I sighed and looked over the massive city of Canterlot. It was so different from how I remembered it. The wall that once surrounded the city was little more than a tourist attraction now, the library had been torn down and rebuilt with much more glass, and the architecture... it reminded me of Manehatten. Old Manehatten. What was it now, Neigh York?
An old memory stirred. Massive skyscrapers reaching into oblivion, people rushing about from place to place, eating ice cream by the Brooklyn Bridge. I sighed and looked even further, past Canterlot. Ponyville was different, even. Like how the human world's city of Canterlot was, before... So much had changed in only 1000 years. Was this how Artemis felt?
I heard a clip clack clop clack behind me and smiled. I turned around and saw a very familiar draconequus with a messy pink and white mane. Paradox shook his head. "The calendar said you'd come back today, but I hardly believed it. Do you have any idea how annoying Ebullient can get when she can't bother you? Uhg. Also, in case you ever visit the Everfree Forest soon, watchout for the jaydogs."
I laughed with tears in my eyes. "What are jaydogs?"
Paradox leaned against the window next to me. "Ebullie decided that puppies and chicks would be even cuter together, so she made them even cuter by putting them together." He looked over at me and gave a sage nod. "They are very cute."
I chuckled and embraced him. "I'll believe it when I see it. How have things been? Other than 'chaotic', I mean. We haven't had much time to catch up since..." I shrugged.
Paradox smiled sadly, but quickly hid it with a wide grin. "Disorderly. The Crystal Empire founded a couple new cities and recently renamed its capital to Crystopolis, so that's a thing. Authentic is freaking out, trying to get everything sorted. I think he forgot your 'vacation' was scheduled to end this year. The brothers are still gone, so... no new news there. Ebullie is still freaking out over being a princess. I don't get it, she's decades older than me, yet she is still afraid of being important."
I snorted. "Takes after her father, I guess." We both stared at the horizon. "Do you think I should talk to the Bearers? I mean, Artemis hardly talked to us, back in the day. Should I talk to them, would that be strange? 'Oh, hi there, remember when I tried to erase reality, and you stopped me?' I feel like it would be too awkward."
Paradox stood on his hooves and wrapped a claw around me. "Dad, if I have learned anything from mom, it's that awkward is in your blood. That means I only got blood from mom, since I am a grade-A smooth-talker." He looked over at me and grinned, showing a long fang.
I gave him a half-lidded stare. Dox coughed. "Okay, maybe I got a little awkward from you. Yeah, I think you should talk to them. At least Magic. Tell her about when you had that big crown thingy that mom always joked about."
"Yeah, alright. Do you know where I can find her?" I began creating a spell to search for the Element of Magic's energy.
Dox stood upright, cracked his claws outwards, then held up two fingers. I just barely told him not to dare as he snapped them, a clear and sharp sound ringing out. In a flash of purple light, a very surprised pegasus appeared next to me.
She had a charcoal grey coat, snow white mane, and iridescent tail. Her cutie mark was a starburst-shaped prism with six different colored beams of light exiting it. Her eyes were an electric blue. She looked at Paradox and began to let out a long breath, like the squeal of a deflating balloon. Then she looked up at me, leaned back, and let out even more air.
Dox rolled his eyes, but was disappointed when snakes crawled out of them. He put them back in his head and grabbed the Element of Magic by the shoulder. "Perfect Prism, meet Dusk Shine. Prince of Sky, former Element of Magic. Dusk, meet Perfect Prism. She's working on a type of record that uses crystals to record data, instead of grooves or magic. She calls it a crystal disk, CD for short."
Prism slowly sat down, covered her eyes with her wings, and quietly squeaked.
Paradox laughed. "Classic Prism. Well, I've got princely things to do right now, like helping Ebullie make more chimeras, so see-yah!" He snapped two finger guns at me, then disappeared. A moment later, he popped back in. "Actually, dad, meet me at Crystopolis tonight for dinner and catch-up. I won't tell Authentic or Ebullie about you until then, so it will be a surprise." He clicked his tongue, shrugged, then flashed away.
