Cipher!"

Bill's pupil looks down towards Celestia.

He smirks at seeing the look of fear on her face.

Bill gently floats down into his throne, and places both arms on the armrest.

Crossing one leg over the other at staring towards the awestruck Celestia.

"Hello princess."

Bill greets her.

Celestia's wide eyes narrows as she gritts her teeth.

Glaring towards the dream demon.

Bill just smirks at her anger.

"Something wrong princess?"

Bill asks in a smug tone.

Celestia's glare just intensifies as he speaks.

"Don't play dumb with me, Cipher. I know you're the one behind this."

Celestia snarls back at pointing her hoof up towards Bill.

Bill's eye widens, and he leans forward in his throne. Putting one hand to his face.

"Oh no! What gave me away?!"

Bill nervously asks as he stands up from the throne.

"Was it some sort of clue that I missed?"

He asks himself at turning away from Celestia.

Aku meanwhile just smirks towards the hovering triangle.

"OF COURSE IT WAS ME!"

Bill says he abrutply turns around to face Celestia.

His voice suddenly shifting into a loud demonic pitch, as the rest of his body turns red.

Celestia flinches at his sudden outburst.

As Bill returns to normal he sighs annoyed and walks back towards the throne.

"Honestly, i'm a little insulted that you're my opposition."

Bill says at sitting down in his throne.

" "Gee, I wonder whose behind this interdimensional rift in the sky! It couldn't be Bill Cipher'' !"

Bill holds up his arms at speaking in such a patronizing tone.

Celestia snaps from her shocked stupor, and gritts her teeth at glaring towards the unimpressed dream demon.

Bill's eye looks up from Celestia towards Aku.

"During your battle did she use any magical items against you?"

"She did," Aku replies.

Bill raises a brow and sits up-right in his throne.

Aku pulls out the Blade of Harmony, and holds it out in front of him.

Bill extends his hand, and the sword shoots out of Aku's grasp into his hand.

He looks down and examines the sword.

Focusing on the multi-colored gem in the hilt, which causes him to raise a brow.

Bill's eye soon looks back up towards Celestia and Aku, as his frown intensfies.

"This is the most dangerous sword i've had in my castle."

Celestia smiles smugly at hearing this.

Bill, however, notices her smile, and stands up from his throne.

"Wipe that smile off your face princess," he growls.

"Do not think for a moment that I will permit such a weapon to remain in my castle."

Bill says at standing up from his thone.

He walks away from the throne towards an open doorway, and steps out onto the balcony.

Celestia raises her brow at this, but watches as he stops outside on the balcony.

Bill raises his arm, then pulls it back...and suddenly throws the sword up into the sky!

"NO!"

Celestia exclaims, and takes a step forward...but its too late.

The sword flies up through the clouds and the atmosphere.

Vanishing as it shoots up into space in a matter of seconds.

Bill turns around and looks back across the room towards Celestia.

Smiling at seeing the shock in her wide, twitching eyes.

He puts his arms behind his back, before a cursor appears out of nowhere and creates a box around him.

The box flips him. Making him vanish from sight...

"Huh?! What the-?!"

Celestia asks confused, before Bill suddenly appears in front of her.

Causing her to flinch from being startled.

Aku grins and chuckles.

Celestia stares back towards Bill, but glares angrily at the demon.

Bill, though, just stands motionless.

Scowling unimpressed at the white mare.

"Your time is over princess. Equestria is ours!"

Celestia merely gritts her teeth and glares back at him.

She roars at attempting to lash out at him, but Bill just swats her away from him and knocks Celestia to the floor.

Celestia quickly gets back up onto her hooves, and charges straight at Bill.

She tries punching him with both hooves, but he just grabs her hooves with his hands.

Celestia and Bill locks eyes with each other.

One glaring back at the other, whose frankly unimpressed by her antics.

Seeing that he's got her in a stale-mate, Celestia charges up a spell that she abruptly fires at Bill.

Bill's jaw hangs open and eyes widen as the blast pierces his torso.

He releases Celestia.

Dropping her onto the floor.

Celestia looks back up towards him, but smirks at seeing a large smoldering hole in Bill's chest...

Unfortunatly, her victory is short-lived as the wound begins re-sealing itself back up.

Restoring his flesh, as well as repairing his suit.

Bill narrows his eye, and looks up (from his wound) towards Celestia.

"Are you finished?"

He asks in an annoyed tone.

Celestia's jaw hangs slack, and her eyes widen.

The realization that she has no chance of defeating Bill alone, let alone his minions, sinks in.

Bill smirks at seeing her hopeless expression, before shifting his attention towards Aku.

"My friend, you've more than earned some time-off," he says.

"Go enjoy the party downstairs."

Aku smiles, and nods his head.

"Actually Cipher, i'd like to terrorize this world. I've not destroyed a city since I was imprisoned."

Celestia's eyes widens, and her attention snaps back towards Aku.

"Of course, -"

Her attention, then, snaps from Aku towards Bill.

Bill raises his hand and snaps his finger...

In another part of the Fearamid, the projector clicks several time before the tape rewinds.

The ground beneath the rift starts to shake, and several waves shoots out from the rift across Equestria.

As the waves pass over ponies and cities, buildings are rebuilt.

Ponies are violently pulled back towards the restored, that they just escaped from.

Confused by why they've returned to the cities, and especially why the cities, themselves, have been repaired...

Back at the Fearamid, Bill smirks at seeing the events transpiring across Equestria.

The images of the ponies and cities reverts back to Bill's eye.

"There. Now you should be able to have some fun my friend."

Aku grins. Revealing teeth.

"Now go, -" Bill smiles and shifts his attention towards Celestia, "...I can handle one pampered little princess!"

Bill grins maliciously.

Aku just nods back, before his body spirals inwards on itself.

Transforming his humanoid form into that of a bird.

Aku immediatly flaps his wings and flies out the balcony door.

Bill smirks at his associate's departure.

Holding his arms behind his back as he turns back towards Celestia.

"Now...what to do with you, sun?" he asks.

Narrowing his eye at chuckling creepily to Celestia.

After Celestia and Aku leaves, Bill's eye flickers until it shows an individual's head.

"Dimentio, I have a task for you..."

****

Soon downstairs in the throne room, the music suddenly stops.

The eyeballs on the ceiling closes, which shuts off the light.

Several eye-bats flies out and hovers in mid-air.

Several of the eye-bats shines bright spotlights towards a stage.

Drawing every monster and villain's attention.

Bill appears in an explosion of flames.

Striking a pose as the audience goes nuts cheering for him.

He smirks and snaps his finger. Conjuring a microphone (with an eyeball on the end) out of thin air.

"Hello villains and villainesses, how are ya'll this evening!?"

A loud uproar of cheers and applause erupts from the crowd.

Bill's smirk grows wider, and starts to walk out onto the stage.

"That's what I wanna hear," he says in a softer tone.

The crowd dies down, and everyone's attention returns to Bill.

"Yes, well, as much fun as this has been something more fun is waiting just 'round the corner, -"

Intrigued/excited chatter soon follows his announcement.

"...and it concerns the big princess, herself!"

Bill grins at swiftly turning around, and points his claw-like finger towards the empty air above the stage.

A bright light shines, and then explodes into flames.

A rectangle forms in mid-air, and the flames at both the top and bottom becomes frozen.

The crowd silently looks towards the hovering flame...but soon gasps as it turns around, and reveals Celestia.

One of the eye-bats looks up from Bill towards Celestia.

Illuminating her so that the monsters and villains can see her clearly.

"Behold, Princess Celestia!"

The crowd of monsters and villains growls and snarls towards the captive princess.

Bill smiles and raises his hand, which silences the crowd.

"Yes I know. She's a ''warrior for the weak and helpless.'' There aren't enough of those days, am I right?"

Bill says.

Several monsters and villains nods in agreement, and murmurs to themselves.

Annoyed at how a hero seems to rise up against them. So annoying.

"Yeah, we've all encountered them...and they've always foiled our plans, -"

Bill gently turns back towards Celestia with a devious smirk, which frightens Celestia.

"...but just this once the hero's plan will be(/nefit) our plan."

Celestia's eyes widens, and she soon feels herself shrinking as Bill slowly hovers towards her.

Bill's smirk grows wider while Celestia's fear continues to mount.

"W-w-what do you mean?!"

Celestia nervously asks at attempting to break free from her restrains (and fails).

Bill gently raises his hand and snaps his finger.

Summoning a cup of tea out of thin air.

"Don't worry, i'll make you experience everything."

Bill begins to stirr the cup.

Lightly scraping the cup's side with the spoon.

At stirring the spoon, Celestia feels control of her body slip away.

All resistance involuntarily goes away with each passing second of him stirring the spoon.

What sorcery is this?! I-I can't move!

Bill smirks at the shock and confusion on Celestia's face, and hovers closer to her so the sound of the stirring spoon gets even louder.

"Sink!"

Bill says at tapping the spoon against the cup.

Celestia's eyes widen, and she sharply inhales before she sinks.

Bill smirks at seeing Celestia's petrified expression...

****

Earlier in the Castle of the Two Sisters, Velvet silently sits in front of the hole Bill made in the wall when her head suddenly snaps upwards.

Her eyes widens, and she looks out the window into the distance.

"Wha-?"

Velvet asks confused at narrowing her brows.

Glimpsing something at the edge of the Everfree Forest.

A bright light.

Velvet soon hears a noise, and narrows her eyes confused at looking back towards Nightlight, Cookie and the rest of her friends.

Her eyes then widens in understanding.

Velvet turns her head and looks towards the door, and runs towards it.

Nightlight and her friends notices Velvet running for the door.

"Velvet, wait! Where are you going?"

Nightlight asks at running after her.

Following Velvet through the castle' corridors.

However Velvet doesn't stop or slow her pace.

She only looks behind her to see if her friends are following.

Nightlight and the rest of Velvet and his' friends pursues Velvet throughout the castle.

Following her until they make their way outside the castle.

Though, they are not prepared for the sight that greets them outside the castle walls.

Velvet isn't as surprised as her friends, and continues across the bridge...

"Velvet, wait!"

Nightlight calls out to Velvet at seeing her cross the bridge.

Seeing her in time before she runs off into the Everfree Forest...

****

As Velvet makes her way through the forest, she notices some of the trees have begun to change.

Turning from wood into steel, the leaves into blue flames, and the tree's (barbed wire) roots has started emering from the ground.

Velvet's brows jumps at seeing the trees, and her attention lingers on them as she runs past.

She soon looks back ahead of her, as she continues towards the edge of the forest...

****

Velvet soon reaches the edge of Everfree Forest, but suddenly freezes in place at seeing what lies ahead.

"Velvet, wait!"

Nightlight calls out to her, before he tackles Velvet to the ground.

Velvet's attention snaps up towards Nightlight, as he stands over her.

"Velvet, you have to-!"

Nightlight shouts to her, until he notices something and briefly looks up.

However his attention is immediatly stolen away by the sight in front of him, and he, like Velvet, cannot look away.

The sight petrifies him in place.

Velvet hears a collective gasp behind him, and looks behind Nightlight to see Cookie and the rest of their friends staring out towards the devastation in front of them.

She sighs sad, and hangs her head.

Without having to be told, Nightlight moves aside.

Velvet stands back up, but her sad expression doesn't improve at turning back towards the wasteland in front of her.

Her sad expression only intensifies...

Meanwhile, Nightlight, Cookie and the others' jaws hangs slack.

Their eyes threatens to pop out of their skulls, but none more so than Velvet.

Velvet just gently looks down towards the ground at hanging her head.

Nightlight slowly looks from one side to the next.

Taking in the scorched earth, and the large pits that has opened in the surface.

From out of these pits a black tar-like substance bubbles as it pours forth, and becomes a vast lake...

The ground around the lake cracks, and the liquid starts to pour out.

Forming several small rivers that runs across Equestria.

Eventually reaching the ocean, where it covers the surface of the water.

Then, black tendrils shoots out that seizes anything it comes into contact with, and pulls them back into the mass of black slime...

However, nothing but bones with black slims bodies and blood-red eye swims out of the black slime' mass.

As the black slime consumes the ocean, it spreads out across the world.

Turning water into black slime, and sealife into undead black slime creatures.

Heading for one particular island;

Mount Eris!

Back at the edge of the Everfree Forest, Cookie turns her head and looks out across the landscape.

Watching as black slime pours out through several rivers that it created.

Allowing it to spread further across Equestria.

Cookie closes her jaw, and shakes her head at the devastation that's occuring before them.

"V-Velvet, what's this?!"

Cookie asks in a soft, yet terrified tone.

"Velvet?"

Cookie, Nightlight and the others, all looks to their right towards Velvet.

Watching her as she stares out towards the landscape in front of them.

Velvet inhales a deep breath and hangs her head.

"This...is Equestria now."

Velvet replies in a sad tone.

Nightlight, Cookie and the other's eyes widens shocked at hearing this.

"Wait, this...is Equestria?"

Cookie asks at turning back towards the lake.

"Mhm."

She hears Velvet respond at watching the steaming black slime (lake).

Nightlight looks back down towards Velvet.

His brows jumping at seeing Velvet lie down on the ground. Resting her head atop her hooves.

"Velvet, what are you doing?" he asks.

Velvet silently opens and closes her eyes a couple times before she responds.

"Its over, Nightlight," Velvet replies.

"I thought there would be someone or something here capable of helping us, but...there's nothing."

"Hope is lost."

Velvet says as a breeze blows across her. Across Nightlight, Cookie and everyone of their friends' fur.

Nightlight turns away and looks back towards the black slime lake. Then towards the rift

Following the beam towards the top of the central tower of Bill's castle.

Specifically; the Fearamid, itself, where the beam is coming from.

That part (of the Fearamid) reflects in his eyes, and he sternly narrows his brows.

"No," Nightlight says.

Drawing everyone's attention but Velvet.

"What do you mean ''no''?" Velvet asks in a depressed tone.

Nightlight looks down towards Velvet.

"You are wrong about there being nothing here."

Velvet narrows her brows confused, and gently turns back towards Nightlight. Shooting him a dumbfounded stare.

"We're here."

Nightlight says.

"You said it yourself; you thought that there would be someone or something here to help us. Well, that someone is us."

Cookie looks towards Nightlight, while the rest of their friends murmurs amongst themselves.

Velvet raises a skeptical brow at him.

"Yeah but we're children, Nightlight."

Velvet says at touching a hoof to her chest.

"How are we supposed to defeat Bill and rescue the princess?"

She asks at pointing her hoof towards Bill's castle. Moving her hoof up towards the Fearamid.

"For all we know she could be held in the tallest tower. How are we supposed to even get inside the castle?"

Velvet asks as her tone gets a little angrier.

Nightlight looks back towards Velvet with a blank but sad expression.

"I don't know, Nightlight casually shrugs.

"See, its impossible. We're doomed."

Velvet says depressed as she puts her head back atop her hooves.

"No its not. Its only impossible because you've given up."

He points his hoof at Velvet.

Everyone gasps, and Velvet's eyes widens.

"What?!"

Velvet sternly asks as she stands back up on her hooves.

Gritting her teeth as she glares back towards the colt.

"Its the truth, Velvet. You've abandoned the princess because you're afraid to fight Bill and his minions," Nightlight says.

Velvet growls through her teeth.

"How dare you?! I want to save the princess as much as the next pony, but even I know that there's no way we can win against Bill."

Velvet says as she trotts up to Nightlight.

"Then prove it." Nightlight smirks. "Help us defeat Bill and free our world from...this."

He says at holding his hoof out to Velvet.

Velvet looks down towards his hoof.

Staring towards it in contemplation, then back up towards his face.

Watching as his smirk changes into a much friendlier and warming smile.

Something within Velvet ignites at seeing his smile.

A spark.

A spark...that drives her to extend her hoof and shake his'.

"You're right."

Velvet smiles back, before she looks towards something off to the side.

"We cannot let Bill and his goons get away with this, -" she says at looking out towards the landscape, "...but we're still gonna need allies if we're to stand even a slim chance."

Nightlight just smiles wider at hearing this.

"Of course. We twelve were never going to defeat Bill on our own...but if we stick together and inspire others to join us, then maybe, just maybe...we'll stand a chance of defeating Bill and saving Equestria."

The rest of Velvet and Nightlight's friends exchanges at first nervous glances with each other, but soon smiles confidently and nods at each other.

Their friends trotts up towards them, and Velvet and Nightlight turns their heads to face them. Smiling happily at each other.

Cookie and Velvet smiles to each other...until Cookie looks away.

Off to the side at something.

Velvet, Nightlight and everyone else turns and looks towards it as well.

Forming a line as they all sternly stare towards Bill's castle in the distance.

Seeing only the central tower as it peeks up above the Everfree Forests' trees.

"You better beware, Bill Cipher...cause we're comin' for ya!" Velvet says.

****

Meanwhile earlier in the Canterlot gardens, Azetlor the Collector navigates the garden.

He telekinetially lifts statues off the ground, and suspends them besides him as he continues throughout the garden.

Soon, the demi-god stumbles upon a particular statue that draws his attention.

A creature whose body looks to be a mish-mash of random body parts to create a unique entity.

He approaches the statue.

Standing in front of it as he looks it up and down. Examining it.

He's seen a couple things in his lifetime, but never something as strange as this...which means that its probably rare. And the rarer something is, the more he wants it!

Azetlor telekinetally grips the statue, but before he's able to lift it off the ground the statue's chest pulsates as it glows.

Several cracks appears throughout the statue. Spreading up from the leg along the body till it reaches the chest.

What the-? Azetlor thinks at seeing this.

He releases his telekinetic grip, but before he can back away the statue explodes outwards.

Azetlor sees a dark silhouette before the light gets too bright, and he raises his hand.

He hears a laughter on the air...but as the light dies down, he doesn't see anything.

Be it statue or whomever was laughing...

Chapter 41

Daughters of Death

*Several days later*

A loud ringing suddenly sounds off inside the Fearamid.

Filling the Fearamid' bedchambers with an obnoxious ringing noise.

Obnoxious to the Fearamid's occupant, whom was currently lying down in a king-sized bed.

A pyramid-shaped alarm clock continues ringing until a fist punches it off the nightstand.

Bill Cipher lies on his side in the bed. Silently staring out in front of him towards a wall.

Bill soon sits up on the edge of the bed.

Swings his legs out, plants them on the floor.

Grumbling to himself at standing up on his feet.

He lifts his arms, and bends down on his left and right sides.

Bill then holds his arms out in front of him and bends his knees several times.

Moving up and down.

He matts his (non-existent) mouth and scratches his back.

His feet lifts off the floor, and he hovers through the air towards the bathroom...

****

A short while later in the bathroom' shower, Bill whistles to himself as he showers.

A loud droning noise fills the bathroom as the hot water keeps running.

Continuing even after the water is switched off, and he steps out of the shower with a green towel wrapped around himself.

Bill looks at his reflection at drying his tip, until he hears a disembodied voice...

"Master, a message has arrived for you."

Bill raises his brow at the disembodied voice, before the mirror turns into a large eye.

The eye opens, revealing a figure clad in a purple and tanned jester's outfit with a face that's half black and white.

Bill folds his arms across his chest at seeing the jester.

"Well? I assume that since you've interrupted my morning shower you've had some development in your search, Dimentio."

Bill says in a partially annoyed tone.

Dimentio's smile immediately changes into a nervous frown at hearing this.

"Um-...Uh, well you see, Cipher-...w-we've not found her yet."

Bill angrily narrows his eye, which frightens Dimentio.

Making him tug slightly at his collar.

"W-we are at the location you sent us to...b-but we've not yet found her."

Dimentio nervously stutters.

Bill's already-angry expression intensifies, and he silently blinks back towards Dimentio.

Sweat runs down along Dimentio's temples, and his frightened expression intensifies.

"B-but we'll find her!"

He exclaims at holding his arms defensively out in front of him.

"W-we'll continue searching!"

Dimentio says as the eye closes.

Reverting back into a mirror that reflects Bill's annoyed expression back at himself.

Bill's annoyed expression softs a little, and he sighs.

He finishes scrubbing and hovers out of the bathroom.

****

Meanwhile elsewhere, Luna trotts across a barren wasteland a cold yet warm wind blows past her.

She tries to see through the thick sandstorm but is unable to see anything.

"Hello? is anypony there?"

Luna calls out, but suddenly hears an eerie cackle from behind!

Her head snaps behind her, but her eyes widen at seeing a dark silhouette stand up.

Luna's jaw hangs slack at the figure towering over her through the sandstorm!

An evil grin appears on the distorted silhouette's face at lifting its arm.

Holding another silhouetted figure, which it lifts with a tight grasp around its neck.

The wind blows rougher through Luna's mane.

The first silhouette extends a hand towards the other silhouette's head, to which the second silhouette starts to scream in agony!

Luna watches in horror as the first silhouette rips a glowing gem from the second silhouette's forehead...

Following which the second silhouette immediately vanishes.

Fading away into the same dust that blows across Luna.

The silhouette chuckles to itself and intensifies its grin.

Narrowing its glowing crimson eyes towards the circular gem in-between its fingers.

"Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe, but this does put a smile on my face."

The silhouette chuckles to itself at staring towards the gem in a voice that Luna recognizes as female...

However, Luna narrows her brows confused at seeing the female place the gem in her forehead.

The gem starts to glow and lights up...revealing two other similar gems!

Luna's eyes widen and she gasps at seeing the three gems form a triangle on the female's forehead.

The female's head then suddenly snaps towards Luna!

Shining bright beams that blinds Luna...

Luna raises a hoof to shield her eyes but is unable to move as the female extends her outstretched hand!

"The end has come for you, Equestrian!"

She calls out to Luna, before she brings her hand down and grabs her...!

Luna immediately phases through the hand and starts to fall down.

She is still surrounded by sand, but that sand soon spirals inwards.

Soon, black and white rocks are added into the mix.

Causing the spiral to become predominantly black and white.

However even as she falls down the mysterious spiraling vortex, Luna looks down.

Watching as images appears, composed of variously colored rocks;

One image shows a bearded humanoid clad in black robes with especially long sleeves that covers its arms.

The figure's pale face resembles a skull, and a white beard reaches down to his chest. Atop his head rests a crown that looks like its made from bones.

He holds a staff in his right hand, and a crystal ball in his left.

Luna watches as the humanoid thrusts his staff out in front of him and fires a blast towards Celestia.

Celestia dodges the blast and fires a blast of her own towards him.

He side-steps her blast and fires another blast towards her.

"Dread it, run from it, destiny still arrives!"

A disembodied voice speaks around Luna as she (continues) falls.

The vortex finally reaches its end, but Luna keeps falling.

She falls out of the vortex into a dark void.

Luna looks up just before the vortex seals itself up. Taking away the light that shines out from the vortex.

Everything around her envelops in utter darkness and she continues falling...until she eventually slams against the darkness.

"Huh? What the-?"

Luna asks confused at sitting up on the darkness.

She taps the surface with her hoof, and the surface immediately starts to change.

Reality alters around her.

Changing from pure darkness into a large metal surface...adrift on a vast ocean!

She turns her head back and forth.

Looking around her surroundings as reality continues to alter around her...until a large object appears in front of her on the water (as reality around her finishes changing)!

Her eyes widen and jaw hangs slack at seeing the large object...that's heading straight for her!

The object (as seen from above) resembles a triangle with elongated sides, on the water.

"In time you will know what its like to lose. To feel so desperately that your right, yet to fail all the same."

Luna suddenly hears a disembodied voice, as it echoes around her.

She quickly turns her head but doesn't see anything or anyone.

Luna then hears and watches the object shooting an energy blast into the sky.

She turns her head at following the energy blast...but freezes at seeing where its going.

Gasping as the blast hits a skyscraper, which explodes and collapses.

Crushing several smaller skyscrapers underneath its weight.

*WROOSH*

Luna immediately turns around at hearing something behind her...but gasps as a tendril grabs her throat!

The large object, the ocean, and everything becomes grey.

Everything but an organic black mass, whose tendril's wraps around her throat.

Luna struggles against the tendril, but the black mass merely pulls her closer towards itself.

The front of the black mass pulls back, and Luna gasps at seeing two blue eyes staring out at her.

A (blue) glowing jagged smile appears...

Luna's fear intensifies at seeing a mare's head slithering out towards her (on an elongated neck).

White markings appear on the mare head's eyes and opens its maw.

Revealing countless sharp teeth, as it extends a long tongue towards Luna's face.

"Dread it... Run from it. Destiny still arrives!"

The mare head speaks in a creepy, unnatural voice.

Luna stares in terror towards the mare's head...but she soon notices something behind the shadow mare that draws her attention more;

A massive wave that towers over the large vessel in front of her and the shadow mare!

"No!"

Luna utters before the wave hits.

"... When i'm done, half the universe will remain!"

Luna hears the disembodied voice a final time...!

"NOOO!"

Luna screams as she abruptly sits up on a bed (she's been sleeping on).

Her eyes shoot wide open at her rapid panting.

She sits up right on a bed in a dark cave.

The cave is illuminated by countless candles. scattered throughout.

As she calms down, Luna's head snaps towards a cloaked and masked figure that approaches her.

The equine figure holds a spear with four curved tips, which doesn't inspire confidence with Luna...

However, the masked mare gently approaches Luna.

"Princess Luna of Equestria, do not worry. We mean you no harm."

The masked mare says at abruptly stopping in her tracks.

Defensively holding her hooves out to the frightened princess.

Luna raises a suspicious brow at hearing this.

"Circumstances beg to differ; an unknown location, a guard. This is more ensuring I don't leave."

Luna sternly replies at narrowing her brows.

The masked mare stares blankly back at the blue alicorn.

"N-no, you've got it all wrong. You're not being held prisoner at all!" she nervously replies.

"W-we saved-"

Before the mare can continue, though, she's and Luna's attention are directed towards the doorway at hearing approaching hoof steps.

Both watches as several more of the robed and masked ponies runs into the room.

"What is happening?"

Another masked mare asks, at staring toward the masked mare that was guarding Luna.

"S-stand down, sisters!"

The first masked mare extends her hoof out towards the other masked mares.

"You will only antagonize the princess!"

The group of masked mares stops in place and looks towards Luna and the first masked mare.

The first masked mare gently turns back towards Luna.

"You can trust us, princess. You have nothing to fear from us."

The first masked mare says to Luna with an outstretched hoof.

However, Luna only stares skeptically at the mare's hoof...unaware that a dark figure watches from the doorway.

"It doesn't matter what you tell the princess, sister, -" a voice suddenly speaks from the doorway.

Drawing Luna and the other masked mare's attention.

Everyone but Luna gasps at seeing another masked mare in the doorway...

This mare, though, wears a black robe with curved shoulder plates, and a headdress that has six horns curved upwards.

The masked mare also grasps a staff with four curved tips that points upwards.

"High Priestess."

All of the masked mares immediately bows before her.

Luna just looks at all of them and raises a confused brow at staring towards the High Priestess.

The High Priestess trotts down into the room towards Luna.

Her staff taps against the floor with every step.

She soon stops in front of Luna.

Blankly staring into Luna's eyes, as Luna stares into her eye(holes)

"You must have many questions, my child," the High Priestess says.

Luna calmly nods in confirmation.

"Hmmm..." the High Priestess responds.

"Follow me."

She says at turning around, and trotts back towards the doorway.

"And I should trust you because...?"

Luna asked, at which the High Priestess stops in her tracks.

She (the High Priestess) looks back over her shoulder at the blue alicorn.

"You don't."

"I am merely offering you a choice; stay here or come with me."

The High Priestess says at turning back and trotting out of the room.

The High Priestess and her ''sisters'' trotts out of the room.

Luna hangs her head in contemplation, but soon looks back up and trotts out after the High Priestess...

****

Sometime later after Luna and the High Priestess trotts down a long corridor, they soon trott outside.

Luna blinks confused.

"Where are we?"

She asks at seeing the wasteland before them.

"The Badlands, -" the High Priestess replies.

"Now, goodbye."

The Priestess says and turns away from Luna.

Trotting back inside the large doorway they just trotted out through.

"Wait what!?"

Luna exclaims confused at turning back after the High Priestess.

The High Priestess stops in her tracks and turns back towards Luna.

"I only told you to follow me. I never said anything about what follows once we arrived at our destination."

Luna blinks confused at the reply.

"So, what, you're just going to let me go? Just like that?"

She asks confused.

The High Priestess chuckles and turns around to face Luna.

"Our purpose, princess, was never to impede your recovery...but assist it," the Priestess replies.

"It was only foretold that we, daughters of Hela, shall aid the Princess of the Night in her recovery before the final battle...but not to participate int he game of thrones."

The Priestess explained.

"This is your test, and one you must face on your own."

The Priestess says at extending her hoof and taps Luna's shoulder.

However, at touching Luna's shoulder the Priestess abruptly looks down towards Luna's shoulder.

"And yet...I sense that you are not alone."

The Priestess says, before she retracts her hoof.

She turns around and trotts back inside the doorway they exited through.

Luna's mouth hangs open at seeing the High Priestess trott back inside the mountain.

Soon, Luna shook her head.

Recovering from her confused stupor and turns around.

She flares her wings outwards, and with a mighty beat flies up into the sky.

Making a U-turn in the sky, she flies north towards the Everfree Forest.

****

Luna flies for many hours.

Passing over horrific and surrprising sights, until she soon plants her hooves upon a hillside.

The hillside overlooks the Everfree Forest, which she gasps at seeing the trees has turned into iron.

Her attention is soon directed towards a large castle-like structure with a tall tower in the center.

Luna narrows her brows towards the castle, but an explosion suddenly flashes a bright light out towards her from the castle.

Blinding Luna, before hitting her with black and white waves shortly after!

Author's Note

Link1 - Aku's morning routine (Soundtrack)
Link2 - Aku's Theme (9 Min version)

Chapter 42

Rise of the Avengers!

*A couple weeks earlier*

"Look out, again!"

*ZAP!*

*KA-BOOM!*

A pony cries as she points her hoof towards a large silhouette in front of them...before said silhouette shoots several beams from its eyes towards them!

One of the tallest buildings around is hit and explodes.

As it falls, it crushes and destroys more buildings underneath it as it crumbles!

Ponies screams in terror and panic as they flee.

Horrified at being forced to have their city destroyed again.

This time by some unknown humanoid figure with multiple horns (four big ones and two smaller ones) and great flaming eyebrows!

Once more Canterlot burns as the tall humanoid demon moves throughout the city.

Continually firing its eye-beams.

