The flames themselves ripped into the sky as the laughter of the flaming like being could be heard across the burning city. Even the very stone that was to hold up the massive castle walls were crumbling and melting from the sheer heat that was seeming to pour off the pony that was ablaze. So bright she was almost as the sun itself. With another pass she swooped down, burning her former citizen's homes, the flames extinguishing all life that would dare stand up to her as they cried out for aid. The other sister watched in horror as she brought forth those who hadn't left her side when she turned to the darkness before.
Her main like the stars and night sky as her gaze was filled with sadness as she looked towards her sister who had gone from what she could see mad. The screams of their citizens filling her mind as she charged forward with the Threstals, bat pony like creatures, flying in after her. Helping her with the charge against her sister. The conflict with even so many seemed to do nothing more than stall as other of the Threstals flew into the flames and helps who they could towards evacuating the city. Some of the pegesi guards were more than willing to defend the blazing princess and would clash head-on with the royal guard of Luna as they continued their fight.
Magic would rip through the sky as the collision would send off shock waves. Shattering the windows that haven't been already destroyed from the intense heat below. She had to hold her off. Just long enough to manage to have everyone escape. This wasn't just a moment for her, it wasn't about her it was about their ponies, the ponies they managed to bond together and unit all those millennia ago. There was, however, one other thing on her mind.
With a glance towards the castles half-melted form, she sensed Sunset's magic for a moment. The newly born alicorn was, for the most part, seeming to try to escape. However, Celestia seemed to have sensed it and left out a bellowing laugh as she managed to teleport towards the castle itself. A pop like sound could be heard as she ripped through space-time and appeared before Sunset and the human male who had come through the timelines warp. No this wasn't the time for them to die.
The pale white fur of Celestia was marked with the scars and wounds that she had sustained all prior to the moment. Her flesh was slowly seeming to close up from the heat around her body. Her golden serpent-like gaze looked down at them before she took a deep breath to breathe out the flames she had used so many times.
“Sister don't!” Luna cried out as she charged forward, “Wings, carry me there fast enough please.” She thought in her mind screaming out as she tried to make her way towards the sister she was about the kill everything if they didn't live. If they couldn't pass the trials placed before them they would doom Equestria and beyond. She could feel it...she could sense it.
A pause? Her sister should have blown out the flames, she should have burned them by now. As fast as she was moving, Luna knew she shouldn't have had been able to get there in time. As she approached she saw that male in black was screaming as he tried to help the other human. Who stood before Celestia's flame. His skin was singing from the fire itself. His gaze fixated on her as he held his hand out towards her. The black garment one pulled at his leg, tugging onto the fabric that was slowly igniting in flames from the sheer intensity of staying before this being of pure plasma and fire.
“HAJIMEEEEE” He screamed out while Sunset let out a massive teleportation spell to bring them far from where they where. His tears and her own the only thing left behind as the brown-haired man coughed. Blood was dripping from his arms as his flesh was being singed from existence in her presence.
They always seemed to surprise her. She may have been mad at Shuichi for him being indirectly the cause of her dear sisters' condition but... “I'll protect thee,” Luna whispered as she focused her thoughts on a magic spell of protection over the brown-haired male. The flames no longer damaging him as she pulled into the night sky. Her sister seemed to still exist in this dark being as she merely approached him. And looked him directly in the eyes. Yes, maybe there was still a chance...but she couldn't win against her sister like this.
*****
“Now, we are looking for a particular flower today.” the white fur pony stated, her voice holding a sort of soft tone as she walked with the 3 other ponies that traveled with her at the moment. Her hair seemed to flow in the wind constantly, her magical energy seeming to irradiate from it causing the greens, blues, and pinks to flow constantly. She had a gold-like crown that seemed to sit under her horn atop the hair, and her massive wings were tucked onto her back. “Mostly because it's in season, but it will also be a good means of teaching you something about figuring out where the next flowers will bloom. As the Everfree forest tends to fall into its own...thoughts to say the least.” She continued. Though it wasn't too boring it seemed for any of the other ponies following her.
“So, we are searching for a flow because it will help with those weird sensations you were feeling?” The orange-like fur one stated. Her hair was a mix of red, orange and yellow. She was the smallest of the 3 who were following the taller white one. She also had a horn but seemed to lack the wings. Her aqua eyes looked perplexed over the thought. Though her face showed some level of fear of the thought of the feelings.
