Adrian "Ozymandias" Veidt sat upon his pyramid shaped 'throne' cross-legged in a meditative pose. Ankhs of gold were delicately placed on each of the four sides, showing off Ozymandias' obsession with the ancient Egyptian king, Ramesses II, who was perhaps regarded as the greatest Pharaoh to have ever lived. He stared at the blue figure of Dr. Jonathan Osterman, or Dr. Manhattan; the world's only true 'superhero', but Veidt was not without his own talents. After all, it was because of him that the Cold War had now ended. It was because of him that he masterminded the grand plan that united the world powers together uniting the people together. It was because of him and his genius that saved the world. He had saved humanity.
"Jon... I know people think me callous, but I've made myself feel every death. By day I imagine endless faces. By night... well, I dream about swimming towards a hideous..." Adrian shuddered a little bit. Dr. Manhattan noted the change in his temperature, pulse, and a sudden change in his dopamine levels. Veidt closed his eyes and within seconds everything had returned to normal. "No. Never mind. It isn't significant. What is significant is that I know. I know I've struggled across the backs of murdered innocents to save humanity... but someone had to take the weight of that awful, necessary crime. I'd hoped you'd understand, unlike Rorschach..."
Dr. Manhattan walked around the large, floor standing star-globe revealing part of the known cosmos. He ran his hand over it, pushing his body sideways, using his body to study the way the molecules wove around his hand, how they pushed and pulled against one another. A part of him was slightly annoyed at how inaccurate the star-globe was, but he had always known that even before he saw it. He saw the universe and the millions of alternate variations that could have been, but would never be. It always made perfect sense, how everything fit. How one event could cause unforeseen circumstances.
This was not the universe he had seen beyond this system.
Adrian's voice had already spoken to him a long time ago, yet it had not happened yet. Jon had already given his reply, but he had not yet heard himself speak the answer. He had heard himself say the lines a million times in a million seconds, yet this would be the only time the words would actually leave his lips. This was the moment where and space and time coincided and in the nanosecond after this single moment it would lapse into an infinite past where he could see this one minor event happen, yet no matter what he did he could not change it. He could see the many alternate forms of his answer and how they would affect their respective futures, but those would never come to pass for they could never happen. He could not change what he was going to say or what he had already said. Had he already known what he was going to say, therefore that was why he would say it?
Time had long ceased being linear to him anymore.
"You needn't consider Rorschach. I strongly doubt he'll reach civilization," Dr. Manhattan stated as he saw himself tearing the masked man apart outside of Adrian's Antarctic hideout nine minutes forty five seconds ago. He tore him apart at the atomic level, destroying him in a manner that only left a slightly bloodied stain on the snow. He knew this because he had seen it before, could see it after, but no matter how many times he wanted to stop, he knew he could not or was it because if he did not then humanity would once again be in danger? Osterman was unsure. He never liked murder and the sight of ripping the masked man apart left a foul taste in his mouth. Jon might not have liked the vigilante, but he respected his desire for justice. Killing him was wrong... or was it? He could hear the voices of a million people cry out in anguish if Rorschach had lived, not that it could ever happen because he would kill him -- had killed him. The raw, uncompromising nature of his version of justice was his undoing. The others agreed to keep Viedt's atrocity a secret, but not Rorschach. Even if the face of Armageddon he was compelled to do what was right -- even if it was wrong. "But yes, I understand without condoning or condemning. Human affairs cannot be my concern. I'm leaving this galaxy for one less complicated."
"But you'd regained interest in human life..." Veidt stated slowly trying to gain more information from the god-like being. He knew Jon could see the future even if he could not change it. He would be useful to ensuring peace continued.
"Yes, I have. I think perhaps I'll create some." Jon walked into the star globe that had sparked a mild interest in him moments before. Sparked interest on various levels, including the metallic makeup of the device. How the molecules fit into one another, how the way the metal bent in some parts giving it the structural balance it needed to remain standing. Then, as quickly as it had come, the moment had vanished. It no longer concerned him nor interested him, just like he had known it always would. He had altered the composition of his body, changed himself at the atomic level to allow his own entity to move without obstruction. He did this without a thought, like blinking or breathing -- two things he no longer had to do, "Goodbye, Adrian."
