The Gentleman's Side Tales: Zedin's Little Present

by Mister Slightly

Rating: teen
Tags: Pinkie Pie, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Drama, Original Character
Length: 6374

What can a lone pony do to help a powerful lord of darkness overcome their rage against the gods?

Lord Zedin has had enough of being exiled for eternity. What was it he did wrong anyway? He only wanted to help the Ancients manage a few planets, and what did he gain from it? A reprimanding speech, a barren realm, and a boot in the rear to said realm. Ever since that day, he lost all respect for the Ancients. He promised to find a way back to his home realm and teach the Ancients a valuable lesson.

Now, he's ready. His conjured forces finally found the correct frequency to reach the Plane of Reality, and they are all armed with whatever they could find in their godforsaken realm. Zedin only has to do one last thing: destroy everything in the universe, no matter how weak or powerful.

Well, that was his original plan. When he found a lone frizzy and beaming pony in a world not even made for or inhabited by livings, he felt, confused. What should he do, capture it, torture it, kill it? None of those solutions felt right to him, so he decided to simply approach it and discover what it was.

To his surprise, he discovered more than this pony's name.

(Take note that there is some mature language in this story. Also, I think this story is eligible for a drama tag. If you disagree, tell me right away.)

Cover art is my own creation. Admire or bash it as you wish.

Published 2017-04-21 21:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-04-21 21:20:01 UTC

"What Are You?"

Author's Note

This story has been revised, but it would help if you take note of any errors you find lying about. Those little suckers can be a pain sometimes.

"What Are You?"

In what context do you think that this catastrophe you caused is helpful to us?

You wanted me to ensure that a few galaxies across the universe did not have civilizations that could potentially topple your deity status, so, I did. Those worlds will not have any civilizations that are against your status.

When he gave you that order, he meant that you were to persuade the civilizations to honoring us as their gods, not destroy their planets!

That was not what I was told to do.

Then what message did you receive from the orders that Kamatayon delivered?

I was to cleanse the galaxies of those civilizations. Since those galaxies had nothing but non-believing civilizations, I decided to cleanse everything in them.

Preposterous! I would never issue such a decree! Despite being the embodiment of death, he would never dare twist my words into corrupted self-fulfillment!

But that was what he specifically told me! Can you not see that I am being truthful to you?

I never told you to destroy those galaxies. I told you exactly what Neyutralidad ordered.

Lies! Kamatayon, you are stuffed in nothing but lies! How can you still be one of the strongest of us after all that you have done?

From what I have perceived, you are not worthy of our trust. Kamatayon is far more trustworthy than you ever will be! We gave you the power to perceive the past, but you abuse it to shift our desires to yours!

I only use it to correct the wrongs of yours that could destroy the universe! Even you have issues with managing this universe! You are only here to keep the rest of us underneath you!

What a vile declaration from you! He is to bring order to the universe, not gloat in power! You are the one who is wrong!

I am not! Can any of you blind followers notice the shackles he forces upon your wrists?

Kapalaran, I have always wanted to have a member that could perceive the future and the past, but it seems that you are not worthy of being entrusted with this trait. As a result, I have no choice but to strip you of your power and give you the punishment that you deserve: banishment to the Realm of Souls.

Aughh! You cannot do this, Neyutralidad! Who will you have to be the Keeper of Fate?

Panahon. Even though he does not have your powers yet, he is already more wise and honest than you ever will be.

You dare bestow the gift of fate to a novice? How idiotic of you!

At least a novice knows the difference between persuade and destroy.

You, unfortunately, do not.

Farewell, Kapalaran. As a sign of your eternal punishment, your name will forever be Zedin, the name of a basic living.

Ergh! You can never force my name to something so humiliating!

I already did. What is your name, again?

It's, it's Zedin.

Correct. May your punishment give you enough wisdom to be considered a novice.