I turned to Prism, who was still cowering away from me. I sat down next to her and laid my wing on her back. "Forgive him, Paradox has a tendency to act before he thinks. But, I will admit, you being here might be partially my fault. You see, I wanted to talk to you, so I asked Dox where you were. He brought you to me, instead of bringing me to you." I looked down at her and was pleased to see her a little less tense.
She was still afraid, however.
I sighed and took my wing off her back. "I know that the last time we met each other was... less than pleasant, but I was not myself at that time. I am here now, able and wanting to meet you. Would you care to walk with me? I want you to see something."
Prism slowly nodded and stood. She didn't talk much, did she? I began leading her down the hall. "As you might have heard Paradox say, I was once the Element of Magic, like you. We even have similar cutie marks to prove that." I lifted my wing to show her my starburst. Her eyes widened.
"A wise man once said that if one forgets to record past events, they are doomed to repeat. I don't think that's entirely true. I believe that, regardless of if it's recorded or not, history will always repeat. I was not the first Element of Magic, you are not the last. There are countless others, past and future, that will bear this starburst."
Prism stared at my mark, then hers, and then at my face. When she caught me looking back, she bowed her head. We turned a corner. "I knew a friend, once, who prefered to let her actions speak for her. All you could ever get from her was an 'eyup', or 'enope'. But, whenever she did decide to speak... Everyone listened because they knew she had something to say." I smirked. "Words are, in my not-so-humble-opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it."
Prism paused for a moment, pondered, then rushed back beside me. We eventually came to a plain wall, void of ornament. I touched it with my horn, and it shimmered and disappeared to reveal two massive double doors. Five old, beloved emblems surrounded a gold circular lock with an amethyst cut as a starburst upon it. Prism gasped at the grand sight of the shrine's entrance.
"In here is where I used to spend my loneliest hours. I'm not sure why, but I felt that you needed to see it." I lit my horn, and charged the amethyst with magic. The lock spun, popped out, and the doors swung forwards. Inside was a magnificent, and sacred, shrine to the five greatest ponies I had ever met.
Statues perfectly matching their likeness stood atop pedestals that bore colored gems. Behind them were stained glass windows illustrating them. Pillars rose to the ceiling, obscuring colored glass of various shapes and symbols. To the right was an altar with lit candles, and old photos. There was no dust, cracks, or any wear thanks to enchantments placed long ago.
I watched as Prism stepped forwards, turned about, and took the room in. She spoke in a quiet, reverent voice. "What is this place?"
I laid onto a large tile mosaic of the Element of Magic on the floor, and motioned for her to do the same. "Remembrance. I built this place to remember the five ponies who made me who I am. I was a very different pony back then."
We looked at the statues for a time. Prism looked over at me. "Is immortality lonely?"
I flinched and looked at her with wide eyes. Prism, fearing she had said something wrong, shrunk back. "I'm sorry, that was--"
I held up a hoof to quiet her. I smiled with a few tears in my eyes. "It's alright, the question was just unexpected. Yes, it is lonely. Even with my family beside me in eternity, it is a pain I would never wish on another."
Prism looked to the floor, then back to my Bearers. "Can you tell me about them? Maybe tell me... tell me about when you became an alicorn. Prince Paradox said you were a unicorn when you were young, but you had to get your wings."
I nodded. "I will happily share that story with you. I first ascended in the year 2 P.R. I had just received a spell by the old mage, Starswirl the Bearded. Now, that may sound like a stallion's name, but Starswirl was actually a mare. She believed that if she disguised herself as a stallion, ponies would take her research more seriously. That, and she was a little silly in the head."
Prism chuckled. "That night I received the spell, I accidentally cast it. You see, incantation spells had gone out of style centuries, millennia even, before I was born. When I read the spell out loud, it cycled the Elements of Harmony around. What was once Loyalty became Kindness, Laughter became Honesty, Generosity became Loyalty. This, in turn, switched the entire lives and destinies of the Bearers. My Kindness, Butterscotch, never became a caretaker of animals, and became a not-so-successful comedian instead."