"Jon, wait, before you leave... I did the right thing, didn't I? It all worked out in the end."
The future lay bare before him. Dr. Manhattan saw the many paths and crossroads available. He could see them unfold before him like many paths each leading away from each, constantly dividing into innumerable tributaries that continued for an eternity. An infinite amount of possibilities in an infinite number of realities spanning an infinite amount of time, yet he knew in an instant which ones this world would take. He always had, always will.
Jon saw it all, each outcome, each so-called 'destiny' for each living creature alive. And he felt nothing.
"'In the end'? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends."
"Jon? Wait! What do you mean by..."
He was gone. All that remained was a faint blue afterglow that faded quickly. This world's only real superhuman had vanished. Adrian sat back down heavily on his throne and stared at the star-globe in front of him for a long while, an uneasy feeling churning in his belly.
Jon Osterman, Dr. Manhattan, was gone.
"Ah'm tellin' ya, sis, I really saw it! A tall blue ghost walkin' on his hind-legs! Just like how Spike and them Minotaurs do! I mean, it was kinda scary, but I don't think it seemed ta notice me, Sweetie or Scoots, b-b-b-but we didn't stick around to find out!" Apple Bloom shuddered.
Applejack shuddered as well. She hated creepy things, but real ghosts? No way the could exist. It was perhaps another creature living in the Everfree Forest. After all, there were a lot of mysterious creatures there. Still, what really infuriated her was the fact that Apple Bloom had gone into the forest explicitly disobeying her. Whatever had spooked or excited the little filly made her openly admit venturing there.
As Apple Bloom's guardian, she had to make sure that her little sister learned her lesson. Again.
"Ah'm really dis'pointed in ya, Apple Bloom. Didn't Ah tell ya never to go into the Everfree without an adult? You deliberately disobeyed me - again!" She held out a hoof when her little sister was about to protest. "Ah don't care if ya were in there to find yer Cutie Mark. You broke your promise to me and for that yer grounded, Missy. For one whole month. Now go to your room!"
"Aw..." Apple Bloom felt cheated. She had come to her sister to inform her of what she had seen and had hoped that she'd listen to her and be a little bit more supportive about what she had seen. She did expect some form of punishment, but not a full month of grounding! She kicked her hoof against the floor, "Shoot."
"Yer not to talk back ta me, young lady," Applejack barked making the little filly yelp. "Now, git! Yer lucky Ah didn't tan yer hide!"
It was now several hours later. Night had come to the quiet town of Ponyville and Applejack found herself in Twilight's library with the rest of the girls. Rainbow was hovering over the purple unicorn looking over her shoulder at something on the table, while Spike brought some hot refreshments expertly balanced on his tail as he handed each of them a mug of freshly made coco.
Applejack thanked the young dragon as she took her cup and turned her attention back to the piece of paper on the table.
"That's the twenty-fifth sighting," Twilight muttered. "If this thing is really a ghost, then it's got to be real! I mean look at all these reports! Lyra's seen it-"
"We know! She's been talkin' 'bout it non-stop since!" Applejack blew on the mug of coco trying to cool it off a little.
"Well, okay... but still, there are too many consistencies, and whatever this creature is, it's getting bolder. There are even some reports of this creature being seen in Canterlot! Well, that is if these reports are of the same creature, but that doesn't make sense. How can it get from here to Canterlot and back on the same day? That's impossible! We need to get to the bottom of this."
"Y-y-y-ya don't mean we are goin' ta the Everfree to look fer this... thing, do ya?" Applejack asked.
Twilight looked at her orange friend as if she had asked the more ridiculous question ever. "Of course we are, Applejack."
"A'course we are..." Applejack shook her head and shivered a little.