]———————————————————<>———————————————————[

A lone creature without a name shuffled through the dead and dry ground. In his hands was an assortment of laser guns in a bucket. Since the bucket was half the size of its body, the creature kept a steady pace in hopes of not letting the guns fall out of it. The creature glanced around the area, seeing nothing but floating islands, several clouds of rust and copper, and the dim sun that was always setting. After another few minutes of walking and hopping on some floating islands, it noticed an island with a couple charcoal black creatures in the shape of humans. It hastened as much as it could without risking any of the guns from tumbling into the abyss below.

Once the creature reached the others, it placed down the bucket and glanced at them. "Look what I found on another island! Don't you think they're kind of interesting?"

The others stared at the guns, bewildered from their odd shapes and glowing pieces. "What even are they?" asked one of the other creatures.

"I have no clue. The only thing I know is that they're kinda similar to that one thing with the weird open cone end."

One of the creatures tapped a claw on their forehead for a few seconds. "You mean the blunderbuss?"

The first creature shrugged. "I think. Wanna try them out?"

The creatures walked over to the guns and took one gun each. They checked to see how the guns needed to be held by experimenting with different positions to hold them. One of the creatures accidentally shot themself in the leg after squeezing the trigger in curiosity. "Ow, that hurt kind of bad."

"Alright, don't make it face you like that," murmured one of the creatures as they flipped their gun the other way. They squeezed the trigger and unleashed three laser blasts into the open air. "Well, I think I found out how they work."

The creatures flipped or rolled their guns around to match the position that worked. In only three seconds, they successfully fired collections of laser blasts at the sun and distant floating islands. However, they aimed like drunk snipers holding their guns one-handed and had no idea how useful the scope on a rifle was.

"So, these look like they're going to be great for this Reawakening Lord Zedin was talking about," one of the creatures stated. "Why don't we bring them back to him to see if he likes them?"

"Good idea," praised the first creature. "If anyone cares to, they can hold the bucket this time."

"I will." One of the creatures slid their gun in the bucket and lifted it up to their chest.

The group of creatures began their small journey back to wherever their lord was, the potential joys of the Reawakening dancing in their minds.

]———————————————————<>———————————————————[

Inside a medium sized stone fortress built like a medieval castle, an enormous collection of the same creatures both inside and outside the structure conversed to each other and tested their weapons. Nearly all of them looked the exact same. They had charcoal black bodies, two glowing white holes for eyes, human like bodies, and a set of horns protruding out their heads. Some of them wore armor varying from medieval and Roman metal plating to American Civil War and World War II gear to even early twenty-first century body armor. They practiced and toyed with weapons ranging from spears and swords to machine guns and rocket launchers. Some of them accidentally, or purposely, fired their weapons into each other, resulting in either physical damage or complete disintegration of the recipients' bodies.

One of the creatures shot two shotgun blasts right into another's head. Suffice to say, the other creature ceased to exist. The creature holding the shotgun marveled at it with a grin he could not form. "Oh, boy, this thing is going to take me places."

"Hey! Do you remember what Lord Zedin said about shooting each other?" barked another creature viciously. He had a katana in hand and a Redcoat uniform. "Do you want to lose your body?"

"Hey, might as well practice before we begin this slaughter. I mean, we're going to destroy everything, and livings are part of everything."

"Still doesn't give you a reason to shoot one of us in the head."

The shotgun creature prodded the headless creature's body with a toeless foot. "He'll come back. It's all fine."

"Whatever you say." The katana creature turned from the shotgun creature and practiced slicing at a makeshift stone dummy.

"Attention, my children!" The guttural voice boomed across the fortress and captured the radiant eyes of every creature. What emerged from the voice was a single creature atop one of the fortress's four towers. Strips of pure darkness stuck themselves on the lower portion of its body. It had no legs, just a few flowing tears in its body. Unlike the others, it refused to have eyes; instead, it replaced what could be a nose with a hole and cracked open a mouth with several sharp teeth almost locked together. It had long holes in its forearms and skeletal hands with horrifyingly long and thin digits. Only its hands and the area around its mouth contained white. The rest of its body used a veil of dynamic, soupy black in contrast to the static, charcoal black of the other creatures.