Destroying structures/buildings and/or ponies!

"BWA HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Aku laughs as he rampages throughout Canterlot.

Destroying the city piece by piece.

His shadow and the flames consumes the city.

Burning anyone and anything within the city walls.

Unlike the first time, there are hardly as many survivors as of the previous assault.

No more than fifty ponies survives...out of a thousand!

*********

Soon, Aku grins madly as he stands amidst the ruined remains of Canterlot, before he makes his way through the burned and collapsed city towards its center.

He narrows his brows and smirks.

Then he extends, and holds his hand outstretched towards the city' center.

The ground starts shaking, but his smirk just intensifies.

He balls his fist and the ground intensifies its shaking...until a wall of black slime explodes up out of the ground!

Aku is engulfed by the black slime as it grows into a tall monolith of black ooze.

Slimy and dripping branches grows out at the top but soon solidifies.

Becoming sharp and pointed.

The black slime tree solidifies until its identical to Aku's previous castle when he ruled over the earth.

Soon, the ground shakes again at spikes springs up around the castle.

Inside the castle, the center opens as the wall becomes motionless red flames.

Aku emerges inside the castle standing on the edge overlooking the Pit of Hate.

Aku soon opens his eyes and smiles at seeing his castle's restoration.

He looks up and watches the ceiling pull back to reveal the dark clouds in the skies above the castle.

*********

*A couple weeks later*

Time is dead.

Meaning has no meaning.

Existence is upside down, and Bill reigns supreme.

The Weirdmageddon...is truly here!

Several days have passed since Bill Cipher instigated the event known only as; Weirdmageddon.

An event of interdimensional proportions, as its allowed various entities and villains onto Equestria.

Enveloping the entire world in chaos that surpasses even that of Discord, himself.

''Twilight'' Velvet Sparkle, Night Light, and the rest of their friends travelled across Equestria in search of anyone to help them fight back Bill Cipher and his minions.

At present, they're trotting along a path when they suddenly freeze in their tracks.

"Quick, hide!"

Velvet instructs, before she and her friends hides in the bushes.

Peeking their heads out, they look towards a small (but still sizable) crowd of silver humanoids.

One of them is tallest, and is looking down towards something.

Within the crowd, Ultron looks down towards the human before him.

His Sentinels restraining, and holding up, the beaten and battered humanoid, whose white robes are torn and shredded.

Ultron stares down towards the samurai, as one of his Sentries hands him a kitana.

He holds up the sword, to which the sword's blade gleams in the sunlight (or what little sun there is, considering the terrible darkness.

The samurai raises his head and looks up at Ultron as he examines the sword.

"Impressive, samurai," Ultron remarks as his attention shifts from the sword to his captive.

Staring blankly at the samurai.

"However, you still haven't answered how you ended up here," Ultron says.

Annoyed, the samurai shakes his head.

"I've already told you. I don't know," the samurai responds.

"I've already told you; I was just walking through a forest when this ring of fire appears around me. The next second, it transports me here," the samurai explains annoyed.

"Hmmm," Ultron grumbles as he touches his chin.

"You may have not been my intended target, but you are still a threat to this world. You will be brought in for questioning," Ultron says as he holds the sword down beside him.

The samurai's glare just intensifies.

Looking back up at this...this ''man of steel'' as the Sentries forces him to stand up.

Ultron ignites his thrusters, and gently lifts off the ground.

The Sentries do the same, and hover in the air around Ultron.

The Sentries fly up, but as they do, a magical blast shoots towards and hits Ultron's hand.

He exclaims, and drops the sword.

The samurai's eyes shoot wide-open at seeing his chance.

Ultron's head snaps down at losing the sword, but the samurai pulls his arm free of the Sentries' grasp and grabs the sword!

"No!"

Ultron exclaims as he thrusts his arm out and shoots red energy/concussion beams down towards the samurai...

However the samurai grabs the sword as it falls, and immediatly uses it to catch and re-direct the beam towards one of the Ultron Sentries (that was restraining him) Destroying it.

He then decapitates the other Sentry with a single slash, before it can attack him.

Causing its head-less body to clatter on the ground.

Ultron ignites his boosters, and quickly flies up towards the other Sentries.

All while firing energy beams down towards the samurai.

The samurai, though, just jumps up after Ultron and deflects the beams with his sword.

Hitting several Sentries, which falls dead.

Ultron groans, and flees higher up while his Sentries speed down.

All of them converging on the samurai.

The Sentries opens fire, but the samurai just leaps back.

Dodgeing the blasts, as the ground explodes.

Ultron flies higher into the sky, above the Sentries, and repeatedly fires down towards the samurai.

The samurai, though, deflects the blasts and leaps up after Ultron.

Ultron intensifies his barrage, and forces the samurai back down to the ground.

The Sentries close in around the samurai, and raise their arms. Aiming their arm-canons towards the samurai to fire.

The samurai notices them, but is unable to move...lest he get hit by one of Ultron's blasts.

"Like a miss-spelled word in any document, you, samurai, will be deleted!" Ultron says as he flies down closer towards the samurai.

Awaiting the samurai's destruction by his Sentries...

*ZAP*

*BOOM!*

"ARGH!" Ultron exclaims as something explodes against his back.

He groans, and turns around to see where the attack came from.

Spotting a unicorn filly standing by a bush, and frowning at him.

"You!" Ultron exclaims annoyed.

The filly just narrows her brows, as she continues glaring.

Ultron thrusts his arm out and fires a beam at her.

Velvet, though, fires a blast back, which explodes upon impact with Ultron's attack.

Ultron grabs and levitates the ground beneath her hooves, but she just teleports back onto the ground.

Ultron growls and throws the chunk of earth at her, but she raises a protective barrier around herself.

The chunk shatters against the shield, but the filly is unharmed.

Velvet and Ultron lock eyes.

Silently glaring back up/down at each other, until that silence is abruptly ended when they cry out to each other.

Both firing their beams at each other, which violently explodes into a bright flash of light.

As the light dies down Ultron and Velvet groan, as their beams clash against the other.

His red beam pushes down against her blue beam.

Their beams loudly crackling and shoots out sparks at the power both are exerting.

Attempting to dominate the other.

From a nearby bush, Velvet's friends watches in shock of the power within Velvet.

Even the samurai, as he fights off the Sentries, cannot help but spare a glance towards the clash between Ultron and the horny horse...

Wait, that can't be right, he thinks to himself before deflecting an incoming blast with his sword.

The blast is redirected back towards the Sentry that fired it, and hits it right in the chest. Destroying it.

Velvet gritts her teeth as Ultron's beam steadily pushes her's back.

Straining herself as she gives it everything she has...yet her rage is fading, and Ultron's beam has begun overwhelming her's.

"Oh no, this isn't good! He's overpowering her!" Night Light says while he and the rest of their friends watches Ultron gain the upper hand on Velvet.

The samurai hears Night Light and shifts his attention towards Velvet.

Watching as Ultron intensifies his beams, and is indeed starting to overpower the little horse-creature.

He turns back towards the horde of Sentries surrounding him, and then back towards the little horse.

No! he exclaims in his head.

His head snaps up towards Ultron, and he narrows his brows.

She helped me. I cannot abandon her!

All of the Sentries lock their weapons on him and fire at the same time, but he suddenly leaps up into the air.

The Sentries' beams shoots through the air...and hits themselves in their own crossfire!

Ultron smirks, as his beam finally beats the unicorn filly back.

"Your defiance is impressive, my little pony, but its going to take more than sheer willpower alone to defeat me," Ultron says to Velvet as a silhouette leaps up from behind him.

"Yes... Me!"

Ultron hears a familiar voice behind him, which startles the cyborg.

He quickly turns his head to look behind him, but his eyes widens at seeing the samurai raise his sword above his head...!

Ultron turns back and looks down towards Velvet.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight-AUGH!"

*SLASH!*

Before his sentence can be finished, Ultron's head is suddenly cut in half by the samurai's sword!

The blade slashes down along the center of Ultron's body, until coming out the bottom.

Ultron freezes in mid-air. His jaw hanging open in shock.

Feedback is sent back down towards Velvet, and explodes.

Knocking her backwards.

The samurai plants his feet on the ground, and immediatly spins on his heel to face anyone that's left.

He's greeted by countless destroyed Sentries laying motionless on the ground, and finally the two halves of Ultron's body slams into the ground. Clattering upon impact.

Ultron's systems shut down, and sparks explode out of the two halves of his body.

The samurai's brows jump as he sees that Ultron and the Sentries have been defeated.

He stands up and sheathes his sword back in its scabbard.

He soon turns around and looks towards the little horse-creature that helped him.

Gasping as he sees her lying on the ground, and quickly runs over towards her...

While running he hears someone else approach, and his head snaps towards the source.

Only to see a group of identical creatures running up towards her, as well.

Night Light and the others surround Velvet, while also turning their attention towards the samurai.

Assuming defensive stances, should he try anything.

"Not another step, whoever or whatever you are!" Night Light says, sternly.

The samurai's eyes widens, and he abruptly stops in his tracks.

Holding out his arms defensively to calm the little equines.

"Whoa, I mean you no harm."

Night Light raises his brow, skeptically.

"Yeah, well, these aren't exactly normal times...and besides, you're not exactly a pony," Night Light replies.

The samurai's brows jumps at hearing this.

"Wait, you're...ponies?" he asks, confused.

"Mhm! Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies," Night Light explained.

Pointing his hoof at himself and Velvet, then Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles, and finally Igneous Pie and Cloudy Quartz.

The samurai raises a befuddled brow.

Looking towards the three couples in the same order that Night Light mentioned them. Examining them.

"Hmm," he grumbled, putting a finger to his chin in thought.

Focusing on Bow and Windy in particular.

"Those two, I have seen poni-er-horses like them during my travels," he says, as he points towards Bow and Windy.

Confused, Night Light raises his brow.

"And?" Night asks.

Not seeing the relevance.

The samurai hangs his hand beside him, and looks back down at Night.

"I saw them once in a land known as Greece, where I fought robots like this ''Ultron''," the samurai explains, before hanging his head, "...back when Aku ruled the earth."

Velvet's eyes shoot open at the mention of Aku, and she immediatly sits up.

"Wait, you know who, or what, Aku is?!" she asks.

The samurai flinches at Velvet's sudden recovery from such an intense blast. Even Night Light and the others are caught unawares. Seemingly not knowing about it, themselves.

"Y-yes. I've fought and defeated him in the past...but it appears that he's somehow returned from death if you know of him," the samurai says.

"This ''Aku'' must be who Bill Cipher was talking about before he and his minions went off to his castle," Velvet says, putting a hoof to her chin in thought.

The samurai narrows his brows, confused.

"I don't know this ''Bill Cipher'' is, but it sounds to me like he's allied himself with Aku, which makes a bad situation worse."

Velvet, Night and their friends looks towards the samurai confused, and greatly worried.

"W-why do you say that?" Velvet stuttered, nervously.

"Because Aku's powers were unmatched by only the gods, themselves," the samurai replies. "Aku possesses the ability to shapeshift, superhuman powers. He...even holds power over time, itself," the samurai says, as he hangs his head.

Velvet, Night, and their friends' eyes widens, and they gasp in shock.

Night turns to face Velvet with a look of pure terror, but she just closes her mouth.

Nervously swallowing her fear.

"I know, Night Light. I know."

She draws the attention of the samurai in saying that, and he looks at her, curiously.

"What?" he asks.

A faint, but growing concern within him.

Velvet turns her head, and looks towards the samurai with a blank frown.

"Bill Cipher...has abilities like that. Perhaps on a scale even rivaling Aku."

The samurai's mouth hangs open, and he closes his eyes. Hanging his head.

He balls his fist, and inhales a deep breath (that he soon exhales)

"Then...I am afraid that my sword, alone, will not be enough to defeat Aku this time if he is allied himself with this Bill Cipher," the samurai soon says, as he looks back up from the ground.

Velvet and Night narrows their brows confused, and looks back at him.

"What do you mean ''your sword''? I thought you said that only the gods of your world could defeat Aku?" Velvet asks.

"That is true. I did say, but I also said that I managed to defeat Aku."

The samurai nods, before he grabs and pulls the sword out.

Slashing the blade through the air, which causes it to shine in the faintest rays of sunshine.

"This sword belonged to my father, and it was forged in purity and strength. A weapon to combat Aku, and the forces of darkness that seek to surpress and rule the innocent," he proudly proclaims.

Velvet, Night and the rest of their friends' eyes are drawn to the blade. Their eyes widening at the sight of it.

"And you defeated Aku with this?" Velvet asks, pointing her hoof towards the sword.

"Yes, I did."

The samurai nods.

"Hmmm," Velvet grumbles, as she puts a hoof to her chin in thought.

Smiling, as she looks back up towards the samurai.

"Then, we might just have a fighting chance of defeating both Bill Cipher and Aku."

Velvet's friends look at her, confused.

"How so?" Night asks, to which Velvet smiles as she turns towards him.

"Don't you see? If this guy's here, then there must be others that have ended up here as a result of Bill's interference!" Velvet replies, excited.

"Hmm," the samurai grumbles, as he puts a hand to his chin in thought.

"Are you suggesting-"

He says, before she interrupts him.

"Yes... We raise an army, then storm Bill's castle!"

Velvet hits the top side of her left hoof with her right hoof.

"Save Princess Celestia, smash the projector, and save Equestria!"

"Hmm," the samurai, again, touches his chin in thought.

"Well, it seems that with Aku's involvement in conquering this world-"

"Equestria," Velvet interjected.

"Right right... In conquering Equestria, that I will be seeking him out regardless of your decision. But in light of this partnership between Bill Cipher, it would be nice to not take them both on by myself," the samurai says.

"Precisely...!" Velvet remarks.

Gesturing towards the samurai with her hoof in agreement.

"He's going to try and defeat Aku and Bill no matter what we do, so doesn't it make sense for us to join forces. Work together to liberate Equestria from this insane tyranny?" Velvet asks Night and the rest of their friends.

Night and the rest of their friends exchange confused glances with each other, but soon look back towards Velvet.

Their eyes widening, as it finally dawns on them what Velvet is suggesting.

Velvet just smiles at their understanding.

"Yes," she says softly, "we're going to war!"

Velvet's friends begin muttering amongst themselves, while Night stares directly at her.

The samurai's brows, surprised at the leadership skills this little pony has.

"Excuse me," the samurai speaks up, drawing Velvet's attention, "but how old are you exactly?" he asks.

Velvet raises a confused brow.

"Twelve years old. Why?"

The samurai's brows jumps, shocked at the skill of someone so young.

Even he spent a lifetime travelling around the world learning all manner of skills, so he'd be best suited to deal with Aku when he returned.

"Oh, no reason," the samurai replies, while oblivious to a silhouette that stands up from the pile of destroyed Sentries.

Its glowing eyes looking towards the samurai and ponies, before it turns away and flies into the air.

Flying North.

"Oh, and I almost forgot. I can't believe it slipped my mind, but we've never been formally introduced, sir," Velvet says.

"Oh, well, my name is Jack," Jack says putting a hand to his chest.

"Most, if not everyone, including friends and enemies, know me as Samurai Jack."

"Well, Jack, i'm Velvet Sparkle."

Velvet extends her hoof, and Jack shakes it.

"I look forward to working with you."

*********

*Several days later*

The Ghastly Gorge's ambience is interrupted by a black train that speeds across the landscape.

The train, though, soon comes to a halt at a bridge(/the bridge one would use to reach the other side)

Several humanoid figures clad in red and black uniforms gathers outside the train.

The captain narrows his green eyes annoyed and turns towards one of his subordinates.

"Contact the outpost. Inform them that we require assistance in repairing the bridge."

The captain orders at pointing his (sharp) finger towards one of his warriors.

The warrior stands at attention and salutes the captain.

"Yes sir, I will make- AUGH!"

The warrior replies before he's struck by an arrow and knocked to the ground.

The warrior's body turns to smoke and leaves only his uniform behind.

"Its an ambush-AUGHHH!" the captain shouts.

"AHH!"

"AHHH!"

"AHHHH!"

Both the captain and its warriors shouts at being hit by a barrage of arrows!

Their lifeless bodies hits the ground and turns to smoke. Leaving behind empty uniforms.

With their numbers dwindled, the remaining warriors turns and runs away...only to be suddenly caught un-awares by a group of ponies charging straight for them!

The surviving warriors try to fight but are quickly overwhelmed and slaughtered by the equestrians.

After a brief and pointless clash, the final warrior falls down and the equestrians cheers at their victory...

That is until several smooth triangular pod-like shapes detatches from several train cars and launches into the air.

The (pod-like) shapes lands on their legs and stands up.

Revealing four-armed (six-armed with the legs) insect-like creatures.

Beetle drones!

The Beetle drones towers over the ponies and doesn't hesitate before going on the offensive.

Using their sharp blade-like arms, they Beetle drones slashes at the nearest ponies.

"Pull back! Puulll back!"

A pony cries out from amidst the crowd.

The ponies turns around and runs away, but the Beetle drones just jumps and slashes them as they flee!

Cutting them down as easily as they overwhelmed the warriors.

"SHOT THEM! SHOOOOOT THEM!"

The same pony shouts from the crowd at running towards the nearby forest.

Again the arrows shoots towards the Beetle drones, but merely bounces off their metallic hide.

The drones are unaffected by the counter-attack and continues cutting ponies down.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

A pony calls out from the crowd.

"Retrea-!"

*WHOSH*

The pony calls out before a shadow passes over him, as a silhouette leaps over him towards a Beetle drone.

The silhouette raises its arms above its head and swings them down.

Its' scissor blades impales the Beetle drone, and slices down along the front of its body.

Cleaving it into three halves.

*THUD*

The other Beetle drones' attention shifts towards their defeated comrade and sees humanoid, wielding what looks to be scissor blades in her hands.

Every Beetle drone turns and looks towards a humanoid whose skin is white, with spiked arms, horns and long red hair with bangs that covers her right eye.

The humanoid wears a yellow-orange ballgown, a black tiara, and has an orange flame that constantly burns above her head.

The Beetle drones stares silently at her, and she at them...until several drones, then, lunge themselves at her.

The females leaps straight into the air for one of the drones, and holds her scissor blades out in front of her.

The drone tries to slash her with its blades, but she just extends her arm...and uses the scissor blade to cut a hole in reality, that she vanishes into.

A hole opens up beside the drone that she emerges from, and slashes the drone's head off.

She kicks-off the drone's body as it hits the ground, and flies straight towards another drone.

This time she doesn't cut a hole in reality, but just pierces the drone with her scissor blades and cuts it in half.

A Beetle drone lunges at her, and forces her to jump away to dodge its attack.

She lands in the middle of the Beetle drone horde, but immediatly assumes a defensive stance as the drones encircle her.

However, as the drones' attention is focused on her several figures emerges from the forest.

Charging towards the drone horde, where the newcomers shoots crystals and magic beams towards the Beetle drones!

Drone after drone is pierced by crystals, and pierced by magic beams that makes them explode.

The Beetles turn their attention towards the newcomers, but this gives her the perfect oppertunity to charge the horde and slice several drones.

Another drones' slashes at her, but she uses her scissor blade to cut open another hole in reality.

The drone's blade dissapears inside the hole, but soon re-appears and impales the drone's own head as she cuts another hole in front of the drone's face.

She also slashes her scissor blades up along the center of the drone's front and cleaves it in half.

Both halves slam into the ground.

Every Beetle drone turns their attention towards the female, just before several figures jumps down behind her.

One is a reptillian humanoid (with green skin) and snakes for arms and legs, and a crystal with an eye inside it.

Another of the newcomers is composed of etheral smoke with a skull face, and two horns that are composed of three horns stacked atop each other.

Another is a human/oid wearing grey battle armor (that is a sleeve-less top, and knee-length plaid skirt), and whose long, silver hair has been done up.

One very noticable detail are the diamond shaped markings on her cheeks.

The drones leaps towards Moon, but she raises her magic wand and shoots a magical blast towards them.

Destroying a group of drones with a single blast.

Rhombulus extends his arms and shoots crystals from his snake-appendages.

Impaling several drones through their chests, which causes them to explode in mid-air.

Omnitraxus Prime punches the drones with large fists (that he conjures)

Punching the drones so hard that they explodes, but not with fire. Their (the drones') bodies erupts into hundreds of parts that scatter around the landscape.

Hekapoo duplicates herself, and all of her clones thrust out their outstretched hands together.

Sending waves of fire upon the Beetle drones. Incinerating them.

Another figure soon leaps out of the trees towards the charging Beetle drones.

The newcomer raises its sword above its head, and slashes it down along the center of a Beetle drone.

Slashing it in half, which clatters upon impact with the ground.

The newcomer jumps jumps up, as several Beetles try to stab him with their blades.

As he comes back down, he slashes of their arms.

Shortly, slashing them to pieces with his sword.

More Beetle drones try to charge him, but he jumps up on their heads and runs across them.

Decapitating them as he runs.

He kicks-off from one Beetles' head, and leaps through the air towards Moon, Hekapoo, Rhombulus, and Omnitraxus.

Landing in front of them with his kitana held out in front of him.

The remaining Beetle drones charges at the group, but Moon, Hekapoo, Rhombulus, Omnitraxus and Jack leap straight at the Beetles;

Burning them with Hekapoo's fire...

Shooting them with Rhombulus's crystals...

Smashing them with Omnitraxus's giant fists...

Destroying them with Moon's magic...

And slashing them with Jack's sword.

Explosions erupts throughout the landscape, but when the dust settles hundreds of lifeless Beetle Drones lies strewn about.

Sparks flying out of their lifeless bodies, as a couple time twitches.

Jack smiles, and sheathes his sword back into the scabbard.

"Clear!"

A voice calls out from the forest, as Jack and the Magical High Commission stands down.

From out of the forest, behind the trees, a large crowd of ponies runs up towards the train.

They surround, and board the train.

Pillaging it of whatever its transporting.

A pony soon emerges from the train, and extends his hooves in the air.

"We've (literally) struck gold!"

The pony informs the crowd, before several Unicorns trott out from the train.

Levitating gold and other treasures out of the train with their magic, which they the crowd gathered outside the train takes with them into the forest.

From out of the forest, a small unicorn trotts up towards Jack and the Magical High Commission.

"So, I heard we scored big?" Velvet asks, as she stops beside Jack.

Jack turns his head and looks down at Velvet. Smiling at her.

"Indeed. With this victory against Aku, himself, others will flock to our cause. Eager to help liberate Equestria from Bill's control," Jack replies.

"Precisely!" Velvet replies.

"Then, we will finally be strong to march on Bill's castle and end his tyranny once and for all," she adds.

As the Equestrians and their allies continues to strip the train of anything valuable, a hooded figure watches them from the shadows.

Turning away, she walks off into the woods...

*********

*One hour early*

At the Fearamid, several humanoid figures patrolls Bill's castle.

Meanwhile, Bill Cipher sits on his throne.

Hands folded, as various places, events and individuals flashes in his eye.

"Rrrrrgh!" Bill growls as his anger gets stronger.

"RRR-ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Bill screams enraged.

"WHERE ARE THEY?!"

His voice explodes outwards. Sending a powerful shockwave throughout the Fearamid.

A (silver) humanoid figure shortly appears in the throne room' doorway, following Bill's outburst.

"Master? Is something the matter?" Ultron asks.

Bill's eye returns to its normal self, and he looks across the room towards the humanoid.

"I am about to rewrite history, and someone is trying to ruin my moment!" Bill replies, sternly.

Slamming his fist against the throne's armrest.

Ultron nervously swallows, as he silently observes Bill's rage.

"Have your Sentries found anything? We are running out of time, Ultron," he says in a calmer tone.

"N-negative, master. These individuals have hidden their tracks well."

Bill grumbles, annoyed, and folds his hands again.

"Re-call all your Sentries. Nothing can be left to chance, not tonight."

Bill points his finger at Ultron.

"The time has come for Equestria to tremble at my feet."

Bill narrows his eye as he smirks, deviously.

"Yes, master," Ultron responds.

Holding his hand to his chest as he bows his head, before he leaves.

Ultron turns around and walks out of the throne room.

Exhaling a heavy breath, before he encounters several other Ultron Primes.

"Its okay. He managed to keep it under control," Ultron informs his duplicates.

Each of the other Ultron Primes sigh in relief, before turning around and flying away.

Following Ultron's departure, Bill sits in his throne grumbling to himself.

He stands up from his throne, and hovers in the air.

Snapping his finger, as he teleports to another room in the castle.

Re-appearing in a circular room, with a lone black tree in the center.

He puts his arms behind his back, and silently stares at the titular tree.

He holds out his right hand, and looks att it.

Specifically, the finger that he cut off.

"Just a little sacriface," he says softly to himself.

*********

Meanwhile, in the rebuilt city of Canterlot or as it's better known these days, the City of Aku, a large vehicle rolls through the busy streets of the vast metropolis.

The vehicle soon arrives at a large tree-like structure in the center of the city, and a masked humanoid steps out of it.

The masked figure walked up to an elevator, and proceeded to enter it.

As the doors closed behind it, the humanoid turned around and pressed a button on the wall.

The button dinged, and the elevator moved upwards.

Moving up along the side of the structure, while the humanoid looks out upon the city through the glass viewscreen in front of it.

Seeing the tall spires that rose high in the sky.

Their dark and hellish apperance giving the illussion that they stabbed the very heavens, themselves, above.

The humanoid didn't react until the elevator dinged.

Reaching the very top of the castle.

The doors opened, and the humanoid stepped outside.

Not reacting as the walls resembled large flames.

Silently following as it followed a passage to a large-open chamber.

Though in truth, it was more reminiscent of a vast abyss. Composed of spiraling flames that vanished into darkness at the bottom.

Stepping out onto a cliff, that resembled a lone flame, the humanoid put its arms behind its back.

Across the abyss, another humanoid figure clad in blue robes raised a large pole, and slammed it against a giant gong.

The gong rang throughout the entire chamber until a tower of darkness shot up from the beneath the abyss.

The dark mass gained a human apperance with four large and two smaller horns, fiery eyebrows and a goatee.

The humanoid kneeled before the Shogun of Sorrow.

"My lord, Aku, I come bearing news of the rebels," the humanoid said.

"Yes, speak," Aku commanded.

The humanoid raised its head and looked up towards the Shogun.

"They are getting bolder, my lord. I witnessed them assaulting one of your transports. They looted everything."

Aku narrowed his brows, angrilly, and growled loud enough for Chamberlain and the other humanoid to hear him.

"They are indeed getting bolder if they dare to attack one of my transports," Aku said, sternly clenching his fist.

"However, there is more, my lord," the humanoid said, drawing Aku's attention.

"I personally witnessed the raid, and saw that the ponies are being aided by four unknown individuals of incredible power, several ponies that are not like the rest of their kind...and a samurai-" at the mere mention of a samurai Aku's eyes widened, "...that the ponies and their allies call-"

"...Jack!" Aku interrupted.

The humanoid's head shot up towards Aku, and even Chamberlain flinched a bit.

Aku's eyes widened in fear, but soon narrowed as he grits his teeth and growls.

"Even in death that fool cannot leave me alone!"

Chamberlain and the humanoid looked at each other.

Aku then abruptly turned towards Chamberlain.

"Chamberlain, double our security around the city. I want every vehicle inspected and everyone double-no!-tripple checked before they're allowed inside the city!" he instructed.

"Yes, my lord!" Chamberlain sharply replied.

"I and the others will hunt him down, my lord!" the humanoid said.

Holding an arm to its chest as it stood up from the floor.

"No...! You have already failed me," Aku snapped. "If you could not deal with these rebels, then you stand no chance of defeating the samurai. Even my most powerful minion, Demongo could not vanquish the foe," Aku replied.

"Back to the issue at hand, did you learn of the samurai and his allies' next target?" he asked the humanoid.

The humanoid nodded back.

"They appear to be held up near the Everfree Forest, my lord."

Aku raised a confused brow at the answer.

"The Everfree Forest? Of all the places in Equestria, why that forest? Even the ponies do not being close to it."

The humanoid shrugged, just as confused as its master.

"I don't know, my lord, but my best guess would have to be that they're going to attempt an assault on Lord Cipher's castle," replied the humanoid.

"Hmm..."

Aku brought his hand to his chin in thought, until his brows jumped as he sensed something.

He immediatly turned around, and swung his arms out towards the walls. Causing the flames to move aside, revealing a screen composed of the flames as a border.

The hovering form of Bill Cipher appearing.

"Greetings, lord Aku, how goes your hunt for the rebels?" Bill asked.

Aku frowned, and audiably grumbled.

"Not good. It was bad enough ruling earth and having to put up with that accursed samurai on the loose...but now its even worse' cause he's aqquired some allies."

Bill brought a hand to his chin and grumbled.

"I see..."

"Well we'll deal with him and his little band in time, but in the meantime your are more than welcome to join us," Bill replied.

"Lord Cipher?" he asked, raising a confused brow.

"I am holding a small gathering for the elite at my castle. Due to everything's been going on, we could really need to cool off," Bill explained.

"Hmm. Sounds just like what I need."

"Excellent!"

Bill clapped his hands together.

"I'll see you there."

Bill grinned before the flames closed shut. Ending their communique.

However, while Aku smirked he received confused stares from Chamberlain and the humanoid.

"Why did you mention that the rebels are establishing themselves near Lord Bill's castle?" the humanoid asked.

Aku just smirked, and turned around to face her.

"It looks like you'll get to face the samurai afterall."

Author's Note

Feedback and Criticism are appreciated.

Chapter 43

Storm the Castle!

*The Present*

A cold wind blows across the fields outside Bill's castle.

Through the fog, a faint but growing silhouette appeared.

One silhouette, then two, then six, and soon ten. And that number continueed to rise as more silhouettes appear.

Many of them varying in shape and size, but everyone of their eyes are focused on the monstrous castle in front of them.

*Meanwhile, inside the castle...*

All eyes were on Bill Cipher as he hovered in front of Celestia's motionless body.

After he said "Sink'', Celestia's eyes widened and her jaw hung slack.

A petrified expression on her face, as she stared into Bill's face.

He extended a hand and gently tapped it against her forehead, but Celestia didnd't respond.

Bill grinned maliciously at her lack of response.

Bill snapped his finger and conjured a large TV screen that floated in the air above the party guests.

He narrows his eye gleefully, but soon stared blankly into Celestia's eyes.

Suddenly, a beam of golden light shot out from his eye towards Celestia's.