"Aren't you curious to see what 'it' is, or 'they' are?"
"Ah, uh, suddenly got a sore tummy... I think I oughta stay behind..." She winced and groaned, but her shifty eyes and tightened lip gave away her feeble attempt at the lie.
"Aw, come on, Applejack. I promise it'll be fine," Twilight reassure her friend.
"Oh... I-I'm also n-n-n-not feeling too good..." Fluttershy said, hiding behind Pinkie, who had finished off her coco and was licking her lips savoring the remnants, "I'd like to stay behind too... if you don't mind..."
Twilight felt annoyed. Two of her closest friends did not want to come with her because they were afraid. Afraid of what? It was just a ghost.
"How can you guys be scared? It's harmless! Well, in theory, that is."
Suddenly, loud and heavy knocking erupted from the front door causing Fluttershy and Applejack to squeak in surprise. The yellow pegasus dove under the nearest table and hid there with her hooves planted firmly over her eyes, while Applejack darted behind the nearest sofa.
Spike rolled his eyes at the two and nonchalantly opened the door. He cried out in surprise as the door forced its way open to reveal a tall red stallion, sweat beading down his forehead. He looked around until he spotted the mare her was looking for behind the sofa.
"Apple Bloom's gone!" Big Mac shouted as he pushed past the dragon. "She left a note sayin' she's goin' inta the Everfree to look for a blue ghost with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!"
Applejack jumped out from her hiding spot, her fear of ghosts seemingly evaporating at the knowledge that her sister could be in extreme danger.
"Come on, girls!" she cried and rushed out the door.
"Sweetie Belle, how could you?" Rarity growled in a harsh whisper as she followed at the farmer's heels.
The other girls followed close behind with Rainbow Dash taking to the air along with Fluttershy. Big Mac brought up the rear galloping as hard as he could, but quickly falling behind. Strong he may be, fast he was not.
Spike watched them all go and sighed. Those Cutie Mark Crusaders certainly loved getting themselves into trouble. He rolled his eyes as they disappeared into the night and concluded that he had unceremoniously been chosen to stay behind.
As they approached the entrance to the forest, Twilight called to her friends.
"Applejack, Rarity, wait!"
When neither of them seemed to hear her, she concentrated forming a bubble in front of them. They crashed into it, a little dazed, but unharmed as the rest of them caught up.
"Twi? What'd ya do that fer?" Applejack asked.
"Wait!" Twilight panted. She took a moment to catch her breath. "We can't just run through the forest, we'll never find them. We need to make a plan."
"Whatdowedo? Whatdowedo?" Pinkie asked, clearly agitated as she hopped in place.
"Rainbow, you and Fluttershy watch over us from above. From the reports, this so-called 'ghost' glows, so you should be able to see something from above. Also, it seems to be mostly seen near the ravine..."
"You mean by the old abandoned castle?" Rarity asked.
"That's the place. If the girls are looking for it, then they must've known about the rumor. They'll be heading that way. Pinkie Pie and Rarity will take the path towards Zecora's place and swing around, while Applejack and I will look down the path that heads towards the river. We'll meet by the bridge, okay? Big Mac, can you take the trail via the swamp?"
The red stallion nodded.
The girls got into their pairs and entered the Everfree Forest. Twilight's plan was as good as any and it covered a lot of ground. The mares quickly took off while Big Mac headed on his own towards the swamp.
"This ain't safe, Scootaloo," Apple Bloom moaned as she gazed down the chasm.
The bridge was still out. No pony had been in this area since Nightmare Moon's return and subsequent defeat. There wasn't any need to come this deep into the Everfree and plenty of good reasons not to. Unless you were looking for something, like a dangerous, mysterious creature. Like a blue ghost, for example.
"I don't remember this tree," Sweetie Belle squeaked, "are you sure this is the right way?"
They were trying to head on back, their 'ghost discoverers' cutie mark was a complete failure.
