I'm Jack Diamond. I am, or was, an ordinary eighteen year old human. It's a long story. I guess you'll want to hear it. So pay attention I hate repeats and we don't have time to tell it more than once. I'm gonna tell this from my point of view.
“Come on Jack. It's just Equestria. You'll like it. I promise.” My little sister says in that annoying pleading voice I hate so much.
“You know I hate that stupid show. It's for children and idiot men.” I reply.
“I'm fourteen years old Jack.” She says indignantly.
“Which is still within the female target range of the show Kayley. You'll still be a fan when you're 40 which isn't surprising.” I say. “I guess mom did say I had to watch you though so as much as I don't like it I'll go with you.” I add relenting.
“It's not like the show.” She says as we step through the pink, girlish looking portal.
“After that portal you had better be right.” I reply slightly annoyed.
“That's just how it spawns.” She says as we arrive in Ponyville only to find it looking like a deserted wasteland.
“Kayley? Are you sure this is Equestria?” I ask.
“Positive.” She answers and then turns to me with a shocked look on her face. “We need to search for survivors.”
“Agreed.” I say and we take off in the direction of what was once Golden Oaks/Twilight's Crystal Palace.
“What could do this?” Kayley asks after a few hours of searching through the rubble fruitlessly.
“Nothing native to Equestria.” I reply. “I said I hate the show. The fanfics however I rather enjoy and have learned of the capabilities of everybody.” I add after she gives me a confused look. “Nothing could have laid waste to Ponyville like this.” After a few more hours I come across the entrance to Twilight's basement and decide to descend into it.
Kayley follows after me and we head in. What we find there shocks Kayley and surprises me. On a bed in a far corner lays Twilight Sparkle covered in blood with one of her wings broken. I walk over to her and begin examining her wounds. “This is something anyone or anything of sufficient power could have done and tells us nothing of the condition of Ponyville however we still need to tend to her wounds.” I say matter of factly. “Go see if you can get some water. I have a spare cloth and a knife to make bandages.”
“On it.” Kayley replies and goes to look for a bowl or bucket for water.
After a bit Kayley returns with a bucket of water and another rag while I look over Twilight's wounds. “Luckily her horn wasn't broken but whatever did this gave her a major flank kicking.” I say as I begin cleaning her wounds.
“I still can't figure out what happened.” Kayley replied. “I'm gonna go look for others.” I look back at her and nod.
“Be careful kid. Who knows what happened here.” I say.
“I will bro. I'll also go look for weapons.” She answers as she walks out and I tend to Twilight's wounds.
“Damn. These are beginning to get infected. I do so hope Kayley finds Zecora.” While I tend to her wounds Twilight slowly regains consciousness.
“Unnh...What happened?” She asks and looks around. “Who are you? Better yet. What are you?” I smile and continue tending to her wounds.
“Lie still Twilight Sparkle. You're injured. I am Jack Diamond. Since Kayley has been here before you must know her.” I reply. “She's my sister.”
Twilight lays her head back down. “Kayley is a wonderful friend.” She says weakly.
“I don't know what happened here and neither does she. When we got here Ponyville was a wasteland and we went to look for survivors. We chose your library first as it seemed to be the most logical destination and you would have the best idea as to what happened.” I say as I clean her wounds and she winces. “Sorry. We found you like this. Haven't seen anypony else. Kayley is looking for others while I treat your wounds.”
“I-I see.” Twilight replies. “I hope she finds our friends.”
“I do too.” I say in agreement and the conversation lapses into silence. After a bit of time Kayley returns with a pink mare who's mane was unfortunately flat and limp. “Twi. She found Pinkie.” I say and Twilight looks up.
“Good. I didn't want to be the only survivor.” She says and smiles while Pinkie nearly has a freak-out over seeing Twilight.
“Pinkie. Calm down for a bit. She's injured and can't take your antics quite yet.” I say calmly.
“Oh...ok. She's alive and I got really happy. At first I was sooooo sad and depressed thinking I was the only survivor and then Kayley found me and brought me here and then I thought Ohmigosh Twilight's alive and-” I look over to her.
“Pinkie. Babbling.” I say and she calms down.
“Sorry. I get excited easy.” She replies after taking a deep breath.
“Oh I know all about the famous Pinkie Excitement Episodes.” I laugh. “Are you hurt?”
“Me? No. I'm ok. Just a couple cuts from when Sugarcube Corner exploded. The Cakes, thankfully, were out of town so they didn't get hurt.” Pinkie replies.
“Well Pinkie's safe and Twilight's awake. I'm gonna go back out.” Kayley says.
“See if you can find Zecora next. These wounds are infected.” I reply and she nods.
“I doubt our antibiotics would work on a pony and I won't risk bringing a vet here.” She says.