The creature, the one who the creatures named Zedin, positioned itself to where everyone could see them. "I see that all of you practiced with your recently acquired, or beloved and ancient, weaponry and armor. I can assure all of you that this will be crucial to annihilate the Mistaken One's forces and destroy everything he created. Naught will remain after we overthrow him from his unwanted rule, and I will manifest a new world from the void to call our own. No more will we lurk the corners of the universe, seeking for anything of value in this barren wasteland of a realm. We will once again be free to help the universe however we see fit, whether it involves construction or destruction. Now, my children born from the lost, fragmented souls of this realm, will you aid me in this glorious journey?"

Hundreds of replies involving hurrahs, cheers, and yesses crowded the air with their intensity.

"I appreciate your response, my children. It shows how desperate and covetous your spirits are. However, to truly feel what this magnificent universe has to offer, you have to show valor and endurance. Take my first child, Deronno, as an example."

Another creature emerged from Zedin's right side. They, too, were unique. Even though their body was the usual charcoal black, they possessed a fanged mouth and lacked eyes. The creature wore multiple shrouds of darkness around its body and carried two weapons. Its right hand wielded a long blade with hooked teeth on one edge. Its left hand gripped the end of a bullet assault rifle with lightning crackling from its barrel.

Zedin glanced to the new creature and back to his audience. "Deronno is my most prized child for not only being my first but also presenting loyalty, respect, and love to me. He is also the wisest of all of you here, this being paired with his desire to cleanse the universe of the Mistaken One's presence. If any of you ever devote yourself as much as he does, you will be rewarded with the ascension he received five centuries ago."

"Eh, Lord Zedin?" Deronno whispered to what should be Zedin's ear as he scanned the crowd. "Are you sure that this is all your children? This crowd looks too, vacant."

Zedin eyed the crowd and scanned it twice. "Unfortunately, this is not everyone. They must be in some of the other fortresses nearby. Keep these ones determined and eager until I collect the rest of my children."

Deronno nodded and stepped towards the crowd. He raised his sword with a firm stroke. "Brothers, are you ready for our Reawakening? Isn't this what you always hoped for ever since your birth, our return to the world we rightfully own?"

Zedin floated out of the fortress as waves of cheers and shouts flooded the air once again. He descended a little ways down to a few floating islands and kept himself about ten feet over their surfaces. Most of them were barren, only sporting a few broken tree trunks, some orange grass, and a few flowers with claws as ends. Other than that, none of his children were to be found. Knowing that they must be in a fortress, he drifted through the collections of islands and glanced at the rusty sun that was always at an impossible to reach distance.

Zedin stopped moving once he heard a faint sound from afar. He turned his head to a few random directions around his body, finding nothing but more clouds and islands.

"Hello...?"

There was that sound again. What is that? Zedin thought to himself. He checked if any of his children were in the area. He shook his head and mentally called himself an idiot. None of them could make a sound so piercing. Not even I can.

Zedin returned to floating over clouds and checking the islands for half a minute. He stopped again, perplexed yet another time, at whatever was making that sound.

"Hello...?"

It is a little louder this time. Am I approaching it? Zedin turned his head to the direction of the sound. He estimated that whatever this thing was was in front of him and to the left by a small degree. He faced and directed himself in that direction, hoping to discover what was making that echoing sound.

"Hello?"

The sound, now clear and partially distant, gave Zedin a sense of where this thing was. He slowed next to a floating island and hovered over it and on the other side. As he expected, another island, slightly smaller and with less flora than the first one, kept itself mostly hidden from view. I believe I found it, but...