Scootaloo scratched her head, "I don't know. I've never been this deep in here before. Why don't we-"
Just then a blue light filtered through the trees next to them. A tall creature lumbered towards the ravine with slow, deliberate steps. It was walking upright, had no fur or hair and -- most importantly -- it was glowing blue. One arm was folded across its chest with his hand was firmly placed on his chin.
"It's a boy ghost," Apple Bloom whispered to her friends.
The others were too busy trying to fight the feeling of panic to notice.
Suddenly it stopped and turned its head towards the Crusaders making all three of them lean back in horror. The Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled close together as the creature gazed at them with glowing eyes. There were no pupils, just a bluish-white glow, but they could tell it was looking right at them. A chill rushed down their spines.
Scootaloo looked up at its forehead and noticed a strange symbol there. A circle with a dot in the middle and another dot on the circle above that one. She knew that symbol. She had seen it before. Recently. But where? Where had she seen it?
The blue thing turned away and started again towards the ravine.
"Watch out!" Apple Bloom shouted out of reflex. "You'll fa-"
Her voice died in her throat as the creature took one step out onto the ravine and... continued to walk across it as if it had been solid ground. The three of them stared in astonishment as they watched it disappear behind the naturally thick fog. The light continued to glow for a bit longer and then it was gone.
The girls all turned to one another to confirm if what they had seen was real.
"D-d-d-d-d-d-did you guys see that?" a voice whispered from behind them.
All three mares screamed and turned to see Rainbow hovering above the ground above them with her mouth hanging open. Moments later Twilight and Applejack appeared, followed by Fluttershy, while Big Mac appeared from the other end of the copse.
"Uh-oh," was the only thing Apple Bloom could say when she spotted her sister and brother walking briskly towards her.
Dread.
That was what the Cutie Mark Crusaders felt when the saw the expressions on their selective relatives baring down on them. Sheer and utter dread. Big Mac was relieved that his sister was safe, but was furious with Apple Bloom. Still, the anger on Applejack's face was especially fierce. Apple Bloom knew why, she had deliberately disobeyed her sister again by sneaking out of the house to once more go into the expressly forbidden Everfree Forest. Ever after she had been grounded for the exact same reason she was in now: she was in the Everfree Forest without an adult.
"Apple Bloom..." Applejack growled.
But before she could finish, Rarity burst through the foliage and swept Sweetie Belle up in a tight embrace, "Thank Celestia you're safe!" she shouted, "But you're also in a heap of trouble, young lady. What were you thinking coming here this deep into the Everfree Forest? In fact, what were you thinking coming here at all? Didn't Applejack, Twilight and I tell you how dangerous it is?"
"But, sis..." Sweetie began, expecting to be interrupted. She was surprised when Rarity didn't stop her from talking. Ever since the sisterhood social, Rarity had been making an extra effort to listen to her. It made her feel like a grown-up, but now she felt especially guilty because she knew it was wrong. "We wanted to find the ghost... and we found him..."
"Now, Sweetie, there's no reason to lie about..."
"She's not lying," Rainbow said quietly, "I saw it too. It's over there, in the castle where we beat Nightmare Moon."
The nine of them stared across the abyss wondering what to do next.
"Oh good, the Elements of Harmony are here," a gentle voice said from above them as Princess Celestia, along with Princess Luna set down on the ground in front of them. "We felt a powerful force coming from here."
"Never have we felt such obscene power. It is unnatural even by alicorn standards," Luna replied glaring across the chasm.
"We will need to investigate," Princess Celestia said slowly.
Applejack turned to her older brother, "Mac, can ya take the kids back home?"
Big Mac nodded, and shuffling the kids in his massive hooves, led them away.
The eight equines did a collective gulp as they prepared to cross the ravine and confront the so-called 'ghost'.
The Elements of Harmony and the Princesses walked into the long abandoned castle cautiously. There was no trace of the being, not even a faint blue glow. The girls automatically spread out and looked around. Apart from the dust, not much had changed since the last time they had entered this place. Their hooves left behind clear hoofprints, but none were freshly made. None belonged to the creature.