The beam split in half and seperateed into two beams that shoots into Celestia's eyes.

Bill's body continueed to have a golden aura, but his body's color drained. Becoming grey, while a faint golden aura appeared around Celestia's body.

The void shattered (like glass) and golden liquid pours into it through the faultlines.

Celestia tried to move, but is trapped even within her own body and mind.

Helpless to watch as the golden splotched expands and spread across the void.

Enveloping everything around Celestia in bright gold, all while she's help to do anything but watch.

As the gold consumed the entire void, it finally converged on her!

The gold rose high above her like a wave, before it came crashing down!

Celestia is knocked beneath the waves, but immediatly swam back up towards the surface.

Gasping, as she broke the surface.

She coughed up some of the golden liquid, but froze as she noticed the landscape.

"W-where am I!?" she asked softly in a terrified tone.

Aside from vast ocean of golden liquid, there was the dark clouds in the skies, above.

But visible in the clouds were hundreds of red faces.

Some sad, some happy, but the majority of them appeared to be screaming with furrowed brows.

"W-what kind of place am I in?!" she asked, looking in different directions... while oblivious to the water faintly swirling around her.

"And what is this stuff?!" she wondered aloud as she raised her hoof.

Looking at her hoof as the slime runs, and dripped back onto the ocean.

Her attention is soon drawn towards a swirling, amorphous window in mid-air.

Though it, she saw Bill Cipher...

Celestia squinted her brows, however, as she noticed something about Bill's apperance that strikes her as...odd;

Nearly half of Bill's body is grayed out, and the wave of gray continued travelling up along his body.

She stared at the image blankly. Obviously confused by it.

Her confusion distracted her from the water once again swirling all around her.

Behind her, a shape gently rose from the body of water. Towering over her.

"Hm?"

Celestia reacts, as she heard movement behind her and turned around.

Looking behind her, she saw a massive form emerge from the water, thats' also composed of the water, itself.

Her eyes widened and jaw hung slack as she stared towards towards the mound...before a large, slit eye suddenly opens!

The eye looked down towards her, to which she gasped and quickly backed away from it.

She turned around and tries to run away from it, only for the water to explode upwards out of the water into the sky!

The water forms a large four-digited claw!

Celestia's eyes widened at the sight of the claw, but she managed to snap from her petrified stupor and swim away...that is, until another claw shot up out of the water

Her brows jumped and her jaw hung slack, all while the large eye behind her rises up out of the lake.

The top of its head re-formed into a triangle with the eye in its center.

"Hello, princess," the entity said. Speaking in Bill Cipher's tone.

"Bill...Cipher!?" she asked confused, "What have you done!? Where are we!?"

Bill just smirked, and swam down into the water. Slowly circling her.

"You don't even recognize your own Mindscape when you're swimming in it," he said, passing her by.

"This place is my Mindscape?" she asked, turning her head and looking around.

Bill soon emerged again from the water.

His large eye staring at her.

"It was...until I got here. Now its mine, along with your body!"

He extended his arm out towards the floating screen.

"Now you are mine!" he said in a slow and soft-spoken tone.

Gently raising his finger, which changed the window's color from pink to gold.

In spite of the ongoing transference, a creepy grin stretched across Celestia's face.

Celestia gasped as she looked out through the window and saw that half of Bill's body has now become gray.

Half of him is transfered and soon he will take all control away from her over her own body!

She looked back and gritted her teeth before firing a beam up at him.

He, however, just swated the beam back down at her.

Causing it to explode upon impacting the water, and knocking her back into the water with a loud splash!

Celestia soon broke the surface, and started coughing up water.

Soon looking up above her towards Bill's monolithic body as it towered over her.

A silent, eerie ambience in the air around them for that moment, which Bill soon broke.

"Poor little butterfly, you have lost your wings," Bill mocked her.

Smiling cruely at her.

"And now that which matters the most to you," he chuckled.

Celestia's brows jumped, but soon narrowed. Staring at him sternly.

"Go ahead! Take my body, but know that you'll never truly rule over the ponies of Equestria! They will never submit to you, no matter how much you may threaten them!"

Bill narrows his eye, and leans his head down close to Celestia.

Shooting her a creepy stare.

"Nor will they you...ever again!" he said in a slow and cold tone.

Confused, and a little scared all of a sudden, Celestia raises her brow at him.

"What do you mean?!"

Bill just chuckled at the tiny pony princess.

"I hope they remember you. I really do...cause generations will!"

Meanwhile outside Celestia's body, every one of Bill's guests looked up towards the motionless bodies of Bill and Celestia.

Awaiting whatever Bill was intending to show them, when the ceiling above them suddenly explodes!

Their attention is up, but are only able to see debris come falling towards them.

The various monsters and villains scatter to avoid being hit by the falling debris.

"We're under attack!" a monster with a hundred and eighty-eight different faces shouts.

In the panic, a lone jumps into the cracked ceiling.

"AKU!"

Aku brows jumped, and the Shogun froze in his tracks.

Slowly turning around as he looked up towards the hole in the ceiling to see an unfortunatly familiar figure balling its fists.

Aku gritts his teeth, and angrilly narrowed his brows.

"Samurai Jack!"

"Yes, Aku. I will not allow to terrorize this world as you did mine!"

Jack calls back to the Shogun, as he grabs his sword's handle and pulls it out.

A sheen passing down along the blade.

"BWA HAHAHAHAHA!" Aku laughed.

His laughter grabbed the other monsters and villains' attention.

All of them looking towards the samurai with angry eyes.

"And who are you to deny me dominion over this world?!" Aku asked.

"This world belongs to me and my allies. You cannot defeat all of us!"

Aku holds his arms out beside him, drawing attention to the massive horde of monsters and villains behind him.

Jack, though, just smiled and slashed his sword through the air in front of him.

"Why do you assum I came alone?" Jack asked.

Suddenly, before Aku or the other villains can respond Moon Butterfly, Hekapoo, Rhombulus and Omnitraxus jumped inside the cracked ceiling.

Rhombulus shot his crystals towards a large bug-monster...

Hekapoo cloned herself in mid-air, and each of them held their hands out in front of them.

Conjuring a wall of fire that they shoot down towards a group of Bill's guests...

Omnitraxus conjures his large fists, and punched several black creatures with elongated heads and tails...

And Moon leaped into the air. Jumping over Aku.

The Shogun turned his head 90' degrees, but abruptly snapped it back towards Jack.

Growling, before he lunged right at the samurai.

Taking him by surprise, and knocking him backwards as the two flew outside.

Spotted Bill and Celestia suspended in the air, and didn't hesitate to shoot a beam of powerful magic towards him...!

The Thing screeched as Rhombulus's crystals pierced its flesh.

Its flesh smoldering away from where the crystals struck it!

Ivo Shandor swung his hand through the air, summoning dark-purple rocks that formed a protective barrier in front of him.

Protecting him, and the ones behind him, from the flames.

The Xenomorphs, that Omnitraxus punched, slammed against the wall quickly got back up on their feet.

Aggressively at the etheral creature, before they all charged at him...especially once the Queen Mother ran towards him.

"AUGH!"

And Bill groaned as the blast struck him in the back.

The golden beams from his eyes stopped, as his body slouched forward...

He managed to recover, though, but when he turned around to face his attacker his eye widened at seeing Moon charge up another spell.

He could only whisper the words "No!" before she fired it at him.

She fired the beam, and it pierced him directly in his chest!

The beam came out his back, and hit the object Celestia was restrained by.

Destroying it in a bright explosion, and leaving Celestia's body to fall towards the ground.

Before she hit the ground, though, Moon swoops in (in her butterfly form) and grabs her.

"I've got her!" Moon called out to Jack the others.

Meanwhile, as Moon flies away towards the destroyed ceiling, Bill hovers in mid-air.

Chocking, as his chest wound regenerates; restoring flesh and bone.

He gasps as he's restored.

Panting, as his eye looks up towards the destroyed ceiling and sees Princess Moon fly towards it with Celestia's body.

Gritting his teeth, his narrows his eye.

Gold smoke envelops his form, and he shoots straight towards the hole. Becoming an gold amorphous mass.

Moon flies towards the destroyed ceiling, but Bill suddenly beats them to it!

His amorphous form stretched its tendrils out to cover the hole. Preventing Moon, or any of them, from escaping!

Moon gasps, and abruptly stopped in mid-air...however, not fast enough as one of Bill's tendrils shot out towards her.

Wrapping itself around her waist!

Aku smiled, though, that smile soon faded as something suddenly crashed through the amorphous mass!

Scattering gold fluid onto the crowd, below.

A humanoid form of sorts fell down, though, a magical blast soon shot from it towards the tendril.

The tendril released Moon as the beam hit, and she quickly flew away from it.

The humanoid crashed against the ground, and laid motionless on the floor.

"Magical High Commission, to me!" Moon called out to Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Omnitraxus.

Omnitraxus, Hekapoo and Rhombulus turned towards Moon, and ran after her.

Rhombulus shooting his crystals, while Hekapoo and her clones formed a cirlce Rhombulus and Omnitraxus.

Creating a fire wall that protected them from the charging Xenomorphs.

As he ran, Omnitraxus punched the Thing (that was still screeching in pain), causing it to fall ontop of several monsters.

The monsters screeching alongside the Thing as they were assimilated.

The Thing experiencing such pain that it couldn't control itself!

Shandor hovered in the air.

Holding out his arms as he summoned more large dark-purple rocks, that he threw towards the Magical High Commission.

Remaining at the rear of the group, Omnitraxus punched the rocks before they hit Rhombulus and Hekapoo.

Xenomorphs Drones and even a couple of the Praetorians, and a couple Queens charged charged straight towards the group.

Many of them screeching as they were burnt by the fire, but always managing to destroy one of the Hekapoo clones!

The Queen Mother followed after the Magical High Commission, despite the Praetorians and Queens' insistance that she stay back and let them handle the situation.

But the Queen Mother were so consumed with rage. Feeling the pain of her sons and daughters as they were incinerated, and not being about to let these intruders to escape!

She attempted to stab Omnitraxus with her tail, but it merely passed through his head.

Omnitraxus's attention snapped towards the Queen Mother, and he thrust his fist out towards her. His fist elongating as it shoot towards the Queen Mother and punched her through the wall!

The Drones, Praetorians and Queens immediatly ignored about the Magical High Commission, and hurried out after their Mother.

Making it easier for Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Omnitraxus to make their way through the crowd towards the other end of the room.

Fighting off monsters and villains as they went.

Above, Moon bombarded the crowd with magical blast after magical blast.

Clearing a path for the Magical High Commission to get pass Bill's allies and monsters.

Charging a particular powerful blast, that she fired at the wall. Blowing it up.

"In here, quick!"

Moon called out to the others, before flying inside the hole in the wall.

Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Omnitraxus following suit.

The amorphous mass reformed back into Bill Cipher again, and he watched as Omnitraxus vanished inside the hole in the wall.

He quickly thrust his hand out, and shoot an immensly powerful beam (twice his size) towards the hole in the wall!

Another explosions erupts, sending a shockwave that knocks the crowd to the floor.

As the dust settles, Bill sees an even larger left behind from his last-ditch attack.

While his allies and monsters get back on their feet, Bill growls.

Slowly turning his head and looking up towards the destroyed ceiling, as he hears swords clashing and beams being fired.

He narrowed his brows, and held his arms behind his back.

Turning around, he faced his allies and monsters.

"Deal with them!" he said in a soft yet angry tone.

The villains and monsters all nodded, and all walked towards the destroyed wall to pursue Moon and the others...until they heard Bill's voice.

"No, not them..."

The monsters and villains stopped, and looked up towards Bill, confused.

"Them," Bill said, pointing his finger up towards the destroyed ceiling.

The monsters and villains looked from the destroyed ceiling towards Bill, and nodded back.

All of them jumping out through the hole in the ceiling.

As his allies left the room, Bill smiled as he hovered down towards the destroyed wall.

"I will deal with Celestia and her little friends!"

Bill smirked...

****

Meanwhile outside the castle, Velvet waited with her friends and allies for Moon to successfully save Celestia...but as they awaited her return, something lunged at Jack!

Pushing him backwards, and knocking him off the roof.

"Jack!" Velvet exclaimed, as she extended her hoof out towards him.

However, the samurai and some sort of black mass fell down towards the ground.

As they fell, Jack gritted his teeth and tightened his grip around his sword.

For all the black mass's efforts to restrain him, he managed to free and swing his arm out.

Slashing the sword outwards, and causing the mass to burn and smolder.

The black mass released its grip, allowing the samurai to free himself and jump atop it.

He ran up along the black mass. Slicing his sword along its center.

Jumping off the edge, just before it slammed down in the middle of the army of ponies.

Blowing up a powerful wave of dust and pressure, that passed out towards ponies in its wake.

Sending them flying through the air.

Jack grabbed and held his gi as it tightened. Becoming dome-shaped, which eased his descent towards the ground.

Allowing him to gently plant his feet on the dead surface.

Fortunatly the dust cloud died down before it reached him.

Even as the dust settled, Jack didn't hesitate to assume a defensive stance.

Holding his sword out in front of him.

His brow narrow, and eyes refusing to blink as he looked inside for any sign of the Shogun of Sorrow...

While the samurai watched for the Shogun, neither Velvet or their allies noticed a black mass that flew out from behind the Fearamid down towards the Equestrian army...!

Jack's head abruptly snapped behind him, though, as he heard energy beams being fired, voices screaming, and explosions behind him.

He immediatly gasped as he saw thousands of Ultron Sentries flying over the ponies.

Blasting them with their wrist-canons.

Several Sentries opened fire on Jack, but he parried the blasts with his sword.

Using his sword, he caught more blasts as he began running away from the Sentries.

The Sentries gave chase, and flew after him...until a figure behind them raised a metal hand.

"No!"

The Sentries stopped in mid-air, and turned around.

"He's Aku's!" Ultron Prime said.

The Sentries hovered in the air, before they flew off.

Ultron smirking as he watched the samurai run away.

Watching as his Sentries resumed firing on the samurai...driving him inside the dust cloud!

****

Both normal Unicorns and equine archers shoot their arrows/magical blasts up towards the Sentries.

Piercing and several, but still the victory was a short-lived one as the Sentries just continued to swarm them!

Blasting them away faster than they could shoot them down.

Terrified, Velvet looks down on their army as the Sentries flies over them.

Decimating their forces as they go!

"T-they're killing them all!" Velvet said in a soft and frightened tone.

She focused so much that she doesn't notice the Sentries flying down towards them.

"Take cover!"

The Unicorns with them souted as they fired magical blasts towards the Sentries.

The Sentries, though, dodged the blasts and fired their own.

Raising protective barriers, Velvet and Night retaliated against the Sentries.

Shooting magical blasts out through the barriers, which hit the oncoming Sentries.

As their lifeless bodies fell out of the sky, Velvet and Night ran up to the destroyed ceiling.

But froze in their tracks as they saw a golden mass blocking it.

"Something's blocking their escape!" Velvet exclaimed.

She charged up a spell, but before she could fire it her attention was directed elsewhere as she heard one of the Unicorns call out...!

"More are incoming!"

She turned around, and gasped as she saw a swarm of Sentries flying down towards their position on the rooftop!

However, the humanoid at the head was taller and bulkier than the rest.

"Wait, is that-?"

"Didn't Jack destroy him? Cut him in half?" Night asked.

Leading his Sentries, Ultron narrowed his brows at noticing how the fillies seemed taken aback by his apperance rather than alarmed.

He thrust his hand out in front of him, which his Sentries repeated, and unleashed a flurry of energy blasts upon Velvet, her friends and the Unicorns.

The Unicorns managed to raise another protective barrier, but with the Sentries concentrated fire it soon started cracking.

Putting a strain on the Unicorns, which only weakened the barrier further.

Velvet and Night began discarging random blasts out towards the Sentries.

Hitting several, whose bodies fell out of the sky.

"AUGH!" Ultron groaned as Velvet hit him in the forehead. Killing him.

"You got him!" Night exclaimed, overjoyed.

Turning his head and looking back at Velvet.

Velvet smiled as she looked towards Night...however, their joy was soon cut short!

"Hrrrrrnnnng-I-I can't hold it any-AUGH!"

Velvet and Night's attention snapped back towards the Sentry swarm, but gasps as the barrier finally shatters.

Unable to withstand any more, especially as the Sentries continued their assault despite Ultron's destruction!

As soon as the barrier dissipated, the Sentries mercilessly shot the Unicorns. Killing them instantly!

Night and Velvet managed to raise their own barriers.

Withstanding several hits from the Sentries, until another problem soon arose... one that was flying straight for them!

"Oh... No!" Velvet and Night said together as they saw Ultron's body flying straight for them.

"NO!" Night exclaimed as he leaped in front of Velvet's body to shield her.

Ultron's body slamming into them both, knocking them towards the golden mass behind them.

They penetrated the golden mass and fell down through the air.

Night lost his grip and fell. Slamming into the floor,

Velvet nearly called out to him, until she looked up and saw the golden mass holding Moon and Celestia in its tendril.

Velvet gasped internally, but exterioally narrowed her brows.

Her horn glowing as she charged and fired a blast at the tendril.

Releasing Moon, whom immediatly flew away.

Ultron's body then slammed into the floor.

"In here, quick!"

Velvet groans as she stands back up, when her eyes widen at hearing Moon's voice.

Her eyes shot open, and she watches Moon and the Magical High Commission run out through a hole in the wall.

She nearly ran over to join them when she immediatly stopped in her tracks.

She ducked down behind Ultron's body, and looked up towards the amorphous golden mass.

Her eyes widening as it reformed back into a humanoid form of Bill Cipher.

All the monsters and villains looked up towards Bill, but soon left the room on his instructions.

Eventually, only she and Bill remained in the room...

However, Velvet and Bill's attention soon shifted down towards the floor as they heard someone coughing.

No! Velvet thought.

Bill didn't react outside of frowning sternly as he held out his hand in front of him.

Gently moving his fingers closer, which the Unicorn colt's body off the floor towards him.

Please no...!

Velvet gently shook her head as Bill grabbed Night's throat.

"I'm only going to ask this once, Equestrian, so please answer to the best of your abilities...even though I know that'll be difficult for you; what have you done with Celestia?" Bill asked.

Night just coughed back, to which Bill closed his eye annoyed.

"Her name is Princess Celestia, Cipher!" Night replied.

Opening his eyes as he glared at the demon.

Bill just smirked, and opened his eye.

"You know, I wonder how your daughter would feel growing up without a father?"

Night just intensified his glare.

"Your mistaken, Cipher. My future has no family in it...not under your tyrannical rule!"

Bill just chuckled, and squeezed Night's throat tighter.

"You are right...she won't grow up under my tyrannical rule..." Bill replied, before throwing Night down.

His body slammed against the floor.

Velvet would've run up to help him, if not for Bill hovering down and planting his feet on the ground.

"But then again, your world would still be nothing with or without her!"

Bill smiles, holding his arms behind his back as he walks up towards Night.

Placing his foot atop Night's chest.

Slowly pressing his foot down on the Unicorn's chest.

"Once I find Celestia, your world and everything in it mine forever!"

"That may be true, but you've yet to conquer it!"

A voice said from the left (Bill's left)

Bill turned his head, only for Velvet to shot an energy blast in his eye!

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH... MY EYE!" Bill screamed in pain.

Raising his hands to cover his eye, Bill stumbled backwards.

"AARRRGGH! I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT YOU BRAT!"

Quickly running up towards Night, Velvet helped him up to his hooves.

"Come on! We've got to get out of here!"

Supporting Night, she helped him across the room towards the destroyed wall.

Running into a darkly lit corridor.

"Come on, Night. This way," Velvet said as she lead him away someplace (pressumably) safe.

Back in the room, Empress Pollus teleported into the room.

She gasped, and ran towards Bill as she saw him covering his eye.

She ran over towards Bill as he finished regenerating his eye.

"My lord Bill, are you alright?!" she asked, concerned.

His eye shot open, and he looked down towards her.

"I heard and then saw that the castle was under attack, and have brought my Changelings to aid in defending the capital!"

Bill smiled, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Good, your Majesty..." Bill said, looking away from her towards the destroyed wall, "I will find the Princess and end this once and for all!"

Pollus looked from him towards the destroyed wall. Staring towards it.

"Okay!" she quickly said, before turning away and ran towards the destroyed to join the battle.

Momentarily stopping in her tracks, and then kicked-off. Jumping into the air, and buzzing as she flew up towards the destroyed ceiling.

"I'll see you after the battle!" she called back, before dissapearing out through the hole.

Bill froze in his tracks, and looked over his shoulder towards the destroyed ceiling.

Holding his gaze, before soon bringing his attention towards the destroyed wall in front of him.

He inhaled a deep breath, and took only a single step forward...

However as he stepped forward, his body transformed back into the amorphous mass and it shot towards the destroyed wall.

The golden mass split into two halves that flew down their respective corridor...

The mass followed that corridor until it soon encountered another crossroads, but it just seperated again. Following each corridor throughout the castle.

****

Outside the castle, the battle raged on between ponies and Sentries.

In spite of their earlier devastating assault, the ponies had managed to adapt.

Unicorns and Pegasi threw/shot spears/energy blasts at the Sentries. Shooting down as many as they could...

Earth ponies used their shields to defend from the Sentries' energy blasts. Throwing their swords up and striking the Sentries.

With the arrival of the Pegasi the battle had already begun to turn for the Equestrians and their allies...

"Look, the castle...!"

However, that momentum aburptly slowed to a screeching halt as the ponies' attention snapped towards Bill's castle...where they saw a black mass pouring out from the castle straight towards them!

With a loud screech, the Xenomorphs leaped towards he ponies.

Grabbing, and landing atop their victims.

The ponies attempted to struggle, but could look up at the hissing Xenomorphs above them...before an inner jaw shot out and pierced their heads!

Others were pierced by the Xenomorph's tails, and their bodies discarded off as the Xenomorphs proceeded to the next target.

The Unicorns and Pegasi immediatly went on the offensive, and retaliated against the Xenomorphs.

Using their spears and magical blasts to kill the Xenomorphs from a distance...but despite this minor victory the Xenomorph charge continued.

When the Xenomorph horde reached their ponies' position, the Unicorns raised protective barriers to fend off the Xenomorphs.

Creating holes big enough for the Earth ponites to stab the Xenomorphs with their sword.

The Pegasi flying overhead, threw spears and rocks down onto the Xenos. Crushing their heads...

Unfortunatly, their advantage was soon neutralized by the Sentries resuming their assault against the ponies.

Bombarding the barriers with their energy blasts. Pounding the shields...

****

Meanwhile Jack proceeds with caution inside the dust cloud.

Having been forced to take refuge inside it to avoid the Sentries.

Holding the sword out in front of him as he gently steped through the dust cloud.

Narrowing his brows, as he remained aware of his surroundings...

Until he suddenly leaped up into the air, dodgeing large black fist!

Raising the sword above his head, he screamed as he slashed it down the harm!

Cleaving the arm in half.

The hand disentigrated completly, while the arm just smoldered.

Without warning, several large spikes shot out of the dust cloud towards him, but Jack held both sides of hi gi and immediatly got enough force to dodge the spikes.

He then let go, and fell down atop the spikes.

Holding the sword out beside him, he started running down along the spikes.

Kicking off from the spike, and leaping into the air.

Raising the sword again, and screaming as he fell down...

"WHOA!" Aku exclaimed as he dodged Jack's blade.

Missing the sword by mere inches, as Jack landed on the ground.

The dust finally settled, and dissipated, as the samurai slowly turned around.

Glaring back towards...Aku's robe?

He soon heard a cough, and looked up...

"Ahem, my eyes are up here, samurai"

Aku scowled, putting his hands against his hips.

"What? Oh, right!" Jack said, shaking his head.

Holding the sword out in front of himself.

Both shogun and samurai stared at each other. Exchanging silent glares, until Jack soon smirks.

"So this is what the almighty Shogun of Sorrow has become following his death? Another Aku's personal lapdog!" he scoffed.

Aku just narrowed his brows. Intensifying his glare...before he put his arms behind his back and smirked at the samurai.

"I am no lapdog, samurai. I am an ally of the most powerful being in all reality, and he has promised to create worlds for us to do with as we please!"

Aku extended his arm and balled his fist. However, the samurai wasn't impressed.

"In other words; your master, your overlord," Jack said.

"Aku is the Master of Masters. Cipher is...neccesary to continue my rule from beyond the grave," Aku replied.

Aku raised a confused brow at this.

"But how can that be? I destroyed your future."

Aku just smirked. Exposing his teeth.

"You did indeed destroy me, samurai...however, you did not kill me!" Aku chuckled.

Jack gently lowered his sword, and frowned confused.

"Yes, samurai, you did indeed destroy me in the past, but that original timeline I created still exists. You failed to destroying it, only turning it into a paralell universe. A paralell timeline isolated from your new timeline, but still very existing."

Jack's eyes widened, shocked by this news.

"B-but then that means that...Ashi is alive!"

"If you're refering to my disobedient daughter, then yes. She is still very much alive, samurai. She died in your new timeline, and was ressurected in mine!"

Jack tried to hold the sword sturdy, but his hands shook too much.

Aku grinned at his old foe's shaking hands, and looked up towards the castle' roof.

A figure nodded its head, and immediatly leapt down from the roof onto the battlefield.

Accompanied by two others.

All of which landed in front of Jack.

While he didn't turn around, he noticed their arrival and narrowed his brows.

He looked out in front of him, but froze as he looked out in front of him and saw the figure inbetween himself and Aku...!

"No...! Please don't be...!" Jack said in a soft...but sad tone recognizing the masked humanoid in front of him.

Aku smirked as he saw the despair on the samurai's face.

He didn't say anything but then again he didn't have to. The destraught look on the samurai's face spoke volumes.

"Daughters, will you do your father a favor and kill this samurai?" he asked while holding his hand out towards Jack.

The Daughters of Aku responded by slightly lowering their heads.

Jack prepared himself for an attack...but his eyes locked with the one daughter twirling a kusarigama (a sickle and chain) in her hand.

"Ashi..." he said softly...before the daughters suddenly leaped into the air towards him!

The daughter with the kusarigama swung it out towards him, and wrapped it around his foot!

Pulling his feet out from underneath him so he fell on his back against the ground.

One of the daughter raised her spear above her head...but when she slashed it down towards his head, he rolled to the side.

The third daughter tried to stab him with her daggers but he blocked her first dagger with his sword, and when she tried to stab him with the second dagger he kicked her away from him.

He cut the chain with his sword, and leapt back to his feet.

The second daughter stabbed her spear at Jack, but he dodged and caught her spear.

Impaling her through the chest with his sword.

His blade stained with black blood as he turned around to confront the other daughters.

The two remaining daughters stood between him and Aku...but if she was really Ashi, could he...kill her?

She'd meant so much to him but these ponies' freedom was on the line, and Aku was one of Bill Cipher's most powerful allies...

"Best keep up your guard, samurai BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Huh?!"

Unfortunatly, before he could continue this train of thought he was interrupted by the daughters taking advantage of his momentary loss of focus and attacked.

Rapidly attacking him in quick succession!

Striking him so fast as well as simultaneously that he couldn't get a single strike in!

Jack and the sister's blades clashing ith each other.

One after another.

"Well its been nice catching up but I should go."

Jack's eyes widened at hearing his accursed nemesis' voice, and even more at hearing that he was leaving.

Hearing a warbling noise behind his back...

However due to dealing with the daughters, he couldn't do anything to prevent Aku's departure!

Jack leaped into the air as the daughter swung her kusarigama towards him.

Doing a back-flip as he evaded the attack, but before he could go on the offensive against Aku the other daughter swung her daggers at Jack.

Forcing him to parry them with his sword...instead of going after Aku...

However, this time Jack head-butted the daughter in the face.

Cracking her mask as well as disorienting her.

Causing her to stumble backwards.

Taking advantage of this situation, Jack grabbed the daughter's dagger and slashed across her throat.

The daughter's body twitched before it collapsed onto the ground.

Jack looked down at the motionless body before him...before slowly raising and turning his head left.

Standing in front of him was the unmistakable silhouette of the final daughter.

Watching her twirl the kusarigama in her hand.

Behind her stood Aku, himself?

****

Meanwhile the Blade of Harmony shoots across the vastness of space like a comet.

Speeding past planets, stars and asteroid belts...until its abruptly seized by a hooded figure.

The hooded figure held the sword out in front of its face.

Looking towards the gem inside the hilt. Sighing to itself.

"I've got to save them. I can't let him do this. Bill must be stopped...one way or another."

Author's Note

The End begins...!:pinkiehappy:

Chapter 44

Clash of Titans

Moon and the Magical High Commission had managed to outrun the golden tendrils, and sought refuge deep within the castle.

However, despite eluding the golden tendrils Hekapoo, Omnitrax and Rhombulus kept a close watch out.

Moon, meanwhile, tended to Princess Celestia.

Using her magic to restore the princess following...whatever it was that Bill Cipher did to her.

Velvet just sat for herself in a corner tucked away.

Her head hung and facing away from the princess.

A single tear running down along her cheek...

*Flashback*

She and Night had managed to put some distance between themselves and Bill Cipher in the room, behind them.

Night, though, had been groaning with every step he took...and was struggling to keep pace with her.

Constantly holding a hoof to his chest which seemed to hurt at just the slightest touch.

Finally deciding that she couldn't continue tormenting him, she sat him down against a wall.

Giving him a moment to recover...

However as she sat there, watching him groan and wince in pain, she could see that he was suffering.

This brief rest wasn't enough to help him...and yet she wasn't going to give up on him.

She'd carry him if she must to safety.

The rest of her friends were dead.

Killed when the roof collapsed underneath their hooves...and-...and they fell to their deaths.

"I won't let him take you away from me... You're...the last friend I have!" she thought to herself.

Sniffling as she stared back at Night.

Hanging her head, and holding back the tears...until her ears perked up at hearing a weak voice.

"Velvet..."

Craning her head upwards, she saw Night weakly smiling at her.

His mouth twitching as if the very act of smiling was hurting him.

"Leave me, Velvet."

She narrowed her brows confused and shook her head from side to side.

Night nodded back, but clenched his eyes as he groaned.

"N-night, i'm not leaving you!"

Again, Velvet shook her head...but, again, he nodded.

"You must. You heard what Bill said back there," he said.

"He could be lying, Night. He could have just been saying that to break your spirit before he killed you!" Velvet replied.

Her voice breaking as she tried to prevent herself from breaking down into tears.