Perfect Prism looked at the appropriate statues as I said their Elements. She looked at me. "That would be scary. If Gracie suddenly became a Squad Leader in the CMC program... well, Gracie wouldn't last a day in the 'wild' as she'd call it."
I looked down to her. "Gracie? Is she one of your Elements?"
Prism nodded. "Gracie is the Element of Kindness. She's a counselor in Ponyville, possibly the best in Equestria. She just kinda... gets ponies, you know? You walk into her office and she immediately knows how to help you. Ponies sometimes just walk in, cry their hearts out for an hour, then walk out free of their troubles."
I smiled. "I think I understand. I know it isn't my business, but... you sound like you've been in her office."
Prism gave a grim smirk. "Once. After spending years trying to allow the telegraph to send more than just simple signals, I created a device that could send audio over a wire. But, a week before I perfected the design, some unicorn released a version of it that used magic. Simpler, clearer, and long-distance." She threw a hoof in the air. "My life's work became obsolete overnight. A few friends of mine had mentioned Gracie before, so I decided to visit her, and rant about Graham Bell and his magiphone."
We were quiet for a moment.
"Sorry, I got us side tracked there." Prism stated simply. "Please continue your story."
I cleared my throat. "Anyways, my Bearers were all scrambled. After wallowing in despair, blaming myself for their issues, I realized that I could... restart their destinies by getting them to be who they once were. One heartsong later, my Bearers were reunited with their Elements, and life was back to normal. But I still needed to finish the spell. I reflected upon my experience, applied it to Starswirls spell, and cast it. As soon as I placed the last period on the spell, the Elements fired beams of light of me, and I found myself in a most peculiar place."
I took hold of Perfect Prism in my wing and cast a spell. The world dissolved around us, giving way to a vast field of lavender clouds and stars. "Any being, once it obtains enough magic, can access a spirit realm of sorts. I was in Prince Solaris' spirit realm. It's very similar to this one, but blue and much brighter. Solaris showed me a series of episodes from my life that shaped me into the pony I am. Once we had recounted those years of my life, he told me that I was ready to 'fulfil my destiny', and sent me back to Equestria with these wings." I rustled the wings on my back, which Prism stared at.
I smiled and returned to the normal realm. "But, wings and royal title beside, I was more different a pony when I returned to Equestria than when I talked to Solaris. Because, a long way away, in an entirely different world, something awful had just happened." I looked over at Prism, who was watching with rapt anticipation, and smirked. "I had just died."
A police lieutenant sighed as he looked over the scene of the accident. He looked over at another officer, who was writing something down on a clipboard. The road was a mess. Twisted metal was strewn about, glass peppered the ground like the fine sand of a beach, and various liquids leaked from what used to be vehicles.
Officer Kendrick looked back, and nodded. “Lieutenant Adams, glad to see you finally join the party. You were pushing the limits of ‘fashionably late,’ you know.”
Adams shot a glare at Kendrick, who didn’t notice. “No jokes, not now. I was in the middle of something personal when I got the call and had to finish up. Any official word on the number of casualties?”
Kendrick sighed, and pulled a slip off of his clipboard. “Sorry for trying to lighten the mood.” He mumbled. “Here you go, sir.”
Adams looked over the paper in dismay. Five deaths: One drunk driver named Robert Martin, and three minors named Keith Burnham, Evan Foster, and Taggart Mills. The anthropologist Dr. Stanley Poole was also in the crash, on the way to an awards ceremony.
Kendrick raised his hand, and Adams waved for him to start. “Some of the people in the crash say that the truck driver jerked to the left, into the minors’ car. Both turned and began rolling, which was the cause of their deaths. The doctor was killed when he turned to dodge the wreckage, and collided with the barrier.”