Princess Luna walked into the old throne room with apprehension and looked to the raised dais at the end. That was where she had fought the Elements and thankfully lost. The thought made her turn away in anger and disgust. This was where she had challenged Twilight and her friends as Nightmare Moon. She wanted to forget that dreadful time, but she knew she could not and now having to have it reminded in this way made her feel sick in her stomach. Then again a lot of things had happened here that left a foul taste in her mouth. Her fight with the Elements was only a tiny end-note in the passage of history. What this place had seen, what had transpired within these walls in that every chamber...
Something on her face must have given away her sentiments because she felt a comforting wing drape over her shoulder.
"Sister? Is something the matter?" Princess Celestia asked.
"Must you ask that? Coming back this place after everything."
"That's in the past. Let's concentrate on the present." Celestia give her little sister a comforting nuzzle.
It helped.
"Shall we continue our search-"
A sudden high-pitched scream exploded into the empty hall and a red-faced Rarity was somehow standing atop one of the broken pillars with one hoof. She looked at her friends and let out a guilty giggle. "I'm terribly sorry, i-it's just... a-a rat ran past me a-and it scared me."
Despite the situation they were in, both Rainbow and Applejack could not help but burst out into fits of laughter.
"Now, that's entirely uncalled for." Rarity stuck her bottom lip out at her two friends.
"Yes it is! It's completely called for! You shoulda see your-"
Rarity yelped again as a sudden burst of speed followed by a rainbow contrail whizzed by her.
"O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-over t-t-t-there!" Rainbow squeaked pointing towards the far end of the old throne room. She had zoomed past Rarity and hid herself behind another pillar further away.
Everypony turned to look where Rainbow had pointed. A blue glow shone through a doorway blocked by rubble. None had noticed it before, but the light revealed the ancient passageway. They all watched in silence as the light momentarily grew brighter before fading out completely.
"Stand back!" Celestia announced. Her horn glowed a bright, fierce yellow and she projected her power at the stones blocking the entrance. The rocks began to glow and finally melt, yet they felt none of the unbearable heat associated with molten stone.
Following her sister's lead, Luna used her magic to cool the lava with her magic. The result produced a smooth, glassy finish that overlapped the walls and floor.
"I... I remember this doorway. This passage leads down towards the old dungeons, dearest sister," Luna whispered from behind Celestia. "I do not want to venture there. The memories of-"
"Hush, Luna. We promised never to speak of that time again," Celestia replied quietly, a reassuring smile on her face.
At those words, Luna's eyes began to water. The Princess of the Night quickly wiped them away before Twilight and her friends could see. "Yes, big sister."
"Follow us, my little ponies. We'll head down first and make sure it's safe, but keep the Elements of Harmony ready in case."
Celestia led the way, her horn still glowing brightly as her light illuminated a long staircase that led downwards into the bowels of the ancient castle. Luna followed right after her sister with her own horn glowing in the dark. After her followed Twilight and her friends.
In the limited light from the glow of their horns the way seemed to go down forever; a seemingly endless staircase. The girls were beginning to believe that there was no end, but both the princesses kept on going. It was clear that they knew just how deep this went. After what seemed like an eternity Celestia's horn started to illuminate something ahead of them. As they approached the first thing they noticed was a smooth, ice-like wall, much like the one that Luna had created at the entrance where they could see their reflections. Ahead of them was an empty space where the light soon revealed an iron barred door.
"What is this place?" Rarity asked using her horn to illuminate the wall next to her. She unconsciously checked to make sure her makeup was on and her mane tidy, which made Applejack roll her eyes.
"A dark place for dark times," Celestia replied quietly. "Our history wasn't always so... harmonious."
There was something about the way she said those words that seemed to hint at a terrible burden. This time it was Luna who nuzzled her older sister. It was clear that neither of them wanted to be down here. It did not take a genius to understand that the history here was painful for them both. The princesses were looking upwards at an unfamiliar symbol embossed into the wall. Elegantly carved or molded.