Zedin couldn't think of anything to say. What he saw was far too out of place when compared to the entire realm. It was a small creature about as tall as to his abdomen, if he used his legs. It had an unusually large head that shouldn't be able to stay upright when compared to its body. Light pink fur covered its entire body, and two huge puffs of swirls and knots with a darker hue spread from its head and backside. Two saucers for eyes darted from claw flower to claw flower, somewhere between intrigued and curious with every new piece of plant or rock. Its flanks bore a trinity of balloons each as some sort of insignia. The center balloon was yellow with a blue string, and the other two were the inverse.

Zedin couldn't help but just sit there in silence above the strange creature. Out of everything he thought of that could make such a sound, he never imagined, this. In fact, he never knew that this could exist. Zedin absentmindedly spoke the first thing in his mind."What are you?"

The creature lifted its head and hopped backward a foot. "Eek! What are you?" Its voice pierced Zedin's nonexistent ears with such a high pitch. It could have been borderline painful.

"It seems as if I share the same question," Zedin mused with a tiny chuckle. "I am Zedin, the prisoner of this accursed realm. What about you?"

The creature took a few seconds to respond. "My name's Pinkie Pie, and I come from Equestria." Pinkie's voice was an odd blend of cheerful and innocent. "Do you know what that is?"

Zedin shook his head.

"Imagine the bestest place you can think of and the friendliest ponies ever. That's Equestria!"

"Hmm, that sounds awfully subjective, but it seems reasonable coming from something like you." Zedin paused for a second. "Do you mind if I approach you?"

"Go ahead! I don't see why not."

Zedin descended from the air and to the island. The tears in his body hung above the island by less than an inch. He took notice of Pinkie's light blue irises. He couldn't describe it, but he felt some positive force from her. He stared back at his own reflection through her pupils. "I have a small question. Do you feel, disturbed by my presence at all? Do I seem frightening or dangerous to you?"

Pinkie analyzed Zedin's face and humanoid form. "Well, you look an itty little bit scary, but I don't think you're bad. You seem pretty nice."

"Huh, intriguing." Zedin kept his focus on the short fur coat wrapped around Pinkie's body. The gentle fur beckoned him to feel it with one of his hands. Zedin resisted the urge to reach out a hand immediately, but he knew that he had to do so before he forced it upon her. "Pinkie, may I feel that fur that covers you? It looks, foreign."

Pinkie juggled the offer around her mind. After about four seconds, she nodded her head. "You can go ahead, on one condition."

Zedin knew that something like this would happen. Deities always get deals like this from mortals. "What do you want, power, elemental abilities, foresight?"

"I don't want any of that stuff. If you want to feel my coat, I have to feel yours."

Zedin gave an awkward sigh. "Fair enough. You can feel my forearm, though I doubt it will interest you."

As Zedin reached out one of his wicked sets of digits towards Pinkie's right side of her neck, she placed a hoof on his forearm. His arm felt cold and silky from the darkness enveloping it. Instead of feeling disturbed or disgusted by the feeling, she felt somewhat satisfied by it. The darkness almost made the arm feel like a soft, cool pillow that she could lay her head on and doze into a blissful dream. If Zedin ever allowed it, she would've snuggled around his body all because of how pleasant he felt.

Zedin, on the other hand, felt something else. The fur itself was incredibly soft compared to the stone, dirt, and flora he scrapped or brushed throughout his time in the Realm of Souls. However, he was not just focused on its softness. Once he touched the actual skin of Pinkie, warmth flooded to his hand. Pinkie was warmer than anything else in the realm. Not only did the warmth feel pleasant, it also felt strong and full of energy. That was when he reached a surprising conclusion.

Zedin's face looked as gobsmacked as he could make it. "I can sense so much, life emanating from your body. But, how can a living be here?"﻿

Pinkie was too busy rubbing her cheek on the forearm. "Hmm?"

"Your body is teeming with life. The only creatures that can ever have such a trait are livings. Therefore, you are a living."

"Well duh!" Pinkie blurted after lifting her face from the arm. "Of course I'm alive!"

"But how are you in the realm of the dead if you are alive?"

Pinkie gave back a shrug. "I don't know. I didn't even know this is where ponies go after they pass away."