Both officers sighed. Adams handed the paper back, and rubbed his brow. “Any word with families yet?”
“We’re working through the list.”
Adams nodded solemnly. “Whatever life exists after this one, I hope those kids have it good and cozy. Nobody should have to die like that.
======
I opened my eyes with a start, and began coughing violently. I stared in confusion as a few golden flower petals came out, then floated lazily onto the grass below me. I blinked. I was not supposed to be in a grass field, I was supposed to be home, enjoying a show about pastel ponies in the magical land of Equestria!
With a groan, I pushed myself to my knees, and looked around. The field around me stretched on for as long as I could tell, which was worrying. Then I looked up.
Though the grass was lit as if noonday, the sky was dark, and dotted with stars. Some were the typical white dot, but some were blue, some red, purple, green, and gold. Even though it was a strange sight, I could not help but be awed by the multitude of lights before him.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I jumped and looked towards the voice. A woman was standing there, looking to the air. The mystery woman was dressed in a long, royal purple gown that came from one of her shoulders like a toga. She had bands of purple and teal gems around her wrists and neck. I glanced down and noted with some surprise that she was barefoot. Her hair was long and wavy, with strands errantly sticking out in places. The hair was a dark brown, but the edges had a faint purple tint. The woman looked over at me, making me gasp.
The woman’s irises were a glowing turquoise. She smiled and held out a hand. “Sorry for scaring you, I have a bad habit of suddenly showing up to things. Evan Foster, hello. My name is Magic, I’m your goddess.”
I blinked and shook Magic’s hand. “What? What happened? Where am I?”
Magic squinted. “Uh, a drunk driver fell asleep at the wheel, crashed into you, and killed your car full of friends. This is the Field, an endless nexus of all things that are, can be, and ever will be. Anything you can think of is accessible here.”
“I’m dead?” I pressed my hands to my head.
Magic nodded. “As a doornail. However, your life doesn’t have to end right now. I can give you a new one, far more interesting than your previous, needn’t-be-detailed-at-the-moment-life. What do you say? A better, more exciting life, or a one way ticket to whatever eternity you subscribe to?”
I pondered the question. Either would be nice. “You said I can see anything here?”
“Yep. Everything from your nextdoor neighbor to the universe containing the person writing this story, everything is visible.”
I decided to ignore that second sentence entirely. “Then, can I see my family?”
Magic blinked in surprise, then shrugged. We were inside of my home, watching my parents, sister, and brother talk with a police officer. They were in tears.
I turned to Magic. “Maddie wanted to be a scientist when she grew up. Did she get her wish?”
Magic squinted, then smiled. “Yep. While she herself doesn’t discover anything groundbreaking, her great-great-great-great grandson, Eden Smith, becomes the pioneer of technology, and unlocks to the key to manipulating the world. Because of him, Earth takes off to the stars, and becomes allies with many planets, cultures, and species.”
“Whoa. What about Riley? He wanted to be a cop when he grew up.”
“This was the day he decided on that goal. In seeing how kind and helpful Lieutenant Adams was after your death, he gained a firm determination to be the nicest police officer. Because of his public speeches, and eventual work with the government, he became one of the most renowned public speakers for his words on peace.”
I nodded. “I would like to keep living. I can’t let my siblings show me up, right? I’ve got to do something good with my life.”
Magic smiled warmly. “Of course. A life in a sibling’s shadow is no way to live.” She frowned. “Seriously, my brother sticks his nose in everything. Probably watching us right now.”
I huh’d. “Will I remember any of this?”
The goddess nodded. “Yep, every word. When you get to your new life, you’ll have a roommate. I want you to promise me that you will work together with him, it will make everything eternally better.”
I smiled. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Magic winked. “Good one. Say hi to Sully when you get there!”
I hardly had time to frown in confusion before everything disappeared into purple light.
======
A flurry of emotions flooded my mind as I thought back to my encounter with Prince Solaris…
No. I remembered speaking to Magic about choosing a new life.