"It's rusted right on through," Applejack commented looking at the hinges.
"Hang on just a second, I'll try and-" Twilight began.
Applejack spun around and gave the door an almighty buck. The ancient metal could not take the sudden jolt and a loud snap echoed through the darkness followed by a deafening boom as it crashed unabashed onto the cold, stoney floor.
"- open it up," Twilight ended.
"Oops. Sorry. Mah bad."
Pinkie poked her nose through the door first but was unable to see anything, not even her hoof in front of her face. Celestia patted Pinkie on the back and the party pony made way for her. As the princess walked in, her horn illuminated a long, narrow corridor aligned on both sides with similar iron-barred doors.
Something in the air felt off. A strange aura or scent that seemed to permeate through the very stone itself.
"It feels like... like... I dunno..." Rainbow whispered. It seemed like the right thing to do.
"A tomb," Luna replied equally as quiet.
That sent a cold shudder through Applejack's bones.
"Come, my little ponies. Let us not delay." Celestia took a step, the sound echoing through the hall. She lifted up her hoof and looked at the print left behind.
"Princess?" Twilight asked looking up at her mentor.
"It's nothing, Twilight. Come along."
Despite the volume of their hooves clopping on the stone floor, they all continued on. Twilight couldn't help herself and peered past one of the iron doors along the long corridor. All she could see were small, windowless room. She used her magic to illuminate the interior but nothing was there except for little mounds of dust and some ancient, ragged pieces that resembled clothing. A few had remnants of what looked to be furniture, but it was hard to tell.
"Are you okay, Princess Luna?" Rarity asked.
Luna had her head down and seemed to avert her gaze from the small rooms keeping her vision straight on. She wore a pained expression, but when Rarity spoke she forced a smile to her lips. "Yes, I am fine. Just... tired from walking down those stairs. Thank you for asking."
It was clear that Luna did not want to elaborate, and Celestia also seemed to be thinking. As the silence grew between them, Twilight found herself deep in thought. Questions started to plague her mind. How there could be no trace of the creature? While she understood that because it was a ghost physical barriers were not be an issue, but even so. Nothing? The only things she knew for sure was that the ghost was glowing. That brought out another question. What would make it glow? Her only conclusion was that there was magic somehow involved. But if that was the case, then was that thing really a ghost?
"Fluttershy!" Rainbow's voice whined. "Leggo of me!"
Fluttershy was hugging onto Rainbow so tight that the pegasus had to struggle to make the butter colored mare relinquish her grip slightly so she could breathe. The Elements of Kindness refused to do as he friend asked and clung to her like a newborn foal.
"There! I see light!" Pinkie shouted.
"Sh!" Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Luna and Celestia hushed the Element of Laughter.
"Oopsy. Sorry," Pinkie replied in a whisper.
"Not like it matters. Applejack probably announced our presence when she bucked that gate," Rarity pointed out.
The orange mare giggled guiltily.
"Careful, girls," Celestia warned. "Follow me."
Hours passed in minutes.
Minutes passed in hours.
Seconds flowed into minutes like a steady stream merging to form a pool. Time, each aspect of it, each dimension of it, different and constant. Minutes drowned into hours, hours into days, weeks, years, decades, millennium. Eons. An age had gone by slowly stretching out over an eternity, never moving, always in one spot.
Yet it had come so fast.
Minutes to come. Minutes to go. The seconds lingering for moments before dragging on into an eternity in the next moment.
Time flows.
Time never stops.
Time is not linear.
Everything, like a blanket that covered the cosmos, it envelops all and nothing. The concept once so unfathomable now seemed so simple. Like reading the definition of a word in a dictionary, it all made so much sense once you understood. Everything is both nothing and all combined. The very fabric of time and space included in this simple, yet ever so complex equations of mathematical perfection that could only be achieved by obeying a certain set of rules.
Rules that cannot be broken.