"I doubt that this is where your people go after death. I have never seen or sensed a spirit that resembled your kind. I do know, however, that humans currently exist."

Pinkie's ears perked up after that last sentence. "What're they?"

"They are these bipedal creatures that might follow the Mistaken One, the current keeper of the universe that I want to overthrow. They made several different items and inventions that I collected over the years to prepare for my Reawakening."

Pinkie's smile morphed into a concerned and confused slant. "Overthrow? What did he do that makes you want to do that?"

"He cast me into this realm for eternity," Zedin replied, struggling to hold back some of his rage. "He believed that I lied to him just to benefit myself. Instead, it was one of his followers, Kamatayon, that committed the lying."

"What did they lie about that put you here?"

"They wanted me to persuade several civilizations to honoring them as their gods. What he told me instead was that I had to cleanse the non-believing civilizations by destroying them. So, I did, and what resulted was this."

Pinkie's mouth gaped, and her words lost an incredible amount of enthusiasm. "Uhh, that's quite a lot of–" Pinkie hesitated a little "–death. Now I see why they might've seen this as a good punishment."

Zedin's voice shifted from a brewing anger to concern. "Do you believe that his lie and my actions truly warrant my stay here?"

Pinkie gave her head a rapid shake. "No no no, nothing like that! I just mean, you know, that it makes sense that they did this to you after that. Yeah, they didn't understand everything, like, what's his name again?"

"Kamatayon."

"Yeah, him, lying to you. That's messed up how he'd do that to you! Did he not like you or something?"

"I am not sure." Zedin rubbed his nonexistent chin. "He was somewhat suspicious, but not scornful."

"Well, whatever you do, you need to go back to them and talk about this! You've been punished for something they did, so why do you have to stay here?"

"Do not worry, Pinkie, I already have a solution to this problem. And, since I have rediscovered my home universe, I can return to speak of this issue." Zedin's voice shifted into a low burning rage. "However, they will pay for their vile insolence."

Pinkie gulped down her fear and drooped her ears down.

"I will return to my universe and destroy everything of theirs. After they watch everything they built over eons fall, I will confront them, overthrow the Mistaken One from his rule, and recreate everything in my own image. That will be his punishment for everything he committed, including distrusting me."

"Please, whatever you do, don't do that," Pinkie pleaded with distraught whimpering. "Just don't, please."

"Why should I refrain from doing so?" Zedin questioned with narrowing invisible eyes. "This is how he will learn from his past and present faults."

"Do you know how many lives could be out there? I can't even imagine how many innocent lives will be lost if you do this."

"What do you mean, innocent lives? What lives are innocent if they are following a guilty god?"

"There's always the chance of them not even knowing him!" Pinkie retorted. "If they don't follow him and even know that he exists, like I do, are they innocent?"

Zedin tapped his chin at a rhythmic pace. "Well, if that is the case, then they will just be accidental casualties as I march to the Mistaken One. They will appreciate the deaths, too, since everyone who does enter this realm's second side seem pleased to be there."

Pinkie's heart raced. She had to stop Zedin from ending who knows how many lives somehow, but she couldn't think of anything than just simple words. She grappled onto a few floating phrases and words in her mind and wrapped them into one cohesive set of sentences. "They'll suffer so much if you do this!" Pinkie's eyes watered and released a few tears. When something dies, it's not pretty at all! They'll feel pain, so much pain that it can make them cry! Their families then have to deal with losing one or more of their relatives, and any close friends will feel just as sad as the families!"

Pinkie's voice calmed down a little more. "When you destroyed all of those nations, you killed everyone in them. They all felt that horrible, agonizing pain and suffered all because of you. I know that you didn't mean to do that, and I definitely know that you wouldn't have done that if you knew how terrible killing is. I don't know if Equestria is here or not or if those humans are good or bad, but I bet that those lives out there are doing the same stuff that the lives you took a long time ago did. You'd be repeating that terrible time all over again." Pinkie placed a hoof on Zedin's chest. "If you understand me and what you've been doing, can you at least try to deal with your problem with Kamayaya without killing everyone in the world?"