“Agreed.” I nod and she walks back out. “Pinkie come here so I can bandage you up.” I say and she trots over.
“I'm fine really.” She replies.
“Accept the help Pinkie.” Twilight says.
“Ok Twi.” She says and I bandage her up.
“Pinkie if you're ok can you please head over to Sweet Apple Acres. With all those trees and equipment I'm worried about the Apples.” I say.
“Sure Um...” She says with a confused look.
“Jack.” I finish.
“Jack. Right. I'll remember that.” She replies cheerily.
“I'll expect a Pinkie Party when this is all over. Not for me but because we'll have fixed everything. Besides I've never experienced one and Kayley wouldn't shut up about hers.” I say.
“Someone requesting a Pinkie Party? That's new.” Twilight says and I laugh.
“Best get going Pinkie.” I say and she departs with a smile.
“So you're Kayley's older brother?” Twilight asks.
“That I am.” I reply as I set about cleaning her up.
“Do those portals appear often on the planet you're from?” She asks.
“I wish. Maybe then I wouldn't have a shit life.” I respond dryly.
“Why do you think you have a shit life?” Twilight asks.
“My world is shit. Wars non stop, corruption everywhere, your concept of friendship? Merely a tool to advance one's lot in life and use others to get what they want. Love exists but it's fickle and shallow. Oh. And the magick field there is next to non existent. Sure I can pull off a few minor spells and stuff but they are rather weak and always involve either outcome adjustment or weather manipulation.” I say.
“Kayley never told me any of that.” Twilight responds.
“Kayley...ever the optimist. She likes to see the bright side of things. Maybe that's why she could get here. But enough about my complaining. Let's see what my magick can do now that I'm in a world full of it.” I say and begin chanting for a healing spell. After a few moments Twilight starts to glow red and her wounds start closing up. “Looks like my magick works better here.” I comment and sit back while she stands and tries to move around before collapsing.
“My own magick is severely drained. This world is damaged and therefore I cannot use much magick myself. How did you use magick of that caliber?” Twilight asks incredulously.
“You draw off the magick of Equus. I do not. I pull from the cosmos themselves. The stars, sun and moon.” I reply.
“You'd make a great Alicorn.” Twilight comments.
“I wouldn't try to move around too much. The infection is still present but with luck Kayley will have returned with Zecora by now.” I say.
“Luck is on your side then. For Kayley and I have returned my friend.” Zecora comments as she walks in with Kayley.
“What happened to Twilight's wounds?” Kayley asks.
“I cured them with my own spells. Yes I have always practiced magick and here it's more powerful than ever.” I reply.
“He isn't so good with infections it seems.” Twilight says. “Think you can help Zecora?”
“Infections like this I can cure with ease. Unfortunately I cannot cure my own disease.” Zecora replies and gets to work with her potions.
“What disease do you have Zecora?” I ask.
“A disease of the heart. I have had it from my start. My parents had it and it laid them low. Now they rest in the earth below.” Zecora replies and I begin casting a spell on her to take a look at her heart.
“You have a weakened heart. Probably from a foalhood illness. It does not seem to be genetic but with medicine the way it is in your society I can see why this disease has taken hold of you.” I say and she looks over to my with a glare. “I'm not mocking your society Zecora. Just pointing out that poultices and salves can't cure genetic diseases. However I can and will.”
“I thank you for your care but right now I am no worse for wear.” Zecora replies and gets back to work.
“Unless your heart is fixed or replaced you will die early. I'd rather you die from old age than drown in your own fluids. That's what would happen years down the line. Your lungs would fill with fluid and you'd die.” I say and begin gathering the energy needed. “Pay attention Twilight this is cosmic magick.”
“Power of the stars hear my call
Lend me your energy both large and small
An ailment of the heart I seek to cure
To heal one who's soul is pure.
Power of the stars descend
Bring about entropy's end
No more will they suffer and ail
ORDER AND LIGHT WILL NOW PREVAIL
I WHO CONTROL THE COSMOS CALL TO THEE
SEND YOUR POWER UNTO ME!”
White starlight shines down through a hole in the basement and engulfs me. I begin glowing with a pure white light and when I open my eyes they are no longer human eyes but instead are filled with stars and galaxies. I begin condensing the energy into my hand and lay it on Zecora's side before filling her with it and repairing her heart and any other diseases contained within her body.
“That was alicorn level magick greater than Celestia herself can wield.” Twilight says in awe.
“My heart is cured.” Zecora says after getting up having forgotten her rhyming for a moment. I begin floating for a moment before releasing the energy back into the cosmos and collapsing.
“Damn. That takes a lot out of me.” I say panting and Kayley hands me a glass of water. “Thanks sis.” I take a drink and sit back. “Humans weren't meant to use that level of power. Our bodies aren't built for it but extenuating circumstances called for it.”