The stars that littered the huge expanse all around them seemed like the all encompassing concept of everything, yet in so many ways it was nothing. The huge expanses between the little dots spanned for billions or trillions of miles had nothing but a majority of empty spaces. Nothing. So much of nothing, yet it was everything as well.
How long had it been? The question in itself made no sense in the planar form of thought. Already the answer was known, because it only took two point five trillionth of a second for his synapse to process it. Faster than light because it traversed a space within where time had no determining factor. The thought was always there, always was waiting for that one specific moment to be known, then it decayed in an instant. Like stepping stones across a vast river, each time it was stepped on it would sink beneath the surface, the only way was forward, never going back. The route set, there was no alternative, but the other paths were clear, visible from any vantage, just that you could never take them.
The next moment was coming... again. The conditions had predetermined it knowingly. It was not a chance nor a matter of coincidence. Everything was set in motion since the beginning. Why did this meeting take place down below the ancient citadel? Why did this place need to be in ruins for it to happen? There were so many microscopic reasons, each one vibrating the right molecule at the right time. On and on, for centuries, since the beginning. Why did it have to be here? Because it was supposed to be that way. Four hundred and twenty two million years ago it had been like this and four hundred and twenty two million years later the events were about to unfold.
Light. It pierced through the darkness. Each particle surging through, bouncing off the centillion surfaces, each ricocheted off into another direction but a few select particles, exactly five octillion, nine septillion, three sextillion, seven quintillion, two quadrillion, five trillion, eight billion, seven million, two thousand, four hundred and eighty seven of them, bounced off these surfaces, some almost as small as an atom themselves, and reflected into the ocular receptors. Not that they were needed. The usefulness of vision faded the moment he could see without seeing.
What had they been called? It had been so long, this concept of sight.
The molecules were rapidly increasing. They number exponentially growing as more and more particles streamed through the empty spaces between the molecules that make up the gaseous expanse between the vacuum beyond the planet's atmosphere and the solid mass below.
Air. That was what it was. The concept, again, had so long escaped him. Worlds of incalculable number he had seen, and so very few had enough air to sustain any semblance of life. Yet this planet had so much. A rather strange feeling it was to see this particular kind of air. It seemed so familiar.
These notions evaporated into half-thoughts before they could be completed. Air was and always will be remembered because he was breathing it yesterday, millions of years ago in a place so far away, right next door.
That's right. He. It had been a very long time since he remembered what gender was, not that he had ever forgotten because he could see himself being with someone else. Someone who cared for him in a time so long ago, yet he could see it as if it were yesterday.
The source of the particles appeared in the immediate vicinity firing. They traveled at two hundred and ninety-nine million, seven hundred and ninety-two thousand, four hundred and fifty-eight meters per second, an agonizingly slow speed that happened before the concept of a blink could form in the brain. Each rushed past him, at a snail's pace. Each one unique, different. He observed each particle individually. Like so many creations that were formed from a multitude of coincidences and chances, it had a life. From the moment of its birth he had seen it. He watched it grow, illuminating other particles within its sphere. Those that were weaker were destroyed, cast aside, obliterated. Never changing its direction it flew straight into the ocular receptors, the eyes, and there it was absorbed, effectively dying in a collision of microscopic proportions. There the light struggled for a moment, trying to reach some sense of its existence only to find that it had no sentient thought as it burned into the retina.
Such was the way of things. Every creation has a life. Each being a particle or a series of particles, an infinite number of series that could have an infinite number of possibilities.
Possibilities that could never come to pass.
He thought about another particle that floated just next to the one that died. This wasn't a light particle. No, nothing so new or bright. This was an old particle. Its journey had brought it from millions of miles away. It was the remnants of a now extinct species of tree. Once it had stood taller than any tree that ever existed. It never loomed over him as he never saw its splendor. Purple leaves and bright green flowers that blossomed in the hottest times of the nine seasoned climate. Nothing save trees existed here.
Then the storms came. Fire rained from the sky. For the next two thousand four hundred and twenty years the planet burned, the ash and cinder blanketing the world from the outside and thus it remained for centuries. He saw it all, but never did. He could smell the high levels of sulfur in the air that was not even discovered in the most sophisticated telescopes of the time.