Zedin sloshed those words in his mind and directed most of his attention to Pinkie's hoof. Unlike her soft and gentle neck fur, the touch of her hoof was far from pleasant. That was when he noticed some more clues on what was happening. The pleading, the tearing up eyes, the small trembling of Pinkie's body. Zedin didn't like the feeling that they manifested inside his body. It felt, bad. Is this what he would feel whenever he kills someone during the Reawakening? Does he really want live his immortal life like this?

Zedin, confused on what this newfound emotion was, lifted his head back to Pinkie's eyes. "What soul shaming emotion is this you are transferring? Is this the punishment you are bestowing upon me for my past thoughts and actions?"

"It's called guilt. It's what you feel when you regret doing something. Do you regret taking those lives away?"

Zedin gave a sluggish nod. "I do have a bundle of regret from that, but why? Did you manifest that just to spite me? Is there some veil of innocence over your true, malevolent form?"

Pinkie shifted her head back and formed a baffled frown. "What, no! I'd never do that to anypony! You're just feeling that because that's how it works. You don't like what you did, so you regret it."

"So, this regret is of my own volition?"

Pinkie nodded. "It is. You won't have to feel it anymore after you deal with your problem peacefully and without any killing."

Zedin removed the hoof from his chest. "How can I duel against the Mistaken One without destroying him and his followers?"

"You don't have to. You can just ask him to give you a second chance."

"A, second chance?" He shook his head dismissively. "He does not grant second chances. Once he declares me a misguided whelp, that is who I am. Something that was once destined to be by his side but now cast into eternal darkness."

Pinkie waved her eyes across the island landscape and rusted sky. "It's not too dark to be darkness, and I surely know that he'll give one. To show that you've really changed, you gotta act nice and passionate to life. He probably thinks that you're a heartless killer now because of your–" Pinkie shuddered from a flurry of unpleasant thoughts "–cleansing, so seeing you as the complete opposite would give him second thoughts on punishing you again."

Zedin's mouth curved a couple degrees into a smile. "That, might work. Watching the monstrous whelp he cast away reemerge as a reformed victim of their own ignorance must alter what he perceives me as. However, what shall he think about my determined children?"

Pinkie cocked her head. "Wait, you're a father? I thought you were alone, though."

"Unlike mortals, I need not a mate to produce offspring. What I done to create my children was collect a few lost souls and grant them physical forms and free will, desires and distastes, interests and talents. Every one of them is unique to some degree."

"Huh." Half of Pinkie's smile returned. "But why're you worrying about what he'll think about them?"

"They are ecstatic and eager for my Reawakening, the time I return to my home universe and retrieve my position as ruler of existence. They have been equipped with weaponry of several eras, and I believe they plan on utilizing them whenever they feel to do so. If this is the case, then they will commit a massacre once they travel with me."

"That's easy to fix. Just tell them to not kill any innocent lives and keep an eye on them."

"I, do not have eyes."

Pinkie smiled a little more. "I didn't mean it like that, silly! I meant that you need to make sure they don't do anything bad. After that, you might want to look for this guy that punished you."

Zedin agreed with a nod. "I see. Also, I have a request for you."

"What is it?" She crept an inch closer to Zedin.

"Would you care to return to this universe with me? If it is where you were from, you can return home. If not, you can guide me as I venture to the Mistaken One."

"Sure!" Pinkie's face was beaming with happiness at this point. "Anything for a new friend!"

Zedin softly scraped his long digits on his chin. "A, friend? What do you mean?"

"I mean that we're close enough to like each other! You like me, right?"