Again, Night groaned as he shook his head from side-to-side.

Fighting through the pain.

"You have to be the one to survive, Velvet. Not me, not Celestia...but you," he said.

"I've realized that the only reason Bill mentioned our daughter over Celestia was because she's a pony of interest to him-" he says extending his hoof out towards Velvet's face. Holding her cheek with his hoof, "...and the only way she becomes that pony is if you survive this."

Hanging her head, Velvet started sobbing.

Raising her own hoof and placing it atop his'.

"B-but how can I live without you?! Even if we win...y-you'll be gone!" she sobbed.

"Our daughter won't."

She heard.

Raising her head, she looked into his eyes.

Her destraught frown facing his warm smile.

"If not for me...then at least be there for her so she'll have a chance to grow up," he said.

"Take back what Bill stole from us."

Her eyes widened and jaw hung slightly slack.

Trying to find words, before she felt tremors through the floors.

Both she and Night looked up, and watched as dust fell down from the ceiling.

Turning her head, Velvet looked back down the corridor.

Seeing a bright light at the other end...

A light that was glowing brighter and brighter with every bygone second!

Her attention returned to Night at hearing him cough.

"Go!" he groaned.

Holding her hoof...until he pushed her away.

"Velvet...please," he pleaded.

Groaning louder as he grimaced in pain.

Velvet frowned sad at him.

Tears forming in her eyes as she leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.

She then stood up and started running in the oppisite direction of the light.

Sobbing, as the darkness crept in around her.

Eventually consuming her, until she soon illuminated the corridor with a horn from her horn.

It being the only light she could see.

Velvet ran for as long as she could...until a large fist suddenly tried to punch her!

Her eyes shot wide-open, but she managed to quickly leap out of the way of the fist...!

However, not long after she dodged the fist were crystals fired at her.

Firing a couple magical blasts from her horn, she managed to destroy several of the crystals.

Assuming a battle-ready stance, she prepared herself for the next attack...when she heard a voice call out to her from the darkness...

"Velvet...is that you?"

Again Velvet's eyes shot wide-open, but this time from relief and joy.

"Hekapoo?!" she called out to the darkness.

From out of the dark corridor, several figures appeared that Velvet easily recognized.

The destraught filly smiled, and immediatly ran up to Hekapoo, Rhombulus and Omnitraxus.

She nearly hugged Hekapoo, but remembered that touching her would burn her so she just hugged Rhombulus instead.

"Velvet, you're alive!" Hekapoo said.

The three commission members approached the young filly, but Omnitraxus noticed something that seemed to be missing...

"Velvet, where are your friends?"

Velvet's eyes shoot open, and she backed away from Rhombulus.

Craning her head upwards, she saw each of Magical High Commission (MHC) members.

"They-" she said, but her voice started cracking and her eyes water.

On the verge of tears, she hugged Rhombulus.

Crying into him, while Hekapoo and Omnitraxus looked at each other.

Hekapoo and Omnitraxus exchanged saddened looks with each other, and Rhombulus held Velvet with his snake-hands...

*End Flashback*

Sitting there in her corner, Velvet continued to repeat that final moment when she kissed Night on the cheek over again.

Sniffling as she looked over towards Celestia's motionless body...

He was right. Its up to us to see this through to the end. One way or another, it ends today! Velvet thought to herself...

Soon, though, Celestia starts shifting in place.

Moon's eyes widen, and she stopped using her magic.

Instead grabbing and holding Celestia's body.

"Princess Celestia? Can you hear me?" she asked.

Celestia's face twitched at hearing someone call her name.

"Hmm?"

She slowly opened her eyes, and looked up to see Moon leaning over her.

Moon gasped excited, and smiled as Celestia opened her eyes.

"Oh thank goodness, you're alive!" Moon sighed as she sat up.

Hearing the relieved tone in Moon's voice, Velvet's head snapped up towards her.

Smiling as she saw Celestia had opened her eyes.

"Princess Celestia, you're awake!" Velvet said as she ran up towards Celestia.

Embracing the princess in a tight hug, which nearly knocked the air out of Celestia.

"Huh? Who? What?" Celestia asked confused.

Turning her head and looking around her surroundings.

Celestia noticed Moon out in front of her.

Her eyes widened, and she looked down and saw Velvet hugging her.

"Who are you and what happened?" she asked confused.

Velvet looked up towards the princess and smiled.

"I am Twilight Velvet Sparkle, and this is Queen Moon of Mewni," Velvet replied, pointing her hoof first at herself and then towards Moon.

Moon gently waved her hand and smiled at the confused mare.

"How do you do, Princess Celestia?" Moon asked.

Celestia just silently blinked her eyes.

"Well, my kingdom has been taken over by a psychotic triangle that was able to turn my sister against me, but other than i'm fine," Celestia replied.

Moon blinked shocked, but then turned and looked back over her shoulder.

"Rhombulus, Hekapoo, Omnitraxus, she's awake!" she called out behind her.

Celestia's attention soon snapped up, and eyes widened as she saw strange figures round the corner...

However, before she was able to make any action against them, Velvet held her back.

"No, princess, they're allies!" Velvet interjected as she jumped in front of Celestia.

Holding her hooves out defensively to prevent Celestia from attacking them.

Celestia looked down, and raised her brow.

"Allies?" Celestia asked confused.

"But they look so, for lack of a better word, weird," she said, pointing her hoof out towards the members of the MHC.

"Are you sure they're not henchmen of Bill Cipher? They don't look like they're from Equestria."

Velvet looked into her xenophobic princess's face and sighed.

"No, they're not. They've said that when Bill used the projector to open the rift in the sky, they were involuntarily ripped from their own into ours," Velvet explained.

"But from what the others have told us, they were more deposited here by some unknown force."

Celestia narrowed her brows, giving Velvet an intrigued frown.

"What ''others''?" Celestia asked sternly.

"Well, princess, these guys weren't the only ones who appeared," Velvet replied, pointing her hoof behind her back towards Omnitraxus, Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Moon.

Celestia's eyes widened as she looked back towards the MHC.

"One of which was the samurai Jack. A great warrior who has previous defeated the demon, Aku," Velvet continued.

Hearing mention of someone strong enough to defeat Aku, when she couldn't, caused Celestia's eyes to widen.

"And where may I ask is this great warrior? He could help us infiltrate Bill's lair, and put an end to this psychotic terror!" Celestia said in an excited tone.

"He, like everyone else, are under attack by Bill's forces and is currently fighting the Shogun of Sorrow, himself."

A voice abruptly said from behind Celestia!

The princess's eyes widened, and she quickly rose up onto her hooves.

Omnitraxus, Rhombulus, Hekapoo, Moon, Velvet and Celestia's attention snapped towards the dark corner behind them.

Watching as a dark silhouette emerged from the shadows (almost like how one rounds a corner) and stepped out into the light.

Revealing it to be a figure wearing dark robes, and clad in iron gauntlets and boots.

The newcomer's face was also covered by a mask.

"Who are you?!" Celestia demanded.

Charging up a spell, while Velvet shot the newcomer a confused look.

"Wait, what did you mean when you said that ''he was fighting for his life like everyone else''?" Velvet asked.

"Velvet, don't talk to...this thing!" Celestia called out to Velvet...

However, the masked figure slowly looked up from Velvet towards Celestia.

Silently staring at her.

"Okay then!" the masked figure exclaimed in a soft, womanly voice.

Shrugging its shoulders, before she turned around.

Putting her hands in the robes's pockets as she stepped back towards the shadows...

"Wait!" Velvet called out, causing the figure to freeze in her tracks.

Celestia, Rhombulus, Hekapoo, Omnitraxus and Moon's heads snapped down towards the little filly.

"Velvet, what are you doing?!" Celestia asked, but Velvet just ignored the princess as she stared towards the masked figure's back.

"You...have seen what is happening out there?" Velvet asked curious, but also cautious of what the answer might be.

The hooded figure hung its head, and looked down towards the floor.

"Yes...and its not what i'd call pretty," the masked figure replied in a sad tone.

Looking over its shoulder towards Velvet, the masked figure soon turned around and faced the little filly.

With a wave of her gloved hand, she conjured an amorphous screen in front of Velvet, Celestia and the MHC.

Displaying the events transpiring outside on the field outside the castle, which Velvet gasped as she saw!

Her eyes widening and jaw hanging slack as she witnessed the carnage;

Showing her Jack fighting another humanoid she didn't recognize that wore a mask...

An army of strange, black serpent-like creatures that were attempting to push through the Equestrians' protective barrier...

Overhead, Ultron and his Sentries swooped down and unleashed a barrage upon the struggling Equestrians.

Despite the Equestrians surviving the bombardment, it greatly weakened the barrier...allowing the serpent-creatures to push the ponies back.

Causing them to lose ground quickly!

Everyone was stunned by what they were seeing.

The masked figure waved her hand, causing the screen to fade away.

Velvet hung her head, and looked down towards the floor as she processed every bit of this update.

"We're losing!" she said in a soft, but terrified tone.

"Yes...and losing bad," the masked figure replied.

Rhombulus and Hekapoo exchanged nervous looks with each other.

Moon's look of shock changed into a stern frown as she turned around to face Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Omnitraxus.

"We've got to get back to the battlefield as soon as possible. If our forces outside the castle fall, then it won't be long before they turn their attention to those that managed to get inside the castle," she said to the MHC.

Velvet's eyes widened, and she spun on her heel to face the Magical High Commission.

"What?!" she exclaimed.

"Y-you can't leave now! Not after everything we've been through!"

Moon turned around to face Velvet.

"Velvet, we've got to help the ones outside the castle. We've got to keep Bill and his minions distracted for as long as possible so there's a chance we'll be able to destroy the projector," Moon replied.

"B-but how are we even going to get to Bill's tower without you?!" Velvet nervously asked.

"Bill is probably in the process of searching the entire castle, and with Celestia not yet fully recovered from whatever it was that he did to her we have no chance of getting to his tower all on our own!" Velvet said.

"Heck, he could be monitoring the entrance to the tower!"

"Good think you have me here to help you get there!" the masked figure chimmed in.

Velvet and Celestia's eyes widened, and they both turned around to face the masked figure.

Celestia just frowned at the masked figure, before raising a skeptical brow.

"How do we know that you're even truthworthy? You wear dark robes and a mask!" she said, pointing her hoof at the humanoid.

"Simple! If I were an allie of Cipher, i'd have called for rienforcements and had you brought before him by now," the masked humanoid replied.

Rhombulus, Omnitraxus and Hekapoo looked at each other.

Nodding in agreement.

"That does make sense. That's what I would've done if I was evil. Good thing i'm not, right?" Rhombulus said.

Omnitraxus and Hekapoo just rolled their eyes.

Velvet listened to what everyone was saying, before she turned back towards the masked humanoid.

Raising a suspecious brow at the masked figure, to which the masked figure sighed and hung her head.

"Look, I know that none of you have any reason to believe me, but I swear all I want is for Cipher to be stopped. That's all I care about," she said, holding out her arms defensively.

Velvet held her gaze, before turning around and facing Moon, Celestia and the rest of the Magical High Commission.

She turned her body around and faced Moon.

"Go. If the others need you, then you must go," Velvet said.

Celestia's eyes widened as she watched this young filly take charge like it came naturally to her.

Moon gently nodded her head.

"May you three succeed in destroying the projector," Moon said, before she turned around.

Walking back towards the Rhombulus, Omnitraxus and Hekapoo.

She jumped up into the air. Immediatly transforming into her butterfly form, and with a mighty beat of her wings flew down the corridor.

Rhombulus, Omnitraxus and Hekapoo smiled at each other, and started running after Moon as she dissapeared down the corridor.

Their forms turning into vague silhouettes as they were enveloped by the darkness. Dissapearing completly from sight.

After the Magical High Commission's departure, Velvet, Celestia and the masked humanoid looked at each other.

Silently staring back at each other in an awkward silence until the masked humanoid coughed and said, "Um, I think we should get a move on. The sooner we smash the projector the better."

Velvet and Celestia looked at each other.

Smiling, before they turned back towards the masked humanoid.

"Lead the way!" Celestia said.

Grinning behind her mask, but without uttering a single sound the masked humanoid turned around and ran down along the corridor behind her.

Velvet and Celestia running behind her.

****

Back outside the castle, Jack noticed Aku standing behind the final Daughter.

His hands behind his back, and a foul grin on his face.

"Aku?" Jack asked, confused as to why the Shogun hadn't fleed yet.

A tactic that he had utilized when he tricked Jack into murdering...

Instead of letting himself get distracted like that again, Jack tightened his grip on the sword.

Narrowing his brows as he glared towards the Shogun.

Aku looked towards the lifeless bodies of the slain Daughters, and frowned.

"Booring!" he remarked.

Grinning, Aku's eyes stated glowing.

The light blinded Jack, forcing him to cover his eyes with his hand.

Eventually, the light died down and Jack lowered his hand...but what he saw standing in front of him made his eyes widen in shock!

Before his very eyes, the bodies of the slain Daughters started flailing on the ground...just before they raised their legs in the air and pushed up from the ground. Landing on their feet!

Reinvigorated with life!

The revived Daughter's bodies started changing.

Their shoulders became sharper and more curved, four large horns grew out of their heads, and pale white eyes opened which soon saw two flaming eyebrows appearing over their eyes!

Jack's eyes widened as he recognized these dark figures.

Gasping as visions of the past flashed in his mind.

Showing the samurai one of these figures wielding a flaming sword as it fought him.

True, he had only fought one, but that moment had one of the worst he's ever experienced in his life.

"Kill me, Jack!" a voice suddenly screamed in his head.

"Kill me, then destroy Aku!" the voice said.

Startling him enough to shake his head.

Snapping himself back to reality.

The one Daughter that had survived her battle with him, brought her hand to her mask and removed the mask from her face.

Revealing an expressionless white face with red lips and flaming eyebrows.

Her shoulders and elbows curved inwards. The side of her feet curved upwards in a similiar manner.

From across the distance the distance that seperated them, Ashi stared blankly at the man.

A man she had once betrayed her own blood and kin to defeat her evil father, and in so doing, undoing her own existance.

Now, she stared at this very same man with unshifting contempt.

Contempt for abandoning her in her father's now-parallell timeline.

To again never see the man she had grown to love...and instead returning to live under her father's accursed reign.

Standing in a dark void, Ashi looked out towards Jack. A sad expression on her face.

"He betrayed us!" a red duplicate of Ashi said to her.

"He murdered our father, and there-in killed us... Killed you! He doesn't deserve to live!" Mad-Ashi said.

Gritting her teeth, Mad-Ashi grit her teeth as she balled her fist at the samurai.

Ashi narrowed her eyes at the samurai.

"Too long have you haunted my father, haunted his steps -" Ashi said in a sinister, cold tone towards Jack while her sisters gently walked up behind her, "...but no more, samurai!"

Ashi held out her hand and re-formed it into an elongated blade.

Then, kicking-off from the ground, Ashi leapt into the air towards Jack.

Raising her blade-arm above her head, but Jack side-stepped as she slashed it down towards him...

He raised his sword above his head in an attempt to slash her, but Ashi quickly spun around and held out her arm.

Transforming her hand into a giant fist that grabbed Jack.

However, the samurai used his sword to sever her fist.

Causing it to crash down onto the ground, but was unable to free himself before he heard Ashi charging up her eye-beams.

Jack's eyes widened, and he raised his sword to protect himself...only for the large hand that held him to explode.

His body flew through the air.

Smoking as his body slammed into the ground.

Robes torn from the explosion, revealing several cuts and a couple of bloody bruises.

Jack quickly scrambled for his sword on the ground, and then leapt back up from the ground. Landing back on his feet, before he abruptly leaped upwards into the air as Ashi lunged herself at him.

Growing several arms with spikes, that tried punching him in repeated succession.

Attempting to land a blow on his body, while at the same time puncturing his skin with the spikes.

He managed to avoid getting hit for...for a while, but was then punched in the chest.

Jack grunted, and stumbled backwards as he was hit. Feeling the spikes pierce his flesh.

Momentarily disorienting him, but a moment was all Ashi needed, before she started pummeling him again and again in the chest!

Delivering six punches to his chest per second, before delivering pulling her right arm back.

Almost hesitating for a moment, before her multiple arms formed a single fist that she shortly punched him hard in the chest!

Jack gasped as his eyes widened in pain, and he vomited up a pool of blood onto Ashi's face!

Ashi shook her head as the samurai's blood blinded her.

Aku's eyes widened at the surprising distraction his mortal enemy had utilized to distract her.

Not letting his chance get away from him, Jack kicked Ashi down onto the ground, and raised his sword to stab her through the chest...

Though, before he could do anything, Ashi stretched her torso.

Elongating it so that when he brought his sword down, he only severed her torso from her legs.

As Ashi's severed lower half laid motionless on the ground, her smoldering upper half formed several spiders to support her elongated torso.

Lunging herself at Jack, the ends of Ashi's arms formed into large scythe-like blades that she violently stabbed at the samurai...

Despite suffering a brutal beat-down from his former ally, Jack managed to slash the end of Ashi's left arm... Though, while Ashi managed to cut him in return, she fell forwards and partially pierced his back with her blade.

Jack grunted at the pain, but thrust the blade up above him...into Ashi's chest!

Ashi's eyes widened, and her mouth hung slack.

All while her body shivered as the hole in her chest smoldered outwards. Burning away at the rest of her body...yet, unlike her father, who'd been in a similiar situation, she was still part-human!

"No!" Aku growled in an angry, yet shocked tone.

Ashi gently stood back up.

Her body continuing to smolder, until a large hole was left in her chest, as she assumed a similiar height as Jack.

Her breathing shaking as she looked down at the ever-growing hole in her chest, before looking back up at him.

Mad-Ashi stood beside the real Ashi.

Grinning as she narrowed her brows. Glaring towards the samurai with her arms folded across her chest.

"See? See?! I told you he didn't care!" she whispered sadistically into Ashi's ear.

"He abandoned you with Aku, and then murders you the first chance he gets! He didn't even hesitate before striking you down!" Mad-Ashi said.

Scowling angrilly at the samurai, before she turned around and walked away from the dying Ashi.

"Jack..." Ashi said, her voice breaking.

Gently extending her hand out to touch his cheek with tears running down her chin.

"Jack, how could you?" she asked, which made Jack's brows jump in shock.

"I...trusted you...Jack," Ashi said as she took her last breath.

Ashi's body fell backwards and slammed against the ground.

"Ashi...!" Jack said, but before he could say another word Ashi's body disentigrated completly.

Only leaving a faint imprint in the ground of where Ashi's body laid...but was now gone.

"No! Ashi...!" Jack sobbed as his voice broke.

"Not again! Please, do not leave me again!" he desperatly pleaded.

Sobbing as he dropped to his knees.

Staring at her body's imprint as the wind started blowing dust over it. Obstructing it from view.

Tears running down along his face, which dripped onto the ground.

Standing nearby, Aku and his Daughters silently watched this scene unfold.

Aku stared slack-jawed at the lone survivor of his daughter and mortal enemy's duel.

Stunned that his ancient foe had managed to defeat his daughter, even after unlocking her full power, and ridding her of her rebellious spirit.

The remaining Daughters, though, only stayed put for long, before they charged at the samurai. Intent on avenging their fallen sister...

However, as the first Daughter attempted to rush Jack, he threw his sword and hit her in the chest!

That Daughter fell backwards, and her body slammed against the ground.

The other Daughter's head snapped towards her fallen sister.

Watching her motionless body as it laid on the ground...until it disentigrated away.

The Daughter's head snapped back towards Jack, and she re-formed her hands into scythe-like blades which she used to impale him.

Repeatedly slashing them through the air in an effort to hit him, but he just dodged her blows.

Leaping above her.

Landing behind her, next to his sword.

He quickly snatched up the sword, and stabbed it through her back. The sword's tip coming out through her chest.

He narrowed his brows, and sliced the blade up along her body. Cleaving the Daughter's upper body in half.

The vertical line in the center of the Daughter's body vanishes as both halves of her head seperates.

The cloven halves of her head hangs limp out to the side, and her body falls forward. Collaping onto the ground.

Aku doesn't utter a word.

Instead just silently staring at the lifeless bodies of his Daughters...before focusing his attention on the silent samurai warrior.

Unable to see Jack's face due to the long hair blowing in the wind.

Jack then turned around, and glares at the Shogun.

"You're next!" Jack growled.

****

Meanwhile, Bill watches from a balcony as the battle rages around him.

Watching Ultron and his Sentries perform another boming run on the Equestrians.

Despite only achieving minimal casualties, the ponies directed attention away from the barrier keeping the Xenomorphs at bay.

Not yet realizing that it is the Xenomorphs that pose the greater threat, and not Ultron and his Sentries.

Sitting back in his throne, Bill held his hands up in a way that his fingertips connected.

Smirking as he watched the ponies get closer and closer to their destruction.

Even the Queens and Praetorians were making their way to the barriers, and with their combined strength will surely crush their defenses.

Bill's smirk, though, soon faded as he noticed an explosion, and his eye abruptly widened as he watched Queen Moon, Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Omnitraxus come flying out!

Rhombulus jumped into the air and held out his arms. Firing his crystals, which pierced countless Xenomorphs...!

Hekapoo immediatly cloned her self, but while each of the clones started clearing out the Xenomorph horde by incinerating them, the original Hekapoo used her sciscores to teleport herself to the barrier.

Raising her hand, she raised a fire wall that scorched the nearby Xenomorphs.

Instructing the ponies to shift their attention to Ultron and the Sentries...!

Omnitraxus conjured a humanoid form to himself, and began crushing Xenomorphs underneath his feet as he charged straight for the Xenomorph Queens.

It wasn't difficult to attract the Queens's attention as every Xenomorph he (literally) ran over loudly screeched.

The Queens diverted their attention from the Equestrians towards Omnitraxus, and all of them charged straight for him.

Screeching enraged as they quickly swarmed him. Jumping atop him, and forcing him down onto the ground, which allowed their drones to swarm him as well...

However, as Omnitraxus was swarmed, he charged his energy, and suddenly released it in the form of a large blue, dome-shaped explosion that shot out across the battlefield!

Dissintegrating the screeching Xenomorphs into dust!

By the time Omnitraxus stood back up, a large crater surrounded him, and an extraordinary chunk of the Xenomorph horde was evaporated...!

Moon assumed her butterfly form, and flew into the air towards Ultron and his Sentries.

Firing several energy from multiple arms, which destroyed the Sentries.

Ultron, himself, noticed what Moon was doing, and growled as he flew straight for her.

Charging into her, and grabbed her head with arms.

Ultron smirked as he attempted to crush her skull with his hands.

"You know, its fortunate i'm not human, otherwise i'd find your death utterly repolsive!" Ultron chuckled.

Watching Moon's eyes shot open as she began screaming in pain.

Feeling Ultron's mechanical hands crushing her fragile Mewni skull with his bare hands...!

However, in a final attempt to save herself, Moon threw up her hands and grabbed Ultron's head.

Grabbing his metal skin hard as she screamed aloud.

Her palms glowing, before she fired a blast from her hands!

Ultron's eyes widened and jaw hung agape as bright light shot out of his eyes and mouth, before his head exploded!

Moon's two blasts impacted the other, causing a chain explosion that sent Moon flying out of Ultron's grasp!

Leaving Ultron's lifeless husk of a body to plummet down towards the battlefield.

Catching herself in mid-air, Moon panted heavilly as she held the side of her acheing head.

She managed to recover, and gasped as she watched Sentries closing in on her position.

Their arms held out in front of them as they fired their blasts at her.

Thrusting her (six) arms out beside her, she quickly conjured a protective force field around herself.

Catching the incoming blasts in her force field.

Opening her hands, she shot the blasts back out towards the Sentries.

Causing the sky around her to light up as the Sentries exploded...

Back inside the castle, Bill watched the Magical High Commission devastate his forces with dismay.

Omnitraxus, alone, was causing a lot more harm than anyone else, despite Rhombulus, Hekapoo and Moon being there.

Grumbling annoyed at how the tide of battle had turned in his enemies' favor, he angrilly slammed his fist against the throne' armrest...though, he still smirked at the sheer foolishness his enemies exhibited in leaving the castle.

****

Following the hooded humanoid for some time, Velvet and Celestia arrived at a large double-door.

Displayed prominetly on the doors was the insignia of a screaming skull with a spiral curving outwards from the skull's open maw.

Besides the insignia was written something in a unfamiliar language.

The hooded humanoid walked up towards the door and extended its index finger.

Pressing it against the writting as she read aloud;

"To any who seek to enter the Devil's Chamber..." she read aloud, before looking towards what was written on the other door, "Beware your mind...for it empowers the Cosmic Destroyer!"

"Hmm..."

The humanoid grumbled as she touched her chin.

She turned back towards the Equestrians, and looked at them for a while until she waved her hand through the air.

Conjuring six gems out of thin air.

Celestia's eyes widened as she saw the gems. Recognizing them.

"The Elements of Harmony!" she said in a stunned tone.

"Yes. They should prove capable of handling whatever is behind those doors," the humanoid replied.

Celestia's horn glowed, and enveloped the elements in her magical aura.

Levitating them over towards her.

"Indeed. They should prove capable of protecting you from whatever is behind that those doors," the humanoid said as she walked back towards the Equestrians.

She swung her arm out behind her towards the double-doors, causing the lock to click.

Creaking as both doors slowly swung outwards. Revealing a dark void inside.

"Go! I'll hold them off for as long as I can!" she abruptly said.

Celestia and Velvet's eyes widened, and they quickly looked behind them.

Looking back at each other, before they ran inside the dark void.

The doors slamming shut behind them, and clicking shut!

Turning her head to look back over her shoulder, the humanoid smirked to herself as she saw that the two were gone.

Still looking behind her, she started running down along the corridor.

Looking back in front of her as she ran.

Chapter 45

The Universal Cosmic Destroyer

Back inside the castle, Celestia and Velvet continued trotting through the dark corridor.

The light from Celestia's horn illuminating their way through the darkness.

While making their way through the corridor, Velvet quickly spun around on her heel as she heard something behind her.

"Velvet! Velvet! Velvet!" she heard an eerie, raspy voice say to her, and she couldn't be certain, but she could swear that she saw a vague shape in the darkness.

Barely able to make out an outline...of something in the dark.

The only thing she could make out were two white feet and a hand that hung limp in the air.

The hand dangled close enough to the light that Velvet could at least make it out...or so she thought at first.

Despite logic dictating that the closer one is to something you should be able to see it, whatever this creature was, the closer Velvet got to it the less she was able to make out.

"W-who are you?" Velvet nervously asked.

Originally curious, she now felt a cold and disturbing feeling setting in the closer she got to this being.

"T-tell me your name, where you're from. Did you arrive here when Bill arrived?" Velvet asked the figure.

"B...i...l...l?"

Looking down at the figure's feet, Velvet watched it curl its toes.

"Y-yes!" she nervously replied. "Do you not know who Bill Cipher?" she asked.

"Bi...ll...ciph...er?" the figure asked.

After it finished talking, Velvet immediatly furrowed her brows as she heard something running.

Craning her head down, she suddenly gasped as she watched blood running down along the figure's legs!

Staining its feet with blood, out of which grew bloody spikes.

As she watched the figure's toes get enveloped by the blood, they grew longer into pointed spikes!

Velvet's eyes widened, and she slowly started backing away from the figure.

"Mhmm. I feel g...o...o...d...friendsss...!" the figure said as it approached the frightened filly.

The white hand changing into a crimson, deformed titular claw as it reached out to grab Velvet.

Nearly grabbing the little's throat... Until she suddenly heard Celestia behind her!

"Velvet, get away from that thing!" Celestia called out to her, before firing a magical blast from her horn towards the deformed figure.

Her blast hit the figure, which exploded into a crimson puff of smoke!

Velvet stared stunned at the red smoke, until Celestia reached out and quickly pushed Velvet behind her.

"Quickly, get behind me!" Celestia said.

Mare and filly stared at the red smoke...until it suddenly started spiraling inwards.

Forming a horrible, perpetually screaming skull at its center!

"Mother of me!" Celestia said in shocked horror.

Velvet couldn't help but stare slack-jawed at this...this thing in awe and terror.

Feeling her bones freeze.

Making it impossible to move, even an inch!

Noticing the rest of the corridor behind her, Celestia quickly levitated Velvet up onto her back.

Then, without a second's hesitation started running in the oppisite direction of that...thing.

Running down the corridor, in the oppisite direction away from that thing...while the floating, swirling face started to shriek as it flew after the two mares!

The corridors dissapearing as the thing flew after them!

As Celestia ran down along the corridor with Velvet on her back, her eyes perked up as she heard a loud and horrific shriek echoing behind them.

Velvet's eyes widened, and she slowly turned her head to look behind her.

Only, as soon as she looked behind her, she immediatly regretted it.

"Celestia...do not look back! Whatever you do, don't look back!" Velvet softly said. Putting extra emphasis on the ''Don't's'.''

Celestia's fear started building as she heard this, but she didn't look back behind her.

Instead, she just looked ahead.

Keeping her eyes focused on the hardly illuminated corridor ahead.

Velvet, meanwhile, didn't dare to look away from the singular but multi-shaped mass chasing after them.

Her wide and terrified eyes watching the hundreds of creepily malformed arms that reached out for her.

Maintaining unbroken eye-contact with the perpetually screaming skull that stared right back at her.

"Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet...!"

She heard the skull screaming, even as its mouth didn't move.

Run, Celestia! Run for Equestria's sake! Velvet thought to herself as she couldn't bring herself to look away from this...thing's horrific face!

*****

Watching the ongoing battle from his throne, Bill watched as his Xenomorph forces were being swarmed by Moon and the Magical High Commission.

Devastating the normally hazardous race!

Ultron, it appeared, must have taken a new body since his Sentries didn't fall into dis-array following his defeat.

In fact, it appeared that one specific Sentry had pulled itself back, and surrounded itself with two guards.

The Sentries' eyes had even changed from blue to red.

Holding his head in the palm of his head, Bill observed the battle, but had already gotten bored off it.

At the same time, a robed figure silently stepped out of the dark corridor into the vast chamber.

Looking out from where she stood, she spotted the platform that Bill's throne stood upon.

The entire chair resembled the lower half of a skull, though, lacked the upper portion. And sprouted six spider legs on the side.

Sitting upon a skeleton-throne and observing the battle transpiring outside...

She immediatly hid behind a pillar as Bill abruptly rose from his throne.