The particle hovered just in front of him. It had no real life, so it had died too long ago, but it had lived and continues to do so to this moment. It still existed, therefore it was still there. Then it was gone. Another particle of light colliding into it reducing to nothing to form everything.
Everything was nothing.
Then the creatures entered the room. It had taken so long for them to get here, but they were right on time. To the nanosecond. They all froze and he could smell their fear, hear their hearts beat faster, see their pupils dilate and felt their core temperatures rise as their adrenaline pumped into their veins.
Words.
Language.
The formation of noises emanated from the throat and nasal passages to form comprehensive sounds. It had been the basis of communication for all kinds of species. He knew their tongue because he could hear their conversation, hear them talk and the answers he would give. But not now. Now he did not know the language. He had to learn it when they spoke, using his ability to decipher their biochemistry and brain waves to form a full comprehensive understanding over their language. It was not hard it, yet he had never come across anything like it. The roots of this language was something completely unknown to him.
They all talked in quick whispers as they hid behind the two larger horses.
No.
Ponies.
Yes. He knew who they were, but not yet. He knew of their significance, but not yet. He knew what they were going to ask of him, but not yet.
Almost.
More words.
In an instant he understood. He could hear them clearly as they talked. He made out their phonetics, their structuring, their words and that fact that they were arguing. There was a patten. Always a pattern. There was order. In its simplest forms the order always existed, always prevailed. Always was never there.
Order cannot exist without chaos, and therefore chaos cannot exist without order. Like the way that the particles in the air moved in circular waves from their mouths, each vibration releasing various tones and noises. The sound from their mouths reverberated off his ears, or what would have been ears. What use was ears or any other auditory receptors when everything is predetermined already? The words had already been spoken and heard.
The atoms moved like dust in the wind, a compression of space followed by a vacuum that pulled them back together. Like the sand in the ocean, it moved as one for a moment, following the wave, then pulled back as the empty space behind beckoned them to return.
The path of least resistance.
He watched them without his eyes, felt them without his skin, heard them without his ears, tasted them without his tongue. The ripples in the air would reached him soon. Soon in the linear sense, for it had already come to pass eons ago in the near future. Time was planar. It was, is, and always shall be, but maybe, possible, never as well.
Time was not linear.
The creatures would see him soon. The reflection of the light particles ricocheting from his body were not surging back towards the newcomers. He did not know what they were, but he knew. Again there was more vibrations in the air as the sounds of conversation bent and altered the path of millions of particles. As a result they would notice him nearly two hundredths of a nanosecond later, as they had always done.
It was so close to that time, but again it was so far away. He stood outside the ruins observing the three little ones near the tree, their fear and excitement luring them to that place. He saw them walk out with a large red pony. He saw them get eviscerated by a large bear-like creature. He saw them grow up to be adults. He saw them die from a strange accident trying to earn their coming of age marks. He saw it all, yet only one path truly existed.
Only one.
Endless possibilities tied up to the whims of an intelligent law that determined all and everything.
So what was the point of existing if it was all already known?
Because it was also unknown.
Time is planar. It does not move in one path. It never did.
He opened his mouth, and let the muscles that had long since evolved to form the appropriate sounds. He squeezed his larynx as he had always done, but had not done so in so long, just the other moment, many eons ago. He had talked to that being from that world. A man ripping off his mask demanding that he be done with it. The feeling of peeling his field away. The blood on the snow. The smoking remains. Vivid. Fresh. Ancient.
"Hello."
Author's Note
Apologies for taking so long on this chapter. It was a lot harder to write than I originally thought. I had to do a relative crash course in theoretical physics, time waves, multi-dimensional comprehension and incorporating that in a fic to do with magically oriented equines while trying to do so in a comprehensive fashion. All this from the perspective of a being that perceives time in a very different way.
I hope you can forgive me.
multi-chromatic - is a word.
centillion