“No need to worry Sunset.” The white one spoke once more before stopping for the moment and looking around. “We are here for now. We'll split into 2 groups. Sunset and I will look over this section of the forest while you two go and deal with the next one we talked about.” She stated and looked longingly at one of the two stallions who nodded. Their armor was what one would expect out of the military of the equestrian army. Though for the most part, they seemed to also be whimsical.
“Why didn't you go with him?” Sunset asked and looked at the white one. “It's fine I could have gone with Lore. That way you would have had some more time alone with your...you know.”
“Sunset. It's not about what I want. But what I have to do. As much as I would love to be with Journey right now, I have to look at what is before me. And that means to be with my student at the moment.” She stated professionally though it was obvious she was more than wanting to be with him.
“Celestia, you know as your student I can tell these things, right? Well if that's what you want to do then it's fine... I guess.” Sunset stated with a smirk on her face as she looked to the ground before her. They were looking for a flower that had 9 petals, all of which would be painted red in color, red like blood. It was from Celestia's vision. Though they are said to grow in these parts of the woods.
Celestia was wandering off to the side herself too. Looking through the bushes when a loud sound could be heard. A pop and a shift as if space-time itself was being torn asunder for a moment. Her face turned to fear as she began to run towards the sound of it. “Journey! Lore!” Celestia screamed out with Sunset fast on her trail.
The scene before them was something out of a horror flick. The bodies of what once was the ponies they had known had painted the area with the red of their innards. Their intestinal tract hanging among the branches from the trees. Bones were scattered about. Piercing the trees nearby, sticking out of the ground and even more so tearing into the occasional mound of flesh or brain matter that was left behind. Laying in what seemed to be this twisted grotesque of a macabre of flesh was two bodies. Human in nature. They seemed to move and twitch. Coughing occasionally as they seemed to be lost from where they were. They would try to push themselves up but for the most part, would slip in the blood and bile that was left on the ground from their sudden appearance.
They were both covered in heavy amounts of blood. Making it rather hard to even see the difference between the two humans. Other than knowing what they were they merely waited. Celestia and Sunset watched carefully. Though it was more than obvious to Sunset that Celestia seemed to be in a lot of pain as she would occasionally look away as if trying to hide her face. The bodies shifted once more still slipping in the blood of what was there before Celestia cast a spell to pull the two of them to their feet while cleaning some of the blood around them. They were groggy it seemed and would sometimes stumble about. Made sense as it was potentially because of their bipedal like nature which left them to not always have the most stable of footing overall.
“Hello?” Sunset stated to the one with the black baseball cap on his head as he shifted about. The other, with brown hair that seemed to flick about occasionally as the blood dripped off of it responded, however.
“HELLLOOOOO~” he stated though seemingly almost fell flat on his face if not for Celestia moving towards him to catch him from his fall. She decided against magic for the moment as she looked down to the ground to see that she managed to move most of the remains from the immediate area and noticed the flowers with 9 pedals that were at one point white now painted the red color much like her vision.
The human who had just spoken had finally regained his footing and pushed off Celestia's back lightly before looking to the two of them and pausing for a moment. Looking to his friend he grabbed onto his friend's left wrist quickly before running behind a nearby tree.
“Shuichi...” he paused for a moment. “ There are talking ponies here...that or the travel really messed us up this time..”
Shuichi, the one that seemed to be wearing all black leaned across the tree to see the two ponies. One much larger than the other.
“I...do you remember anything other than the first timeline...” He stated with a rather stale tone. He wasn't holding himself together too well but he felt like some horrible deed had occurred.
With a slap to the tree, the brown-haired one just smirked at his friend. “No need to worry about that for now. We have to focus on the now. Remember, so long as we are together, everything will be fine.” The brown-haired one stated, forcing a smile on his lips. Keeping a strong look for his friend who was seemingly so lost in his mind at the moment.
“Now, if you two are done your chat..” A gold like coloration covered them both and picked them up moving them around the massive tree and bringing them before the white larger pony with wings. “It seems you have been brought here for some reason. And though for the most part, I'd love to hear why you are here. I have run out of time to stay here at the moment. Can you please though, tell us your names before I leave you to my student, Sunset.”
Sunset looked to Celestia Perplexed. She clearly couldn't believe for the moment that Celestia was just about the leave her with these 2 humans. But with that glance, she would see that Celestia was more than confident in her decision. So how could she go against it for the moment?