Holding his arms behind his back in a regal manner, he narrowed his brow at the carnage transpiring beyond the castle grounds.

Turning his head, he looked back towards the skeleton-throne, and said "Be gone. I will witness their defeat standing up" to his throne.

Without uttering a sound, the skeleton-throne crawled away.

Its bones rattling as it crawled up along the walls. Vanishing into the ceiling's darkness, above.

Turning back towards the battlefield, Bill scowled as he observed this clash of titans...;

A God Warrior fired a high-powered blast from its mouth towards Shandor's Destructor Form.

However, Shandor held out his hands and conjured a protective barrier, composed of crystals, around himself that absorbed the majority of the blast.

In spite of the crystals having cracked, Shandow clenched his fist. Crushing them into hundreds of crystal fragments, which were then thrown up at the God Warrior.

"Ohma, look out!" Nausicaä cried out to the God Warrior as she flew around him in the air on her glider.

Noticing the incoming shards from Shandor... but in spite of her warning, the shards still impacted Ohma's body...!

Though, they merely bounced of his skin.

Ohma readied himself to discharge another blast towards Shandor in retalliation, but as the Architect raised the barrier around himself, Ohma instead thrust his giant fist towards him...

The fist shattered the crystals, and struck an incredible punch to the undead deity!

Shandor grunted from the punch, and shot like a speeding bullet towards the ground. Slamming into it and creating a large crater.

He groaned as the dust cleared, but immediatly gasped as hs eyes shot wide-open as he saw the God Warrior open his jaw to fire another blast...!

Barely able to react before bright purple light blinded him, and purple energy enveloped him!

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Bill watched Aku's remaining Daughters cut their way through the Equestrians.

Rapidly transforming their bodies into various shapes, and attacting the ponies before they had a chance to react!

Not even giving them time to prepare their defenses before they change again.

However, in spite of their progress in reducing the Equestrians' numbers, they are only making minimal progress, at best.

The Magical High Commission is still doing a good job desposing of the Xenomorph hordes, and Moon is, of course, blasting the Sentries with her magic.

Taking them one down one, perhaps even six, at a time due to her multiple arms.

Peeking out from behind the pillar, the humanoid looked back up towards Bill.

Noticing he wore an elegant silk robe...

Though, her attention fell upon the peculiar symbol on the back of his robes.

It resembled an eye, but had lightning-shaped lines on both sides.

Curious, she furrowed her brows.

Despite getting distracted by the symbol, she soon snapped out of her stupor as she heard a thundering boom outside the castle.

She quickly blinked her eyes and looked back up towards Bill.

His form obstructed her vision of what was transpiring outside, but she watched the clouds change from black to red.

Hearing another thunderous boom which made her flinch.

Bill just smiled as he narrowed his brows.

Outside the castle, the fighting between the Equestrians and the countless indescribeable creatures abruptly stopped when their attention snapped towards the castle.

Hearing and watching as blood-red bolts of lightning shot down from the crimson swirling clouds into the central tower.

The tower, itself, absorbing the lightning bolts' raw power!

Symbols along the structure started glowing.

Sending that power shooting up along the length of the tower towards the top, and the Fearamid.

Hero, villain, monster or pony...

All their attention shifted from trying kill each other towards the Fearamid.

Inside the Fearamid, the energy from the lightning went into the projector which started clicking.

The projector' lens started flashing.

In the skies above the Fearamid, a glowing sphere appeared.

Displayed within the sphere was a frowning bearded human face with wide-open eyes.

Outwards from each edge, fiery smoke spiraled outwards from the sphere.

Everyone looked up towards the sphere with a face.

All waiting for something to happen...until reality around them abruptly changed to another battlefield!

The Equestrians and their allies froze in place as dark silhouettes they didn't recognize appeared around them...

Pony and allie were about to do something until the silhouettes started shooting explosive shells through the air towards...other silhouettes that looked like them!

The shells violently exploded, leaving dead bodies to fall at their ponies and their allies' feet/hooves.

Some just burning, but other deformed from having their limbs blown off, or parts of their bodies blown off, or even large wounds in their bodies that their internal organs spilled out through!

The silhouettes, which the Equestrians and their allies recognized as humanoid, charged at each other and started firing their weapons at each other.

Brutally killing the each other unlike anything the Equestrians and their allies had seen!

Silhouetted shapes flew by overhead, and dropped similiar shells down onto the enemy.

Explosions erupted throughout the battlefield, and agonized screams echoed around the heroes and villains.

The heroes froze in their tracks.

Taken aback at the carnage that unfolded before them!

The villains had also frozen in place, but more for the sheer cruelty and horror that these creatures were able to do to each other.

However, of the few villains that weren't spellbound by the carnage around him, Aku smirked as he watched the humans slaughter their own kind.

Turning his head, he looked down at the samurai and smirked wider.

He could only imagine the thoughts that was going through the warrior's head as witnessing such horror.

The very thought that the samurai was witnessing his own race killing each other in brutal and horrendus wars brought a smile to the Shogun's face.

"You failed, samurai. You never saved the world for it was already doomed!"

The samurai didn't respond, but then again he didn't have to. His silence said more than words ever could...

*****

Meanwhile in the chamber, Celestia continued running down the corridor.

Never slowing her pace for one second.

They'd been pursued by the crimson, swirling mass for some time now, and not once had it relented during the chase.

It then shot an invisible wave through the air, that threw Celestia forward.

Knocking her into the ground, which sent Velvet flying through the air...and over the edge of a vast chasm, that Celestia hadn't noticed!

She'd been so pre-occupied with outrunning the thing that she hadn't noticed where their chase was leading.

Judging by recent events, this thing had forced them to some sort of chamber...

Celestia, though, was snapped out of her stupor by Velvet screaming.

Reminding her that there was a filly to save...

"Velvet!" Celestia screamed as she rose back up to her hooves and ran towards the edge.

Leaping from the edge and unfurled her wings outwards.

With her hooves out in front of her, Celestia shot down towards the falling filly.

Spotting her light-grey coat through the dark-red blackness.

Swooping down, she made a sharp U-turn and caught Velvet in mid-air. Speeding back upwards to the where Velvet had fallen from...

"V...elvet...I am ha...p...p...y!"

However, as they flew back up, Velvet heard that eerie voice again.

Velvet looked in the direction of its source, but immediatly gasped at what she saw...!

"Celestia, look out!"

"Hu-? UGH!" Celestia grunts as a wave shot out of the darkness towards her.

Knocking both ponies back against the wall!

Slipping of the princess' back, Velvet fell down into the dark.

However, fortunatly, her body slammed against a ledge. Uttering a painful grunt upon impact.

Celestia, though, recovered much faster than the filly and immediatly started flying again.

Quickly flying in sporadic patterns so that whatever this thing is, it can't easily hit her again.

While flying, she looked towards the thing, but when she saw it, she felt what little courage had been burning within her freeze!

Staring into the swirling, crimson mass's perpetually screaming face struck fear in her that was unlike anything she'd ever felt before!

Every hair on her body stood up...and her body felt petrified.

Almost like her body was being frozen from the inside-out. Starting at her very core; her soul!

The only thing that snapped her out of it was hearing, what she pressumed to be, beams of energy shooting behind her.

Looking behind her to see the walls explode, and send cracked walls and boulders falling down into the chasm.

Swiftly flying down, Celestia fired several magical blasts back at the swirling mass...but her attacks just passed through its, like pufts of smoke!

Doing next to nothing to harm it!

In response, the swirling mass shot several more of those invisible waves out towards her.

Celestia, fortunatly, managed to dodge them, but she couldn't help feeling more confused every time it shot those waves after her.

Why couldn't she see the waves this thing was shooting at her?

While Celestia and the thing continued to exchange attacks, Velvet groaned as she stirred atop the ledge.

Sitting up on her hooves as she heard the battle between Celestia and the thing, and looked up.

Staring above her as she watched the two beings alternate between attacking the other.

One, whose very presence made one feel dead inside. Alone... While the other's presence made one feel happy to be in it. Comfort and happiness...

But as she looked up towards the two adversaries, something dawned on her.

Something that should've been obvious to her...or the princess for that matter.

"Of course! Oh i'm such a fool!" Velvet exclaimed.

Her attention shot back up towards Celestia.

"Princess, do you have the Elements of Harmony!?" she called up to Celestia.

Celestia dodged another wave, but shot the filly a confused glance before she flew down to avoid getting hit.

"Yes, of course I do! What about them!?" she called back to Velvet.

"Use them!" Velvet replied.

"Don't think! Just use them! GIVE IT EVERYTHING THE ELEMENTS'VE GOT!"

Celestia furrowed her brows confused, but did as the filly told her.

Enveloping her horn in a magical aura, before conjuring the Elements out of thin air.

She quickly looked down towards the ledge where Velvet was standing, before returning her attention to the thing.

Her face contorting into a stern scowl as she spun the Elements around herself.

Creating a golden sphere around herself.

The thing's swirling mass growled in pain as the light of her sphere touched it.

"It hurts, Velvet!" Velvet heard that voice speaking to her again.

"Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet, Velvet...!" the thing said over again in her head.

She clenched her eyes, but they soon shot open again as she looked up towards Celestia!

"DO IT NOW, PRINCESS!" she screamed up towards Celestia.

Celestia's head snapped down towards Velvet, but the thing shrieked as it saw its chance to dispose of Celestia and leaped into the air towards her.

Unfurling its crimson mass outwards like an umbrella to grab her...but Celestia's head snapped back towards the thing, and with a mighty scream felt the energy from the Elements explode!

Her eyes shot open and jaw hung slacked as light shot out of her body.

Glowing cracks tore through her body, and the small sphere around her erupted outwards. Enveloping their surroundings in light, and banishing the darkness!

As the thing was enveloped by the light, it shrieked in pain!

A shockwave shot outwards from Celestia that threw the thing backwards against the cave walls.

Its mass flailing as it screeched. Shrieking as the light from the Elements scorched its mass.

"Arrgh! Yaagh!... Velvet, It hurts...!"

Velvet's eyes shot open, and she gently craned her head upwards.

Lowering her hoof so that she could see the thing.

Her eyes widening as she saw smoke come off its crimson mass.

"Ahh, Grr, Ohhh..."

For all this thing had done to her; try to appear friendly, chased her and the princess, and ultimatly tried to kill them, Velvet was surprised that this thing could still shock and terrify her...even as it died!

As the light from the Elements burned and seared it, and glowing cracks spread outwards across its mass/body...it spoke in a soft and just as eerie tone as when it first spoke to her.

Even when dying, this...thing terrified her!

The glowing cracks in its mass saw the thing seperating into something that was identical to the thing's perpetually screaming face...before it seperated into another...and another...and another...and another, etc!

The lone entity was collapsing into hundreds, perhaps even thousands of identical faces.

Velvet could feel the cold and horror melting away, like the sun melting an icicle.

The thing's presence was fading...and Celestia was replacing it with her feelings of family towards protecting her home!

The thousands of thing' faces disentigrated...leaving only one more, and this final face, unlike all the other faces, started glowing.

White beams shattered the lone face, before an explosion of light erupted outwards from it!

Completly obliterating the final face!

Shattering it into thousands of shards, and sending a blinding wave of light towards Celestia and Velvet!

Author's Note

Link1 - Oblivion Soundtrack; Fearful Odds

Chapter 46

Enter the Fearamid

As Velvet opened her eyes, she blinked them several times.

Returning to conciousness after being ''out of it'' for so long.

Shaking her head as she sat up-right on the ground.

Then, memories of what happened flashed in her mind.

Visions showing her the thing that they confronted earlier, and how it had pursued them...to Celestia using the Elements against it...and finally the thing's death, how it splintered into housands of identical faces until only one remained.

"Princess Celestia!" she abruptly gasped as she didn't know what happened to the princess following the explosion of light.

"Yes, Velvet? What is it!?" a voice said from behind Velvet's back.

Velvet sharply turned around, but she gasped as she saw Celestia standing behind her.

"Princess!" she exclaimed, and ran towards the older pony. Embracing her in a warm hug.

"Off! Heh i'm fine, Velvet," Celestia chuckled.

Velvet's happy embrace was cut-short, when Velvet's eyes shot open. Remembering the thing, but as if sensing her sudden distress, Celestia soon said, "Don't worry, Velvet. That thing is gone," before her tone abruptly got a little sadder.

"...but it cost us the Elements," she finished.

Standing aside, Celestia displayed six cracked and scorched gems to Velvet.

It was the Elements of Harmony, but they were no longer in the same condition as when the masked humanoid gave them to Celestia.

"While the Elements were able to destroy that thing it required so much energy that it drained all the Elemens. There's nothing left," Celestia explained to Velvet as she stared towards the now-useless gems. Shocked at the amount of power required to fell such an entity.

"I might've been able to handle the power output a lot better if Luna had been here to help me like she did when we defeated Discord, but alas, it became too much for me," she said.

For a few more minutes, Velvet stared towards the Elements before she looked back up towards Celestia.

"Then what do we do?" Velvet asked in a soft yet hopeless tone.

"Without the Elements we won't stand a chance against whatever defenses Bill has in place to protect the projector."

In response, Celestia just smiled and looked away from Velvet ahead of them.

Velvet looked in the same direction, but her eyes widened as she saw a large double-door in front of them.

On the door's center-front was the image of a triangle with a circle and straight line in its center.

"I think that thing, whatever it was, was Bill's greatest defense. For once it was defeated, we were transported here," Celestia explained.

Velvet looked up towards the princess and raised a skeptical brow at her.

"How can you be so certain of that, princess? Bill Cipher has many allies from across the entire multi-verse. Who knows who or what else he could have lurking around here to protect the projector?" she nervously asked.

Celestia just smiled as she turned back towards the filly.

"I personally find it hard to believe that there is something stronge than that thing we just faced, with the possible exception of Aku and Bill, himself," Celestia replied as she trotted towards the door.

Stopping just in front of the massive door.

Staring at it for a few seconds, before she extended her hoof out to touch it.

Feeling the hairs on her neck stand up.

The feeling only intensifying as she craned her head upwards, and stared towards the door's insignia. Seemingly entranced by it.

Silently looking up towards the insignia, even as she pressed her hoof against the door.

Velvet's eyes widened as she watched the massive door open inwards.

Groaning as it slowly slid inwards. Granting them access to Bill's innermost sanctum!

Gently standing back up on her hooves, Velvet slowly approached the princess from behind.

Both ponies proceeding inside the Fearamid as she trotted up beside Celestia.

Entering into a long and wide corridor that Celestia recognized from when Aku first brought her here.

Looking ahead of them, while Velvet silently followed beside her into a vast hallway.

For a time, Celestia and Velvet followed the hallway till they noticed a hole on the right side of the wall.

A doorway on their right side, that lead inside some room.

They approached it and looked inside it, but as they did Celestia's eyes widened.

Experiencing flashbacks to when she was brought before Bill in this very room, and he...disposed of the Blade of Harmony by throwing it into the sky.

Absentmindedly, Celestia stepped forward into the enormous room.

Velvet's head snapping towards the princess, before she followed after her.

Trotting behind her as they approached the iron throne at the other end of the room.

"This is the most dangerous sword i've had in my castle"

Celestia heard Bill's voice, though, it was a lot more distorted this time.

Hearing him again utter those words that had convinced her that he had a weakness.

That he wasn't as indestructible as he thought he was...and given her some hope that she might yet be able to defeat him.

However, without the Blade of Harmony their only hope now was to destroy this projector and halt Bill's assault on their world.

After seeing and experiencing what they had in their quest to reach the Fearamid, they must find and smash the projector so that their friends' sacrifaces were not in vain.

*****

Meanwhile inside the castle, Bill smirked to himself as the projector showed the Equestrians and their allies the horrors of war.

Even the samurai had lost himself to the death and the destruction that occured all around him.

Watching atop his platform, that looked to be carried by various petrified creatures.

Peaking her head out from behind her pillar, she looked back out towards the Lord of Chaos.

Now's my chance! she thought, narrowing her sight on Bill Cipher.

Walking out from behind the pillar, she made her way up towards him along the side of a deep drop.

Noticing a walkway that lead out onto a platform suspended in the air. Overlooked by Bill's own platform.

As quietly as she could, she made her way out onto the platform.

Keeping a constant watch out for either Bill or possible allies that might attempt to intervene.

Reaching a hand into her robes, she gently pulled out the sword.

Lightly smacking her lips against each other as she walked out onto the suspended platform.

Staring towards the humanoid triangle as she slowly pulled her arm back to throw the sword...only to freeze in her tracks as Bill's robes shot up from the floor like a peacock's tail feathers!

Startling her.

Though, she nervously jumped when she heard Bill softly chuckling from behind the robe.

"An assassin?"

She heard Bill sigh behind the robe-barrier.

"I would've thought someone as organized as you would've done anything but that," Bill said.

"My only wish is that you would've been a little more original in your plan to take me down, if not a lot sneakier. I've been forced to listen to you breathe behind that pillar for five minutes," he grumbled in an annoyed tone.

She furrowed her brows as his voice changed.

Now sounding like it was coming from all around her, and not just from behind the robe.

Tightening her grip around the blade's hilt, she held it defensively.

Her nervous expression contorting into a stern frown.

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I might not be much to look at, but I assure you, Lord of Chaos, I am not someone to be triffled with," she called up to the back of Bill's robe.

"That is only because you wield that blade-!" Bill exclaimed as he suddenly kicked her in the face with his foot!

Knocking her to the floor, before planting his shoes on the platform's surface.

Quickly looking up, she froze at seeing Bill standing in front of her.

Holding in his hand a curved, fiery blade extending from a shaft.

The weapon's apperance made it difficult for her to discern whether it was a sword or a lance.

Her head snapped from Bill towards the robe...only to gasp as the robe autonomously moved side-ways.

She looked back down towards the Blade of Harmony, that she'd dropped, but when she went to grab it Bill placed his foot atop it.

"Without it, you're nothing! Just another pawn used by these ponies in their coup to usurp me!" he said, smirking deviously.

She just silently glared up at him.

"Maybe, but i'll only warn you once; don't underestimate me!" she spat back at him, which Bill just scoffed at.

Twirling her feet, she quickly stood back up from the ground and before Bill could react punched him in the face.

He staggered backwards off the blade, which she sharply grabbed and charged straight for Bill. Ready to impale him with the blade...

However, Bill noticed what she was doing and jumped up into the air.

Spinning in the air, before he landed back down behind her.

Bill slashed his sword vertically through the air towards her, but she managed to raise her own blade. Their blades clashing against each other.

Furrowing his brows, Bill went on the offensive. Pushing back against her with all his strength.

She held her ground and pushed back against him, but still her boots slid backwards across platform towards the edge.

Bill responded to her rapid loss of ground by confidently narrowing his brows.

Even she felt her strength wavering as it paled in comparison to his.

Still, she managed to temporarily halt his advance once they reached the edge...

For a brief moment, they locked eyes with each other.

Her face hidden behind her mask, while she could see Bill's smirking face perfectly.

"How many times do I have to say it? You're nothing!" Bill groaned annoyed.

She briefly looked back over her shoulder towards the vast drop behind her, before returning her attention to him.

"Power only gets you so far, Cipher. Its useless if you don't have the intelligence to back it up," she replied, much to his confusion.

He frowned confused and raised his brow at her.

"Like this!" she exclaimed, before she abruptly side-stepped him.

Bill quickly moved forwards towards the edge, where just to add insult to injury, she kicked him in the back.

Sending him tumbling over the edge and down into the vast nothing below.

Bill's robes looked down over the edge. Watching as he fell down into the abyss.

Frankly, a little embarassed that its master had been so easily fooled.

Still, the robe sighed and jumped over the edge into the darkness after him.

Standing back up on the platform, specifically its center, the masked humanoid panted as she recovered from that brief but no less exhausting duel.

Merely holding him back in that one clash had nearly taken out of her.

She had expected him to be strong, but that was insane!

However, as her arms fell down and the sword clanged against the steel surface, a figure swiftly flew up from behind the edge.

It took her by surprise and she nearly missed it, but the figure abruptly landed in front of her!

Her eyes widened in surprise, but before she could raise the sword to defend herself, Bill smirked at her in a mocking manner and kicked her in the stomach.

Knocking the air out of her, and sending her flying back through the air into a nearby wall.

She again dropped the blade, and weakly sat up on the ground. Coughing up blood as her arms quivered. Struggling to lift herself up off the floor.

Back on the platform, Bill scowled angrily at her as various creatures came running to investigate the commotion.

One of whom had been Discord, who had sensed the power fluctuation in Bill's chamber during their battle. Allowing him to sense the intruder, who until now had been able to mask herself.

"My Lord, are you hurt?!" one of the creatures asked, but Bill just responded by gently brushing some dust off his shoulder.

"Not even," Bill replied in a stern tone.

"This one didn't even attempt to put up a fight, though, I assume she could've been using all of her strength when fighting me...what little she had."

With his eyes fixed to the beaten assassin, Bill's shoes clacked against the metal as he ascended the platform' stairs.

As Bill approached them, Discord's eyes were drawn towards the Blade of Harmony laying on the ground.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Bill continued glaring towards the masked humanoid as he approached her.

The monsters parting to allow Bill through.

Encircling the masked humanoid as she laid broken and defeated on the ground.

As he stopped in front of her, Discord appeared by his side with the Blade of Harmony.

Bill smiled as he took the sword, and expertly twirled it in his hand before pointing the tip straight at her face.

"Now, who sent you to kill me?" Bill asked in a stern, but aggitated tone.

All eyes fell on the masked humanoid.

Silently watching her as she coughed up a little more blood, before looking straight at Bill's face.

"Nobody sent me. I came of my own free will," she said, raising a hand to her face and removing the mask.

"But if you want to know so badly, then why don't you look for yourself?" she asked as the mask came off, and she pulled the hood down.

Revealing a curious sight to the monsters, but even more so to Bill as he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Eris-? AUGH!" Bill asked, before his eye shoot wide-open as a large blade pierced his chest!

He vomited up blood, and the crowd of monsters gasped as their master was stabbed.

Managing to look back over his shoulder, Bill's breath trembled as he saw Discord standing behind him.

His hand firmly grasping the blade.

Pushing it deeper into Bill's chest, reintensifying the pain Bill was already experiencing.

With a loud battle-cry the monsters charged at Discord, but the Draqonecuus just snapped his fingers before they got the chance to attack him.

Conjuring several large golf clubs that smacked the monsters away. Sending them screaming through the air, before falling into the abyss, below.

Gargling blood, Bill held the blade with both hands as he stumbled backwards.

Releasing his grip, Discord watched as Bill stumbled backwards. Just managing to snap his fingers and conjure another skeleton throne that he fell back into it.

Groaning as the back of the throne pushed the blade a little deeper into his body.

Content that Bill wasn't going anywhere, Discord turned back towards Eris.

"Eris, are you okay?" Discord asked as he crouched down in front of his female self.

Touching her with his lion paw, and using his chaos magic to heal her.

Undoing the damage that she'd sustained while fighting Bill.

Eris groaned as her internal injuries were undone.

Soon exhaling a heavy breath as her body had been fully healed.

Standing up, she and Discord approached the injured humanoid.

Scowling at Bill as he held the blade with both hands.

"I warned you not to understimate us, Cipher," Eris gloated.

Confidently smirking at Bill, whom just furrowed his brow angrilly.

"Oh you think you've won? How adoreable of you kids to think so," Bill replied in a raspy voice.

Smiling back at the Draconequus twins as blood ran down from his mouth.

Bill shook his head at them.

"No, you have already lost!" he continued.

Leaning forward in his throne, while grunting in pain from the blade moving around. Discord and Eris merely glared at him.

"You had to be stopped, Cipher," Discord said. "This...this insanity you've unleashed upon Equestria isn't the kind of chaos I endorse."

"Yeah, and its so...gross and disgusting to look at. It feels more like a nightmare than anything else," Eris interjected.

"So I summoned an alternate universe of me to help me bring you down, for while I might annoy Equestria...you have terrified it!" Discord continued.

"And we're not about terrorizing ponies!" Eris said. "Even we're not that sick."

"Mhm."

Discord folded his arms across his chest and nodded, before saying "We're just crazy" in a dignified tone.

Bill patiently listened to the two, but soon lightly laughed.

"Mark my words, Discord, you have not saved Equestria...not yet!"

Bill smiled cruelly back at Discord and Eris. Softly laughing to himself, until he coughed up more blood.

His breathing slowed to a stop, and his body fell limp against the throne.

Eris opened her mouth to speak, but abruptly stopped when she noticed something happening to the dream demon's body; it was turning grey, and turning to stone.

Eris and Discord's eyes widened and jaws hung slack as they watched Bill turn into a statue.

Their shocked eyes wide even after Bill had been petrified.

"Well, that was...unexpected," Discord remarked, before hearing a deep rumbling emanating from the Bill' statue.

Furrowing her brows confused, Eris leaned in closer to the Bill' statue.

She was about to open her mouth, when Bill's head suddenly cracked down the center!

The rest of Bill's body tore and broke apart after that.

Crumbling to pieces until only a mound of rocks remained.

"... As was that!" Discord said, pointing his eagle claw towards the pile of rocks.

Turning her head, Eris looked back towards Discord.

Shocked and very confused by what they'd just witnessed.

Looking back, but furrowing her brows as she noticed something amidst the pile of rocks.

Reaching her lion paw into the pile, she soon pulled out a blue crystal.

"What is it?" Discord asked curiously.

Eris held the crystal up for both of them to see.

"I don't know. It looks like a crystal of sorts, but i've never seen one that looks like this."

"Hey look at that, its completly flat on one side. That means the sword must've cut straight through it," Discord said, pointing his eagle claw at the crystal's flat side.

Eris's eyes widened, and her head sharply turned back towards the pile.

Holding the crystal with her lion paw as she reached inside with her eagle claw.

Pulling out another crystal that was identical to the first one.

As Eris held the two crystals out in front of her, Discord stared towards the crystals in shock.

"Discord, they're the same!" Eris said in an awed tone.

"Eris...I think these crystals...was Bill's heart!"

"What!? Ew!" Eris exclaimed, dropping the crystals onto the floor.

The crystals cracked a little upon impact, and the etheral energy within shot out of the two halves.

Flying away through the air, and vanishing down one of the castle' hallways.

Leaving Discord and Eris to exchange nervous glances with each other.

"Maybe...its a little pre-mature to celebrate," Discord said in a soft but nervous tone...

*****

Meanwhile in the Fearamid, Celestia and Velvet continued to search throughout the Fearamid for the projector.

Even going so far as to split up to cover more ground much quicker.

Velvet wandered off by herself.

Coming across someplace that looked like a bedroom; containing a large bed, a drawer, and a large window in the shape of a triangle.

Curious, she ventured into the room...

At the same time, the etheral energy that had been released from the two halves of Bill's crystal heart flew through the castle towards a seperate chamber.

Slithering through the air, the etheral energy went into a tree that sat in the center of the room.

Following which a blue aura enveloped the tree, and the dark clouds above the tower parted.

Revealing the sun and the moon, with the moon moving in front of the sun...

Back in the Fearamid, Velvet was gently making her way through the room, when her ear twitched.

Her ear perking up as she heard a familiar clicking noise from her left.

Turning her head left, she spotted a doorway and noticed a spiraling staircase inside it.

"Hey, princess Celestia, I think I found something!" she called out to the princess.

Turning back towards the doorway, Velvet stared towards it.

Soon hearing hoofsteps behind her, before Celestia rounded the corner and entered the bedroom.

"What is it, Velvet? What did you-...find?" Celestia asked.

Interrupting herself when she saw the doorway that Velvet was staring towards.

Turning her head, Velvet stared right at the princess.

"I think I just found the projector!" she said...

Meanwhile outside, the moon continued moving into place.

Covering first a quarter, and soon half the sun...!

Back inside the Fearamid, Celestia and Velvet soon reached the top of the spiraling staircase after running up along it.

Once at the top, Celestia immediatly let Velvet off, but as they started running to finish their search for the projector, they abruptly stopped in their tracks.

Their eyes widening as they were greeted by the sight of the projector directly in front of them!

Standing at an opening in the wall, the projector continued clicking and flashing as it fed the rift energy.

"Quickly, princess, destroy it!" Velvet shouted to Celestia.

"Right!" Celestia replied.

Quickly charging a powerful blast, Celestia fired it directly at the projector...but before it could hit the projector it was stopped by an energy barrier that surrounded the projector!

"What!?" Celestia exclaimed.

"No!" Velvet exclaimed as well.

"It didn't work?!" Celestia exclaimed.

"W-we can't give up! Fire again!" Velvet furiously shouted at Celestia.

"But, Velvet, the barrier-"

"We have to overload the barrier! We've come too far to fail now!" Velvet replied.

"FIRE! FIRE!" she screamed.

Even though she didn't know why she was letting a filly tell her what to do, Celestia charged up another blast.

This one more powerful than the last, but even it failed to put a dent in the barrier.

After this second failed attack, Celestia's eyes widened as she stared slack-jawed at the projector, before immediatly firing another blast towards it...and then another...and then another, etc!

Feeling her adrenline spike as she didn't want to give Bill the satisfaction of at least trying.

Soon, she was relentlessly bombarding the projector with blasts.

Gritting her teeth and furrowing her brows, Velvet grimaced angrilly towards the projector as her frustration mounted.

Her horn glowing as an aura enveloped it.

Charging up a magical blast, which went unnoticed by Celestia. Even as the glow from it illuminated the room, and discharged lighting from it...

Outside, the moon drew closer to covering the sun. Covering all but half a quarter of the sun...!

"THIS IS FOR EVERYONE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES TO BRING YOU DOWN, BBIIIIIIIILLLLLLL...!" Velvet screamed, firing her blast towards the projector.

Her scream finally drew Celestia's attention, who gasped as she saw Velvet shot the blast towards the projector.

Halting her own bombardment, and drawing her attention towards Velvet's blast as it speed towards the projector.

Celestia's ear twitched as she heard a sound from the projector, but she couldn't take her eyes off the blast.

The ball of crackling magical energy shot straight towards the projector...and actually struck it!

Filly/mare gasping as their eyes widened at the sight.

The projector stopped clicking, and the flashing from the lens stopped. Going dark.

Its head dipping downwards as sparks shot out of the projector's neck, followed shortly by black smoke.

Unable to believe what'd just happened, Velvet and Celestia stared towards the projector.

Their eyes wide and jaws slack, until a smile soon appeared on Velvet's face.