"You do exhibit a cloud of likability. For one, you ease my rage and replace it with bliss. You also brew an urge in me to–"

"Do something like this?" Pinkie wrapped her forelegs around Zedin's chest and nuzzled her head into his neck. Zedin couldn't help but freeze from the sudden action. He lowered his head at Pinkie's fuzzy body, specifically her mane, and surrendered his body to her. The feeling that derived from her supposed to be squeezing hug was both warm from her body temperature and warm from the emotions it produced. Zedin felt much, much more relaxed and eased than ever in his immortal life.

After about six more seconds, he succumbed to his emotions and wrapped his two arms around Pinkie's body. Not only did this increase his happiness by tenfold, it also felt, right. He wanted, no, needed this embrace. Nothing that ever existed or interacted with him shown as much affection as this little pony humming into him merrily. His mind drifted away from the chain maces, muskets, rapiers, uzis, and crossbows his children desperately wanted to use in battle and soared into tranquil waters and content plains.

Pinkie lifted her head from Zedin and stared up at him with a cute pair of eyes. "Did you ever know that your body feels like a comfy pillow? It's like I can lay on you and get a good night's rest just from how soft you are."

"Uh, thank you," Zedin replied awkwardly. "I never suspected that my form was perfect for mortal naps."

"Welp, it is!" Pinkie tightened her grip around Zedin. Since it wasn't inducing any pain and seemed rude to dismiss, he allowed her to continue. "Aren't, you going to tell me to let go?"

"For the sake of progress, I would tell you, but I dare not to disturb your state of mind."

"You can tell me to whenever you want. It doesn't hurt my feelings."

That was when Zedin unwrapped his arms around her and nudged her forelegs off his body. "You can cease your constricting, now."

Pinkie unwrapped from him and returned to standing on all fours. Her eyes swooped across the landscape and back to Zedin. "So, where do we go? How do we go?"

"This realm is difficult for grounded mortals to traverse. I could modify where these islands are if that is what you prefer."

"So, kinda like giant steppingstones? Sure!"

Zedin ascended above Pinkie's island and manifested a cloudy hand of darkness. The hand grabbed the island concealing her and lowered it enough to be accessed by a simple jump. She hopped onto the island and waited for the next one. He then shifted the island over to a long collection stretching back to the original fortress. She hopped onto one of the islands in the collection and followed Zedin back to his fortress.

]———————————————————<>———————————————————[

One of the creatures inside the fortress hacked a longsword at a piece of stone impatiently. "When is Lord Zedin coming back? He's been off to do, whatever, for who knows how long!"

"Be patient," hissed another wearing a British World War I helmet and wielding two scimitars. "He'll be here soon. I can feel it."

"I seriously doubt you can feel it."

"I do think that he's coming, though. Once he does, we'll pillage the Mistaken One's world!"

The scimitar creature clinked his blades together in a semi-rhythmic pattern. The other creatures also fumbled and fiddled with their weapons and armor, waiting for something exciting, like the Reawakening, to start.

The colossal pair of doors in the fortress's front wall burst open and slammed into the walls next to them. Two figures approached the now silent crowd of armed creatures. One figure was, of course, Zedin. The other figure caused most of the creatures to widen their eyes, almost drop their weapons, and tilt their heads. In only three seconds, all of the creatures paid attention to the second figure instead of their own lord.

By Zedin stood a curious Pinkie Pie, her eyes traveling through the crowd and absorbing the sights of the weapons, armor, and mouthless faces. She kept a beaming smile for that entire period which confused some of the creatures and encouraged a few murmurs as a response.

"What the unholy hell is that thing?" One creature with a laser sniper rifle whispered to another.

"I'm as clueless as you are," the other responded.

Another creature in the back of the crowd swung a mace over his left shoulder. "Is this thing even native to this realm?"

"Why is it so happy?" a creature in a Confederate suit proclaimed.

"I'm guessing these are your children, right?" Pinkie turned her head to Zedin.

"Your estimate is correct," he answered. He waved a hand from one side of the crowd to the other. "They are all of my creation."

"Um, Lord Zedin," one of the creatures started with an inquisitive tone, "what is that thing doing here, and why are you talking to it?"