Both of my minds steadied ourselves and lowered my head in confusion. We stretched out our limbs and groaned.
Six gasps sounded as I felt two unfamiliar limbs extend, and catch the breeze. I opened my eyes, and stared at my friends, and my idols.
Evan Foster, Dusk Shine, my own newly-ascended self blurted out “What just happened?” then promptly collapsed.
I opened my eyes, and groaned as my headache tripled with the harsh glare of the magical lighting above. Magical lighting? I forced my eyes to open further, and take in the room around me. I heard voices hush each other as I stirred.
The ceiling was green, and the walls are blue, which seemed a little backwards to me. The ground should be down, not up. I turned my head to the side, and saw six familiar faces looking at me worriedly.
It took me a moment to realize that I was staring at the Elements of Harmony, and Spike. It took me another moment to realize that they were all colts, and a... female dragon. Huh.
Butterscotch was crouched on the ground, looking at me through the part in his hair. Applejack was easily the largest of them all, similar to Big Mac, and wore his signature yolk and stetson. Bubble Blast was, surprisingly, not bouncing in place, but staring at me with a big smile. Rainbow Blitz was hovering slightly off the ground, and smirking at me. His eyebrows were more reminiscent of Phoenix Wright’s brows, instead of their original lightning bolt design. Elusive somehow had even more curls in his mane and tail than Rarity, and Barb was sitting on the end of my bed.
I pointed a hoof towards them. Whatever I was going to say was cut off as I stared at my lavender hoof in suprise. Then I looked at the Mane 6, then at my hoof. Right. I’m Evan Shine, the Element of Magic.
Dusk Foster?
Dusker? Nope, definitely not. Dusk Shine would do, since I was in his body and territory.
I quickly combed my somewhat confusing memories, and whistled. This was gonna be strange. I looked back at my new wings, and said the first thing that came to mind.
“Great. All my fanfictions and Ogres and Oubliettes characters are self-inserts now. Thanks, M.A. Larson.”
Rainbow spoke worriedly. “Dusk, dude, are you feeling alright?”
I looked at him and nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’m just processing. I’m an alicorn now. Who woulda guessed?”
Elusive shook his head, causing his curls to bounce side to side. “I certainly couldn’t imagine this happening. I didn’t even know it was possible.”
I blinked as knowledge came from two sets of memories at once. “Prince Authentic was a pegasus, once. He had to earn his place as an alicorn and prince.”
Butterscotch raised a hoof. “Does this mean that you’re a prince now, as well?”
Prince Solaris walked through the door just in time to answer the question. His flowing mane and tail were, instead of the bright colors of the aurora borealis, the rich oranges, reds, and yellows of a setting sun. “This does indeed mean that Dusk is a prince.”
They all bowed at his presence, as I considered the ramifications of this news. Half of me was completely new to Equestria, including being a pony, and the other half was completely frightened by the idea of having to order random ponies around.
Bubble gasped, and held up a hoof. “Wait just a moment!” He quickly drank, and spit out a glass of water. “What!?”
I blinked. “Me, an alicorn prince?”
Solaris nodded. “Since coming to Ponyville, you’ve displayed the charity, compassion, devotion, integrity, and optimism, and of course, the true leadership of a prince.”
“So… I won’t get to be your student? Anymore, I mean? Not that I want to be a student forever, it’s always nice to graduate, but I feel like I’m kinda new to this whole thing still, and suddenly becoming a prince isn’t the best way for me to graduate. Why not give me a nice plaque, or send me off into a parallel universe where everyone is evolved from apes, instead of horses, in order to find a lost magical artifact?”
Everyone stared. “I’m just saying, going from above average student to royalty feels like a big jump.”
Solaris chuckled. “We don’t have to give you any major responsibilities immediately, we can ease you into the position.”
I held up a hoof, and shook it at Solaris. “That is wonderful, since I... I just saw my entire life flash before my eyes, twice, and I realized that I should probably, most assuredly make more of my life. I have spent the majority of my life in a library reading about things that thousands of ponies have already read, and gushing over things that are little more than temporary entertainment. I mean, forget that! I wanna be something, go somewhere, do something, I want things to change. And I’ve got a whole grocery list of things to start.”