"We did it! We destroyed it!" she softly scoffed.

Lightly laughing until she and Celestia's attention snapped back towards the projector as they heard an intensifying high-pitched noise coming from it!

Watching as the projector violently shook, while beams of bright white light shot out of it!

"Whoa, whoa-! What's happening!?" Velvet asked concerned.

"Come on!" Celestia exclaimed, before she sharpley turned around and ran back towards the staircase.

Levitating Velvet onto her back with her magic.

The beams of light shooting out of the projector grew so bright they enveloped the entire room, before the projector, itself, exploded!

However, outside the castle, the moon had finally covered the sun!

Lightning enveloped the moon, and a single bolt of lightning shot towards Bill's castle.

Entering through the open top of the tower, the lightning shot down into the black tree.

An electric aura enveloping the tree as a thrumming hum emanated from the tree...!

Outside the Fearamid, specifically atop the Fearamid, the face's eyes widened.

Its form glowing brighter until it exploded into sparks.

The visions that Jack, Moon, the Magical High Commission, and the others were experiencing vanished.

Aku's smile abruptly vanished as the visions dissapeared. Reverting back to the battlefield.

"What!?" the Shogun exclaimed confused.

"What?" Jack asked, shaking his head as the visions suddenly vanished.

Seemingly unconcerned with the samurai, Aku gasped.

Eyes widening, and his head shooting up as he turned around.

Looking back up straight towards the Fearamid...only to watch as the very top of the Fearamid suddenly exploded!

The explosion drawing not only Aku's attention, but Moon, Jack, the Magical High Commission, and everyone else.

Each of them covering their eyes as the bright light blinded them.

Even Luna, who had just arrived, was all of a sudden blinded by the Fearamid's explosion!

Forcing her to raise her hoof to shield her eyes from the bright light.

Back at the battlefield, the light died down and everyone lowered their arms.

Looking back up towards the castle, both the Equestrians, the otherworldly alies/villains watched flaming debris fly out in all directions from the Fearamid's destroyed top!

The Equestrians briefly looked away from the Fearamid as they heard a magical *POOF* above them, and watched as Celestia and Velvet fell down towards them.

Pegasi took to the air and grabbed them, while Unicorns grabbed them with their telekinesis. Both easing the mare and filly's descent.

Before the highest ranking pony could ask their leader and the filly what had happened, their, as well as everyone else's, attention was drawn back towards the castle as a deep rumbling filled the air.

Blue lightning bolts shot down into the Fearamid.

Causing it to abruptly fall out of the sky, and crash into the tower!

Everyone's eyes, whether they be hero, villain, strange creatures or ponies, widened. Gasping in unison at the sight!

Blue symbols illuminating on the Fearamid and the tower as the Fearamid slammed it.

Destroying the side of the tower as it fell down along the side.

Crashing into a ceiling, below.

Back inside the castle, Discord and Eris looked around them as a deep rumbling echoed within the castle.

Walls shook as their integrity was lost, dust fell from the ceiling, and floor floor. Cracking open all around them.

Both Draconequuses looked up as a large triangular-shaped object crashed through the ceiling.

Falling straight towards them!

"Aaand we're out of here!" Discord said, snapping his fingers.

Both he and Eris vanished as the object slammed into where they'd been standing.

Destroying the distended platform in the process.

The damaged tower started swaying.

Unable to maintain its stability, before it collapsed onto another section of the castle.

Inside the chamber as brick and stones fell down, the top of the dark tree shoot upwards!

Seemingly, triggering the rest of the castle's destruction as the battlements, ceiling, walls and walkways soon broke collapsed and crumbled following the tower and Fearamid's destruction!

While tiny sections of the castle survived, most was reduced to a large ruin.

A reminder of the once-great citadel that occupied the same space...but was now nothing more than a pile of rocks.

The dark clouds swirling above the remains of Bill's castle parted.

Beams of sunlight pierced the clouds and basked Equestria in their warm glow.

Banishing the darkness that had long consumed Equestria.

Causing Bill's allies and creatures to flee to whatever dark corners of the newly liberated world still contained darkness.

As more of the sky was filled by sunlight, Aku was the only villain that had not fleed.

Watching in stunned silence as all of the changes Bill had done were undone, and the world reverted back to normal.

"W-what have you done?!" Aku asked, stuttering.

Jack calmly approached the Shogun.

"We've beaten you, Aku. It is over," Jack said, smirking as he held sword out in front of him.

Aku slowly turned back towards the samurai. His eyes wide with horror.

"In more ways than you know, samurai!" Aku replied in a soft but nervous voice.

Jack raised a confused brow, but before he could ask Aku what he meant the ground started shaking.

"W-what is happening?!" Jack asked.

Aku just looked back up towards rift in the sky.

Gritting his teeth as the rift discharged black and white bolts of intense lightning from itself that shot across the sky.

The ground shaking more intensely as a deep rumbling is heard coming from the rift.

Furrowing his brows, Jack sharply turned back towards Aku.

"Aku, what...is...t-h-i-s!?" Jack turned, though, time slowed around him.

Grinding to a halt as he, Aku, Celestia and Velvet froze in place.

Petrifying in place like motionless statues.

The rift makes a thrumming noise, before it sends double-waves outwards across Equestria!

The front wave being black and the other white.

Every living thing disentigrated into gold dust, which swirled upwards into the rift.

The rift, itself, then exploded into a bright flash of light...!

*****

White.

That was all Velvet saw until it faded away.

Her vision returning in time.

Faint at first, before her vision started clearing up.

"Princess Celestia!"

Velvet immediatly calls out as the bright light fades.

"Huh? Wha-?"

She exclaims confused.

Her eyes widening confused at seeing that she's back in the Castle of the Two Sisters throne room...and its not destroyed.

Its...restored.

Velevet raises a confused brow.

"Wait a minute, have we...gone back in time to before Bill took over?!"

She thinks aloud to herself.

"Ohhh... Velvet, what's happening?"

Velvet turns around and looks behind her at hearing that familiar voice.

Her eyes widens at seeing Nightlight and her friends...

Though, as she stares at her friends she realizes that everything looks familiar.

Her brows jumps and she gasps again as it dawns on her!

"This is the day that Bill opened the portal!"

She says aloud to herself. Attracting confused stares from Nightlight and her friends.

"Um, Velvet...are you okay?" Nightlight asks concerned.

Velvet, though, is too fixated on her own thoughts to notice him.

While everyone stares towards Velvet, confused by her strange behavior, Cookie Crumbles notices something out of the corner of her eye.

She looks away, and stares towards a red contraption by the balcony...

"B-but if this really is the day that he opens the portal and takes control over Equestria, then there must still be a chance to-"

"Hey, everypony, what's that thing?"

Everyone, including Velvet, looks to where Cookie points her hoof.

Velvet's brows jumps, and she gasps at seeing the projector.

"Then its true. We've travelled back in time to before Bill opened the portal and unleashed those villains and creatures on Equestria!"

Velvet thinks aloud to herself.

"Huh?"

She notices something laying on the floor besides the projector, but she gasps at recognizing it as the body of Bill Cipher, himself!

The demon responsible for their suffering!

However, unlike the last time they saw each other he now laid motionless on the floor.

Velvet, though, doesn't care about the fact that he's not moving. Instead, staring towards the unprotected projector...!

The image of the projector reflects in Velvet's eyes, before she narrows her brows.

She gritts her teeth, and glares towards the machine that's caused such grief and agony.

Her horn glows. Charging a spell, which drastically charges its spell.

*POP*

Velvet's so blinded by rage that she doesn't notice the figure that appears behind her.

Nightlight and her friends notices, though, and gasps...

"NO MOOOOOORE!"

Velvet shouts at the top of her lungs as she fires the magical blast towards the projector.

From behind Velvet, another magical blasts shoots towards the projector.

"Huh?"

A voice groggily moans as its owner gently opens its eye...

Both blasts hits the projector, which, again, has beams of light shoot out of it, and finally explodes!

As the projector explodes, though, smoke erupts from it!

The whole throne room fills with black smoke

To which Velvet, Nightlight and their friends begins to cough as they're enveloped by the smoke.

However a bright light shines amidst the smoke, and blows the clouds away.

The smoke pulls back to reveal Celestia!

"Princess Celestia!"

Velvet, Nightlight and all their friends exclaims at seeing their ruler has returned!

The fear from moments ago fades. Turning into joy at the sight of the one who rescued them from the Everfree Forest!

Celestia smiles at looking down towards fillies and colts. Ending up staring at Velvet.

"Its good to see that you're alright. I awoke back in the Changeling Kingdom where I originally encountered Aku, but he didn't show up!" Celestia says.

"I immediatly returned to the castle...and by the looks of things, just in time to destroy the projector before Bill could use it a second time!"

Celestia explains at narrowing her eyes, as she looks back up towards the balcony.

Specifically, to where the now-destroyed projector once stood.

"Yes, Princess...though, I don't think we'll have to fear Bill Cipher ever again," Velvet replies.

Chapter 47

The End

Nothing

That was all Velvet saw, until the white color flashed in her eyes.

Jump-starting her conciousness, before then flashing in on itself.

Her eyes shooting wide-open and loudly gasping.

Heavilly panting as she sat up-right on the ground.

Her head snapping in various directions as she examined her surroundings.

Her brows jumping as she noticed that she was back in the Everfree Castle!

"What the-?" Velvet asked confused.

Furrowing her brows as she slowly looked around the room.

"W-what just happened!?" she asked befuddled. "Where is everyone!? What happened to the castle!? What happened to...everything!?" she asked.

Her eyes immediatly widened, and she quickly stood back up on her hooves as she heard movement beside her.

Velvet's horn glowed with a powerful blast, intended to destroy who or whatever she'd heard...but as she saw the familiar figures sleeping on the floor, her eyes widened and she gasped.

Disabling the spell, and stumbling back away from the six colts and five fillies laying unconcious on the floor.

"No! I-it cannot be-!" she said, her voice breaking as she struggled with acknowledgeing that anything she was seeing was real.

"Night Light? Cookie Crumbles? Pear Butter?" she asked the sleeping ponies.

"I-is this real!?" Velvet asked herself.

"A-are you real!?" she asked, stuttering as she looked down towards Night Light.

Velvet, then, gasped eratically as she watched not only Night Light, but Cookie, Pear, and everyone else begin shifting in place.

Smacking their lips and opening their eyes as they awoke.

Velvet's jaw hanging slack, and her eyes bulged wide enough that they threatened to pop out of her sockets.

Slowly turning her head back and forth as she looked at all her friends.

Once dead, but now alive!

Night rubbed the back of his neck and yawned, as if he'd just awoken from a long sleep.

Smacking his lips, he turned towards Velvet and smiled.

"Hey, Velvet...what's going on?" Night asked, looking around the room.

Turning his head, and looking behind him towards the rest of their friends.

"Why were we all lying down on the floor?" he asked, before turning back to face Velvet.

Looking into her eyes for the first time in...hours.

Unable to look away, Velvet stared intently into his.

She soon smiled overjoyed, and ran up towards him. Embracing him in a tight hug.

Night was taken aback at the hug.

Not that he minded the hug. It was just a little surprising to go from being concious to suddenly lying down on the floor, and Velvet hugging him.

It felt as if some things were missing.

"Um, Velvet, are you okay?" he asked.

Velvet's eyes shoot open, and she pulled away from him.

Shooting him a stern glance, which more or less made made his brows jump.

"What?" he asked confused, and a little scared.

Then, she abruptly hugged him again. Even tighter than the first time.

Clenching her eyes shut.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" she sobbed.

Night just blinked in response.

"Um, okay, Velvet?" he replied confused.

"If I ever do what I did wrong, i'll try to not do it again," Night said.

Velvet's eye shot open, and she furrowed her brows confused.

Gently pulling back away Night, and shooting him a confused stare.

"W-what do you mean ''if I ever do''?" Velvet asked, "Don't you remember what happened back in Bill's castle?"

Night's eyes widened, but still he continued giving her the same dumbfounded stare.

"Whose Bill?" he asked.

Velvet released her grip on Night, and slowly backed away from him.

"No! No...!"

She shook her head in denial.

"You've forgotten...everything!" Velvet said.

Her voice breaking as she backed away from Night Light.

Her eyes wide as a lone tear ran down along her cheek...

Behind Velvet, though, a triangular silhouette appeared behind her.

Night and the rest of their friends gasped as they noticed the dark figure behind Velvet.

Sniffling, Velvet furrowed her brows confused as she noticed Night and the rest of their friends backing away from her.

All of them looking towards something behind her.

Turning around, Velvet gasped as she froze in her tracks.

Her eyes widening as she looked up towards...

"Bill Cipher!?" Velvet exclaimed in a horrified tone.

Watching in stunned awe as Bill hovered in front of her.

Her brow furrowed.

Scowling down at her, before he softly chuckled.

"Your friend Discord may have killed me, thus allowing you to destroy the projector...but in destroying the projector, you may have undone all the hard work I put into that alternate timeline, at the cost of bringing me back!" Bill explained.

His eye flaring outwards at the end.

Grinning, Bill looked behind Velvet towards her friends.

Taking a particular notice to Night.

"Although, it appears that not everyone was brought back," he said in a softly mocking tone.

Velvet's head snapped back towards Night.

Briefly staring at his frightened face, before looking back up towards Bill.

"N-no!" Velvet protested. "We stopped you!"

Bill just scoffed at her.

Softly chuckling back.

"Foolish child, you didn't defeat me!" he said, "At best, you caused a great set-back, but not neither you or Discord had the power to slay me forever!"

Bill said, holding his hands behind his back as he smirked back at her.

Gritting her teeth, Velvet glared furiously at the dream demon...

"Maybe not...but I do!" a voice echoed around the room.

Velvet, Night and everyone looked behind them.

All of them startled by the voice, aside from Bill who just looked up.

"Hm?" he reacted...

*KA-Chunk!*

However, everyone from Velvet's friends and Night to Velvet, herself, flinched as the tip of a sword suddenly pierced Bill's body.

Slicing his bowtie down the center.

Bill's eye shot wide-open, and he grunted as he looked down at the blade.

However, in looking down towards the tip, the blade was only pushed deeper into his body.

Blood had already begun running from his wound, and dripping onto the floor.

The figure behind him frowned at the blood dripping onto the floor...and with swiftly slashed the sword upwards. Carving him into two halves, whose halves peeled out to the side.

Bill's motionless body down and slammed into the floor.

Velvet and the rest of the fillies yelping as Bill hit the floor...but their jaws aburptly hung slack as they saw Celestia standing behind him.

"Princess Celestia!" Velvet squeeled in both relief and happiness.

Holding the sword behind her back, Celestia smiled as she looked up towards Velvet and the rest of her friends.

"Velvet, so good to see you!" Celestia said in that warm, motherly voice of hers.

Velvet just nodded back.

Her mouth opening, yet she struggled for a couple moments to find the right words.

"I just...didn't know where you'd ended up after time re-set itself," Velvet said.

Celestia gently nodded back.

"I had a hunch that was what had happened after I awoke in the Badlands, when I first confronted Aku," she replied.

Velvet's eyes widened as she nervously stared at the princess.

As if reading her mind, Celestia just softly chuckled and said, "Don't worry. I didn't confront him this time."

Calming Velvet, who exhaled relieved.

Celestia's smile gently contorted into a soft frown.

"However, when I realized what had happened I hurried back here. Retrieving the Blade of Harmony," she said, smiling as she raised the sword into the air.

Drawing Velvet and everyone's attention...

***

Meanwhile, in a far-away cave, Luna's eye shot open.

Loudly screaming as she jumped up to her hooves.

Firing magical blasts around her as she didn't know where she was...but soon stopped when she realized where she was;

It was the cave that she'd sought shelter in after her battle with Celestia.

"Wh-wha-?" Luna asked confused.

Turning her head and looking back out the cave, she furrowed her brows as she trotted outside.

Stopping just outside the entrance, where she looked around her surroundings.

Befuddled by how she'd gone from arriving a that strange castle to returning to the cave she'd sought shelter in.

"Have I...travelled back in time? Is that even possible?" she thought aloud.

"I best return to the castle so I can contact Bill and ask him about what's happened in my absence," Luna said to herself.

Unfurling and beating her wings, Luna flew up into the air.

Making a U-turn as she flew back towards the Castle of the Two Sisters.

If she could just get ahold of the book Bill had given her, and Celestia had taken, she might be able to contact him.

It was worth a shot, right?

***

Back in the Castle of the Two Sisters, a dark silhouette observed Celestia's interaction with Velvet and the others fillies and colts.

Smirking as it craned its head upwards, and extended its hand out in front of it.

Holding its hand out towards the battle...

*A second later*

Back inside the castle, the wall behind Celestia suddenly exploded.

Sending a shockwave that knocked her, Velvet, Night and the others off their hooves on the ground.

Knocking the Blade of Harmony from Celestia's grasp onto the floor.

Recovering faster than the fillies and colts, Celestia immediatly looked up towards the cracked wall.

Seeing only a hole where the wall used to be, and a dark silhouette with horns and two smaller horns, curved shoulders, and a robe-like body.

She furrowed her brows as a familiar droning sound filled the room.

Velvet, Night and the others groaned as they sat up.

Rubbing their aching heads with their hooves.

Standing back up on their hooves, Night's eyes widened as he noticed the darkly silhouetted figure out of the corner of his eye.

Gasping, before he backed away towards Celestia.

Cookie and the rest of their friends did the same as they soon recovered from the explosion. Velvet included.

All of them back up towards Celestia for protection, save for Velvet.

Velvet gasped and flinched as she saw the dark figure, but unlke the rest she didn't move an inch from her spot.

Instead, she stared the dark figure down. Much to the dark figure's enjoyment.

Smirking as it watched her defiance.

"Velvet, get back now!" Celestia called out to her.

Floating inside the ruined wall, the dark figure smirked as it landed in front of Velvet.

Velvet, though, gasped as she saw the figure's face much clearer.

Seeing a red beard, fangs that curved outwards...and a green hat, bowtie, and a single eye with a flaming brow!

It also dawned on her that the figure's head was triangle-shaped!

"No!" Velvet said softly, slowly backing away from the fiend. "B-but Celestia just destroyed you!"

"Hello to you too Velvet," Bill said, furrowing his brows as his smirk intensified.

Missing what he said, Velvet just stared at him in shocked awe.

"B-b-b-but Celestia just-"

"Cut me in half?" Bill swiftly interrupted her.

"Yes, well, that was all a part of the plan," he said, extending a clawed hand towards the Blade of Harmony.

Calling it to him, which he gripped tightly.

"I couldn't attack her while she possessed this old thing," he said, shifting his attention from Velvet towards the blade.

"This...very old thing," he said, sounding almost emotional for a moment as he turned and walked away from Velvet.

Holding one behind his back as he examined the blade.

Celestia, Velvet, Night and the rest of the fillies and colts following him with their eyes.

Bill then stopped in his tracks.

Furrowing his brows as he stared intent at the blade.

"Hmm. Unfortunatly, it seems that someone's been tampering with the blade in my absence," he grumbled, looking back over his shoulder towards Celestia.

He furrowed his brows as he glared at her.

"Was it you?! Did you change these?!" he sternly asked, holding the sword out and pointing his finger at the seven gems in the hilt.

Furrowing her own brows, Celestia just glared back at him.

Refusing to answer him.

Intensifying his glare at her refusal to answer him, Bill stood back up.

His glare rapidly shifting into a smirk.

"It doesn't matter. Your reign is over before it even begins, princess," Bill said.

Celestia just scoffed back at him.

"Aren't we forgetting something, Cipher? Everything you did has been undone, and Equestria has been restored!" Celestia said, smirking confidently.

"True, but you forget that I wield the sword!" he shouted, thrusting his arm out in front of him.

Pointing it towards the ceiling, just as a clap of thunder was heard outside.

Dark clouds appeared above the castle, and a single thunderbolt shot down!

The ceiling exploded as the thunderbolt shot directly into the Blade of Harmony!

Electrifying the blade, while the brunt of the lightningbolt continued moving down through the blade towards hilt.

Electrifying the multi-colored gem in the hilt, until the glass cover cracked.

Smirking, he gripped the blade tighter.

Closing his eye as shadows moved out of his fingers into the gem.

Deluding all of the colors until the gem was transparent, devoid of any color.

Instead, the gem filled with a swirling black mass.

As the electric energy went into the blade, Bill gasped and his eye widened.

Breathing shaken, Bill panted as he held out the sword in front of him.

Smirking as he saw the gem in the hilt.

Gently breathing like normal as he looked back towards Celestia.

"Behold, O' Princess of Equestria, for I am Baku!" Baku shouted as he held his arms out beside him.

Celestia, the fillies' and colts' eyes widened as looks of pure terror settled on their faces.

All of them staring blankly at the humanoid.

"Once lost, now returned!" he shouted, thrusting his arm out and pointing the sword's tip towards Celestia.

Quickly reeling himself back, before he lunged right towards Celestia.

Rapidly transforming into an amorphous mass of shadows that shot straight towards her.

Celestia's brows jumped, but thinking fast she did the only thing she could; charge her horn.

She fired a magical blast at Baku, but merely upon impact with the shadows. Hardly damaging it!

Gasping, Celestia quickly lowered herself towards the floor, before kicking-off and leaping towards the ceiling.

Crashing through the ceiling as she flew up, higher and higher away from the castle.

Sharply, the shadow flew straight up.

Crashing through the ceiling, the shadows pursued after Celestia into the sky.

Running out onto the balcony, Velvet, Night, and the others looked up into the sky.

While they struggle at first, they soon spot Celestia far-away in the sky.

After that, they easily spot Baku as he flies after her.

Up in the sky, Celestia looked behind her and saw Baku's amorphous shadow.

Sharp tendrills whipped behind him as he flew after her.

Furrowing her brows, Celestia glared back down at him.

Watching an eye appear along the shadow's front.

Furrowing its brow, the eye glowed brighter. Charging a beam it fired up towards Celestia.

Celestia's brow jumped at the sudden attack, but she quickly spun around. Making a U-turn in mid-air as she flew back down towards Baku.

Taken aback by her sudden turn, Baku's brow jumped.

Reacting too slow as Celestia speeds past him back towards the castle.

Rapidly thrusting its tendrils out to the side, Baku unfurls organic flaps that slowed his pace.

Stopping in mid-air, the flaps quickly fold back into his amorphous mass as he flew down after Celestia.

Picking up the pace again as he flew after her.

Despite speeding back down towards the castle, Celestia turned her head and looked back up behind her.

Seeing the shadow speed towards her.

Its lone eye staring directly at her.

Frowning annoyed, she grunted as she swiftly re-oriented herself in mid-air.

Flying on her back, so her horn was pointed up.

Her horn soon glowed as she charged up a magical blast.

Not even hesitating before she rapidly fired multiple blasts up at the shadow.

The eye vanished back into the mass, but the shadow took the blasts head-on.

Unharmed by the attack.

The eye shortly returned.

Looking straight ahead towards its target.

Re-orientering herself so she flew straight, Celestia made a sharp 90' degree turn.

Both Celestia and Baku flew away from the castle out towards the Everfree Forest.

Above the Everfree Forest, Baku furrowed his brow and resumed firing the eye-beams after her.

However, she just shifted position so that she was above the beam.

Flying eratically in order to evade him.

Giving him very little to estimate her next move.

Angrilly furrowing his brow, Baku continues firiing the eye-beams but increases his pace.

Flying straight towards her, whilst allowing her to think she's merely evading his attacks.

However, due to her eratic flying, he has to fly eratically as well which threw off his arm.

Due to all the constant misses, that frankly don't even look like they're trying, lead Celestia to look behind her.

Though, seeing Baku made her gasp and her brows jump!

Baku's eye silently blinked as he caught up to the white alicorn.

As time slowed, Celestia watched as Baku extended his tendrils out towards her.

Unfurling the flaps around her as the tendrils reached out around her!

Celestia's eyes widened as the flaps closed in around her, but looking out infront of her she watched the tendrils as they closed in around her!

Furrowing her brows as she charged magic into her horn...and teleported outside.

Quickly looking back down at Baku, before, with a sharp beat of her wings, she flew away.

The tendrils and flaps folded back into place, and Baku's torso emerged at the front.

Turning his head, he furrowed his brow as he watched Celestia fly away from him.

Holding his arms against his body, he flew changed course and flew straight towards the white Alicorn.

Abruptly furrowing her brows in confusion as she heard a crackling noise, Celestia turned her head.

Her brows jumped and eyes widened as she saw Baku come flying straight for her.

Noticing in particular that he'd assumed his humanoid form.

Holding the Blade of Harmony out beside him, ready to strike!

Though, at seeing the blade an idea popped into her head.

An idea, that despite its insanity, could actually work...!

"Whoa!" Celestia exclaimed as Baku slashed the blade down towards her waist...yet missed as she quickly curled herself up into a ball.

Letting the wind pull her back away from him, though, not too much as she quickly unfurled her wings.

Kicking her hind leg out towards his hand, and kicked the blade up into the air!

Celestia's brows widened as she watched the blade fly out of his hand.

Shooting straight up into the air.

Quickly flapping her wings, she flew straight up into the air towards the blade...and grabbed it!

The shadow in the hilt glowing, orange, butter-yellow, white, lavender, pink, cyan, and red!

"Yes!" Celestia exclaimed aloud to herself.

"NO!" she heard Baku exclaim, underneath her.

Looking down, she watched him change course. Flying straight up towards her.

Holding the blade out in front of her face, she smirked as she saw her reflection.

Raising her hooves and holding the sword out above her head, she folded her wings back against her body.

Falling out of the air back down towards the surface.

The wind rushing past her as she looked out in front of her.

Smirking as she saw Baku in front of her, getting closer and closer.

Outstretching his hand as he flew straight towards her.

Mare and demon getting closer and closer as the seconds pass by in the blink of an eye...and then, contact!

A shockwave shot out across the landscape, before several explosions appeared in the sky.

Generating much smaller, but no less powerful shockwaves that shook the ground.

Tremors shook the earth, and cracks and fissures tore open in the surface.

Velvet, Night and the others watched in stunned awe as countless explosions lit up the skies!

Celestia and Baku rapidly appearing and dis-appearing as they punched at each other.

Each of their punches igniting explosions that shook the earth.

Though, neither of them was able to land a significant blow on the other.

Finally shouting towards the other as they lunged at each other.

Delivering a final punch that triggered a blinding explosion of light.

Blinding Velvet, Night and their friends, who only felt the final shockwave that passed over them.

Lowering their hooves, Velvet, Night and the others only watched as a something flew straight through the air towards the castle.

Following it with their eyes as it flew through the air.

Gasping as they realized that it was Celestia.

Neither of them able to do anything before the princess' body slammed into the ground.

The Blade of Harmony nowhere to be seen.

"PRINCESS CELESTIA!" Velvet screamed down towards the area where Celestia's body hit.

Not even noticing the dark silhouette hovering in the air.

Staring back down...with the Blade of Harmony in his grasp.

Meanwhile, a hooded humanoid stood by a cave entrance, and silently stared up towards Baku.

Blankly looking up at the demon as his shadows blew in the wind.

Turning around, she turned and walked back inside her cave...

Back inside the throne room, Velvet, Night and the rest of their friend's attention snapped up into the sky as they heard the clap of thunder!

All of them gasping as they saw Baku grasping the Blade of Harmony in his hand.

Narrowing his eyes, Baku floated down towards Celestia's defeated body.

Landing on the ground while Celestia coughed as she sat up in the hole.

Looking up in front of her at Baku, whom merely smirked back at the equine princess.

Piercing the dirt with the blade, he held his hand out towards her.

Telekinetically lifting her body out of the hole, and suspending her body in front of him.

Opening his hand as he thrust his arm at her, Celestia's body was sent flying backwards.

Painfully slamming her body against a wall, which Baku just intensified his smirk.

Clenching his fist, he let his arm hang down beside his body. Dropping Celestia to the ground, which caused her to utter a painful grunt as her body slammed against the ground.

While standing back up, Baku walked up behind her and grabbed her neck.

Gently lifting her up off the ground, he turned her around to face him.

Celestia's scowl meeting Baku's (scowl) for a brief moment, before he pulled his arm back and threw her through the air.

Again, she roughly slammed against the ground.

"GET UP, PRINCESS!" she heard Velvet call out to her from the balcony.

Celestia tried standing up, but froze as she heard a soft *WHOSH* behind her. Followed by a tall shadow falling over her.

Biting her lip, Celestia tried to run away, but Baku was too quick, and grabbed her neck again.

Once again, throwing her through the air, but thrust his hand upwards.

Causing a rectangular wall (comprised of dirt) to shoot up from the ground. Allowing Celestia's body to slam against it.

Lowering his arm, the wall retracted back into the earth.

Again, Celestia grunted as her body fell down and slammed against ground.

Gently lifting into the air, Baku hovered towards the grounded princess.

intensifying his smirk as he knew that Velvet and her friends watched him.

Watching the blade fly out of the ground into Baku's hand, Velvet finally couldn't sit back anymore.

She immediatly turned around and looked back at her friends.

"We've got to do something! We cannot let him kill the princess!" Velvet shouted at her friends.

Cookie huffed, trying to find the right words to say.

Hanging her jaw slack as she turned her head and looked towards Night and the rest of their friends.

"What do you expect us to do?" Cookie asked.

"If the princess couldn't even defeat him, how are we supposed to do anything! We're children!" she shouted back at Velvet.

Extending and pointing her hoof out towards Celestia.

Velvet looked back out.

Staring at Baku as he hovers closer and closer towards Celestia.

Struggling to find the words to assure her friends that this is a battle they can win, when the oppisite is true.

Cookie is right.

They're just children going up against a literal demon.

How are they supposed to fight that, much less win?

"I-I-!" Velvet stuttered, when she heard another voice speak to her.

"Was what Baku said true?" Night asked.

Turning her head, Velvet looked towards him.

"What?"

"What Baku said about you stopping him?" Night asked, raising a brow at her.

"Well, I-" Velvet stuttered as Cookie and the rest of their friends attention fell on her.

"No, I didn't specifically defeat him, but-" she said, before stopping mid-sentence as a revelation dawned on her.

First, she furrowed her brows confused, before unfurrowing them. Widening her eyes as she looked back up towards Night, Cookie and the others.

"That's it!" Velvet exclaimed.

"What? Do you remember how you defeated Baku?" Cookie asked as a breeze blew over them.

Velvet's eyes widening further as she realized what had to be done to save not only the princess but also Equestria!