“Oh right!” The brown-haired one exclaimed after the two of them were watching the ponies talk. Rather disturbed for a few moments, though with what they had seen you would think it wouldn't have been something so surprising. “My name is Hajime Hinata,” he states calmly and adjusts his tie, while his friend beside him seemed to look at them both with some depressed look on his face. “Come on Shuichi, it's good to introduce yourself to these two. They seem friendly enough.”
Shuichi's gaze shifted from his friend to the ones before him. His hair slightly covering his eyes, though this hat was also tilted to hide his gaze. “Shuichi...Saihara..” He stated with some distance in his voice. Sunset moved close to the two of them for the moment. Looking towards Shuichi “My name is Sunset Shimmer and this is Princess Celestia.”
Hajime paused for a moment from getting their names. Nodding slightly as he accepted them only to then suddenly just realize Sunset wasn't just saying that her name was Princess. It was her title. And quickly placed his hand behind the neck of his close friend and forced them both into a calm bow.
“I'm sorry Princess. We didn't know we were in the presence of royalty.” We couldn't have fucked up this fast, could we? He hoped in his mind. These timelines can be so complex just a simple thing can end everything.
“You....you didn't realize that her first name wasn't princess..” Shuichi whispered to Hajime who just looked at him with a gaze telling him to shut up.
I light laughter was heard. Though it seemed to hold back some sad tears. “No need to bow for the moment Hajime and Shuichi. We first need to get you a place to stay and keep you out of sight of some of the ponies in the area. Sunset, bring them to Rarity and see about learning a spell from Twilight or make one yourself to change their appearances, also...their names will probably need to be changed as well. So the alias' need to be well enough that the others won't suspect a thing till after I finish my meeting with them.” Celestia states softly before turning and trotting to the forest. Sunset moves her head as if the say follow with them.
All four of them reach the edge of the forest and Celestia opens her massive wings. “I'll see you both soon enough. I merely have my duties to take care of. Though I'm sure my sister will be more than willing to visit you tonight.” She states before taking off, her wings pushing enough force into the ground from the beats to shake some of the nearby trees. Though some water hit Hajime in the shirt small droplets which he looked up to her for the moment and watched her. He couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. And looked down towards the Sunset before them. Who, was looking up to them. Ponies were small it seemed. Coming up to their waist at most, though Celestia's head was about the same height as their own.
“Hmm, well first we'll have to get to Rarity's. If anything it will give you a place to rest before we go to Twilight's tomorrow.” Sunset states with a pensive look on her face. “That way if anything I can visit her early enough and then come see you both after that. We need to avoid everypony though so keep close to me. I can cloak you both for now with a spell but you can't get too far away from me or it would be problematic to keep it.” She finishes as her horn seemed to glow aqua for a moment as they both were seemingly surrounded in the coloration and nothing felt different. Though her horn didn't stop it's glow as they moved down towards the town.
The town didn't seem that advanced. Rather rugged-looking, maybe around the medieval level of technology for these two. Whom, for the most part, have seen worlds that were far more advance than this. Even their world felt more advanced. They passed by a few other ponies, one that was light blue with rainbow hair that seemed to be flying above and another that was at a stall selling what seemed to be different apples that seemed to do well. Until they made their way to what seemed to be a rather different-looking building. Different shades of mauve and purple.
Then a pony much like the one before them came out of the door, which lit up with the blue like magic as she walked out and looked at the three before her. She had white fur and her mane was a magnificent look and flow to it, it was a deep purple like color. She stopped before them and looked to Sunset who just smiled at her.
“So...who are these eehhh, lovely umm gents?” She stated with a smile on her muzzle and looked to them quickly, her blue eyes looking them all over before looking back to Sunset.
“Oh, this is Hajime and Shuichi. I'll explain in a moment but can we please go inside?” Sunset stated as she looked around to the others. It seemed that for the most part, Sunset had turned off her spell. Something that Hajime hadn't noticed as they were looking to the other pony. The door opening quickly as Rarity seemed to sense the urgency in the statement as they all trotted or walked into the home itself.
“Well, Do tell me darling what is the urgency of the matter? You're seeming more than eager to tell me the tale.” Rarity proposed as she brought forth her couch to sit on and look at the 3 of them rotating between whom would be the first to talk.
“Well..I'm glad you took a seat for it's an interesting tale.” Sunset Began.