They all raised their eyebrows. Elusive waved his hoof. “Really? Er, what sort of things do you have in mind?”
I gave a wide grin. “Oh. Oh, it’s going to be so good. First order of business, find out how we grab things.” They all suddenly blinked, and looked at their hooves. “I mean, think about it, that doesn’t bother you? I mean, I have a few hypotheses on how we grab things, the most prominent being a field of magic that extends from our hooves, allowing ponies like Oct... Octavius to play the cello with two flat blocks of keratin.”
I then grabbed the blanket covering me with a hoof, and threw it aside, standing atop my bed. “Two! I want to learn to play an instrument. Preferably both the guitar and piano, then I want to figure out how to use magic to augment both. I know that...” I thought a name over. Really, it’s still Vinyl Scratch?
“Anyways, I know that Vinyl Scratch uses his magic to make his and Octavius’ music sound the way it does. Third! I want to figure out everything about other universes. I want to know how to hold a portal open, communicate between said universes, and how to find new universes to travel to.”
Solaris gave me a questioning look, while still looking amused by my mannerisms. “Why do you want to know that?”
“Just a hunch. I have a feeling that knowing how to open a portal outside of it’s usual scheduled time will solve a great deal of problems.”
Solaris sighed, and tilted his head. “I myself haven’t looked into that, but perhaps you may be able to work something out.”
It was quiet for a moment. I hopped off the bed, and smiled wide. “Well, what are we waiting for? I’ve got new wings, a new outlook on life, and an entire sky to explore! Who’s up for helping me fly?”
Blitz was just about to shout out as Solaris held out a hoof. “We will be able to go over that, in time, but for now, you still need to rest. You were collapsed for almost half a day after your ascension.”
I blinked. “What do you mean? We feel fine. I feel fine. What would we be looking for?”
At this point the previously-unacknowledged Nurse Redhoof stepped into the conversation. He obviously looked like Redheart, but with actual red hooves. “Mostly just for some unprecedented studies. The last time a pony ascended, that being Prince Authentic, our technology was hardly advanced enough to make any real studies.”
I nodded. “Alright, I can understand that.” I put my hooves together in front of my face, and inhaled. “Boys, Barb, does anypony know why I fainted after I came out of... wherever I was? I don’t think that should have happened.”
Redhoof turned his head. “That’s part of the reason you’re here as well. After you collapsed, Solaris wanted to be able to monitor you, as ascending is a very taxing process on the body.”
Really, it’s actually called ascending here? One more thing that the Evan part of me wants to figure out. Dusk, however, wants to know what exactly this process entails. New magic, more body, and nigh-immortality, but what else? I thought to myself.
I clapped my hooves together, and slowly made my way back into the bed. The heart rate monitor, as well as a couple other devices, clicked back on as I settled in.
It was silent, and kind of awkward for a moment as we all considered the massive implications of the wings on my back. I nodded with wide eyes, and clicked my tongue. “I am an alicorn prince, in Equestria.” I nodded again. “Wow.”
During the rest of that day, and the next, Redhoof, Doctor Stable, and Solaris all carefully monitored me, and did various tests on my magic, size, and wing responsiveness. Honestly, if I was Dusk Shine, 100%, I would have loved the whole thing, and would have gleefully participated.
But instead, I was a strange amalgamation of two minds: neither Evan, nor Dusk, but somepony completely new. When I finally got done with the tests, I stepped outside, the Mane Six and Barb by my side.
At that moment, I was was both terrified, and excited for what the past had to offer. Since I knew that Evan’s family was fine without him, I had no ties to my past. As far as I was concerned, I had a second chance at both my lives. Evan’s was cut short, Dusk’s was spent inside a library. I was going to do neither.
And so, I set out to the first stop of my new life. The library.