"No, because I didn't defeat Baku!" Velvet replied in a soft yet excited tone.

Earning her many a confused looks from Cookie, Night and the others.

"But then, how did you defeat-?" Cookie asked, before Velvet interrupted her.

"Because I didn't, ponies did!" she said.

"Equestrians as a whole managed to defeat Baku...despite all his powers!" Velvet said, "Equestrians resisted his evil. Equestrians raised the army and gathered the allies from all over Equestria. And it was an Equestrian who destroyed the projector and returned everything to the way its supposed to be! Don't you see?!" she asked.

"Baku doesn't just fear the princess...but every Equestrian, for he knows that just one, if not a few of us, are enough to undo everything he's done!" she continued.

Cookie turned back towards the other fillies and colts, while Night stared at Velvet in stunned awe.

Having never heard such optimism, other than...Princess Celestia, herself!

Velvet turned her head towards him and smiled. Night smiled back.

Back outside the castle, Baku stopped in front of Celestia's weak body.

Smiling down at her while she glared up at him.

Lights started behind Baku, and three ghostly humanoids appeared.

Watching from a distance, several figures watched.

One such figure had spiky hair, green skin, and wore red and black robes.

Another was a much taller humanoid female clad in crimson armor, and wearing a crown with three faintly translucent gems inside it.

And another was a masked humanoid wearing green robes, a golden chestplate and a large helmet that covered the wearer's face. The helmet's face resembling an angry shouting face.

However, the three figures were surprised when they were joined by a fourth figure.

The newcomer wore dark robes, and sprouted a long beard from an almost skeletal face. Wearing a crimson crown atop his head, and wielding a staff with his right hand, and a glowing, crackling sphere in his left hand.

The other ghosts looked at each other confused. Shocked by this particular's presence.

After exchanging confused looks with each other, they shrugged their shoulders and shifted their attention back towards Baku.

"This is the end of the line for you, princess," Baku said, "I would salute you as a worthy adversary and all that, but the truth is you were only an obstacle for me to overcome so I could secure the keys to the kingdom..."

Looking back over his shoulder, he smiled as he saw the mountain that would've one day supported an entire city along its mountainside.

"However, all unfortunate things must eventually come to an end," Baku finished.

"T-there will always be someone to stand against you, B-baku!" Celestia spat, coughing.

"Then i'll just have to destroy you all...!" Baku shouted, swiftly raising the blade up above his bed.

The blade gleaming in what little sunlight was still visible.

Meanwhile, back inside the castle, Cookie turned back towards Velvet.

A determined look on her face as she nodded her head.

"Okay, Velvet, we're with you," Cookie said.

Velvet smiled overjoyed.

"Great! Then, quickly, we need to hold hooves!" Velvet said, holding out her hooves towards Cookie and Night.

They looked at each other, uncertain at first, but then furrowed their brows. Getting a determined look on their face as they nodded at each other.

Velvet took Night's hoof. Pear Butter took Bright Mac's hoof. Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz. Cookie Crumbles took Hondo Flanks' hoof. Windy Whistles took Bow Hothoof's hoof. And the two other Pegasus filly and colt took each other's hooves. Forming a circle with the others.

A lone spark then shoots through each of the fillies and colts as they grab each other's hooves.

A blue aura appeared around Velvet, Night, and everyone of their friends.

The floor glowed as blue symbols appeared. Forming a wheel with six boxes inside it, and a Bill Cipher symbol at the center.

Each pair of fillies and colts stood inside their own box, which had a specific symbol inside it;

For Night and Velvet it was a large star with many smaller stars around it.

Pear and Bright it was three apples.

Windy and Bow it was a cloud with a thunderbolt.

Igneous and Cloudy it was three ballons.

Cookie and Hondo it was three diamonds.

And the two Pegasi it was three butterflies.

Each symbol floated up from the floor, and appeared behind each pair.

The auras around each pair changed into different colors;

Orange!

Cyan!

Pink!

Purple!

Butter Yellow!

And Lavender!

Velvet, Night and the others clenching their eyes shut, before suddenly shooting them wide-open.

Now, brightly glowing from the energy flowing through them!

A beam shoots out from each pair towards the center, where the various spun around. Forming a rainbow-colored streak, before shooting up into the sky.

The rainbow beam crashed through the ceiling and shot up into the sky, before it arched down towards Baku and Celestia.

Hitting both.

Freezing both Baku and Celestia in place as the Blade of harmony' gem glowed orange, cyan, pink, purple, butter yellow and lavender.

Brightly glowing, even as the rainbow beam vanished and time resumed as normal.

Back inside the castle, Velvet, Night, Cookie and the others collapsed onto the floor.

The lights and symbols vanished.

With an evil grin, Baku thrust the sword down towards Celestia's chest...only for the blade to bounce off her chest!

"WHAT!?" the three ghostly figures exclaimed, with the fourth ghosts' brows jumping in reaction to the scene before them.

Baku's irises shrunk, and his flaming brows put themselves out.

Celestia's brows gently widened.

Silently looking down at her unharmed chest.

A wind blew across the landscape as Baku stared down at Celestia's chest, before he tried stabbing her again...and again...and again.

Stabbing her a couple more times before his mouth hung slack.

"AHHH!" Baku soon exclaimed as the blade burned his hand.

Causing him to drop the blade, which Celestia caught in mid-air.

Reinvigorating her strength upon contact with the blades' hilt.

Giving her the strength to stand back up on her hooves.

Celestia's mane and tail blew in the wind as she scowled up at Baku, who gently backed away from the alicorn.

"HOW!? HOW!?" Baku shouted as his eyebrow returned.

The ghosts watched as a hooded figure walked up behind Celestia and put its on the mare's forehead. Celestia's eyes glowed white as a result.

"Even you have forgotten that the sword was forged in purity and strength," Celestia said in a deeper monotone as a voice spreaks through her.

Baku furrowed his brows, before his attention gravitated down towards the blade's hilt. His eyes widening as he saw the gem.

"No!" he said softly, slowly backing away from Celestia.

"...It can only be used for good. In the hands of evil it can never harm an innocent, and so Baku, it no longer serves you...but it will harm YOU!"

Baku's eyes widened shocked but before he could open his mouth to speak the hooded figure removed her hand from Celestia's forehead. Changing the mare's eyes back to normal...and she didn't hesitate before lunging towards the demon!

Landing in front of the demon as he quickly backed away from her, and started slashing the blade his lower body!

Unlike before, the blade cut through his dark skin. Leaving smoldering wounds that burned away his skin.

Extending his arms out beside him, he shot several tendrills at her...but the furious mare slashed the tendrils with the blade.

Cutting them to pieces before they even got close!

"NNOOOOO...!" Baku screamed as she ran the blade through the tendrils like a knife through butter.

She leapt at him and cut his lower half, causing him to fall down on his back against the ground.

"ARGH!" Baku exclaimed as Celestia jumped onto his chest and impaled the sword in his chest and ran up along his body.

Creating a wide-open, smoldering gash throughout the center of his body.

"AAAAAAAARRRGH!" he screamed as Celestia sliced along the center of his body...

However, before she's able to cut his entire body, Baku slashed his right arm out towards her.

Noticing his attack, she jumped up into the air...only for him to punc her with his left hand.

Sending her flying back through the air away from him. Spinning, before she lands on her hooves.

Sword in hoof, her head shot back up towards Baku. Watching as he gets back up, holding his burning chest tight with one hand.

Demon and Equestrian met the other's gaze as they both scowled at each other.

Baku panted, while groaning from the injuries burning away at his body.

Celestia just furrowed her brows and briefly smirked, before she swiftly pulled herself back and then, suddenly, lunged herself into the air.

"NYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...!"

Celestia screamed aloud as she raised the blade back over her head...before thrusting downwards and impaling it into Baku's head!

Baku's eye widened, his iris shrunk, and his flaming eyebrow was put out for a final time.

Grunting aloud, Celestia slashed the blade down through the center of Baku's face.

Slicing his face in half, which folds outwards.

Freezing Baku's face in a silent screaming expression.

His body creaked as it froze in place. Petrified.

Celestia, though, soon heard a faint but rapidly growing high-pitched sound. Drawing her attention down towards Baku's head, where she'd impaled him, and her eyes widened as she saw a faint golden light.

The light grew brighter, until it suddenly erupted out from the two halves of Baku's head!

The force of the beam was so strong it knocked Celestia back away. Causing her to lose her grip on the blade, and slam against a stone wall.

Falling to the ground, before she quickly looked back up towards Baku.

Watching as the golden energy spiraled outwards as it climbed into the sky. Eventually stopping at a certain altitude, where it began spiraling in towards the center space directly above Baku's body.

Amidst the golden light, she watched blue lights fly out of his head as well. Moving through the golden current towards the center.

Though, she only saw a few blue lights before she saw no more.

The wind swirled around Baku's motionless body as the golden energy left his body. Getting faster and faster, before soon slowing its pace. Dissipating completly.

As the final blue reached the center of the spiral above Baku, the golden energy trailed out of Baku's head.

The golden beams' tail vanished inch by inch as it moved up towards the spiral. Following it all the way towards the spirals' center, where at reaching the end exploded into a blinding light!

Once the light subsided, Celestia looked back up towards Baku...only to gasp as she watched his skin turn to stone.

Petrifying his body in place as it was when she impaled the sword along his head.

A faint blue light shined out of the point in his sliced head where the Blade of Harmony had impaled him, before the blade fell out.

Clattering against the ground at Celestia's hooves.

A silent wind blew across the landscape as Celestia stood motionless staring up towards the petrified demon.

Smiling overjoyed to herself as Baku was finally defeated!

After Celestia picked up the Blade of Harmony, she turned around and flew back towards the castle.

Failing to notice a hooded figure that watched her from a nearby cave entrance.

The hooded figure watched Celestia fly past the cave, but soon turned her head and looked out towards the Everfree Forest.

Specifically, a blue alicorn that hovered over the trees, before it flew down into the forest...

***

"Its over!" she thought aloud to herself, before an overjoyed smile spread across her face...

Back inside the castle, Velvet stirred as she felt something warm on her face.

Opening her eyes, she sat up-right and gasped as she saw it was the sunlight breaking through the dark clouds.

Watching Night, Cookie and the others stand up, a shadow fell upon Velvet.

She noticed the shadow and turned around. Seeing Celestia standing over her.

"Is it over?" Velvet asked.

Celestia smiled back, and gently nodded her head.

"Its over. Baku is dead," she said.

Velvet gasped, shaken by the news but in a good way. An uplifting way.

Standing up on her hooves, she was about to turn around to face Celestia when she heard a voice behind her.

"Velvet!"

She sharply turned around and smiled happily as she saw Night.

"Night!" Velvet exclaimed, before she ran over towards him.

Running towards Velvet, the two unicorns embraced.

Hugging each other for what felt like an eternity with Celestia smiling at the filly and colt.

Impressed by their determination in these dark days...especially Velvet.

And so it was that following that the Defeat of Baku, Celestia and Velvet, Night, Cookie and the rest of their friends returned to Equestria as heroes.

Bringing with them the statue of Baku back as proof of the great battle they'd fought while the world had come close to ending.

While most of the Equine population and the rest of the world celebrated Celestia's final battle with Baku, Celestia and Velvet would be the only individuals to remember the real battle they'd fought in the alternate timeline against Bill Cipher and his minions.

Empress Pollus and her nearby Changeling forces were driven back to their now-destroyed and desolate kingdom.

Without the power of the demon, Baku/Bill Cipher, they dared not to attack the Equestrians for fear of Celestia's wrath!

If she could defeat Baku, himself, then how could they hope to defeat her?

Princess Luna went missing...but her body was never recovered.

Luna had simply...vanished!

***

Fifty years later, the originally small city of Canterlot has become a flourishing gem sitting along the mountainside.

A marble city that has for the last fifty years shined in the sunlight of a free world.

A world that has flourished under Celestia's leadership since she became the sole ruler after Luna vanished.

Earning her great recognition amidst Canterlot's elite, who originally never believed that Celestia's younger sister ever possessed the power needed to lift a celestial body like she did. Always suspecting that Celestia did it to make her sister feel wanted.

At present, a hooded figure is making its way through the busy streets of Equestria's capital city.

Raising its head, the hooded figure looked up towards the massive towers.

The figure's attention, though, abruptly shifted towards another part of the castle where it furrowed its brows as it watched Celestia's silhouette trotting down a hallway. Talking to what appears to be the captain of the royal guard.

Ignoring her, the hooded figure moves on. Continuing towards its destination...

Arriving at its destination, a hooded figure makes its way down through the Canterlot Gardens.

Rounding several corners, it proceeded through the gardens. Occasionally looking around its surroundings towards the various plants and shrubbery that's growing everywhere...

However, after some time, she notices something more than just plants; statues.

Many of them placed here and there throughout the gardens.

One of these statues is the infamous Lord of Chaos, himself; Discord.

Stopping at his statue, the hooded figure looked up towards the petrified Draconequus...

***

"Hey teacher, what is that thing?"

The hooded figure heard a filly's voice behind a hedge.

She rounded the corner, and saw a group of fillies and colts with, what she pressumed, to be their teacher.

The hooded figures' brows jumped as she saw the statue the filly had pointed at. A specific statue by the looks of things.

The teacher trotted up beside the filly, along with the rest of the class, and looked up towards the statue.

"Oh yes, i'd almost forgotten about this one," the teacher said, looking back over her shoulder towards the class.

"Listen up class, this is a very special statue, this one. Can anyone tell me what and/or who its depicting?" the teacher asked.

From amidst the group a hoof shot up almost immediatly.

"Yes, Twilight?" the teacher asked the lavender unicorn.

Everyone in the group, including the hooded figure, and the teacher looked towards Twilight.

"Ahem," Twilight coughed into her hoof, "This statue is Baku, the Dark Lord, or as somepony refeers to him, The Demon," she said. "A demon, that according to legend, send a wave of energy to purge Equestria of all life," Twilight explained.

The teacher smiled as she nodded back at the filly.

"But he didn't succeed did he, Twilight?"

Twilight smiled and shook her head.

"Nope! The Princess stopped him, once with the energy wave, and then again when he tried to take her down. Both of which failed, resulting in him getting turned to stone," Twilight replied.

"Correct," the teacher said, before she looked back up towards the group.

"Now, would anypony like to explain what made Baky a particulary dangerous foe?" she asked.

Again, Twilight raised her hoof.

The teacher chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Twilight?" she said.

"Baku was dangerous because, even for a demon, he possessed incredible powers that rivaled even Discord, himself," Twilight explained.

Several colts and fillies' brows jumped, and they started murmuring amongst themselves.

A nervous tone in their voices as they talked about Twilight's response.

"He could shapeshift into whatever form he wanted, manipulate reality," Twilight continued, " he could manipulate reality, and my mom said he even had a particulary dangerous device known as ''the projector''." Twilight said, which didn't exactly calm her classmates' nerves.

Knowing that she had to say something to cheer them up, she continued. Saying, "But for all his power, there was one weapon that could harm him; the Blade of Harmony, which is the weapon Celestia used to turn him to stone."

The chatter amongst her classmates ceased and they all sighed in relief, which Twilight smiled at.

"Even Baku, himself is quoted as saying that the Blade of Harmony was, quote "The most dangerous sword i've had in my castle" Implying that he not only held the Blade of Harmony with his own hands at one point, but that he also resided somewhere in Equestria!" Twilight added.

The teacher smiled back at the little filly and pumped her hoof at Twilight.

"Precisely, Twilight!" she said, "The Blade of the Harmony was the only weapon Celestia had that could've even scratched Baku. Anything else would've been a fruitess effort."

The teacher raised a hoof to her chin as she thought something over.

"Hmm! I wonder if I should just put you in charge of classes today," the teacher joked, pointing her hoof at Twilight.

The class chuckled at the joke, though, Twilight just smiled and rolled her eyes.

Shaking her head as she, her classmates and teacher trotted off to see the rest of the garden.

Passing by the bush that she was hiding behind, the hooded figure looked out towards Twilight. Silently watching as she and her class trotted off. Rounding the corner and dissapearing behind a bush.

The hooded figure's smile soon changed into a sad frown as she looked back towards the statue of Baku.

Inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, before she stepped out towards the statue. Stopping in front of it.

Raising her head, she looked up towards Baku's split head.

Intensifying her sad frown as, despite it being years since the last time she saw him, its not gotten any easier seeing what Celestia did to him.

She closed her eyes and hung her head.

"I know what you must think, Bill, but understand that I do not regret my interference," she said.

"You choose to become something so powerful and you corrupted the Blade of Harmony, that you left me with no choice," she said, "It was the only way I could save them...from you."

Despite hearing hoofsteps behind her, she kept her eyes closed for a couple minutes more, until she opened them again. Raising her head as she looked back up towards Bill.

"Forgive me...for the blame of letting things escalate out of control is mine, my son," she said, "I was not there for you when you needed me...and it destroyed you," she said, extending her hand out to touch the black marble base the Equestrians had made to support his statue, "I was not there for you when you needed me...and it cost me you," she softly sobbed to herself.

Looking down beside her, the humanoid looked down towards a mare sitting beside her.

The mare has also extended her hoof out and touched the marble base of Bill's statue.

Retracting her blue hoof, the hooded mare stood back up and turned around as she trotted away from the statue.

"We both did," the humanoid said as she followed the mare with her eyes.

A mare whose hoof is blue, and a longer than average unicorn horn protrudes out the top of her hood.

Furrowing her brows, an angry scowl The mare's eyes soon shoots open, and her brows narrow angrily.

The mare furrowed her brows and scowled angrily as she trotted away.

"...but one deed doesn't justify another," she finished.

Saying aloud to herself, before the mare vanished into a thicket of fog...

"I see, Captain...and what of the...insurgents?"

"Unfortunatly, your Majesty, their attacks are becoming more drastic. We have confirmed sightings in Manehattan, Vanhoover, Baltimare, Las Pegasus and Filly Delphia. The situation is quickly becoming worse than was originally anticipated."

"Hmmm. If things continue to escalate...then we could be faced with civil war!

Author's Note

And here it is, the finale of Bill-Inning, where Bill and Celestia finally fight each other for the fate of Equestria.

Who will win?

Who will be the last one standing?

And who will not already know this, cause this is at the end of the story:facehoof::ajsmug:

Jokes aside, I hope you've all enjoyed reading this story to the end. Enjoying reading it as much as I enjoyed writting it:twilightsmile:

Link1 - 08 - Recognizer [2m8 Recognizer Capture - Film Version] - TRON Legacy

Chapter 1 (edited and spellchecked version)

I am who?!?!

Everything was quiet, silent, as he opened his eye, noticing for the first time that he was no longer in his bed and instead inside a solitary void with nothing but absolute blackness around him.

Hearing sudden voices, he extended his arms out into the dark, reaching to where the sounds were coming from.

"Whoa. What is up with my vision? I can’t see anything with my other eye." Reaching a hand up in front of his face, he exhaled a sigh of relief; at least he still had his arms. But what about his legs? Gently he began moving his legs back and forth. "Good. Those still work too."

He reached down.

Extending his arms, his hands suddenly came into contact with some sort of surface in front of him. He tapped against it, recognizing that it was made of wood. His eye narrowed, glaring up at it in frustration.

"Ah, damnit!" He cursed in frustration, delivering a punch against the wooden surface, only to have his hand go right through it, breaking it open. "What the -?" He moved his arm slightly, but before getting another word out, a large collection of dirt collapsed down onto him!

Behind layers of sand he groaned, sputtering the large mound of grass above him.

Suddenly, his eyes grew blood-red with frustration, and while his other arm was being held down by the dirt, he managed to lift it and deliver a punch against the mound above him. The dirt shot upward, making the top surface explode, forming a small crater for him to crawl out of.

"Finally!" He said in relief as he started to crawl out of the small tunnel leading up to the surface. Light shined down on him while he was crawling, blinding him. He closed his eye, and raised his arm to shield his apparently single eye from the hurtful rays of the sun. Casually reaching out, he grabbed a pair of sunglasses, putting them onto his eye, which lessoned the pain, making the rest of his trip easier.

With a final pull of his arm, he emerged out of the darkness and stepped into the light of whatever world he was now in. It must have been similar to Earth as the sun’s heat did not seem too different from the usual temperatures back home. Looking up into the sky, it looked virtually the same… Aside from an obvious change of tone.

Turning around, his eye took in all that it saw. It was a peaceful place, with a calm lake just underneath, and forest all around him. He then said "Wow! This is…mildly underwelming. It’s not that amazing upfront. Just, beautiful."

"Well, better find out where I am, before I - ." He turned around and took several steps, when he suddenly lost his footing and fell down. If he had paid attention he might have seen that he was on top of a hill, which was not very big, and had a drop directly beside him.

Screaming like mad as he fell, he felt the wind brushing over him. The ground becoming rapidly bigger and bigger with each second! His eye horrified at the mere sight of it. He clenched his eye shut, holding himself with his arms!

'Please get me out of this! Don’t let me hit the ground and splatter into a million pieces of a bloody mess!!' His mind screamed. Since he couldn’t physically scream, considering its place had been taken by him screaming right now, he instead did it in his head.

He nervously opened his eye one more time, but shut it once again as it was just moments before he expected to hit the ground!

But instead of hitting the ground and becoming that gory mess he had mentioned, time seemed to have stopped. He did not hit the ground, nor did anything really happen really.

With nervous hesitation, he opened his eye. Looking out to discover that time really had stopped, but not in the sense that he was thinking of. He lay on his sides, holding in a fetal position. But if time really had stopped, then why was there a bird flying up to a nearby branch and perching itself there?

Opening his eye fully, he gently extended an arm out to his left. His eye widened in shock as he felt his hand touch against the soft ground underneath him. His pupil moved down, staring at the green grass below.

With calm movements, he reached for the ground, grabbed it, and then pulled himself down, standing up on all fours before returning to his bipedal stance. A slight pant coming from him at the shocking revelation he was experiencing.

"Fuck, that was freaky!" He exclaimed in a stunned tone of voice, brushing himself over with his hands. But as he cleaned himself off, his pupil looked so far down that he noticed something yellow.

"What the -?" He questioned once again as he reached for and grabbed the yellow; he felt his hands moving over and grabbing at the yellow part meaning that it was clearly a part of him. Raising his eye a little more, he noticed a bowtie. His head shot up, staring out at the woods in front of him as a revelation dawned on him.

"No way -!" He said stunned as he turned around and looked for a nearby pool of water, spotting the small lake close to the hill he had seen from the uttermost top of the hill from which he had emerged, and he ran towards it. "It can’t be -!", he continued to tell himself before he reached the water. He dropped to his knees, standing himself up with his hands. Leaning himself out over the water, his eye becoming massive at the shock from the reflection in the water! "No way!" He stood back up, holding his arms out beside him. "I’m, I’m… -".

"BILL CIPHER!" His loud screaming making several birds fly away, and startling many of the surrounding animals in the forest near him.

*Meanwhile at a far away castle*

In the distance, at the far away stronghold, in the throne room of said far away castle, a lone individual’s eyes opened; a powerful burst of magic and energy being detected from having gained entry into the world.

She stumbled forward, losing her grasp, and fell onto the marble floor. Weakly, she raised herself back up onto her hooves, though the shock from sensing so much power, even from such a long distance was unbearable.

Regaining her stance she raised her up, looking out the window into the day-lit world.

"I must find Luna, quickly!" A frown that could only be explained as being the one she would wear when confronting her ultimate opponent. "I doubt we have much time before this power begins to move, and unless we contain it now there is no telling what might happen if it is allowed to roam freely."

*Meanwhile, back at the lake*

"Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh!" He shouted, jumping around in circles, unable to hold back his excitement, his fists tightened as he held back in case he accidentally used any abilities. He may have just come into this world, but he did not feel ready to announce his presence to the local populace. Finally the jumping stopped, and he landed in front of the water, staring down into his reflection, which returned his stare.

It was really all there, the tophat and the bowtie! He was a perfect, physically identical clone of the Bill Cipher from the show. Even down to the smallest of details, and even the eye's pupil was the same slit type as Bill's.

He rubbed his hands together while his was eye grinning at the thought of even using a little bit of his new magic. "Now, let’s see if I can teleport." He snapped his finger, causing him to vanish, and then re-appear only a few inches away from where he just teleported.

"Ah hah!", he exclaimed, pointing a finger to where he just teleported from. "I knew it! I need to think of a precise location and then just go." He summarized. Once more he snapped his fingers, making him disapear in a flash of light, before re-appearing by the trees. He grinned at what he saw. "Excellent, I’m improving." His fist tightened, holding it out in a show of power – to himself.

He folded his hands together and extended them out, hearing the cracking of bones. "Oh well, I guess I’m not ready to take on something more… expert-worthy." He waggled his fingers, before finally snapping them once again, disapearing in a flash, leaving behind little trace of his existence, other than a giant hole at the top, and some confused animals by the trees.

*Several hours later*

The sky was steadily changing to a red backdrop as the sun dissapeared behind the horizon. The day was quickly becoming the night.

A small group of golden-armored, and dark-blue-armored individuals trotted back and forth, searching every tree, every bush, in the lake, and even up in the nearby airspace, using their strength, their magic, and their flight to search for whatever they were looking for.

Standing on the open space, Celestia was watching her guards scout out the area. But they have had no luck as of now, and she was beginning to worry, greatly. This was the point from which the powerful magic had radiated, but now it was fading away, becoming little more than a faint trail left behind by whatever had spawned here.

Up from behind, Luna approached. She frowned, shaking her head in dissapointment at her sister.

"I am reluctant to report to you, your Highness, but no trace of any creature has been found." He raised his head, looking up into the sky that was steadily changing into night. "The night is coming, your Majesty, would it not be better to call off the search, and return in the morning?", he asked.

Celestia shook her head at the Captain. "No, I know that it is around here somewhere, we just need to pick up the track. Have your men continue to search the area. We will continue until we can continue no more," she ordered the Stallion.

He then saluted her with his hoof. "As you command, your Highness." He replied, bowing his head as he slowly backed away to carry out his orders.

Turning her back to the forest, she extended her wings, and with a mighty flap flew up into the air. Her hooves connected with the dirt of the hilltop, her wings folding themselves back into place.

She closed her eyes, frowning in a distresssed fashion as she stared down towards the forest where her and Luna’s guards were searching the forest. She let out a heavy sigh; this situation was not good.

With a turn of her head, she looked down inside the deep circular hole at the top of the hill that they had discovered when they arrived at the site where she had traced the source of the magic anomaly. Unfortunatley, when they had entered the hole and reached where it eventually led they found nothing, aside from an open casket that had the insignia of an eye with a slit pupil inside it. This had told them nothing about the former occupant’s whereabouts, but instead only proved to confirm the unfortunate truth that something was at large in their world. Considering the great levels of power that she had sensed it was vital that they avoid spreading panic, but the governors of the freed world had to be alerted regardless.

Luna landed beside her sister, shaking her head with a frown.

*Meanwhile, in a far away place*

Location: Edge of the Everfree Forest

Night already covered the world by the time Bill finally emerged from his latest teleport. Wanting to not have to walk the entire way, but not being so skilled in levitated movement yet that he did not want to take the risk, he decided to continue teleporting the rest of the way. However, only close enough that he could see it from enough of a distance to get the accuracy of his teleporations right. At this very moment he had just teleported from a rocky hilltop at the very end of the Everfree Forest.

As he looked out from the top of the tree, he shaded his eye to get a better look into the distance. "Hm," he grumbled, his eye narrowing in frustration. "Still a ways to go," he said to himself. "Eh, whatever," he shrugged. "It's not like the hard part is yet to come." His eye narrowed in delight. He raised a hand up and snapped his fingers, disappearing in a flash as he teleported off to another tree, and then another, and another. Before too long he had reached his destination.

After traversing some more ground along the remaining part, he finally arrived at the place he had been looking so forward to reaching. Everywhere he looked, he was horrified by the sights.

"Wow! This place can really use a makeover," he said rubbing the side of his head.

He put his hands together, rubbing them up and down against each other, his eye narrowing in evil delight as he was about to turn away and immediately get to work on his makeover plan for this place. It was isolated enough away from the Ponies so they would not be able to understand what he was doing. Maybe he should even control the oceans just to spook them a little, get them worked up, enough to get the panic spreading.

But before he could do anything, he was suddenly interrupted by a voice calling out to him from behind. "Hey you!"

His pupil moved back up to the center of his eye, staring out at this hideous travesty that was just screaming for him to…modify it.

"Who are you? And what is your business here?" A female voice asked the frozen, motionless figure in front of her with his arms out in front of him. She nervously approached the hovering triangle with arms, legs, and a tophat.

Turning around, he stared back at the female who had so rudely started to interrogate him like a common criminal, HIM!
However, when he got a closer look at who it was, his eye grew wide with surprise!

His feet touched the ground, and he put one arm behind his back, extending the other.

"My deepest appolagizes, I was not aware of whom I was intruding on." He dropped to one leg, bowing before the newcomer. "If I had been aware that this domain was yours, I would have asked for your permission before just intruding upon it so recklessly." The female raised an unimpressed brow at him.

"Judging by your polite gestures, am I to assume that you know my name?" she asked the triangle. He raised his head, moving his eye back up.

"Indeed I should." He stood up, putting both hands behind his back. "I know quite a lot of things." The triangle’s form started to change, scrolling through various charecters, events, locations, and even other planets. ‘’LOTS OF THINGS!’’ His dark voice then returned back to normal afterwards. She frowned suspeciously, raising a intrigued brow at him.

"If you in that case know so much then you have yet to answer me."

"And what would that be?" the triangle asked chipperly, his hands behind his back.

"Who, and what are you?" As she finished asking, her face contorted into a sterner glare. Not that he blamed her for it.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! Calm down!" He raised his arms defensively as he backed away from her. He straightened his bowtie, and started hovering once again in the air.

"The name’s Bill Cipher, and I am what you can call a Dream Demon... Or you could of course call me by the name I am most known for."
She raised her brow again.

"And that is?"

"Bill Cipher, Master of the Mind!" He held out his arms, putting emphasis on the last bit, making his voice darker. She gave him a deadfounded stare, a raised brow to accentuate the point she was trying to make.

"Do I have to? It sounds quite pretentious."

"Eh, not really," he shrugged, closing his eye. He hovered down in front of her. "But one thing you can be sure of calling me," he extended his hand out to her, igniting a blue fire around it, is "partner!". Once again he made his voice dark, his eye glowing momentarily the same blue as the fire on his arm.