“And here I was blowing off your lessons thinking you were insane when you have that kind of power.” Kayley laughs.
“I am insane but that's beside the point. Maybe now you'll pay attention when I teach Twilight considering she has that look on her face.” I say nonchalantly.
“How did you know this look means I want to learn something?” Twilight asks.
“Because I used to have that same look when I learned something new. Now though my world bored me and I rarely made that face.”
“But knowledge is everything.” Twilight says incredulously.
“Learning new things is also fun but not when most everything has been discovered and dumbed down so the idiots of our race could learn too.” I retort.
“Well...That's true.” Twilight relents.
“Ah saw that whole display.” A new voice says from the doorway. “What was that?”
“That was Jack wielding power greater than Celestia to heal Zecora.” Pinkie replies walking in after Applejack.
I cast my healing spell on AJ and sit back. “Names Jack Diamond. Kayley's older brother.” I say. I then begin weaving a spell over the entrance to the basement and the hole in the ceiling to heal any who pass through. “We'll need to get looking for the others.”
“Well you can go looking if you want I'm exhausted.” Kayley replies. “Everfree is gone. Zecora's tree is too. Luckily she got out when she did.”
“What was the state of the forest?” I ask.
“Ashes. It's like the whole place just caught fire. Discord could probably pull this off but I don't think he would.” Kayley responds.
“Discord wouldn't kill things as dead things are boring.” I say. “You all stay here. I am going to have a look around myself. Something felt off about the cosmos when I used them to heal Zecora.”
“Be careful Jack. I don't need a dead brother right now. Not when we're in this mess.” Kayley says before hugging me.
“I'm not gonna get hurt sis. I promise.” I reply after hugging her back. I then walk out and decide to have a look around Ponyville. What I see surprises me but not too much as I expected this kind of damage. I then look up into the sky and find it completely empty even though there is light. “Oh dear gods. Celestia...No.” I say and run back inside. “Something happened to Celestia and Luna. The sun and moon are gone. That's what's wrong with the cosmos. You all stay here and find the others. Get fixed up then meet me in Canterlot.”
“Celestia and Luna?” Kayley asks. “That's not good.” She gets up and walks over to me. “You help them. Make them better.”
“I will Kay. I'm gonna heal them. Then I'm gonna find whatever did this and beat it until there's nothing left but a greasy smear on my fist.” I say and walk outside before setting up runes, wards and sigils to protect the basement. I then cast a final shield spell over the town itself to keep out all with ill intent before gathering the power of the cosmos again. “Cosmic Teleportation.” I say and teleport off to Canterlot. As soon as I arrive I'm surrounded by guards with their spears aimed at me. I walk past them completely ignoring their existence.
“In the name of the princess we command you to stop!” One of them shouts and I turn around for a moment.
“The princess is who I'm here to see. Both of them so unless thou wishes to be the target of our ire thou had best be on thy way.” I say noticing my voice taking on the dialect of the old equestrians. I then turn and walk off toward the remnants of the castle. “Thou had better be alive Celestia, Luna for thy health is our greatest concern.”
After a while and more guards coming after me only to be ignored I finally arrive at the castle. A winged shadow passes over me and lands in front of me and I look up for a moment. “Thou had better have a good reason for getting in our way Mi Amore Cadenza.” I say.
“You're here to see Aunts Celestia and Luna right?” She asks and I nod. “Follow me.” She walks off into the castle and I follow her. “The princesses are gravely wounded and are currently both in comas so I have been running things while they recover.”
“We will cure them of their injuries. We currently possess the power of the entirety of the cosmos though our life may soon be over as this energy is consuming our life force by the second.” I say as I walk beside Cadence.
“That isn't good.” Cadence replies. “We'll have to figure out how to fix that.” She leads me to a medical room where both Celestia and Luna reside in their depowered states.
“We shall figure that out later.” I reply and look them both over. I then begin a spell of immense power.
“We are the shadows
We are the light
We now command of thee
Do not give up the fight.
Return to us Beloved Sisters
Come to us now and live here again
So commands The Evermore Rikulaxen.”
Black energy filled with white pinpoints of light floods the room and washes over Celestia, Luna and myself. It begins healing them and transforming me into a midnight black Alicorn with a white mane and tail and eyes which contain stars within each one. Soon after Celestia and Luna begin stirring while I collapse. “We have done it. We have revived you.” I say as Celestia looks over at me.
“Who are you?” She asks and I smile.
“Rikulaxen Evermore.” I reply before losing consciousness.
Author's Note
For anyone who takes issue with the magick usage on this one. I have my own beliefs on magick and the magick system native to the show is horribly lacking in the mechanics and technical department so I made my own.
Enjoy the stuff in my head. Or don't.