"This 'thing' as you call it is named Pinkie Pie. She has recently stumbled upon our realm by accident."

"Pinkie Pie..." mumbled a creature with spiked plate armor and a bat with hundreds of nails in it. "That's the absolute fuckin' stupid name I've ever heard. What about her's so special to you?"

Pinkie directed a minute scowl at the spiked creature. "Now that's just rude! My name isn't stupid!"

"Like hell it isn't."

"Enough with the meaningless insults," ordered a mildly irritated Zedin. "Now, I have discovered that there is the possible chance of unwarranted casualties if we commence our attacking once we leave this realm. As a result, we will demean ourselves in front of the Mistaken One and be cast back to this realm or another with tighter chains around our wrists."

"Wait, I thought we were overthrowing the Mistaken One, not pleasing him," argued one of the creatures.

"That is our primary goal, but remember, we have little power, and he and his followers have pure omnipotence."

Pinkie studied Zedin with narrowed eyes. "I thought that you were going to not overthrow him," she whispered.

Zedin leaned over to her and whispered, "I am refraining from overthrowing him. My words exist to please my children." He returned to the creatures after Pinkie replied with a returning smile. "If we were to show ourselves as a dire threat, it is certain that we will be discovered and punished. And, if I am discovered as malevolent, there will be no Lord Zedin to lead all of you."

A creature kicked at the dusty ground. "Well, what do we do to regain power?"

"We must earn this power by utilizing a positive reputation. If I rebuild my reputation with the Mistaken One, I may regain my power and provide all of you with a paradise."

"Alright, sounds possible," mused a creature with a flintlock pistol, "but how will you rebuild your reputation?"

Zedin pondered that for a few seconds. "That, that is something I must discover later. For now, we return to my home universe." He turned to Pinkie and nudged his head towards the grand doorway. "Come with me. I would prefer to escape this realm before my children explore the universe themselves. Also, Deronno, I require your presence!"

In less than five seconds, Deronno was standing next to him. "What is it you need, Lord Zedin?"

"Can you prevent the rest of my children from entering the Universal Gateway until I say otherwise? They might forge some bad sentiment with the Mistaken One's followers if they are left unattended in my universe."

"Anything for you, Lord Zedin. They'll stay here until you tell me so. Also, did you notify the others?"

Zedin slapped his face and grunted. "Ah, yes, the others. Do bring them to this fortress whenever it is possible."

Deronno marched back into the crowd and spat a multitude of orders to the other creatures. As they lost their focus on their lord and the pony, Pinkie and Zedin began their small trek to the entrance of the universe.

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After about two minutes and some island hopping and changing of direction, the duo reached the Universal Gateway. It was held together with a metal ellipse with some bolts fastened into it. A conical base supported the elliptical frame and provided a set of steps. Inside of the frame swirled a murky dark blue and cyan soup with some unidentifiable images warping and sloshing with the movements of the colors. A small control panel beside the stairs held a couple levers, knobs, and buttons on its top. It also had a small screen that presented coordinates and a keypad to its right.

Zedin held a hand up to the swirling and humming vortex. "So, here it is, the Universal Gateway. This will either lead you to your homeworld or anywhere else we both never knew existed. Are you ready to venture through to the other side?"

"Yup," Pinkie replied with cheer still in her words. "No matter what happens through this thing, I'll stick with you till you reach this guy."

"I believe you cannot stick onto me."

"I meant that I'll stay with you no matter what!" Pinkie giggled a little to herself. "How do you not get that?"

Zedin shrugged. "Maybe I am not of your exact culture. Anyway, it is time we depart to my universe."

Zedin and Pinkie Pie approached the vortex at a steady pace. They climbed the metal stairs and stepped over the metal floor, Pinkie's heart beating a little faster with every foot advanced. Once they were inches from the soupy blues, they took one last step into the soup. In less than a millisecond, their bodies dissolved into the blue and to wherever was on the other side of the portal. Not a single particle of them remained in the Realm of Souls.