Unsurprisingly, his sudden actions made her back away from him, as she was naturally freaked out by his burning arm.

"Take my deal, and I can promise you a life of power, dominance, and…love."

Her eyes shot open, giving him a "You aren't tricking me now?" look. His eye closed and he shook his head. She looked down at the limb known as a hand, making a nervous grimace at the sight of his burning hand.

Her two eyes looked up at his single one. She turned her head back, looking behind her, lowering it as she thought it over a little more. Suddenly her head raised back up, now wearing a stern expression upon her face. She turned back, looking at his outstretched hand.

She then shook it, making the flame cover a little of her own arm. Granted she was a little alarmed by this at first, but when she saw that nothing happened she could once again return to being calm.

"So, now what?" she asked, curious to know what they were going to do now.

"Well, I will just say this, my dear".

He put both his hands behind his back, turning away from her.

"The night is still young, my dear."

Author's Note

The first chapter of The Bill-inning. Hope ya'll enjoy it, and as always:

Reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, and buy gold!

Link - Gravity Falls - Intro/Opening (Bill Cipher Version)

Chapter 13 (Edited)

Adventures in the Dreamscape Part 3

Meanwhile, back on a planet far away, a dark castle stood motionless in the clouds overlooking an entire world. Everything that was the castle, its hue being the same as fire cracking through rock. The tops of the castle being replaced by sharp curving spires, hovering in the air above the center, with the sharp shapes pointing at it were blue flames. The central gate having a giant circular symbol on the front of a madly grinning, spiral-eyes/glasses. Flying down through the air

Atop the castle tallest tower in the center of the whole fortress, in the center of the room, stood a frozen block, a motionless familiar triangle being contained inside it. The ‘’light’’ of the Dark Sun shining in through the caste balcony, falling upon Bill frozen state.

The doors to the room suddenly opened, and in walked the familiar form of Fawful, the outfit being a whole lot more different than last time he had seen that dwarf of a devil. The coat this time being more refined, more regal, being all dark-blue with red edges, the top having a flap that hung down around him, with a little of the dark-blue, but mostly consisting of grey. He still wore those spiraling glasses, and wore that still creepy grin that drive anyone to jump out the nearest window.

Standing in front of the frozen cube in front of him, Fawful laughed in his usual childish laughter as he stared at it.

‘’I have chortles, but Fawful has reached the end of his patience.’’ He said, as he reaching back inside his robe, pulling his arm back out, now holding a ray gun in his grasp. ‘’Now is the moment in which I will finally feast my eyes upon my greatest prize.

*BI-ZAAP*

A red beam shot from the tip of Fawful’s ray gun, enveloping the entire cube of ice upon making impact. Outside the window, Fawful watched with silent glee as the bright light grew brighter at first…Dimning only as the ice started to melt, creating a small puddle on the floor, but he did not care about that, he had what he wanted and that was all that mattered at this moment.

Though, some of the pieces did not melt immediately, instead sticking Bill Cipher’s still-frozen body. However, since most of him was already freed, it would not be too easy to break himself out of these last clumps stuck to him.

With powerful force, Bill shattered through the last of the ice, shattering the pieces and sending them flying throughout the room, as a bright glow erupted from him. Fawful having to raise his hand in order to shield himself from the terrible shards and fragments.

Holding his arms out, Bill finally seemed to calm himself down once the light dissipated into the aura surrounding his triangle form.

Stretching his arms, he heard multiple joints snap and pop. His eye opened, looking rather relaxed and calm, his arms hanging down beside him as he spoke for the first time since he was frozen in that terrible cube of ice. ‘’Oh man, pure movement…It feels so great to be back again.’’ He exclaimed with joy in his high pitched, echoing voice.

‘’Yes, it is indeed great to have you back, O great Lord Cipher.’’ Fawful’s voice spoke up in front of him. He tried looking around the room for any sign of the speaker. But found no one.

‘’Um yes?’’ Bill said while now turning himself around in his fixed spot in the air. ‘’W-where are you? Either I was kidnapped by an entity that can turn itself invisible, or I am just going crazy…No, correction, crazier.’’

Crossing his eyes, Fawful only gave off a look of frustration up at the Dream Demon. His grin being turned upside down upon his face. ‘’Fawful says down here.’’ Finally starting to look his eye down, Bill started slowly spinning himself around. His eye finally stopping when it came to stop at seeing this green-faced, robe wearing, crazy faced…midget standing in front of him. ‘’Oh…’’ Bill replied.

‘’Yes, I, Lord Fawful.’’ The creature said, a mad grin reforming on his face in place of the look of frustration that it had up until recently worn. He suddenly started spinning in place, his cape flowing up, allowing Bill to see that he was wearing dark-blue suit underneath it. But as Fawful finished speaking, Bill’s last memories started resurfacing, returning to him as he was reminded of what had happened before being frozen.

‘’Wait a minute, you’re that Fawful guy that froze me, and abducted me!’’ He shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Fawful. ‘’You took HER away from ME!’’ His voice turning demoning, and his eye turning red and black, while his body became red, with white limbs and top hat.

‘’Correction Lord Cipher, I took you away from her.’’ He held out an index finger to emphasize the point of his correcting what the Dream Demon was accusing him of.

‘’I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE GRAMATICAL BULLSHIT!’’

He shouted in blind rage. Extending his hands, holding them beside his body, red flames appearing in his hands. ‘’NOW…’’ he paused, narrowing his enraged eye down onto the small figure in front of him. But even as he increased size to five times his normal self, Fawful did not flinch. ‘’What is to stop me from smooshing you into the flattest pancake?’’

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha’’ He was just laughed at by the green little munchkin. ‘’You would not hurt Fawful.’’ Fawful finally said when he stopped laughing. Raising his eye only eye’s brow, Bill shot him a look.

‘’Oh, and why not?’’ Bill inquired, giving off an amused glance.

‘’Because Fawful-...’’

he lowered his head, obviously having some difficulty getting whatever he was saying out. Whatever it was, it must be quite…embarrassing, evidenced by his nervous face. That only served Bill great, he was hoping to make this little creature pay for his forced separation from Luna.

‘’... Fawful loves you!’’ He blurted out.

‘’Hah…! I knew you would say that, now I will finally dest-‘’ However, Bill suddenly froze in his place as the realization of what he had just head finally reached him. ‘’What?’’ The flames in his hands died down, and his red form shattered, being crushed down into a bunch of tiny fragments. While his pupil shrunk down from the shock his initial shock, his body returned, leaving him with his usual golden triangle form.

‘’Y-y-y-you l-love me?’’

He held up his hand, pointing it back at himself, hoping that what he was hearing was not truth. Unfortunately, he was proven otherwise as he nodded his head back at the floating triangle.

‘’Fawful says yes to you.’’

He nodded his head.

‘’I have had longings for you ever since Fawful saw upon that hilltop,’’ as Fawful continued to talk, he continually got closer and closer to Bill, his mad grin seeming more like the stuff of nightmares, and was the final cherry on top of this horrifying cake of awful surprises. ‘’Fawful knew that he had to possess such a magnificent specimen of beauty, even if stealing was a requirement in that plan.’’

‘’Y-you cannot be serious…’’ Bill pointed accusingly back at him. ‘’I don’t know about you…Fawful, buddy,’’ he said with a forced smile. ‘’But I…am…not…gay.’’ He explained, while doing hand gestures to get his point across a little more.

‘’That is where you are wrong, for you see, I….’’ He extended his arms out, holding them up above his head, a glow of light erupting from his body. Bill being forced to hold up a hand to shield his eyes from the intensity of the bright light.

While shielding his eyes made looking difficult, it did not make it impossible to fully see Fawful’s changing form. He could see very clearly that Fawful was growing taller, his robe changing into a dress, and two horns growing out of his head. After another flash of light, he could finally lower his hands down back down again. The bright intensity dropping to a much more manageable level.

As the light cleared, he could see smoke trailing upwards from a new figure that now stood in the same place that Fawful had only moments ago. However, this figure was taller, with sharp green fingers on the end of much longer arms, a madly smiling green face, which had a round gem in its forehead, and two horns. The dress was purple, with red linings, and arm sleeves resembling the wings of a bat. Like before, the rest of its body was hidden behind its clothing, but judging by its longer eyelashes it was not hard to deduce that the form behind that dress was female. Its face was still aligned with the same red spiraling glasses/eyes, soft flowing hair that reached down to her back, the smile was not as big as it had been as when she was in the other form, but was still quite…maddening to say the least.

‘’Eeeyah hahahaha.’’ She laughed, almost causing the entire room to shake violently from the intensity in her voice. In fact, the room seemed to almost darken from her laughter alone. Even the Sun darkened – though it was already dark before she started to laugh.

‘’Ahhhhh…It feels so unimaginably great to finally be back to my original form.’’ She moaned, stretching her arms out, popping and snapping the joints before returning them back inside her dress.

‘’Wh-…WHAT?’’ Bill stuttered, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. ‘’W-who are you, if you said you were Fawful, but then have the appearance of Cackletta?!’’ He pointed an accusing finger back at the newly transformed female.

‘’I have chortles.’’ The new form of Fawful replied back. ‘’While this name ‘’Cackletta’’ rings unfamiliar to me,’’ she narrowed her eyes. Like before, she started spinning in her spot, stopping and striking a pose. ‘’It is true that Fawful has seen an…upgrade since we last spoke, Cipher, but Fawful assures you that she is still the same on the inside.’’ Raising a hand, she touched it to her chest, most likely where her heart was.

‘’Oh yeah?’’ He raised his only brow suspiciously. ‘’Aaaand how am I supposed to be sure that is actually you? How do I know that you are not an imposter trying to fool me? For all I know the real Fawful could be hiding behind a wall trying to play me for a fool.’’

Shaking her head, Fawful’s smile only seemed to grow wider. ‘’Fawful assures that there is no trickery involved. Fawful only wants what is best for her…special friend.’’ Her eyes reflecting the sincerity in her words, as he saw her looking back at him with emotional eyes/glasses. Extending her hand out to her side, she motioned it towards the center of the room. ‘’See?’’ Her grin returning to its usual self.

‘’What? What is- ‘’ But as Bill turned himself around to see whatever Fawful was pointing towards…But once setting his eye upon what the once-small-but-now-taller Fawful was intentionally trying to make him see.

In front of him stood a shrine…for him, coming fully equipped with pictures of him, though, Luna had been cut out from them, there were golden busts depicting striking various poses, there were posters, and even banners that had various Bill Cipher symbols on them. There was even, on both the left and right side provocative posters of Bill holding one hand behind his head, and another that was reaching down inbetween his legs and grabbing… ‘’NO! Don’t need to see that!’’ Reacted Bill as he flinched, covering his one eye as he turned himself away from the mostly PG-shrine in front of him.

Moving his hands down, he looked his angry eye to the side. ‘’Geez! What is wrong with you?!’’ He called back to her. ‘’Have you no decency?’’ He asked.

However, instead of being meet with any Forgive mes or I’’m sorries, he just heard an unexpected questioning of, ‘’What is decency?’’ from his right. His eye looked out in front of him, twitching a little from hearing what he was unmistakably hearing. Bringing a hand up, he face-palmed himself from sheer stupidity.

‘’W-wait a minute…’’ He said, holding out his arms in a gesture to stop. He turned around, facing his eye once again with the face of Fawful. ‘’You were spying on us, right?’’

‘’Fawful says to you yes.’’

‘’Okay, first of all,’’ he said holding up both hands, and two fingers. ‘’That isn’t creepy at all, and second, we were there for an hour…’’ Gradually he put down each finger, looking his eye back onto her. ‘’How the hell did you have enough time to not only get all things associated with me, but most importantly of all, you see me once, ONCE!’’ He held up his index finger, pointing it intensely up. ‘’And you literally fall in love with someone at a literal love at first sight?!’’ He got closer to her, his form increasing its size, and a big red eye stared at her. Veins visible in his eye.

‘’Again…’’ She said annoyed, ‘’Fawful says to you yes.’’ Her annoyed look remaining.

Sighing, he brings a hand up to his eye, rubbing it. ‘’So let me get this right, you not only kidnapped someone you barely know, but you also want that person as your…?’’

‘’Beloved!’’ She replied excited.

‘’Rright-‘’

‘’Fawful intends to you make you, Bill Cipher, her own…And together we shall be the knife and fork that leave their mark on history’s great cake.’’

‘’Aaaand…If I am to guess, then ‘’make your own’’ means…- ‘’

‘’Marriage,’’ Fawful interrupted. ‘’You are correct in your assessment.’’ She pointed a finger back at him.

Ew.

Crossing his arms, as well as his eye, he stared back at Fawful with a suppressed angry look.

‘’And what if I refuse…Hypothetically?’’ He asked, surprisingly nervous. He could see that Fawful was no fool, if she had managed to capture him then there must be a pretty big reason for that.

‘’Fawful would imprison you, and add you as one of the thousands of paintings she holds of all her greatest treasures from all across the multiverse.’’ Brushing aside her robe, she held out an arm to show towards the wall, obviously there was no paintings there, but just to give the general idea of what awaited him if he tried to shatter relations with her.

*GULP*

‘’I-I understand.’’ He said, adjusting his bowtie, and holding his hands out nervous.

‘’I have chortles…’’ She said, laughing as she said that. ‘’It pleases Fawful’s heart that you finally see things that you are supposed to.’’ Her grin growing slightly, despite looking like it couldn’t take growing any bigger.

‘’R-right.’’ He nervously smiled back at her. ‘’Eeeyah hahahaha’’ She laughed back at him. Turning to the side, she started to walk away from him, heading back towards the main door that she had used to enter into the room.

‘’Wh-where are you going?’’ Bill inquired to her, holding out his arms in confused shock. She stopped dead in her tracks, giving him a gentle chuckle, then turned her head left, looking one eye at him.

‘’Preparations for the greatest of greatest weeding’s, but of course!’’

*GULP*

He swallowed down, adjusting his bow tie in a nervous gesture. ‘’O-of course.’’ He replied with a forced smile.

‘’Now, be the bestest of good boys and wait till Fawful sends for you to join Fawful at the altar.’’ He nodded softly, trying not to give off any suspicious behavior.

‘’S-so I wait here?’’ He pointed down with his finger at the floor that he was currently hovering over.

Pinching her clawed hands together, and squinting her eyes a little, she gestured her hands through the air. ‘’Oh, how cute Fawful thinks you look when you wear that blank look of not being awares upon your face.’’

‘’R-right.’’ He said with another forced smile, shooting her a pointing finger.

‘’Now…’’ she pushed her robe aside, allowing her arm out in a dramatic manner. ‘’Not that Fawful does not trust her soon-to-be-husband, but she fears for his safety until the hour of greatest glee, but I need to ensure that my prize does not be leaving this room until called for.’’

She held her arms out, raising them above her. ‘’O’ Great servant of Fawful, come to me!’’ She called out into the room as if something was about to happen…But it didn’t.

Confused, Bill’s eye looked around the room, still waiting for something to take place within the stone-brick chamber.

*Soundless to Bill, a rectangular square flipped itself around in mid-air, descending silently down to the floor*

About to raise a hand and interrupt her, he suddenly stopped himself when a figure, almost as thin as paper, turned to face him. He was to caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of the new arrival, flinching in the air, as he saw it.

‘’Ahhh!’’ He franticly jumped as a tall Humanoid form appeared next to Fawful, standing behind her. Its red crossed eyes trailed downwards till they fell upon him.

The figure, itself, was a tall and feminine-looking form, which was clad in shogun armor, its face and body being completely black, while the armor, itself, was dark-purple.

Taking a bow before Fawful, the figure bowed its head as it rested its arm on the one leg that was standing. ‘’You summoned me, my Lady?’’ Said the figure.

‘’Indeed Fawful did, Commander,’’ she said, holding an open hand out in front of her. ‘’My beloved, the future King of the Dreamscape…or Dreamworld if you’re a pedestrian,’’ she rolled her eyes annoyed. ‘’Is forbidden from leaving this room while preparations for his and Fawful’s weeding are awaiting completion. You are tasked with safe-guarding the room until then…Is Fawful’s task to you understood?’’ She gave off a slight look of suspicion.

‘’Of course, my Lady.’’ She nodded back. ‘’I will not fail you.’’

‘’You had better not.’’ She growled through gritted teeth.

Retracting her hand back behind her robes, she resumed her mad grin, and started for the door. The Commander standing back up, and following her head out of the room.

Standing in the doorway, Fawful looked back at Bill, as he looked back at her. ‘’Eeeyah hahahaha’’

‘’B-by the way, Fawful…sweetie,’’ he forced himself to say, lifting a gesturing hand. ‘’Who are the others that you said you imprisoned in paintings?’’ Very quickly, after being asked that, Fawful’s grin turned into an angry frown.

‘’Bad people that irritated Fawful…So Fawful punished them.’’ Her smile returning, looking even creepier than before.

‘’Oh…’’ He sighed, his eye looking down towards the floor in sadness. But upon hearing Fawful’s voice, he lifted it back up towards her.

‘’Cheer up you should, Bill…Gloom is not appropriate for a weeding.’’ Were her last words before the two doors swung shut, leaving Bill by himself in the very luxurious chamber. If anything was made clear, it was that Fawful did care for those that she had stay in her castle.

With a heavy sigh, he floated on over towards the glass door that lead outside to the balcony. Hovering behind the railing, his arms hung down, as his eye looked out at the giant castle that he had been brought to. He failed to recognize that it was identical to the one he had picked Luna up at, but was yet a completely different castle, that had yet been conquered by Fawful.

Looking out at his surroundings, he leaned himself down against the railing, supporting both arms atop the stones, his eye peering staring off into the distance.

‘’Oh Luna…’’ he sighed deeply as he looked out into what was the Dark Day. ‘’What am I to do?’’ He asked.

‘’For once in my life, I don’t know what to do…If I stay here, I’ll become the reluctant husband of some crazy Witch…But then again, if I try to resist, or flee, I might be turned into a painting, or worse, I still don’t know what she’s fully capable of. I mean, if she could freeze me, and then bring me here, far away from you, I shouldn’t take too many risks on upsetting her.’’

He paused, blinking his eye. ‘’She might just…actually…be stronger than me…and that scares me since there has not been anyone else stronger than me/Bill Cipher.’’

His eye trailed up, looking out into the distance.

‘’Heh, I don’t even know if your still alive, or if you’re even still in the same part of the Mindscape as I am-…’’

raising his arms up into the air, a small of swirling energy started to form. Moving the ball down, and giving it a look, he reached his arm back, and then threw it up into the air. Silent, he watched as it flew up into the sky, moving up, high, into the darkness of space.

‘’...but at least now, you have a chance of finding me.’’

Watching as the sphere of magic illuminated like a star, he smiled back up at it. ‘’Please find me…Please come back to me…"

"...Luna, I can’t stand being without you."

‘’Uh huh?’’

Luna gently stirred as she started coming to, her consciousness starting back up again since passing out from spending so much of her power. She gently brought herself to standing back up on her hooves, though, it was significantly slower than usual, which was not a surprise in itself because-

Just then, something inside her mind clicked! Her head shot up as the memories started to come flooding back to her in an instant, flashing before her eyes at an incredible speed.

A flash shooting out from her eyes as she quickly opened and closed them, her restored memories having finally caught her up to speed on what had happened before blacking out.

‘’Oh my…’’

She gasped, holding a hoof up in front of her mussel in shock.

‘’…I-I defeated Megaleg by shooting down a blast, putting too much power into it…’’

Turning her head around, she saw that she was no longer back on the planet where she had been left behind to face off against that tri-legged Automaton while Fawful stole the frozen Bill away. It was beyond easy to deduce that she was no longer on the planet she had been marooned on, as not only was she now surrounded by no longer those towering mountain peaks, but also the day here could literally be described as dark.

With a loud crack of lighting behind her, she suddenly spun on her spot, looking back up at the source from the sudden sound and lights that had occurred behind her back. But when setting her sights on what was behind her, she could not help but sound out another gasp, her eyes growing wide from the sight that greeted her. Her jaw hung open, staring in disbelief at the castle.

‘’I thought only Pegasus ponies could construct airborne castles like that.’’

Suspended in the air was solid rock, with a dark castle on top of it, spikes aligning the top all the way around, and raised a little higher was a secondary section that looked to be on the inside of the first level’s walls – being made from the same dark stones, a bizarre grinning stone face stood out at the front of the rocks, beneath the rocks was an up-side down dome that had a large wheel with a rotating wheel on the bottom, on the four sides of the wheel were sharp spikes, chains hung down, especially two straight chains that swung big round spiked spheres back and forth in front of what looked to be the face of a clown face that was smiling in quite an evil fashion.

‘’How the buck am I gonna get all the way over there without getting spotted?!’’ She exclaimed, throwing up her hooves in frustration. ‘’I mean, it may look easy and all, but how am I supposed to sneak up on that castle without being noticed?’’ Rubbing the side of her head she shot the floating castle a confused frown.

Growling in frustration, she began pounding against her head with her hooves ‘’Augh…If I could just remember what Tia told me about invisibility spells than this would be nothing,’’ growling back through gritted teeth, she looked back down at the hovering castle, ‘’but of course I just had to go and forget!’’ She said thrusting her hoof down against the ground, shattering it and leaving behind a small crater where she kept it.

Sobbing, she dropped to her knees, hanging her head low as light tears ran down her cheeks.

However, after some time of sobbing for a while, her ear suddenly twitched, perking up as it heard a voice trying to get her attention, she raised her head, and looked to her right, only seeing a bush not too far away from her.

She raised a confused brow at it seemingly being able to talk, but before she simply shrugged it off as being nothing but a part of the Dreamscape’s trickery, a head suddenly popped out from behind the bush, staring back at the suddenly jumping Luna, who flinched from surprise when the figure popped its head up at the top.

The figure was unlike anything Luna had ever seen. It had long blonde hair, a face that told her that it was female – but that was probably just from the long lashes and the softer lips.

‘’Um…Who are you?’’ Luna inquired to the newly arrived creature, but the creature, however, did not respond with any sorts of words, and instead just moved a hand out of the bush, waving Luna to her.

‘’Come, quickly, -!’’ she said before ducking back down behind the bush. She re-emerged seconds later, shown to be clad in a pink dress that belonged to one who held a royal position. ‘’I’ll explain on the way.’’ She gave another wave of her gloved hands, motioning for Luna to follow, then she turned tails, and started heading off before the confused blue Alicorn could get another word out.

‘’Hey, wait!’’ Luna called out after the strange Princess-looking figure before taking up the chase after her.

After some time of nothing but running after the Princess-like figure, she noticed that she was being lead somewhere, more notably, that cave entrance that they were heading for. Since the insides of the cave were dark she did not feel too confident on teleporting inside, not knowing what she might encounter, but her running speed was enough to keep her close enough on her trail that she did not lose her during the pursuit.

Inside the cave, they passed through various tunnels, passageways, and a variety of hollowed cavern trenches and crevices.

After much time spent running in pursuit of the surprising quick dress wearing Princess, she finally seemed to stop as she ran out into a large open chamber that looked to have been carved out of the mountain itself. Luna only stopped when she had entered out into the vast – almost sudden expansion of – space.

With a turn of her head, her eyes were directed away from the Princess onto instead looking up at the chamber which almost seemed to spiral outwards as it went higher and higher up, getting darker the higher it went.

‘’Wh-what is this place?’’ She asked, when she was finally able to get her attention back on track, slowly guiding her eyes back down towards the now more mysterious Princess figure.

The Princess slowly turned back to her, her hands held together and wearing a blank stare.

‘’Forgive me for not saying much before leading you here,’’ she touched a hand to her chest as she walked a little closer to Luna. ‘’But I am in desperate need for your help.’’ Her expression deflating into a frown.

‘’Rright,’’ responded Luna with the raise of a suspicious brow. ‘’But if you are in need of help, then why did you not talk to me out there? Why did you have to bring me here?’’

‘’I could not risk the two of us being spotted by Fawful’s spies. They are everywhere these days.’’ The Princess replied.

‘’Yeah, we can’t even leave our caves for fear of being spotted by Fawful mechanical monstrosities.’’ A sudden voice interjected itself.

Luna spun in her place, suddenly having her gaze falling upon a small claw that was poking out from behind the shadows.

Upon closer inspection she could see that it was not just that claw that her eyesight was seeing, but multiple glowing eyes looking back out at her.

She jumped at seeing them, instantly pouring magic into her horn as if preparing to fight the Princess, herself, instead of the hundreds of eyes that were looking back out at her

‘’Whoa there, calm down!’’ Raising her hands up, she held them defensively, as evidenced in her voice she was trying to calm the angry blue Alicorn down. ‘’I mean you no harm.’’

‘’Then explain, -’’

Extending a hoof, she pointed it back out at the surrounding blackness, especially the eyes.

‘’…what they are!’’

The Princess turned her head, looking out at all the eyes staring towards the center of the room where they stood. ‘’If they are not dangerous, then what are they?’’ Luna demanded, returning her hoof back down to the ground.

She looked around the room, turning herself around in her place, before once more facing the Alicorn that was about to attack her.

‘’They...’’ she hesitated, holding her head low for a small while. ‘’They are homeless.’’ She explained, looking back up with stern eyes.

‘’They, like me, had their home taken away from them…’’ she raised a hand, pointing back at the cave with her index finger. ‘’that castle that you saw once belonged to me…Until Fawful came, he drove me away, and turned it into the monstrosity that you see now.’’

Some of the strict in Luna’s face started to fade, turning into a look of sympathy, but still she kept her guard up just in case.

‘’And what of them? Where do they come in?’’ She nudged to the side, towards the shadows, the Princess shook her head.

‘’We found each other shortly after being forced from what we called our homes, and forced to up resident in these caves, -’’

Her hands went down, gently holding each other.

‘’But I don’t know how much longer we will be able to stay here, rations are running low, and we do not know if the lands beyond are hospitable for us to live in.’’

Out from the shadows small turtle-like-creature crawled out to the Princess, gently nudging at her dress with its hand, she looked down smiling as the creature looked up at her, reaching down she picked up the creature and lifted it up, holding it with her hand as her index finger gently caressed the shell that its arms legs and face emerged.

With a turning head moving back and forth around the room Luna watched as more of those turtle-like things started coming out of the darkness, stepping out into the light, she could now see that she was truly surrounded by hundreds perhaps even thousands of those things, including some that stood up on two legs, each having red, blue, black, grey and green shells some having spikes on the back and others not so much.

Watching the others emerge from the darkness Luna was still surprised at her own astonishment since she was still acting surprised about seeing all of this, but then again it was a dream and dreams are meant to be surreal…To a degree.

She hung her head low, closing her eye as she let out a deep sigh, looking back up with a stern stare on her face.

‘’Look, -’’

She paused as she brought a hoof up to her eyes kneading them.

‘’…if my plan to rescue the one special to me that is held prisoner I am going to need to know everything on the inner workings of that castle.’’

‘’That should be simple enough to provide.’’ She said whilst holding out a gloved hand in a friendly gesture.

Clapping her hands together one of the bipedal turtles walked out carrying blueprints in his hands.

Luna did not want to admit it, but she had just now noticed that those turtles that stood up on two legs all wore boots-like attire, Weird.

Grabbing them the Princess figure extended her arm out towards Luna with the.

‘’Here.’’

She said, but quite sudden and even more surprising, Luna used her magic to bring the plans of the Princess’s grasp and instead over in front of her face, her eyes skimming through it looking over the various details, secret trapdoors, possible traps – as well as locations for stationed enemies.

She looked up from the plans back towards the Princess.

‘’And if you happen to possess these why have you not launched an assault upon the castle?’’

She asked with a confusedly raised brow.

‘’Does Fawful have sufficient number of forces to command?’’

‘’W-we can assault the castle, but it is dealing with Fawful, herself, that could prove to be more than a handful…Her servants aren’t even all that strong compared to us, but it is their master that has us pinned at the start line.’’

‘’Hmm…I see.’’ Her eyes trailed back down once more looking upon the blueprints again.

Wait, WHAT?! Luna’s mind screamed. Y-you mean to tell me that ‘’he’’ is just…*mentally her eyes shrink and her face pales* That is bucking disgusting.

Finally looking up from the blueprints after skimming through them for quite a few times she had finally gotten a pretty good clue to which rooms to avoid and which to head through she lowered the map down from her face, looking across the chamber towards the Princess.

‘’Alright then, I believe that I have gotten a good idea of what the inside of the castle will be, and I should be prepared well enough to contend with whatever dangers that are skulking around in the shadows of that place.’’ Her magic rolling up the blueprints and throwing them back towards the Princess, watching as she just caught it with her hand.

‘’Great, what is the plan?’’ she asked excited holding up her hands close to her body in a giddy manner.

Raising her head Luna shot the angst-ly anticipating Human female a confident smirk.

‘’How ready are they,’’ Luna gestured down to the rapidly growing group of turtles – and variations of the turtles. ‘’For revenge?’’

*30 Minutes later…*

Emerging from the cave entrance she stepped up towards the edge of the cliff, her eyes raises as she looked them out across the giant – and vast – crevice that separated her from Fawful’s castle, a wind blowing through the air and pulling at her mane trying obstruct her view of that terrible place…but still she could see it, the fog of her own hair not doing a thing to dense her vision despite its greatest of efforts.

‘’I hope you are ready Fawful, -’’

She narrowed her eyes in anger.

‘’…because I’m coming for you, and I’m going to get ahold of you.’’

*Up from behind a figure walks towards her, a pink dress brushing gently against the soft grass of the mountainside*

‘’You’re not the only one.’’ A voice spoke up from her side, her smirk grew.

Looking up she saw the Princess standing beside her, looking down at her with a gentle hand touching Luna’s shoulder.

Turning her head up – which the Princess returns– they both smile back at each other…

With a gentle turn, both of them looking back out at the floating castle seeing only the cruel grin of Fawful.

Author's Note

Oh my, this does not look good...If someone has actually managed to overpower ''Bill Cipher'', and imprison him on top of that then...*Shivers* No, i don't want to think about it.

Where will this lead?

EDIT: I guess this should have all been just one chapter since there wasn't a whole lot different about the next one that wouldn't have made it look like filler.

I will be really skeptical about uploading a chapter next week since i technically released chapter 14 now today, but if enough work gets done then it will be no problem.

Link1 - Fawful is There - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Music Extended
Link2 - Cackletta's Theme - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Music Extended
Link3 - The Poisoned Princess - Media Right Productions